Yuuki Uchida III : Redemption

Today is the candidacy speech, and every student of the school is in the auditorium, waiting for the two candidates to give a speech.

Yuuki and I were preparing backstage for her speech.

"Look who showed their faces, aren't you too shameless to even appear here, Uchida-san?"

We turned around and we saw Obara-Kun and two girls with him.

Yuuki didn't faze out on what Obara-Kun said.

"Well, I'm just wasting my time here, talking to you. Girls, let's do our short speech."

The two girls behind him obeyed, "Yes, Obara-Sama."

One of the girls introduced, "Everyone, please welcome your soon-to-be student council president, Masa Obara."

Obara-Kun gave his speech, "I'm Masa Obara and I'll be your new student council president of this school."

Damn, he's declaring already, the elections haven't even started.

He continued, "Everyone, you have no choice but to vote for me. If you want a better school next year, make sure to vote for me. I mean, I'm the only candidate that you can trust right?"

Some of the crowd started to cheer.

He ends his speech, "I expect you guys to vote for me. I'm Masa Obara, your new student council president." and he leaves the stage with the two girls.

"Yuuki, it's our turn."

She didn't respond to me. I could tell that she was nervous. I hold her hand, "Don't worry, we got this. Whatever happens, happen, okay?"

She nodded, "Your right, Shin," and we entered the stage.

The whole crowd went silent as Yuuki was about to start her speech.

I started, "Everyone, before Uchida-san starts her speech, there are a couple of people that we want to be on stage at this very moment. Will you please go on stage right now?"

Three students went up on stage.

I asked, "Can you guys introduce yourselves first?" 

A male student introduced himself, "I'm Yori Murata from Class 2-A."

A female student followed, "Minori Nagao from Clas 2-B."

Another female student followed, "I'm Cho Uchiyama and I'm from Class 2-D."

Murata-Kun explained, "And if you're all wondering, why are we here on Uchida-san's speech? We are here, to tell the truth."

Nagao-san followed, "That's right, the three of us we're also supposed to be running for the student council but someone took that opportunity from us."

Uchiyama-san revealed, "And that someone is Masa Obara!"

Everyone in the auditorium reacted and was surprised about it.

Obara-Kun, who's backstage, "What?!"

—

This past Tuesday...

"Shin, I know who's behind all of this."

"Who is it, Yuuki?"

"I don't have any pieces of evidence yet but I think it's Obara-Kun."

"Let's talk to Itsuki about it."

At lunchtime, we called Itsuki.

Itsuki talked, "You think it's that guy?"

Yuuki replied, "Yes but I don't have any evidence at all."

I followed, "What happened to your investigation, Itsuki?"

Itsuki answered, "It's still nothing. We've asked people from other classes but no one knows who is it."

I suggested, "We should ask a different question."

Itsuki asked, "What do you mean, Shin?"

Yuuki followed, "Instead of asking who did it, maybe we should ask who tried to run for the student council as well."

I added, "Then we can ask them about Obara-Kun."

That's right, Obara-Kun offered Yuuki to retire from the candidacy but Yuuki refused his offer.

Itsuki replied, "Gotchu, I'll ask the other classes again about it."

I followed, "Make sure to not get found by Obara-Kun and his lapcats."

Itsuki replied, "Noted. I'll tell you what we got once we asked them. Talk to you later."

He ends the call shortly.

After classes, Itsuki called us back.

"Shin, we got a hit!."

I asked, "Who is it?"

Itsuki replied, "Three of them. Murata-Kun from Class 2-A, Nagao-san from Class 2-B, and Uchiyama-san from Class 2-D."

Three of them, that's good.

I followed, "Got it, are you with them?"

He replied, "Yeah, I'm with them currently in the guidance room. Sensei is also with us."

I asked, "Can you put it on loudspeaker, so everyone in there can hear me."

Itsuki replied, "I'll put it."

Itsuki puts his phone on loudspeaker.

I asked, "Murata-Kun, Nagao-san, Uchiyama-san, did you guys get an offer from Obara-Kun?"

Murata-Kun was surprised, "How did you know?"

Yuuki replied, "I got an offer as well from Obara-Kun but I declined it."

Uchiyama-san followed, "I see, we all got offered by Obara-Kun."

Our homeroom teacher asked, "Can you care to tell us the offer?"

Nagao-san replied, "I don't know if the same as the others but he offered me to retire or he'll blackmail me."

Murata-Kun followed, "It's the same but instead of blackmailing me, he'll ruin the school life of my friends."

The teacher asked, "What about yours, Uchiyama-san?"

Uchiyama-san replied, "My best friend is Obara-Kun's girlfriend. If I didn't back out, he will make my best friend's life miserable."

—

Back at the present...

Nagao-san explained, "Obara-Kun approached us to retire from running for the student council or he'll ruin our lives and the lives around us."

Uchiyama-san followed, "I didn't run for president or Obara-Kun will ruin my best friend's life."

Obara-Kun went on stage with a microphone, and tries to defend himself, "You can tell them that but everyone, this is just pure lies. There's no truth, where's even your evidence?"

A recording played around the auditorium...

"I asked you, Kyouko-san, will you retire from the competition or do you want me to make your life a living hell?"

Everyone in the auditorium was surprised by the recording.

The crowd starts talking about it...

"What the hell was that?"

"What a jerk he is! Can't believe he will do anything just to win."

"Get lost, moron!"

—

A continuation of the backstory from the past Tuesday...

The teacher followed, "If you want to expose Obara-Kun, there's a problem with this plan."

Yuuki asked, "What is it, Sensei?"

The teacher replied, "There's no actual proof to support your claim. There must be clear evidence like a recording or something to be able to convince everyone in this school."

Sakura, who's also in the room, "I've got an idea."

The teacher asked, "What is it?"

Sakura explained, "I'll tell everyone that I'm also going to run for the president of the student council. And, when I met with Obara-Kun and he makes an offer, I'll record everything."

The teacher replied, "We can do that."

Sakura followed, "But I need the whole class to help me with this."

The teacher replied, "I've got something."

The following morning at homeroom.

Our homeroom teacher announced, "Sakura Kyouko will be running for president in the upcoming student council elections. I expect some of you to support her in her campaign, as she will do her best to be a great student leader."

Everyone in the classroom clapped and Sakura bowed in front of everyone in the classroom, "I hope you will support me with my campaign on becoming the president of the student council."

After classes, Obara-Kun and the two girls that were always with him went to the classroom and asked, "Can I excuse Kyouko-san for a bit?"

Sakura agreed and she started recording everything while they entered an empty classroom.

Obara-Kun closed the door of the classroom.

Sakura asked, "What's your business with me, Obara-Kun?"

Obara-Kun replied, "There's something I want to offer to you, Kyouko-san."

Sakura asked again, "What is it?"

Obara-Kun offered, "Will you retire from running as a president of the student council?"

Sakura replied, "What will happen if I didn't back out?"

Obara-Kun answered, "I don't know, maybe make your life miserable or make your friends miserable."

Sakura didn't react at all.

He asked one more time, "I'll ask you again, Kyouko-san, will you retire from the competition or do you want me to make your life a living hell?"

Sakura replied, "Fine, I'll do it, just leave me and my friends alone," and leaves the classroom.

Sakura got what she wanted, some evidence to expose Obara-Kun.

—

Back to the present, at the auditorium.

I looked at him while holding a phone, "You thought we're just going to show our faces without a plan?"

Obara-Kun replied, "You set me up?!"

I replied, "I mean, you did it first."

Obara-Kun snapped, "You!"

Yuuki replied, "You just got what you deserve, Obara-Kun!"

Obara-Kun finds a way to twist the narrative, "You even haven't explained those photos yet."

Yuuki froze again like what happened back then.

The crowd was a bit conflicted about what was happening.

I gave Yuuki a pat on the back, "You got this."

She smiled at me and explained the pictures, "Those pictures are pure misunderstanding. When the person took that picture, I was about to trip, and that guy hold my hand to prevent me from hitting my face."

Obara-Kun lashed out, "That's not what happened! I was there when..."

He stopped because he said something that he shouldn't have.

Yuuki replied, "You took those pictures?"

Everyone in the crowd turned against Obara-Kun and starts badmouthing him.

Obara-Kun can't control his anger and charge Yuuki, "You bitch!"

He clenched his fist, about to punch Yuuki but I took the hit, as he punched me in the face.

Yuuki was concerned, "Shin!"

I wasn't knocked out and talked back, "You're willing to put everyone down, for your own sake. And now, you're willing to punch a woman that you screwed over?"

Obara-Kun backs off out of fear, "It was all her fault! I just did everything I need to do!"

I yelled, "Now you're telling me it's all her fault! Quit screwing around! The only person you screwed over is yourself and the people around you!"

Obara-Kun refuses to give up, "I screwed them over? Are you an idiot? I never screw them over! Right, guys?"

The two girls that were with him didn't back him up as they just stare backstage.

Obara-Kun was annoyed and pathetically yelled at the girls, "Hey! What the hell are you doing?! Aren't you going to help me here?!"

A girl from the crowd went on stage. Obara-Kun was happy and begged, "Makoto-chan, my beautiful girlfriend, please help me with this."

So, that's his girlfriend.

Makoto-chan charges at Obara-Kun and slapped him, "You bastard! How dare you screw my best friend! We're done!"

She left Obara-Kun and approach Uchiyama-san and hugs her, "I'm sorry, Cho-chii."

Uchiyama-san hugs her back, "You didn't do anything wrong, Makoto."

Obara-Kun still fights back, "It's all her fault."

I replied, "Quit saying that. You're done."

He charges at me and pushed me away, "Not as long as I take someone with me!"

He pulls a pocket knife out of his pocket and was targeting Yuuki.

He was aiming for her stomach, "You're dead!"

I somehow made it in time and grabbed the knife out of his hand and threw it on the floor and kicked Obara-Kun and send him away from us.

Yuuki yelled, "Shin! Your hand!"

I looked at my hand it was bleeding.

Damn, he got me good.

The teachers, went on stage before anything goes much worse.

Our homeroom teacher approached us, "Are you guys, okay?"

Yuuki replied, "Shin's hand! It's bleeding!"

This isn't the first time I have seen my hand bleed.

My eyes are going dark.

I hear a girl calling my name, "Shin? Shin!" but her voice is fading away.

...

...

...

I woke up, it was already evening.

"Where am I?"

I looked around and it isn't my bed, nor the hospital. It's the school clinic.

I looked at my hand, it was all covered up with bandages.

"That's what happened."

I suddenly passed out a while ago at the auditorium stage, when I saw my hand bleeding.

I was about to stand up but I didn't notice someone sleeping on my lap. It was Yuuki, sleeping while holding my other hand.

I looked at the time and classes are about to end shortly.

She must've been looking out for me all day.

I just realized how she looks nice when she's asleep.

I'm very happy that I could protect her.

...

I kissed her on the cheeks and whispered, "Good work today."

The bell rang suddenly and Yuuki woke up from the bell.

"What was that?"

She looked at me, "Shin! Are you okay?"

She was really concerned about me.

"I'm fine now. Don't worry about it."

She cried and I asked, "Why are you crying?"

She hugs me tightly, "I'm sorry, Shin. I put you in danger again."

I pat her head, "It's fine. It's not your fault, plus, I'm alive."

She replied, "Don't do anything risky anymore. Please, Shin."

I smiled, "Don't worry it won't happen."

She lets go of me, as she senses someone is coming.

The clinic door opened and Miu, Sakura, Itsuki, and Nise entered and they immediately show their concern.

"Shin!"

Itsuki immediately shows his concern, "Are you okay?"

I replied, "I'm fine."

Our homeroom teacher enters the room, "Good work today, everyone!"

Sakura asked, "What happened to Obara-Kun, Sensei?"

He explained, "Due to what happened earlier, Obara-Kun has been expelled from our school. He was expelled from setting-up Uchida-san to fail, threatened the other candidates and made them forfeit from the competition, and caused human violence at Tanahashi-Kun."

I replied, "I see."

The teacher said, "You guys should go home now. You all must be tired from today."

We are at the entrance of the school, about to leave but Yuuki called me, "Shin."

I turned around, "What is it, Yuuki?"

She reaches for something out of her bag and pulls it out.

She hands it out, "Happy Valentines Day, Shin."

I was surprised. I forgot that it's also Valentine's Day today.

I replied, "Thanks, Yuuki."

I looked at the chocolate.

I asked, "These chocolates are for friends, right?"

She didn't answer me and I just took it as a yes.

I kept walking, "I see. Let's go home, Yuuki."

...

—

I see his back, the back that carried me all the way home from the festival.

I see his hand, which hold me tight when I was in darkness, that protected me from danger and bloodshed.

My heart is beating faster when I'm with him.

When I'm with him, I feel comfortable. I feel safe.

His warmth, I will never forget it.

I whispered, "Those chocolates aren't for friends, Shin."

...

I love Shin.

I blushed...

I realized...

I have feelings for Shin...

I smiled...

These feelings...

...will be my little secret for now...

...but...

I'll tell him someday...

...I'll find my strength...

To say the three words that my heart wants to tell you.