I’m Back in the First Grade of Elementary School, so I’m Going to Live Well

Chapter 18

Early morning of the next day.

A day had passed since the incident.

“Hey, this is――”

“Yeah, you mean the one from yesterday’s incident, right?”

“I didn’t think this was the culprit.”

The free research exhibit corner is in the multipurpose hall on the first floor.

There were many onlookers, though not as many as yesterday, and all of them had their gaze fixed on one point.

What they were looking at was the place where my “White Dragon” used to be, and now there was a sign on it.

There was something written on it that would be the truth of the case.

【 It was a crow that broke into the school and destroyed the best work of Class 1 and 2. 】

A crow entered the school through a window that was open late at night due to a missed patrol.

After that, the staff who found the crow let it go outside.

We apologize for the inconvenience and worry caused to the students.

The teachers and staff will continue to strengthen their patrols to prevent such incidents in the future.

The culprit was a crow.

That was the truth of the incident as announced by the school.

At the same time, it was also a false idea that I came up with.

In reality, the windows of the school were not open, and the crows did not enter the school.

If you look at the details of the destruction, you can see that it was not crows but man-made destruction, but if you are going to fool elementary school students, it doesn’t matter if it is a lie with some rough edges.

Besides, this is something that the teacher has made public.

If I, as a child, were to say it, or if the teacher were to announce it as fact, the children would have no choice but to believe it.

That’s why I couldn’t have come up with this idea by myself.

――And I’m sorry for the crow to take the blame. (Crow: “I don’t understand.”)

“What, it’s the crow’s fault?”

“Damn, that’s boring.”

“Let’s go to class.”

With the disappointing truth, the children left, and in the end, none of them stayed in the multi-purpose hall.

During the incident, they were so concerned about the White Dragon, but when they found out the truth, they reacted like this. Elementary school children are so heartless.

In the end, the White Dragon was mourned only by me, and he lived out his life.

I feel a little sorry for the White Dragon.

… Huh? Where did I put the White Dragon? I think I left it in the classroom.

――Fine, I guess. It’s only paper, after all. (White Dragon: “I don’t understand.”)

“Itosaki-kun.”

When I had completely forgotten the whereabouts of the White Dragon, and even its existence was about to fade from my memory, someone called out to me from behind as I stood alone in the multipurpose hall.

“Oh… Misato-sensei.”

There was Misato-sensei, looking at me with worried eyes.

“Are you sure you’re okay with this…?”

“Yes, it’s fine.”

What sensei was concerned about was the result.

Yesterday, Misato-sensei told me that the idea I had originally come up with was one of the solutions that had been discussed among the teachers.

However, they couldn’t just do it without my feelings as the victim, so they were struggling to come up with a solution.

The school judged that it was an unbecoming act for a teacher to ignore the feelings of a child victim by spreading a false truth.

This was the school’s decision.

Unless, of course, the idea came from the victim’s mouth.

If I say it’s a good idea, then, of course, the teacher will implement it.

That’s how we got to the present. That’s how it happened.

From my point of view, it was a happy ending.

――But Misato-sensei, who didn’t know what I was thinking, was worried.

It’s the end I wanted, so there’s no problem.

Misato-sensei’s fears were unfounded.

“That……――Thank you. Itosaki-kun.”

The teacher spoke words of gratitude.

I tilted my head at the gratitude, which I didn’t remember.

Was he thanking me for suggesting that I spread the truth about the lie?

I only suggested it, and most of the work was done by the teachers, especially Misato-sensei.

I think I’m the one who should be thanking you…

“Yesterday, you stopped me from scolding Sunagawa-kun, right? If Itosaki-kun hadn’t stopped me, I would have let my emotions get the better of me and scolded Sunagawa-kun. I’m still ashamed of myself for doing such a thing without considering Sunagawa-kun’s feelings. I’m really not a good teacher.”

She said this as if she was mocking her own actions.

But――

“I don’t think so.”

I denied the words.

“Sensei did the best thing a teacher can do. It’s not something to be ashamed of, nor is it something that disqualifies you from being a teacher. The one who cared more about the student than anyone else in that situation is definitely Misato-sensei. ――So please have confidence in yourself. You are a great teacher.”

I was a little meddlesome.

As a child who is being guided by you and as a senior in life.

“… Itosaki-kun… You’re kind of very mature. I can’t believe you’re a first grader.”

I was stung by those words, “Gikuu!!” as if I had been stabbed in the heart.

In fact, she was right.

“W-W-W-What are you talking about, sensei? I-I-I’m a genuine, innocent, first grader!”

“……… I’m sure you’re right. Mizui-san is also very mature, and maybe elementary school students these days are more mature than I am.”

The teacher chuckled and joked.

“Ah, ahaha…”

T-That’s dangerous! I managed to not get caught…

The fact that there was a precedent with Mizui-san really helped.

It’s hard to pretend to be a first grader. I don’t know how many times I’ve messed up…

Well, no one would ever guess that I was a time traveler, and maybe no one would ever find out about it.

Still, I pulled myself together once again.

◆

Fifth period was over, and after school.

The crowd that had surrounded me yesterday was gone, and I was back to being all alone.

It’s not that I want to go back to the situation I was in yesterday, but it does make me sad that it’s come to this.

Because of the uproar over the incident, my friend-making has not progressed much at all.

“Haahhhh…”

A sigh escapes my lips.

I’ve been in school for almost a week now, and I’ve made no progress.

Even I felt depressed.

Just as I was getting discouraged, I saw a shadow approaching.

“Hey!”

“!”

A voice called out to me in a rough tone.

The person standing in front of my seat was Sunagawa Rinta.

I was momentarily taken aback by the person who had called out to me.

He was a troublemaker and the one who had destroyed my free research.

I don’t hold a grudge against him, but I don’t think well of him either.

And I’m sure it’s the same with him.

“Came over here.”

“… Oh, wait.”

I had no choice but to follow him as he walked away.

I was walking with some anxiety as I followed in his footsteps.

I knew it was something to do with my free research, right?

From his point of view, I’m the guy he hates for stealing the prize he really wanted to get.

Huh! ――No way…!

In addition, Sunagawa-kun is a first grader who has yet to develop a strong sense of self-control, and if he doesn’t like it, there must be an option in his mind to beat me up…!

I’ll be beaten up!

But he was also sorry for what he did, and maybe I was wrong.

Yes, that’s right. I can’t think of people that way.

No matter how much of a schoolboy he is, he would never use violence to get people to talk.

“There’s no one here, is there?”

He stopped at the back of the school building, where it was dark and unpopular, and muttered to himself.

He’s totally going to beat me up!

Sunagawa-kun is ready to do it, no, he’s ready to kill!

I feel threatened and think about running away.

But if I run now, I’m afraid of what will happen later.

Insidious bullying is much nastier than this kind of direct bullying.

If this happens, I’ll have to stand up…!

It’s a good thing I don’t get into fistfights with my sister all the time.

I’m sure I can do it.

Yes, I’m sure you’ll be able to get away with a reasonable injury! (Already assuming I’ll lose.)

Come on! Come at me any time!

I grit my teeth, and at about the same time, he turns around and swings his arm at me.

“………!? ………?”

I meditate with determination, but the pain doesn’t come easily.

Don’t tell me I got a steel body as a result of my fight with my sister?　

That would explain why I didn’t feel any pain.

But it can’t be, I thought and opened my eyes.

Then I saw a paper bag being held out to me.

“…… uh………”

“……”

Sunagawa-kun didn’t make eye contact with me, turned away, and only held out the paper bag in his hand.

He didn’t look at me, just turned away and held out a paper bag in his hand.

That’s what I interpreted, so I took the bag and looked inside.

“Oh, this.”

There was a white dragon with its broken parts repaired.

Since the wings and head were attached with cellophane tape, the angle of the neck was a little odd, and the wings were backward, but there were signs that he had worked hard to fix them.

It was something that Sunagawa-kun had fixed for me.

“I’m sorry I messed that up.”

He apologized, unable to meet my gaze, perhaps because of embarrassment.

“And thank you for protecting me from Sensei that time.”

He thanked me again in the same tone.

The White Dragon and his two words were filled with his own sincerity.

It may not be the right way to show sincerity, but the feeling was more than enough for me.

I don’t know of any sincerity that warms my heart more than this.

It was his way of atonement.

It certainly touched my heart.

“Likewise. Thank you for taking the trouble to fix it for me, Sunagawa-kun.”

I couldn’t help but smile.