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

Chapter 33 - Reviving the Radiant Resolve

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. The scarecrow remained alone in the field, its tattered body a reminder of the crows' victory.

As the seasons changed, the scarecrow watched as the crops grew and were harvested, never fulfilling its duty to protect them.

But in its stillness, the scarecrow began to ponder its existence. It had only ever known one purpose, one task. Was that all there was to life?

With nothing else to do, the scarecrow began to explore its surroundings. It watched as the sun rose and set, as the stars twinkled in the night sky. It listened to the rustling of the leaves in the wind and the chirping of the birds.

And gradually, the scarecrow began to understand that there was more to life than just one purpose.

But that'd be all for naught.

Because eventually, the farmer returned to the field.

---

I awoke to the soft light of dawn filtering through my window, illuminating my room with a warm and inviting glow. The sound of a bird chirping outside filled my ears, and I found myself fixated on the melodic trill, unable to shake the peacefulness of the morning from my mind. The sky was painted a soft shade of pink, and the clouds were tinged with orange as the sun slowly rose. It was a stark contrast to my usual wake-up call of blaring alarms and the hum of the institute's fluorescent lighting.

I lay in bed for a moment longer, taking in the unfamiliar sensations around me. The feeling of the soft mattress beneath me, the sound of the wind rustling the leaves outside, and the warmth of the sun on my skin. I was still getting used to life outside of the institute, and the simple pleasure of a peaceful morning was something I had never experienced before.

As I got out of bed, I thought about the day ahead. I had been attending this high school for over a year now, but I still felt like an outsider. I had observed the lives of my classmates, and I saw how different they were from me. They had emotions that I had never felt before, and they seemed to enjoy life in a way that I could not understand. I had thought about trying to become more like them and to feel what they felt.

I walked to the window and looked outside. The sky was starting to change from black to deep blue, signaling the start of a new day.

I was filled with a weird sense of excitement.

After finishing my daily morning routine, I stepped outside and took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp morning air. The sound of the bird chirping was still present.

Weird...

It seems like that little bluebird had always been watching over me.

---

I did tell Konno I would find some superficial reason to explain my actions, but I hadn't thought of anything concrete yet.

"Well, they're not going to accept me instantly... I'm sure it's not going to be so simple."

As I walked along the pavement, I heard the voices of passers-by. They were close, but they sounded so far away. It felt like I was walking towards some vague place between the earth and the sky, joining in with everyone with mixed feelings. I didn't know if they'd accept me, nor did I assume I deserved that. I wondered if I would ever see the colorful world Matsuo once described to me.

"—Brain!" The voice that reached my ears was boundlessly bright, as pleasantly clear as the blue sky.

"...Huh?"