Every Sin Deserves Punishment - Chapter 17: It's All I Can Do Right Now

Chapter 17: It’s All I Can Do Right Now

“I’m so mad!”

Kanase-san puffed out her cheeks across the wooden table.

“Calm down, they’re just kids.”

“He was probably just shy. You’re beautiful, Nanaka.”

Sada-san and the others tried to soothe Kanase-san’s irritation. She expressed her emotions openly, and the others responded accordingly. It was a scene that seemed to convey the dynamics of their group.

“So, what should we do about that?”

“What are you talking about?”

“That girl was being bullied, wasn’t she?”

“There’s not much we can do.”

Sada-san clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back against the chair.

“What are you guys talking about?”

A voice came from behind Kanase-san, prompting me to look away from her. A calm-looking boy stood there, his familiarity with Kanase-san and the others apparent from his casual tone.

Kanase-san turned around in her seat.

“Listen, Ogata! I was called an old hag!”

“That so? Oh, ‘For The Sake Of Love’?”

“So, you know about that nickname? Are you from the same school?”

“Yeah, I’m Ogata. Nice to meet you.”

Ogata-san waved casually, giving off a refreshing, pleasant vibe. I couldn’t help but think how important a smile is. I used to be able to smile like that at the beginning of the school year, but now, I can’t even muster the energy to try. The fact that Yoshiki is still my only friend might have something to do with that.

“Still, an old hag, huh? It’s a pretty harsh nickname for someone your age.”

“It’s a terrible misunderstanding. It was a group of elementary school boys who called me that.”

“Sorry, I was just joking. If it wasn’t clear, I apologize. Did you scold those kids properly?”

“Can’t you tell by looking at Nanaka?”

“I understand now.”

“You don’t need to understand, just listen to me.”

“I’m listening, I’m so excited. So, you’re saying we should teach that kid a lesson? How scary.”

Sada-san hugged himself. He narrowed his eyes, looking exasperated.

“That’s not what I meant. There was a boy who was being mean to a girl, and I was just thinking about what we could do about it.”

“Do you think that boy likes the girl?”

“Do you think so too, Ogata? I’m sure those boys like her!”

Kanase-san leaned forward in her seat, clearly enjoying the topic.

Ogata-san raised one eyebrow.

“There was more than one boy?”

“There were four of them. Why do boys always bully the girls they like?”

“The common belief is that they do it to get the girl’s attention.”

I inserted the tip of my spoon into the white grains, scooped up some curry and rice, and brought it to my mouth. For some reason, it tasted better than the food I made at home. Driven by the deliciousness, I continued chewing.

“Did you bully Nakiri-san too, Ichigaya-san?”

I almost spit out the food in my mouth but managed to maintain my dignity and washed it down with water.

“Why did you bring up Nakiri’s name?”

“Well, you took revenge for love, right? I thought you liked her.”

“Not really. Relationships between people can’t be measured by simple likes and dislikes. But let’s talk about those kids. They’re at the age when they’re going through puberty. They might find interacting with the opposite sex embarrassing, or they might be forced into that situation.”

“Forced into it?”

“They might actually want to get along, but they push each other away because they don’t want to be made fun of by their peers.”

Nagiri had been the same way. Teased by our classmates, she’d lost her usual confident demeanor. What might have seemed like harmless teasing had been the catalyst that drove a wedge between us. If my hunch is right, this isn’t something I can just ignore.

Kanase-san furrowed her brows.

“What do you mean? They like each other, but others are getting in the way? That’s terrible.”

“It is terrible, indeed.”

I took another sip of water and let the liquid cool down on the back of my tongue.

Kanase-san stood up from the wooden chair.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to talk to those kids. I need to give them a piece of my mind!”

“It’s pointless. They’re probably doing it unconsciously. If they’re not aware of it, there’s no way to fix it.”

“Is it possible to be mean unconsciously?”

“Then let me rephrase it. Have you ever done something cruel to ants or dragonflies? Like placing your foot in the path of an ant or spinning your finger in front of a dragonfly?”

Sada-san and Ogata-san let out a sigh.

“I used to do that all the time when I was a kid.”

“Me too.”

“Really? What was so fun about that?”

“I don’t know. I wasn’t thinking much back then.”

“That’s so mean. Poor ants.”

“And dragonflies too. I understand what you’re saying, Ichigaya. When you think about it, pouring water into an ant’s nest is incredibly cruel.”

“Exactly. For boys who are unaware, teasing that girl is just another game. Gently scolding them probably won’t have much effect.”

“So, you’re saying we should go all out? But if we scold them harshly, it might become a problem. Isn’t it quite strict these days?”

“If we’re not careful, we might end up lowering our evaluation instead of raising it.”

No corporal punishment. That’s the current educational philosophy. Even if the students are hopelessly mischievous, there’s no guarantee that a teacher who breaks that rule will maintain their position.

I don’t believe that discipline requires violence. There’s even data showing that most of the teenagers who engage in delinquency are victims of abuse. Violence rarely leads to good outcomes. This is a common understanding in society.

But I know that there are devils in this world who don’t understand words. It’s not just those two who were expelled. If you look around the world, there are countless people who, in their sober state, trample on others’ happiness. A thousand reprimands are not as effective as one act of violence. Just as the police and military are indispensable for maintaining public order, the use of force is also a necessary evil. It’s necessary to make the bullies realize that their actions are not worth the trouble.

Violence is inherently evil. To use it, one must have what is commonly referred to as a ‘get-out-of-jail-free card.’ It’s not an easy task for us to obtain such a card.

“So, what are you going to do? Leaving that girl alone is pitiful.”

Kanase-san’s eyebrows formed a frown. Her actions were impulsive, but her concern for the girl was genuine. I shared her desire to do something, and that scene was a replay of my past. I couldn’t just let it go.

“Can you leave this to me?”

“Do you have a plan?”

“It’s not exactly a plan, but I have an idea.”

“Let us help too. I don’t want to just stand by and do nothing.”

Kanase-san leaned forward on the table. I shook my head.

“I’m sorry, but I need to do this alone. I want you to take care of the other students.”

She stared at me with those bright, clear eyes. After a moment, she leaned back into her chair.

“I see. That’s too bad. If you ever need help, you can count on me, okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll ask you for help if I need it.”

But I knew I wouldn’t be asking for their help. All I needed to do was say a few words—just like a parent who, having made mistakes, tries to teach their child. I’d plead for them not to end up like me.

Would they listen? I had no idea. Maybe this was all just my meddling. Maybe nothing was really wrong between those boys and that girl.

But if we wait until it’s too late, there’s no turning back. So, I’ll do what I can. That’s all I can do now.