Extra Story (6)
School classes drag on tediously.
The teacher slowly reads the contents written in the textbook, and the students review what they learned at their cram schools.
It's the very basic behavior of a 21st-century student. However, I wasn't engaging in such basic behavior.
Why?
*Even though I slept in, I'm still sleepy... Did I stay up too late yesterday...*
Because class is boring.
It's a class I should listen to even if it's boring, but it's just too boring.
In the end, I abandoned the basic duty of a student. My future has already been decided by my parents anyway, so it doesn't matter if I give up. That's why this mandatory class flows by so tediously.
*It would be fun if something changed in class.*
Though I'd pass on sudden changes like yesterday. Still, isn't there some way to make this time pass more enjoyably?
With those thoughts, I lifted my slumped body and looked around. The students were solving homework assigned by their cram schools rather than reading textbooks. The teacher at the front of the blackboard was reading the textbook without paying attention.
And.
*Wait, why is she here?*
Through the hallway window, I saw a figure with red eyes who shouldn't be here. Thinking she'd been caught by me, she ducked down and disappeared from the window.
*This isn't the kind of sudden change I was hoping for. Did Luna fail to keep them under control? Why is Hare at school...*
Thud—
I stood up from my seat with my blood running cold. Then I shouted loudly to the teacher who was looking at me with bewildered eyes.
"Teacher! My stomach hurts, so I'm going to the nurse's office for a bit!"
"O-okay. From your voice, you must be in a lot of pain... Go ahead..."
Good acting.
I was able to escape from the classroom perfectly. As soon as I opened the door and stepped into the hallway, I found Hare crouching on the floor.
"Where did you get that uniform?"
Hare, oblivious to my complicated feelings, smiled brightly and waved her hand.
"Ah, did you sleep well, Mister? Good morning...!"
"It's too late to call it morning."
"It's the first time I'm seeing you since waking up...! So it's a good morning...!"
"Haah—"
I sighed and walked toward the stairs. Right after, I waved my hand at Hare, beckoning her to come.
"Follow me for now. Let's hear your story. How did you even get in here? And what's with that uniform?"
At my words, Hare answered with wary eyes.
"I'll tell you when we get there. It's too dangerous here..."
"Dangerous... I suppose it is."
Since someone else could play hooky like me and come out to the hallway. But she shouldn't know basic things about schools like this. What does she think is dangerous?
I couldn't properly understand the reason. But since we both felt it was dangerous, Hare and I headed to the school rooftop.
"Phew, they're not here... Thank goodness...!"
Hare caught her breath as if relieved. The rooftop door was locked, but Hare easily opened it, allowing us to enter with ease.
Setting aside my gratitude for opening it.
I cornered Hare against the wall. Then I immediately started questioning her.
"How did you get in here?"
"I-I climbed over the wall... B-but Mister, you're too close..."
Hare covered her mouth with her hand and averted her gaze.
"Is this a situation to be embarrassed? Don't you know outsiders aren't allowed to enter the school?"
"It seemed that way... But I got a pass..."
"A pass?"
"Yes, this uniform is the pass."
Hare pointed with her finger at the uniform she was wearing. The uniform was far too oversized for her body.
"No, is it that you're too small compared to the standard uniform...?"
"Wh-what do you mean by that...! M-Mister...! I'm actually pretty big...! You've never even seen...!"
Hare bristled and insisted she was big.
Even if Hare is tall, her frame is incredibly small. No matter how I looked at it, her claim was false.
"You don't look in mirrors, do you, Hare. What are you talking about with such a small frame?"
"O-oh... You were talking about my frame..."
What else would there be?
Hare calmed down as if the misunderstanding was cleared up.
"Anyway, you need to answer. Hare, how did you get that uniform?"
"I'm afraid you'll be disappointed in me, Mister... I'm sorry..."
"Don't tell me you stole it? Since you're the Thief of the Hero Party?"
"I'm not a Thief, I'm a Thief...!"
Hare, seemingly upset at being misunderstood as a thief, explained to me the process of obtaining the uniform. At least I was relieved she didn't do anything terribly bad.
"You caught a delinquent girl trying to leave early and bought her uniform."
"Y-yes...! I resolved it peacefully...!"
Right, it's a relatively peaceful method.
However.
"Dragging her into an alley to create an intimidating atmosphere. And handing over money from the world you lived in. It's not terribly bad."
"R-right...!"
"It's just bad."
"Is it..."
If she had done that to a normal student, it would be terribly bad. But since that girl had a bad reputation at school and only caused incidents, it's just bad.
It's better to think of it as settling accumulated karma.
I placed my hand on the dejected Hare's head.
"Still, don't do things like that next time."
"Isn't it okay to do it to bad people...?"
"No. This world has CCTV. There are too many watching eyes."
If you don't get caught, it's not a crime. But here, the probability of getting caught is very, very high.
The Hero Party doesn't even have resident registration cards, so it's better not to stand out. If they catch any loose ends, it'll get complicated.
Hare nodded as if understanding my words and answered.
"Okay...! I'll be careful next time...!"
"Right, be careful. And don't come to school again."
It's nice to escape from boring classes. But I shouldn't cause trouble for others.
Hare looked displeased, but nodded as if she had no choice.
"There are many... girls... so it's dangerous... Okay... I'll watch from afar..."
That's not what I meant. How exactly did she interpret my words?
The moment I thought I'd like to take apart Hare's thought process.
The bell for break time began ringing at school.
At that sound, I looked down at Hare. Hare was pressed flat against the wall like a squirrel.
"Come to think of it, you must have been uncomfortable trapped against the wall. Sorry."
"No... I wouldn't mind staying like this longer..."
"Ahem, more importantly, I'm asking just in case..."
The other girls are staying home, right?
Hare tilted her head and answered.
"I don't know...? They're probably fine...?"
"Right, it's better to think that way, isn't it?"
Ding—
At that moment, the school's announcement system turned on.
"Even if time passed quickly, there's no way break time is over already, right?"
Isn't it too short?
But why am I feeling so anxious?
As if my emotions were correct, a meaningful voice flowed from the announcement system. It was a voice I'd heard ad nauseam yesterday.
—What's this?! Is it a club?
—It's hard. Must be a weapon from another world. More importantly, is it okay to press these things like this? It could be an explosive device.
—Mmm, I don't know? But it could be dangerous! Let's press it again!
Click—
The announcement cut off, and I made eye contact with Hare. Hare seemed to be thinking the same thing.
"Those were Luna and Saten's voices, right?"
"Yes, they were..."
"Then..."
We need to find them quickly.
Before other people spot Luna and Saten first.
As soon as break time ended, Hare and I left the rooftop and wandered around the school.
With Hare's ability, we weren't caught by people roaming the hallways. However, no matter how much we looked around, Luna and Saten were nowhere to be seen.
Except for one place.
"We haven't looked here...!"
"...Surely not here."
Three characters written on the door's sign.
*Faculty Office*
Gulp—
Praying that Luna and Saten please wouldn't be there, I carefully opened the faculty office door.
As if mocking my prayer, the moment the door opened, voices flowed from inside the faculty office.
"Oh my, it's Mister."
"Oh!? It's Mister! Mister, we're here!!"
"...Damn it."
Luna was waving her hand, looking so happy for some reason. Saten was elegantly sipping coffee the teachers had made for her. The desk was full of empty snack bags.
*Is now really the time for you to be eating snacks and drinking coffee...?*
Haah—
With the teachers' gazes focused on me, I covered my eyes with my hand in embarrassment and answered.
"I'm sorry. I'm these kids' guardian."
Even though we're similar in age, I'm their guardian.
At those words, the principal sitting next to Luna—wearing glasses with white hair—made a dubious expression, but pointed to a chair with a benevolent look and said.
"Well, why don't you sit down for now? Including that child behind you. Pink hair but wearing our uniform?"
"...Yes."
I wondered what that benevolent principal would say to me.
With worry taking precedence.
As Hare and I sat in the chairs, the principal opened his mouth with a benevolent smile on his face.
"You said earlier that you're their guardian. I don't understand what that means. Could you tell me? There might be something I can help with."
"..."
I couldn't answer that question.
*How can I say they're a Hero Party from another world? If I did that, I'd be expelled for mental illness, wouldn't I?*
My parents working hard overseas would return home saying their child developed a delusional disorder. Since I didn't want to cause them trouble.
"..."
I decided to remain silent.
That was the optimal answer I could give in this situation.