Before the Rumor Wins [Lunch / Cafeteria]

Every seat around Hara was empty.

Koharu deliberately sat right beside him.

(Hara) : “Everyone’s looking.”

(Koharu) : “So?”

(Hara) : “They’ll think you’re weird too because of me.”

(Koharu) : “That’s my choice.”

Hara looked up.

Koharu wasn’t blindly defending him.

(Koharu) : “You did push him.”

(Hara) : “Yeah.”

(Koharu) : “But what happened before that is also true.”

They watched the edited video from the beginning.

Koharu noticed something.

The image jumped for a fraction of a second just before the clip began.

(Koharu) : “They cut the beginning.”

A member of the broadcasting club checked the school camera.

A longer original recording remained.

It showed the speaker feedback and the underclassman reaching for Koharu’s phone.

Their homeroom teacher and student affairs teacher secured the footage.

But that didn’t erase Hara’s responsibility.

(Teacher) : “Even if he reached first, injuring him is a separate matter.”

(Hara) : “I know.”

Koharu looked at him.

The old Hara would have argued that it wasn’t fair.

This time he bit his lip and nodded.

After school, Hara spoke first.

(Hara) : “Koharu. I think I need to tell you now.”

(Koharu) : “Tell me what?”

Hara showed her the old bite mark on the back of his hand.

(Hara) : “Why I changed.”