Episode 187: A Running Dog

As soon as we passed through the school gate, the sports field came into view—completely transformed into a vegetable garden, with holes dug all over the place.

In the corner of the schoolyard stood a prefab chicken coop, where a few chickens were clucking: "Kok-kok-kok-kok-kok!"

Walking side by side with Mr. Asada, I said,

"This place is definitely not suitable for hosting a sports festival ever again."

"Really. — Ah, but what if we used the whole town! Cars aren't moving anymore anyway!"

"...So you'd use the roadway?"

"Yeah! Sounds fun! Let's do it sometime! Senpai could probably aim for a world record!"

"Haha..."

What kind of situation would make you think I'm capable of that kind of endurance?

In front of the school building stood a chain-link fence about as tall as me, along with a deep moat, making it seem like entry and exit were completely controlled.

Five men resembling pirate thugs with beards and armed with firearms were stationed at the guardhouse.

If they pointed those guns at me...

I couldn't help but briefly entertain such paranoid thoughts, but I moved forward with my face pass and finally stepped inside the school building.

Without pausing at the row of lockers, I glanced down the hallway lined with classrooms.

"...This place feels completely... unsuitable for studying."

"Yes, you're right. Now that you mention it."

Mada smiled wryly.

No surprise there. The hallway we'd passed through was packed with forbidden items—manga, magazines, model kits—clearly violating school rules.

"But they're still actually holding classes, aren't they?"

"Is that so?"

"Yes... Not everyone's participating, of course."

It's not like they're focused on exams anymore.

"Still, classes after the world changed are supposedly way more interesting. Teachers are just doing whatever they enjoy—full-on passion projects. Ever since the world changed like this, I've become totally obsessed with Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

"Really...?"

Honestly, I can't relate—my memories of studying are all bitter ones.

It seems all the supplies around here are supposed to be gathered at Gakkyō High School first.

Walking through the school building, which feels like it's straight out of a boy who hates school, we stopped in front of a certain classroom.

"Here it is."

Teacher Suzuki lightly knocked on the door of Class 2-3.

Instantly, the noisy chatter from inside fell completely silent.

"Please come in."

As the voice responded, Teacher Suzuki pushed the door open with a creak.

I feel as though I'm being judged for some vague, unfathomable sin.

The image of the young girl's severed head from earlier burned into my mind.

The girl and the severed head.

Perhaps there's no pair in the world more incongruous than these two.

Maybe I've truly wandered into a world I never even knew existed.

"Relax. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Huh."

Ignoring the unhelpful advice, I stepped into the narrow classroom where about twenty adults were standing in a row.

At the same moment, their gazes locked onto me.

It was a difficult situation for someone burdened by inner shadows.

"Welcome."

"……………Ah."

Among them, one familiar face stood out. It was Mr. Sasaki.

I remember him as a guy who spoke in a shrill voice, but it's comforting to have someone you recognize around in times like this.

Hello, Professor Sasaki.

What’s with you? You look like a borrowed cat. What happened to that silly expression always glued to your face?

Um...

Something...

He's pretty much the same as always, that guy.

Mr. Suzuki speaking on my behalf, as if reading my heart.

"He just said it, didn't he? This girl's been acting strange ever since she came back."

"Hmm, I've heard. It's retrograde amnesia, isn't it? Is that really the case?"

"There's no reason to lie about something like this."

"Actually, there is....Maybe he's just tired of fighting. Pretending to have lost his memory, you know? (..)"

"That's...!"

Then, the girl named Asuka screamed like she was in agony.

"Senpai isn't someone like that!"

When the girl shouted, somehow everyone else standing there suddenly started to rise.

As if they'd touched the wrath of a witch.

Only Mr. Sasaki remained seated, propping his cheek with his hand, unmoved.

"But then... perhaps it was exactly your expectations that pushed her to the brink. Originally, this girl had never liked standing out. She was the kind who longed to live quietly, hidden in someone else's shadow. It wouldn't be surprising if being depended on by others was a burden to her."

"That... that's—!"

"Come to think of it, what about you? Don't you have any idea what might be going on?"

Mr. Sasaki looked at me as though testing me in some way.

Feeling vaguely annoyed, I responded almost reflexively.

"If you're asking if I have any idea... well, honestly, I don't even know what's going on. But my body's in good health."

"Is that so."

He said it curtly,

"Then don't push yourself too hard—just rest for a while. You've always worked too much."

"Worked too much...?"

"——Have you really forgotten everything?"

"No, I'm telling you that's exactly what I mean!"

"Ah, I see. Well, if one girl student becomes useless, it's not really a big problem, is it?... Isn't that right, everyone?"

The final words were directed at the adult figures present here, excluding us students.

Sasaki-sensei drew intense stares from everyone—just that alone was enough to make the dynamics of the situation clear.

The teacher must be opposing nearly everyone here.

And that "nearly everyone" certainly isn't on my side.

The adults murmured softly—“hm,” “hmm,” “ah,” or something like that—and only then did Sasaki-sensei finally stand up.

"Then we'll take care of the rest. You don't need to worry about anything. Just relax and take your time."

"...hmm."

The tone sounded deliberately provocative.

At the very least, that offer is undoubtedly welcome to me right now.

"Ah, right, right."

"?"

"Your personal belongings have been left unattended on the floor above—third year, class three. The school's space is gradually filling up, so go ahead and tidy them up yourself."

"Understood."

That was the extent of the conversation with Mr. Sasaki.

Other adults seemed to have something they wanted to say to me, but then one of them just snapped,

"What are you staring at? Get going already."

The teacher stubbornly insisted, "That's right."

I obediently left the classroom without delay.

▼

"See? Sasaki-sensei really is a real pain in the ass! Just like the senior said before!"

As soon as I stepped out of the classroom, Asada started fuming in anger.

"Why do you think so?"

"Come on! The senior was the one who helped everyone, wasn't he? And now he's being treated like a dog and kicked out...!"

"Hmm."

Mr. Suzuki, Asuka, and Ritsuko sit in silence, their faces grim.

"But we could also look at it this way. Mr. Sasaki— he saved me, pulled me away from that place, didn't he?"

"Saved you? Pulled you away?"

"Yes. It seemed to me that the adults there were trying to ask something of me..."

"That's true..."

"Mr. Sasaki saw how I was feeling and quickly guided me out of that place... It almost felt like that was his intention."

Suzuki-sensei furrowed his brow, a crease forming between his eyes.

"Yeah, that kind of thing can happen too. With more people coming in, you naturally get all sorts of opinions. We're doing our best to make sure it doesn't end up like 'burning the running dogs.'"

A traitor, are we...?

I don't recall ever running for anyone, nor do I remember becoming a dog.

With a vague sense of gloom, we headed upstairs—toward the classroom that was said to have been used by me before I lost my memories.