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

(4/12) Chapter 14 - Sneakily Confirming A Conclusion

With its newfound strength, the beautiful and strong monster walked along a clear path that revealed itself in the forest.

It walked and walked and walked, and pain could eventually be felt.

But still, giving up simply wasn't an option.

It couldn't after having come so far.

At some point, something interesting could be seen in the distance. Something that did not belong into a forest.

The beautiful and strong monster drew closer and closer with careful steps.

There was a clearing containing something unordinary.

Right there, in the middle of the forest...

Someone had built a hut.

---

Takei jumped in with a joke.

"You sure you can handle this, Yuzucchi?! Don't you think you should leave it to Aoi?"

So Takei was accidentally using his head... Is this what you call character development?

"Leave it to me! I'm an expert at reading a room!" Izumi said and raised just one finger. She looked at me and smiled. "Now I get why you did that... You were aiming for this result from the start, weren't you, Ayanokōji-kun?"

"Maybe."

"But there were other ways to do that!" Mimimi said with a forceful tone.

"She's right..." Izumi's words trailed off.

"Hmh." Hinami agreed with a nod.

Takei was silent.

I considered it a good thing if she was comfortable enough to poke fun at it. I'd initially feared that an awkward mood would linger between us.

"Anyway, this could really end up helping him!"

"Exactly!" Mimimi said, nodding at the sparkly-eyed Izumi.

I glanced quickly at Hinami, then back at Izumi. "If you want to help him, then I think you should go for it and give it your all."

I was talking to Izumi, but there really was no reason for me to say anything else at this stage. I was only doing this to spite Hinami. What can I say? It's how I really feel.

"Yeah! I totally get you," Izumi said excitedly.

"It's an interesting approach." Hinami looked unsure and shot me a few angry glances. But at least, on the surface, she wasn't contradicting me. After all, I wasn't saying anything that extreme. I was only suggesting we do everything we could, regardless of whether it'd end up being a waste of time. She probably couldn't find a reason good enough for her logical self to contradict that idea.

Her thoughts were like an open book.

Right now, Nakamura wasn't rejecting nor accepting any involvement from us; but knowing him, it'd probably be the former. Anything we did now was almost certainly going to be a waste of time, and that wouldn't accomplish her goals. It would be ineffective, unproductive, and just not an objectively good decision. If we had time for this, we'd be better off using it for something productive. Therefore, we should take a wait-and-see approach.

Taking it even further, if Nakamura had chosen a course of action that would cause himself harm, he should take responsibility for his own decisions. There was no need for us to go out of our way to help him.