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Volume 9, Chapter 7: “How It All Works” Part 3

Thus, all the groundwork had been put in place.

There was only one thing left to do: crush Ichinose Honami’s spirit.

After all, it was clear that Sakayanagi would move to crush it herself before long.

Sakayanagi’s strategy was working beautifully, as Ichinose’s string of absences continued even after she was thought to have gotten over her illness.

It was February 18th, the day of the conflict between Class D and Class A.

It had already been five days since her health had taken a turn for the worse, yet Ichinose was still absent from school.

She should’ve already recovered from her illness, but had she managed to overcome the trauma to her spirit?

After learning that she was absent yet again, I decided to get in touch with her.

However, if I attempted to see her after school or during a break, there was a high chance someone would notice.

So I decided to go during the middle of the day on a weekday, when the dorm was mostly empty.

I didn’t contact her by phone ahead of time.

I didn’t intend to give her a way out.

Arriving in front of Ichinose’s room, I rang the doorbell.

“I have something I want to say. Can you come out?”

After a while, a response came from inside.

“I’m sorry Ayanokōji-kun. You went to the trouble of coming to see me, but would you please come back again sometime later?”

Her voice was lacking ambition, but, as I had thought, it didn’t sound as though she was still suffering from a cold.

“Were those letters that important to you?”

Ichinose didn’t respond to that question.

I sat down with my back to the door.

“Will you be coming to school on Monday?”

“…Sorry. I don’t know.”

With the exception of questions that strike at the heart of the matter, she seemed to be tentatively willing to respond.

“I have some time until lunch break is over. I’ll be staying here for a little while.”

Then, I just continued to sit quietly until the last moment possible.

“Well, I’ll be heading back to school.”

“I… just need a little more time. When I’m a bit more put together, I’ll definitely come to school again. So please, just stop coming…”

After hearing Ichinose’s strained response, I went back to school.

(Part 3 End)