Translator: RaidenTL
"Your teeth nearly tore the inside of your mouth... Looks like you took a proper hit."
She doesn't even ask how it happened anymore.
At the school nurse's dispassionate words, Miyuki asked.
"Is he okay otherwise...?"
"Yes. But since you lost a fair bit of blood, you might experience some temporary anemia. I'll put you on an IV drip, so you should rest quietly for the day. I'll need to observe you until at least lunchtime."
Wait, why an IV?
You dispense oral rehydration solution from those medicine bottles on your chest, don't you, ma'am?
I'll be lying here alone, can't you sneak over and give me some?
"Thank you..."
The school nurse gave a benevolent smile to Miyuki, who was bowing her head deeply, then went to get the IV bag and stand.
Sitting quietly on the infirmary bed, I spoke.
"Hey, Miyuki."
Miyuki jumped in surprise and spun around.
Seeing her pupils dilate as she whipped her head toward me, I figured she still hadn't gotten used to me calling her by her first name.
"Oh, what is it...?"
"Aren't you going to class?"
"Ah... well... second period was canceled because of the commotion..."
"Really? Then stay here. Let's kill some time talking."
"Okay... I will. Should I bring you lunch?"
"Isn't that obvious?"
Miyuki flashed a smile like a crisp green apple and shook her head.
"Alright, I get it..."
"You know something?"
"What...?"
"You haven't called me by my name once this whole time. You're avoiding it entirely."
"....."
Miyuki was rendered speechless.
It was obvious she was struggling with whether she should call me by my first name now that I was using hers.
Letting out a long sigh, she stammered.
"...I've... I've almost never called a boy by his first name... I'm used to calling Tetsuya-kun that way since we were kids, so it's comfortable, but..."
"But not with me?"
"Well... it still feels... a little awkward..."
Her hesitation was cute.
I chuckled at Miyuki, deciding to ease her burden a little.
"You can call me whatever you're comfortable with. It's not like we made a pact to call each other by our first names."
For now, it's 'Matsuda-kun,' but soon it'll be 'Ken-kun.' And after that, she'll drop the '-kun' suffix entirely.
I'll make sure of it.
"Okay... Matsuda-kun."
Miyuki called my name, her face visibly more relaxed.
I looked at her with a faint smile and said, "Feel better?"
"A little..."
"My throat's a bit scratchy."
I placed a hand on my throat and gave a dry cough. Miyuki looked at me as if to say, 'You're impossible,' and walked over to the water dispenser.
She filled a paper cup with water and was about to hand it to me when a mischievous smile spread across her face.
"You're a patient, so I'll feed you. Say 'ah'."
Did you really think I'd get upset about being treated like a kid?
You still have so much to learn about me.
You could even spit in it, and I'd be fine.
"Just give it to me."
When I deliberately responded in a snappy tone, a grin formed on Miyuki's lips.
"Why? Are you embarrassed?"
That was a relief. The awkward atmosphere that was about to form because of the name issue vanished in an instant.
As we were bickering, the school nurse returned, wheeling the IV stand over to the bed.
"Could you two do your flirting somewhere else?"
At her words, Miyuki's face turned beet red.
"Th-that's not it... I'm sorry..."
She didn't seem to be denying it, even with the direct mention of 'flirting'...
Thank you for the assist, Nurse.
You truly are a model teacher.
Your chest, too... it suits you so well.
Staying in the quiet nurse's office, it was impossible to hear what was going on around the academy.
That was only natural, since no one else was coming in injured.
Besides, after the club incident on the first day of school, everyone was being careful, so I was the only one in the infirmary today.
But I was fine with that.
Because Miyuki came by during every break to give me updates about the club.
She said the members involved were currently undergoing disciplinary procedures with the police present.
The disciplinary committee had already convened.
The school was already looking for a reason to crack down on the clubs, and it seems this incident was the final straw.
"What about me? Aren't the police coming for me?"
I asked after chewing and swallowing a mouthful of food. Miyuki, who was perched on the edge of the bed watching me eat, retorted.
"The student council took into account that you were the victim. But you seem awfully calm about it. Have you been in and out of police stations so often you've gotten used to it?"
"I may look this way, but I've rarely been to a police station."
"So you're saying you have been there before?"
"Yeah."
At my concise answer, Miyuki's eyes narrowed.
She interrogated me with her gaze.
"What for?"
"I got into a fight with some guy on the street who tried to pick a fight."
"...That sounds about right... Aren't you embarrassed going around picking fights with people?"
"You've been doing this for a while now... you have a subtle way of not trusting me, don't you? I didn't pick the fight; it was picked with me. He was the kind of guy who starts trouble for no reason. If I had ignored him or tried to talk him down nicely, he would've just gotten cockier and started spewing all sorts of insults at me, right?"
"That's true, but... I doubt the Matsuda-kun from back then was thinking that deeply about it. It was probably more like, 'He started it, so I'll finish it,' right?"
She knows me well.
"Whatever I was thinking, the result is the same—I fought back. I'll behave from now on, so could you please stop nagging me? Do we have to do this while I'm eating?"
I looked at Miyuki with an expression of genuine hurt. She flinched and said, "Okay... eat your food... But you'll behave? Promise?"
"Hey."
"N-no, I just wanted a clear answer... J-just eat for now."
All stick and no carrot makes a man die...!
So give me some carrot once in a while.
"I'm done."
"But you've still got half left..."
"Someone keeps making a fuss, and I'm too upset to eat."
"...I'm sorry..."
Miyuki tucked her hands between her thighs, not knowing what to do.
The movement pulled her uniform skirt down taut, revealing her Y-zone and providing a pleasant sight for my eyes.
Look at those wide hips. She'll have an easy time delivering my children.
"I'm kidding. I just don't have much of an appetite."
"Is it because of me?"
"I said it's not... What did you eat?"
"Tetsuya-kun and I had a quick bite at the school store. Oh, wait a second..."
She rummaged through a black plastic bag she'd left in the corner of the bed and handed me a strawberry cream bun and a carton of milk.
"I was going to give you this for dessert... Want to eat it now?"
"Later."
"Okay. I'll leave it here then. Oh, right, your disciplinary committee hearing has been scheduled."
So it's finally here.
It wouldn't be a school life story without a disciplinary committee hearing.
"When is it?"
"After all the classes are over today..."
"That's harsh. The nurse told me to rest quietly for the day."
"That's why I asked them to reschedule... but they were very firm..."
I could understand the student council's position.
It was an incident involving the infamous Supuri club, one that was serious enough to make several professors abandon their classes and come running.
Of course the student council would want to deal with it quickly.
"You even made a request? That's impressive."
"If you're in too much pain, I can try talking to them again."
"You might tarnish your image."
"If worrying about someone tarnishes my image, then I'd be the one disappointed in the student council."
She's got conviction. This is why I like Miyuki.
"I'm fine. Might as well get it over with today. It's more convenient that way."
"I'd rather you get some more rest... You said you got hit in the head a lot. You're already an idiot, what if you can't even speak properly?"
Miyuki's concern was half-genuine, half-joking.
I let out a dry laugh and said, "There you go, picking a fight again."
"I'm not so shameless as to fight with a patient, so I'll let you off the hook today."
I'll keep a tally.
Later, I'll make you wear an anal plug with a fox tail and have you meow every time I pound into you.
"Also, I'll be attending your disciplinary committee hearing. As an observer, though."
At Miyuki's next words, my eyes widened.
"You will?"
"Yeah. The student council invited me. They said it would be a good experience. I was supposed to attend the hearings for the others, too... but I declined because I didn't want to miss class. And I didn't want to see their faces..."
She turned it down because of class? That's so Miyuki.
Anyway, if the disciplinary committee is in session right now, I'm worried about Takashi.
I was pretty moved when he tried to charge at Samoyama, who he was so terrified of...
It's a shame it happened when things were almost over, but he still did something pretty manly, so I want to repay him.
I wanted to ask Miyuki for news, but she despises any mention of Watanabe Takashi and wouldn't have any interest in him, so I'd better not.
When I get to the hearing, I'll have to pull some strings if I have to, just to make sure he doesn't get expelled.
"Are you student Matsuda Ken of Class 1-A?"
The disciplinary committee was held in a specially prepared room.
The atmosphere was reminiscent of a small courtroom, and with three police officers present, I couldn't help but feel a little intimidated.
The student council president, who was looking down at me from a judge's bench-like platform, was a sharp-looking girl with glasses.
A short-haired girl with navy blue hair who gave off the strong impression of a cold beauty.
A textbook student council president. Suddenly, I feel the urge to make her a target for conquest.
"Yes."
"The statements from the students brought before the committee are all different. As the victim, please explain in your own words how the incident unfolded."
"Well... it's simple. I wanted to quit the club, so I asked a friend named Watanabe Takashi to pass on the message..."
The truth spilled from my lips.
After hearing everything, the president was silent for a moment.
Now she's gonna push up her glasses with her index finger, right?
Slide.
Look at that. Just as I predicted.
"So you're saying you were beaten like that because you said you wanted to quit?"
"That's right."
"Is that a requirement for quitting?"
"No. Originally, you're supposed to cut off a finger."
The president and her loyal retainers on either side of her flinched.
Didn't they hear about it from Yamaguchi?
Miyuki... had her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.
She must be really surprised.
The president, having regained her composure, said, "So that's the rule, I see."
"Yes."
"Then why did it end with just a beating?"
"I made a deal with Yamaguchi. Fortunately, he agreed."
"By Yamaguchi, you mean the leader of the Supuri club, correct? Yamaguchi Daimon."
Yamaguchi's first name was Daimon?
He had a tough-sounding name that fit his looks perfectly.
"Yes."
"It's an unsanctioned, private organization. Why did you go so far as to get beaten just to quit? Couldn't you have just left?"
"I had a feeling that would lead to a lot of trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"Retaliation, things like that."
"I see. Understood. I was told you are close friends with Samoyama Akiro, one of the main perpetrators of the incident. Is that correct?"
"What? What kind of bullsh—"
I hastily shut my mouth, having almost let a swear word slip out.
Seeing my reaction, the president asked with one corner of her mouth turned up, "I take it that's not true?"
Her smile is seriously pissing me off.
After clearing my throat a few times, I answered nonchalantly, "Nope."
"What is your relationship?"
"We're like oil and water. That son of a... ahem... what happened to him?"
"Expulsion and criminal charges. Not only was it related to school violence, but many others had nothing good to say about him."
One of the classic tropes of a school story: the guy who's jealous of the protagonist charges at him in front of all the other students.
I should have taught him a lesson with a clean shoulder throw as he came screaming at me, but I guess we're deviating from the cliché.
A pity. Such a pity...!
But it seems that bastard Samoyama had piled up way too much bad karma.
For even his own club members to speak ill of him...
"What about Watanabe Takashi?"
"Why are you curious about Watanabe Takashi's punishment?"
"Because he's a close friend. He wanted to quit too, but he couldn't because he was scared of the seniors."
"He never said anything of the sort."
"He was probably afraid of retaliation."
"You're defending him."
"That's right."
A faint smile appeared on the president's face.
Did my honesty appeal to her, even just a little?
In that case, would you be willing to wear contacts?
Let's commit some public indecency together.
"You're honest. Watanabe Takashi has been given a one-month suspension for delinquency."
If it had been expulsion, I would have tried to stop it somehow, but a month is a light sentence.
Get some good rest, and I'll see you again, Takashi.
"Understood."
After a bit more discussion, the president sentenced me to fifty hours of school service.
Although I had caused trouble, I was the victim who had simply wanted to quit, and it seemed my diligent behavior before the break had led them to give me a probationary period.
Honestly, I was surprised.
I thought I'd get at least a week of suspension.
Is this the main character buff? Sweet.
"Fifty hours of school service... Guess you'll be cleaning the bathrooms again?"
Miyuki said, clutching a notebook to her chest.
I snorted and replied, "I'm never cleaning the bathrooms again. The student council president never specified what kind of service I had to do."
I have club activities after school; I can't be spending my time cleaning up other people's shit.
"Then what will you do?"
"I'll focus on cafeteria duty. Most of the kids bring their own lunches, so it's pretty quiet there."
"You're amazing at finding loopholes, aren't you...?"
I have no intention of doing cafeteria duty every time.
Why? Because I want to eat lunch with Miyuki on the rooftop.
"Or I could just clean the clubroom when club activities are over."
"That sounds like a good idea. I'm so glad it ended with just school service."
I rested one of my wrists on top of Miyuki's head and stretched my other arm.
"Well, that ended well. I feel relieved."
"I feel suffocated. Get your arm off me."
"Quiet. Where's Miura?"
"She's checking out the kendo clubroom."
"She has a surprisingly meticulous side to her, huh?"
"It's natural to check out a club you're thinking of joining. You're just the easygoing one, Matsuda-kun."
"I couldn't help it. I had to go to the disciplinary committee hearing."
"That's true. And speaking of the hearing... you almost swore unconsciously back there, didn't you?"
I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at Miyuki with a fed-up expression.
Then, a playful smile spread across my face as I nodded.
"I did. So, are you going to punish me? Should I take off my pants?"
"Wh-why would you take off your pants...?"
"Weren't you going to spank my butt?"
"...You're unbelievable... Do you always have to make such perverted jokes?"
"Why? You look like you enjoy it. The corners of your mouth are turned up."
"Wh-what are you talking about...! When did I...! Don't just assume things when you don't know anything...!"
Muttering, Miyuki began to walk faster.
Watching her back as she practically race-walked down the hallway, I grinned and shouted, "Miyuki! Wait up!"
At that, Miyuki's pace quickened even more.
I knew she'd react like that.
Letting out a broad laugh, I quickly followed after her.