Chapter 14 – Being Praised and Joining the Group
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Shion said she had asked for an ability that would allow her to detect lies. And certainly, that’s a handy ability to have.
If you can see through other people’s lies, you become able to realize when someone is about to trick you. You’ll also encounter individuals who seem kind on the surface but have ulterior motives in reality. All in all, I think it’s very useful when living in a society, but it’ll likely make the user feel a lot of distrust towards other people.
What bothered me about the ability was the question of why you’d bring it to an uninhabited island. But, after considering it for a bit, I reached a certain possibility.
――Shion might have chosen this ability based on the assumption that she’d be transferred to the uninhabited island in a group.
Forty teenagers would be released on an uninhabited island without a teacher to watch over them. It’d be difficult to demand that all of them adhere to the morals and laws common in Japan.
But if you have the ability to see through lies, you’ll likely be able to avoid dangers and improve your standing within the group. However, assuming that’s true――
“Shion, did you anticipate our class being transferred to this island at that point?”
Shion smiled broadly at my words, “You’re overestimating me. If I had to say, it’s thanks to you, Sousuke-kun.”
“Thanks to me?”
“Under normal circumstances, it’s not a bad idea to aim at being popular or try reading the mood, right? Such things are part of one’s social life. But, back then, everyone initially considered it to be a dream.”
“That’s true,” I nodded.
“In short, it was a setting where everyone wouldn’t see any reason to comply with the rules of a social life, thus revealing their true selves. Many of the students were satisfied with giving silly or very commonplace answers. They didn’t put much thought into it. They went with the flow. I think that’s a dangerous thing to do.”
It’s wonderful if one can consciously demonstrate their sociality in settings where it’s necessary. But if you’re too accustomed to matching everyone around you, you won’t be able to act by yourself, even in settings where you should make your own judgment. I think that’s what she’s going for here.
“Sou-kun didn’t read the mood back then.”
Hearing Chiyu’s words, Shion’s face bloomed into a smile, and she yelled, “That’s it! Since it was a dream, everyone could have answered seriously without caring what the others around them thought. But, Sousuke-kun was the only one able to put it into practice. Moreover, his speaking up created the opportunity for the people around him to consider their abilities. I thought that’s incredible.”
Having so much respect pointed at me, I felt troubled and bashful.
“It’s nothing so exaggerated… Besides, it was Shouko who created the flow where everyone began to consider abilities.”
“Haha, I didn’t do anything so great.”
Shouko looked rather happily embarrassed. Maybe it’d be good for me to be at least that honest as well.
“True. Sousuke-kun was the person who took the first step, and Shouko-chan was the person who created the flow that followed afterwards, so both of you are amazing. Also, Chiyu-chan, who made Sousuke-kun spell out the ability in words.”
“Oh, right. If Chiyu hadn’t chatted me up, I’d have simply kept it to myself.”
“Childhood friends Tag-Team Play,” said Chiyu while stressing the childhood friends part.
“Just now you said that you’d have simply kept it to yourself, but in reality that would have been a very valid choice, I think.”
Shion’s words sounded as if they were filled with conviction.
“That means you haven’t actually voiced out what you’d take with you, right Shion?”
“Nothing less of you, Sousuke-kun. You’ve even noticed that part,” Shion said in admiration while putting her hands together in front of her chest.
“What’s going on? Tell me, tell me! Explain it in a way understandable for me as well, please!”
Shouko was confused.
“Umm, let’s see, you’ve heard many saying what they wanted to take with them inside the dream, right?”
“Yep. Everyone did that, no?”
“No, not everyone. I couldn’t check how many, but some kept silent about it until the very end.”
“Eh? Really?”
“Yep. Besides, the blackboard only mentioned 『What would you take if you could bring only one thing with you on an uninhabited island?』, but it didn’t specify the method of how to answer. That’s why you could choose any way to reply.”
“A-Are you saying both of you considered things to such an extent in that situation?”
Shouko drew back somewhat.
“Well, halfway through the whole thing, I started to think that things were weird. Also, I don’t hate thinking about such 『What if』 scenarios. I just got a bit too invested in it.”
“I see? So, if some people didn’t voice it out, what does that mean?”
“Earlier, Shion said that only her first choice was accepted when she wished for two things, didn’t she? It means a change of the answer wasn’t tolerated.”
“Oki.”
“In that case, what would happen if you initially decided on an ability, but then replied out loud with something suitable like 『Knife』 during the dream?”
“Hmm? …Ah! You could mislead others about your ability when reuniting with those who heard you speak about a knife?”
Shouko seemed to slowly realize our train of thought.
“It’s as you say, Shouko-chan. If it’s a knife, you could simply explain not having one by saying you lost it somewhere. In the first place, if you choose consumable goods as cover, you can always say that you used them up.”
“Whoa, a plan on the premise of tricking all your classmates? No, well, our society sure is full of bad people, but still…”
It seemed like Shouko couldn’t quite imagine that some of our classmates would have planned things up to that degree during that dream.
“Ahaha… Even if I didn’t go as far as tricking others, I still hid my answer so that no one else would know about it. So hearing this stings a bit.”
“No, Shi-chan, you didn’t do anything bad, did you? You have the right not to talk about stuff you don’t want to talk about.”
“Thanks, Shouko-chan.”
“…Rather than that, Shio-chan…”
“Is something the matter, Chiyu-chan?”
“I don’t plan on blaming you for choosing to reveal your ability only now. But you’ve been using your ability on Sou-kun all the time since meeting him. Right?”
Hearing Chiyu’s question, Shion put on an apologetic expression and bowed to me.
“Yep, that’s actually correct. It looks like Shouko-chan is trusting you, but I was worried since we aren’t overly close. Sorry for doing something like testing you.”
“No, don’t mind it. I’d have dealt with you a lot more cautiously as well if Shouko weren’t with you. Trying to adapt to the current situation with your own abilities is only natural. It’s nothing you need to apologize for.”
In the first place, it’s not like I revealed everything I can do with my ability.
“…Thanks. You’re a kind man, Sousuke-kun.”
Maybe Shion is still using her ability on me. Probably because she’s realized that I’m not really angry here, her eyes widened faintly.
“I don’t care since I don’t have anything to hide anyway, but Shi-chan said that people would normally hate it if they learned that all their lies would be exposed, so I kept quiet about it, okay? Sorry, Sousuke.”
“I’ve already said I’m not angry. But, well, these things should be clear now. What do you think, Chiyu?”
“I don’t mind, but I’ve got a concern.”
“What is it?”
While expressionless, Chiyu placed a hand on her mouth, like what’s done by people who hold back their tears do.
“If I consider that all of your obvious lies will be exposed, I feel so sorry for you, Sou-kun. So sorry.”
“Hey, what’s that with the obvious lies?”
“Staring at other people’s chests and then saying you didn’t, and stuff like that.”
“Alright. No comment on that one.”
Chiyu and my conversation caused Shouko to become red and Shion to giggle, softening the current atmosphere. But, it’s certainly as Chiyu says. I must watch my words, as lies will be exposed by Shion.
“So, Sousuke-kun, Chiyu-chan, are you going to accept us as your friends?”
“Sousuke! Take us in! If you do it now, I’ll also throw in Mashiro! He’s super fluffy!”
Chiyu and I looked at each other, nodding. Then we looked back at the other two, and I said, “Of course we’ll welcome you.”
Just like this, we became a happy group of four.
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