"Well then, I'll leave it to you, Sakumu-nee." Satoru said, retracting his hand nonchalantly.
There would be plenty of opportunities in the evening for indulgence, to calm down the turmoil and release pent-up emotions. But for now, there was no need to force anything.
Leaving the office, Satoru followed behind Sakumu to find Miyano Mirai's homeroom teacher. The office of the second-year teachers had several rooms, and she wasn't sure about the specific division.
"Director Tezuka." the homeroom teacher, sitting near the entrance, stood up and greeted Sakumu as she entered.
"Good morning... Well, there's something I'd like to know." Sakumu exchanged pleasantries and then got to the point.
"I wanted to inquire about the recent situation of Miyano Mirai, how well she is adjusting to the school, her grades, and the overall classroom environment."
The homeroom teacher was about to answer when she noticed Satoru, who was wearing the school uniform, and her words got stuck.
Satoru had hoped to hear some firsthand information, but now it seemed unlikely. He smiled, turned around, and left.
"Is this teacher quite responsible?" Satoru wondered. She had been so cautious in front of Sakumu, but now she dared to act this way. Weren't they afraid of repercussions?
A conversation took place.
"Director Tezuka, Miyano has been..." the homeroom teacher began but hesitated, unsure of how to proceed.
"I have my limits." Sakumu made a rare explanation.
...
"People think I'm using my position for personal gain and doing bad things!"
"Isn't that true?" Satoru asked curiously, agreed that Sakumu was indeed using her position for personal gain.
Sakumu couldn't contain her anger and punched him.
"Ouch! That hurts!" Satoru exclaimed, clutching his chest.
Sakumu had trained in combat and often exercised her strength and shape through boxing, so she had a lot of power.
"It's not much different from what I told you yesterday. Being from a rural area in Hokkaido, she faces discrimination and is looked down upon. She is introverted and quiet, which isolates her further. There hasn't been anything too extreme, as the school rules of our school are strictly enforced." Sakumu quickly summarized, hitting the back of her hand in frustration. Sometimes she couldn't control her actions.
As a former all-girls school, Sakurano Hill Private School had many interesting and strictly enforced rules, so bullying on campus was always kept under control to some extent, at least avoiding extreme cases like the "fighting" or "taking nude photos" incident.
"She has no friends, and no one of the same gender approaches her, which naturally means there are no opposite-sex interactions either. She has good grades and is among the top students in her class, with exceptional performance in chemistry." Sakumu relayed the information.
Satoru nodded and listened attentively, analyzing the situation in his mind. He bid farewell to Sakumu and headed towards his own floor.
In the Japan campus, school bullying was a terrifying yet common occurrence, present in almost every school and class to varying degrees. Even though Sakurano Hill wouldn't involve matters of personality, dignity, or safety, cold violence was still frightening.
To give a simple example, in a cooking class, if you're not assigned a group, how would you complete the assignment? In physical education class, if no one helps you with stretching exercises, how would you earn points? Even a day at school without a single person speaking to you would be a chilling experience, as if the world had abandoned you.
Moreover, what teachers could see wasn't necessarily the whole picture. Many times, it was the verbal and cold violence that became the deadliest weapon.
...
Attending classes peacefully and listening attentively could help pass the time and calm one's emotions.
Satoru smoothly made his way to the rooftop during the lunch break.
The rooftop of the school building was a well-known spot. Normally, the rooftop at Sakurano Hill was locked to prevent accidents, but Satoru's contact in the Astronomy Club had obtained a spare key.