SSGS Chapter 42

Chapter 42
07.  The Initiation of a Transfer Student

 

For several days after that, peaceful days continued.

There were no particular incidents, and there were no ghost sightings for a while.

However, posts like “When will the Hastings siblings’ hide-and-seek end?” still appeared on the student bulletin board from time to time.

That’s right. Raven was still running away from me.

But I had found another way to approach Raven.

 

“Come to the student council after school today. We have something to discuss regarding the investigation of ghost stories.”

 

Senior Noah delivered this notice on the way to school this morning. It seemed that the Ghost Story Investigation Department was about to start its activities.

So I decided to visit the student council sub-room at 9 PM tonight.

Maybe I could meet Raven right away today. With such high hopes, I started my day.

The Johannes Castle, where F class was gathered, still exuded a gloomy atmosphere.

Located at the far end of the school and directly connected to the mountain, it felt eerie.

As I entered the classroom, the noisy room fell silent.

Even though quite some time had passed since the semester started, my second-year F class classmates still seemed conscious of me. There was a subtle atmosphere.

‘It’s suffocating…!’

Why were they acting like this?

I only had Leonard and my seatmate to ask, but I couldn’t get a clear answer from either of them.

My seatmate, Dante, was often absent from the classroom due to his sports specialty, and Leonard was a loner who didn’t care about others’ business.

‘I miss Sally and Erica.’

Unfortunately, I didn’t have many chances to run into them since Erica was an S class student and Sally was a C class student.

There was only a slight possibility of meeting them during moving classes or PE classes.

Like today.

Today, our class had PE, and coincidentally, it overlapped with S class students, so we could meet on the sports field.

I waved happily when I made eye contact with Erica.

Seeing this, the whispering among F class students intensified.

The topic of the PE class was cricket.

The students seemed quite familiar with the sport, but it was very new to me.

I had only heard the name, but this was my first time seeing it in person. Where would an ordinary person like me have the chance to experience sports?

Cricket is a sport where two teams of 11 players take turns attacking and defending, hitting the ball with a bat to score points and compete.

The problem was that I was terrible at hitting the ball with the bat.

The PE teacher explained about the class.

“We’ll focus on practice games until the end of this month, and there will be an inter class competition for the midterm exam, so keep that in mind.”

An inter-class competition!

I had just learned what cricket was, and now an inter-class competition seemed too high-level.

I stood awkwardly, holding the bat, and swung it clumsily.

Forget about sending the ball far, even hitting the ball with the bat was a problem.

We were practicing in groups with F class friends, and the friends in my group all looked at me with frustrated faces.

“Hastings, how can you swing the bat like that!”

“Why can’t you do this?”

“Is it Hastings again?”

It was really the first time I heard that I couldn’t do something.

I thought I only lacked money and status…!

Moreover, when we drew lots for positions among the players who would participate in the inter-class competition, I ended up with the most important role.

I was confused about the position written on the paper I drew and asked my classmates.

“Batsman? Guys, what’s a batsman?”

The class atmosphere suddenly became cold. Everyone looked at me with serious faces.

“Of all people, Hastings is the batsman…?”

“Someone who doesn’t even know what a batsman is becomes the batsman. Our class is doomed.”

“It’s okay, we can score well in other subjects besides PE.”

The batsman, in other words, was the role of hitting the ball thrown by the bowler with the bat and scoring points.

I, who could barely hold and swing the bat properly, was assigned the role of hitting the ball and scoring.

‘We’re really doomed.’

Unfortunately, despite practicing very hard during PE class that day, my cricket skills showed no signs of improvement.

After being scolded by my group mates, I finished the class with burning determination.

‘No way. Is there anything in this world that can’t be done with effort? I will definitely overcome this trial!’

Of course, my goal was just to leave this school with Raven, but I couldn’t slack off in school activities and cause trouble for other students. I might face some disadvantages too.

I immediately went to the student cafeteria and stood in front of a male student who was having dinner.

It was none other than my seatmate, Dante.

“Hello, Wellington. I heard you’re a sports specialist. They say you’re a cricket player, is that right?”

Dante, who was scooping stew with a spoon, looked up at me with a surprised face.

The students’ attention focused on us.

“Can you teach me cricket? I don’t want to cause trouble for my friends. Please, I’m begging you. I’m not asking to learn for free. In return, I’ll teach you academics.”

I heard that Dante’s academic performance was terrible.

Above all, wouldn’t anyone want to help a friend so full of enthusiasm?

I looked at Dante with an expectant face. Dante, who had been quietly watching me, answered with a sleepy face.

“No.”

Such a clear rejection came back.

Why?

🐈‍⬛

‘Then who should I learn cricket from now?’

Erica and Sally said they weren’t good at cricket either. Leonard didn’t seem interested at all.

‘Come to think of it, what’s Leonard’s major?’

Being in F class meant he must be an art student too.

I tilted my head for a moment, then quickly erased Leonard from my mind. There was no time.

That night, at 9 PM.

I put a glass bottle filled with holy water in my bag and headed to the student council sub-room.

It seems I was the first to arrive at the sub-room. After checking the empty classroom, I reflexively touched my neck.

The blessed cross necklace was hanging quietly on my neck.

Just then, the sub-room door opened, and familiar faces entered.

A first-year male student with platinum blonde hair, still clearly boyish, and a third-year male student with black hair and a neat image. It was Easton and Senior Noah.

I jumped up from my seat, approached the door, looked around, and peered into the corridor.

Easton shook his head.

“Raven didn’t come, Senior.”

“Why? Isn’t he a member too?”

“It’s probably because of you, senior. They say the game of tag still isn’t over?”

I was at a loss for words at Easton’s answer and closed my mouth.

Everyone said we were playing tag because Raven was running away from me and I was chasing him.

I couldn’t refute it because it wasn’t much different from reality.

I was so upset to realize that even to others, it looked like Raven was running away.

“That guy really doesn’t care about me at all. His sister is doing dangerous work, and he doesn’t even show up.”

I must have looked visibly dejected.

Easton, rather flustered, made an excuse.

“Today’s just a brief meeting, so it’s only us here. Don’t be too disappointed.”

🐈‍⬛

Thank you for reading! ♡