novelraw Chapter 12: Her in the Sunset
Chapter 12: Her in the Sunset
When Yamazaki Kazuka left the restroom, he found the hallway outside empty.
It's 6:20 pm now, and most of the students have already left the school.
Because it was the rainy season, the sky was overcast, and the dark, damp environment made the corridor look like a scene from a horror movie.
In the dim light, Yamazaki Kazuka noticed that the door to the small studio next to the oil painting club ahead was slightly ajar, and a beam of light shone out from inside the studio.
As he passed by, Yamazaki Kazuka peeked through the crack in the door and saw a girl lying on the floor next to the door.
Her body was curled up, and she looked like she was in pain.
"What's wrong, classmate?"
Yamazaki Kazuka opened the studio door, shook the female student who was lying on the ground, turned her over, and found that she was pale and sweating profusely.
Seeing that no one was around, Yamazaki Kazuka carried her to the school clinic.
The school doctor and the basketball coach hid in the school clinic eating oden and did not leave the school.
While the school doctor asked the PE teacher to call an ambulance, he and Yamazaki Kazuka helped put the girl on the bed. After examination, they determined that the girl had hypoglycemia caused by anemia.
Because he was preoccupied with transferring schools, Yamazaki Kazuka didn't take the matter to heart. After leaving a few words, he returned to his rented room.
The next day, as expected, Yamazaki Kazuka was called to the office by the homeroom teacher because he had not completed his duty shift the previous day.
"I can leave the men's room out of the question, but how can I go into the women's room? Besides, by the time I finished cleaning the men's room, it was almost time for the school to close."
"But you can't just leave an unfinished task unfinished!"
"It doesn't matter anymore."
"What do you mean 'it doesn't matter'?! When you go to work at the company, your boss assigns you tasks, and you don't care if you don't finish them?"
The homeroom teacher's face showed displeasure.
"I'm planning to transfer schools; what's happening here has nothing to do with me."
"Yamazaki, calm down."
Despite the homeroom teacher's strong attempts to dissuade her, she was determined to leave.
In the afternoon, the homeroom teacher approached Yamazaki Kazukazu again.
"Did you save a girl after school yesterday?"
"Yes."
"You didn't even tell me about such a good thing?"
"So it turns out that saving lives isn't illegal at this school."
"You can't be indifferent. The girl you saved is a genius painter. She's a treasure of our school and even the entire Japanese art world."
"so what?"
"Yamazaki-kun, don't be so cold. You're not alone in this school. Just bear with it a little longer, things will take a turn for the better."
Upon hearing this, Yamazaki and Kazeki laughed.
"The girl will be back to class in a couple of days; at least let her thank you in person."
"I see."
After this conversation, my situation underwent some subtle changes.
The next day after PE class, I returned to the classroom and saw that my desk was covered in graffiti.
【Yamazaki Heroes! 】
A partner of justice!
In the center of the desk, there were glaring words written in black watercolor pen, along with a carved figure and several ghost faces.
Looking around, everyone lowered their heads and remained silent.
He could only take out a rag, wipe the graffiti off his desk, and continue attending class.
When school was over, several older students found him, carrying a guy who had been beaten black and blue.
Because his classmates recognized him immediately by his face.
"Apologize now!"
"Yamazaki, I'm sorry, I'll never do it again."
"What do you mean you wouldn't dare? Explain yourself clearly!"
The senior student threw that person on the ground.
"I wouldn't dare hide your shoes, I wouldn't dare scribble on your desk, and I'll return your textbook from last time right away."
The man knelt on the ground, apologizing in a hoarse, fearful voice. It seems that only violence can force evildoers to bow their heads and admit their mistakes.
"Besides him, there are a few other guys. We'll deal with them one by one over the next couple of days and bring them to you to apologize."
Why are you helping me?
"Because you saved Miss Himeno, right? She asked us to take care of you while she was in the hospital, and she'll be back next week."
I arrived at school on Monday and found a letter in the shoe locker.
Come find me at the art studio after school today. —Himeno Natsuki
After school, Yamazaki Kazuka went to the art studio from that day.
Himeno Natsuki stood in the center of the art studio, having been waiting for Yamazaki Kaze for a long time.
Her pale face and lifeless eyes made her look frail, and the cold wind outside the window blew her long, curly hair.
She pressed down on the hem of her light gray JK skirt, which was billowing in the wind. The distant lighthouse stained half of the drizzling sky red. She seemed to have so much to say to the boy in front of her, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Thank you, Yamazaki-kun."
"You're welcome. Are you feeling better?"
"Much better."
Himeno Natsuki raised her hand and touched the bracelet on her left wrist, where the scar was still throbbing.
The air fell silent.
"In that case, I'll take my leave."
Feeling somewhat awkward, Yamazaki Kazuka prepared to leave.
"Wait, Yamazaki-kun, I heard about what happened to you. You need a club, right? If you have nowhere to go, you can join my club."
As the president of the oil painting club, Himeno Natsuki never manages the club. Since enrolling in school, she has been holed up in the small studio given to her by the school, creating art.
"I can't paint in oils."
"It's okay, Yamazaki-kun, you can study here and I'll study here."
"Is everything alright?"
"Of course, no problem. You can stay here with me without worry."
"I'm worried..."
"Don't be afraid, Yamazaki-kun and the others won't dare to mess with me."
With a smile, Himeno Natsuki brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and stepped forward to hand over her application form to join the club.
"I've decided to transfer schools."
The girl in front of him wanted to repay his life-saving grace, but it was just a small favor he had done.
"I know. Don't worry, I assure you, all the problems you encounter at this school from today onwards will be resolved."
Himeno Natsuki's tone was very confident, as if she really had the ability to solve all of this.
She approached Yamazaki Kazukaze step by step, a warm smile on her face, yet an indescribable aura emanating from her.
She is clearly a very elegant person, yet she possesses an aura that inspires awe.
Yamazaki Kaze was a head taller than Himeno Natsuki, but as she got closer and closer, Yamazaki Kaze unconsciously stepped back.
"Himeno-kun, I'm not happy at this school."
Faced with the request of a beautiful woman whose appearance could rival that of the sunset, Yamazaki Kazuka resolutely chose to refuse.
Although they no longer dared to openly target him, the cold violence from those around him made him feel suffocated.
"Still not working?"
Tears welled up in Himeno Natsuki's eyes.
"I hate it here."
"Me too. I've heard about you a long time ago, Yamazaki-kun. You're amazing."
The girl, who had won numerous awards since childhood and was invited by a professor at the Vienna Royal Academy of Fine Arts at the age of 14, looked on with admiration.
At this moment, Yamazaki Kaze was a little tempted. He was helping Inoue Jiro out of friendship and had no other intentions.
But the feedback from those around me was really bizarre. I don't expect you to treat me like a hero, but at least don't treat me like a heinous scumbag.
It was only at this moment that Yamazaki Kazukazu saw a reaction in Himeno Natsuki that aligned with his own philosophy of life.
"Is Himeno-san really okay?"
"Okay, don't worry. From today onwards, you can stay in my studio without worry. They won't dare to bother you anymore."
"If they dare to make things difficult for you again, I'll make them disappear."
After learning from his homeroom teacher that he had saved a genius painter, Yamazaki Kazuka did some research in his spare time.
The young woman before me is a noble lady born into the Chinese nation, with a golden key to the halls of art in her mouth.
Although the Chinese nation declined after the war, the girl's family experienced a second spring.
Himeno Natsuki does indeed have the ability to help herself out of her predicament.
"President Himeno, please take care of me from now on."
Yamazaki Kazuka took the application form for joining the company from Himeno Natsuki.