N A G I S A S H I O T A
潮田 渚
student no. 11
The next couple of days, Iroha really did turn out to be absent. Of course the class simply believed that she was running a fever or something due to that rumor about her health. But what she told me a few days ago, told me otherwise.
"Does she really plan to drop out of school?" I wondered, approaching Karma in his seat after-school.
"Knowing what type of girl she is, she'll most likely do so" he shrugged. "Just wait for the octopus to make his move---".
"That is why I'd like to visit her after-school!" Korosensei suddenly but into our conversation, appearing out of nowhere.
"What do you mean, sensei?" I asked him.
"It's like I said. However, I think it would be better to come with a few classmates of hers" our teacher suggested.
"It doesn't have to be us, right?" I asked, knowing how bad it went with Iroha. "Wouldn't it be better if it was someone like Okuda-san, Kanzaki-san or Kayano, who she's close with?".
"Or the class representatives~" Karma added.
"Eh? But you two are the only ones who found out about her" Korosensei stated as if it was some obvious fact.
"How did you know?~" Karma pointed out, knowing that Korosensei wasn't with us when we followed Iroha.
"Ah, nyurufufufu~" our teacher laughed sheepishly. "I visited her house yesterday but she wouldn't even bother opening the door. And when I finally had her talking, she said something about telling the two of you that she quit".
"I see. So she really is dead set on dropping out, huh?" I deadpanned. But knowing Korosensei, he definitely won't give up until she goes to school.
"Heh?~ So she shut you out?" Karma asked, quite amused by the fact before deciding, "Okay~ Let's go to her house then~".
"Karma-kun..." I sweat dropped.
"It's fine, right? Do you have plans after school?" he turned to me.
"Not really, but we can't just visit her uninvited, right?" I told him.
"It's just a surprise visit from her friends and this octopus~" Karma stated.
I sighed in defeat, "Okay".
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We walked up to the last door in the hall, named under Iroha Inukai. Earlier, we managed to get past the entrance without Iroha's approval, all thanks to Karma's persuasiveness. But then again, we still had to deal with the girl in person.
Korosensei was the first one to ring the doorbell, earning no reply. And so Karma held unto the doorknob only to let go of it immediately.
"Karma-kun?" I asked him.
"Ne, Korosensei, on second thought, you try opening it, I don't want to take the blame if she sues me for trespassing~" he smiles invitingly.
"Eh~ But we're just checking if the door is locked" Korosensei said as he placed a tentacle on the door knob only to receive damage.
Karma snickered.
"What happened?" I asked, to which Karma just gave a smirk.
"Iroha cut up a knife into tiny little pieces and stuck them at the back of the handle" he explained. "She definitely doesn't want to meet that octopus~".
Korosensei just sulked in the corner as Karma continued to make fun of him.
"I'll try calling her cell" I told them, as I grabbed my phone from my pocket to find the girl's number. After a couple of rings, just when I thought she wouldn't answer, the girl picked up.
「Ah, Shiota?」she asked me over the other line.
"H-hello, Inukai-san---" I greeted before Karma took my phone from me.
"Oiii, Iroha-chan~" he demanded, "open up will you".
The girl argued,「No way. If you're here to drop off handouts then---ah shit---」
It was then that we heard gunshots from her end, surprising both of us as well as causing Korosensei to panic.
"Iroha-chan?! What happened?! Iroha-chan? Iroha-chan!---" Korosensei exclaimed.
「Shut up you damned octopus, you're gonna wake the neighbors!」she shouted.
"What's happening? Are you alright?" I queried.
「Oh, that, I was playing a game, I turned up the volume too much」she explained calmly.
"Eh~ So you've just been playing games instead of going to school, ey?~" Karma smirked.
"Iroha-chan, I demand you go to school" Korosensei nagged.
They're not beating around the bush, huh?
「No way」Iroha said firmly.
"Hmm~" Karma pressed on the doorbell continuously.
"I swear you'll drive me crazy" Iroha opened the door after quite sometime, shooting BB pellets at Korosensei while glaring at Karma simultaneously.
"Nice to see you" he smiled triumphantly as I looked at her sheepishly, "S-sorry, Inukai-san".
"Leave" she slammed the door in front if us, and so silence engulfed us three.
"Well, that's that~" Karma pointed out to Korosensei proving his point.
"No, there's a huge chance she'll be in the Sakuragicho Yokohama Station tonight" Korosensei said. "Should we round the class up?".
"Ne, sensei" I called him.
"We could've done that instead" Karma and I said in unison.
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Decided the class would gather in the nearby station and make our way to the next town, we waited expecting Iroha's arrival.
"Sensei, are you sure she's coming here?" Nakamura asked, sighing for the nth time as everyone who came started walking the path under the railroad.
"Moreover, we're under the station, what's the big deal?" Terasaka added.
"I've been curious about why were here" Fuwa said. "So, I asked Ritsu to do some research and apparently she said that there's a 3 kilometer wall that used to be covered entirely in graffiti, known as the Yokohama Wall of Fame, at the Sakuragicho Station. It's illegal to vandalize the wall now".
"Apparently, that's not stopping that guy~" Karma said, pointing towards a guy in a cap and a surgical mask, gripping unto a can of spray paint as another guy picked on him, hand on his collar.
"But he's being picked on as well, maybe we should help the guy" Isogai said.
"You're right, why take a whole gang to pick on one guy" Maehara agreed.
I could see the smirk forming on Karma's lips in the corner of my eye.
"Since when were we cops?" Okano giggled as the boys started to surround the gang.
Karma was the first one to strike, and the rest to on the others as well.
Due to the oh-so-familiar scene, Sugino and I decided that it would be best to guard the girls. Then again, Korosensei was around so I doubt anything too bad would happen.
"W-what's up with you guys?" One of the gang members exclaimed, most likely the one who acted like leader. He loosened his grip on the graffiti guy, to which Karma took the opportunity to kick him away. The capped guy dropped on the floor coughing.
"Eh~" he looked down on them, "we just don't want you guys causing trouble".
"Police! There are some guys causing some trouble" Yada shouted in order to make the gang run off.
"Tch, we'll get you next time brat" the gang member spat, as they started to go on their way.
"So, what's up with you and that can?" Terasaka turned to him, eyes on the cans of spray paint scattered in the area.
As the guy noticed us and adjusted to his surrounding, he prepared to run, pulling his hood back up. But when he made a run for it, Karma immediately grabbed his arm and pushed him back to the wall. That and we had him surrounded.
It was then that the guy decided to land a punch on Karma, which the redhead obviously blocked.
"What's with the rush?~" Karma smirked before turning to us, "Leave this to me".
Somehow, they did end up fighting, which somewhat surprised me because Korosensei didn't even bother to stop the fight. Odd enough, seems to have recognized Karma's movements, and it also seemed as if Karma knows the pattern of the guy's actions. From a different view it looked like they were having a conversation through their fists.
"Why are you going easy on him?!" Terasaka complained, as we both noticed that the two seemed like they were going easy at each other.
"Eh, I wouldn't want to knock her out cold" Karma told him as the guy in a hood attempted to spray paint on him, Karma skillfully lifted the guy's hand, successfully redirecting the paint's direction.
Wait, her?
"It's no use, Iroha-chan, I recognize your movements" Karma said.
"No you don't" she kicked him back, to which Karma dragged her down with him, pinning her down again.
"I get it, stop showing off, Akabane" she huffed, as they both got up.
"Iroha-chan?!" Everyone in the class exclaimed as she placed her hood down, took her cap off and removed her mask.
"Itona?" She turned to the white haired boy who shrugged.
"Blame the overgrown octopus" Itona shrugged and pointed towards Korosensei. "Besides, I messaged you about it".
"Itona-kun? You have something to do with this?" Kataoka asked him.
"No" Iroha and Itona said in unison.
"He witnessed the reason for my suspension" she explained. "So, why are you guys here?".
"I have always noticed the scent of paint from Iroha-chan" Korosensei told the class. "Since there's been an artwork going on at the Yokohama Sakuragicho Station, I figured she'd be here".
"But, say Iroha-chan, aren't you cautious of the police?" Kayano asked.
"And what's this about your suspension" Kataoka added.
"I memorized every alley, tunnel and road around. I practically have my own mental map about escape routes. It isn't that hard" she shrugged.
"Then why are you suspended?" Okano queried.
"This guy picked a fight with me, actually filed a complaint to the school" she explained, averting her eyes from us.
"That's nice" Nakamura let out a sigh of relief, to which we gave her a how-is-that-considered-as-nice kind of look.
"I mean, I expected you to be such a perfect girl, you know. It's kinda relieving. It makes it easier to approach you" the blonde grinned, ruffling the shorter girl's hair.
"Eh~ If I don't put up an act the rumors would get to everyone" she muttered darkly. "I'll get in trouble more often and the chairman is terrifying".
We chuckled, finally seeing her for who she really was.
"Speaking of which, Korosensei, why didn't you stop their fight?" I asked wondering why he let Iroha off.
"I figured that all she needed was to trust her comrades" Korosensei placed a tentacle on her head. "When I heard the rumor that there was a lot of delinquents after you, I thought it would be perfect if she realizes that she could depend on the E Class rather than forcing herself to be independent".
"But, Iroha-chan," he turned to the girl, "I'm only letting this slide of once. Brawling, vandalizing and truancy is strictly forbidden. Why don't you just use your talents in our class?".