24 – The Prince in Trouble
I looked at him through the mirror on the elevator.
His expression stiffened and his bitten lips trembled slightly.
He watched it quietly.
A man so timid… Why did you conspire to do this?
If I wasn’t there, would he have tried to handle all of this alone?
“Senior.”
“……… Huh.”
“If it is necessary, please protect me.”
I meet his eyes.
When I saw him smiling as if he was trying hard to get rid of his fear, I felt relaxed.
“……… Leave it to me.”
He smiled.
I thought he was a strange man who couldn’t figure out what was going on.
Well, there are cute parts too.
He clenched his fists.
I never wanted to hit anyone again or use violence. It was a completely different case now.
With Sayoko… I was determined to protect the manager in front of me.
***
While listening to the situation from the police, who had been dispatched after receiving the report, the manager stood next to Sayoko and comforted her.
He should know much better about the details. I couldn’t figure out why he had entrusted it to me, but I had no choice but to tell him what I knew.
A police officer talking on the phone with soccer members who are being dragged away. After looking around the messy house once, I entered the master bedroom.
I stood in front of Sayoko, who was crying and shaking her shoulders, and the manager sitting next to her.
“Soon Ko’s father will come. You did a good job today, manager.”
“No… You worked so much harder than me….”
With a bitter smile, he stood up.
“By the way… Would it be okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“Just before… The senior overpowered the men.”
“……… ….”
I was wondering what you were worried about.
Barely doing that.
“There are no visible scars, so there shouldn’t be any major problems.”
“Ah……….”
He nodded his head with his mouth open.
“Besides, there is also the name of self-defense.”
“Ahahahaha….”
While having such a conversation, Sayoko’s father arrived at the scene. After explaining her situation, he told her that it would be better for her to go to the hospital first and sent her to her car.
With that, there were only two of us left.
While I was outside getting some fresh air, the manager turned to me and said.
“Senior. I have a request for you.”
“…… What?”
What do you ask for in a situation like this?
All misunderstandings about him have been cleared.
Even with that said, the fact that the manager is a strange person doesn’t change.
With this, at least there would be no students blaming him at school.
“This day. Can you keep things a secret about me?”
“……… ….”
“I hope you will pass that on to Mori-senpai as well.”
That’s… Is it that he wants his existence to be erased from this incident?
Why?
I couldn’t understand it at all.
“That… I’m sorry, but this problem was solved by Takase-senpai… I want you to answer like that no matter who asks.”
“Why?”
“……… ….”
He smiled awkwardly.
It’s safe to say that I did almost nothing in this case.
The manager also knew the crime of the soccer club. Pursuing it and uncovering it were all his work.
“That… I don’t like to be in the spotlight.”
“You…… Aren’t you angry?”
“Yes?”
“To those who surrounded you and laughed at you behind your back… Do you have no desire to show or prove anything?”
I saw him sitting alone in the classroom.
I saw people laughing and cursing at him from behind.
He must have been going through it all this time. It was incomprehensible that I had no feelings for them at all.
“I was angry, but…. It was also very difficult.”
“Then… !”
“But… I don’t have any particular desire to become a hero.”
He laughed as he said it like a joke.
There wasn’t even a hint of pretense there. He was sincerely asking me.
“If things come to light anyway, rumors about me will slowly dissipate. Are you okay.”
“…………….”
Are you really satisfied with that?
Now he didn’t seem suspicious or hiding any bizarre ulterior motives.
However, he was still an unknown and mysterious man.
“……… I get it. Let it be if you want. I will also tell Sayoko.”
“Thank you.”
He lightly lowered his head and made a face of relief.
There was nothing but self-satisfaction, and only that emotion.
“Manager-kun. If so, will you listen to my request?”
“Yes. What is it?”
But I couldn’t understand it.
Those who have not seen or experienced the incident will understand it and move on. However, I knew Sayoko saw it too.
I didn’t want to ignore the manager-kun who solved this case.
That’s not the right flow.
“To you… Let me say thanks.”
“For me?”
“Yes. To you.”
Others don’t know. I know. And i won’t forget it
That’s what it meant.
“Sayoko… And thank you for saving Haruna.”
“……… ….”
As if he never expected to hear me thank him, his eyes widened.
He’s always been the one who didn’t know what to say. It’s the first time I’ve ever been so surprised. It was fun too.
“They are all my dear friends. Because you are the benefactor who protected them. I have to say thank you.”
“……… ….”
As he lowered his head, he scratched the back of his neck.
I am ashamed.
As if bewitched by that figure, I stretched out my hand.
“…… Great job. You worked hard.”
Stroke her hair.
The more he did, the more embarrassed he groped his horse’s tail. You’re weak for praise. It was so funny that he kept stroking his hair until it got messy.
“…… This is done now You can stop.”
At one point, he stopped me by grabbing my wrist, and he looked up at me with a reddened expression.
“Is this really what it is… ?”
“Yes. Because I got enough of it. Please stop petting me.”
The more I say that, the more I want to do it.
However, not wanting to embarrass him, he withdrew his hand.
Since the conversation was interrupted just like that, there was silence for a while.
A thought came to my mind and I stopped walking.
Why did I focus so much on the manager?
The trigger was obviously when I saw him observing Sayoko on the roof.
I kept doubting the authenticity of his hard work in the track and field team.
The moment he was sure he had finally stepped on his tail, he said he was doing this to uncover the criminal activity of his football teammates.
This situation was the result.
He was right.
Manager-kun accomplished his goal. If so, then….
“Manager.”
“Yes?”
I involuntarily turned his head and looked at him.
“You… Are you leaving the athletics club now?”
“……… ….”
If you have finished what you wanted to do. There is no reason for him to remain in this wealth.
The one who goes out is not caught.
That was my creed.
If he said that, there was no reason for me to hold on to him.
“……… ….”
The manager looked at me without a word.
I couldn’t read that expression, so I became nervous.
It’s strange.
Why should I be so nervous?
I felt like my heart was pounding.
If he agrees, what should I do?
How do you do it… Is there no other way than to accept it?
He was obviously a capable manager, but… So it would be a pity to send him away.
In the meantime, there were also several members who were sad to leave while leading wealth.
A breakup like that wouldn’t have hit me hard.
“……… Manager.”
“……… ….”
He kept his mouth shut as if he couldn’t bear to get his words out right now.
He just laughed in silence.
From noble mtl dot com
I couldn’t get an answer from him that day.
***
It was the day of the battery training.
The members gather after lunchtime, check their attendance, and pack their belongings and come out to the playground.
It was the manager’s job, from checking attendance to leading the members to the playground, but he was invisible. Vice-captain Sayoko was also absent. Thanks to that, the gathering of the day went off without a hitch.
“Aoi~! Hasn’t the vice-captain arrived yet?”
“They don’t answer.”
“What about the manager?”
“That way too.”
It was after hearing from Sayoko.
Since that happened just yesterday, she was promised not to attend.
But the manager… Haven’t received any contact yet.
Because of my nervousness, I kept looking back at the school while I was coming out to the playground.
Why do I feel this way?
It was impossible to visit someone in a hurry because of the tight time.
All but two gathered in the playground, and advisor Masao Suda appeared and stood in front of him.
“Mori Sayoko is absent today. It happened because of circumstances. Everyone knows that….”
The members are agitated by the unexpected news of the vice-captain’s absence.
“Is everyone here? Then, get on the bus immediately.”
No. The manager said he hadn’t come yet.
I tried to tell him by raising my hand, glaring at him who was not even interested in who was missing.
“Coach! The manager hasn’t come yet!”
One of the staff delivered it on my behalf.
Suda frowned and looked back at the gathered members.
“What? No?”
If you don’t even know that… Didn’t the manager officially leave the group?
No, that’s something I don’t know.
Knowing that he wasn’t one to indulge in such an important exercise without permission, the fact that it only happened once in a while made me nervous.
“Sheesh. Used to fall out Ride first.”
Two people didn’t come. In a chaotic atmosphere, the members pack their luggage and get on the bus.
I couldn’t move easily and looked at the school.
“Not yet… The manager didn’t come.”
“What? I heard that before. So what are you going to do?”
I tried to glared at the annoyed Suda, but there was no way. It was impossible to ask for a wait.
“I can’t help it if you don’t come. That bastard will only get in the way of training anyway.”
It was Suda who had always regarded the manager as a thorn in the eye. I’m sure that man didn’t do anything. Unknowingly, my anger flared up and I tried to question him.
“Senior~~!!”
Just as I was about to take a step closer to him and raise my voice, I heard a familiar cry from afar.
“Haa… ! Whoa… ! Sorry for the delay! Did you wait a long time?”
He almost trips over as he hurriedly rushes in with his luggage.
I was surprised to see that, but he soon approached and apologized while bowing to Suda.
“Sorry… ! Lunch is getting longer… !”
Tension is relieved.
But perhaps it was because he was so hardened, the answer didn’t come easily to him.
“Takase-senpai! Sorry… !”
“……… ….”
“Senior?”
A guy like you….
No, I’m so anxious about trivial things like this….
I turned around and got on the bus.
I sat down and looked out the window, relieved that he hadn’t left, but feeling some sort of resentment.