The Chaotic Seat Change

TL: Daemon

ED: PuffyPyjamas

It’s a long homeroom. At our school, that means it’s a period for the class to do whatever they desire. If you’re busy with the school festival, it can be time to prepare for that, or it can even be time for deciding who will be the class representatives.

And for today’s long homeroom, we didn’t have our normal teacher, but Hiiragi-chan instead.

“Your homeroom teacher, Sakai-sensei, has been out since lunch for business-related stuff, so I will be the one to watch over you guys.”

What can Hiiragi-chan even do during a time like this since she isn’t even our homeroom teacher…? As I tilted my head in confusion, Hiiragi-chan continued.

“I was asked by Sakai-sensei to help out with a seat change, so that’s what I would like to do.”

A seat change. I’m next to the window, so I’m pretty satisfied with where I am sitting though…

“S-seat change…”

Fujimoto was trembling next to me.

“Hey, what’s wrong? A seizure? Do you have a syndrome where you’re unable to part with your current seat?”

“Sanada… You’re going to be next to me, right…? It’ll definitely be like that, right?”

“No, how am I supposed to know?”

I mercilessly cut him down.

“Wwwwwhhhyyyy? You would be troubled by a change too, right? So if you stick with me, it’ll be a win win situation for us…!”

“Ummm, sorry, I can’t hear what the teacher is saying so can you please keep it down.”

“You’re already acting like we’re strangers!?”

The stranger sitting next to me is noisy.

“Ummm, so normally, how do you guys do a seat change?”

When Hiiragi-chan asked, a few girls raised their voices.

“Lottery?”

“But doesn’t it just become us talking it out in the end?”

“Like changing with someone in front if you can’t see well.”

Hiiragi-chan nodded.

“Then, I guess it’ll be fine to start with a lottery.”

As everyone was nodding vaguely, Hiiragi-chan took a glance at me, so I gave her a firm nod.

“Then I’ll make the lottery. Please wait for a moment.”

Fujimoto started praying.

“If next to each other is impossible, then at least have it be front and back…”

“Don’t you have a girl you like or something?”

“Are you stupid!? There would be no way a girl would like an isolated loner like me.”

Wow… What he shouted was way heavier than I thought it would be… Also, I have a feeling that’s the truth.

I patted Fujimoto on the shoulder. Live strongly, my man.

“The lottery has been made, so please come up and pick one out one by one.”

Hiiragi-chan placed a brown envelope on the table. It seems that she put the lottery tickets inside.

Snaking through the class to pick out a ticket, it finally came to be my turn.

When I arrived at the front of the table, Hiiragi-chan whispered to me in a voice that only I could hear, “Here, here…”

What she brought out was a single lottery ticket.

“Sensei, did you perhaps…!”

Do you actually know what seat I like…?

Hiiragi-chan nodded and gave me a thumbs up.

That’s right, I said before that I liked a window seat! That’s got to be it. I responded by also giving a thumbs up. It’s the perfect inside trade.

Nice, Hiiragi-chan. Like this, I’ll at least be able to keep a window seat for the next few months. As long as it’s not the front, I can go anywhere.

This is Hiiragi-chan though. She might have exercised her power and given me the back most window seat.

After returning to my seat, Hiiragi-chan wrote the seating arrangement on the blackboard. Starting with the seat at the front by the hallway being 1, the arrangement snaked through the classroom so that the backmost window seat was labelled as 36.

“Has everyone gotten their ticket? Please move to the seat that your ticket indicates.”

Hmmmm. Based on that numbering, the window seats would be all the numbers in the thirties.

I spread out the folded piece of paper.

[It’s number 19 ♡]

Huh? Isn’t this wrong? Hiiragi-chan, did you give me the wrong ticket?

However, there’s a heart tacked on at the end, so this is definitely the one she was supposed to give me…

19…

In the middle of the front row… right in front of the teacher’s podium…?

“…”

Hiiragi-chan was repeatedly winking at me.

S-she really did it this time…!

Being right in front of the teacher’s podium means that during class, I’ll always be in the teacher’s vision.

Well, it’ll probably be fine during world history class. It’s close, and our eyes will meet a lot too.

As soon as I fall asleep she will probably end up warning me while assuming the air of a teacher. (Well, she is an actual teacher though.)

“But…! World history isn’t the only class that I’m taking…!”

From that position, I’ll be in the direct line of sight of all teachers. Whether I’m taking notes or not, playing with my phone, or taking a nap, all of it will be completely visible.

Hiiragi-chan was all smiles, as she thought that her feelings were properly conveyed. She was busy huffing and puffing with pride as if she was satisfied after doing a good deed.

My feelings though, haven’t gotten through at all!

My classmates began talking with each other after figuring out where their new seats were.

“Yay, I’m in the back row.”

“I’m in the very middle…”

With everyone showing various reactions, the trading of seats began.

Groups that are close to each other gathered together, and the people that wanted to distance themselves from that found random people to trade with.

“Sanada…. What number are you?”

“19…”

“Isn’t that in front of the teacher’s podium? It’s okay, don’t mind it. I got 34.”

“Why are you a window seat…! That’s such a nice spot too…!”

I paid the price for cheating…

“I can’t see the board so can someone trade with me?”

I immediately approached the boy who spoke up asking for a trade.

“Eeeeh… Sanada, your seat is a little… too far in front. I do want something in front, but something more mild might be better. Is there anyone else?”

Kuu, I failed…

Seeing what was happening, Hiiragi-chan was super confused!? Why!? Why are you changing!? Is what she seemed to be saying with her expression. I don’t have the time to be paying attention to Hiiragi-chan. If things were to start settling down, I won’t be able to change anymore.

While looking for a trade partner, people were gradually converging and deciding on their own seats.

And then, people began to move.

“S-so this is it…”

As I muttered in disappointment, someone patted me on the shoulder.

“Sanada, do you want to change seats?”

“Fujimotoooooo!”

He waved the number 34 ticket in front of me. As I tried to grab it, he quickly pulled it back.

“Sanada, don’t you have something you should be saying to me?”

“Sorry. I’m really sorry about earlier. Sorry for thinking of you as a loner and a virgin.”

“No, wait, that just reversed everything.”

“Sorry for thinking of you as a pitiful loner.”

“Stop pitying me!”

“Sorry for thinking of you as a friend.”

“You don’t need to apologize for that!”

“Sorry for thinking—”

“Stop it with the sorry for thinking series! If you keep going further, we’ll probably have to rethink our relationship.”

I don’t want to hear how you really feel, Fujimoto said.

“Thank you, my friend.”

“It’s fine, my friend.”

“If you’re in front of the podium, you won’t be able to secretly talk to other people, so it won’t look like you’re a loner, right?”

“…Don’t say that!”

It seems that both of us were going for desperate measures.

Just like that, the trade was completed, and I moved towards the desk by the window. The girl who had just become my neighbor then asked me.

“Is it alright to change seats with Fujimoto?”

“Eh? Oh, yeah, isn’t it fine?”

If I remember correctly, this girl is the type to wear glasses during class. Also, it just so happened that there was also another girl she was close with next to Fujimoto’s new seat. So it’s killing two birds with one stone.

Fujimoto, who hasn’t talked to a girl in a long time in my own memory, seemed panicked as he conversed with the girl. As I was watching them, Fujimoto accepted the trade with a positive answer.

I was now once again sitting next to Fujimoto.

“I spoke with a girl…”

Isn’t that great, Fujimoto. We better celebrate today.

Just like that, the curtains closed on the chaotic seat change.

That night, as I was on the phone with Hiiragi-chan, she asked in a sad manner,

“Why did you change seats…?”