Translator: Haruto.

“So, did you find it?”

“…No, it wasn’t in their bags or their room…” Tajima says in a low voice after rummaging through our room.

“Of course it wasn’t. Yuito and I didn’t steal the envelope.”

“…” Tajima glares at me again. It’s obvious he still thinks I’m the one who took it.

It was you, wasn’t it? You took the money.

I didn’t instantly understand what Tajima was talking about, but after having a chat with his friend, who followed him here, I found out that the envelope containing the money that the entire class gathered had gone missing.

…In other words, it’s finally begun.

In the original Missing Money Event—one of the game’s main events—Kasashima Yuuji tried to push the blame on Yuito because he was displeased with how close Yuito was with the two sisters.

However, I’d never do something like that to Yuito. And if for whatever reason this world’s bugged out and someone tries to get him in trouble, I’ll make sure to prove his innocence.

“See? I was right. Kasashima is loaded, man. Why would he take an envelope with no more than 7,500 yen in it?” Tajima’s roommate asks.   

“I-I guess you’re right…”

“I am. 7,500 yen is pocket money to this asshole.”

Hey! Are you trying to defend me or insult me?! Well, at least it seems Tajima’s suspicions of me have been dispelled.

“Am I in the clear?”

“Y-Yeah… The money wasn’t in your bags or your room and more importantly… you’re filthy rich…”

He sure calmed down quickly when he remembered I’m loaded. Maybe things would have been resolved faster if I had just smacked him with a bundle of bills right when he started suspecting me.

“Great. I believe I deserve an apology, though. I bet you assumed I was the culprit because of my appearance and those nasty rumors going around about me.”

I’m not about to let someone wrongfully accuse me of a crime without getting a little payback, so I put my scariest face on, cross my arms, and shoot a terrible glare at Tajima and his buddy.

They both look terrified.

“…I-I’m really sorry. I assumed it was you without thinking it through…”

“Yeah, I also apologize, Kasashima. And sorry for troubling you as well, Saeki…”

The two of them bow their heads to us in sincere apology.

Yuito forgives them right away. I still have a few things to say, but… solving this mess comes first.

“Tajima.”

“…What?”

Before Tajima leaves our room, I call out to him. He sounds pretty annoyed. I guess his anxiousness and frustration have risen again now that he knows he got the wrong culprit. I can understand how he feels, but I’m afraid he’ll end up picking a fight with somebody and ruining what’s left of the school camp…

“You’re pointing fingers at other people, but you’re not without fault either, right?”  

Tajima goes silent for a few seconds until he opens his mouth slowly and confesses, “I… forgot to lock my room…”

“I see, that’s why you think someone stole the money…”

“Yeah…”

“All the more reason, then…”

“…?”

I stretch my hand towards him and…

“There!!”

“Ouch?!”

“Yuuji-kun?!”

I flick Tajima’s forehead with my finger. Yuito looks surprised and Tajima’s friend has his jaw dropped in awe.

“W-What the heck do you think—”

“Tajima, you got to calm down. As the one in charge of that money, you need to keep a cool head or this issue will never be solved.”

“…”

I’m raising my voice a little more than usual. I’m not shouting, of course. I’m just trying to speak in a way that’ll make him calm down a bit.

After hearing what I just said, Tajima seems to relax a little.

“Keep in mind that the money might not have been the culprit’s main objective.”

“…Huh?”

“What do you mean, Yuuji-kun?”

With all eyes on me, I continue, “If all they wanted was money, they would have targeted my wallet instead since I’m rich and all.”

“Totally!”

Most people would have been considerate enough to not chime in so eagerly, Tajima’s roommate! I know me forgetting your name and treating you like nothing more than Tajima’s plus-one isn’t very nice either, but still…!

“Then… Then, what? I still don’t see what you’re getting at,” Tajima says.

“I think the culprit might want to push the blame on someone else…”

“Push… the blame?”

If everything had gone according to the original plotline, I would have been the one to do so, however, now that things have changed and this world’s bugged out, another person seems to have taken on that role.

“Tajima, and also… Um, what was your name again?”

“Satojima!! We’re in the same class, dude!”

“Right, Satojima. My bad.”

Tajima and Satojima… I feel like I might mix them up.

“Tajima, Satojima, has either of you made someone angry lately?”

“Angry…”

“Angry?”

The two of them ponder for a while and then—

“Nah.”  

“Me neither. But wait, Tajima, didn’t you have a fight with your girlfriend?”

“Wha—?! Don’t bring that up here!!” Tajima exclaims.

“Wait, if you broke up with her that’d be more than enough reason for her to hold a grudge,” I say.

“I just, um… didn’t have a choice.”

Hold on. A fight with his girlfriend…? A break-up…? Didn’t I hear a similar story not too long ago? Where was it… I need to remember…

Shut up! I don’t want to hear it! What matters here is that my boyfriend broke up with me because he wants to go out with you!! And I’m damn sure it’s because you made a pass on him!!

Ah, right! The girl that was yelling at Rina yesterday mentioned something similar. Perhaps…

“Tajima, Satojima, I want you to go ask all the guys in our class about the money. We’ll ask the girls later. And if we still can’t find the culprit… I’ll just cover the cost of the present with my own money. So there’s no need for you to worry. Just focus on the task at hand.”  

“Huh…?”

“Hurry up, dude. The next event will start soon. And Satojima, take care of Tajima for me, alright?”

“Y-You got it.”

I give them a pat on the back and guide them outside. Once they begin walking away, I close the door again.

“Now then, Yuito… I’m sorry for leaving you out of the conversation.”

“Ah, no, don’t worry about it.”

“The thing is, I need your help with something.”

“Just tell me what I need to do! That envelope contained the money that all of our dear classmates gathered so we need to find it as soon as possible!”

I’m glad he agreed to help me so quickly. Now, if that girl is the real culprit, then her target is…

Having left Yuuji and Yuito’s room, Tajima whispers, “Kasashima is nicer than I thought…”

“Huh? What’s gotten into you? You got a crush on him or something?”

“Don’t be a moron! It’s just that, even though I accused him of being the one behind it, he still decided to help me look for the real culprit.”

“Aah, I see… I also had the wrong idea about him because of his menacing face, his huge wallet, and those rumors… Now that I think about it, I was kind of a dick to him a moment ago, wasn’t I?”

“Me too. We need to do better.”

“Yeah, but… it sounds like you actually have a crush on the guy.”

“Stop spouting nonsense or I’ll lie and tell everyone that you did it! But, jokes aside, we really need to hurry… I don’t want the school camp to be ruined because of me.”

“Alright, I’m right behind you, man!”

***

Meanwhile, in one of the girls’ rooms…

“I’m back, Rina.”

“Hm, welcome, Sis. Were you visiting another one of your friends?”

“Yup, they asked me to go see them. You should also try being a little more sociable, Rina…”

“I don’t really…”

“It’s never too early to start making connections for the future, you know?”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, Sis.”

“You obviously don’t want to listen to me anymore… Still, I know you love marching to your own drum but that can make others resent you, so you have to be careful, Rina,” Mahiro warns her sister as she closes the window.

“…It’s a little too late for that…”

“Hm?”

“I said I’ll be careful.”

There’s a dark look on Rina’s face.

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