Chapter 35 – A Growing Source of Headaches

She declared he must never approach Kaoru-senpai again. She also hurled verbal abuse at him with no intention of hiding it. Despite this, Shinta boldly fired back without changing his expression in the slightest.

“My bad, but that’s not something for me or you to decide, is it?”

Perhaps unsatisfied with this answer, her brow furrowed.

He knew he was a former delinquent. He was the kind of breed who couldn’t complain if he was called a piece of trash or whatever else. However, his right to interact with Kaoru-senpai wasn’t something he needed to be lectured about by anyone else. That was exactly why he told her off without caring about how the people around him evaluated him.

“If Kaoru-senpai came up to me and said those exact words directly, even I’d accept it. But I have no reason to be ordered around by you, someone I just talked to for the first time today.”

“Do you seriously not get it? Kaoru-senpai is incredibly bothered by a piece of trash like you following her around.”

“Is that so? I don’t think so, though.”

“Just how completely oblivious to your own standing can you be? If you compare you and Senpai, it’s glaringly obvious that you two live in entirely different worlds.”

She began to speak at length. Her face looked down on Shinta from the bottom of her heart.

“As the Head of the Disciplinary Committee, Kaoru-senpai protects the order and discipline within this school. She is a flawless person relied upon by the faculty and students of all grades. Moreover, last year, as the ace of the Kendo club, she made it to the national tournament. She left behind an honorable record as the runner-up. She excels in both literary and martial arts. She is exceptionally beautiful and the object of admiration for every student. That is Nakamura Kaoru-senpai.”

Until then, Sayaka had been at max displeasure. For this moment alone, she wore a proud expression. She must really adore Kaoru-senpai. When she finished her praise for Senpai, her face returned to its displeased look once again. This time, she began to state her evaluation of Shinta.

“In contrast, what about you? With your terrible reputation from middle school, you’re a textbook delinquent that everyone fears. And I heard about it. You went on a rampage at a karaoke joint on the very first day of our second year, right? A thoroughly barbaric beast has no right to exist in the same space as Kaoru-senpai.”

Regarding that rumor, it was a complete misunderstanding. He was willing to accept the bad reputation from his middle school days. However, there was another part of her statement just now that needed correcting.

“Let me get this straight. I’m a former delinquent. I have no memory of causing trouble with other students since entering this school.”

“It’s the same thing. No matter how much you try to turn over a new leaf in high school, the stains of your past won’t disappear. Will they? A piece of trash like you shouldn’t get anywhere near Kaoru-senpai. Know your place.”

She shot him a sharp glare like a bird of prey.

She was absolutely right about that. No matter what he did, the stains of his past wouldn’t conveniently disappear as if they never happened. He didn’t know what this woman knew about Kaoru-senpai. He also didn’t know what kind of relationship they had. Shinta could assert with absolute certainty that there was no need to swallow her demands.

This girl’s argument seemed to claim that Kaoru-senpai was bothered by his very existence. It was glaringly obvious that Kaoru-senpai genuinely held feelings for him. He had sworn to one day give a serious answer to those feelings of hers. That was exactly why, in the face of such heckling from an outsider, Shinta felt nothing. He firmly fired back.

“You seem to be yapping on and on about a lot of things. You don’t have the right to sever my relationship with Senpai, though. I have zero intention of nodding along to your misplaced demands.”

“Don’t screw with me! Don’t you dare try to act all high and mighty and state your opinion, you piece of trash!”

Sayaka flew into a rage and grabbed him by the collar. The surrounding students walking through the hallway began to murmur in a commotion. In stark contrast to Sayaka, who was consumed by anger, Shinta maintained his composure.

“Then try asking Kaoru-senpai directly. Whether my existence is a bother to her or not.”

When Shinta pointed that out, Sayaka’s momentum faltered. The words caught in her throat. Judging from that reaction, he already knew the truth. It really seemed she was trying to force him and Kaoru-senpai apart entirely on her own personal whim. This was completely regardless of Senpai’s actual intentions.

Shinta let her hold onto his collar for a little while. Eventually, Sayaka’s grip loosened and her hands pulled away.

“…I will never accept it. To think a former delinquent like you gets to be by Onee-sama’s side…”

Glaring at him with deep-seated resentment, Sayaka turned and walked away.

Left behind, Shinta couldn’t just stand in the middle of the hallway forever. He shot a glare at the eavesdropping onlookers and made them clear a path.

(Man, I’ve really caught the eye of a troublesome one this time…)

That look she gave him as she left meant she absolutely hadn’t accepted this. There was no doubt she would probably keep coming at him to cut ties with Kaoru-senpai from here on out. Even so, what bothered him was the relationship between that girl and Kaoru-senpai. Right at the end, she had called Senpai “Onee-sama.”

(Is she one of the Disciplinary Committee members, a junior from the Kendo club, or maybe just a fan?)

Kaoru-senpai was immensely popular. It was far rarer to find a student in this school who didn’t know her. He had vaguely heard that there were even some passionate fans who practically worshipped her. Judging from her level of devotion, the “passionate fan” theory was probably the most likely.

“Whatever the case, guess I really have zero time for peace and quiet at this school, huh.”

On this day, Shinta’s seeds of headaches had increased by one yet again.