âââAnd so, you should talk about this to your parents and your teachers.â
Ayano-chan was crying again when I finished talking. Itâs an event that I donât want to recall, but I still told my story. To fix this problem, the solution-giver has to have had the same experience.
âBesides, if that doesnât work, you can always transfer like me.â
If things get hard, running away is okay; youâll die if you endure too much. Like me in my previous life.
Well, if you are being chased, youâll have a narrow field of vision; you wonât be able to think of escaping for some reason.
I told her everything that I wanted to tell her, and, when Ayano-chan stopped crying, she said in a small voice, ââŠTelling my parents or my teacher, I donât want to. âŠI canât tell them. Transferring is also difficult⊠It was hard to enter SakuranagiâŠâ
She looked downwards in silence.
Well, thatâs the answer that I expected. Unlike public schools, Sakuranagi is greatly influenced by the childrenâs familyâs financial or political power. Itâs possible to affect her parents; itâs understandable that she doesnât want to hurt her family.
However, itâs dangerous to think that she could endure.
Itâd be great if I could protect her, but Iâm at the schoolâs lowest caste. My parents work at ordinary companies, and, even though I make a lot of money myself, itâs incomparable to the families who donate to Sakuranagi. The number of zeros are different, and I have no political power to speak of.
âThen, would you want to become friends?â
âEh? ⊠With Nana-cha⊠With Hanamura-san?â
âTalk to me if you have any troubles. I may not be able to do something about it though⊠not okay?â
I held her hand and asked her with eye contact. Doing this, my fatherâs batting average is 100% and Shinosaki-san hits 80% of the time.
âI-I, if itâs okay with you, I want to become Hanamura-sanâsâŠfriend.â
âGood. Then, call me Nanami, Ayano-chan.â
Nana is my stage name, Iâm called Nanami in private.
âOkay⊠Nanami-chan.â
After saying that, Ayano-chan smiled like a dandelion. Itâs not a big flower like the sunflower, itâs different from the vibrant rose and sweet lily, but itâs simple and warm.
Yep, itâs the best when this child is smiling. I donât want to see her crying face. I want to be together even if I canât protect her. Even just with talking when things get difficult, it makes life easier when you think you arenât alone. If it becomes unbearable, Iâll just talk directly to Ayano-chanâs parents.
âAnd so⊠I want you to tell me what happened.â
ââŠâŠUmmmâŠâ
With a feeble voice, she told of what happened today, how she came to be bullied, and the names of the bullies. After she finished talking, she started crying again, so I hugged her and stroked her hair.
The main bully is in our class and his name is Ichinomiya Anju. (1) Sheâs the main daughter of the family that manages the largest internet family. Although in 4th grade, she bleached her hair and hat it permed, and I remember that she gave a beautiful impression.
<â this hairstyle (I actually found this by googling ojou-sama)
Even if she's the main bully, it seems that she's like the beautiful villain that I acted as; she just looks from behind. And, apparently, it used to be just pestering a year ago, but now it evolved into "bullying."
I asked how the bullying started, she answered, "Originally, because I had no presence, I was teased, but⊠Ichinomiya-san and the rest saw me talking to Kuroya-kun, thenâŠ"
(TL note: If you didn't remember his last name (like me), Kuroya is Nanami-chan's puppy.)
"Kuroya-kun? Why were you talking to him?"
"Um, I was told that, 'I mistook you as Nana,' and then 'Is Hanamura here today?' at first⊠Then, from time to time, we spoke."
"Oooooiiiiiiiiiii! The main cause is him!!"
And, indirectly also meâŠ
It was my fault that Hiroto talked her and she was seen with him, I was the first step in the bullying of Ayano-chan⊠Ayano-chan, that was a perfect shot.
Well, it's not Hiroto who was in the wrong, but it was the scary jealousy of a woman. She got jealous from him speaking to someone elseâŠ
He shouldn't have become an idol.
"Sorry for my loud voice. Besides, the cause of the bullying was my faultâŠ"
Ayano-chan was surprised when I shouted.
"I'll tell Kuroya-kun not to approach you again."
"Umm, can I ask for a favor then⊠How are you going to do it?"
"With 2 arms, you can break 3 plants, you learn with practice, I guess."
"D-don't do that! I'm fine, soâŠ"
"Fufu, it's a joke. Of course I wouldn't do that."
Ayano-chan hit her chest in relief.
Yes, there are various problems with breaking things like that, you pull things out instead. If you pull it out neatly, you won't get problems. Probably.
After all we said, the dryer rang. There were some wrinkles, but since I had some time, I ironed the clothing. With a nori and a pari, the clothing became neat.
"Yes, this. I don't think that there's any problems, you?"
"SorryâŠ"
"Ayano-chan, don't say 'sorry' in a time like this, say 'thank you.'"
People who are told "thank you" are much more grateful than those who are told "sorry." It's important to communicate gratitude properly.
"Ummm⊠Thank youâŠ"
"You're welcome. Then, shall we go back to school?"
Ayano-chan changed in the dressing room, and we quickly returned to school. It dried a bit earlier than I thought, so if we hurry, we'll be in time for 4th period.
The problem is how to deal with the security guard-san⊠Back then, I acted as a ninja and, in that role, I got through security by going in while the guards were distracted.
I need a firecracker for that, but I haven't seen one recently. I used to get it from the neighborhood candy store.
Then, jump?
"âŠAyano-chan, can you jump over the school's wall?"
"Ehh!? âŠSorry, that's impossible."
"Isn't it? Sorry for making you listen to strange things."
I can do it alone, but it's hard when carrying someone. There's a barbed wire on top of the wall, so it's dangerous to use a ropeâŠ
Okay, I'll have to take the trouble of breaking in through the front.
It'll be okay if I greet him normally.
I said, "Thanks for all you've done," and, "Oh my, I'm late," with a smile and the guard-san let me through.
I passed through with time to spare.
Well, since I passed through, it's good that I didn't do anything weird. If you throw firecrackers into a school, it becomes a big issue, and police cars will come out. It's good that they didn't sell firecrackers.
When we returned to the classroom, I lied to the teacher that we were in poor health, and we went to the nurse's office. The nurse wasn't there, so the secret will be kept.
Sayuri-chan was worried, so I apologized and told her the story during lunch.
And, during lunch, I usually just eat with Sayuri-chan, but I invited Ayano-chan.
"If you're Nanami-chan's friend, then please be mine too," said Sayuri-chan with a smile.
Ayano-chan became Sayuri-chan's friend, so, when I'm not at school, she can talk to Sayuri-chan.
Sayuri-chan's seriously an angel.
When we were talking, I felt a huge gaze from Ichinomiya-san's group behind us. I can't hear them because they were speaking softly, super scary.
In the "You and I in Moderato" drama, I wish that I could use that child. She's more beautiful than me. (2)
I thought it was really stupid, but, even just a little, I wanted to be Ayano-chan's power.
Then, for some reason, the bullying stopped for that week. Ichinomiya-san's group seemed to avoid meeting Ayano-chan.