32 Mediation (1/2)

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The large arena was now again separated into four different blocks. Larger tournament brackets were on each side where the students mixed with each other. Tomoyo was seeded in group A so she had more time to rest while Nishida who was in group D and Kazuya in group C. Kuronuma Ayame was also a seeded contestant but she was placed in group B.

Sacred Forest Academy only had three participants. Mahiru who was supposed to compete as well had forfeited due to injury and gave away a free victory to her first opponent in group B.Since they have stolen the championship from Saint Tera Technical Institute, eyes were starting to observe them more intently.

Kazuya was even more so taken note of since the information of him having not lost a single point was spread around by those who checked the results. Mei felt proud when she heard the audience talking about her Kazu and informed Kyouko of whatever things related to Kazuya were happening in the stadium.

Unfortunately, the incident with Ainu required Kyouko to be absent until she finished talking with her parents. She was disappointed in not being able to watch Kazuya's performance but Mei had been asked to continue recording it with the camera she brought. Miyamoto was also there to help communicate with both Ainu and her parents. He found out that she was Kazuya's mother when Jirou had introduced them.

”Kid” Jirou called out to Kazuya. He was sent by Miyamoto to guide the students participating in his place.

”What is it? Shouldn't you be guiding the others?”

”I just wanted to speak with you for a moment. You shouldn't be too hard on that Sawada child in the future” Kazuya's eyes narrowed after hearing what he had to say.

”You're not going to tell me about some sappy story about why she did it now are you?” he scoffed.

”Just listen. That girl's father died a year ago after being hospitalized for a long time. Her mother shouldered all the debts and costs of their family. The father's family turned their backs on him when he got sick and refused to help and even tried to take over their small company. They even sold their debt to loan sharks recently.

That girl didn't know of this until only recently. She couldn't believe that she was asked to sell out the person who she only recently started to befriend. That is why that girl hesitated a lot and stalled by not losing directly. She wanted to think of a way out but…

I don't know if you understand the world of adults even though you're smart. Clearly, she was wrong to have done what she did but, she is but a normal child dragged into the circumstances of adults”. Jirou clenched his fists. He was frustrated that such a thing happened.

”Is this a conversation that is supposed to motivate me for the tournament?” He was annoyed.”You and your granddaughter have the same talent of always disrupting the way I do and handle things” of course he knew that Mahiru may have had her reasons but that didn't matter to him at all.

”The scale of this regional tournament isn't enough to faze you. I even doubt that the nationals would make you go all out”

”Well you may be right about that but I also do not have a reason to win this tournament. I can just settle for third place or something and mom would still be proud of me” Kazuya scoffed before he continued.

”I don't want to talk about this again nor do I want any advice on the way I handle my own business. You were not the one betrayed and you can't even come close to guessing how I feel about it and that is a guarantee”

”I heard your conversation. You said you died? Aren't you exaggerating a bit?” Jirou indeed took the words he overheard earlier when he was dealing with Mahiru to heart.

”Exaggerating? Have you ever died? Have you felt your blood flowing out of you and dripping inside and outside your own body? Has your chest experienced that burning feeling right before you feel your own heart stop?” he tried keeping his cool so that he wouldn't attract too much attention but he could only control the volume of his voice.

”I…” Jirou had a thought. He assumed that he was revived with a defibrillator while being half conscious. Kyouko never told him the details of when Kazuya was rushed to the hospital nor did he think it was appropriate to ask.

”All of that because I trusted the wrong person. She might not have wanted to do it and had the reasons you said but what about me? Do I not have a reason for doing what I did? Would you be pestering me like this if their plan were successful and I was in a hospital bed?

I can empathize with her and understand why she did what she did but was that her only choice? If she really did want to become friends with me then what did she think would have happened after? Deceive me while playing the part of a fellow victim? Could she have not warned me of the plot so I or we could have made preparations?

I don't care if she had her reasons or what they were. The fact remains that she cared more about her own circumstances rather than my wellbeing. Did you want to read the requester's demands? He or she wanted me to be 'crippled'. Me being crippled over a mere debt? I could have just asked my mom to pay it off.

Now you're asking me to be lenient. Have I already not been? Did she end up with any injury aside from the needed dislocated shoulder? You say she's still young. If I let her get away with it without consequences, what would happen if she is put in a similar situation when she grows up?”

”…” Jirou couldn't say a thing. He would always avoid arguing with this kid and this was the reason why. Being a lot older than him made it harder to accept that he was the one who didn't think about it enough. He had indeed pitied Mahiru because of her remorse towards what happened with the kid but after hearing him out, he really didn't seem that unreasonable now.

”I'm almost up so I'll be heading off now grandpa Jirou. I'll ask you a question before I go. What would you do if a person was holding a gun to the robot girl's head and told you to shoot me to save her? I'll be waiting for your answer” Even after being left with nothing else to say, Jirou was still given a conundrum. Both he and Kazuya knew the answer to this if the answer was needed instantly but neither wanted to speak about it.

Kazuya had gone pretty unchallenged. He was able to continue his flawless streak with very little effort. It was then that he started to wonder about what he learned about earlier. He could have still trained his body and maintained the profile of his original self if he had picked to join the basketball team instead. The best part about it was that he could have avoided dealing with the Shiroyuki duo and all the troubles that he encountered after joining the kendo club.

”Kouzuki…” it was the boy who mocked him from his old school. They were unexpectedly placed in the same group.

”So, it's you. You should have no problems dealing with me since I can't get good in kendo in a month, right?” Kazuya laughed and walked to his position.

”I'll make you a deal Kouzuki” he whispered. ”Let me have this one and I promise I won't tell Tennouji-san where you are and what you've been doing. We never met okay?” a confident smile could be seen on his face. He seemed to have quite the confidence in using this person to coerce Kazuya.

”I don't know who that is nor do I care” he was already in a bad mood because of Jirou's meddling. He wanted to finish this match quickly to let the tournament proceed.

”I forgot that you lost your memories… Her name is Tennouji Maron-san. She is Stockton-san's cousin and our basketball team's ace” he tried to explain. Although Stockton Kurimi's name was mentioned, Kazuya still didn't care.

”Stop wasting your breath and get to your position” Kazuya made sure to reciprocate the threat he had received. It wasn't as eye catching as the robot girl's match but every hit made him squirm.

”You better not regret this Kouzuki. Tennouji-san has been looking for you for a while” He said before holding his arm and walking away.