After not seeing each other for so long, Ai missed Ryuji a great deal as well.
"I see!"
Kaguya nodded, accepting Ai's explanation without much thought.
It seemed reasonable enough.
"But I wonder when Ryuji will have time!"
Ai glanced at Kaguya for a moment, and an idea sparked in her mind. Her eyes lit up as she spoke. "How about this, Miss Kaguya—I'll go find Ryuji-san and ask when he's available!"
"Really? Would you do that?" Kaguya's eyes filled with hope.
"Of course!"
"Thank you so much, Hayasaka! You're the best!"
With that, Kaguya hugged Ai tightly, her trust and gratitude palpable.
"…"
Ai found herself at a loss for words.
She felt a pang of guilt—it wasn't solely for Kaguya's sake but because she also missed Ryuji. Was she taking advantage of Kaguya's feelings?
Wait, that wasn't quite right.
Even if Kaguya were to meet Ryuji, her shy nature would likely make it impossible for her to say what she truly felt.
By familiarizing herself with Ryuji, Ai could bridge that gap and help Kaguya connect with him.
Yes, that was it.
The more Ai thought about it, the more convinced she was that her actions were justified. She was doing this for Kaguya's sake.
Kaguya, for her part, was entirely unaware of Ai's internal debate and continued looking at her with grateful eyes.
Ryuji's life continued at its usual leisurely pace. Even when small interruptions occurred, they were harmless, trivial matters.
Arisu, for instance, had been contemplating her approach to dealing with Ryuji but wasn't in a hurry. Rushing could create a bad impression, and that would defeat her purpose. Arisu wasn't one to make foolish moves.
In class, Arisu found herself taking a closer look at her fellow students for the first time.
Before, she hadn't paid them much attention, thinking there wouldn't be any reason to interact.
There was nothing particularly notable about them. They were just ordinary classmates.
That was until Arisu's gaze drifted to the back corner of the room. There sat a girl with a gentle smile, gazing out the window as though longing for something, her eyes filled with a quiet sorrow, like someone taking in the world one last time.
"...?"
Arisu might have been physically frail, but she was undeniably sharp and perceptive. One glance was enough for her to understand the hidden meaning in the girl's eyes.
But what could make a girl of her age look so desolate?
Soon, the bell rang.
The girl stood up abruptly and stormed out of the classroom.
Arisu didn't follow, but her brows furrowed slightly as she watched.
"What's this? Thinking of picking out a new pet?"
Masumi, walking over, teased with a smirk.
After spending so much time with Arisu, Masumi was well-acquainted with her peculiar interests.
"No, one pet is enough, and that's you," Arisu replied smoothly.
"Tsk."
Masumi rolled her eyes at Arisu, unimpressed. She'd heard the same thing many times and no longer bothered to argue.
"You'd better not get any ideas. This girl is different."
"Oh? Tell me more."
Arisu's interest was piqued, and she looked at Masumi expectantly.
"Her name's Shouko. Shouko Nishimiya. She's deaf, and from what I've gathered, she's been pretty isolated and excluded by the class."
"Excluded, huh?"
Arisu's lips curled into a slight, disdainful smile.
"How predictable. The weak banding together only to isolate their own."
Bullied for being different? Shouko's story reminded Arisu of her own. From a young age, she had needed a cane to walk, a symbol of her fragile health.
Arisu herself had been the target of bullies at one point. But she used her sharp intellect to exact fierce, calculated revenge until no one dared to cross her again.
It was how she'd earned the nickname "Little Tyrant."
So, was that why her eyes looked so resigned? Had she reached the breaking point after enduring relentless bullying?
"Pathetic."
To think of giving up entirely just because of bullying—Arisu found it cowardly.
But after a moment of hesitation, she stood up and walked out of the classroom.
"Hey? Aren't we going to eat?"
Masumi called after her, surprised. It was lunchtime, after all.
Masumi had just unpacked her lunch, only to see Arisu heading for the door. She frowned in confusion.
"Come with me."
"…"
Masumi sighed. There were moments when she wanted nothing more than to throw her lunch straight at Arisu's face. Just because you're not hungry doesn't mean the rest of us aren't, she thought.
But it was just that, a fleeting thought.
With an exaggerated eye roll, Masumi put her lunch away and followed Arisu.
As expected, Arisu headed straight for the rooftop.
There, standing at the edge, was Shouko, looking out into the distance with vacant eyes.
So, it was just as Arisu had suspected.
Shouko was lost in thought, staring out at the horizon. For two days now, she had been plagued by nightmares after being cursed by Sadako.
Finally, she understood why so many others couldn't bear it.
The suffocating fear of having just seven days left to live, it would have been better if she'd died the moment she watched the cursed tape.
Just as Shouko stood in silent despair, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"At this height, you'd probably die instantly if you jumped. But is that really what you want? If you have the courage to end it all, don't you have the courage to keep living and get even?"
***
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