Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: 3.4 The End of Bullying
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-Slide, bang!
I deliberately flung open the classroom door with a loud crash.
The eyes of every student in the class turned toward me.
『It's Naibusu.』
『Kurosaki's with him? She's soaked again.』
『What the hell were they doing all morning?』
『Eek! Scary!』
-Step, step, step.
I strode to the front of the room under everyone's gaze.
And then.
-Bang! Crash!
I kicked the teacher's desk, sending it flying to the side.
The sturdy wooden desk tumbled across the floor with a deafening racket.
It was nothing major. Just a performance to grab attention.
All I needed was for them to see me as some foul-tempered thug.
『Whoa! What the hell?』
『He's trashing the place?』
『Did something piss him off?』
『He's not just a thug—he's straight-up yakuza!』
The classroom atmosphere tensed up in an instant.
It was exactly the reaction I'd hoped for.
I stood where the desk had been and scanned the room.
Every single person in the class was a girl.
Of course. I'd killed off the few guys there were.
Among them, I spotted the faces of the girls who'd fled from the bathroom.
I gave each of them a hard glare.
The moment our eyes met, they quickly looked away.
『Eek!』
『Yakuza!』
『Kitagawa's already dead? Am I next?!』
Hmph.
They'd tormented Yuuki without mercy, but the second I pushed back even a little, they turned into this.
Pathetic.
"Listen up, everyone."
I said it loud enough for all to hear.
"Kurosaki Yuuki is a girl."
Everyone's faces stiffened.
『What?』
『What're you talking about all of a sudden?』
『Kurosaki Yuuki?』
『How are we supposed to believe that?』
Question marks floated over most of their heads.
I added one more line.
"I confirmed it myself."
"Huh?"
The question marks turned into exclamation points.
『What?!』
『For real?!』
『How'd you confirm it? ...No way!』
『Naibusu...!』
『Seriously?!』
"And."
Right now, Yuuki was standing beside me, drenched to the skin and wearing my jacket.
I draped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
Didn't this make us look like a pretty cozy couple?
『Pretty boy extortionist thug.』
Shut up.
And it's pretty girl now, not pretty boy.
"From this moment on, Kurosaki Yuuki is my girl."
"What?!" "Say what?" "Huh."
I declared it boldly.
Girls with mouths agape in shock. Girls clutching their mouths in shock. Girls with eyes wide in shock.
The common thread? They were all shocked.
"──Whaaat?!"
And Yuuki next to me was no exception.
She was probably the most shocked of all.
"Anyone who messes with Kurosaki Yuuki from now on is picking a fight with me. Man or woman, doesn't matter. I'll accept your challenge to a duel."
This was my solution.
Physically intimidate them into stopping the bullying against Yuuki by force.
Pleading from the heart wouldn't work coming from a thug like me anyway.
So instead, I'd leverage my bad reputation.
Sure, it'd lead to all sorts of inappropriate misunderstandings for both me and Yuuki, but we'd just have to live with it.
Sorry, Yuuki, but with my limited brainpower, I couldn't come up with anything better.
『Pervert!』
『Gross!』
『So as long as there's a hole, that's all that matters, huh?』
『Naibusu x Kurosaki? Nah, this is Kurosaki x Naibusu!』
The reactions were just as lousy as expected.
Especially that last one from some weirdo—ignore it.
"Naibusu! That's awesome!"
A loud voice cut through the murmurs.
It was Nanami.
『He took the blame on himself to protect Kurosaki. Naibusu, you're such a man... so cool!』
Nanami!
You're the only one who gets me!
『He's going that far just to honor my request to help Kurosaki...! Ahh, Naibusu's love is so intense! But I love that too...!』
...Not even close.
How does she always twist things so positively?
It's awkward when she corrects herself mid-thought like that.
Whatever. She looks happy, so it's fine.
"S-So cool, Naibusu!"
"Yeah! We'll cheer you on!"
"We don't care about gender!"
"Kurosaki, let's change in the girls' locker room together from now on!"
"BL is beautiful!"
No matter what they really thought deep down, on the surface, the mood was supportive of me and Yuuki.
They were afraid that standing out against the flow might make them the next bullying target.
And this isn't BL. No.
-Clap, clap-clap-clap.
Amid the cheers and applause.
"Uw... sniff."
Yuuki was wiping away tears.
...Is this an act?
If a single tear could buy sympathy, it'd be even more effective.
I couldn't read Yuuki's mind, so who knows if they were real tears or not.
"Ahem."
I waited for the applause to die down before speaking.
"As you can see, Yuuki got hit with some weird curse and suddenly turned into a girl. She's not used to living as one yet, so I hope you all help her out. Especially you three."
I pointed at the three girls trying to shrink into the corner.
"H-Huh?!"
"Eek!"
"U-Us?"
They were the ones who'd doused Yuuki with water in the bathroom.
They were trembling inside but forcing a calm front on the outside.
They figured losing the staring contest now would doom them.
"Us?"
"K-Kurosaki?"
"Why us?"
They looked full of complaints.
What's with the formal speech, though? I'm a classmate too.
-Click. Click. Click.
I ran my finger along Moonlight's sheath, sliding it in and out while glaring at them.
"You three teach her the ropes. Especially stuff like 'how to use the girls' bathroom'."
"Yes! Of course!" 『Eek! He's gonna kill me!』
"Kurosaki! Looking forward to helping you!" 『Ugh, I don't wanna die...!』
"Ask me anything you don't know!" 『This is all Kitagawa's fault...』
About time.
Starting with those three, the other girls began talking to Yuuki one after another.
"We'll cheer you on, Kurosaki."
"Being transgender isn't something to be ashamed of these days."
"Kurosaki, tell us if you need anything."
"Congrats on finding your true self."
"I'll swap desks with Akane's for you."
Some, like the trio that had bullied Yuuki, were two-faced.
But there were clearly more who were genuinely happy about the situation.
The kids had felt pangs of conscience, great or small, about bullying a good kid like Yuuki for such a stupid reason. Whether they'd joined in or just stood by.
"Ugh... Y-Yeah... Th-Thank you all... "
Yuuki bowed to everyone amid sniffles.
It felt a bit forced, but hey, good result means it's good, right?
Glancing out the window by the door, I saw Naiad sis arriving for class, wiping her eyes.
『Thank goodness. They all have good hearts deep down. Yuu's sorted now. I hope she finds happiness.』
Whew. I'd barely cleared sis's mission too.
Naiad sis stopped crying, took a light breath, and entered the classroom.
"Ahem. Everyone, take your seats. Naibusu, put the desk back."
"Got it!"
Oh yeah, the desk was still rolled over there.
I quickly righted it and sat down.
The kids giggled at the sight.
Naiad sis stood in front of the restored desk, looked around at the students, and spoke.
"You all know what happened with Akane and Nobuhiko, right?"
Their biggest crimes were attempted rape, conspiracy to rape, resisting arrest, and attempted murder with rune powers, but in the kids' minds, Akane was etched as the bully who'd tormented Yuuki.
Come to think of it, there was one more. Did sis forget too?
Poor Extra A.
I'll remember you.
Name unknown, though.
"Teacher doesn't want to deal with any more tragedies. Make sure you all stay safe so we can meet again healthy next year. Especially you, Naibusu."
"Me?"
Didn't expect to get called out in this mood.
Were they holding me up as a model straight-arrow student?
"...There've been reports of Naibusu bullying or threatening friends."
"Huh? Me? When? Who?"
I shot killing intent around the room.
Anyone who met my eyes looked away.
"...That's the attitude that's the problem. Get along better with your friends from now on."
"Tch. Yeesh~."
"Anyone bullied or threatened by Naibusu, come talk to me. I'll keep it secret."
Unfair. No one works harder for classroom peace than me.
I'll mind-read and root out whoever snitched.
Just you wait.
* * *
(※Rokujo Reika)
Reika didn't return to the classroom until after class ended and break time began.
Her clothes were soaked, so she'd had to change and clean up the mess.
Luckily, Satomi brought her a spare gym uniform and helped with the cleaning.
Reika had pegged her as fragile and a potential next bullying target.
Satomi's kindness brought tears to Reika's eyes.
Reika's steps were heavy on the way back to class.
Had Naibusu and Kurosaki already spilled everything?
The whole class might already know she'd pissed herself in fear.
The thought made her not want to go back at all.
She slipped quietly into the classroom, trying not to be noticed, and sat at her desk.
A few noticed her return and glanced over, but no one spoke to her.
Instead, they whispered and snickered among themselves.
She lacked the courage to eavesdrop.
Her eyes fell on Kurosaki, whom she'd been tormenting until just before.
The desk covered in graffiti was now spotless.
Kurosaki beamed as she chatted with Naibusu and Shiina Nanami.
As if the bullying had never happened.
Suddenly, Nanami turned this way.
Her eyes met Reika's, who had been staring blankly.
Reika hurriedly pretended to sleep, face-planting on her desk, but Nanami didn't miss her.
She stopped talking and poked Naibusu to let him know Reika was back.
-Thump, thump, thump.
Please just ignore me!!
Reika prayed inwardly, face down on her desk.
But.
-Step, step, step.
The footsteps of the reaper drew closer and closer.
"Reika."
-Flinch!
Her reaction made it obvious she wasn't sleeping.
Reika jolted violently.
Judging she couldn't dodge it, Reika hesitantly lifted her head.
"...What?"
Even to her own ears, her voice sounded servile.
Meeting Naibusu's eyes, Reika recalled that vibration in her lower belly.
──That sensation of being pierced through right then and there.
Naibusu smirked cruelly instead of answering and placed a paper cup on her desk.
Reika remembered that cup.
It was the one Akane had offered Kurosaki.
Reika herself had delivered that piss-filled cup to Akane.
"Drink."
Naibusu's voice rang cruelly in her eardrums.
Steam rose from the yellow liquid in the cup.
This was revenge for that moment—she knew it instinctively.
What would happen if she didn't drink?
Would she become the sacrifice instead of Kurosaki?
Or would Naibusu run her through with that sword──
The thought left no room for defiance.
Her trembling hand reached for the cup.
"If... I drink... you'll forgive me...?"
She knew it was pointless, but asked anyway.
With a fawning smile.
In a wheedling voice.
Like a dog wagging its tail at its master.
Naibusu curled his lip in a grin.
"Obviously. Right, Yuuki?"
Kurosaki, watching from afar, nodded.
──She probably wouldn't forgive her even if she drank.
Thinking that, Reika still couldn't help but drink.
"H-Heh... hehe..."
Tears pricked her eyes, but she forced a smile.
Her hand shook violently around the cup.
She had to drink.
Reika held back tears and chugged the liquid in one go.
"Whoa."
Naibusu's mildly surprised voice.
Then, the burning pain scorched her mouth and throat.
"Reika! What are you doing chugging it like that? Isn't it hot?!"
"Ugh, ack, cough! Cough cough cough!"
"Here, quick, drink this at least."
Naibusu snatched a water bottle from the next desk and made her drink.
The searing pain eased a bit.
"Naibusu!"
Nanami stormed over, furious.
-Thwack!
She whacked Naibusu on the back of the head with her textbook.
Was this pointless mercy?
Beating up Naibusu like that, though.
What was the class hierarchy even anymore?
"You should've warned her it was hot!"
"I... figured she'd know... "
Naibusu turned surprisingly meek in front of Nanami.
"Sorry, Reika. If you need hospital treatment..."
"N-No, it's fine, really."
It wasn't completely fine, but not hospital-worthy.
And she couldn't demand treatment fees anyway.
"I was gonna apologize for spilling water on you. Sorry."
...Water?
"Sorry your clothes got ruined because of me. I'll bring laundry money tomorrow."
"Ah, y-yeah... sure."
Reika nodded blankly, clueless.
But the kids eavesdropping nodded in understanding.
Reika skipping the last class, then showing up in gym clothes after.
It all clicked as "Naibusu caused another mess."
"Take it easy."
Naibusu patted Reika's shoulder casually, like nothing happened, and headed back to Kurosaki.
And in that brief moment as he patted her.
-Thump, thump.
The fear and anxiety in Reika's heart lifted, replaced by a warm happiness.
She felt blood returning to her cold fingertips.
Even after Naibusu returned to his seat, Reika kept watching him.
Each time their eyes met, she recalled that thick, hard sensation pressing her lower belly, that vibration that made her insides quake.
No fear in the memory.
Just a sweet tingle in her belly and a faint ache that soaked her panties without thinking.
Reika felt her lower belly pierced in a whole new way.
"Naibusu..."
Reika thought.
What if...
──This is love?
"No."
Naibusu muttered as if rebutting her to himself.