Chapter XIV: The Force that Stopped the World
One day, the principal lectures Class 2-A about morals. Asahi, and Enmei thought that the class is done due to the outcome of their quizzes so they talk loudly. However, the principal then points them out. Kota, between Asahi and Enmei is not actually talking with them but got included. After the principal's class, Satou, Haru, and Masashi approaches them and asks them why. The two answers them that they thought it was done. On afar, Toshiro Tenshi, a relative of Kota, and one of the Top 10 students, realized that Kota wasn't talking with them but got involved. He then comforts Kota. Looking from her desk, Akiko also feels bad for Kota. But with the number of friends at his desk, she can't go there.
On a Monday morning, while waiting for Kota, Asahi and Haru plans about a great prank. The thing is, they won't talk to Kota for a very long time. When Kota arrives, he tries to get Asahi's attention. However, he doesn't react at all. Days turned to weeks, and weeks to a month. Kota has had enough of it. While the teacher is gone, he lets his anger out on the two. He tells them that he is very angry and made him crazy for a whole month without anyone talking to them. Feeling to give him pity, Asahi drops the act and answers Kota. He also tells him that they were just doing to have space. But for Haru, he still keeps on doing the act. The class rep notices this and then they calm down.
For test day, they all reviewed except for Enmei. During the test, and since there is no teacher facilitating them, he pulls out something covered in paper without anyone noticing except for Kota, which is beside him. All of them are almost halfway of the exam. Hearing footsteps from the hallway, Enmei makes Kota to hold the thing that is covered in paper. He opens this and find Enmei's little magic trick. The teacher comes in and sees Kota holding it. He calls him out of the classroom. Everyone is in shock of what is happening before their eyes that the innocent Kota is caught cheating. Although it wasn't his fault, he admits that he did. Unlike other teachers, the teacher will give him humanitarian consideration due to his good behavior at school. Coming back to the classroom, the whole class then surrounds him interviewing what happened. As soon as he is about to give the answers, Masashi, Toshiro, Asahi, and Satou blocks them. From the back, Akiko uses an attack, good for crowds which she got from an anime and gets through the crowd and asks Kota if he's ok. Kota tells her he's ok. The five then asks him about what happened. They all look at the notebook which is Enmei's. They look at him and starts to berate him.
One Friday, they are about to go practice for the festival. However, a post turns up and reports that the whole country is in lockdown due to the pandemic. He texts the Asahi, and Masashi about this. They really can't go out. But with the help of social media, they can still see each other via video calls. One month passes and as they undergo a different system of learning, some of them go bored, has slow internet connection that is why some have less work and scores in online quizzes. Kota and Asahi text each other about school and also of games. He asks him about Akiko if she had any feedback regarding their investigatory project. Asahi reveals to him the truth about it. Just because she is good encoder, doesn't mean she can encode fast enough. Hearing this, Kota feels guilty of what he had done. He wants to say something to Akiko but has no courage to tell her. At this point, he looks at his window followed by the others in their respective homes.
241Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidHVm2u4e4
