The person who likes me is a yandere.

What does Tohka usually do at home?

"Reading, and speaking simply?"

"Playing games or something."

"I see."

"........."

"........."

As mentioned above, that's roughly the feeling from beginning to end.

"It's like two people playing ping-pong, isn't it!? What does it mean to get a 'returnace' in a conversation!? Actually, based on that conversation style, I'm quite confident I could talk for an hour, of course, the kind of conversation that's completely devoid of any substance!"

"What's the point of having a pointless conversation for an hour?"

“We don’t need meaningful conversations between us. As long as we can kill time, that’s fine.”

"That's how it is."

By the way, a returnace refers to the situation where the opponent's serve is returned, resulting in a point. That was my misuse just now, and Aki Tomoya even explained it to me. Could you please stop criticizing me?

"In short, I'm really troubled because I can't find any topics to talk about with Tohka. If we could have a decent topic to discuss, there would probably be a solution."

No, if it's the conversation we had when we went home together, about the time before she lost her memory, I think we could have talked about it. But just going along with what's on the surface doesn't count as a conversation, and to be honest, it was really awkward for me.

If we're really going to have a conversation, it's better to talk about casual things, like hobbies, favorite music, or topics that anyone can discuss. Things that are easy to forget after a bath at home. But the truth is, even when we're talking about these kinds of topics, we don't click.

"Although I understand that this is a critical time, and I do owe her a favor."

"Human favors?"

"........."

Aki Tomoya stared at me, who remained silent, for a while before speaking.

"Well, since Tohka said she wants to chat with you, why don't you try to act more naturally?"

"No, that won't work, it's impossible."

"At least they didn't mean any harm, did they?"

Well, that's how it is for now.

I can never truly understand other people's situations. However, I can generally guess their feelings. Based on this, I can act without angering others. I think I can do that too. But it's not 100% certain. In a true sense, because mutual understanding between people is impossible, there's no guarantee or agreement on how long this "harmless state" will last.

"The reason Tohka came up to talk to me was probably just because she thought it was fun. No, maybe it's not that. How should I put it, it seems like that person has the idea that lovers = a very intimate relationship, and it feels like she's imitating that kind of thinking in her actions?"

"Living solely on imagination, without actually understanding anything, isn't that right?"

Even if she's forgotten everything from before, I still can't rest easy. After all, it's safer to assume that maybe one day her memory will return. Maybe that's just my wishful thinking. Although she's so clingy to me now, if one day she recalls the past and feels disappointed, I'll feel a little annoyed.

"Perhaps it would be better if I were the one who forgot everything."

Is that so?

"Oh yeah. In that case, I might become a 'good person' like I'm 'detoxing,' right?"

Hearing this, Aki Tomoya smiled gently.

"I also want to meet you without the poison."

"Wait, is my toxicity really that high?"

"Who knows?"

As we continued our conversation, Aki Tomoya's family members gradually arrived at their seats. His parents, grandparents, older brother and sister (three in total), and younger brother and sister (two in total) gathered around the dining table.

Aki Tomoya's generous and composed attitude was cultivated in such a large family, which I always find incredible. It's a "Friendly" family with zero exclusivity.

Perhaps they mistake me for a relative, because I naturally dine with them on occasions like these. If non-toxic people are like them, then maybe I really am the toxic type.

Life continues under pressure, and I still have to go to school every day when it gets light.

Chapter Twenty: The Terrifying Student Council President

Life continues under pressure, and I still have to go to school every day when it gets light.

After getting to know the student council, I discovered something that surprised me quite a bit.

Before her amnesia, Tohka was a thoughtful and meticulous person who enforced class rules with overly strict and sometimes frustrating regulations. Therefore, I suspect that within her own student council, she might have been treated like a hero, possessing extraordinary charisma. After all, as student council president, she was like a living role model.

But in reality, after joining the student council, I found that Tohka was still the same as before, feared by those around her.

It seems that Tohka, who was a first-year student at the time, argued with a senior female student council president about a certain rule, and apparently, Tohka made the senior cry. This is just a rumor, a rumor lighter than hydrogen. It's impossible that she made the senior cry. By the way, that senior seems to have given up her student council duties this year and has become increasingly depressed.

"Wow, Tohka from Class 2 is angry."

"Hey, who upset her?"

"It wasn't us, I heard it was those idiots from Class Two."

"It seems someone skipped class."

"Ah—ah—, it's out, it's out, this person is doomed."

A chorus of fearful whispers arose from the surrounding area; they were the voices of other student council elders.

"Um—, Tohka-san." "Hmm?"

"Could you... perhaps use a slightly softer expression, or something..."

"why?"

Tohka is really angry right now.

The reason was a volunteer activity that was originally scheduled to take place after school. Students who failed the routine appearance and cleanliness check were all forced to participate in an off-campus cleaning activity. Like other participants, she was wearing sportswear and actively carrying out the volunteer activity, but to others, her back looked like she was possessed by a demon.

That happened a few days ago, something I don't want to recall. That day, as I arrived at school and was about to open the classroom door, I clearly heard Tohka's accusatory voice coming from inside.

"It's been more than a week since the last checkup."

"I'm so sorry! We don't have any extra money at home right now..."

Peeking through the crack in the door, she saw that the girl she was talking to was Tang Jing, the only one who hadn't passed her re-examination. Tang Jing had dyed her hair brown. At that moment, Tang Jing was making a very earnest request to Tohka with exaggerated gestures. Tang Jing clasped her hands together in a very dramatic way towards Tohka.

"I will give you the paper to write your self-reflection letter later. The schedule for the volunteer activities has been finalized, and I believe we will be in touch soon."

"Wait, wait! I'll dye it back as soon as I get my wages from my part-time job!"

Although she tried her best to explain, this wasn't the first or second time she'd said it. The reason she hadn't dyed her hair back wasn't because of a rebellious spirit, but simply because of money.

"If you're really having financial difficulties, then it's even more incomprehensible. Why did you dye your hair brown?"

That's because...

"In short, I don't think that's a reason to let you off the hook."

Well, that's roughly the situation.

Of course, Tang Jing "smoothly" joined the ranks of today's volunteers. Even so, Tang Jing still skillfully ignored the event. Therefore, Tohka is currently on a rampage.

"It's understandable that Tohka is so angry."

“I didn’t get angry at you, Qianyu.”

"Ah, well, but look around, everyone's scared of you."

This activity involved dividing everyone into several groups and organizing them to pick up trash outside the school. Tohka impatiently crumpled the empty cans she picked up and threw them into the collection bag; her every move sent chills down my spine.

"I don't think Tang Jing intended to run away."

"Qianyu, you're too naive. Besides, she's basically an unofficial disciplinary committee member who was forced to participate. Qianyu, who has never received a red card in a appearance inspection, participated. Don't you think it's strange that she didn't come?"

"Ah, um."

"Even a soft-spoken word can be angry."

"No need, I don't need it."

I don't take my life so seriously that I get angry over something like this.

"Well, well~ Besides, Tang Jing isn't here right now, so there's no point in you getting angry like this, right? Try to calm down."

"........."

She's still going on a rampage. I don't know how to calm her down, but at the same time, the other classmates' cheeky stares, practically begging for action, are so piercing. Do they also know about my relationship with her?

"I find it hard to understand why you're so calm."

"Then, let me ask you the other way around: why is Tohka so angry?"

"Of course. Even if there are people who aren't angry about Tang Jing's behavior, there must be someone enduring it behind everyone's calm watch as she sneaks away. They might be able to tolerate it once or twice and laugh it off, but that doesn't mean they can ignore what she did. In your opinion, who is the person forced to endure it?"

"I, I don't know."

"It's about everyone who follows the rules. As the student council president, I expect all students to abide by the school rules. That's only natural. Of course, there will be people who don't follow the rules, but there are also a large number of students who do. As someone who expects students to follow the school rules, I can't forgive those who break them. If I forgive them, it would be a betrayal of the students who follow the rules. I want to live honestly as an honest person."

Tohka-chan spoke those words with such righteous indignation, and even as a boy, I found her quite cool when she said them.

"Ha, haha." I was speechless.

My response was really clumsy. I can understand the reasoning behind her words.

Chapter Twenty-One: I Didn't Realize You Had Such a Sharp Tongue

My response was really clumsy. I can understand the reasoning behind her words.

During my middle school years, there was a period when I skipped classes every day and spent all my time playing. When I finally decided to go back to school, the way my classmates looked at me was always so piercing. It was the feeling that they were saying, "We're all studying hard, why are you the only one skipping classes every day?" It was during this time that I learned my best defense—humility as a diplomatic tactic.

It's natural to feel angry when someone disrupts something that a group is adhering to, regardless of the reason. I understand that. Although I understand, I still feel that it's not right for Sakura to handle all this dissatisfaction and enforce school rules all by herself.

Perhaps this is true equality, and this is the right thing to do. She should bear the resentment and the bitterness of being resented alone.

So what? Maybe it's acceptable to her, but it's completely unacceptable to me.

Is that strange?

"It's not that it's strange, um..."

Although this has nothing to do with me, I still find it hard to let go of.

"Were you serious about what you just said? More serious than real money? Did you really mean it from the bottom of your heart?" "There's no point in lying or joking about something like this."