Chapter 5 Part III

Since I missed out on lunch, I was more excited than usual about today's dinner. After securing my seat, I immediately began eating my meal.

"Kiyopon, is the seat beside you free?"

I heard Haruka's voice. When I turned to look, all the members of the Ayanokouji Group had assembled.

"Good grief, Kiyopon's been hard to find these past few days."

"…sorry. I didn't really know what to do in a cafeteria this spacious."

Since we're all supposed to be acting together in groups, it must have been difficult to assemble the usual members of the group. Since there aren't enough seats where I'm sitting, I moved to a place that could accomodate all five of us.

"I-It's been a while, Kiyotaka-kun."

Airi said bashfully. It certainly is unusual for us to not talk to one another at all for around a week. Because even during the long holidays, we'd call each other or meet up.

"More importantly, is Miyachi doing alright? You're with Ryuuen-kun, right?"

Haruka questioned Akito about that. Perhaps she heard about him from somewhere too.

"Well, somehow I guess. I am keeping my guard up around him but he doesn't really seem any different than usual. He's even taking our lessons very seriously."

"Even during Zazen and the long-distance relay?"

"Yeah. He's so normal it's almost scary. On the contrary, he's holding himself together far better than the clumsier ones. It's just, I tried talking to him a few times but he didn't seem like he wanted to hang out with anybody."

"Maybe the shock of losing a fight made him go nuts?"

"I don't know about that. He's not really the type of person who dwells on the past."

Akito braced himself, as though saying he can't afford to let his guard down.

"More importantly, what about you? Are you getting along well with the others?"

"Me? Nothing much going on with me. I'm not really close with anyone and I'm not really quarrelling with anyone either. Airi and I are in the same group so that suits me just fine."

"I'm glad Haruka-chan's there for me."

Apparently the two of them are in the same group. It must be very reassuring to have even one intimate friend there with you.

"Looks like our group's the biggest problem, Kiyotaka."

"Maybe so."

"Ehh, really?"

Haruka and Airi looked at each other, as though saying they haven't heard any rumors in particular.

"There's Kouenji, who doesn't listen to anyone, and Ishizaki, who snaps at just about anyone, there after all. We can't control him either. Maybe that's because Albert's there with him. They really are a pain."

"So Kouenji-kun's with you too…are you ok, Kiyotaka-kun?"

"He's not exactly directly harmful."

"If anything, Ishizaki's the problem, right? Maybe he's acting all high and mighty because Ryuuen-kun got beaten? Up until a while ago, he was nothing more than a lackey."

As for Ishizaki, I feel like him being put in the same group with me is the main cause for this. Feeling anger and frustration without any outlet, he may be taking it out on anyone who isn't me.

"In any case, I need to work hard too as the leader..."

Keisei, with a bomb strapped onto him, is desperately trying to unite the group somehow.

"You boys have it rough too~"

"S-Somehow I feel like we're the ones out of place here."

"Isn't that just fine? If you guys are doing fine, then that also puts our minds at ease. Right?"

What Akito says is correct. Even though I'm getting information from Kei, there are still parts of the girls' situation I cannot see. If Haruka and Airi are in the same group, advancing steadily without any problems whatsoever, then that just means we can afford to focus more on ourselves.