Volume 2 - Top-Tier Character Ayanokōji-kun [DISCONTINUED] [READ THE REVISION]

Chapter 10 - Revolting Reality Slowly Settling In

The beautiful monster still wished to have friends.

So, it left the manor of the woman.

It searched around the village for a possible friendship, but didn't find anything satisfying.

It decided to broaden its horizon and search beyond the village—

the forest that lie north.

The beautiful monster set out on a small journey towards the forest.

It walked and walked and walked day and night...

until it had finally reached its destination.

There, the beautiful monster met a hunter.

But not any hunter, it was a strong hunter.

A hunter so strong, no animal could ever best it.

"Friend! Friend!" the beautiful monster screamed in joy.

The strong hunter slowly nodded with big eyes.

A new friendship bloomed.

Then, the strong hunter made a proposal.

He suggested they hunt an animal together.

---

After school, I shot a message to Mimimi saying I had some stuff to do today, so she could go home without me. A murky feeling arose within me caused by the inability to walk home with her, but sometimes you have to do what you don't like to get a desired result.

My initial plan consisted of visiting Hirabayashi's home to search for any remnants pointing towards the existence of a certain German picture book author, but just as I wanted to leave the school building, I received a message from someone to meet up in Sewing Room #2.

...Oh well, guess I have to do this so the butterfly flapping its wings wouldn't cause a future hurricane. Chaos theory can be such a pain sometimes.

I sent a message to Hirabayashi telling her to wait for me at a designated spot, and made my way towards the part of school which held the abandoned classrooms.

I'll try to make this quick.

---

I headed to Sewing Room #2. This was already the second time today I'd met with Hinami in private, but I'm sure it wasn't because she liked talking to me. She had her own motivations.

I was currently standing in front of the blackboard, and she stood at the back of the classroom like last time, although our distance had shortened almost unnoticeably. Was she going to gradually warm up to me? How heartwarming—

is what I would have thought if it were someone else. It'd make things far easier if Hinami got over her fear and could converse with me normally, but you can't blame the abused; you should blame the abuser.

She spoke up first. "Now that my demand is over and the situation's been sorted out, I'd like to quickly confirm whether you upheld your promise."

"Sure," I said and took out my math test paper, sliding it across the floor to her. Hinami picked it up and seemed to carefully scan each answer with great care. Her eyes darted down and up, and even checked some questions multiple times.