Tada, Sore Dake de Yokattan desu Chapter 10 - Eve of the Revolution

The call persisted.

With my earphones in, I cranked the volume, and was immediately met with the sounds of a family drama, filled with love and hatred. It was so jarringly loud, and they seemed to be in the midst of an argument. About ten minutes passed, and the tension seemed to dissipate.

The mother, who adored her son above all else, called out her daughter's name with affection. The daughter, envious of her younger brother, then offered an apology for her wrongdoings.

I ended the call.

I had assumed it would be a major conflict, but I was genuinely relieved that Masaya's mother hadn't taken her own life. I didn't want to inflict any further pain on Masaya's family. Despite his frequent complaints, he truly cherished them.

"I specifically chose this park to ensure the daughter would rush back to save her mother immediately,"

I said to myself. Picking up the can Sanae had dropped, I turned to depart the park. It was already 6 PM, and with late December upon us, the sky was rapidly darkening.

My desire was to act swiftly.

I had waited as long as I possibly could, and then, my phone rang. It was Masaya's mother.

"What shall we do...? What do you wish for?"

That was the sole question she posed initially. "I have only one request: promise me something." That's all I replied. "Ensure that no other victim like Masaya comes to be."

I sincerely wished for their happiness to be restored and then resolved to proceed to my next destination.

"Now, all the preparations are complete, and only my resolve remains."

"Did you orchestrate all of this?" Sanae questioned me loudly, but that wasn't the case. If not for the fortuitous intervention of luck, allowing her to appear, I likely wouldn't have managed to finalize this plan. No matter what I might have said, acting alone, no one would have believed me.

To persuade Masaya's mother, I required the influence of her daughter.

While she had been distant towards her daughter, the daughter's past abuse of Masaya had clearly shaken her deeply, and her harsh disciplinary methods had unexpectedly become a form of torment for Masaya.

"I hope you two find happiness," I whispered.

And so, I set my sights on the final stop.

Kuzegawa Second Middle School.

This truly marked the end.

I decided to journey to my destination on foot.

Typically, I would opt for the bus, which would take about an hour if I walked. On my way, I made a stop at home; I needed to mentally prepare myself, thus I allocated a bit more time.

Yet, even so, I pressed onward.

I had no idea when I might next tread this path, or if I would ever have the opportunity to walk it again.

The last time I rode the bus home with Masaya, we had this very conversation. It was February, during our first year.

"It's still better than my family situation, but mine is, you know, kinda messed up..."

Masaya, seated by the window, suddenly remarked. His gaze remained fixed on the scenery outside, avoiding my eyes, but his tone was unexpectedly somber.

He rested his head against the bus window and grumbled with a hint of bitterness.

I sat beside him, my bag resting on my lap.

"Messed up?"

"Yeah, strangely so. Mom would just randomly bring up grades and college, expecting a lot from me. My sister always picked on me whenever she visited. She resents me; it's just gross."

"Is it because you're a genius, Masaya?"

"Yeah. Apparently, it's because she had a really bad breakup in college. Ever since I started dating someone, she's been all over me. It's irritating."

"Masaya, isn't your sister quite attractive? She seems popular."

"Perhaps."

"Let me sleep with her."

"Don't say that about my brother's girlfriend."

"You want me to say it to your future brother-in-law?"

"Why would you be marrying my sister!?"

"But you seem really down today."

I inquired, and Masaya didn't reply for a moment.

After a second or two, he began to speak, and a mist had formed on the glass window.

"You remember Kotomi Ishikawa?"

It was an unexpected name. Of course, I remembered that name.

"..I wanted to save her, but I couldn't."

She was also the girl Masaya was dating.

Upon hearing my confirmation, "Don't say it was a failure. That was the correct decision," Masaya countered.

Such words of comfort. I thanked him and then asked why he had suddenly brought up Ishikawa.

"Kotomi is still quite fearful of the Human Power Test and being judged by others. She's a bit too dependent on me,"

Masaya stated, his gaze still fixed on the world outside.

"Oh," I responded listlessly. "Did that harassment really leave her traumatized?"

"It appears so."

Masaya nodded and let out a sigh.

"But lately, I'm beginning to understand Kotomi's feelings."

His tone carried a certain melancholy, quite unlike someone my age.

"Everyone hails me as a hero, but people's attitudes can shift so easily. Those girls who were once jealous of Kotomi started being friendly to her after I began dating her. Even I was shocked by that. I found myself wondering if, one day, my own friends might betray me."

"Honestly... that's a definite possibility."

"Yeah. So I've started feeling uneasy about human relationships. It's annoying... well, it's a little different from that."

Masaya looked down at his own hand. Naturally, we were powerless to alter this disheartening reality.

“Kotomi’s heart still bears scars… and though I’m affected too, I must protect her.”

“…I understand… I want to help her as well.”

My reply came out before I could even think. I tightened my grip on my bag strap, my fingers turning white, and spoke.

Yet, Masaya seemed to have grasped my true feelings from those words alone. He put his hands in his pockets and gazed at me.

“You like Kotomi, don’t you, perhaps?”

Just as I expected from Masaya. He figured it out instantly.

Perhaps my emotions were plain on my face.

“Not to that extent,” I offered a strained chuckle, attempting to deflect his suspicion. “I do hold some admiration for her, but don’t worry, I’m not so low as to steal my good friend’s girl.”

Masaya chimed in immediately.

“Eh, that’s totally out of character for you.”

“I’ll kill you.”

“You just said you wanted to help her, right?” Masaya disregarded my threat, his tone serious. “Are you sure? You failed once, and yet… aren’t you afraid?”

“Didn’t you just tell me ‘Don’t call it a failure’?”

“I honestly have no memory of saying that.”

“…To be completely honest, I am scared,” I admitted, ignoring Masaya’s playful banter this time. “I didn’t want things to end so miserably. My life has been a struggle; I don’t want to face more pain.”

“I had a feeling…”

‘But if she’s truly struggling, and you find yourself powerless, just let me know. I will definitely protect Ishikawa.”

Masaya let out a small laugh.

“That’s so you.”

“Don’t be jealous. I might as well save you too, Masaya. Go beat up your classmates and your family.”

“You’re just tacking that on as an afterthought.”

“What else?” I said, continuing, “So, when I’m in trouble, you’ll help me out, right, Masaya?” I then added, “You know… I have my own family troubles too.”

Masaya nodded, his expression softening.

“Leave it to me. Whether I risk getting arrested or persecuted, this genius, Lord Masaya, will come to your aid. Next time, feel free to tattoo ‘Taku has Masaya’ on yourself. It’s quite fitting.”

“I don’t want to… you just love acting tough. We became good friends because we both have messed-up families, didn’t we?”

I stated.

“Yeah, we’re good friends, allies.” He said this with a flush on his cheeks.

Then, he extended his fist towards me.

“Those from dysfunctional families should support each other. This is the TakuMasa alliance.”

What a ridiculous name, I thought, but I didn’t refuse.

“Right,” I agreed, tapping his fist with mine.

I still remembered the TakuMasa alliance.

Masaya seemed to remember it too.

He left me two final messages.

One was a declaration to the media and the public: “Taku Sugawara is a devil.”

The other was a note he left in my shoe locker the day before he ended his life. It was the only love letter I ever received.

The beautifully penned words on the printed paper were textbook-perfect. It was Masaya’s handwriting. Only this one word was written:

“Traitor.”

Looking back, I realized he was right.

I couldn’t save him.

We couldn’t go home together, or return to our endless chats. From that single word, I understood this truth quite clearly.

We both deserved it.

Masaya tormented me and then ended his life in despair.

I chased a foolish ambition and struggled through hopelessness.

Both of us were deserving of our fates.

However, I suppose I was the luckier one, not too badly off.

Even after Masaya’s death, with my reputation in ruins, I still had a girl waiting for me to bring her happiness.

At the very least, I could fulfill half of the promise I made to Masaya.

And so, this extended revolution was finally approaching its conclusion.

This revolution turned out to be far grander than I had anticipated. All of Japan cursed my name, and international media outlets were reporting on it.

The entire world had become my enemy.

All of humanity was calling for my death.

On Twitter, in newspapers, on 2ch, YouTube, entertainment magazines, television, Facebook, LINE, Google+, letters piling up in my living room, inside buses, through LINE again, internet podcasts, foreign news channels, classrooms, Mixi, and cafes on the street. Everyone was slandering me.

“But even though I’m seen as the villain, I hold a wish worthy of a hero.”

For I was truly trash.

As long as she could smile again, I wouldn’t mind descending into hell.

“Now, I am going to bring about true happiness.”

I made a daily habit of visiting Kuzegawa Second Middle School, but this might be my first time venturing into the parking lots. I had passed by them before, but I never really paid attention to the area known as the ‘parking lot’.

It was well past dismissal time, and not a single student was in sight. The parking lots were situated at the far end of the school grounds, occupying about a quarter of the size of a gymnasium. Only half the parking spaces were occupied compared to midday. The fluorescent lights flickered intermittently, providing ample shadows for concealment.

The asphalt felt like ice under the winter chill, and my backside ached as I sat down. Hidden in the darkness, I awaited my target. I hunched my shoulders, my mind drifting to Masaya and Ishikawa, hoping for the revolution to finally end.

A few teachers entered their cars, their movements sluggish, and they failed to notice me. I then lowered my head in their direction without any particular intent.

With the passage of time, my heart began to pound with increasing intensity.

Getting flustered is not an option.

My only focus needed to be on making a firm decision.

Before long, I observed Toguchi-sensei making his way towards the parking area, but he wasn't the person I was looking for either. I held no interest in him; surely, someone else would pass judgment on him. There were already various online comments expressing dissatisfaction with the teacher in charge. If I were to continue placing blame on him, it would simply be cruel.

And so, I watched his car depart, doing nothing.

Farewell. Travel safely.

By the time I noticed, the majority of the teachers had already left, with only two vehicles remaining. It was 8 PM. Even for civil servants, the teaching profession is undoubtedly exhausting. One of those remaining cars likely belonged to a staff member, and I knew who occupied the other.

“I never anticipated you would wait until the very end.”

With that, I revealed myself just as Principal Fujimoto emerged.

His eyes widened subtly, though he didn't appear overly surprised.

“Oh, Sugawara. What is it?”

Naturally, this wasn't our first encounter. I had met him twice before: once when I struck Masaya with a water bottle, and again when Masaya tragically took his own life. Our direct conversations were minimal, but we were certainly familiar with each other's faces.

At that precise moment, I produced a survival knife, positioning its tip directly at the principal's chest.

We stood approximately 5 meters apart as we faced each other.

“So, you intend to kill me?” Principal Fujimoto remained still. “Why?”

“To bring an end to the Human Power Test. Such a thing is unnecessary.” My response was immediate. “We are living in a horrific nightmare. The media is already dissecting the negative consequences of this new educational system. Once you are gone, the Test will undoubtedly cease to exist in this world.”

“Then you should voice your concerns to everyone, not resort to violence.”

“Observing your demeanor, even a middle schooler would realize you have no intention of speaking out. If you won't, perhaps Kishitani’s mother will.”

Hearing this, the Principal seemed slightly taken aback, exclaiming, “Oh?”

“You managed to convince Akane Kishitani? You?”

“Indeed. I sent her a cat's carcass, did my utmost to provoke her, growled at her, and ultimately compelled her submission. I truly wished I could have conveyed the difficulty of stuffing the cat's remains after it was tragically hit by a car.”

“I see, you had her… This situation has become a bit more complicated.”

“Your death will simplify matters immensely.”

I gripped the knife with both hands. If I could just plunge it into the Principal's chest, I believed I could overpower him. Despite my limited athletic ability, possessing a weapon should be sufficient to defeat this elderly man.

All that was required was for me to commit.

I could not allow myself to falter.

To steel my resolve, I continued,

“My sole desire is for happiness. I don't aspire to be a superstar at school, nor do I wish to date the school idol. All I need is to remain in a quiet corner of the classroom, where everyone else can find joy. It was for this reason that I initiated this revolution. I aimed to put an end to Masaya's bullying, dismantle the Human Power Test, and escape the hell of interpersonal relationships.”

The knife trembled in my grasp.

“That alone would suffice for me.”

“But then, Masaya Kishitani committed suicide,” the principal stated, his voice a low growl.

I retorted, my voice raised,

“Yes! The revolution failed! This is my final desperate act, a move born of necessity. I will kill you and put an end to this Human Power Test!”

“It will not end. Firstly, what is the purpose? Even if you succeed in killing me, class 2-1 will not return to its former state, nor will it become the class you desire.”

“No, this is no longer for my own sake,” I declared with self-mockery. “It is for a certain 'normal friend' who lives in fear of the Human Power Test.”

Therefore, I had to eliminate this man.

Gathering all my strength, I aimed the knife at the Principal's heart. I pushed off the ground and lunged with every ounce of my might.

However, the Principal reacted before me.

He took a single step back.

Just a single step, yet it felt like an invisible force propelled me sideways. Someone then leaped towards me, enveloping my body in their arms and restricting me with a technique unfamiliar to me. An intense, abnormal pain shot through my right hand.

I couldn't endure the agony and involuntarily released the knife. The assailant then shifted their position, pinning me firmly to the ground. My face was pressed against the cold, icy asphalt.

“Takkun, stop this now!” she screamed into my ear, her voice trembling and on the verge of tears. “There's a limit to everything!”

The person holding me down was Sayo. I had no idea why she was present, but her grip was so strong that I was completely immobilized.

“You're betraying me too!?” I cried out in anguish. “Why!? Why is no one standing by my side!?”

“Shut up! I've been on your side the entire time!!” she yelled back, her voice filled with defiance.

I struggled with all my effort to break free, but I could not escape Sayo's hold. I was utterly outmatched, both in terms of strength and technique.

I watched as the Principal retrieved the only weapon I possessed—the knife. He picked it up between his fingertips and gazed down at me as if examining something repulsive. I could not escape the contempt in his gaze.

“She informed me of everything about you, which is why I hesitated for so long. Furthermore, we observed you concealed in the parking lot, so I was already on guard. Sugawara, your actions were impulsive,” the Principal stated.

I turned my gaze toward Sayo, and she mumbled a sheepish, “Sorry.” It seemed Sanae had revealed all, and Sayo had deduced my potential plan to confront the Principal.

Perhaps she had an ominous premonition from my words, “The revolution has not yet concluded.”

If that were the case, my oversight was significant.

“Hey, Sugawara, what is it that you desire?”

The Principal knelt, his demeanor almost solicitous.

“The Human Power Test is not a mere frivolous pursuit. Academic evaluations alone are insufficient for navigating modern society.”

“I am aware,” I retorted. “But what is your perspective on this society? Do you intend to endorse it, to celebrate the degradation of academic tradition? Do not simply attribute all faults to ‘society’ without critical thought!”

“I see. So, you comprehend this matter.”

“DID YOU EVER CONSIDER THE FEELINGS OF THOSE WHO RANKED LAST IN THE HUMAN POWER TEST? DID YOU OFFER AID TO THOSE WHO FACED BULLYING? YOU DID NOTHING! YOU REMAINED IGNORANT OF MASAYA’S SUFFERING, UNAWARE OF ISHIKAWA’S TEARS! ALL YOUR GRAND DECLARATIONS ABOUT HOLLOW THEORIES, ACTING AS IF YOU ALONE POSSESS CLARITY IN THIS WORLD! THAT IS WHY I MUST ERADICATE THIS TEST! I DESIRE TO BRING IT ALL TO AN END!!”

My voice echoed from the floor, a desolate cry, possibly fueled by rage, or perhaps just profound regret.

I had failed.

Ultimately, I accomplished nothing at all.

Sayo relaxed her grip, likely mollified by my cessation of resistance. At this juncture, I harbored no intention of fleeing, instead remaining prone on the ground, a picture of tragic dejection.

Principal Fujimoto gestured for Sayo to release me, then declared,

“It is not as though I completely disregarded such matters. I did attempt to connect with students who performed poorly on the Human Power Test. The Human Power Test itself is flawed, and student feedback is indeed necessary. I would never allow my students to endure suffering.”

The Principal gently brushed my face, removing dust.

Stunned, I gazed at him,

“Wait, are you Sou?”