I received the phone call from Orca and found myself in quite a predicament.
Orca wanted to apologize to Kanna, but the person who should receive that apology wouldn't even understand why she needed to receive one.
Though Kanna had been discharged from the hospital, she hadn't fully recovered. I knew that even if I tried to explain things, she'd probably just give me a confused "Why Orca?" look.
To complicate matters further, after being discharged, Kanna hadn't gone to her own home but to mine.
Since Kanna seemed unable to distinguish between things that should and shouldn't be said, if I let her meet Orca, she'd undoubtedly mention that she was living with me.
It was an awkward situation any way I looked at it.
I couldn't send her to the Academy.
I couldn't relay Orca's message as she wished.
I couldn't even let Orca and Kanna meet face to face.
I emerged from my room with a serious expression and sighed deeply as I looked at Kanna sitting in the living room.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
In this situation, if Kanna heard an apology, she'd probably hesitate briefly before thinking it didn't matter and say "Okay!" and forgive Orca.
But I kept quiet, thinking that the pre-memory-loss Kanna might not accept such easy forgiveness, and that Orca probably wouldn't want that kind of forgiveness either.
I considered going out, but with the rain continuing into the afternoon, I just stared outside for a while before sitting down next to Kanna.
"Kanna."
"Yes?"
"...It's nothing."
"What's with you? So annoying."
Kanna seemed irritated by my starting to speak and then stopping, and she turned her head away with narrowed eyes.
But even with that expression, there wasn't much I could say.
From our conversation last night, I gathered that Kanna had come to the Academy with a clear goal in mind.
She already knew about the Wall and Totems, and was trying to solve something related to them.
And somehow, she knew me and seemed to be acting for my sake.
Yet until recently—until mid-March when she asked to be friends—I had been just another person she paid no attention to.
The more I learned about her, the more my heart ached.
"If Ha-min cries, would it be my fault...?"
What fault could you possibly have? I wouldn't cry.
And if you were here, I could smile.
Rather, I worried that you might cry because of me.
Unlike others who didn't even give you attention, treating you like you weren't there, I regretted the time I spent ignoring the person beside me—you shone so brightly.
Just as I always looked up at the stars in the sky, it felt like you were there among them.
Despite being the same age as me, the way you tried so hard to solve problems from your position—it made you seem like a star to me.
In just over two weeks, nearly three weeks' time.
I realized that this bright personality was returning to the Kanna I first met.
Between dismissal and mockery, Kanna had become exhausted and eventually compromised.
Realizing that she couldn't get entangled with anyone or receive help from anyone, understanding that her words had become nothing more than failed jokes, she first learned to endure alone.
I frowned at the realization that I had unknowingly participated in this. How terrible that the atmosphere of this Academy could twist someone's personality like this.
In an academy meant to produce heroes, excessive competition and arbitrary judgments had broken a person.
That's why I wanted to change things.
Even though I was just a student, even if I was just one first-year student who happened to be Top Rank, I intended to do my best within my capabilities, just as Kanna had done.
Monday.
Time was racing through mid-May.
Spring was slowly fading, and summer was seeping in to fill the void.
Still, thanks to the weekend rain, cool air brushed against my skin.
I was starting to wonder if I should take off my blazer, though today it felt necessary.
After finally separating from Kanna, I arrived at the Academy and surveyed the atmosphere.
Over the course of a day, I had pondered again and again how to change the Academy's atmosphere.
In truth, competition exists to push each other to become better heroes, so it couldn't be eliminated. Even making arbitrary judgments is just part of having a "subjective view," so I couldn't really criticize that either.
No matter how eloquently I might speak, people will ultimately express what they've seen based on their own beliefs and thoughts.
Since changing those things was impossible, what I could change was the environment—the atmosphere surrounding people.
One person can't do much, but with help, it could happen quickly.
"Yoon Ha-min, you're a bit late today?"
The epitome of blonde hair and blue eyes. The next head of the Ramiris family, the honor student, Orca Ramiris.
"I had something to take care of."
With a bitter smile, she cautiously asked:
"...Did you tell Kanna yesterday? It seems she's not coming today either..."
"Sorry, I couldn't tell her."
"Oh, is that so...? Well, I suppose it would be awkward to suddenly contact someone who just left the hospital."
Orca nodded with a disappointed expression, but seemed to accept it as unavoidable.
She was probably planning for another opportunity.
She seemed to regret the awkwardness between them after hearing from the hero Asrad that Kanna might be responsible for the Wall's collapse.
I wondered how Kanna would react when she heard this after regaining her senses.
I hoped she'd be pleased.
Well, I couldn't relay the message now.
So I decided to set that aside and focus on the most important issue.
"By the way, Orca, I'm thinking of trying something. Could you listen to me?"
"What is it?"
"I think it would be better to continue this conversation in the cafeteria later."
"...If you're going to tell me in the cafeteria anyway, why make me curious now?"
"Sorry, sorry."
I smiled bitterly.
After four classes, lunchtime arrived.
With students from all three years gathering, even the spacious cafeteria seemed crowded.
Since it was a space used only once per shift, there was no need for it to be larger as long as everyone took turns.
Anyway, having lunch alone with Orca, I glanced around.
"So? You said you had something to tell me at lunch?"
Orca seemed bothered by what I'd said in the morning and urged me to speak.
"Ah, well, I'm thinking of deliberately failing the exam next week."
"...What do you mean by failing?"
"I mean intentionally getting a bad grade. Preferably the worst in class."
"Why would you do such a thing? Whatever your circumstances, in the end, only results matter."
Of course I knew that.
For someone as competitive and effort-driven as Orca, this would be absolutely distasteful.
But I hadn't come to the Academy thinking I'd get good grades and join a prestigious agency, working safely inside and living on a steady monthly salary.
If it came to it, I could simply choose not to be a hero.
The world would obviously be protected by other heroes or future heroes anyway.
If someone like me couldn't make it, I'd just nod and find my own way to survive.
I came here to become a hero for everyone, but after realizing there was one person who was rejected by everyone and ultimately unprotected, I thought it might be fine to be a hero just for that person.
"The Academy's atmosphere is too oppressive."
I wanted to convince Orca.
But without explaining that Kanna's personality used to be different and changed because of the Academy's atmosphere, I couldn't even begin the conversation.
It would be selfish to hide everything and still ask for help.
But was it okay to tell her?
I had my doubts, but in the end, I had to speak.
After all, it was too much to handle alone.
"Pardon?"
Ignoring Orca's confusion, I spoke the truth.
I reversed my decision from yesterday's phone call to keep Kanna's situation secret for now.
"Actually, Kanna has been discharged, but she's not doing well."
"...What do you mean by not doing well?"
"Because of her severe head injury, she seems to have lost most of her memories of the Academy. And, how should I put it... her brain was damaged somewhere, causing regression, so it's hard to communicate with her. Or maybe too easy to communicate? Anyway, that happened..."
I found myself rambling as I tried to talk about Kanna.
I groaned and checked Orca's reaction; she was staring at me blankly, forgetting even to eat.
"If that happened, why didn't you tell me..."
"You seemed to want distance from Kanna, so I couldn't say anything."
"...Ah."
Orca sighed, seemingly reflecting on her actions.
"Anyway, her pre-Academy personality seems to be showing through, and she's so bright."
I calmly shared what I had observed.
"She's bright, considerate of others... worries about them... and seeing that reminds me of when she first asked to be friends with us in mid-March."
I lost my appetite.
I couldn't eat anything.
So I set everything down and continued speaking with a heavy heart.
"She clearly looked depressed then, but it must have been because of those difficult 2-3 weeks at the Academy. Because she was Bottom Rank, she must have struggled. That's why I wanted to change things."
"..."
Orca remained silent.
And then,
"I... I'd like to see Kanna. Is that possible...? Do you know where she lives?"
The situation had become rather awkward.