章 11: Pure, untainted love
Ko Ogino.
While some might not be familiar with this student, many knew him as Ogino, who was the former president of the drama club of the Shuchi'in Academy. Moreover, as this student had just transferred recently, their memory of him was still fresh.
After all, as someone from the Shuchi'in Academy, everyone usually had been together from elementary to high school or even the university, so naturally, most people knew each other.
Still, if there was a reason why Ogino was also famous except for his identity as the president of the drama club during middle school, it was because he was also involved in Ishigami's incident.
Ishigami Yuu, Ko Ogino, and Kyoko Ootomo.
What everyone knew was that Ishigami had a crush on Kyoko, the girlfriend of Ogino, then stalked her before he beat up Ogino.
This is what everyone knew and believed, yet somehow, this midnight, everything changed.
Not only was the truth about this incident revealed, but the fact that Ogino had slept with many girls, playing them, was also known, and everyone knew how horrible this student was. Many of the girls he played were also being exposed, including their videos, and everything that was involved with him couldn't escape as if someone wanted to see how ugly this person was, destroyed him socially, and left him no path except for suicide.
Yet, those who weren't involved just loved knowing the gossip and wanted to learn more. Such a big thing happened; no one could stop it. Moreover, the one behind this exposure was someone that no one could offend no matter what, so they just let it go and let Ogino die, thinking that he was stupid to have offended such a dangerous woman.
As for Kyoko Ootomo, in the eyes of others, this girl had become nothing but a bitch.
On the other hand, Ishigami, who was involved and falsely accused, made people feel sorry, and they knew that Ogino had threatened him with the porn of Ogino.
If it was on the original, the fact that Ogino porn wasn't omitted and clearly hidden, yet what Kaguya wished was to clear up Ishigami's stigma, and she didn't care about anything else. Even if she destroyed many others, she didn't care as she only cared about her junior.
Frankly, this woman was dangerous, Ishigami thought.
'Kaichou, do your best.'
Nevertheless, for Ishigami, his morning was quite peaceful.
Before going to the school, he bought a tuna mayo onigiri for Onodera and then walked slowly as he observed the cityscape on his way to the school. Even though he was the center of everything at that moment, and everyone wanted to search for him, he seemed completely oblivious to everything.
At the same time, even if those people tried to search for Ishigami, it was hard as he had changed his hairstyle. In their eyes, he was a gloomy young man with long hair and bangs, so his change made people not notice that it was him.
Only a few girls glanced at him, wondering when there was such a cute guy in their school.
While some might notice that it was him, they were unsure as they hadn't seen him with short hair for so long.
"Ishigami!"
Everyone quickly realized that it was him when Onodera seemed to wait for him at the school entrance. As expected, when her voice fell, everyone was looking at him directly.
"Good morning, Onodera-san."
Ishigami greeted Onodera calmly.
"Good morning... wait, this isn't it! Why are you so calm?!"
"What's wrong? Will there be an earthquake or something?"
"...no, there won't be an earthquake, but let's go to the class first!"
As Ishigami changed his shoes, Onodera held his hand and pulled him directly as she was a bit embarrassed to be the center of attention.
"Wait, wait. Don't pull me like that. Tell me, what's happening?"
Ishigami didn't let Onodera pull him, so he held her, stopping her in a place.
"...."
Only Onodera blushed, realizing that she had been holding his hand, and he also held her firmly like yesterday. This made her face hotter, but then she also felt sad, thinking about what Ishigami had experienced for the past year.
"But, you are right. It's a bit embarrassing being seen by so many like this. Let's go to class."
"Um..."
While saying so, Ishigami led Onodera to the class, but after squeezing her hand three times, he let her hand go.
Onodera was speechless, but she only hummed, twirling the drill of her hair with a blush, thinking that this guy was as tsundere as ever.
As for being mistaken by others for holding hands, she didn't care, especially when she felt closer to him after yesterday. Instead, there was part of her that wished others would misunderstand, but as he didn't do anything, she didn't take the initiative, only hum as she followed him closely.
At the same time, as this happened, she forgot what she wanted to say to him.
"Oh, right, this is your onigiri."
"Thanks." Onodera accepted her onigiri with a smile and asked, "How much?"
"It's fine. Just treat me next time."
"Okay."
"...."
Ishigami was joking, but he didn't expect that Onodera would really treat him to a meal. Still, when they arrived in the class, they were directly surrounded.
"What's wrong? Why are you all looking at me like that?" Ishigami was confused and asked, "Is it my hairstyle?"
"...who cares about your hairstyle, bastard?!"
Nevertheless, many girls were stunned, as they didn't expect Ishigami to be so handsome after he changed his hairstyle.
Only a few of them seemed to be troubled by the fact that Ishigami and Onodera came together.
"Ishigami... is this the truth?
"What's wrong?"
"You don't know?"
"If I know, then should I ask you a question?"
"...." Everyone.
"Here, read this."
One of his classmates suddenly gave him his smartphone.
"Thanks." Ishigami took the smartphone and read it quietly. Watching him read what was exposed on the school forum, no one said anything, and they just stared at him with a complicated and complex mood, never realizing what kind of pain he had to bear to protect Kyoko Ootomo.
Ogino had a porn of Kyoko, and to protect that, Ishigami decided to endure everything silently and let them mock, disdain, and even bully him.
"...who did this?" Ishigami looked at everyone in a complicated mood.
"...so, is it the truth?"
Watching his complicated expression, they were sure that this was the truth.
"Well..."
As if being troubled, Ishigami couldn't say much.
"Why didn't you tell the truth? If you tell everyone, then you don't have to bear all of this, right?"
For some reason, some couldn't understand his actions, wondering whether it was worth it to gain a notoriety to protect such a bitch.
Not only did he have to become a shut-in, but he also had to become everyone's trash so they could feel better for themselves, thinking that among them, there was a creep and stalker-like him, so no matter what they did, they were better than him.
Yet—
"Isn't it?"
Ishigami's expression was firm, and they all could see it. "I don't want her to know. I want her to be happy, but..." His expression was of that forlorn and sad. "My hard work seems useless, after all..."
His eyes, expression, and exhaustion all seemed to be what transpired to everyone.
Instead of being happy that everyone knew the truth, he couldn't be happy as his hard work to protect the smile of a single girl had gone down the drain.
Love.
They could tell this was the feeling Ishigami felt toward the girl, a pure, untainted one who wished for happiness for the other instead of himself. He didn't ask to be paid, and he just truly wished for her to be happy, yet his efforts had failed, and probably the smile of that girl couldn't be seen anymore, but—
"...why the heck you hug me, bastard?!"
Ishigami looked at the male classmate, who suddenly hugged him.
"I don't know, but I want to hug you!"
"Ah, me too!"
"Ishigami, if I am a girl, then I will date you!"
Somehow, all of the male classmates jumped into him and hugged him tightly as if trying to comfort him.
"Bastard, stop it!"
Yet, the girls couldn't bear it and cried, especially when they saw his reddened eyes, which he tried to hide.
Still, for those who had certain feelings toward him... they wondered what was inside this heart at that moment.
'Do you still love her?'
Onodera looked at Ishigami, who was being hugged by everyone. While she felt happy that everything was cleared up, she was anxious to know what he felt toward Kyoko.
Yet she wasn't the only one; some of the girls in the class also felt this way.
Still, this commotion continued until the teacher came and told everyone to return.
Nevertheless, as the class started, Ishigami thought that... he might have the talent to become an actor.
---
The actors are horrible.
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