WebNovels

Chapter 117 - Chapter 118: Mash Burnedead and Making Amends

"So, everyone passed?" Mash asked. "Of course! We're elites!" Koharu boasted. "Wanted to hear the results live." "No choice with those injuries," Hanako said. "Spirit wasn't enough, huh?" "You'd be inhuman if it was," Azusa quipped. "Well, good job, everyone." "You too, Sensei," Hifumi replied softly.

After the Eden Treaty Gym Showdown, the Remedial Class aced their exams, escaping expulsion. They'd been in the dorms for safety but rushed to Mash's hospital room upon hearing he woke.

"Time for work-mode tsukkomi?" Hanako asked. "You're calling it work now?" Koharu teased. "Go ahead," Mash said. "Azusa-chan! Why're you glued to Sensei's face!?" Hanako demanded. "How can you talk like that?" Hifumi added. " Mouth's barely free," Mash mumbled.

Azusa had dived onto Mash's face, clinging like a beetle on a tree.

"Azusa-chan, maybe let go?" Hifumi suggested. "No." "Come on…" Koharu groaned. "Don't wanna let go." "Sensei's injured, head included, so…" Hanako pressed. "I'd rather die than let go." "That extreme?" Koharu blinked. "She was the most worried during camp. Couldn't eat," Hifumi explained. "Sorry for worrying you, Azusa-chan. Haven't eaten in a while, huh?" Mash said. "Then I'll stay like this…" "Maybe my stomach instead?"

Azusa, voice cracking with tears, refused to budge. Trinitas bellus baculus—Trinity's Clinging Critter.

"I thought I'd lose you… even cream puffs tasted bad… my chest hurt," Azusa whispered. "…" "I'm so glad you're awake…"

Mash recalled Seia's dream: his death driving students to madness and revenge. Azusa, now clinging, could've been consumed by vengeance if he hadn't woken.

"Everyone else was crying too," Azusa said. "!?" the club gasped. "Oh?" Mash tilted his head.

"Hifumi hugged Peroro, sobbing your name," Azusa continued. "When'd you hear that!?" Hifumi yelped. "Koharu cried in the Justice Task Force leader's arms." "Don't say that!" Koharu snapped. "Hanako tried sneaking into your room despite the ban." "I was so worried! ♡" Hanako admitted. "And cried calling your name alone." "When'd you hear that!?" Hanako froze.

Mash blushed, touched by their worry, realizing how trusted he was—and how his injuries hurt them.

(I can't fall again.)

He vowed to never collapse in Kivotos.

"Anyway, glad you all passed and peace is back," Mash said. "Thanks to you," Hanako replied. "Half me, half you guys."

Mash tried peeling Azusa off to stand. The club stopped him.

"What're you doing!?" Koharu shouted. "Got work left," Mash said. "Work can wait!" "Not this. Needs quick handling." "What work?" Hifumi asked. "Nagisa. After all that happened." "Oh…" "Hanako, what'd you do to her?" "Uh… well…" "Is Nagisa awake?" "Yesterday. Nearly fainted again hearing about Mika's betrayal," Azusa said.

Nagisa woke a day before Mash but almost relapsed learning of Mika's actions and Mash's condition.

"Then I gotta go fast. Hanako, what'd you do? I'm partly to blame for not stopping you." "Uh… so…" "Tell her," Hifumi urged. "Right…"

Hanako confessed everything. Koharu and Hifumi yelled, "Too much!!"

Chop! "Ow!" Hanako winced. "Too far, Hanako-chan. I'm glad you were mad for me, but… too far," Mash said. "Sorry… got carried away…"

Mash stood, wobbling on crutches.

"Hard to walk." "Crutches here!" Hifumi offered. "Can't I just walk?" "No!!" the club shouted. "Fine. Hifumi-chan, come with me?" "Me?" "Yeah. Nagisa needs you now." "Okay! I'll help!" "Let's go."

Mash, with Hifumi and Hanako, crutched to Nagisa's room.

Trinity Academy, Tea Party Terrace

Nagisa sipped tea under the usual sunlight, overlooking the campus. The Tea Party was effectively broken, its authority shattered, rebuilding far off.

"Mika… why…"

Her grip tightened, trembling with guilt over Hifumi—innocent, a victim—and Mash, still unconscious because of her friend.

"What do I do… I hate myself… is this the end?"

Knock.

"Who is it?" "Your face looks awful, Nagisa-san," Hanako said. "!"

Nagisa tensed, her trauma from Hanako's cruel prank mixing relief and anger.

"Urawa Hanako…" "Good morning! How're you?" "Good, you think? After that brain-breaking stunt?" "Heh, fair." "Here to retaliate for trying to expel you?" "Why would I?" "You, Hifumi, Sensei—you must hate me." "Well…"

Hanako approached, eyes scheming.

"You trampled Hifumi's respect, called us trash." "…" "I'm over it, but Hifumi's still mad." "!" "She has a message." "A… message?"

"'I didn't think I'd stand beside you, but I believed our friendship was real. Maybe it could've been more. I'm disappointed,'" Hanako relayed, mimicking Hifumi.

Nagisa dropped her teacup, lips trembling, vision blurring.

"'Haha, playing friends was fun, Nagisa-sama. Goodbye.'"

"Hifumi-san… sob…"

Tears fell. Self-loathing screamed this is your fault, don't play victim.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry, Hifumi-san…"

BAM!

"Hanako-chan!? I never said that!!" Hifumi burst in. "…What?" Nagisa froze. "Sensei's slow with crutches, so I came ahead to talk, right!?" "Sorry, Hifumi-chan. I got annoyed thinking you two still hated Nagisa-sama." "That's too much!" "Sensei?" Nagisa gasped. "Morning, Nagisa-san. Sorry about… everything," Mash said. "Let's talk, Nagisa-sama!" Hifumi urged.

Nagisa, stunned by Mash's recovery and Hifumi's warmth, whispered, "I'm… sorry…"

"Sorry for our kid," Mash said. "No… it's fine," Nagisa replied. "Hanako, we went through a lot, but that was too much," Hifumi scolded. "Sorry…" Hanako mumbled. "Your injuries, Sensei?" "All good—ow, maybe a bit rough?" "I see…"

Calming Nagisa, they sat around the table.

"Sensei… I…" "Sorry about before," Mash said. "Why are you apologizing?" "It was too much. Tricking you like that." "You almost died because of me." "Nah, that wouldn't kill me. Not mad anymore." "Not… mad?" "Nope." "After I denied you, yelled, hurt you?" "Really, I'm over it. Sorry again." "I… went too far. Sorry," Nagisa said.

Mash and Hanako, unfazed by her actions, apologized instead.

"Why…" "Sensei forgives those who repent," Hanako said. "Kinda embarrassing," Mash chuckled. "You're too kind," Nagisa said. "Ehe!" "Haha…"

Nagisa sipped her tea, then faced Hifumi, bowing.

"Hifumi-san, I doubted you, tried to expel you. I'm so sorry." "N-No, uh…" "Spill it all, Hifumi-chan," Hanako suggested. "Everything!?" "Good idea. I'll say everything too," Mash added. "Me too!" Hanako chimed. "Hanako-chan too!?" Hifumi yelped.

They decided to bare all their thoughts.

"Me first," Hanako began. "Nagisa-san, I think that incident was too much. But… no matter how tough the choice, don't forget people's hearts." "I will," Nagisa nodded. "My turn," Mash said. "Don't abandon Mika. And talk to others more. It helps." "Understood." "Let's make the Eden Treaty work, no matter what." "Agreed."

Nagisa vowed to trust and listen. Then Hifumi.

"Uh…" "Say it all. I'll take it," Nagisa urged. "I… hid something!" "Hid?" "That's…" Mash started. "Sorry, Sensei, I have to!" Hifumi said. "Yeah, it'd come out eventually. My fault too." "What?" Nagisa asked. "I, Ajitani Hifumi… once robbed a bank!" "Bank… robbery?" "Yup…" "She said it," Mash muttered. "And I'm half of the rumored Cream Puff Couple!" "What!?" "W-Wait, what's that mean?"

Hifumi spilled everything, admitting her fault and apologizing. Mash kept apologizing too.

"So, Hifumi-san… to buy Peroro goods, you went to the black market?" "Yes…" "Met Sensei, Abydos students, and robbed a corrupt bank?" "Y-Yes…" "And you're… Cream Puff Couple's Shuu-chan?" "I'm Shuu-kun," Mash admitted. "Sorry for hiding it." "Well…" "Sorry! We didn't steal, and that bank was awful, but…" Hifumi rambled.

Silence. Then Nagisa spoke, trembling.

"Hifumi-san… you helped save Abydos." "Kinda…" "You went to the black market… just for something you love." "Yes…" "Why didn't I trust you, talk to you…?"

Regret hit Nagisa hard. Hifumi rallied.

"It's okay! Trinity's huge, I'm small—it makes sense." "Hifumi-san…" "I thought about it. You carry so much, protecting everyone." "!" "I was mad when you tried to expel us. But I saw how hard you try to save everyone!" "…" "I don't think you're evil—more good! Don't put yourself down!" "I'm not…!" "You do! You tried to expel us, blow up Sensei—but behind it, you wanted to save everyone, make peace, right!?" "Y-Yes…" "Then I forgive you, like Sensei did!" "But I—" "No 'buts'! I forgive you, got it!?" "Y-Yes!" "And you hide too much! Tea Parties are for talking, even personal stuff!" "B-But my personal—" "What's a Tea Party for!? Normal to share!" "Y-Yes!"

Hifumi's onslaught overwhelmed Nagisa, who wasn't used to such directness. Hanako and Mash were equally floored by her intensity.

"Listen, Nagisa-sama! Friends spill their guts, share worries, talk one-on-one—that's friendship!" "Friends…" "Yes! If you're struggling, I'm here. Always!" "Hifumi… san…" "So… let's stay friends!"

Hifumi extended her hand, smiling. Nagisa, with joyful tears, took it.

"Please… let's stay friends…" "Yes! Ehe!"

Rank and age aside, they clasped hands—yesterday's foes, today's friends.

"Youth, huh?" Hanako mused. "Totally," Mash agreed. "You two… please join us," Nagisa said. "I'm in. Showing my real self, chatting—it's nice," Hanako said. "Me too. Cream puff party someday?" Mash grinned. "Absolutely."

Nagisa smiled, truly, from the heart. Mash beamed, relieved.

"By the way, Sensei… 'couple'?" "Not like that!" Mash clarified. "Oh…" "Thought you two were lovers after spending nights together at camp. ♡" Hanako teased. "Nights together!?" Brain break. "Just making study materials!" Hifumi wailed.

Note: I want Hifumi and Nagisa to keep chatting happily—my selfish wish.

Bro Sensei's Blunder:

"Worst day ever." "What's up, sis?" "Bro… I gained weight." "Oh no." "Was 43.3 kg, now 44.2… ugh." "Oof. Diet food for a bit?" "Please." "Didn't even notice." "Stop it~♪"

"Hey, sis, you gain around the waist?" "DIE!!!!" "No frying pan! No frying pan!!" "Sorry, sorry, sorry!!"

My tactlessness… Sis is 170cm, Bro's 178cm, I'm 183cm. Gained a bit since April… diet time?

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