Ishigami returns to the past

[Raven797]

Deep crimson floods my vision.

Iino seems to be saying something through her tears, but I can't hear a thing.

For a moment, I forgot why I was even in this situation, but reality quickly caught up with me.

We were walking back from our student council duties. While I was walking Iino home, I spotted a car speeding wildly toward us at the crosswalk.

As usual, Iino was too busy lecturing me to notice the danger.

My body moved before my voice could. I shoved her out of the oncoming car's direct path.

I didn't save her because I wanted to die. I fully intended to dodge the car right after pushing her away.

But in the next split second, a massive impact hurled my body into the air. Perhaps the only saving grace in this disaster was that I felt no pain. Or maybe another emotion consuming me right now simply overwhelmed any physical sensation.

What boils inside my chest right now is an utterly helpless regret.

The President... who dragged me out of the depths of darkness.

Shinomiya-senpai... who never gave up on me despite my laziness and apathy, and who taught me how to study.

Fujiwara-senpai... who always spoke her mind without holding back and treated me however she pleased, letting us bicker like equals.

Tsubame-senpai... who treated me normally despite the awful rumors that followed me.

Countless memories and raging regrets storm through my mind.

Maki-senpai, Tsubasa-senpai...

The cheer captain, Osaragi, Onodera...

And above all, that girl crying and screaming in front of me with all her might.

She carries a sense of justice and responsibility far too heavy for her small frame.

She will definitely blame herself and be miserable over this. My body won't move, but if I can just force my tongue to work, I will make this body perform its final duty. Determined, I gathered the last remnants of my strength.

"Ii... Ii...no...!"

"?! Ishi... Ishigami?! I'm... I'm so sorry!! I... I...!!"

"Damn it... You... aren't to blame!"

"?!?"

I said it. I finally managed to force the words out. It felt as if my eyelids were waiting for me to finish before suddenly growing heavy.

The final image etched into my narrowing vision was Iino, weeping like a child.

●○●○●

"Wait... what is this?"

When I regained consciousness, a strange sensation hit me first.

Just a moment ago, I was lying on the road. Yet, I feel no pain. More importantly, is this place... a classroom?

Was everything that happened just a dream?

Even so, this unsettling feeling refuses to leave me.

"!"

Looking around the room, I realized the source of my confusion.

This isn't a high school classroom. This place is...

"Ishigami-kun, everyone else has already gone home, you know?"

Someone tapped my shoulder, and I turned toward the voice.

"?! Otomo?!"

That smile—one I was never supposed to see again, let alone receive—confirmed it for me.

There was no doubt about it. I traveled back to middle school!

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