Even Today, the Genius High School Programmer Cashes In on Day Trades, Completely Flustered by Beautiful Girls' Growing Affection. - Chapter 41: “It won’t last long.”

“It won’t last long.”

The next day, Friday.

Nothing happened in the morning.

A single teacher on watch stood near the shoe lockers at the entrance. Yukina was wearing a new pair of indoor shoes.

Just like always, the five of us ate lunch together. It was a peaceful lunch break. We chatted about silly things and laughed. We talked about how nice it would be if the weather stayed good over the weekend. Yukina was smiling too.

The final sixth period class ended. While I was getting ready to go home, my smartphone vibrated. It was a long vibration—an incoming voice call. The display read “Hina.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Come to Yukina’s classroom right now!” Hina shouted.

I ran down the hallway and dashed up the stairs. Yukina’s classroom was one floor above ours.

When I entered the room, Yukina and Hina were sitting there. Yukina was wearing her gym uniform. The sixth period must have been PE class.

“What happened?”

“This…”

Hina pointed. There lay Yukina’s skirt—clearly hers—but it had been reduced to a pitiful state.

It had been viciously slashed to shreds with something sharp, like a knife or scissors.

“Damn it…”

It must have happened while she was changing for PE. I hadn’t even considered that possibility. On top of that, this school didn’t have security cameras installed inside the school building. Without any witnesses, identifying the culprit would be extremely difficult.

These people were thorough and left no openings.

“What the hell is wrong with them!” I clenched my fist tightly.

Yukina’s eyes were brimming with tears, on the verge of spilling over.

“Why… why would someone do something like this…” she whispered, as if that was all she could manage.

Just then, voices drifted in from the hallway. Three female students were walking past. They seemed to notice the situation in the classroom and glanced our way.

The girl with straight light-brown hair in the middle looked like she let out a small, mocking laugh.

The three girls continued walking, chatting among themselves. When Hina stood up to chase after them, I stopped her.

“It’s definitely them! Okazaki Nanase! You saw it, right? She looked over here and laughed!”

“Um… the one in the middle was Okazaki?”

“Yeah! The other two are her lackeys!”

That straight light-brown hair… I was sure she had also been near the stairs on the day the letter was planted. There was no doubt it was them.

“Hina, I’m going after them and making them confess! It has to be them!”

“Stop. We don’t have any proof.”

“Proof…”

“They knew there are no cameras inside the building, so they sneaked into the classroom during Yukina’s PE period. They targeted something she wears. The method is extremely practiced and malicious. I don’t think they’ll slip up and expose themselves.”

“Kousuke… aren’t you pissed off at all?” Hina was already crying.

“Yukina is going through all this! Even her skirt was destroyed like that! How can you not be angry?! What’s with you, spouting all this logical crap since earlier?! Don’t you want to help her?! Are you even her friend?! You saw them laughing at us, didn’t you?! Doesn’t that bother you at all?! I’m disappointed in you—”

“Of course I’m pissed off, damn it!!!”

“Hii…”

“Kousuke-kun…”

My voice had roared loud enough to echo through the entire school building. Shit.

“Sorry… I raised my voice.”

“N-No, I’m the one who should apologize.”

This wasn’t the time to be arguing.

“Let’s get out of here for now. Yukina, can you stand?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

The three of us then went to the staff room and reported the incident. Yukina’s homeroom teacher held his head in his hands. For the time being, it was decided that she should take her gym clothes with her during PE classes instead of leaving them behind. It wasn’t a real solution, but it was at least some temporary measure.

I decided to walk Yukina home. Hina had a part-time job today and was heading in the opposite direction. Yukina and I walked together to the station.

Yukina in her gym uniform stood out a bit.

On the train, Yukina and I sat side by side. Even in her gym clothes, she looked adorable. Still, she clearly wasn’t her usual energetic self.

“I wonder how long this is going to keep going…” Yukina murmured.

“It won’t last long,” I said, still looking straight ahead.

“Eh…” Yukina turned to look at my face.

I met her eyes directly and repeated firmly, “It won’t last long.”

Yukina’s eyes wavered for a moment. She looked like she wanted to say something. In the end, she only whispered a soft “Yeah.”

After getting off the train, I walked with her all the way to her house. She seemed a little more energetic by the time we arrived.

Once I confirmed she had gone inside, I turned around and started walking away. As I walked, I opened my phone’s contact list, selected one person, and tapped to call.

“Whoa, rare. You calling me with a voice call, Kousuke.”

Our intelligence officer picked up after just two rings.

“Sorry, Shingo, but I need you to repay that favor from the exams right now.”

For a brief moment, I sensed Shingo reading the atmosphere.

“I want to help a friend. Lend me your strength.”

A quiet “Fufu” laugh came through the line.

“Of course! Leave it to me!”