The week after the field trip. When I went to school, I felt something was off.

The atmosphere in the class had changed.

Until then, there was no cohesion, but after the field trip, it seemed like they had gained some. It looked like the whole group had become closer.

There is a clear difference before and after the field trip. They have a sense of solidarity as a community. I don't know if they are aware of it themselves, though.

By spending time together and sharing memories, they became a group.

In the midst of it all, I felt a sense of alienation.

Of course. It's because I didn't participate in the field trip.

On the day of the community initiation ceremony, I slacked off and watched movies at home.

I had a faint premonition, but I felt like I had caused a fatal rift. I was completely cast out of the class circle.

But I was already out of place in class.

I didn't have any friends, so nothing changed. Nothing happened.

For example, a physical education class.

Until then, when I was told to form a pair, I had someone to pair up with. Not a friend. It's just that they had no one else to pair up with besides me.

That has changed.

It seems that from the day of the field trip, that student finally made someone they could call a friend.

When they heard the gym teacher's command to form pairs, they walked towards a pair and formed a trio, probably their friends.

"Hey, there's an extra for Enoki, right? Someone teamed up with Enoki."

The PE teacher said with a troubled expression. The trio of students exchanged glances. The student who was originally paired with me looked embarrassed.

But, they don't try to move.

"Fine. Then, you go with the teacher."

I ended up teaming up with the teacher.

The student I was originally paired with glanced at me. Amidst the feeling of guilt, a slight sense of superiority seeped through.

After that, a soccer match took place, but I never touched the ball even once. No one tried to pass to me. I watched the exciting match from a distance.

It didn't feel like I was being intentionally ignored. It was just natural. It was as if my presence simply went unnoticed among everyone.

Lunchtime. I head to the library without having lunch.

I had stopped going to the back of the special building.

If I go to that place, there's a chance I might run into Koharu-sensei. Ever since what happened the other day, it feels somewhat awkward to face her directly.

I choose a book and take a seat. I was trying to immerse myself in the world of the story.

But I couldn't do it.

The voices of the man and woman sitting nearby were distracting. They had their notebooks open on the desk, but they didn't seem to be studying. They were whispering, as it is a library after all. Even so, I could hear them clearly, mixed with laughter.

I stand up from my seat, head to the reception, and check out a book. While holding the borrowed book, I look for a place where there aren't many people.

I wanted to go to a place where no one else was. No matter how harsh the environment was. As long as I could be alone, that was enough.

But I couldn't find it.

There are students in the classroom, in the courtyard, behind the gym, and on the field. No matter where I go, I can't be alone.

Only the back of the special building was a place of peace for the heart.

But now, that's all gone.

There was no place for me anywhere in this school.

☆

After school. When I started my shift at the convenience store.

I was called in by the manager before my shift and was told this in the back room.

"Hey, Enoki-kun, I heard you gave your contact information to a female customer?"

The store manager was a man in his forties.

He had thick arm hair, a sturdy build, and a prominent beard. He always passionately talked about systematic investment plans to his part-time job colleagues.

The manager was sitting in the chair in front of the computer in the back room. As he sat down, he looked up at me, standing beside him, with an exasperated expression.

Even though I was looking up, I felt like I was being looked down upon.

"It's really troubling, you know? You see it sometimes on SNS, right? Like when a delivery person gives their contact information to a female customer. What if it goes viral?"

"Um, what do you mean?"

When I was first told that, I was initially bewildered. I had no memory of it at all. What on earth is he talking about?

"I heard. From Sakurada-kun. Apparently, you've been secretly giving your contact information to that female customer who always comes to buy cigarettes at the convenience store."

The woman who always comes to the convenience store to buy cigarettes. I thought it was Rui-san. There was no one else it could be.

Me giving Rui-san my contact information? No way. That's pushing it. Besides, I already know Rui-san's contact information.

"I didn't do anything like that."

So, I clearly deny it.

"You can check the security cameras if you want. I haven't given out any contact information. Sakurada-san made it all up."

The manager gives a wry smile.

"Isn't it made all up a bit too harsh of a word? It makes it sound like Sakurada-kun did it just to slander you."

Sakurada knows that Wine bag and I are sitting next to each other.

It's because we talked about it when we met at university before.

Knowing that, Wine bag framed me. He told the manager. He wouldn't do something like that unless he had clear malice.

"Anyway, there's no reason for Sakurada-kun to do something like that."

There is a reason. Previously, when I ran into Wine bag at university, Rui-san boldly declared it in front of Wine bag, who had feelings for Rui-san.

"Yuito-kun is an interesting person. At least, much more than you."

Wine bag had underestimated me. Despite that, he said those words. It's not surprising that I felt annoyed.

"Yo!"

Wine bag that came to work peeked into the backyard. Seeing me and the manager talking, it butted in.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's about the previous matter. The contact information."

"Ah, that."

"I didn't do it."

I told Wine bag directly.

"I haven't given out my contact information. I would never do such a thing. If you say I did, please tell me exactly when. I'll have the security camera footage checked."

"The security cameras, that's a bit over the top."

The store manager laughs.

"It's not an exaggeration. I'm being falsely accused here."

"Eno-cchi, don't make such a scary face."

And Wine bag says with a wry smile.

"That's enough. I'm sorry. Now that you mention it, I might have misunderstood."

"Well, since Sakurada-kun is saying this too."

The manager says in a conciliatory manner. It's probably because checking the security camera footage is a hassle.

Just when it seemed that things were settling down despite the awkwardness, the manager suddenly spoke up.

"But, Enoki-kun, you shouldn't do things that would make you suspicious either."

"Huh?"

I couldn't help but ask back.

"Wait a minute. Why am I being made to look bad, too?"

"It's not bad. It's not bad. But if Sakurada-kun misunderstood like that, it means there were some suspicious points about Enoki-kun too, right?"

"Well, that's strange, isn't it? I haven't done anything wrong. There's also the possibility that Sakurada-san lied to slander me."

"Stop blaming the manager. If something goes wrong, the manager will be the one held responsible. If you want to blame someone, blame me alone."

For some reason, it felt like we were the ones being childish.

This incident might have been the trigger, but I ended up standing out at my part-time job as well.

I wasn't particularly close with the other part-timers, but when our shifts overlapped, we would at least greet each other and engage in light small talk.

But after this incident, everyone started to avoid me for some reason.

I found out later that the story had been twisted and spread around, saying that I got scolded over the contact information and then lashed out at the manager and Wine bag.

It might have been Wine bag, or it could just be an exaggeration.

In any case, the atmosphere was terrible.

It was during one of the shifts.

All the customers had been served, and it was just the two of us at the register. Suddenly, breaking the silence, Wine bag asked a question.

"Eno-cchi, have you started to dislike me?"

I don't know what the intention behind those words was. Is he feeling guilty now, or is he purely expressing malice?

Either way, it's the same thing.

"...No. It's nothing."

It's not that Wine bag is special. It's the same at school and at my part-time job.

In the end, I couldn't fit in and was cast out of the group. Sooner or later. It was something I already knew.

Moreover, Wine bag is mistaken.

Did he think I hated him because of this incident? No. He shouldn't be so full of himself.

I hated him. Always have.

I want to kill him so badly.

Chapter 27: I Hated It