Chapter 145 - Classroom of the Elite: Checkmate 9

Chapter 9 - Queen (Part 1)

Before we knew it, yet another week had passed in the blink of an eye.

Hirata and Kushida convinced everyone that abiding by the rules would be the best course of action for the class. Since Horikita had followed these regulations since the beginning, only two people didn't adhere to the proposals of our interim leadership: Sudou Ken and Kouenji Rokusuke.

Since we had made no progress in uncovering a way to receive more points yet, Sudou kept his previous promise and did whatever he wanted during classes. He was late eight out of ten times, used his cellphone during lessons to play games, or slept because he was tired from training until late the day before.

Even his few friends, Ike, Hondou and Okitani, weren't able to change his behavior for the better. Whenever they tried to convince him to follow the rules, he began to lash out at them, which led to the current situation where the three just left him alone to not cause any further discord in their group.

Sudou wasn't willing to comply, and all they could do was hope that this wouldn't affect their points this month, in case we managed to gain any. The rest of my classmates were understandably angered because of Sudou's antics. The girls in particular could be heard badmouthing him whenever he left the room, and I doubted that they had forgiven him for offending Hirata the week prior.

The boy in question wasn't swift enough to put out these fires, but he tried to excuse Sudou's irresponsible, and outright damaging behavior as much as he could, while thinking of a way to make him follow their lead.

Why wasn't I doing anything then?

The answer to this was simple.

Sudou kept shoveling his own grave. The deeper this hole got, the harder he would have to work to climb back out later. I just had to make sure that the tunnel didn't cave in on him while he happily shoveled downwards, towards his inevitable turning point.

The second troublesome student, Kouenji, behaved rather well, as he was not using his phone during lessons and always arrived in the classroom on time. He sometimes found it more important to comb his hair than to listen, which would still cost us points if we had any, but other than that, he was acting rather amicably.

To my disappointment, Horikita hadn't changed at all after her discussion with Chabashira-sensei.

It was astounding to me that an individual could be this dense about their own abilities. Even after multiple people had told her that she was placed in Class D for a reason, she couldn't accept it and blamed anyone but herself for her current situation.

Aside from the problematic students, there was also Chabashira-sensei, who had acted exemplarily after our fruitful exchange on May 1st.

Just as promised, there wasn't a single indication that she treated me differently than anyone else. Even Kouenji would have trouble to detect anything about our discussion, as long as he didn't ask her about me in particular. Every time I glanced at her serious and confident appearance, I couldn't help but relive the sound that the clipboard made after hitting her butt.

Something was seriously wrong with me...

The lesson ended soon and everyone was about to meet up with their friends to get lunch when Hirata stood up. He began to gather everyone's attention, likely to inform us about his plans concerning the study groups.

"As you all surely remember, Chabashira-sensei mentioned that midterms are coming up soon. Remember that if you fail, you'll be expelled. Therefore, I think it would be a good idea to start a few studying groups, so everyone could work together even if you are not comfortable in large groups."

After this short introduction, he moved to the main point while looking towards Sudou's direction in particular.

"I want to avoid anyone getting a failing grade and being expelled. This would not only keep us from losing points, but I believe if we score high marks on the exams, we should improve our points as well. I asked some students who scored high on the previous exam to help prepare a study plan. So everyone is free to join any of the groups if they feel anxious."

His planning took longer than he initially anticipated, as he needed to make sure that even outsiders like Sakura and Sudou would feel welcome. It was more difficult for the latter, but he had spent a lot of time trying to find people that even shy students like Sakura would feel comfortable with, who were also decent enough to teach them at the same time.

"Tch."

Again, Sudou only clicked his tongue.

"Starting today at five o'clock, we plan to study in this classroom for two hours a day until the test. If you'd like to join us, please come whenever you like. It's not mandatory to attend or stay the full two hours if you don't want, but I am sure that we'll be able to improve everyone's grades if we tackle this together."

Upon the conclusion of his speech, most of the students went over to him.

He greeted his classmates with his usual charming smile and elaborated on the plans he had with the study groups. Hirata informed everyone about the tutors and how many people were in each group so that they could better decide which one to join.

Ike hesitated, afraid that Sudou would beat him if he joined the group Kushida was part of. His final decision surprised me somewhat, as he took off with Sudou, leaving the girl of his fantasies behind.

"Ayanokouji-kun. Are you free for lunch? Do you want to eat together?"

I couldn't help but turn around and stare at my neighbor with wide eyes.

"Who are you, and what did you do to Horikita?"

...

"Ouch. What was that for?"

She retracted her compass, which had just pierced into my hand like a venomous snake.

"Because you are talking nonsense. I'd like to discuss something with you."

"If it's about a birthday gift, I'm the last person to ask. Oh wait, who would you buy a gift for, anyway?"

...

"Ouch! What is wrong with you? Fine, I'll come with you if you stop stabbing me with that thing."

"Good. Let's go then, Ayanokouji-kun."

And that's how I went to my second date with Horikita.

No, stop...

I shouldn't even joke about this.

We ambled towards the cafeteria while bantering with each other, as always. Upon reaching our destination, she allowed me to choose a meal set and even took the most expensive option herself, meaning that I was allowed to indulge myself today.

Did she want to trap me as well? How curious...

The two of us scanned the cafeteria for a free spot after we received our meals, and made our way over to the empty table in the corner, which was the favoured position for both of us since few students walked by that area. Horikita and I sat down and started eating and chatting whenever our mouths were empty.

"Well, Ayanokouji-kun. We have a problem."

"Which is?"

I took a mouthful of salad and glanced at her in silent anticipation.

"Twofold, to be exact. Their names are Sudou and Ike."

Wow, that was unexpected.

"I don't see any problems with them, though."

"I figured that might be the case. Listen and learn, Ayanokouji-kun. When Chabashira-sensei recounted how we lost our points, she mentioned absences, being late to class, using the phone, talking in class and Yamauchi's expulsion. What does that tell you?"

"Uhm. That all those things are bad?"

I grabbed a piece of meat and enjoyed the savory aroma which spread through my mouth upon taking a bite.

"Ayanokouji-kun. Please... You have a brain. Use it, for at least once."

A strained expression surfaced on my otherwise emotionless face, as I thought about the potential reason that Horikita could have been hinting at. Or that's what I'd like to think at least, since, as always, not much should have happened due to my lack of experience on how to control my facial muscles.

"Did we lose points because Yamauchi got expelled?"

"Exactly. Very good. What does that tell you about our current problem?"

"Ohhhhh, you think Sudou and Ike might get expelled?"

"Yes. Most likely. They will disqualify themselves from this school by not learning for the upcoming midterms. Since I am stuck with these morons, I decided to lend a helping hand. Losing those two would seriously damage our class as well, as seen by Yamauchi. That is what I believe."

At least she had realized that Yamauchi had cost us points. She also didn't mind lending Sudou and Ike a hand as long as this helped her reach her own goal. In the end, Horikita didn't care if they, or half the class, were to be expelled, as long as she would reach Class A in the end.

What a cruel person...

"So what's your plan?"

"You will tell them to come study with me."

The sound of my cutlery dropping onto the meal tray could be heard throughout the busy cafeteria.

"I'm what now?"

The task she had entrusted me with was in the realm of possibilities, yet still struck me by surprise. Even if I pleaded the two of them to join, without enough of an incentive, they wouldn't even think twice about it before declining. Especially Sudou, after taking into consideration what Horikita had done to him.

"Since you are friends with them, you will ask them to come study with me in the library. Your scores were nothing to be proud of either, so you will join us as well."

She took a bite and studied my reaction with interest.

"I'd hate to disappoint you, Horikita. I really do. But it's impossible. They'll say no, no matter what I tell them."

"I don't care what you do to get them in the library. For all I care, pay them, but get them there after class tomorrow."

That was all I needed to hear.

Since she gave me the okay to use everything in my power to get them to listen, there might even be a way of killing two birds with one stone.

If everything would work out, however, would need to be seen.

"Fine. I'll try my best."

"Very good. I knew I could count on you, Ayanokouji-kun. Let's finish our meal, then."

I nodded in silence before we ate our lunch.

We kept chatting, and I glanced at her from time to time, which she had also noticed. From her point of view, it should look like I wanted to ask her something, but felt uncomfortable expressing it.

After a few minutes, she was fed up by my repeated peeks at her delicate face and sighed in exasperation.

"What is it, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Ah it's nothing..."

"Speak, or I'll stab you with my compass."

"Hey! You said you would stop doing that if I went with you."

"I never said such a thing. I merely answered 'good', which doesn't state in the slightest that I would agree to your terms. You just interpreted my words to your wishes without knowing the whole truth, that's all."

Sudou was right; she was the devil.

"Well, since that is the case, I won't ask them to study with you until you agree to my previous terms."

"Not going to happen."

"Then get them to attend your study group by yourself, Hori —"

After my 'negotiations' with Horikita, I split up with her and sent a message to Kushida.

[03:18:47 PM] Hey, are you free by chance? I could really use your help. My life is in danger. Seriously. Please. You are the only one I can count on.

The angelic, almost divine Kushida would immediately agree to a meeting upon reading such a message, even if she had already made plans with someone. Helping a friend in need was of utmost priority to her, after all.

My fears weren't entirely unfounded either, which she would soon come to know.

[03:19:31 PM][Kushida] Eh? Uhm, I had something planned with my friends, but if it's really that important, of course I'll make time for you, Ayanokouji-kun. Is it okay to meet where we talked about your previous problem?

[03:19:54 PM] Yes, that's perfect. You are a lifesaver, Kushida. Thank you so much! ⊂( ´ ▽ ` )⊃

With the second step of this plan out of the way, I sent another message to Fuka.

[03:20:06 PM] Could you stay clear of your usual spot today? I have something to take care of.

I put my phone away, since there was no need to wait for an answer.

She would agree and stay clear of the area for today, or hide somewhere in the vicinity and listen in. I assumed that outcome number two would come to pass, but either way was fine with me. This sort of leeway assured her that our relationship was progressing, which would keep her interested.

It didn't take too long until I arrived at our meeting spot.

Kushida sat on the bench with a worried expression as she caught sight of my figure which was trudging towards her. The girl's eyes gleamed upon noticing me, happy that I seemed to be alright despite my fears.

"Ayanokouji-kun, what happened to your hand?"

As I got closer, however, she saw the two or three dozen puncture wounds, which were distinctly visible on the back of my right hand, and gasped with a horrified look. Our private angel grabbed my fingers and caressed over my injured hand with her soft and careful touch after I sat down beside her.

A moment later, she detected even more wounds on my arm, which I had hidden away under the uniform.

"Who did this to you, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Her big, round eyes, which were filled with worry and compassion, gazed into mine.

They were gorgeous.

She was as well, but now wasn't the time to think about such a minor detail.

"Horikita..."

"What? Why would Horikita-san do something like this?"

I described what had transpired between us just moments ago, while leaving out the parts where I forced Horikita to stab me, since I was unwilling to cooperate with her. This behavior was expected, of course, which meant that everything went according to plan so far.

The stage was set up to convince Kushida to help me and confuse another person in the process. In addition, it might even lead to another positive outcome if everything worked out as expected, which would turn my two birds into three depending on the actions Kushida would take during this conversation.

All thanks to my lovely neighbor.

If I ever had to expel her, I'd make it quick and painless.

Maybe...

"So basically, she wants to help Sudou-kun and Ike-kun in the midterms but couldn't invite them herself. But instead of asking you for help like a normal person, she threatened and hurt you?"

The kind and caring girl shielded her mouth as if she was appalled by this violent act that one of her classmates committed against one of her friends. She kept caressing over my hands to soothe my chaotic mind.

"Yes. Kushida... I'm done for. Sudou and Ike will never agree to join if I ask them. You've seen how mad Sudou gets whenever someone talks to him... When I come back empty-handed, Horikita will kill me for sure. I need your help. Please."

I gripped her two warm and smooth hands before squeezing them with the same amount of pressure that she had used on me when she needed me to open up about Hirata. Even though this was just an act, I felt comfortable when our hands entwined, which made me wonder if this was a normal human reaction.

Since this move always worked for her, I decided to adopt it, at least when I was dealing with certain people that would be affected by this and wouldn't feel weirded out by the sudden contact. Kushida was safe in that regard, others not so much.

I'd hate to be labeled a pervert and stared at as if I was dirt...

"Leave it to me, Ayanokouji-kun. I'll be in the library with Sudou-kun and Ike-kun tomorrow. I promise."

"You are coming as well?"

I feigned surprise, but I was counting on it.

"Mhm. First, Horikita-san might hold back on her physical assaults on everyone when I'm with you. Second, even if her way is totally wrong, I believe that her heart is in the right place. She also didn't want to lose Sudou-kun and Ike-kun in the upcoming midterms. I cannot just sit by and do nothing. It's like Hirata-kun said, if we all work together, we are going to pass the midterms with ease!"

As expected of Kushida Kikyou, everyone's friend and Class D's personal angel.

Even though Horikita was wrong and did something horrible to one of her classmates, she tried to defend her while also taking care of my worries in the process. The fact that she was coming with us to protect me from any further assaults was also just a clever pretext to spend more time with us, which would enable Kushida to get closer to her mark for a prolonged period in which Horikita could slip up and reveal to her what she wanted to know all along.

In actuality, I cared little what her obsession with Horikita was all about, as long as I could use it to my advantage. If I can keep them together for long enough, Kushida might even slip up and confirm what I had been suspecting for a while now.

"Kushida! You're such an angel! I wouldn't know what I'd do without you. Thank you so much."

"You don't need to thank me, Ayanokouji-kun. Friends should stick together, right? I'll be going now and convince Sudou-kun and Ike-kun to join. Everything will work out, I promise."

The beauty in front of me beamed, and it almost looked like a halo was hovering over her head. If I observed her close enough, I believed that I might see sparks of divinity flying off her.

After Kushida reassured me one last time, we said our farewells to each other before she stood up. She walked off towards the dorms and turned around one last time with the brightest smile a human could produce. I waved back at her before she pulled out her phone and made the necessary preparations to save my life.

Now that Kushida was on the job, there was no need to worry about anything.

What a magnificent queen she was.

"You are cruel. You know that, right? Kouhai-kun?"

Fuka stepped out of her hiding place after Kushida's figure vanished from sight and looked at the corner where she had turned with a conflicted expression.

"No idea what you are talking about, Kiryuin-senpai."

Her eyes flashed in a peculiar glint as she glanced at the wounds on my hand.

"That Horikita, if I ever meet her alone... Can I beat her up?"

"I never figured you to be an avenger, senpai."

She studied me with a puzzled face.

"She hurt you. Of course I'd be angry. I'm not unreasonable and know that all of this was part of your plan, but still. I don't like you being hurt. It makes me kind of angry, honestly."

"You don't need to worry about me that much. Just like you, I can handle myself."

Even though I doubted that Fuka would act rashly because of a simple human emotion like anger or worry, I decided to make some preparations on the off-chance that something might happen. She should know I could defend myself after what I did to her, so I hoped that she wouldn't interfere in my matters when she wasn't asked to.

If she did, however, then some education was in order.

I stood up, planning to leave the small park area, as her beautiful, gentle voice reached my ears.

"Where are you going?"

"The faculty office."

She grinned, as if she had already surmised what I was planning to do. The troublesome senpai waved me goodbye before she sat on the bench and crossed her legs while enjoying the blazing midday sun.

I glanced around the area and searched for Chabashira-sensei's presence, which was nowhere to be found. This, of course, was expected, as I knew that she was on the roof smoking right about now. I was also aware about the approximate time at which she would return. Thus, I enacted step three of my plan.

"Excuse me, is Chabashira-sensei here?"

The attention of five teachers who were on break turned toward me. I knew only one of them by name, and she was the target that I was attracting attention for. In line with her personality and interest in me, she was the first to close in on my position.

"Ohh, it's Kiyotaka-kun again. What do you want from Sae-chan?"

The wonderful smile on her face didn't reach her eyes.

This once again confirmed that she suspected me because of Chabashira-sensei's actions a week ago, and the unfortunate coincidence thereafter. I couldn't get rid of her in a short amount of time, which is why I decided to confuse her for the moment.

"Oh, uhm. Nothing. It's not that important."

I hid my hands and trudged backwards, out of the door.

Class B's teacher found this behavior to be rather suspicious, which was why her eyes gleamed in delight. The woman inched closer and clapped her hands, a bright smile on her face.

"Let's chat until Sae-chan comes back."

The other teachers had already turned away and committed themselves to their own tasks, since Hoshinomiya-sensei voluntarily took care of me. These circumstances were foreseen as well, and made it easy for her to pull me aside.

"What are you hiding from your favorite sensei, Kiyotaka-kun?" She pouted, as if disappointed.

"Nothing... I should go now. Than —"

"Na, na, na, don't be so hasty now. You can trust me. I'm Sae-chan's friend after all. She's not very good with her students. Maybe I'll be more helpful than her."

"But Chabashira-sensei told me not to tell anyone and to keep a low profile..."

"Heeeh? That's what you said the last time, right? 'Did I do something wrong? I've been trying to keep a low profile.' Well, since you won't tell me, I guess I can only ask around if anyone knows what's on your mind."

She turned, threatening to walk away.

My hands covered by the sleeves of my uniform flashed forward, grasping onto her arm and rooting her in place.

"Wait. No. Please. I'll tell you, okay? Please... just don't make a scene. I..."

My eyes turned downwards, staring at the ground as if I was struggling, just like Hirata back then. Contrary to my pitiful appearance, her smile reached an all-time high. She turned me around and nudged me towards the door of the guidance room while supporting my back with a gentle yet forceful hand.

Her way of dealing with the opposite sex was a mixture of Fuka, Kushida and Ichinose. She combined the best of these three girls, which molded her into a rather dangerous weapon if one wasn't prepared or immune to her advances.

We soon reached our destination, where Hoshinomiya-sensei opened the door for us. She glanced left and right to make sure no one was watching and hushed inside after me, which was a clear sign that she was overstepping her obligations as a teacher.

"Please sit."

Just like that faithful day a week ago, I sat down on the chair. This time, however, Class B's homeroom teacher sat across from me, as opposed to Class D's. The woman smiled and made herself comfortable in her own chair.

"So, what's on your mind, Kiyotaka-kun?"

After an unhealthy amount of interest in my affairs, she forced me to submit to her by threatening to ask around about me, which was a massive inconvenience for someone that wanted to keep a low profile. Now that I surrendered to her, she became gentle and easy to open up to.

Those two really were total opposites.

Sae was cold and stoic most of the time. Even if one tried, it was hard to warm up to her because she seemed like the sort of person to keep everyone at a distance. Her behavior differed from Hoshinomiya, who used her insane range of emotions to her advantage while fishing for information for her class.

This was proven multiple times during the occasions the two of us had met.

The first time I ran into her, she wasn't too suspicious and tried to charm me with her playful and flirtatious attitude. After she learned that I was just a Class D student, she decided that the accident on this day was just a mishap, at most.

Just like Ichinose and her classmates.

When we had met around a week ago because of Chabashira-sensei's announcement, she became doubtful of me, as she remembered our first interaction. This strange coincidence, coupled with the fact that Sae was acting out of character, made her reevaluate the impression she had of me, which is why her interrogation became more dynamic.

Until this point in time, she was unaware of my connection to Class B's leader.

This changed, however, as we ran into Ichinose because of Sae's carelessness in this matter. If she hadn't dawdled around with us in the corridor, nothing of this would have happened.

Chie's distrust peaked after the naive girl had greeted me, which informed her about a relationship she hadn't known about and was closely related to Class B's affairs.

These actions and chance meetings led the two of us inside this room, where I kept quiet and hesitated for the first thirty seconds after receiving her question. It was only after a long and painful deliberation period that I slid my hands on top of the table.

Her captivating face overlapped with Kushida's, as she made the same expression upon detecting the wounds on my limbs. She began to caress over my arm, just like my adorable classmate, which supported my initial assumption.

"Ayanokouji-kun, are you being bull —"

"No!"

There was a single, massive flaw when I was playing the part of a vulnerable character in a scene like this: I could not express my emotions freely, since there were none.

Or not much of them, at least.

The sentiments I had before were forcefully taken from me during my time in the White Room. The doctors and researches systematically depraved me of everything that wasn't needed according to that man's will, which was why I had turned out the way I was now.

After arriving at this school, however, I discerned something peculiar while I kept expanding my repertoire of knowledge during conversations and meetings with my friends, classmates, and other people.

Emotions weren't as useless as that man had deemed them.

At least not in a certain sense.

Right now, for example, the usage of emotions to confuse Hoshinomiya-sensei was desirable, because normal people operated under the assumption that the other person also acted with consideration to their own sentiments. In short, I could influence my opponent by executing certain motoric sequences which would emulate the various feelings a person would have under specific circumstances.

Since I had trouble expressing these emotions, I decided to take inspirations from my surroundings. I studied them, like blueprints, and followed their example to create an artificial duplicate for the feeling I was supposed to have during a particular point in time.

This one was Karuizawa Kei.

Back on May 1st, she winced subtly as Chabashira-sensei had her fun toying with us due to something that must have taken place in her past.

Now, I had used this knowledge to imitate and amplify her reaction in front of Hoshinomiya-sensei.

It was not a perfect impression, but with the additional information my enemy believed she had, it was good enough. The flinching and the raised voice contained clear denial as I was confronted with the word 'bullied'. Even with a face as emotionless as mine, it was an effective move to confuse my current adversary.

No... maybe it was even more effective in this case because of that lifeless expression.

Since Hoshinomiya-sensei tried to discern what Chabashira-sensei and I were hiding, it was easy to mix the truth with some lies and make her believe that my big secret was something unrelated to the class competitions.

The most important detail in this whole scene was that I couldn't tell her anything directly. She needed to find the clues and piece them together for herself. People would doubt others, but they would never distrust their own abilities and the conclusions they had arrived at.

This was simple human psychology.

In her mind, she was putting together the different pieces of the puzzle called Ayanokouji Kiyotaka:

Chabashira-sensei's wish to talk to me.

Me mentioning that I had kept a low profile before I should have been aware of her suspicions.

The puncture wounds on my hand.

My idiocy, which went far enough that I ran into the wrong classroom on my second day here.

The questionable relationship I had with Ichinose.

And the irrefutable fact that I was a Class D student.

Together, these facts formed a certain picture, which had a higher chance of being correct than the one she previously believed in. This, coupled with Ichinose's statement that I had been hanging out with her and the rest of their class from time to time, made her work out the story I wanted her to arrive at:

Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was bullied and wanted to get away from someone in his own class. Because of this, he kept close to Ichinose and Class B, who were known for their warm and welcoming attitude.

This was the big secret I was so afraid of, which would turn her entire thoughts and feelings about me upside down.

I wasn't a spy who was trying to exploit Ichinose's kindness, but a fugitive from someone who tormented me in Class D.

Every single piece of evidence she had found until now would fit this new narrative, which she had come up with herself.

Hoshinomiya-sensei was trapped in the illusion I had created specifically for her.

If I had told her all of this myself, she would have doubted every single word that left my mouth. But since she had established this assumption on her own using the clues she had picked up on, there was not a single uncertainty in her mind that her theory could be incorrect.

"May I leave? I don't want Chabashira-sensei to —"

"You don't want me to what, Ayanokouji?"

A frigid voice echoed through the room as the door to the guidance office opened without a warning.

Hoshinomiya-sensei's face contorted in dissatisfaction as she glared at my homeroom teacher.

"Sae-chan! What are you going to do about this?"

She grabbed my hand and yanked it upwards, displaying my state for both of them to see. The sleeve slipped down due to gravity's influence and revealed even more puncture wounds along my arm.

Chabashira-sensei took a quick, disinterested peek at them before turning back to Hoshinomiya-sensei.

"That's none of your concern, is it? Ayanokouji and I can take care of this problem on our own."

"What are you even talking about? Can't you see that —"

"You are overstepping, Chie." Chabashira-sensei crossed her arms and glared at her colleague. "Leave."

The enemy queen clicked her tongue, dissatisfied with the way our talk had turned out.

If my assessment of the school rules was correct, then physical violence was alright, as long as no one could prove that a certain individual did anything to hurt another.

Hoshinomiya-sensei, as a teacher, knew this all too well, which is why she appeared frustrated with Sae.

In her mind, I must have confided in Chabashira-sensei with my problem. She, however, did nothing because the perpetrator was a Class D student. If she were to expel the culprit, she would damage her own class, which she didn't want to do.

The woman stood up and left the room while glaring at my homeroom teacher.

The door shut with a loud thud before the new arrival sat down opposite of me.

"What did you tell her?"

"Nothing. Hoshinomiya is a very smart woman. She worked everything out on her own."

"And what would that be?"

"That I am being bullied by someone in Class D."

She stared at me as she began to piece the puzzle together herself. She had all the fragments, so it didn't take long either. Upon completing the artwork I had created, she let out a light chuckle.

"So I'm guessing this bullying problem is solved now?"

"Yes, we made it work somehow, thanks to your excellent guidance."

Her smile didn't vanish, apparently content with the way I had dealt with our most recent problem.

"How long do you plan on staying?"

I pulled the sleeve back up over my arm and leaned into the chair.

"Maybe half an hour. There's lots to discuss, after all."

"I guess. Do you want tea?"

"If you're preparing one anyway, then yes, but there is no need to go out of your way for me."

Chabashira-sensei nodded and stood back up to prepare tea for the two of us. The scent differed from last time, so I was quite curious about the taste. After she was done brewing our beverage, she carried over two cups and placed them on the table.

We sat and drank in silence.

I enjoyed such reticence, and she seemed to be satisfied as well.

"Since I'm already here, you might as well give me your number. It might come in handy if I have to contact you in the future."

She pulled out her phone and gave me her contact information.

"I assume that I'll handle the questions Chie will have after figuring out our big secret?"

"Yes, I'll trust you'll deal with it in a way that'll produce a satisfactory result. If you ever need to reach me again, do it over the phone and delete the conversation afterwards. Hoshinomiya won't be as easily swayed the next time, which is why we should make this opportunity count."

After I finished my tea, I stood and began to clean the cup, just like the last time the two of us had met in here. As if rehearsed, Chabashira-sensei stood up a few moments later and went to the sink as well.

I slid to the left to make some space and glanced at her in surprise.

"You don't want to be slapped again, right?"

She shot me a cold glare.

"You wouldn't dare."

"That's what you thought the last time, as well."

She shook her head as if disappointed and helped me check for recording devices that someone might have planted. I trusted her this time, since she would also be in trouble if any part of our conversation would leak.

After confirming that the room was clear, I thanked Chabashira-sensei for her wonderful guidance and left the room as an inconspicuous Class D student.

After I had taken care of everything on my agenda for today, I was lazing around with Fuka in my room.

Moments like this, as well as hanging out with Chiaki and the others, were the most pleasant ones I got to experience in this school. Thanks to my friends and Class B in particular, I had learned a lot about friendships and social activities in my age range. We were often roaming around in large groups, which was exhausting, yet comfortable at the same time.

I believed that I made steady progress in my venture to find the meaning of the word 'fun'.

Aside from this, I had gathered enough information from Class B to place every blue piece on the board. At the moment, however, there was no need to set up their figures, as they wouldn't pose any danger to either class as long as Ichinose held the reins. Even though she was sweet and caring, she was also too innocent for this kind of school, which would eventually cost her class their current position in the hierarchy.

While thinking about such things, I spent my time competing in some sort of small tournament with Fuka. Apparently, she had decided to confirm my abilities for herself after I had told her that she didn't need to worry about me.

We didn't spar, but she said that she was content with verifying my claims by playing multiple games such as arm wrestling, twister, and a few others where I could only question the usefulness towards her overall evaluation.

Rather than checking if I was telling the truth, it felt more like an excuse to have some fun with me.

My guest became rather frustrated after we had played a few rounds, since she had realized that I kept my win rate around 50% through all of our competitions. She complained in a somewhat pouting manner and told me to take this seriously, whereupon I crushed her in the word-chain game she had proposed.

As she was still wondering how she had lost in such a miserable way, my phone vibrated. I unlocked it and was about to navigate to the chat in question as Fuka snatched it away from me and moved her legs up on my stomach while snuggling into the bed.

"Both Sudou and Ike have promised to come. I didn't have time to tell you until now, sorry. Cute smiley that's bowing down." She read the message aloud. "I still don't like her. Something's wrong with this girl."

Fuka had also noted the inconsistencies in Kushida's behavior. This wasn't strange either, as she often lingered around whenever I met up with my classmates. She never ran into us, but always hovered around to learn more about the people I was socializing with.

"Agreed, but it's fine as long she's useful."

"Oh, that reminds me... Both Chabashira- and Hoshinomiya-sensei started four years ago, meaning they are currently in charge of their second classes. Neither of them changed their spot in the ranking, either."

This meant that Hoshinomiya, in particular, had ample time to stock up on points. Sae should have less than her colleague, but still more than enough to make it difficult to get rid of her. The only surefire way I could think of was to make it seem like they did something so unforgivable, that the school had no chance but to dismiss them.

"In that case, it's not worth the risk. I handled her for now, but that won't last forever. Speaking of not lasting forever, what did you think about Hirata and Karuizawa? You've observed them a lot the past week. Any insights?"

I glanced at the girl, who kept browsing through my phone with great interest.

"I think you are right in your assumption that they are not really going out and just pretend to be a couple. But I couldn't figure out why. Do you have any ideas? You know them a lot better than me."

"No clue. But I'll figure it out in time." I shrugged and turned away from her.

There was no reason to tell Fuka about everything I had deduced.

If she figured this mystery out herself, I could learn more about her abilities and the processes she used to gather and evaluate intel. If she didn't, it wasn't a loss either, since I could see in which cases she had issues.

"Give me my phone?"

"No, just tell me who to text. I'll do it for you."

Wasn't that like a total breach of privacy?

"Horikita. Text her that I managed to convince them with Kushida's help and that the three of them will join us tomorrow."

She tapped around on my phone for a few moments before the two of us proceeded with our conversation.

A few seconds later, my phone rang.

"It's Horikita. Should I accept?" She grinned, her finger hovering over the button.

"God no. Are you crazy? Give me the phone."

A light chuckle escaped her irresistible lips as she threw the phone towards me.

"Hello?"

"I don't quite understand the message you just sent me."

Just what did that girl write?

I glared at Fuka for a moment before focusing on my conversation with Horikita.

"What's not to understand about the message?"

I had no clue what she wrote, so there wasn't anything I could do besides ask Horikita for more information.

My guest stood up and walked away from the bed.

"Why does Kushida need to attend?"

"I'll go take a shower."

"What?"

"What?"

"What?"

I sounded confused. Fuka's voice was a mixture of mischief and enjoyment, while Horikita was just as puzzled as I was. The only saving grace in this situation was that my classmate hadn't heard Fuka's rumblings, as she was talking in a rather modest volume.

"Ah, I meant, what's wrong with that?"

"I don't like her. And I don't remember giving you permission to do that. Her grades aren't even failing."

"I don't care what you do to get them in the library. For all I care, pay them, but get them there after class tomorrow." I parroted her like that. "You gave me permission to do anything. Kushida was the easiest option to get them to join."

The shower turned on as I finished my sentence.

The splashing water was suspiciously loud, which is why I turned my head towards the sound and caught sight of a wide-open door. If this had been the only problem she had created, I wouldn't have been startled, but Fuka's clothes were also strewn over the floor, forming a road that led straight into the bathroom.

Was this woman serious? This wasn't something a girl should do in a boy's room, right?

"You did this just to mess with me, did you not? Because I stabbed you?"

"No idea what you are talking about."

I decided that I couldn't leave her wardrobe on my floor and stood up. The dripping water got progressively louder the closer I advanced to the room while I gathered Fuka's clothes, which is why I covered the phone's microphone with my free hand.

The first clothing items I picked up were rather innocent, since they were pieces of her uniform anyone could see when they looked at her. The problem were the undergarments that followed.

Upon making up my mind, I grabbed the black-red lace bra and was immediately taken aback by how pleasant the material felt as it rubbed against my skin. Even though I knew that my following actions were wrong and improper, I stroked over her lingerie to get a better feel for the material.

"I don't like it. Shouldn't you have sought my approval first?"

Horikita's cold voice tore me out of my indecent thoughts as I progressed towards the bathroom while steeling my resolve for what was to come. I turned sideways and shielded the microphone to the best of my ability.

"No, since you've already given me free rein, there was no reason to ask for approval. If you don't like it, then tell her yourself and try to convince Ike and Sudou to join without her."

After saying my piece, I blocked the microphone once again and picked up the last and most dangerous item on my clean-up list: Fuka's panties.

How was this enough material? Where did she even get something like this around here? That's illegal, right?

My heart sped up after holding her whole wardrobe in my left hand. I used Fuka's uniform and wrapped it around the underwear before throwing the whole bundle into the bathroom.

"I won't budge on this. Kushida may not join the study group. She didn't even fail the test. There is not a single reason for her to be there."

Since Horikita had kept quiet for a rather long time, I had almost forgotten about her in my trance. I assumed that she had fought an intense battle because of Kushida's involvement, but concluded that she didn't want to see her.

The rest of my thought process was interrupted by the mesmerizing sight I gazed upon when I was about to shut the door.

Fuka stood in the shower, rinsed her hair and brushed her smooth palms over her gorgeous frame. I saw nothing but contours since the shower's glass panels had steamed up, but this much was already bad enough.

I noticed a teasing peek in my direction before she raised her hand and wiped over the condensation with an enchanting gesture. This provocative act revealed nothing I hadn't already seen, but was sensual enough to be dangerous.

The hot shower was running while I walked over, so it had enough time to warm up the air inside the room.

Kinetic energy depended on temperature, so the water molecules had enough time to break the bonds that held them together during the moment it took me to reach my current position. The molecules then entered the air as water vapor, also known as steam, and came into contact with the cold surface of the glass panels, which caused them to condense as water droplets.

Condensation of a vapor occurs when it comes into contact with a surface. The temperature of this surface is maintained at a lower value than the saturation temperature of the vapor for the pressure at which it exists. The removal of thermal energy from the vapor causes it to release its latent heat of vaporization and condenses on the —

"Ayanokouji-kun?"

Once again, Horikita's cold and somewhat annoyed voice snapped me out of my trance.

After regaining control of my thoughts and motoric functions, I immediately shut the door that led into the bathroom and made my way back towards the bed to lie down.

"Ah, sorry. My door was stuck. Where were we? Right... Kushida. Isn't it better having her there, then? She could be a second set of eyes or take one of them off your back. You don't even have to talk to her. You are being rather unreasonable now. I really don't understand what your problem with her is."

"Wouldn't you be uncomfortable next to someone you hate?"

Hate was a strong word, especially for someone like Horikita, who always spoke her mind. She didn't understate her feelings towards Kushida in the slightest, which meant that there was seriously bad blood between the two of them for some unknown reason.

"I honestly don't understand you. You are cold and distant but always honest with what's on your mind, so you really hate Kushida. Is it only because she ambushed us in the Palate on that day? I haven't taken you for someone who would overreact to such a degree."

"I'm not overreacting, and it isn't because of something as petty as that. I just don't like her and I'm done talking about it."

Unfortunately, Horikita hadn't given me anything to work with, except for the information I had already surmised. The two of them knew each other before meeting again at this school, or at least one of them knew the other.

If my conjecture was right and they had attended the same middle school before enrolling here, there was a chance that Kushida did something out of character for her current persona, which she wanted to hide. Since her outgoing attitude wasn't something one could grow into in a short amount of time, it was safe to assume that she was the same in her previous school as well.

Someone like Horikita wouldn't have gone through such a drastic change during that timeframe either, which meant that she must have behaved similar or identical in middle school as well.

If I take these theories as fact, it was possible to infer that Kushida must have done something that left such a huge impact on the school that even a loner like Horikita, who must have attended a different class during that time, might have heard about it.

"Alright. I trust you. I'll talk to her, but I can't promise anything. Is that alright?"

Horikita fell silent once again.

The next words were hard to understand because of the speed in which they were spoken.

"T-thank you. I have to study. Goodnight."

After this peculiar act, a continuous beeping noise resounded from the phones speakers.

She hung up...

What was that about?

Around the same time, the water in the bathroom stopped trickling into the shower. Fuka walked out a few moments later, only wearing my towel, which barely covered the important parts.

"I trust you, huh?"

I ignored the fact that her uniform decorated the bathroom floor in the same way I had left them there and glanced at the charming expression which improved her already beautiful face.

"What? For some people, simple words like these work wonders."

Fuka closed in on me as I noticed some wet stains on the floor.

"Hey! Stop walking around on the carpet while you are soaking wet."

She ignored my pleas and placed her head on my chest. The wet sensation of her hair moistened the uniform I was wearing, as the remaining droplets on her skin made their way onto my bed.

"Oh, come on, Fuka."

She closed her eyes and snuggled into me as if I was a pillow.

"It'll be dry once you are out of the shower, so it's fine."

"I still have to call someone."

"Really? I thought I missed all the fun. Set it to speaker."

She clapped like a small child that was looking forward to the carnival and wore the most seductive smile I had ever seen.

Without dawdling around any longer, I called Kushida to occupy my mind.

"Hello, Ayanokouji-kun. Give me a second. I just came out of the bath."

Are you kidding me?

"What kind of bit—mhmmhm..."

I covered Fuka's hypocritical mouth with my left hand before she could say more, in fear that Kushida might pick up on it. To my surprise, a strange moisture spread over my palm after just a few seconds.

"Are you kidding me?"

After moving away my hand, I could see her endearing tongue still turning around in circles, before she broke out in her trademark smile. In such a situation, it was hard to not think back to her seductive silhouette in the bathroom.

While I was struggling with Fuka's mischief, I decided to turn my focus back to Kushida to keep my sanity.

"Uhm, I don't know how to tell you this... but we have a problem."

"Let me guess, Horikita-san doesn't want me there?"

I had implied nothing of that sort, but she seemed to have understood that this would be a problem from the beginning. She must have noticed Horikita's aversion against her more than anyone.

"Something like that. I'm really sorry. I figured that it would be fine, but I didn't expect that she would dislike you to such a degree. I tried to convince her to let you join us, but I failed."

"It's okay. I already somewhat expected this."

"Still, I feel bad because I asked you for help and you immediately agreed. Having to tell you that you can't come leaves a sour taste in my mouth."

"No, no. Please don't feel bad, it's totally alright. I'm just wondering if Sudou-kun and Ike-kun will even go when I'm not coming."

"I'm wondering the same, honestly."

"And I'm wondering why mhmmpff."

"Did you say something, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"No, it's just the TV in the background. Sorry, I'll turn the volume down."

I hit Fuka's head three times as a punishment. To my regret, she only giggled in response to my attempt at educating her. This girl seemed to enjoy our current situation, as she couldn't help but grin and make herself comfortable on me while getting all my sheets wet.

"Mhh. Don't worry. I'll bring everyone over tomorrow and deal with Horikita-san. Since you already came to me for help, it means that the two of you wouldn't be able to gather them yourselves, right? I'll think of something. Leave it to me!"

"I'm sorry, really. And I wish you the best of luck... you'll need it. I'll back you up if I find an opportunity. But if someone can manage to convince Horikita, then it's you, Kushida."

"Yeah. I'm sure she'll open up to me someday. I just have to keep giving my best. Ayanokouji-kun, I'll see you tomorrow then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Kushida."

With that, the call ended, and I turned to Fuka, who wore a mischievous smile, which I removed by hitting her head again.

"Interrupting. Peoples. Calls. Is. Impolite."

Her charming laugh reverberated through the room, while I was left wondering what in the world I did to deserve such a punishment. After heaving a deep sigh, I moved her head from my chest and stood up.

"I'll be taking a shower now. Behave yourself while I'm gone."

"Haii~haii."

I ambled into the bathroom and locked the door.

Since I needed to confirm how dangerous she was, I executed this action as covert as possible. Afterwards, I undressed and turned on the water. Fuka's smell was still lingering, which is why I occupied myself with calculations and advanced thermodynamics.

As my body and hair were drenched by the warm water, Fuka's frustrated voice rang through the bathroom from outside.

"Oh, come on! You really locked it?"

On the next day, the classroom was chaotic, just like every other morning.

Some of my classmates chatted with each other, while others yelled through the room or played games in some far-away corner until our teacher arrived. When Chiaki, Karuizawa and the others walked in, they greeted me before sitting down at their desks.

It was nice when friends did something like this, especially when they rewarded you with a cute smile.

"You have this dumb happy face on you, you know? It looks creepy."

"Really? I thought it was quite nice."

"Did you tell Kushida that she is not welcome in the study group?"

Back to business, huh? What a shame... I had so much prepared for today.

'Hey Horikita, why were you so hush-hush before you hung up on me? Were you embarrassed, perhaps?'

Well, I was probably doing my hand a favor by not mentioning anything about this...

"I did. But I'm not sure if she's going to listen."

Her eyes narrowed. "Hm. I believe you."

"What? You actually do?"

"Of course. You offered to tell her yourself, after all. I tr... — believe in your honesty that much, at least."

Hm, I couldn't really believe it, but Horikita was all dere-dere today.

If I were to tell her that, I'd be beaten to death, but it seemed like the chat was right about Horikita being a tsundere, even though she had vehemently denied it and told me to leave the group.

"Sorry that I involved her. But she was the only one I could think of to get these two to join a study session. Especially Sudou after what you did with him. Kushida has a good connection to most of the guys, after all."

"Fair point. If you promise you won't do again, I'll forgive you. We'll just think of something to get rid of her later."

This sounded rather drastic. If she planned to attack her with the compass, I would jump between them without hesitation. My weak heart wouldn't survive the sight of a crying Kushida.

"Yeah, I promise. Next time, I'll discuss things with you prior to acting."

"S-sure. Let's do t-that."

One could say a lot of things about Horikita, but she was damn cute when she felt embarrassed.

Was that a blush on her face?

No, I must have been imagining things again.

Our teacher walked in a few moments later and began his lesson. The rest of the day breezed by as well, and it was soon time for our study session. Horikita glimpsed at Kushida for a second before she turned towards me.

"Let's go, Ayanokouji-kun."

I nodded in response and followed her to the library.

Kushida threw me a cute wink as we left and I couldn't help but look forward to her plan. The wink itself was one of those performances that would look great on a cute girl like Kushida, but horrible if someone like Horikita tried to replicate it.

The thought alone prompted my body to send shivers down my spine.

My raven-haired neighbor and I secured a long table at the far end of the library, where we waited for the others.

The two of us spent our time like usual and annoyed each other while I kept observing the girl that had been sorting the misplaced books. She was here every time I visited, which meant that she came here rather frequently. It almost felt like as if she went from the classroom to the library and then back to her dorm room in the evening.

I was interested in getting to know her, not only to gather more information about her class but also because she had a fantastic taste in books. Since we shared a passion, I wondered if we could become good friends.

Something like book-buddies, perhaps?

"If I cared about you, I would ask why you keep staring at this poor girl."

I glanced towards Horikita, who was sketching something in her notepad.

"Just interested in her taste of books. It's quite refined."

"I said if I cared about you. I didn't ask, so why did you answer?"

She's so snappy today...

Before I could retaliate, Kushida, Sudou, Ike and Okitani ambled over to us.

I was rather surprised by this line-up, since I hadn't expected Okitani to join us as well.

"I've brought everyone!"

"Kushida-chan said there aren't that many people in the study group, so it's much more comfy."

That wasn't really important for studying. Most of the time, I didn't even have a chair to sit on. Ike should be thankful that he was allowed to talk without being beaten up by someone.

"I'm sitting here." Sudou sat down on the other end of the table.

"Hey, Okitani. I didn't know you'd join as well."

"Oh, yeah." He scratched his chin in an embarrassed manner. "I don't really mix with any of these groups in the classroom, so I thought it would be fine with Kushida-san and the others. I didn't fail, but it was rather close, so I felt kind of nervous."

"As long as you are serious about your studies, I don't mind having one more."

After Okitani found himself a spot, Kushida sat down between him and Ike. It was comical how everyone sat close to one another except for Sudou, who sat so far away that one could mistake him for someone entirely unrelated to our group.

While Kushida and Horikita began to discuss something with each other, I slid over to Sudou.

"Come on, take a seat closer to the group."

"No way, dude. You know she's the devil! How are you so calm around her?"

His usual rowdy attitude was nowhere to be seen. My classmate was sweating buckets as he mentioned her, as if he was scared that she might overhear him and take revenge.

"It's fine. Horikita wouldn't turn violent with Kushida around..." ... I think.

Since I hid the last part of my opinion from him, he nodded and moved closer to the group with an expression that illustrated his unwillingness to take part in our gathering.

Kushida won the argument against Horikita using rather underhanded tactics while I was negotiating with Sudou. Our angel smiled at me for a moment before turning her focus back to the materials in front of her.

She had used Okitani as an entry ticket into this study group, and turned the tables on Horikita in a skillful display of her abilities, or lack thereof, which she used as her reason to join us. It was a cunning move to persuade Okitani and use him to her advantage later on. Since he had also achieved a passing grade and was allowed to join because he felt insecure, Horikita couldn't refuse Kushida, who wanted to partake for the same reason.

"So the failing grade is thirty-two, right? Meaning as long as we reach that, we should be fine."

"Seems like it, yeah."

No one is going to mention that thirty-two is a weird point for a failing grade? No? Okay... never mind, then. Let's just ignore that thirty-two was coincidentally the class average divided by two, for our previous mock exam as well.

Since my classmates were studying now, the average for the midterms would be even higher.

Aside from my disappointment in their lack of abilities, which was immeasurable, my day was not totally ruined.

"The passing score doesn't really matter. My goal is for everyone to score 50, just to be on the safe side."

Fifty? That's perfect!

"Isn't that going to be super hard?"

"Aiming for a score that is barely passing is incredibly dangerous. One slip up and you are out, Sudou-kun. The safe way would be to target 50, in which case you pass even if you mess up somewhere."

Three deep sighs and one cute giggle rang through the library before Horikita proceeded with her arrangements.

"I included most of what will be covered in this test. We have about two weeks left, but I plan to walk you through everything thoroughly. If you have trouble or don't understand something, please ask."

The five of us began to work on the first problem, which was maths. Kushida started writing up the formula while the others were still thinking about the best way to go about solving their assignment.

Or so I thought...

"I don't understand the first question at all."

Before we had properly started, Sudou stuck out like a sore thumb, even though the question was absurdly easy.

Any high-schooler should have been able to solve it with ease, but he had trouble with something as trivial as that. It would be quite a feat if Horikita managed to raise his scores up to fifty points in the next two weeks...

"Try thinking about it. If you give up immediately, you'll learn nothing."

... especially if she's teaching like that.

"Look, I don't know, seriously."

"I don't get it either." Ike said.

This was shaping up to be a disaster.

"What about you, Okitani-kun?"

Horikita turned to the last remaining idiot with a somewhat sorrowful gaze.

"Let's see... A + B + C = 2.150 yen. So A = B + 120. Then..."

Okitani wrote out a series of equations. He took his time, but at least he understood the question and could work with the pieces of information that were given to him. Kushida leaned over his shoulder and gave him small hints every time he was stuck. In the end, he solved the problem after receiving a few pointers, whenever he strayed from the correct path.

With this performance, Kushida's reason for staying here was gone, as she demonstrated that she knew everything by heart. Horikita seemed somewhat agitated, but Class D's angel wasn't fazed at all as she congratulated Okitani.

"Honestly, first- and second-year junior high school students should be able to solve these without a problem. If you are already having trouble here, then it'll be impossible to continue."

Even though this was the truth, she might have wanted to keep this to herself. It wouldn't take long until Sudou threw a tantrum if she continued this, since he'd treat her harsh remarks as an attack against him. Horikita wasn't one to pull her punches either, so this could only end in a disaster.

"So what? We're like elementary school kids?"

Case in point, he was already getting aggressive.

"Alright, you two. This question can be easily solved using a system of simultaneous equations."

Horikita picked up her pen and got to work. She outlined every step she made, why she made it, and how it would help her solve the problem at hand by using different colors.

She was a rather good teacher in that regard.

Since both Ike and Sudou seemed unable to comprehend the question, she started at the beginning, explained everything in rich detail and solved the equations for them to follow along in a pace they should be able to follow.

She tucked her hair behind the back of her ear, which reminded me of Chabashira-sensei for some strange reason.

Would she have looked similar to Horikita back when she was in high school?

Unfortunately for everyone involved, this study session wouldn't end as peacefully as my thoughts were.

Even though Horikita did her best to dumb everything down for them, their faces grew more confused by the second. Ike tried to follow her explanations at least, while Sudou's string threatened to snap with every word Horikita spoke.

"Stop. I'm done. This will not work. I don't even understand the words you are using."

He threw his pen on the table and leaned back in resignation. Horikita was seething, but held back in lashing out as she knew it would only bring more trouble, which was a huge step for her.

Before the situation could escalate any further, Class D's angel took the center stage.

"Wait everyone. Let's all give it another shot, alright? If you learn how to solve these problems, you'll have taken a big step for the test. Let's try again? Okay?"

Kushida took the pen and paper and tried to solve the problem once again. She used a different approach, explaining it with easy-to-understand examples even they could make sense of.

Kushida wasn't a bad teacher either. She was just as excellent as Horikita and both of them would probably be good instructors if they tried to. In this situation, Kushida's way was the superior one, at least for people on the level of Sudou and Ike. Horikita's manner of explaining these materials would be better suited for people who had some knowledge.

"So, as you can see, the answer in this example is 710 yen. What did you get?"

"Um, so you used this to get the answer? But how?" Ike scratched his head.

"Uh..." Kushida was out of words and didn't know how to explain the correct approach in simpler terms.

After listening to their exchange, Horikita had enough.

"Alright. I'm sorry to say this, but you are absolutely incompetent. If you can't even solve this problem, I seriously shiver at the thought of what the future will bring."

"Shut up. This has nothing to do with you."

Sudou apparently heeded my words and forgot his fear of Horikita in Kushida's presence.

I hoped that she wouldn't stab him...

For his sake.

"You are right. Your suffering won't influence me at all. I merely pity you. You must have spent your whole life running away from anything that represented a challenge."

"Screw academics. They'll be useless, anyway."

"That's an interesting argument. How do you justify that?"

"So what if I can't solve this problem? I'm aiming to be a pro basketball player. There is no need for studying."

This was the perfect moment to reason with Sudou. Horikita only needed to make him realize that becoming a pro basketball player required more than just basketball skills.

But unfortunately, Horikita was trapped in her own superiority complex and rained hellfire down on the poor boy.

"Incorrect. Studying is the most important aspect in this school and in any other. When you struggle in basketball, do you also run away from the problem? I doubt you take basketball training seriously. You are a troublemaker, someone who always causes a disruption. If I were your adviser, I wouldn't even let you in the team."

With no warning or any prior indication, Sudou's body bolted forward before he grabbed Horikita by the collar. To my surprise, the girl that had just received such an attack didn't even flinch, and just glared back at him with her usual chilly attitude.

"Sudou-kun!" Kushida grabbed his arm to pacify his boiling emotions.

"You don't interest me in the slightest. But I can tell what kind of person you are by looking at you. You want to be a professional basketball player? Do you honestly believe you can make such a childish dream come true? A simpleton like you could never go pro. You are nothing but a fool."

"I'm done with you." He shoved her backward and grabbed his bag. "I took a day off from club activities for this shit. In the end, it was just a waste of time, as expected. Later!"

Horikita opened her mouth to renew her assault, but I grabbed her arm. She glanced at me in surprise, but I only shook my head in response.

I couldn't have my pieces self-destruct now. This experiment was quite insightful, but this is as far as I would let it escalate. Any more might lead to serious damage.

"I'm quitting too. You might be smart, Horikita, but that doesn't mean you can act like you are better than us."

Ike was the second one to throw in the towel.

Before Horikita could say something, I put some pressure on her arm. I might get stabbed for this later, but right now there was nothing else I could do to detain her. Thanks to my previous preparations, I would get away with something like this, even if she didn't like it.

The three of us watched as Sudou, Ike and Okitani left the library. Only after their figures had vanished from view did I let go of Horikita's arm.

It was obvious from the beginning how this study group would turn out.

Horikita was so outspoken and apathetic that she would refute anything that went against her own beliefs. It was a given that she and Sudou would get into a fight, and that Sudou would be decimated without a chance to retaliate. He just wasn't as calm or quick-witted as Horikita, so there was no way for him to win an argument against her.

All he could do was throw a tantrum and walk off. Ike, his best friend, wouldn't stand by after Sudou left, so he would give up as well. As the last remaining member, Okitani would naturally follow.

Horikita single-handedly destroyed her own study group, just as it was planned from the very beginning.

But why?

Because even Kushida wouldn't be able to stay still after such harsh and cruel words from Horikita.

She still wanted to save everyone and would turn to Horikita for help once again. And this was when the cruel ice queen would live up to her name and reveal her honest thoughts in front of our selfless angel.

"Horikita-san, we won't be able to continue studying like this. What are we going to do?"

"Nothing. Even if we avoided failure this time, they would be in the same dilemma in the next exam. I was wrong from the beginning. Those people are not worth saving. Even if we are losing points, it's better to get rid of dead weight sooner rather than later."

The kind and gentle Kushida couldn't believe her ears as Horikita straightened out her uniform, which Sudou had wrinkled during his assault at her.

Pain, disappointment, sorrow, and so many other emotions flashed through her eyes as she stared at the snow goddess in disbelief. Because, for our angel, it was never an option to leave anyone behind.

"So that's what you really think... H-hey, Ayanokouji-kun. Can you say something?"

"No matter what I say, I can't change Horikita's answer. I'm not qualified enough to teach them myself, so even if I wanted to help them, my hands are tied. I'm sorry, Kushida."

"Okay. I see..." the lone girl grabbed her bag with a dispirited expression. "I'm going to do something. Anything I can. I don't want everything to fall apart so quickly."

"Kushida-san, do you really feel that way?"

So there was indeed something...

"Is it wrong? I don't want to abandon them."

"Even if that was how you truly felt, I wouldn't particularly care. But I don't think you actually want to save them."

As expected, Horikita Suzune had her doubts, because she was aware of something that the rest of us weren't.

"What? I don't understand. Why do you say things like that, Horikita-san? Why do you try to antagonize people? That's... very sad." Kushida hung her head and trudged a few steps before stopping. "Well then, see you tomorrow." Her whisper barely reached our ears as the sound of her footsteps gradually dwindled.

Even after being confronted like this, Kushida didn't show her true face.

Because I was here, someone who didn't know about her.

It was clear as day that Horikita perceived something, and Kushida should have picked up on this for certain.

"Why did you hold me back?"

Horikita didn't sound as angry as I had expected, but genuinely curious.

"It seemed like Sudou was about to burst. I didn't want you to get hurt."

She turned and gazed into my eyes.

"There was no need for you to intervene. I could have handled everything that happened."

"But I didn't know that, did I?"

"I suppose. You do now, however, so please refrain from protecting me in the future."

"Yes, mam."

I saluted and flashed a light smile to increase the mood.

"I suppose you were the only one that understood me, Ayanokouji-kun. If there is a subject you are struggling with, I could teach you. History, for example? You had trouble before, right?"

"It's alright at the moment. But I'll keep it in mind for the future. Thank you Horikita."

"Are you going back to your dorm?"

"No, I guess I'll check in with Chiaki and the others to see how they are doing so far. If they are still studying, that is. What about you? Are you going back to your room?"

"No, since I've already started, I'll finish my studying here. See you tomorrow then, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Horikita."

After rushing out of the library, I informed Fuka that she needed to keep an eye out for Kushida and went to search for her myself as well.

I called her multiple times, but she didn't answer.

Was she busy? Or did she ignore me because I took Horikita's side just now?

I also checked her GPS location, but she must have turned it off, which was to be expected. It was unlikely that anyone aside from Fuka had the function enabled for at least one person.

But I had to find her.

If Kushida's mask slipped, then it would be now, or at least today.

Somewhere... Far away from the other students, she would reveal the devil to her angel.

It should frustrate her to no end, that Horikita could say such awful things out loud, but she couldn't. If Horikita's words had even just a hint of truth in them, then Kushida should be furious.

She needed an outlet, especially after an exhausting day like this one.

The angel couldn't go anywhere with people around. This limited possible locations to her dorm room, or one of the more or less deserted places on the school grounds. But the dorm was dangerous, because the walls would be too thin when she was this angry.

What kind of action would serve as an outlet after such a day?

Screaming? Shouting? Cursing? Punching? Kicking?

After checking every single spot that was even remotely worth considering, I caught sight of her figure as she walked into the school building. I was unsure if I should have checked this place because I was uncertain if the clubs would still be present around this time, but I was glad that I did.

I prowled into the building and up the stairs. I kept following her footsteps, like a predator stalking its prey. There wasn't a single sound, aside from the ones this lone girl made, so it wasn't hard to follow her.

A few moments later, I noticed someone behind me — Fuka.

She had seen her as well and followed me. Now, she made herself known as if asking for permission.

'Hey, Kiyotaka? Can I see?' Her delicate, charming voice rang through my ears even though she hadn't opened her mouth.

I didn't reply, because I wasn't sure.

Did I want her to see me? Or not?

It didn't matter.

The school was empty.

I could deal with both of them if I needed to.

But... I always wondered if there was someone who would accept me.

... If they saw what kind of monster I truly was.

It wasn't long until I reached the door towards the roof, the location where Kushida's footsteps had led me. I pulled out my phone and started recording. Afterwards, I moved up and peeked through the crack of the rooftop door.

"Ahhh, so annoying!"

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

Kushida's foot stomped the ground, before she kicked the railing and trampled over her bag.

"Why can't she just die?"

Thud!

Again, a heavy blow against the railing.

"That stuck-up, snobby bitch. Fuck, I want to punch her damn face in. Who does she think she is?"

If I were to reveal what I saw, no one would ever believe me.

Class D's angel, Kushida Kikyou, had fallen from grace somewhere along the line.

"And those fucking perverts sniffing around me all the time. Disgusting pieces of shit. Fucking die! Die! Die! Die!"

With every single repetition of the word 'die', her foot stomped the railing, harder and more vicious. Her voice grew dissatisfied and even more wicked as time went by.

She wasn't only frustrated with Horikita, but also with the likes of Ike. If that was the case, she must have been frustrated with other individuals as well. It was impossible to know what she thought about the people around her after discovering such a brilliant display of hatred and disgust.

If she could suppress such strong emotions with ease, and fake the total opposite, there was no telling if she felt the same, or similar to even the closest friends around her.

After I was done with my observations, I decided that it would be a good time to head back down and leave this place. As I turned, I accidentally hit the lower part of the door with my foot.

Fuka ducked away from her position at the beginning of the stairs, while Kushida's temper came to a sudden halt.

I quickly hid the phone in my uniforms pocket before she glared at me with the most terrifying expression I had seen.

"What ... are you doing here?"

Her tone resembled a blizzard. The friendly eyes which rewarded everyone she talked to were nowhere to be found as they were replaced by the sharp orbs of a carnivorous predator.

Yet, for some strange reason, I found them to be inexplicably beautiful.

"Ahh. I got lost. My bad. I'll be leaving."

It wasn't difficult to see through my lie, which is why her glare became even more intense.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

I moved through the door and stopped near the outside wall. I couldn't have her walk inside, since Fuka was still downstairs. She could probably handle herself, but there were more reasons that the roof was a better place for this confrontation.

Kushida crept towards me. Her steps firm, her gait threatening. She placed her left forearm against my throat and shoved me against the wall.

She wasn't particularly strong, but scary as hell...

"If you tell anyone what you've just heard, I'll end you."

This demon in front of me was dead serious. I didn't have a single doubt in my mind that Kushida would go through with everything she deemed necessary to shut me up.

Yet, I was curious. How did she plan on ending me?

"And if I did tell?"

"Then I'd tell everyone you raped me."

Her reply was quick and concise.

In a school like this, they wouldn't expel me without proof of said rape. So even if she were to say something, I would be fine. My social life, however, would be over. People would naturally believe a cute, outgoing girl and would be wary in front of a silent, expressionless boy.

"That's a false charge, you know?"

"That's okay. It wouldn't be false."

Wait, what? Am I going to get raped now? Was this the so-called reverse-rape that the Professor was gushing about once? His tastes were weird, no questions asked, but he seemed to possess an extensive amount of knowledge in the fields he was interested in.

Kushida grabbed my right wrist and pried my hand open, before pushing my palm against her soft breast.

Even though I was only touching her through the school's uniform, it was an enchanting feeling. The softness differed from anything I've felt before, yet they held a certain firmness that couldn't be neglected.

Would it be fine to squeeze?

I wondered about such things...

"What are you doing?"

She pressed my palm deeper into her breast, as if to indicate that it was fine to squeeze. If I weren't being framed for rape at the moment, I might have enjoyed this situation more than I did. I also couldn't help but question her motives, as there were better ways to keep me silent.

Maybe she liked it as well? Women were truly a mystery...

"Your prints are on my clothes. That's evidence of my claim. I'm being serious. Is that understood?"

"Oh, yeah, sure."

It seemed like Kushida didn't know how prints worked, but I wasn't one to notify her that the texture of the fabric would make the retrieval of my fingerprints rather difficult, especially if I knew what she had planned.

I made my point by pinching her bosom, which she didn't seem to enjoy at all. Her eyes turned even darker than before as she glared at me like I was dirt.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Disgusting pervert."

"So you'd expel me and ruin my life, just like that? So Horikita was right, after all. Did you really expel Yamauchi?"

Her eyes narrowed to a terrifying degree.

"So what? That disgusting pervert didn't deserve any better for always drooling after my ass whenever the fuck he saw me. If you don't want to end up like him, you'll do exactly as I say. Is that understood?"

"Yes."

"What did that bitch tell you?"

The bitch she was referring to was, without a doubt, Horikita.

I was rather confident in my theories until this point, and I needed to extract some additional information from her with vague yet specific wording. It was a certainty that they attended the same school and that Horikita was in a different class than her or she wouldn't have forgotten about Kushida.

"Just about that incident back in middle school. The rumors reached even Horikita, apparently, even though she was in a different class."

Kushida increased the pressure on my throat and forced me against the wall with every bit of strength she could muster. I was still holding onto her breast, but she seemed too occupied with the words that had left my mouth and didn't even notice this simple fact on a conscious level.

"That fucking bitch! Tch. What rumors?"

"About what you did in your class."

"Fuck!"

Her flat palm crushed into the wall right beside me. Kushida was furious, beyond a reasonable doubt.

Emotions were dangerous, however.

As soon as you let them get too close to you, you were opening yourself up for an attack. Your reasoning will get blurred, and you might say things you didn't intend to, or reveal information you weren't supposed to.

"Listen to me, you piece of shit!" She grabbed me with both of her hands and glared into my eyes. "Did she tell anyone else that I destroyed my class? Or are you the only one?"

"Since she pretty much only talks with me, I doubt that she told anyone aside from me. But I can't say for certain."

With this, I had achieved what I came for. The rest was easily discernable with the information I had.

Who was Kushida Kikyou?

An angel. Loved by everyone, trusted by everyone. People like Hirata, me, and so many others came to her with our problems. We confided in her, and she kept our deepest, darkest secrets.

But what if that suddenly changed?

What if she someday decided to reveal the secrets she had been aware of, for the entire world to see?

Discord would ensue, and a peaceful class would plummet into chaos before self-destructing.

Her reasons for acting the way she did were beyond what I could work out with the current amount of information in my possession. Maybe it was an accident, or maybe she wanted to destroy her class to take revenge on someone.

In the end, none of this mattered.

As long as I could control her.

"Can you let go of me now?"

She relaxed the pressure that she was putting on my throat and backed up a step. This was also when she noticed that my hand was still embracing her breast. She yanked my arm away with a disgusted expression and spit in front of my shoes as if I was an insect, or something on the same level.

"Fucking creep. Did you enjoy touching my tits, you damn imbecile?"

My hand slit into my pocket, where I pressed a few buttons and...

"Ahhh, so annoying!"

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

"Why can't she just die?"

Kushida's face turned ashen, and I fast forwarded the recording some time.

"... did in your class."

"Fuck!"

Thud!

"Listen to me, you piece of shit! Did she tell anyone else that I destroyed my class? Or are you the only one?"

After revealing this much for her, I stopped the recording and established eye contact with the girl that stared at me as if I was some kind of ghost.

"Really convenient, right? These smartphones, I mean. They have everything. From our points, recording functions and contacts, to a messenger a student could use to send files around. There's even a school board if I remember correctly..."

Kushida's face morphed into a grimace that was humanly impossible. Her ashen face soon turned red in anger as her fists and legs began to tremble from the seething rage she tried to hold back.

"Give me... the phone."

"Ahh, no can do. Sorry."

I shrugged and slid the phone into my back pocket.

Kushida growled and rushed towards me. Her right fist flew towards my face, which left her other side exposed.

She seemed to think that she was superior to me in terms of physical strength. Or did she assume that I wouldn't hit a woman? Was this the reason for her half-assed attack?

My right blocked the fist that was coming for me, while my left pulled back and snapped forward into her face.

A dull sound rippled through the air.

"Eh?"

Kushida held her cheek with a shocked expression on her face, unable to believe that she had just received a backhand slap. It wasn't a very strong hit, so her jowl was only slightly reddened.

There would be no proof left after I was done with breaking Kushida like a toy doll.

I stepped forward and grabbed the collar of her uniform.

Reversing our positions, I shoved her up against the wall before my palm embraced her throat. Her own attire, which she wanted to utilize to accuse me of rape, was now shielding my hand from touching her skin, where I would have left fingerprints if I had touched her.

Due to the grip and pressure I exerted onto her esophagus, she began to struggle, which led to her uniform slipping up, exposing her smooth, silky belly.

Nothing to get excited about, really, but still a welcome sight.

I put more strength into my arm and lifted her until she was hovering over the floor. Even if she tried to tiptoe, she wouldn't be able to reach the ground anymore.

The girl opened her mouth to scream, which is why I put even more pressure into my grip.

Air escaped her lungs as she desperately struggled, gasped and pleaded.

"Ay...ouji..."

She was kicking and lashing out with her arms, but neither of these pitiful attempts could stop me from pinning her against the wall and cutting off her air supply.

"... Air... lease... ouji... eathe..."

I tilted my head to the side and closed in on her, since I had difficulties understanding her words.

"What are you saying, Kushida? I can't hear you." I tapped my ear with my free hand. "Do you have trouble breathing?"

She nodded while tears streamed out of her gorgeous, terror-stricken eyes. Her desperate attempts to free herself had long since stopped as she was getting weaker under the constant pressure.

"...ji-ku... dyi..."

"What is it, Kushida? Do you think you are dying?"

She nodded again as her face began to lose color.

"And why should I care?"

Her pleading gaze changed into something akin to horror, as she stared into my eyes, which were void of emotion.

Dread, fright, terror and panic.

All these words described the feelings that went through Kushida's magnificent appearance at that current moment. Because after looking into my abyss, she had seen my disinterest and apathy about her situation.

"Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me."

This wasn't a lie.

I didn't care whether she lived or died.

I saw it more often than I could count. The exact moment when the warmth was extinguished out of a child.

That spark of life, which had gleamed in their eyes before, had gone extinct and only darkness remained.

I had countless lives on my conscience.

Not because I went around killing people like a madman, no...

Simply because I intended to survive the White Room.

My success sealed the fate of the other children in my generation.

They died because I lived.

Even now, after I had escaped this white hell, I was the reason that Matsuo died, or will soon draw his last breath. If I had to guess, it would likely be the former, since his enemy was that man.

There was no way he could escape him for over a month. Not with a family he needed to protect.

Tears streamed down Kushida's eyes and soaked her uniform, which absorbed the liquid and moistened my hand.

The life in her eyes, that bright light that sparkled in her two irises, became weaker and weaker.

If I kept this pressure up, she would faint and ultimately die from suffocation.

She gazed straight into my abyssal void and understood that this could be the point where her story ended.

My cold, apathetic expression and my calm demeanor told her that I was not joking around.

If I wanted to let Kushida Kikyou die, then she would.