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 36: A Serious Discussion.

Arata’s POV

After seeing off Seto-senpai as she headed back to her classroom before the start of the fifth period, I stared intently at my homeroom teacher in the now-quiet staff room.

“…What am I supposed to do about that? I never agreed to having someone ‘oversee’ my studies.”

“I’m sorry for taking liberties. She’s a bit too earnest for her own good. I felt that if I didn’t give her some kind of role in that moment, she would have been genuinely hurt. That said, I couldn’t explain the full situation to her, and that was the only thing I could think of on the spot…”

“Sigh… I get it, but she’s definitely the type to get offended if I say something lukewarm like ‘I’ll be happy as long as I get average marks,’ right? My best overall rank in exams was thirtieth at most. I wonder what someone like her considers to be ‘top of the rankings’?”

“Well, roughly the top twenty, maybe? If you push yourself a little more, it’s a perfectly reachable goal, isn’t it?”

“No, that’s what I’m saying—thirtieth was me giving it everything I had.”

“I see… But, you know, I have a feeling that despite your complaining, you’ll actually do quite well, Rindou.”

“Where is this confidence coming from…? Fine, I’ll do what I can. But if I don’t make the cut and Seto-senpai gets angry, you’d better step in and mediate, Sensei…”

She’s a beauty, sure, but when she’s angry, she has an intensity that could rival a demon. I’m honestly not great with her.

“Of course. And I will take full responsibility for cornering the perpetrators publicly. So, Rindou, you can focus on your after-school studies for a while with peace of mind.”

“I appreciate that, at least.”

Still, I wouldn’t truly be at peace until I knew exactly what rank Seto-senpai defined as “top tier.” Damn it, I should have asked her earlier. What if she comes back later with some impossible goal… Feeling a different kind of anxiety piling up, I let out a heavy sigh. Then, Sensei’s expression shifted, becoming uncharacteristically stern.

“On that note, Rindou… changing the subject, may I share the results of the interviews with you?”

Realizing what he was referring to, I gave a deep, solemn nod.

“Right. I’m ready whenever you are. Please, go ahead.”

“Understood. To make the explanation quick, I’ve summarized the results of the interviews with the three of them in this notebook. I’d like you to read it.”

The notebook he handed over contained meticulous notes on their testimonies, their facial expressions, and how shaken they appeared. Even without hearing the details aloud, it was clear that Sensei had fought with everything he had to corner them. I was struck by the sheer “adult seriousness” of it all—he had even prepared a voice recorder.

“…This is incredible. To corner the three of them like this in a single interview, and even get a full admission from one of them. Honestly, I can’t believe it.”

“No, we’re just getting started. I managed to get Kawakita Yumi to confess for now, but Kayama and Matsunami still show no signs of admitting anything. We need to shake them further. We also need to be on guard for whatever measures they might take from here.”

“Do you already have a next move planned, Sensei?”

“Yes. I intend to hold another emergency faculty meeting after school today. I’ll play the recordings from this device and confront Sakagami-sensei about his ties to the perpetrators. If he quietly admits to it there, it’s game over. The school will be able to hand down punishments to everyone involved on the grounds that a teacher and students conspired to harm another student.”

“…And if he doesn’t admit it?”

“In that case, the most efficient route would be to formally request a police investigation. As you can see in those notes, they all seem to be terrified of the police sticking their noses in. They likely lack the confidence to keep up the deception once professionals are involved.”

“In other words…” Inagaki-sensei checked to make sure no one was nearby before speaking slowly. “I feel it would be best to press charges against them immediately. What are your thoughts on that, Rindou?”

“If it comes to that… I’ll need my parents’ cooperation, won’t I?”

“That’s right. For a minor to pursue a civil lawsuit, parental involvement is essential, and hiring a lawyer will cost a fair amount of money. It’s not a simple path.”

“…Right.”

As I showed signs of hesitation, Inagaki-sensei shook his head and placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Listen, Rindou. My age is still relatively close to yours, so I’m not in much of a position to act high and mighty. But as an adult, I can tell you this: if you tell your parents clearly that this is what you want, they will surely help you. Because there isn’t a parent in this world who could stay silent while their child is forced to shoulder such disgrace.”

“Sensei…”

“Well, it’s probably presumptuous of me to talk about being a parent when I’m not even married and have no kids. But if it’s hard for you to bring it up, I can talk to them myself. Would you be willing to have a meeting with your parents and me sometime soon?”

“A meeting… with them?”

I knew deep down that Sensei was right. If I continued to rely on the help of Inagaki-sensei, the Vice Principal, and the others to corner the culprits, the day might eventually come when everyone—like the self-confessed Kawakita-san—would admit their guilt. But I had no idea how many months that would take, nor was there any guarantee that everyone would be properly punished. I was afraid of a future where time just slipped away while I carried this indeterminate anxiety. Yes—the more time passed, the more the perpetrators’ sense of having committed a crime would fade. Meanwhile, the false “facts” would slowly seep into the environment over that long period. That was what I feared most.

Come to think of it, soccer matches were the same. The team that gives up an opening goal in the first half is constantly plagued by the thought, ‘We have to get it back quickly.’ Meanwhile, the players on the leading team start thinking, ‘Stop attacking; just cycle the ball and run out the clock.’ It’s exactly the same. In any fight, the one who lands an effective blow first has the advantage. The one on the receiving end becomes desperate to catch up and falls further behind as time passes. When that happens, there is only one thing the losing side can do to win.

To leave a chance for a comeback in the final moments of the game, you have to land an effective blow as soon as possible. When it comes to taking action, sooner is always better.

“I understand, Sensei. I’ll ask my parents tonight if they can come to the school in the next few days.”

“…Rindou.”

“I can’t afford to waver anymore if I want to win. I’m going to stop acting tough and stop feeling guilty. For once, as a son, I’m going to ask my father and mother for help head-on.”

“I see. It might be a little embarrassing, but a child relying on their parents is nothing to be ashamed of. It’ll be okay. Walk tall, Rindou. Walk tall.”

“Yes—”

For a few seconds, Sensei and I exchanged a firm handshake and nodded to one another.“It’ll be okay.” There was nothing more encouraging than hearing those words from him.