Monogatari Series - Volume 17 - Chapter 2.03

003

The memory I’d recalled was still a chaotic mess─so let me first explain the situation to you. It had led me to visit my alma mater, with all the embarrassment and nostalgia that it entailed.

The morning after I escaped from a classroom after being locked in with transfer student Ogi Oshino, I walked through the halls on my way to class when Hanekawa stopped me. Because Sodachi Oikura was inside, Hanekawa said─because she had come back to school for the first time in two years.

“You two are on bad terms, right? I just thought it might be better to mentally prepare yourself first.”

I could expect no less from a class president among class presidents.

Tsubasa Hanekawa, the class president of all under heaven.

Her thoughtfulness about such matters was impeccable─I’m sure that class council wouldn’t have ended the way it did if she’d been the president of Year 1 Class 3. Surely we would have avoided that tragedy. Of course, if she’d been in our class, the true culprit might have been identified on the spot… How might things have gone then? I wouldn’t call it the better outcome without any reservations.

Every student from that meeting, myself and Senjogahara included, kept our mouths shut about what happened. Hanekawa couldn’t have known─but it seemed that my differences with Oikura were well known to begin with. Some people at that meeting even theorized that I brought about her downfall─however much it upset me to hear.

Hanekawa didn’t take the opportunity to ask me, “Araragi, what happened between you and Miss Oikura?” Maybe she thought it wasn’t a topic she ought to dig into─even so, it was a pressing matter.

If Oikura and I caused some sort of issue in class that was too big to overlook, Hanekawa would interrogate me and Senjogahara, aggressively too.

That’d be no good.

I didn’t want people knowing about that meeting.

I didn’t want Hanekawa knowing I, of all people, had been the chair. Hanekawa being Hanekawa, she wouldn’t castigate me─if anything, she’d gently admonish me, but I still didn’t want to tell her. I didn’t want to talk about this lightheartedly, nor, for that matter, with a heavy heart.

In fact, I was needling myself over the way I’d blabbed on to Ogi the day before, when I hadn’t even told Shinobu about what happened two years ago─regardless of how necessary it may have been to escape from that locked room.

I had to maintain the most peaceful relationship possible with Oikura now that she was here─Hanekawa wouldn’t launch an investigation if I led a regular, trouble-free life. Did I also need to make sure Senjogahara kept her mouth shut? Not that I knew how she felt about that incident…

She thought about things in a different way than she did back then, anyway.

“Ha ha ha!”

I let out a strained laugh.

Hanekawa, you’re worrying too much, it was meant to say─but fell flat. She stood there looking at me like I was this bizarre thing. The kind of look you’d give a friend who started acting crazy─just how forced was my laugh?

I continued, “It’s nothing worth worrying about.” I considered clearing my throat, but didn’t. “Bad terms, maybe, but that’s two years ago, the distant past. I don’t have any concerns. None at all. I appreciate the consideration, but I could’ve walked straight into that classroom and nothing would’ve happened.”

“Hm. Hmm. Really?”

“Uh huh, really. And I’m sure she’s forgotten about me, too,” I guaranteed as Hanekawa seemed to ponder the situation.

This too fell flat, only making her needlessly suspicious. I venture to say this because of her reply.

“Well, Miss Oikura asked me. About how you’re doing now, what you’re doing now, what you’re like now.”

She super remembered me. And she was super obsessed─scarily enough. Suddenly, I didn’t want to walk into my classroom anymore. I’d have done a U-turn and headed straight back home if I didn’t have to worry about my attendance.

“She wanted to know if you’d gotten taller, what you have for lunch, and around what time you get to school.”

“That’s a lot of questions…”

“I did answer her, of course, as long as they were harmless. I thought it’d be strange if I didn’t.”

“Wh-What do you mean, harmless?”

“Stuff everyone knows. Like how you’re the vice president, or how you’ve gotten your act straight lately… That much.”

I didn’t tell her about Shinobu, or about aberrations, of course─Hanekawa assured. Right, that wouldn’t be harmless. Afflicting, more like.

“Also, I didn’t tell her about Miss Senjogahara because the situation seemed somewhat fraught─after all, she hasn’t come to school yet. I do think you ought to set a goal for before she does arrive, though.”

“A goal?”

“I’m suggesting that you talk to her. You’re classmates. You can’t spend the remaining months together without ever coming in contact. Yes?”

“Hmm…” Wow, she saw through my plan of trying to ignore Oikura for the rest of the year? Surely our classroom offered some sort of dead angle─

“I can’t have you ruining the mood of the class, either. Even if Miss Oikura holds some sort of a grudge, if you’re as unconcerned about her as you say, you should be able to meet her halfway.”

How could this be happening. She’d used my own words against me.

Halfway? If her attitude towards me was the same as two years ago, it was all scorched earth… Who knew what kind of minefield I’d be walking into.

I’ve heard some landmines are designed not to deliver lethal wounds and just blow away your legs and make you suffer as much as possible…

Hanekawa wanted me to step on it?

“But Araragi, wait just a sec, okay? I need to talk to our homeroom teacher about the reinstatement process for Miss Oikura─at the teachers’ room. Would you like to come with me? You’re the vice president, after all.”

“Mm…”

Oikura hadn’t withdrawn from school, so “reinstatement” was just a way of speaking. Still, Hanekawa stepping away for a moment provided me with an excellent opportunity, especially if Senjogahara hadn’t arrived yet─if I went in now, I wouldn’t have to mind anyone else.

A perfect chance.

Once in a lifetime.

Having to mind only two pairs of eyes said something about my life, but didn’t make it any less of a rare chance─so I cordially declined Hanekawa’s invitation (though, cordially or not, I was in a sense neglecting my duties).

“I’ll resolve everything with Oikura by the time you get back,” I said. “There’s only half a year left until we graduate. I’d like to enjoy my youth, you know?”

“Hm… You’ve really grown, Araragi.”

Hanekawa sounded impressed, but it was a stopgap measure at best─and I had no way of making good on my promise that I’d resolve everything before she returned.