Chapter 82: Chapter 81 - A Teacher’s Investigation

Minami Asakura had come to a conclusion - a very dangerous conclusion.

She realized that merely observing Kuro Kurogane would no longer suffice.

She had come to a point where every time she had attempted to study Kuro, she had found a piece of information that did not fit into her understanding of who he was.

It had become exasperating.

It was extremely exasperating.

So, Minami decided to change her approach.

If she couldn’t understand Kuro by looking at him, she would have to get information from people who were in close proximity to him.

This sounded like a perfect research methodology.

However, she had selected the worst subjects to interview.

At lunchtime she had the perfect opportunity.

The majority of students were spread out over-campus.

Minami was in a classroom that was empty except for her and a notebook.

On the front cover was the title:

STUDENT OBSERVATION NOTES

So professional! So responsible! So normal!

The first subject she called to the classroom was Akari Tachibana.

This was her first mistake.

Akari entered the empty classroom with a look of excitement on her face.

"Am I in trouble?"

"No."

"Yay!"

Minami was surprised.

"Why would that make you happy?"

"I’m just curious."

That made things too much worse.

Minami cleared her throat.

"I wanted to ask you some questions."

"About what?"

"Kuro Kurogane!"

As soon as Akari heard Kuro’s name, she grinned.

A really dastardly grin.

The kind of grin that generally occurs just prior to a disaster.

"Oh."

Minami all of as sudden became very nervous. Although she couldn’t explain this, she felt it.

Minami began her questioning cautiously, ’’what type of relationship do you have with Kuro?’"

Akari responded without hesitating, ’’I love him.’"

Minami’s pen stopped and there’s a pause in between words.

"’I’m sorry, can you repeat that?’" Minami asked again after Akari had stated the same phrase about a third time.

Minami stared at her without saying anything.

And then all of a sudden her brain locked up and there was no longer any thought process at all.

There was no pause, to her it was just a recollection of facts and she was very proud.

As Minami began to write down Akari’s answer she was very slow.

She was very precise.

Minami then asked Akari another question, "Does he know you love him?’"

Akari began laughing,"’Oh yes, definitely.’"

Minami almost dropped her pen.

A short time later, Akari left the room and Minami sat alone, looking at her notes.

The only thing written on the page was Akari Tachibana openly loves Kuro Kurogane.’

This investigation is going faster than she had thought it would.

And much worse than she expected.

The next interview should be with Akari’s sister Aoi Tachibana.

"Aoi shows up like Akari did, quite calmly."

She walked into the office, sat very peacefully and behaved like a perfect student.

Minami felt some comfort knowing this interview would probably much more conventional than the last one.

"What kind of relationship do you and Kuro share?"

After a moment of consideration, Aoi responded truthfully, "Kuro is a very significant, significant person in my life."

Minami had a moment of panic (Not this shit again.)

Then, in a voice carefully controlled, the teacher asked, "How significant, Aoi?"

Aoi appeared to be slightly confused.

"He’s a very significant person to me, just like every other person."

The two of them sat in silence.

Minami’s pen was struggling to keep up with the possible insight.

Aoi seemed to remain outer.

"I have the most trust in him out of everyone else."

Critical Hit , Direct hit, Ultimate consequence.

As Minami wrote more notes, a sense of uneasiness grew.

Very Uneasy.

Aoi noticed the look that Minami gave her.

"Is something wrong, Asakura sensei?"

Her response had been too quick.

Too knifed.

Aoi cocked her head to the side but chose not to press it.

A few moments later, she departed the class, leaving Minami with substantial feelings of turmoil.

Minami was staring at her notebook.

Two interviews completed.

Two complete disasters.

Hopefully third will be better.

Hopefully.

Mina Fujikawa made up the third interview.

Mina appeared to be very anxious on her way into the office; class and school made Minami apprehensive.

The absence of confidence in an anxious person’s response made Minami suspicious of anxious people in general.

After a brief greeting, Minami finally asked, "What are your thoughts on Kuro Kurogane?"

Mina blushed instantly.

This should be a good sign; however, it was an excellent sign.

"He’s nice."

Minami wrote.

"He’s dependable."

Minami wrote.

"He’s helpful."

Mina smiled tenderly.

The sort of smile crushed any last shred of hope that remained within Minami.

"I think about him frequently."

The teacher froze.

Again.

Another?

Minami gazed at the ceiling.

Maybe the universe was against her.

That feeling was becoming much more probable.

Mina continued to speak.

"Every time I am having difficulty, he does something to help me."

Her smile became sweeter.

"Each time I am nervous, he always has just the right words."

Completely damaging emotionally.

Minami recorded notes by using a mechanical method.

Her spirit had departed from her body at this point.

Minami had placed her head on the desk once Mina had left the room.

Three interviews.

Three disasters.

Three females.

All related to Kuro.

Additional verification and evidence were compiling.

None of which appeared to be in his favor.

Unfortunately, the worst interview was next.

Rika Saionji.

Upon the instant Rika entered the classroom Minami recognized danger.

This young woman appeared to have very "hard" eyes.

Her eyes were large and bright which appeared to have been very aware.

Almost as though she already knew what this meeting was pertaining too.

A good length of silence passed by before Minami asked Rika, "How do you feel about Kuro Kurogane?"

Rika’s response was immediate, "He is my favorite person."

The soul of Minami left her body.

Her spirit had escaped from the room.

The only thing Minami had left in the room was her physical body, by sheer will.

"What?"

"He is my favorite person."

Rika appeared confused.

"Weren’t you supposed to ask me a question?"

Minami’s hand tensed around her pen.

This cannot possibly be happening.

Absolutely impossible!

Rika mellowed out.

"He’s supported me from day one."

The girl gave a barely perceptible grin.

"He always pays attention to my ideas."

She gave another grin.

"He makes me happy."

Dead on.

Blowed up.

It’s overburn.

Minami closed the notebook.

Very slowly.

So slowly.

Because one more word might cause her brain to stop.

The interviews last.

The proof exists.

And Minami is sitting by herself in an empty classroom reviewing everything that has happened.

Akari: "I love him."

Aoi: "He’s very important to me."

Mina:"I think about him a lot."

Rika: "He is my most favourite person."

The notebook appears evil.

Completely evil.

Minami takes her glasses off.

Rubs her temples.

No way.

No possible universe where this is not true.

Four girls. Four separate, emotional attachments. One guy. One incredibly shady guy.

The classroom door suddenly opened.

Minami immediately sat up.

Kuro walked in.

"Sorry," said Kuro.

The teacher jumped almost.

"What are you doing here?"

"I left my notebook."

Of course.

The person who was responsible for her suffering was here to present it to her in person.

Kuro walked up to his desk.

While she watched him.

Trying to piece together.

Trying to figure out.

Because for real he did not look like a playboy.

He looked like he was tired.

He looked like he was slightly agitated.

And he looked like a normal guy.

That made everything worse somehow.

When Kuro found his notebook, he turned toward the exit.

And stopped.

"...Are you alright Sensei?"

Minami blinked from surprise

"What?"

"You look like you’re exhausted."

It made her almost die oflaughing at the irony.

The man who she was exhausted by was right in front of her.

"I’m fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

There was a moment of silence before Kuro nodded his head.

"Okay."

Simple.

To the point.

No hidden agenda.

No funny business.

Just concern.

And that was it.

He walked out on Minami again.

After a bit, she took out her notebook.

She ran her eyes over the evidence.

Finally deciding.

There was still no explanation to be had.

There was only one thing that made sense at this point in the evidence given to her.

That Kuro Kurogane was (likely) involved in a very complicated romantic situation.

Regardless of whether or not it was intentional.

Regardless of whether or not he was aware of it.

The evidence was all there.

There was no denying it.

It was conclusive.

Minami closed her notebook.

After writing one last statement on it:

Conclusion .The student has created an unintentional harem.

She looked at that statement.

And nodded.

That is a true statement.

The only conclusion to be reached about him.

Everything else would not make sense.

Because there is no way that all of these coincidences would not be normal.

Unfortunately for Minami Asakura, the investigation didn’t help her understand Kuro.

It was merely drawing her into the chaos that she was trying to understand from a distance.