CH 29

Sitting on the edge of the “childhood friend” position



The seat change in our class is quite normal.



Each seat is assigned a number, and the student who draws the number in the lottery gets that seat.



However, if the lottery is drawn in the normal way, Shimotsuki cannot be separated from Ryuzaki due to a mysterious force of fate. It seems that the rotten connection of childhood friends is holding them together.



In order to break this bond, Shimotsuki seems to have decided to go rogue this time.



She must have decided that she couldn’t let this opportunity to create a lottery pass her by.



Yesterday, she said something like this.



“I stuck the lottery tickets on the top four corners of the lottery box. This should be a perfect solution for Ryuzaki-kun!”



The contents of the fraud are as follows.



Let’s say the classroom is divided into four sections and Ryuzaki sits in the back left seat. At that time, I was asked to take the lottery ticket from the upper right front side of the lottery box.



It seems that each of the four corners of the lottery box has two lottery tickets attached to the top. The lottery on the top of the right rear of the box is linked to the lottery on the right rear of the classroom, and so on.



“If you win the lottery, make sure you get rid of all the lottery tickets in the other corners. It’s only lightly glued on, so it’ll come off easily and they probably won’t even notice.”



…… Well, I don’t think anyone would think that I would cheat in such a seat change, and I don’t think they would find out.



Even if they found out, it wouldn’t be much of a problem. The homeroom teacher, Suzuki-sensei, would probably be stunned at best.



It’s only Shimotsuki who does so much for a mere seat change.



But it’s a scary thing that she has to do something like this to break the rotten relationship with her childhood friend.



As soon as I was thinking about this, the morning class started.



“Hi, everyone, good morning. …… Oops, Shiho Shimotsuki, you’re just in time! You’re actually out of time, but it’s only for a few seconds, so I’ll let you off the hook~.”



Just as the teacher arrived, Shimotsuki arrived at about the same time. In her hand, she is holding a box that seems to contain lottery tickets.



Unusually, she was just in time today.



“…………”



She bowed her head apologetically, though she was too shy to raise her voice. Her face is expressionless, so at first glance she looks unconcerned, but I know she’s actually just nervous and her expression is tense.



Now that I’ve gotten to know her better, I can tell a lot more about her.



Shimotsuki is neither emotionless nor unsociable, she is simply a clumsy person who is very shy and has difficulty with human relations.



“Okay, so let’s switch seats right away. Shimotsuki-san, did you make the lottery?”



“………… Yes.”



When Suzuki-sensei called out to her, Shimotsuki held out the box she was carrying.



“Yes, thank you. Then, come and get it in the order of your attendance number~.”



Suzuki-sensei started to change the seats without thinking that she was being cheated on. Our attendance numbers are determined by address, not by alphabetical order, so I was supposed to draw my number after Ryuzaki.



“Shiho, what’s wrong? You were almost late, did something happen?”



“………… Nothing.”



Ryuzaki was still engaging with Shimotsuki, but she seemed annoyed. She was staring at the blackboard without even looking at him.



“If you need anything, just let me know. We’re childhood friends, so don’t be shy. We’re changing seats today, but we’re always close to each other anyway. …… I wonder…”



“…………”



Even though he laughed briskly, Shimotsuki made a face of ignorance.



She really doesn’t seem to like it. …… I wonder if she’s holding back because it’s only until today.



And I’m also looking forward to seeing Ryuzaki’s face when he finds out that he can’t be near Shimotsuki.



“Yes, Ryuzaki-san, please come and draw the lottery.”



“Oh, okay. I’m coming, Suzuki-chan.”



“Oh, I’m a teacher, but you can’t call me chan~”



Ryuzaki drew a lottery. As I watched to see where he would be, he wrote his number in the center seat.



The power of fate is unbelievable.



Though they couldn’t sit next to each other due to irregularities, he took a seat as close to Shimotsuki as possible. In the center, it would be the closest place to the four corners.



(I wonder what would happen in that case?)



Shimotsuki, being the creator of the lottery, is supposed to be the last to draw the lottery. This may be an anti-cheating measure ……, so it’s okay for me to choose.



I think I’ll take the back right seat anyway.



That’s where my seat is now. It should be good because the sun won’t shine on her here.



“Then …. Nakagawa ……. Nakayama ……?”



Suzuki-sensei called out my name. She’s my homeroom teacher, but she doesn’t remember me because I’m so shadowy. I’m used to teachers not remembering me, so I didn’t think anything of it.



I went to the front and put my hand into the lottery box on the podium.



I took one of the lots on the upper right rear side and then removed the lots from the three remaining corners.



(Not good……. took longer than I thought.)



They probably thought I was messing around.



However, Suzuki-sensei was smiling and laughing, so it was fortunate that people didn’t think I was cheating.



“Oh my? Did you really look forward to the seat change?”



….. You’re mistaken, but that’s okay.



“Yes. That’s how it is.”



I said the words nonchalantly and showed the teacher my lottery ticket.



Of course, the location was shifted to the right back of the classroom, no ……, but one next to it. So, if everything goes according to plan, it looks like Shimotsuki will be sitting in my current seat.



“…………Hmm?”



The only thing that stuck out to me was the dubious look on Ryuzaki’s face.



Well, I guess he doesn’t know. Let’s hope so.



“Okay. Lastly, Shimotsuki-san, here you go~”



Then Shimotsuki drew the ticket.



Even though it was the last one, there were still three seats available since there were absentees. One of them is next to Ryuzaki, and if something goes wrong, Shimotsuki will again be bound by a rotten relationship. …… This time, it seems that the power of cheating has won.



“Yes, right in the back. Then, subtract the absentees and ……. that is it?”



Shimotsuki came next to me.



“What !?”



It was Ryuzaki who was the most surprised at that time.



His eyes widened and he stared at the blackboard as he leaned forward.



“Well, seriously……!”



I almost laughed as I watched the astonishment in his eyes.



Oh, no. …… I can feel myself getting uglier and uglier. But a black emotion filled my heart and I couldn’t help but laugh.



Don’t think that everything is going to be the way you want it to be, okay?



It seems that the main heroine hates you more than you think…