Every Sin Deserves Punishment - Chapter 3: Nakiri at Lunchtime

Chapter 3: Nakiri at Lunchtime

 “Oh, so you joined the broadcasting club?”

It was the day after I joined the broadcasting club. During lunch break, Yoshiki and I stepped into the cafeteria.

The clean, white space buzzed with the lively chatter typical of a crowd. Boys and girls in blazers sat on chairs, huddled together, talking and jostling each other. It wasn’t hard to walk through, but if you tried to run, you’d probably bump into someone.

I pass by a student carrying a tray and head towards the hallway.

Even after the student leaves the cafeteria, the teacher doesn’t budge. As long as they bring back their trays, they’re free to eat wherever they want.

Our first task was to secure a seat. We approached an empty table, staking our claim by standing a plastic bottle on it like a monument.

With meal tickets in hand, we walked to the counter, received our trays from a woman working there, and returned to the seats we had secured.

The spicy aroma of curry tickled my nose, making my arm reach out for the spoon.

“What about you, Yoshiki? Did you join the basketball club?”

“Nah. I like basketball, sure, but if I stayed with that even in high school, nothing would change ya know?”

“Pretty sure basketball is not at fault here. You need to gather the courage to talk to girls yourself.”

“Well let’s leave it at that for now..”

I’m taken aback by his response. He’s a big guy, but he’s surprisingly timid.

Ignoring my disappointment, Yoshiki crosses his arms in front of his chest.

“It’s all about the opportunity, you know. I wonder if there’s a good club out there.”

“There’s no club out there that would automatically make you popular with the girls just by joining it.”

Yoshiki’s passive attitude is concerning, but opportunities are indeed important.

My first encounter with a girl was due to a fight with upperclassmen. I wonder if I can apply something from that experience.

It makes me sick to think about it, but this is my only friend’s dilemma. It’s probably going to cause him some pain eventually, so I want to help him as much as I can right now.

“How about a romance club?”

“I don’t think that exists.”

“Really? I bet there are tons of guys who want a girlfriend. Wouldn’t it be great if they all got together and formed an organization?”

“That might work, but do you think they’ll become popular?”

“… Not really.”

Yoshiki squeezed out those words, his smile fading.

Dating techniques often get dressed up with words like “love tactics,” but in the end, it’s all about working through the logic.

By repeatedly engaging in actions that are well-received by the opposite sex, such as complimenting their appearance or clothes, you can break down their emotional barriers. There are various methods, but no matter how you dress it up, it’s still just logic. Your approach will inevitably be mechanical, and those who are used to interacting with the opposite sex will see through it.

In the first place, I don’t think Yoshiki is capable of such a sophisticated act. He’ll probably just stutter and be laughed at.

“Why don’t you stray away from school clubs for now? There might be more efficient ways.”

“Like what?”

“How about a mixer?”

“A mixer? That’s a bit of a high hurdle for me. But if it comes to that, I’ll make sure to cleverly persuade someone to set it up for me!”

Yoshiki raises his arm and clenches his fist with determination.

Seeing his enthusiasm, I lower my eyelids slightly.

“Don’t be so sneaky. Just join the basketball club. If you become the ace, you’re bound to get popular.”

“That didn’t work for me in middle school!”

Yoshiki places his hand on his forehead and looks up at the ceiling.

Basketball is the crown jewel of sports clubs. If he truly was the ace, there’s no way he didn’t catch the attention of the girls.

Most likely, he received advances from girls but didn’t realize he was liked. Poor Katou Yoshiki.

Yoshiki lowers his arm and returns to his usual self.

“By the way, why did you join the broadcasting club?”

“That’s a quick change of subject. Is it so wrong that I joined just because I was interested in it?”

“Not really, but…”

Yoshiki suddenly realizes something.

“Don’t tell me, there’s a cute girl in there!?”

“That’s the part you got hooked on?”

It’s April, the season of spring. The flower field blooming in Yoshi’s mind doesn’t seem likely to wither anytime soon.

Yoshi formed the shape of a “3” with his lips.

“I mean, like, I saw a couple holding hands on the way home. Wouldn’t you be very envious of them?”

“Well maybe they knew about each other before they enrolled in the school?”

“Well I wouldn’t know.”

“Then don’t make such comments if you don’t even have any basis to be so hooked on it.”

“Even if I wanted to confirm, I can’t just go up to a stranger and ask, ‘Hey, how long have you been dating?’”

“Hear me out here. You, who was able to pronounce me as the two-timing bastard in our class, can easily do it.”

“That aside, is there a cute girl in the broadcasting club?”

“If there were, would you join?”

That would actually be helpful. Setting aside the aggressive and funky senior, Namisugi-senpai, Suga-senpai is the type of bad girl who would definitely run her finger along a guy’s knee. If Yoshiki joined, his pure-hearted nature would make him a great scapegoat.

No, scapegoat wouldn’t be the right word to use, I’m not that bad. I just want to help my friend out. I’m only introducing him to a beautiful upperclassman.

“But I’m not confident about my voice.”

“What happened to that determination you had to manipulate someone into setting up a mixer for you?”

A wave of exhaustion washed over me.

Yoshiki’s loud voice attracts the attention of the other students, and they giggle at us. Oh, my earlobes are burning. I don’t want to be seen as a love-struck fool like him.

“Oh, Nakiri-san! Over here!”

A high-pitched voice calls out from behind. I turn around, drawn by the familiar surname.

It was like a flower bloomed in the drab cafeteria. Long, milk-tea-colored hair swayed, decorating the air. The scene was so captivating it almost seemed to carry a sweet fragrance with it.

“She’s so great, that Nakiri-san.”

Yoshiki’s wistful murmur brought me back to my senses, and I noticed his expression had softened.

“What’s so great about her?”

“She’s beautiful and cute!”

“Is that so?”

I stifled a sigh as I grabbed my glass. Pressing the transparent rim to my lips, I gulped down some cold water and cast a sidelong glance at Nakiri’s profile again.

At the other end of my gaze, her well-formed features lit up as she smiled—a sunflower-like smile I recognized—at the friend who had saved her a seat.

Nakiri’s beautiful? And cute?

I already knew that.

She’s definitely a beauty. It’s no wonder Yoshiki’s been fooled by her looks.

But even the most beautiful roses have thorns. Touch them carelessly, and you’ll get hurt.

I won’t be fooled. Never again.

“You’re so calm, you two-timing bastard.”

There was a hint of something in Yoshiki’s voice that made me turn back to him. He was squinting at me, clearly displeased.

“You’re still going on about that?”

“Shut up. You don’t understand, you popular guy.”

“I’m not that popular. I haven’t been confessed to that many times.”

“Don’t you know that Japanese people have this special ability to read the room?”

“Is that so? I’m starting to get curious about my own roots.” 

Both of my parents are Japanese. My beloved mother, and my good-for-nothing father who abandoned us. There’s no need to investigate further.

I don’t care what my father is doing or where he is, but if he gets in my way, I won’t show him mercy. I swore this at my mother’s grave.

“So, honestly, how do you feel? Are you not interested in love, Ichigaya?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m simply not interested in it.”

To be more precise, I can’t bring myself to be interested. Unless I can clear away the fog of hatred that clouds my heart, I won’t be able to care about anything else.

Love, hobbies. Anything that could potentially give me the will to live is just fuel for the fire of my hatred. I can’t stop it, so there’s nothing I can do.

Yoshiki crosses his fingers behind his head.

“Ugh, this is boring! Nakiri-san probably likes handsome guys like you anyway!”

I unintentionally raise my eyebrows.

I’m starting to get annoyed. I grip the ends of the tray and stand up.

“Bathroom break?”

“Who goes to the bathroom with a tray? I’m going to eat in the courtyard. See you.”

“Eh?”

Yoshiki looks up, his expression changing from sulky to confused.

“Hey, wait… Are you mad?”

“I’m not mad.”

I say this dismissively and head towards the cafeteria exit.

“Wait, wait!”

The moment my shoes hit the hallway floor, the big guy came chasing after me, fully equipped with his lunch. It seemed like he was planning to follow me.

“Don’t follow me.”

“You are mad, aren’t you?”

“I’m not.”

“You’re lying!”

I’m getting annoyed. How can I make Yoshiki turn back to the cafeteria?

… I know.

“Is it okay for you to leave the seats? If you stay in the cafeteria, you can eat your meal using Nakiri as an appetizer, you know?”

I’ve heard about it before. There are people in this world who get filled from something other than food.

Judging by Yoshiki’s reaction when he saw Nakiri earlier, he has a similar sensibility. I just want to help my friend. I’m definitely not mad.

“Hey, Ichigaya.”

“What?”

“You’re a pervert for thinking that you can use Nakiri-san as an appetizer!”

“I don’t want to hear that from a guy who’s head is full of flowers!”

My response is harsh. The people in the hallway turn their attention to us, and my face heats up. My earlobes feel like they’re melting.

Ah, damn it, when I think about it calmly, what does ‘using Nakiri as an appetizer’ even mean? I ended up saying something so out of character. It’s all Yoshiki’s fault.

I take a deep breath and continue walking.

Pat pat, his footsteps follow me.

“Stop following me!”

“You are mad, aren’t you?!”

“I’m not!”

“Then is it alright if I eat lunch with you?”

“Do what you want!”

I quickened my pace to shake off the overwhelming stares. As I escaped the persistent gazes, I immersed myself in the refreshing, negative-ion-rich space.

I stepped into the walking space of the courtyard. The fragrance of nature’s greenery was as invigorating as a green juice. The air here was much more pleasant than the crowded cafeteria.

“Where should we eat?”

“On the bench.”

I grumbled this out and sat down on a nearby bench. Placing the tray on my lap, I resumed the task of filling my stomach.

“Oh, if it isn’t Shikura.”

I stop my arm mid-reach for the glass. My heart feels like it suddenly froze.

The person who called me is using my old surname. After becoming a shut-in, I rarely went out until my mother passed away. Only a few people know me as Shikura Yuu.

The person who called my name knows who I am.

I clench my fingers tightly and swallow hard.

The revenge hasn’t even started yet. If Nakiri learns that I am Shikura Yuu, my plans up to this point would have been for nothing. I would have no face to show my mother.

I take a deep breath and send oxygen to my brain.

Calm down, it’s okay. I dyed my hair golden, I’ve grown taller, and my face looks a bit more mature. It shouldn’t be easy to recognize me at a glance.

I’ll pretend to be someone else. I turn around with a smile and open my mouth to deny the call.

“You guys are…”

“Yo.”

Two figures stand against the backdrop of the greenery.

A boy with his hair parted to the side and a girl with natural curls.

Sogou Nobuyuki and Mibu Minami, my classmates from elementary school, are standing in the courtyard.