Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 3 [Alice Secret]

- Part 4

Thursday, 11th June.

Homeroom was the same as usual. Kita and Kouji were absent, I was working on the questions with Matsushita and Sakigamiya, and Kawaguchi tried to leave halfway through again.

"Kawaguchi-san! Wait!"

At this point, I don't know how many times I've heard Tadokoro yell out like that.

"Please, Kawaguchi-san!"

Upon hearing her second cry, Kawaguchi turned around languidly.

Even though he'd usually ignore her, this time, Kawaguchi responded. He stood face to face with Tadokoro, who was desperate to get him back on his feet.

"Tadokoro-san, just stop. Can't you just leave me alone already...?"

This time, mercilessly in front of the whole class, Kawaguchi cut her off with a grumbling complaint. It was almost like he was wondering how many times he would have to tell her this for her to understand.

Tadokoro flinched as his sharp words cut deep into her, but the determination in her eyes didn't waver one bit. No matter how many times he pushed her away, Tadokoro wouldn't give up. Even Taiga recognised this, as she didn't stop her this time.

"I-I won't leave you alone... not when you're like this Kawaguchi-san, I just can't!"

"Then, what will it take for you to back down? Tell me."

"That, um... if you go back... to the way you used to be..."

"Go back? Impossible."

Once again, Kawaguchi's coldhearted response mercilessly cut into Tadokoro.

"No, it's not! I... I have faith that you can still go back to the way you used to be!"

"And I already told you, it's impossible. Your faith in me is misguided."

"Even so, I still believe in you!"

Kawaguchi clenched his fist. It gave the impression that, depending on the situation, he might start getting violent.

"Then, make it so Shigeru-san never told everyone about my past."

"Eh...?"

"That's how you can make things go back to how they used to be."

Now that his past as an arsonist was revealed, it was impossible to return to how things were. It was an unreasonable and inconceivable request meant to convey to Tadokoro that he couldn't go back.

"That's..."

"I hope you remember that before you try talking to me again."

Kawaguchi turned his back on her and began to walk away, but Tadokoro couldn't help but reach out to him as he left. She grabbed onto his right arm, desperate to prevent him from leaving.

"Let go of me."

"I-I won't!"

Despite Kawaguchi's icy rejection, Tadokoro continued to hold her ground. She believed that, as long as she didn't give up, her feelings would somehow get through to him.

However, Kawaguchi sighed openly. And then, he raised his arm up in the air and forcefully swung it down to shake free from her grasp.

"Kya!"

The forceful, sudden movement caused Tadokoro to collapse on the spot.

It was a crude and uncharacteristic way of handling the situation, meant to show to her what kind of person he truly was: a delinquent who didn't care who he hurt, as long as they were his enemy.