Chapter 57: I Want to Awaken an Other-Exclusion Talent — Step 7: The Path to Awakening Is Right There

I chased after him.

He was walking down the hallway with his mother.

Whew—there he is. But okay, I ran over here and all, now what? Cutting in while they’re together as a family feels… hard to do, and it’s not like we’re close enough to call each other friends.

Getting talked to in front of your family by someone you’re not even that close with is awkward in that “I don’t know how I’m supposed to respond” way, right?

Yeah. What do I do.

While thinking that, I left a little space and followed behind them.

Following them quietly like this, I start to calm down.

If I think about it, maybe it was just in my head that he had a weird face—like, a face that bothered me.

I mean, if your parent was screaming like that, I get how it would get awkward, and maybe me deciding Wada was “hurt” was just my imagination.

Once I cool off, I start feeling kind of embarrassed. Like—if they notice I’m tailing them, isn’t that embarrassing? We’re not even that close.

Whatever, I should just go to my three-way conference. Yeah, that’s right. Sure, Wada’s mom is weird, but I can’t see how this has anything to do with yandere stuff.

Yeah, yeah. While I was convincing myself of that and started to head back toward the classroom, I heard—

“That’s why you’re no good, isn’t it!?”

A shrill, hysterical voice echoed through the hallway.

Huh? What? Again?

Even as I flinched, I couldn’t stop myself from mentally throwing a comment at this déjà vu scene.

When I turned around, sure enough, it looked like Wada’s mother was the one screaming.

Same situation as before. This time it wasn’t inside the classroom, it was out in the hallway—but the hysteria level hadn’t changed.

I don’t know what you’re supposed to do here—because no matter how you look at it, getting this hysterically angry is just not normal.

Wada’s grades are excellent, and even if we put his personality aside, there’s no way he did something that deserves getting yelled at in a three-way conference.

And yet he’s getting torn into like this, which means this lady is the weird one. No question.

But this time, one look at Wada’s face makes it obvious I don’t have time to be thinking that.

His face is even paler than before—fear and sadness mixed with something that looks almost like resignation.

His mother keeps going.

“You’re not like your older brothers.”

“That’s why I hated this high school. You couldn’t get into your brothers’ school. That’s why you’re no good, you know.”

“Your mother is worried about you, you know?”

All that echoed was her voice. Wada just kept his head down, looking like he was enduring it.

What the hell—why aren’t you talking back? Just say it like you always do.

Tell her she’s annoying. Tell her to shut up.

Why? Don’t just swallow it. No matter how you look at it, the one who’s wrong is that lady!

Enduring it isn’t like you. Show me the usual mouthy, irritating you.

Ah, seriously. Why are you making that face?

“Um! Nice to meet you. I’m Takashiro, one of Shuma-kun’s classmates. Thank you for everything you do for him.”

Before I knew it, I’d stepped in front of Wada’s mother and bowed. That’s so not me.

I’m bad at this kind of thing to begin with. And sticking my nose into someone else’s family situation is just stupid.

But. But.

I glance at Wada’s face.

He looks shocked. Of course he does.

I’d be shocked too if a classmate suddenly jumped in like this.

Actually—no, I’d be creeped out.

But compared to the face he had a second ago, it’s way better. If me embarrassing myself is what it takes to make your face look less bad, then that embarrassment is worth it.

And I’m not going to tolerate some random lady crushing the shining talent I found.

Yeah. That’s all it is.

Chapter 58: I Want to Awaken an Other-Exclusion Talent — Step 8: The Arm You Grabbed

Both Wada and his mother are shocked. But I don’t have time to worry about that. I’m not used to scenes like this enough to stay calmly dignified.

If anything, the only move I had was to act dignified.

“Um, so—Shuma-kun’s been teaching me how to study, and my grades have been climbing like crazy! So I’m really grateful, like—”

I launch into a rapid-fire explanation.

Doing everything I can to not look suspicious, to look like the best possible classmate.

In reality, we only exchange greetings, though. Actually, even that is only recent.

But whatever—lying is fine, right? I can make it true later. I really do want to get close to him now that I’ve noticed his talent.

And it’s also true that I want to save that face.

“So I want to thank him, so I’m going to borrow Shuma-kun for a second.”

Saying that, I grabbed Wada’s hand and started running. I just wanted to pull him away from his mother. That was the only thing I could think of.

Behind us, it doesn’t sound like his mother is saying anything.

Huh? I really thought I’d get something like—

“Where are you taking him!!”

—shouted at me, but…

I’d at least braced myself for that much. Like getting slapped, or something.

Maybe she’s still too stunned? That would make sense. Not only did some stranger cut in, I’m also dragging her son away. Yeah, it’s not exactly some moving wedding scene, but it’s not a situation where being too shocked would be weird, either.

After we ran a little, the arm I was pulling got heavy. Huh? Did he finally start wondering what the hell? I mean, even if a classmate suddenly yanks your arm, after running this much you’d calm down and start thinking, right?

That’s what I thought, so I looked at his face. And instead of that, his face was bright red, like it was nothing compared to—

Oh. So it’s stamina.

Yeah… Wada doesn’t really seem like he can do sports—wait, that’s rude.

Before he could say anything, I opened my mouth.

“Sorry. I had something I wanted to say, but I totally forgot. Sorry for out of nowhere.”

I can’t exactly say, “Your face was too messed up while you were with your mom, so I dragged you away.”

Because that might be something he doesn’t want touched.

If he was making a face like that, there’s no way it’s a scene he wanted anyone to see.

And on top of that, there’s the classic puberty thing where you don’t want to be seen with your parents, too.

Plus, I’m not immune to embarrassment either. Calmly thinking about it, barging directly into someone’s parent-child relationship is way too insane.

As much as possible, I want to keep him from realizing why I cut in. Like, it’s fine if he just thinks I cut in because I’m a weird guy.

He probably won’t care that much. Come on, insult me like you always do.

Say, “What are you doing? I don’t get you.”

A part of me is even waiting for that insult.

But no matter how long I wait, he doesn’t look like he’s going to open his mouth. If anything, he’s making this anxious expression, like he’s waiting for my words.

Huh? What’s wrong?

This isn’t the usual you.

The usual you would spit out an insult without missing a beat.

While I’m thinking that, something hits me: I have my own three-way conference too.

Oh crap, I need to get back fast. I got way too distracted by Wada.

“Ah—yeah, I’ve got my three-way conference too. I’ve gotta go.”

How irresponsible. Or selfish. I’m disgusted with my own behavior, but I still start to run back toward the classroom.

Then he grabbed my arm.

Huh? What?