CH 3

Chapter 3: The Desired Youth Is Gray 

After parting ways with Mio on the way to school, I dived through the gates of Tendou Gakuin, blending in with the rest of the students going to school. 

Tendou Gakuin is a middle and high school institution for the training of different abilities, and Mio is in the middle school. 

Although there are only about 10% of the population who have different abilities, these abilities can easily be used as a weapon to take human lives. 

Is it a little too twisted to think that a kind of human weapon is housed in a state-run school so that it can be managed all together ……? 

Ostensibly, it is a place to train human resources that will benefit the country in the future. 

The fact that it is a national school with good facilities and treatment is probably part of the candy. 

I changed into my slippers at the entrance and arrived at the classroom of the second year class with about five minutes to spare. 

There are students chatting, students sleeping on their desks, and students diligently preparing for class. 

No one’s interest was piqued by my arrival.

As I sat in the front seat by the window, playing with my phone and killing time as I saw fit, the pre-bell rang in the classroom. 

A short time later, a woman with dark circles pasted on both eyes, looking like a 9-5 white collar hard working woman, entered the classroom. 

She is the homeroom teacher of Class 2, Year 2, Otori Shizuka. 

She is also one of my collaborator at my secret second job. 

Shizuka-san’s eyes, from my point of view, are devoid of any kind of energy, and the atmosphere she exudes is like that of a ghost, as if she could vanish if a slight breeze brush past her. 

She was probably up all night doing something. 

I bite back a sigh of relief as I take my place at the podium. 

“……No absences. Let’s start homeroom.” 

Without any particular greeting, Shizuka passes on the contact information to the students. 

I didn’t have any relevant information to share, so I just listened in half-heartedly. 

“–Oh, and …… Kyosuke Sato. Come to the student guidance office when homeroom is over.” 

The sudden mention of my name made everyone in the classroom look at me. 

From behind, “Again?” “He’s not what he looks like, is he?” I hear insinuations which doesn’t even have an ounce of intention of hiding it from their subject of talk, which is literally me.

If I didn’t know what was going on, I would think so too just like them, so I have got no choice but to sigh deeply in my heart. 

No, even if there is something matter, please don’t call me to the student guidance office. 

I am a good student. 

I am not a criminal or delinquent. 

Still, if you don’t know the facts, you will have a bias and be labeled as such. 

That is also the reason why few people try to get close to me. 

“Homeroom is over. Now get ready for class.” 

I hurriedly follow Shizuka-san as she leaves the classroom after saying this curtly. 

I walk a little behind her in the hallway, and after a few turns, we arrived at the student guidance office. 

Shizuka-san sits down roughly on a pipe chair by the window and points for me to sit opposite her. 

I did as she asked, and Shizuka-san’s mouth moved. 

“–You, what did you do?” 

A straightforward question. 

The eyes shoot me a look as if to say, “You brought the trouble.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about……'” 

“……Oh, my bad. I left out the subject. I’m talking about what you did to Arisugawa.” 

“……Yes?” 

“You guys were on the same mission. And yet, I found Arisugawa on her way to the scene of the crime. She was in a really bad mood.” 

That’s quite something to hear from Shizuka-san. 

Well, it’s all my fault. 

I seriously don’t want to encounter this…… I don’t want to die yet. 

When I explained the circumstances just in case, Shizuka groaned and rubbed her brow. 

“Arisugawa, who didn’t want to go to her destination alongside you, got lost. So, she left it behind and went home.” 

“I thought I sent her a message that I was leaving because it was over, but it wasn’t delivered.” 

“……Hmm.. I also thought that would have been the case.” 

Apparently, Shizuka-san was able to anticipate this to some extent. 

I, too, had my head in the sand because of Arisugawa’s grumpy endorsement. 

There are things that me and Shizuka-san can’t help. 

The first thing that comes up is Arisugawa’s mood. 

The Arisugawa in a bad mood is, not only limited to digital contact but is also a dangerous thing which is of the first kind that we hesitate to even appear in her sight. 

Moreover, since there is no significant change in her facial expression, she looks the same as usual to the onlooker. 

Think of it as a bomb whose fuse you can’t see, if it’s lit or not. 

……The quality is usually poor. 

“Kyosuke Sato, please do something about it.” 

“Don’t be reckless. You know I don’t want anything to do with Arisugawa at school.” 

“On one hand, you are an elite with a promising future. But on the other hand, you’re supposed to be the stone on the side of the road …… right?” 

“If a dropout like me talks to Arisugawa, it creates unnecessary animosity. As for me, who wants to live my school life in peace, it’s not a good idea to get involved with Arisugawa.” 

The power relationship between me and Arisugawa at school is about as far apart as the president and a lowly part-timer. 

Even if the truth is completely different, the students at the school don’t know about that kind of behind-the-scenes stuff. 

And above all…. 

“Arisugawa is interested in the ‘Gravity Order’ of the ‘High End’ and there is definitely not a single soul named Kyosuke Sato! Except you.” 

That’s enough chitchat.

I get up from my seat to avoid pursuit, and as I put my hand on the door knob to leave the student guidance room, a voice calls out to me from behind. 

“Just so you know, Arisugawa did what she did without my permission or direction. I did nothing wrong.” 

“How’s that reasonable for an adult…..?” 

“Who knows. Just be youthful like a high school student once in a while.” 

“Youth with Arisugawa? Even if it’s a joke, it’s not funny.” 

The youth I wanted was gray. 

It will never change no matter what, and I don’t want to change it. 

I’m just so hungry for work that I can’t take any more of the crazy reality.