My Story of Falling for the Class President

Chapter 14: Battle in the Mire

The day after I was almost surrounded by four people.

It seems they didn't tell anyone around that they backed off because I had a bat.

Even so, the hostility in their eyes when they look at me is strong.

I think I'm the one who should be angry, but at the same time, having spent years as classmates and knowing some of their mothers, I also felt scared of a violent turn of events.

Do they really hate me that much?

I'm scared of it turning into a violent incident, and I don't want to make it a problem either.

I've completely become expressionless in class, enduring the same old teasing every day.

Strangely, I can't get used to it, and being exposed to malice makes my heart grow cold.

Then, a few days later on my way home, I was cautious about going to and from school since that incident, but those four were at the corner, with bats in hand.

I thought, four people with bats waiting in ambush is definitely an incident.

Sneaking closer, I heard them say,

"He doesn't even have a smartphone, so he can't record or film anything."

"We're not gonna fight, just threaten him and make him cry, lol."

That's what they were saying.

I ran a detour and got home, then called 110 for the first time in my life. When I explained to the police that students with bats were gathered, they asked for my name and address. I guess when you report something, they ask the reporter a lot of questions too.

Watching from the shadows with an indescribable feeling during my first report, the police arrived shortly after and seemed to be questioning them. Feeling relieved, I went home.

It seems it was just a warning, because the next day at school, all four of them showed up, and I felt a bit disappointed.

And then they started harassing me in a different way.

I collected the submission notebooks. Kashii-san rearranged them in roster order for the teacher to check easily and submitted them. The next day, there was a commotion about the notebooks being missing.

(That's strange. I definitely collected them, and Kashii-san confirmed it too, but they weren't submitted to the teacher?)

"What are you doing?!"

"I definitely submitted mine! You remember, right?!"

The teacher said,

"They were in roster order, but they didn't reach me."

"They must be lost! My notebook!"

"What are you gonna do about it?!"

I was held responsible, and though I insisted they were definitely there, nothing could be done. Kashii-san also said they were there when we checked, but I apologized, saying I'm sorry for losing the notebooks, and bowed my head.

During break time, Kashii-san came over.

'That's strange, right? They were definitely there, weren't they? No one was absent yesterday, so we checked everyone's, right?'

'Yeah, they were there, right?'

Kashii-san tilted her head, wondering where they could have gone. Her gesture was cute.

Were the notebooks taken somewhere? After Kashii-san and I confirmed them, in the classroom or the staff room?

'This kind of thing might happen again.'

'...Tachibana-kun, do you have any idea who might be behind this?'

'...I don't really get along with people in the class.'

I said it in a roundabout way.

After this, the same thing happened two more times.

And so, April finally ended, and as GW approached, something decisive happened.

PE class became self-study. During self-study, since the teacher's eyes aren't on us, the teasing gets worse.

The girls were outside playing tennis, but the boys were playing basketball, so we were told to play basketball freely in the gymnasium.

Soon, someone from another town said,

'To improve the class, I'll give loving feedback to the class president.'

That's what they started saying. And then the torture of saying something to me one by one began.

It started with the guy from another town. Surrounded by six of the class's popular kids, the torture began.

"Losing notebooks? What are you doing as class president?"

The popular kids continued one after another.

"If you're poor, why don't you get a part-time job or something?"

"You don't have many friends, so you don't understand people's feelings, do you, lol?"

"Seriously, I don't get why you're even class president."

"You're too familiar with Kashii-san for a loner!"

"Don't ignore us when we're talking to you!"

"Why can't you even talk back after being told all this? So lame, lol."

"You're not cut out to be class president!"

I'm being told whatever they want. Being exposed to malice in a group is really terrifying.

After one round, they brought over the timid kids from the class.

"You guys say something to him too!"

The three timid kids opened their heavy mouths.

"D-Don't act like you're helping me out when I'm being bullied."

"You're so annoying!"

"Don't drag us into unnecessary stuff!"

I didn't intend to act like I was helping them, but the timid kids bared their fangs, egged on by the popular kids.

Even I get scared when surrounded like this.

Is there nothing I can do but silently endure? If only I had the strength.

What would the men I admire do in this situation?

Getting carried away, the popular kids said,

"Should we surround Kousuke too and give him a little lecture?"

"Since he's got a little sister, let's teach her what's wrong with her older brother, and if necessary, give him a lecture!"

"Atsuki having a friend like this guy is just no way—turns out he wasn't much either!"

All three things came together. I can't take it anymore! I'm gonna snap! But at that moment, the bell rang.

"We said a lot of harsh things, but it's because we want you to do your best! Class president, keep it up, lol."

Saying that, the popular kids quickly left the gymnasium.

I was about to lose it with anger that had nowhere to go.

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Since the first notebook loss incident, Kashii-san started printing out a list, checking names, and submitting them.

'Even so, they're still getting lost? Is someone trying to frame Tachibana-kun?'

I asked around among the girls, but all I found out was that since Tachibana joined this class, the popular kids have been doing all sorts of things to her.