Fallen from the Top Group Due to Cheating and False Accusations. The Only One Who Stood by Me Was My Little Sister’s Best Friend, Who Had Always Adored Me.

Chapter 33: What Yuuka Can Do in the Classroom.

The Heroine (Yuuka’s POV)

To be honest, I hated parting ways with Senpai at the school entrance. It might have been meddlesome of me, but I was restless with worry that if I left him alone now, he would end up being deeply hurt by someone again in a place where I couldn’t protect him.

Driven by an anxiety that grew with every passing second since we separated, I walked down the hallway and slipped through the door of Class 1-A, regretting that I hadn’t simply been honest and told him, “I’m coming with you after all.”

“Hey, she’s here.” “Someone go quickly and check.” “Ehh… but still…”

Just because I hadn’t shown my face in class for a single day, my classmates directed visibly bewildered gazes toward me. Of course, since I had taken the side of a Senpai who had been the target of hate from so many students over the last three days, I had come prepared for some kind of fallout. Even if someone were to raise an objection, I was ready to answer calmly and shut them down. However… To say I wasn’t afraid at all would be a lie.

It’s pathetic to admit, but having been fortunate enough never to have experienced such heartless treatment before, I felt for the first time in my life when I woke up this morning: I’m scared to go to school and have those eyes on me. That’s why, though I could never bring myself to tell Senpai such a cowardly thing, the truth is that I called him this morning partly because I wanted to find some courage myself. On the surface, it was to check on his mental state, but my true purpose was to hear his positive voice and draw strength from it.

Naturally, I wondered if things would really go that well.

But as it turned out, the moment his voice touched my eardrums, the anxiety within me vanished instantly, and I was able to get out of bed as if nothing had happened. It made me realize once again that the power of one’s feelings is not to be underestimated. Thanks to hearing his voice, I managed to suppress the seeds of fear and make it to school, but having been attacked by that unease first thing in the morning, I still wasn’t in a great mood. Every time my eyes met those of my classmates, my whole body trembled with the thought: Is this the kind of sight Senpai was seeing too…? My arms and legs shook slightly. To think Senpai endured this kind of terror and still came to school yesterday and the day before. If our positions were reversed, would I be able to do the same? No, it would be impossible. I’m sure I wouldn’t be able to come to school anymore. It was just as I sat in my seat under the weight of those many stares and lowered my gaze.

“Hey, Yuuka… are you okay…?”

A girl hurried over to me. Her name is Sakaguchi Akina, her semi-long black hair swaying as she moved. Since the entrance ceremony, we’ve been close friends who eat lunch together every day—or so I thought—but unfortunately, her face was currently clouded with agitation.

“What do you mean, am I okay?”

“I mean, there’s only one thing it could be… that thing everyone’s been talking about since yesterday…”

“That thing…?”

I knew exactly what she was referring to. However, I tilted my head as if I had no idea.

“You know… that senior in the soccer club who’s famous for the DV incident…”

“…Are you talking about Arata-senpai?”

“Yes, him. Oh, Yuuka… you must know that he was violent toward his girlfriend, Matsunami-senpai, right? So why did you storm into the second-year classroom yesterday to protect him…? There are even girls saying they saw the two of you playing at the arcade after school. Everyone’s been worried since this morning that he might be holding something over you. I’m still worried right now.”

Akina gripped both of my shoulders tightly as she spoke. Gradually, the classroom began to buzz. Before I knew it, everyone was casting skeptical glances my way. Seeing the doubt in each and every one of their eyes, I felt the blood start to rush to my head. Suppressing the urge to scream, I answered quietly.

“Thanks for worrying about me, Akina. But listen, going to the second-year classroom to get him and protect him, and going on a date at the arcade—those were all things I did because I wanted to do them. Don’t get the wrong idea. Senpai isn’t the kind of person everyone thinks he is.”

When I answered so calmly, the girl in front of me visibly grimaced.

“W-Wait, Yuuka…! Are you sane? You saw the video where he tried to grab her arm by force, didn’t you!? That man is dangerous. If something were to happen to you, I—”

“I told you, stop it already—!”

“…………!”

In an instant, the entire classroom was enveloped in silence. I’d said it. Even though I was trying to hold it back in my mind, hearing his name brought up like that over and over made me lose my patience and shout. Stay calm. I need to stay calm.

“…Sorry, Akina, for suddenly raising my voice. But Akina, you’re my precious friend, so I want you to listen properly. I want everyone to know. Arata-senpai would never do the things said in the rumors or shown in that video. The real him is someone who cares about his friends more than anyone, a hard worker, and a kind person who always tries to respect the other person’s feelings. I’ve been closer to him than anyone since I was little, and he’s looked after me since elementary school, so I know everything about him.”

“But…”

Ensuring my voice reached the unconvinced Akina and the surrounding classmates, I continued as if gently reasoning with them.

“Think about it, everyone. In reality, it’s been three days since that video was posted, yet Senpai hasn’t received any punishment from the school, has he? Don’t you think that’s strange? If everything was really as it appeared in that video, it wouldn’t be surprising if a severe punishment had been handed down by now. Yet, far from being blamed, Senpai came to school proudly yesterday and the day before. That is the greatest proof of all; everyone is being tricked by that video. It might be spread so much that you can’t help but see it, but judging who is bad based only on what first meets your eyes is something you should absolutely never do as a person.”

As I spoke with a serious expression, Akina looked apologetic. “I’m sorry, Yuuka,” she said, taking my hand.

“I didn’t know he was someone who had looked after you… I ended up saying something irresponsible.”

“No, Akina, I’m the one who should apologize for shouting… I’m so happy you understand.”

As the two of us held hands, the classmates began to whisper again.

“Whoa, I’ve never seen Tozawa-san with such a serious face before…” “Yeah, and she said that Arata guy has been looking after her for a long time.” “I can’t imagine a person like that being a bad guy…” “Yeah. I find it really hard to believe now.” “I wonder what’s actually happening behind the scenes.”

Thank goodness. It seemed that, for now, everyone was satisfied. That’s right; they aren’t bad kids at heart—they’ve just let their impressions be swayed by the wrong information in front of them. Most of them will understand if you just talk to them. Just imagining how many more people in this school still loathe Senpai while swallowing that false information is painful, but I’ve decided to correct it little by little. Because that is what I can do for him right now.