When I Was Presumed Dead, They Became Unhinged Unknowingly - Chapter 22

After talking with the manager, about two weeks have passed. The preparations are steadily progressing, and secretly, without Sakura’s knowledge, I have already talked to her parents. 

I didn’t expect the experience of convincing Misuzu’s parents would come in handy here, but I guess that’s how life works.

Now, all that’s left is for her to take a step forward. And it seems the other matter will be settled soon as well. It would be nice if they made direct contact with us. We could also approach them, but it’s about time they got impatient and reached out to us.

“Hey.”

“What’s up?”

“Senpai, did you do something?”

“What do you mean?”

Surely, the situation at her home has changed to some extent due to my conversation with her parents.

“No, it’s nothing. Forget it. So, has anything happened to you recently? Are you okay?”

“No, nothing at all. I’m just an ordinary person, so I rarely get into dangerous situations. How about Sakura-san? Are you okay?”

“I… I’m fine. I really have nothing to worry about. I vent my frustrations every time, so I feel refreshed.”

Her face showed that she was clearly forcing a smile. Lately, as she continued to vent her complaints to me, the mask seemed to be cracking, revealing signs of anxiety and stress, and other negative emotions piling up.

“Senpai… What do you think of me?”

“What do I think… I wonder what I should say. At least, if I had to say something, it would be”

She suddenly said that, and I couldn’t pry into her feelings. I felt like I had to say something, so the words that came out were,

“Like a little sister, I guess.”

“A little sister?”

“Yeah, like a cute little sister who can be a handful.”

“I see.”

After saying that, she fell silent, looking down and lost in thought. Perhaps I made the wrong choice. It probably wasn’t very pleasing for her to be called a little sister by someone she recently met. 

Maybe I made the wrong choice again. I’m disgusted with myself for not having grown at all since then. Maybe because I thought I could handle Misuzu and Karen, I got a little conceited.

“Now, it’s getting late, so let’s go home.”

“Yeah.”

Sakura stood up and left the rooftop, so I followed her and left the rooftop too. Until now, I avoided going home together because something troublesome might happen. However, Sakura-san agreed to let me accompany her part of the way home without her knowing the reason.

The school building, just before the end of the day, was eerily quiet. It felt like there were only Sakura and me in this world.

At that moment, a hand reached out from the shadows of an empty classroom and grabbed her.

“Huh!?”

My reaction was delayed by the sudden situation, and my hand sliced through the air. Looking into the empty classroom, I saw a chubby male student holding Sakura’s hand with a creepy smile.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Sh-Shut up. Wh-What about you? You’re trying to seduce my Sakura-tan. Don’t worry, Sakura-tan. I’ll protect you.”

Startled, the chubby boy said this while spitting out saliva and wearing an unpleasant smile.

“Stop it! Let go!!”

“It’s alright, Sakura-tan. I’ll protect you.”

In a panting voice, he continued to speak, spitting out saliva, and making Sakura-san uncomfortable.

From the way he is dressed, it seems that he is a lower class student and a classmate of Sakura-san. Judging from the current situation, this man is the one who sent the threatening letter to me and is the source of Sakura-san’s anxiety.

“I’m special to Sakura-tan. I even got the key to the rooftop when Sakura-tan asked me to get it, and I even saw her perform live! Sa-Sakura-tan li-likes me. Sakura-tan doesn’t think anything of you! Yo-You are only a pest sticking to Sakura-tan!!”

He doesn’t seem to understand the situation, making incoherent statements without realizing that Sakura is frightened.

“Stop it. You can still turn back now.”

“Sh-Shut up. Don’t interfere with me, Sakura-tann’s stalker! Especially when I’m her boyfriend!”

“It’s really better if you stop. Let’s end this before it gets serious.”

“I said shut the f**k up! I’m Sakura-tan’s boyfriend, and we’re deeply in love. You’re just jealous. How pitiful. It’s okay, Sakura-tan. I’m going to defeat this guy now. Watch me. Fufu, fufufu.”

Saying this, he pulled out a sharp box cutter. The setting sun illuminated the blade as it gleamed menacingly.

This is bad. If I die here, her life might take a turn for the worse, following the same path I once walked. That’s something I cannot allow.

“S-Stop!”

Ignoring Sakura’s plea, the guy, still not noticing her frozen state, came running toward me with the box cutter, attempting to stab me. I managed to grab his wrist, but he swiftly switched the knife to his other hand and thrust it toward my arm.

“No, no, nooooooo!”

“Y-Yes! Yes! Sakura-tn, you’re safe now!”

A dull pain surged through my arm. It hurt, but I was used to it. I’d been through this a lot as a child.

I pulled the knife out without much concern, and as the guy approached Sakura again, I kicked him from behind.

The rounded guy tumbled awkwardly to the floor.

“Sakura-san, could you call a teacher right now?”

“Huh? W-What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. So, please, quickly.”

Now, to make sure he can’t struggle, I climbed on his back, pinning him down. Soon, a teacher arrived, and the situation was brought under control.

After talking with the manager, about two weeks have passed. The preparations are steadily progressing, and secretly, without Sakura’s knowledge, I have already talked to her parents. 

I didn’t expect the experience of convincing Misuzu’s parents would come in handy here, but I guess that’s how life works.

Now, all that’s left is for her to take a step forward. And it seems the other matter will be settled soon as well. It would be nice if they made direct contact with us. We could also approach them, but it’s about time they got impatient and reached out to us.

“Hey.”

“What’s up?”

“Senpai, did you do something?”

“What do you mean?”

Surely, the situation at her home has changed to some extent due to my conversation with her parents.

“No, it’s nothing. Forget it. So, has anything happened to you recently? Are you okay?”

“No, nothing at all. I’m just an ordinary person, so I rarely get into dangerous situations. How about Sakura-san? Are you okay?”

“I… I’m fine. I really have nothing to worry about. I vent my frustrations every time, so I feel refreshed.”

Her face showed that she was clearly forcing a smile. Lately, as she continued to vent her complaints to me, the mask seemed to be cracking, revealing signs of anxiety and stress, and other negative emotions piling up.

“Senpai… What do you think of me?”

“What do I think… I wonder what I should say. At least, if I had to say something, it would be”

She suddenly said that, and I couldn’t pry into her feelings. I felt like I had to say something, so the words that came out were,

“Like a little sister, I guess.”

“A little sister?”

“Yeah, like a cute little sister who can be a handful.”

“I see.”

After saying that, she fell silent, looking down and lost in thought. Perhaps I made the wrong choice. It probably wasn’t very pleasing for her to be called a little sister by someone she recently met. 

Maybe I made the wrong choice again. I’m disgusted with myself for not having grown at all since then. Maybe because I thought I could handle Misuzu and Karen, I got a little conceited.

“Now, it’s getting late, so let’s go home.”

“Yeah.”

Sakura stood up and left the rooftop, so I followed her and left the rooftop too. Until now, I avoided going home together because something troublesome might happen. However, Sakura-san agreed to let me accompany her part of the way home without her knowing the reason.

The school building, just before the end of the day, was eerily quiet. It felt like there were only Sakura and me in this world.

At that moment, a hand reached out from the shadows of an empty classroom and grabbed her.

“Huh!?”

My reaction was delayed by the sudden situation, and my hand sliced through the air. Looking into the empty classroom, I saw a chubby male student holding Sakura’s hand with a creepy smile.

“Who the hell are you?”

“Sh-Shut up. Wh-What about you? You’re trying to seduce my Sakura-tan. Don’t worry, Sakura-tan. I’ll protect you.”

Startled, the chubby boy said this while spitting out saliva and wearing an unpleasant smile.

“Stop it! Let go!!”

“It’s alright, Sakura-tan. I’ll protect you.”

In a panting voice, he continued to speak, spitting out saliva, and making Sakura-san uncomfortable.

From the way he is dressed, it seems that he is a lower class student and a classmate of Sakura-san. Judging from the current situation, this man is the one who sent the threatening letter to me and is the source of Sakura-san’s anxiety.

“I’m special to Sakura-tan. I even got the key to the rooftop when Sakura-tan asked me to get it, and I even saw her perform live! Sa-Sakura-tan li-likes me. Sakura-tan doesn’t think anything of you! Yo-You are only a pest sticking to Sakura-tan!!”

He doesn’t seem to understand the situation, making incoherent statements without realizing that Sakura is frightened.

“Stop it. You can still turn back now.”

“Sh-Shut up. Don’t interfere with me, Sakura-tann’s stalker! Especially when I’m her boyfriend!”

“It’s really better if you stop. Let’s end this before it gets serious.”

“I said shut the f**k up! I’m Sakura-tan’s boyfriend, and we’re deeply in love. You’re just jealous. How pitiful. It’s okay, Sakura-tan. I’m going to defeat this guy now. Watch me. Fufu, fufufu.”

Saying this, he pulled out a sharp box cutter. The setting sun illuminated the blade as it gleamed menacingly.

This is bad. If I die here, her life might take a turn for the worse, following the same path I once walked. That’s something I cannot allow.

“S-Stop!”

Ignoring Sakura’s plea, the guy, still not noticing her frozen state, came running toward me with the box cutter, attempting to stab me. I managed to grab his wrist, but he swiftly switched the knife to his other hand and thrust it toward my arm.

“No, no, nooooooo!”

“Y-Yes! Yes! Sakura-tn, you’re safe now!”

A dull pain surged through my arm. It hurt, but I was used to it. I’d been through this a lot as a child.

I pulled the knife out without much concern, and as the guy approached Sakura again, I kicked him from behind.

The rounded guy tumbled awkwardly to the floor.

“Sakura-san, could you call a teacher right now?”

“Huh? W-What’s going on? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine. So, please, quickly.”

Now, to make sure he can’t struggle, I climbed on his back, pinning him down. Soon, a teacher arrived, and the situation was brought under control.