Some time later, in the Shaon High School infirmary, Matsuda sat up in bed, wincing in pain.
Naritu looked behind the screen and asked irritably, "Is anyone here? Seriously, why is there no teacher or nurse behind that screen?"
Matsuda stretched a hand out to him and shouted, "Naritu!"
Naritu cut him off at once. "Calm down. You're wounded."
But Matsuda, despite the pain, said, "That was amazing. You can win this Freshman War. I knew it. You're insanely strong. It was a complete rout. You really did—"
He did not have time to finish the sentence. He cried out in sharp pain and grabbed his elbow, shouting, "It hurts!"
"No sudden movements," Naritu said sternly, "otherwise the wound will open again."
He himself could hardly believe that the boy in front of him was the same one who had recently been beaten half to death.
Naritu handed Matsuda a bandage. "Take it. I just found it. But you still need to go to the hospital later." He sat down next to him.
Matsuda nodded. "Yes, I know. Thank you."
At that moment Kiritani looked in behind the screen and declared loudly, "Well, the first round of the Freshman War is over. It was impressive." He started clapping his hands.
Naritu looked at him in surprise.
Kiritani grinned widely. "You really are strong, taking down such a big guy that easily. Ah, right. I'm Kiritani. Nice to meet you, classmate."
Naritu looked at him in silence, expressing neither joy nor interest.
Kiritani came closer, as if not noticing the coldness, and leaning slightly towards him said, "You really are strong. I have to admit it. I could never do that. Frankly, I'm jealous." He waved his hands as if releasing the tension and added, "Well, I think that's enough for an introduction."
Heading for the exit, he turned around and asked, "Will we be friends? We're classmates, after all. I'm looking forward to seeing what you're capable of. Naritu."
He took the lollipop out of his mouth, smiled and left.
Matsuda asked immediately, "Kiritani — why did he even come here?"
Naritu shrugged. "I don't know. He looks suspicious."
Matsuda called to him again. "Wait. There's something I want to ask you." It seemed strange to ask it right after being saved. "But why?"
Naritu raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Matsuda folded his hands in front of him and went on insistently, "Why did you save me?"
Naritu adjusted his glasses and replied calmly, "No particular reason. I simply follow my principles. I did what I had to do."
Matsuda frowned. "Principles?"
Then Naritu leaned forward and added quietly, "You kept quiet about my courses, right? You could have told everyone, but you didn't."
So the next second Matsuda abruptly hugged him, shouting, "Naritu!"
Naritu immediately pulled away. "Hey. Too close."
Matsuda, a little embarrassed, still did not back down. "But then — how did you know I'd been beaten?"
Naritu froze. "What?"
That message. That video. Who even sent it?
At that moment loud shouts came from the hallway.
"They say he's leaving now."
"The Freshman War is really in full swing today."
"Hurry!"
Naritu turned abruptly towards the exit, peered out into the hallway and muttered in surprise, "What? Another Freshman War match?"
Matsuda grabbed Naritu's hand and, pointing towards the hallway, shouted, "We have to go! There's a match with another class on right now."
Naritu tried to hold him back. "Wait. You can't move around so suddenly."
But Matsuda was not listening. "They say it's Shoki Tada. It'll be very interesting. A match like that can't be missed."
Naritu frowned. "Tada? Who is that?"
Matsuda feverishly began flipping through his notebook. "Wait a second. Here, look." He unfolded the notebook and pointed to the page. It was the Freshman War standings. "You could face him in the next round. Tada is a true fighter for justice. You know the kind — with a man's spirit, who always stands his ground."
Naritu raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Doesn't that contradict the fact that he's supposedly a bad guy?"
Matsuda nodded eagerly. "Yeah, things like that have happened before. Some guys are the complete opposite of justice, and others, well — they just live by their own principles. The people I used to imitate actually existed, even in the real world." He suddenly looked at Naritu and said firmly, "And the one I imitate now is you."
Naritu pointed at himself in surprise. "Me?"
Matsuda grabbed his hand again. "Yeah. For me, you're the perfect delinquent. Well, I mean — not someone who just beats up everyone, but someone who does what he thinks is right, even when it's hard." Then he gasped. "Oh, the Tada match is already starting. We have to hurry."
"The perfect delinquent, huh," Naritu muttered under his breath.
They rushed out into the corridor. Naritu was still indignant. Is he kidding me? I've never been a bad guy in my life.
Some time later — the west wing of Shaon High School. Naritu glanced at the crowd and thought, there are so many people here. He had never imagined the Freshman War was such a large-scale event.