Chapter 23: Climbing
After dinner, Mayumi returned home. Red had sent her a casserole of his dinner for her parents, who also loved his food.
"Is this food really cooked by Red? It feels like gourmet food!" Mayumi's dad exclaimed.
Mayumi nodded, however she was thinking about what she learned today. "Well, it really is a complicated situation. Since Red is willing to let it go, who am I to interfere."
The next day at school, during the physical training class, the teacher began yelling.
"Our school has just installed a Climbing Wall after a generous donation. Today, we will have everyone attempt wall climbing."
When the students went to the Climbing Wall. "Wow, this is as high as a eight storey building! This looks so dangerous!"
Many students looked at the wall with fear. The teacher explained. "Everyone will use safety gear. Don't worry, I am not expecting anyone to climb more than a storey."
Soon students took turns to climb, but most were panicking just a few steps up and fell down. The performances were poor in general, but this wasn't unusual considering that most had never climbed before.
Red looked at Yui who looked pale. "Are you afraid of heights?" He asked. Yui nodded.
"Don't worry, let's go together, if anything happens, I'll catch you." Red smiled.
"You can climb this wall?" Yui asked.
"It isn't too hard." Red said.
"The wall is protruding outward at an angle, it looks so scary and this guy says it isn't too hard!" Yui thought to herself, but Red's assurance made her calm down.
"Actually, as a child I too was afraid of heights." Red suddenly said.
"Then how did you get rid of it?" Yui asked.
"I didn't get rid of it. I learned to accept it and to fight it." Red said as he showed his hand which was shivering. When Yui saw that, she felt a determination well up within herself.
Then in the next group, Red and Yui went together. Yui was actually not weak, she managed to climb a storey, but then she looked down and began panicking. At that moment she head a voice.
"It's okay. Don't be afraid, I'm beside you." Red said as he jumped sideways and held onto a grip beside Yui. "Just look forward, looking for a way to climb upwards. Don't think of what's behind, anticipate the peak."
Meanwhile, below, everyone saw Red's acrobatic jump from one hold to the other and their hearts were stuck in their throat.
Meanwhile, the teacher's eyes glowed. "Red is an expert climber!" He immediately realized.
Yui climbed a bit further, but was eventually exhausted. Red gave her a thumbs up. "Good job!"
Then he began climbing through a challenging route. The holds began getting smaller and their angles weren't as simple as earlier, as Red began to reach the outward protrusions of the wall, he was completely reliant on his hands to climb.
"Oh my god, he is climbing using his hands!"
"Mission Impossible!"
"Red is an athletic freak!"
Meanwhile, Red climbed all the way to the top and stood on the peak looking across the school campus, before nodding. He suddenly had an idea and sat down, meditating and found that the energy density was actually marginally higher, but not too much.
"This place is still too polluted. But why does pollution reduce the density of Dark Energy? It is too mysterious." Red wondered.
When Red returned to the ground, the teacher looked at him. "Are you a professional climber?"
Red nodded. "I am a professional mountain climber, I do not have much experience with bouldering walls, but it isn't a bad experience." Red said.
After the class was over, Yui spoke up. "How was the view?"
"Climb up to the top and see it for yourself. You have a talent in climbing. I don't think I could have climbed as much as you on my first time." Red said.
"Really?" Yui asked with clear eyes. Red nodded.
"Can you teach me then? I want to learn to climb." Yui suddenly said. "I also want to deal with my fear of heights amd see the view from the peak." Her clear eyes held a deep determination within.
Red smiled. "How about this? I'm planning to visit a temple outside Tokyo this weekend. You can join me for the trek. It would be a good practice. However I am planning to camp there for a couple of days."
"Hmm, my family will send an assistant with me. Do you mind that?" Yui asked. Red shook his head. "No problem."
Meanwhile, during the physical class, Aito had ended up twisting an ankle trying to be heroic for Rin's sake, however Rin looked sad when she saw Red helping Yui climb. As Aito saw Red climbing to the peak, he grit his teeth in rage.
Even though Red helped him and didn't have an interest in Rin, he was really shining too brightly and attracting Rin's attention. Subconsciously Aito wanted Red to disappear. However again, Rin completely ignored Red today which soothed Aito's ego.
Today he had been openly holding Rin's hand, declaring his fiefdom and his popularity increased as well as he 'got the girl'.
Yet, right now he was at the infirmary and Rin was sitting beside him. His ankle was being bandaged with tape. He looked at Rin.
"Rin, do you like Red?" He suddenly asked as he held her soft hand.
Rin was stunned for a moment before shaking her head. "No I don't like him." Rin had already made her choice. Red was too far away from her and he was only a fleeting transfer student. While Aito would always be by her side. Thus she chose to distance herself from Red from now on.
When Aito heard that, his teisted heart was resolved and he felt happy.
After school, in the literature club. Mayumi adjusted her fashionable glasses as she spoke.
"Everyone, I was recommended this book by Kazuo Ishiguro by a friend. I began reading it, and I was really amazed by the writing style..." Mayumi began.
However, when Rin heard that she paled. She remembered the day she went to the book store with Red. Wasn't that the book he was reading? Then she remembered suggesting light novels to him to read. Suddenly, she didn't feel like touching books anymore.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone