Chapter 330: The Bird Goes to the Cage


    During homeroom, neither Kobayashi-sensei nor Taka-chi are mentioned.


    It seems that even in the ss where Kobayashi-sensei is the homeroom teacher, the students are simply informed that the ss is on break.


    If I pay attention, I can see a little hustle and bustle among the teachers, but it is only on the level of noticing it because they know about Kobayashi-sensei’s case.


    And on the morning, after hearing Ryoko’s report on the investigation, I was shocked to hear how much he had gone over the edge. –


    「Contract Killing? But this isn’t a drama or a movie…」


    But udia, who is standing beside me, said matter-of-factly, “It’s quitemon”. And Jnda nodded her head, and it might be reallymon.


    But I’m not really interested in that.


    The culprit seems to be a big guy, almost two meters tall, and he is probably someone with whom Kobayashi-sensei had a problem in the past.


    The problem is that Kobayashi-sensei gave Taka-chi and the other girls a bad time.


    At least on this morning, the police did not know that Kobayashi-sensei had assaulted Taka-chi and the other girls.


    This means that Kobayashi-sensei and Taka-chi are the victims, even if the information is brought to the school.


    The reason why they were together in the back alley of the entertainment district for such a long time should be regarded as pending for now.


    On the morning news, they reported a summary of the incident and the names and photos of the culprit, but did not disclose the names of the victims.


    （As of today, it’s unlikely that the students will be told about Kobayashi-sensei…）


    It looks like I’ll be able to contact Shibata-san by disguising myself as Kobayashi-sensei for the rest of the day.


    Using my phone under my desk, I sent a message to udia, asking her to bring Shibata-san to the counseling room after school.


    ording to Ryoko’s report, “Kobayashi-sensei is a very serious teacher. He was probably attacked by a random thug while trying to help a student who was walking aroundte at night”, based which is what the principal said.


    However, Kobayashi-sensei’s position will be greatly changed by Taka-chi’s testimony.


    She would not be defending Kobayashi-sensei after all this time.


    （Well… if the obstacle of Kobayashi-sensei is removed, Taka-chi can be brought to the [Enved] state…）


    I’m not interested in Takaka Takata, but Taka-chi is a girl I’d honestly like to keep around.


    It’s rather exciting to imagine Fujiwara-san and her together in a gal harem y.


    Tricking girls, kidnapping them, raping them, and making it impossible for them to resist. What I’m doing is simr to what Kobayashi-sensei is doing.


    Even if I punished him, there would be no justice.


    However, my gut is boiling over in a strange way. The main reason is probably Taka-chi’s photo.


    ording to Ryoko’s report, Kobayashi-sensei has survived, but the situation is still unpredictable. Even if he recovers, it will take more than a few months before he can return to work, and there is a possibility that he will be disabled.


    On top of that, if his repeated assaults on the studentse to light, he will face criminal penalties and will undoubtedly lose his job. It would not be surprising if his wife asked him to divorce her.


    Would it be overkill to punish him more than this?


    ◇ ◇ ◇


    「Excuse me」


    After breakfast, while I’m having mypresses and bandages changed by the nurse, two men in suits came into the room.


    One man looked like a gori with one arm in a cast, and the other is a small young man. I had seen the gori man several times at school.


    「Takata-san, I’m sorry. We’re from the police」


    Then they take out a kind of pass-case and show it to me.


    （Is that a police ID badge?）


    As the nurse leaves the room after look at the badge, the gori sits down on the bedside chair.


    「Can you tell me what happened yesterday?」


    「Well… you mean you’re asking me what happened?」


    「In a manner of speaking」


    Well, yeah. Maybe it wasn’t worth the trouble.


    I’ll tell him what I was thinking about yesterday.


    ↓  ↓


    ↓  ↓


    「Kobayashi-sensei told me that some students are wandering aroundte at night. He asked me to help him look around and when I did, he took me to a hotel and did some dirty things to me. And when I resisted he beat me up and did this to me」


    When I pretended to cry, the young detective began to stare openly at me, and the gori gave me a pitying look.


    「So you’re saying that your injuries weren’t caused by the person who stabbed Kobayashi-shi, but rather he assaulted you… is that right?」


    「…Yes. That’s right. He’s done it to me and many others. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone… and I was scared」


    I think I acted quite deliberately, but I pretended to cry and covered my face. When I looked at them through my fingers, the two detectives appeared to be looking at each other with sorrowful faces.


    Then the gori speaks to me in a gentle voice.


    「Takata-san. Don’t worry. We’ll keep you safe. The events that have befallen you are heartbreaking. But you’re young and life is long. I know it’s hard to forget, but I hope you can look forward soon… with all your heart. In times of distress, please rely on adults. I will also ask the school nurse, Kitora-san, to take care of you. If you need anything, you can talk to her」


    His words are serious, and I don’t sense any lie or deception. I can feel that he really cares about me.


    （He’s probably a very good person, even though he’s a gori）


    For that reason, I felt sorry that my testimony is mixed with some lies.


    「Thank you, Detective. Did you contact the school?」


    「Yes, at this point, we’re just saying that Kobayashi-shi and you are the victims of assault, but we’ve asked them to hold off until we know more」


    「I see…」


    「The damage you suffered… well, I’m going to ask you to keep all the sensitive details to yourself, so please don’t worry」


    As the detective leaves the hospital room, I let out a sigh of relief.


    At any rate, I think I managed to cover up the fact that Kobayashi-sensei and I had an inappropriate rtionship.


    Now, even if Kobayashi-sensei regains consciousness and ims that he had such a rtionship with me, I will just continue to deny it.


    Fortunately, I don’t know if it’s right to say so, but Sensei’s phone, which should have contained the history of themunication between us, has disappeared with the foreign girl, and now I should be able to avoid being expelled.


    However, as if to ridicule such a naive idea, the person I don’t want to see most, opens the door of the hospital room.


    「…Takaka-san」


    It’s my <ruby>mother<rp>(</rp><rt>Hahaoya</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby> who stepped into the hospital room. She is dressed in a Japanese kimono and her hair is tied up, and she is looking at me with cold eyes.


    Behind my <ruby>mother<rp>(</rp><rt>Okaa-sama</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby>, my <ruby>father<rp>(</rp><rt>Chichi-sama</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby> is shifting his gaze back and forth between her and me, looking unreliable as usual.


    The fact that the two of them are here at this hour must mean that they have left from the home town on the first bullet train of the morning.


    「Do you understand, Takaka-san?」


    Even I know what it means that my mother hase all the way out here. She’s here to bring me back.


    「…Yes, Okaa-sama」


    「Good. I’vepleted the discharge procedures. I’ve prepared a change of clothes. We’ll just go home」


    I’m surprised by this.


    It’s too hasty. –


    I had hoped that if I could talk to her well, I could make it to graduation.


    ↓  ↓


    ↓  ↓


    「Do you mean… right now?」


    「Of course」


    「No, I have to prepare for the move, and say goodbye…」


    「I’ll send someone to pick up your belongings. And I’ll have someone send your words, so you can put them in a list when you get back」


    My father interrupted her as if to quiet her down.


    「Hey, you, at least say hello…」


    Then my mother red at my father and shouted hysterically.


    「Calm down! It’s because of your sweet talk to Takaka-san that this happened! I can’t let her stain the Takata family name any further!」


    「Oh, oh…」


    My father retreated with a frown. I’m sorry, but I didn’t have high hopes for my father from the start.


    Really, all she said is the sake for Takata family.


    I wondered how much value such a moldy family name would have for a ruralndowner whose only im to fame is being old.


    （I really hate you, Fumio-chi. If I hadn’t known all that fun stuff, I wouldn’t have hated you so much）


    If they know I’ve lost my virginity, I’ll be useless as a marriage tool. Then, my mother would probably think that my very existence is a disgrace. She would probably never let me out again.


    As I closed my eyes with resignation, Rin’s sad face shed through my mind.


    （I’m sorry, Rin. I hope she won’t be bullied now that I’m gone…）


    ◇ ◇ ◇


    Today I was absent from school.


    I don’t have to think of stupid excuses because my <ruby>brother<rp>(</rp><rt>Onii-chan</rt><rp>)</rp></ruby> is not here now.


    I’ve been too nervous for my own good.


    I haven’t been able to fall asleep sincest night, and I’m still lying-in bed, fighting against the anxiety thates and goes.


    But suddenly, *Ding Dong* The doorbell rang.


    （A delivery service? Or perhaps…?）


    Suppressing my aching heart with anxiety, I sneak a peek downstairs from the window of my room.


    Then, outside the gate, I suddenly made eye contact with a person standing there.


    Shiratori-senpai is staring at me.


    For some reason, her mouth is twisted in amusement.