Tada, Sore Dake de Yokattan desu Chapter 3 - Secret Weapon

It is time for the confidential asset to make its appearance.

"Sayopon, Sayapon, Sayopon, Sayopon, Sayopon, Sayopon, Sayopon, Sayopon, Sayopon, Sayopon." I continued to call the phone, probably dozens of times, yet no response came. I suppose I will continue calling a hundred more times.

This was because I had no other recourse. All the students on the class register were contacted, and I sought their assistance in finding any possible clubs, but each avenue was met with rejection, leaving me in quite a predicament.

However, after compiling all the known events in chronological order, I realized that with the information at hand, discerning the truth of the situation was impossible.

1. The Principal initiated this peculiar Human Power Test.

2. In November, a revelation of bullying surfaced on the internet, instigated by Sugawara, and the victims, including Masaya, were four of his classmates.

3. The school authorities and the mothers of the victims resolved to punish Sugawara, place him under strict supervision, and exert all efforts to keep him separated from Masaya.

4. In December, Masaya succumbed to mental illness and took his own life.

How am I supposed to make any deductions? This deficiency in information almost drove me to an outburst.

Most perplexing, however, is the period between points 3 and 4. How did Taku Sugawara drive Masaya to such despair? No one can fault Sugawara if this crucial detail remains unclarified.

With a deficit of options, I resolved to seek assistance from the secret weapon, Sayo, often referred to as 'Sayopon,' despite my inability to reach her. Sayo and I attended different universities, yet we are childhood friends. From elementary school through middle and high school, she frequently aided me, as I struggled with my studies.

"Just shut up already! Stop leaving me messages like they're some kind of curse, you idiot!"

After muttering 'Sayopon' approximately a hundred times, she finally answered. It was her usual gruff voice.

And why have you been calling me 'Sayopon' every single time you've rung me up?

"Sayopon, listen, Sayopon."

Are you intentionally ignoring me now?

"You are aware of what happened to my brother, correct? I am currently looking into that matter..."

Following that, I recounted everything I had learned from the paparazzi and my parents to Sayo. I simply relayed all the information without any attempt at organization, and the more I spoke, the more bewildered I became. "I see," was Sayo's only response after hearing my entire account.

"Well, I have been keeping up with the news, so I have a general understanding of the situation."

"I wish to hear your thoughts on the matter, Sayopon."

I said, but silence echoed from the receiver. It appeared she was also feeling frustrated, and soon, a heavy sigh was heard.

"This is merely the perspective of a typical outsider," Sayo prefaced, "but logically speaking, Masaya and the others should not have been subjected to bullying by Sugawara, should they?

"...What do you mean by that?" I inquired, feeling completely perplexed.

"Hey, don't get upset with me. I simply feel that someone like Masaya wouldn't be intimidated by a mere middle school student. My guess is that Sugawara uttered that controversial statement, Sayo's quiet breaths could be heard from the other side of the line. "I had some dealings with Masaya myself. I don't want things to just end here like this." "Oh? What's on your mind? I was actually about to ask for your help anyway." "Well... I do have some thoughts about this situation, and it just feels like..." Sayo trailed off, her voice laced with hesitation. "Most importantly, I'm worried about you." Coming from my usually spirited childhood friend, these words were surprisingly gentle, and they caught me off guard. "...I'm sorry for making you worry." "...I am worried. How could I not be, when my childhood friend's younger brother has passed away? You're not faking a smile, are you?" "Hm, a little." "Don't push yourself. If anything's bothering you, please tell me. You've seemed down in your social media posts since last year. I heard you two broke up, too." "Oh... thanks. But it's alright now. What's more important is Masaya." "I understand... then I'll get a bit serious." I could picture Sayo putting on a determined grin on the other end of the phone. Right, I'm genuinely glad to have a friend who understands me so well. At the same time, I've gained a powerful ally. A sense of warmth spread through my chest. After expressing my gratitude, I ended the call. Two days have passed since Sayo agreed to help, and then, she called me again. "As expected, contacting the parents just leads to rejection. However, it seems some students are willing to speak up." Sayo began speaking immediately, without even a casual greeting. But what she was saying was exactly what I had been hoping for. "Eh? You mean...?" "It's progressing well. We're meeting at the station after school today. Are you coming?" "Of course! Just as I expected from my secret weapon." I asked Sayo for more details. It turned out that the student from Kuzukawa Second Middle School was a friend of her friend's brother, and also Masaya's classmate. I was amazed she could find someone suitable so quickly. As expected, she possessed the social connections I lacked. "I never thought he'd agree. If it were me, he would have likely been taken aback and rejected me upon hearing I'm Masaya's older sister..." "Seriously, you're way too honest... you need to be more careful with your words," Sayo commented, sounding surprised. "But we can question him without any other adults present. Perhaps the students in his class might know something." "Hm, so instead of a completely baffling bullying case..." "I'll leave it to you. It's your job to uncover the truth." I nodded, thanked her once more, and ended the call. I brewed some coffee and walked into the living room, intending to organize my thoughts and plan my next questions. At this point, I had moved back from my apartment into my old house. There were virtually no classes in the second semester of my junior year of college, and it was more practical to stay close to Kuzukawa Second Middle School if I intended to investigate Masaya's situation. As I fetched the coffee beans from the kitchen and headed downstairs, I found my mom seated in the living room. Her long hair was tied back, and she was intensely focused on the computer, typing away. "Mom, what are you doing?" I asked. My mom looked up, offering a tired smile. "The internet." "What?" "It's a meeting about improving the school's education system, though the name hasn't been decided yet. We need to get Kuzukawa Second Middle School to take this seriously, so that sacrifices like Masaya's won't happen again. To do that, I have to be involved." It was true that the mother of a student who had committed suicide would carry significant weight. My mom was determined to change the school, not even dwelling on Masaya's absence. She was typing with a clumsy unfamiliarity. From her profile, I could see she had aged considerably since Masaya's death. "We must severely punish Taku Sugawara. A judgment worthy of a devil is needed." She muttered furiously as she hammered away at the keyboard. "Masaya was definitely killed by him. However, my battle with the devil is far from over. I absolutely will not forgive you. I will tear you apart, drive you to despair, kill you, and mutilate you." Such words seemed utterly alien coming from my mother, and I felt a chilling fear. This reminded me of Taku Sugawara's own words: "The revolution has yet to end." Had this incident already concluded? Or was it merely the beginning? A dreadful premonition washed over me. The person Sayo introduced me to was named Kouta Katou. My first impression of him was that he looked like a bean sprout. It was the first time I had ever met someone who so perfectly fit their descriptor, and I seriously considered suggesting we move from the café to a beef bowl restaurant. No, I had to brace myself! He had long, thin limbs, a pale face, his mouth hung slightly open, and he wore crooked glasses. No matter how I looked at him, he was the very image of a bean sprout.

I guided him to a rather aged-looking café, one that had undergone quite a bit of renovation. This establishment apparently charged a steep six hundred Yen for a single cup of coffee. Once inside, we settled into a secluded, dimly lit corner, where a sliver of light managed to penetrate the gloom.

He opted for hot lemonade, while I chose a hot coffee. As soon as our beverages arrived, I brought our earlier conversation to a close and began my inquiry,

“To start, anything is fine, but would you mind sharing your impressions of those two? What feelings do Kishitani and Sugawara evoke in you, Kadou?”

This was my initial question. Kadou responded in a hushed tone, “Yes.”

I decided to begin with the simpler query. I already harbored a strong suspicion about Taku Sugawara’s unpleasant nature but sought to confirm it directly. Furthermore, I was uncertain about Masaya’s demeanor at school.

“Masa, well, that’s Masaya Kishitani’s nickname. To put it simply, that fellow is incredibly popular. If any event is happening, he’s invariably the one organizing it, and his academic performance is a cut above the rest of us. Everyone holds him in high regard. Ah, naturally, I respect him greatly as well. I never imagined he would be a target of bullying. It simply didn't align with my perception; he seemed entirely removed from such activities, on either side.”

“Well, as one would expect.”

This confirmed my suspicions. It was no different from how Masaya presented himself at home.

“And what about Sugawara?”

Kadou’s brow furrowed, and he slowly responded,

“Hm, no, Sugawara…how to describe him? He’s not exactly a gloomy individual, but likely not cheerful either. I don’t believe he’s particularly disliked, but he certainly lacks any discernible presence. He’s probably the most unremarkable person in the entire class.”

“Hm?”

This was unexpected. Based on the news and school reports, he was supposed to be an arrogant, eccentric middle school student. I extended my hand, interrupting Kadou mid-sentence, and inquired,

“What do you mean, unimpressive? How does that align with the media’s portrayal of him as a demon?”

“Yes, he’s truly unnerving. We have no clue what goes on in his mind. However, he’s not a typical delinquent student. He’s rather slow-witted and poor at physical activities. He’s the type who prefers spending his lunch breaks reading manga and novels by himself.”

“And…anything else?”

“Yeah, and also, he just seems completely uninterested in the people around him. Or rather, he’s never shown any interest in others. Even if we attempted to converse with him, we would simply be ignored. That’s distinct from social anxiety. He might genuinely be the devil; he just gives off a bad vibe.”

Following this, Kadou emphatically reiterated his disgust for Taku Sugawara, stating, “He’s truly sickening,” before taking a sip of his hot lemonade.

During this exchange, my gaze remained fixed on the notebook, contemplating the discrepancy between the accounts and the Sugawara I had encountered. Taku Sugawara was supposed to be the devil, proclaiming, “You alone won’t be enough to stop the revolution.” But was he truly such an unremarkable individual? What could explain this divergence?

My curiosity was piqued. However, I decided to postpone these deductions and address the primary topic.

I jotted down a few notes, took a deep breath to clear my thoughts, and prepared to piece together the truth. Focusing, I gripped my ballpoint pen and asked, “Then… would you mind elaborating on the bullying incident?”

Yet, in stark contrast to my eagerness, Kadou’s response was remarkably vague. With an apologetic air, he replied,

“…I’m not really sure about the bullying at all.”

Kadou lowered his head and murmured.

“What do you mean? Are you suggesting that nothing else seemed to have occurred after Sugawara struck someone with a water bottle?”

I probed further with a more specific question.

But once again, he shook his head.

“No, that’s not it. Even during that time, nobody grasped the full picture from beginning to end. No one actually witnessed the bullying, neither before it transpired nor in its aftermath.”

“…Eh?”

The notebook slipped from my grasp, but I managed to catch it just in time. Leaning forward over the table, I fixed my gaze on Kadou’s face.

Then, with a blank expression, I asked,

“What are you implying? The online posts detailed acts like forcing individuals to consume dead insects and inflicting wounds with needles…”

“I’m telling you that no one saw any of that. Nobody realized that anyone was being bullied, let alone witnessed it. Before those details were posted online, or even after they surfaced, no one took notice. No one in the class understood that bullying was occurring until Sugawara struck Kishitani with a water bottle.”

What was happening?

Even I was utterly bewildered.

One person bullied four popular individuals without anyone realizing it? Was such a feat even conceivable?

It seemed utterly preposterous. The student body would surely have been concerned the moment the popular students displayed even the slightest discomfort, and there would have been numerous individuals to confide in. This scenario was impossible.

It was frustrating. I retrieved two sugar cubes from the side and dropped them into my coffee. It would become excessively sweet, but that was acceptable, as I possessed a fondness for sweets. At the very least, it might help clear my mind.

After taking a sip of coffee, I asked Kadou,

“…Did bullying truly occur?”

“There were a few indications, so it's possible. Masa’s gym clothes were cut up previously…”

“Indications, you say?”