A Twisted Introvert loner Like Me, Mentally Wrecked One-Sidedly due to Love, Throws Away the Love Letter Sent by the foremost School's Beauty, Leading to an Unwanted Romantic Comedy

Chapter 7: Analog and Digital

To cut to the chase, Tachibana had started her move targeting Katase.

For the past three days, I had been pretending to sleep while eavesdropping on the conversations of Tachibana’s Tinker Bell group, taking advantage of my proximity.

It felt like I was a detective on a stakeout with a supply of bread and milk.

There were times when I wondered what I was doing, sacrificing my precious break time for this girl. There were times when such questions came to my mind, but I withstood. And at last, my efforts paid off, as I succeeded in obtaining valuable information.

“…Even still, Sumire, your methods are still as vulgar as ever.”

“Huh? You’re going to certify something like that as vulgar?”

“Eh… are you planning to do something even more?”

“Isn’t that Obvious. I’m not done making Katase suffers enough, I got to make her suffer way more.”

I didn’t know the exact methods they have thought on using, but it was clear that Tachibana had already made plans on taking action.

However, the information I obtained was outdated. Like a once popular but now forgotten in this rapidly changing today’s trend, my information was also just as obsolete.

Or such, because Hiiragi had told me beforehand about it. Moreover, about what steps Tachibana had taken and how she was going to implement it as well.

When you think about it rationally, that was only natural. The analog approach of trying to make money with bread and milk with one’s hands and feet would not be able to compete with the latest technology doing the same with various machines. Similarly, there is no way an analog type like Tachibana could beat the digital type like Hiiragi, who emphasizes efficiency through the use of a network of contacts.

The only saving grace for me was that – Hiiragi shared the information with me before I had the chance to tell her. If the order had been reversed by any chance… I would have been exposed as a shameless guy who flaunts his incompetence.

Nope, it doesn’t matter about me right now. And first of all, it’s not like Hiiragi and I are competing for it in any form. The best approach is to leverage each other’s strengths and cover for each other’s weaknesses.

For now, I can’t deny that I’m entirely dependent on Hiiragi… which is indeed the case. But eventually, there will be a time where my I would be needed as well… there will, right?

Tachibana’s methods were plain simple yet powerful. It was reminiscent of a ‘reign of terror’ that only someone with power could execute.

She intimidated the girls in Katase’s class with threats of violence, ruling through fear.

Ignore her. If you don’t, you know what can happen to you, right?

The exact phrasing might have been different and worse, but that doesn’t matter. The fact remains that, with this Katase getting isolated was the real issue.

Tachibana’s influence had a power that even transcended class boundaries. This also indicates/means that the students at Asagao High, who were generally well-behaved were unfamiliar on how to deal with someone like Tachibana.

In addition, there was already a precedent of getting a student shun herself in her home as well. Likely, everyone was aware of her, even if it wasn’t publicized anywhere.

If betraying one person guaranteed their own safety, anyone would act in protecting themselves.

I really don’t want to do something so terrible… but I can’t stand being the target instead… so, I’m sorry…

With something like that.

But I don’t think this makes them inherently bad. The idea that those who turn a blind eye are also as guilty is far too irresponsible.

[TL: nope.]

Imagine being forced to take part in one of those “death games” that periodically become popular around the country.

In an extreme situation where you could save your own life by kicking someone else down, how many people could honestly follow and say, “I’d rather die than kill someone else?”

If there are such people, they must have incredibly strong mental fortitude. If it was me, I would have probably ended up killing someone else just to protect myself.

[TL: Well, in case of a death game, you are either getting killed now, or later~. Since the game won’t end till you die, kek. I am not a masochist, so I would rather get killed right at first, unless I have a plan to do something about it. *shrugs*]

Death games, they are the perfect stage that exposes and exhibits a person’s true nature to all. Stories need protagonists who don’t succumb to extreme situations, and everyone dreams of being that strong as well.

However, in reality it’s just impossible. If you gathered random people from this world and started a death game in a closed circle, 99.99% of the time, it would end in a gruesome conclusion.

The current situation where Katase is being ostracized is just one of those similar death game, just on a smaller-scale.

No matter how cautious you are trying to, there’s no was possible to prevent it. Or rather, this here, there’s no way to prevent something like this from not happening.

“Isn’t that Obvious. I’m not done making Katase suffers enough, I got to make her suffer way more.”

And it seems Tachibana is planning to do something even worse…

And wouldn’t it be wise to use Hiiragi, who has similar influence, and make her directly confront Tachibana, exposing the problem altoget…? No, that’s far from a wise move. If the other side decides to play dumb, that’s the end of it, and there’s even a chance we’d get taken down before anything can happen.

It’s exactly like a checkmate from the very first move. Tachibana is already moving at a rate to quickly knock her opponent unconscious.

Combined with the fact that I can’t think of any way out of this situation, it already feels pretty hopeless.