『』『』『』『』『』
"Haaaah... That was really something. I didn't expect your luck to be that abysmal. And your personality too... It's truly a shame you're my junior. My school life would be a lot more interesting if we were peers instead."
After finishing his part in the scavenger hunt, Kumagawa stood at the edge of the field, talking with Kiryuuin Fuuka.
Given Kiryuuin's reputation and fame in the school, especially as an avant-garde beauty with a striking figure, the surrounding students couldn't help but pay attention to their conversation. It was strange enough that the two of them were even talking.
『...You really are a peculiar person, aren't you, Kiryuuin-senpai? Oh, I don't mean that in a bad way. I actually enjoy it... No, maybe I like it quite a bit. Well, something like that. 』
"Fufu, look who's talking. If we're discussing peculiar people, no one stands out more than you." She said, "To be disliked by the entire second year... Even Nagumo, with that usual condescending attitude of his, looked irritated. It was the first time I've seen him that frustrated over someone."
『If you're saying that much, doesn't that mean you don't hate me? Though I don't really know what I did to be hated to that extent—』
"Ahaha, stop joking around. After the stunt you just pulled, there's no way you wouldn't be hated," she cut him off.
Expelling a second-year senior.
Suspending thirty-seven students right before the sports festival.
Even forcing all second-year students, both involved and uninvolved, to give up half of their points, or else he would expel all thirty-seven at once.
Of course, between that choice and expulsion, suspension was the more logical option. With suspension, only the individuals involved would be affected, and the impact on class points would remain minimal. Expulsion, on the other hand, would result in a significant loss of class points for each class.
It sounded like the kind of situation that would only happen in the second or even third year, after something disastrous occurred and all the necessary conditions were met. Yet he had managed to pull it off in just the second semester, and even did it singlehandedly.
Even Kiryuuin couldn't help but be impressed by how destructive he was.
『...Regardless, that still sounds like you don't hate me at all. 』
"That's right. I don't hate you. Why would I? You're this interesting, after all. In fact, that's your biggest selling point."
『The fact that I'm handsome? 』
"No, the fact that you're a troublemaker."
『.... 』
Kumagawa seemed to stop to think.
He was probably ruminating over whether or not Kiryuuin was trying to pull a fast one on him—but Kumagawa probably wouldn't be deceived by such psychological warfare at this level.
『Okay, then I'll just think like that, 』he said, with his judgment being that it was probably true, which was also factually true.
"In any case, it seems you owe me a favor, vice president."
After enjoying a bit of meaneingless conversation with Kumagawa, Kiryuuin finally cut to the chase.
『Huh, a favor? 』
"Of course. You took my precious time for relaxation by bringing me here as an 'object,' right? And since I agreed, that means you owe me one."
That was certainly a leap in logic.
But from her point of view, accepting Kumagawa's request without rejecting it counted as cooperation. And that cooperation, in her mind, was enough to be called a favor between one person to another.
『In other words, you've been waiting for this, hoping I'd owe you something... A kind of honey trap, is that it? 』
"Fufufu, don't be upset. It's not that serious to be called a honey trap, so don't look at me like that."
She laughed.
『So? What do I need to do to repay this favor? Don't act all high and mighty, just tell me. 』
"I'm not acting that way at all."
『If it's something that can be solved with money, then say it. I have plenty to spare.』
At the moment, he really did have a large amount of money.
Probably the richest first-year in the entire school.
"It's not money."
Fortunately, that was her answer.
"And you're not really owe me anything. Even if I call it a favor, I don't intend to make you repay it. Think of it more as a request," she said. "I just wanted to test you a little, to see if my intuition about you was right. And to be honest, I'm impressed."
『Ahaha, well, that's that. As expected of my charm. But can I say this? You really have peculiar taste, don't you, Kiryuuin-senpai? 』
"Even so, it doesn't change the fact that you've piqued my interest."
『...I see. Well, let's talk again sometime, Kiryuuin-senpai. You'd like that, right? The formalities between seniors and juniors in a place like this are a bit troublesome. I won't take more of your time, especially when things are busy right now. 』
He stated.
『Bye-bye! 』
And he waved his hand.
Kumagawa then headed back to Class D's camp, where quite a few people had already gathered. Most of them were boys, for obvious reasons—or rather, for one particular reason that didn't need to be said.
"Not just Kushida-chan, now even that white-haired beauty too?! What the hell is wrong with this world? Why does he seem close with all those girls?!"
"Kumagawa, you bastard!!"
The ones who started it were, as expected, Ike and Yamauchi.
"You've got some explaining to do!" Ike stepped forward, pointing at him. "Why do you look so close with that white-haired beauty?!"
"Yeah, seriously!" Yamauchi nodded along. "That's way out of your league... No, wait, it's out of our league!"
Their eyes burned with a roaring flame.
A few of the boys around them nodded in agreement, though none of them stepped in. They simply watched. Rather than the disastrous result Kumagawa had just brought them with the scavenger hunt, they seemed far more interested in his closeness with Kiryuuin Fuuka.
To be fair, she was a striking beauty with a bold presence. And earlier, even if everyone knew Kumagawa had only brought her along as an "object" for the scavenger hunt, they couldn't ignore the fact that he had been holding her hand.
They even seemed somewhat close, which was likely why the boys confronted him right away.
『Hiding something? That's a bit harsh. As intimate as we may look on the outside, Kiryuuin-senpai and I lack means in terms of our relationship. 』
"What does that mean? So are you close or not?" Ike sounds confused.
『Not necessarily. It was my first time meeting her properly, so I can't say we're close. But she did say she's interested in me. 』
"That's even worse! Why would she be interested in someone like you?!"
『Ahaha, don't be jealous, Ike-kun. Kiryuuin-senpai's interest is the kind of interest that works as sexual harassment. Well, there must be some ulterior reason, but being the source of that interest isn't such a bad feeling. 』
"Even so—
"Sorry, I know you guys are having a very important conversation, but can I borrow Kumagawa-kun for a moment?" The voice cut Ike off. It was so cheerful that it felt out of place as it interrupted the tense exchange between Kumagawa, Ike, and Yamauchi—It belonged to Kushida.
"Kushida-chan...."
"Really sorry about that, Ike-kun," she said with an amiable smile. "Anyway, what are you guys talking about? If it's that important, maybe I can borrow Kumagawa-kun later..."
『What are you talking about? Of course it's importa—』
"No, no. It's not that important, Kushida-chan. Here, you can take him if you want." Ike said it in a hurry as he pushed Kumagawa forward.
Ike wanted to keep his image in front of Kushida, he didn't want her to know that he was upset because Kumagawa was close to other girls. Unfortunately for him, he was already known as a pervert, which didn't help at all. He didn't even realize that others had grouped him together with Yamauchi and Sudou as the so-called idiot trio.
"Is that so...? Then that's a relief. Again, I'm really sorry about this, Ike-kun," Kushida said with another gentle smile.
"Hahaha, no need to apologize, Kushida-chan..."
Kushida smiled at Ike, which instantly left him flustered. Then she pulled Kumagawa away—or rather, she grabbed his collar and dragged him along, heading to a quiet spot near the main building where there was no foot traffic at the moment, since everyone else was busy.
『Oho? I knew your real personality was bold, but I didn't expect you to be this bold, Kushida-chan. Did you change your character setting while I wasn't looking?』
"What character setting... In the first place, this is my real personality. I just act boldly when no one is looking."
『Well, color me impressed. It seems you've been getting more in touch with your other side lately, haven't you? 』
"Uhh... I guess?" She tilted her head.
She didn't fully understand what he meant by "in touch," but she did feel that she had changed a little compared to when she first enrolled. Still, that way of putting it felt strange, borderline unpleasant even.
To her, it was more like switching between personalities that already existed. Like flipping a switch. Though she didn't like describing it that way, since it sounded similar to how Kumagawa controlled his emotions so easily.
It made her feel less like a human.
Though in Kumagawa's case, that description fit perfectly since it was hard to see him as human in the first place.
Even so, her true self had started to leak through her usual mask. Though not to an extent that anyone else would notice, she herself could feel it.
Is that a good thing or bad thing?
"Anyway, what were you guys talking about earlier? Ike-kun seemed a bit frustrated, so I got curious."
Kushida was referring to the conversation between Kumagawa and Ike. It didn't concern her directly, but as someone who liked to know a little about everything, it was only natural for her to ask.
『Ah, that? Ike-kun seems to be holding a grudge against me. From his point of view, I'm pretty popular with girls. 』
He said.
Hearing that, Kushida couldn't help but feel something was wrong with her ears.
"Ike-kun is popular with girls?"
『No, no, no. It's Ike-kun saying that I'm popular with girls. 』
"Don't you mean avoided?"
『Why would Ike-kun get angry over girls avoiding me? 』
"....."
『..... 』
Kushida fell silent.
Her mind, according to its standard procedure and proper routines began to process the strange piece of information. It moved slowly, going through each possibility one by one, trying to find a reason behind Ike's completely absurd statement.
After a while, she finally reached a conclusion.
"Brain tumor!"
『Hmm? What do you mean?』
"What I mean by that—well, they say in books that brain tumors can cause cognitive decline, right? Maybe in Ike-kun's case, it amplified his stupidity and made him hallucinate things or say things that don't make sense." Kushida explained her hard-won conclusion.
『Ahaha, that's quite a terrible thing to say about your classmate. Of all things, a brain tumor. Is my popularity really that hard to understand?』Kumagawa said it with an annoying smile.
"Well..."
Rather than impossible, it felt more likely for the laws of thermodynamics to change than for Kumagawa to be genuinely popular with girls.
But when she thought about it more carefully, was that really the case?
For one, Kumagawa was close to her, someone considered one of the most popular girls in the school. There was also a certain kind of connection with Ichinose, though it felt more cautious than friendly. The same could be said for Sakayanagi, Ibuki, and several others who had interacted with him.
The only one who might openly show goodwill toward him was that book-loving girl from Class B. If she remembered correctly, her name was Shiina Hiyori. She had heard that Kumagawa often spent time with her in the library, and they seemed to get along well. Though, that was probably because Hiyori could be a bit absent-minded at times, so it didn't really count.
Maybe he was "popular" in a different sense, but still...
『Did you just think something rude about me, Kushida-chan? 』
"Nooo...?" Kushida averted her eyes.
『Ahaha, don't worry. I'm used to being treated like that, so it's nothing new. 』
Kumagawa offer her a hollow smile.
The way he said it sounded so pitiful that Kushida couldn't bring herself to reproach him.
『But anyway, Ike-kun was curious about that white-haired beauty, Kiryuuin-senpai, and why I seemed so close to her. 』
"Kiryuuin? You mean that Kiryuuin Fuuka?"
『Do you know her, Kushida-chan? 』
"It's not like I know her personally, but I do know of her," Kushida said. "She's pretty famous among the second years. I don't know the details, but it seems to be related to her eccentric personality. In a way, she has a similar kind of reputation to you, Kumagawa-kun... though hers is more positive."
『Her personality, huh... 』
"Now that I think about it, didn't you talk with her earlier after the scavenger hunt? Is she really as eccentric as people say?"
Even if she knew of Kiryuuin, Kushida had never tried to approach her.
Not only was she a second-year, which meant they would rarely interact, but it would also feel unnatural for her to go out of her way to force a conversation.
『Hmm... If I had to compare her to someone, she's somewhat similar to Kouenji-kun. When she talks, she gives off that kind of vibe. 』
"Kouenji-kun, huh..."
That was a name she didn't expect to hear.
To compare her to Kouenji, someone with a one-in-a-million kind of personality, really said a lot about her. That would mean there was now another Kouenji in this world, making it a two-in-a-million type of personality. It was impressive in a way, though not in a good sense.
After all, the world didn't need more people like Kouenji.
『But putting her aside, what were you planning by bringing me to a quiet place like this? If you don't tell me soon, I might start imagining all kinds of inappropriate things about you. 』
"Don't imagine things..."
『Ahaha, don't glare at me like that. It's not my fault. 』 Kumagawa said with an annoying grin. 『Still, something like this should be fine, right? It's not like you care that much about how others see you.』
"Of course I care!" Kushida snapped.
What the hell is wrong with this person?
Didn't he know what kind of personality she had? Didn't he realize that her entire life was built on how other people saw her? Was he messing with her? He had to be messing with her. But if he really wasn't...
He really didn't understand how other people felt, huh.
『But back to the point. Did you really drag me here for nothing? If something's troubling you, I can always lend you a hand. 』
Nobody would want help from someone whose luck had failed sixteen times in a row during the scavenger hunt... was what she wanted to say. But if she said that, he would just return it with something worse. It would only waste time.
Kushida took a deep breath and steadied herself before starting again from the very beginning.
"You do know that I'm planning something with Horikita-san during this festival, right? And you said you wouldn't interfere, no matter how it turns out. You remember that, don't you?"
『Right, I remember saying that. 』 Kumagawa nodded.
Well, it was possible that it wasn't a nod but just a part of his neck stretches.
Either way, she continued.
"Well, I just wanted to make sure nothing has changed... You still won't interfere, right?" Kushida looked at him doubtfully.
『Hey, hey, don't look at me like that. There's no way I'd break a promise with you. I'm not the kind of person who breaks promises that easily. 』
"Even though you said you've broken promises 27,893 times since you were born?"
『... 』
"..."
『Anyway, before we talk about promises, can you explain what kind of grand plan you have in mind? Does it have something to do with the injured Kinoshita-chan?』 Kumagawa said, completely ignoring the part about him breaking 27,893 promises in his life.
Though Kumagawa had a peculiar personality, one that almost treated betrayal like a hobby, he could only respond like this to those words. Was he really that shocked?
Well, to be completely fair, the reason Kushida suddenly became wary that Kumagawa might go back on his word despite being quite relaxed about it previously was because of his unnecessary arrival at the infirmary earlier.
His appearance was so unexpected that it made her question whether it was intentional or just pure coincidence and bad timing.
"Do you really have to know...?" Kushida asked, skeptically.
『It's not like I have to know. But what if I want to know? What would you do then? If you don't give me any hints, I'll have no choice but to look for them myself, right? 』
"....."
How did she know that? Mostly a gut feeling. It wasn't reliable, but when it came to Kumagawa, relying on something as unreliable as instinct felt more reliable and frankly, more dependable than using something usually reliable, such as logic
Still, it sounded like a threat.
If she hadn't spent so much time around him, she might have been more than anxious right now.
Besides, at this point, it was probably better to let him in on it. To prevent something undesirable from happening because of her own pride, and also to avoid Kumagawa doing something outside her expectations, something that came naturally to Kumagawa Misogi, whose actions could only be described as chaotic.
"Well, for starters, you remember what happened with—"
Kushida began to spat out the details of her plan.
Her expression remained sweet, and even her voice sounded very gentle. But the content of her plan was anything but that. It was thoroughly cruel, coming from a mere high schooler who hadn't even reached the age of twenty. A plan that aimed to maximize both the emotional and economic damage toward a single person.
It was hard to imagine something like this coming from someone like Kushida. Though perhaps the finer details came from Ryuen, while she only provided the general direction for the plan.
Kumagawa listened carefully to Kushida's plan, down to even the smallest details.
Even though it looked like the information was going in one ear and out the other, he was actually paying close attention to every detail.
An honest-to-God good listener.
"—That's the gist of it..."
After she finished explaining, Kushida looked at him.
She wanted to see his reaction.
Would he find her repulsive? Even if he already knew what kind of person she was, would he still feel disgusted? Or would he distance himself from her? Maybe he would side with Horikita instead, simply because she was the weaker one. After all, he had said it himself. He was an ally of the weak.
Kushida waited, trying to find her answer.
『Hahahaha, 』
But he laughed.
『As expected of my manager and childhood friend. Even if you're butt is still a bit too blue to truly be my manager, you really don't hold back when it comes to those so-called elites in this real world. 』
"Could you not call the world of the living real-world?"
Then what was the other one, some kind of virtual reality?
Putting that aside, Kushida let out a quiet sigh of relief without realizing it. It was to be expected, but seeing his reaction made her relax a little. That was why she didn't even comment on what he said earlier, abour her butt still being too blue.
『But still, how would you feel if your master plan ended in failure? For people like us, that's the expected result, you know?』 he said with a smile.
"Don't group me together with you."
『Ahaha... 』
""But if it failed... I suppose I'd be frustrated? I don't know for sure, but that's how I think I'd feel right now. But I'll have to see when it actually happens."
Unless something unexpected interfered, things should go as planned.
Well, whatever happened, happened.
『』『』『』『』『』
After parting ways with Kumagawa, Kushida returned to Class D's camp at a slightly hurried pace. She was a bit late because of her earlier conversation with him.
As for Kumagawa, he went off somewhere. At this point, he had no real responsibilities left. The only event he had participated in was the scavenger hunt, which ended badly for him. It wouldn't be strange if he simply returned to the dorm to sleep or read his usual manga.
As she walked toward the camp, Kushida headed straight for Hirata, who was talking with Ayanokouji.
His expression didn't look good, and she could guess why.
"Hirata-kun!" Kushida called out. "Are you really going to pay for the next competition too?"
"Yeah... I am. We need to," he replied, turning toward her.
Hirata had already paid three times so far. Twice for Sudou, and once for Horikita, who had planned to participate in the four-way tug-of-war. That was no small amount. If he paid again, the total would reach 500,000 points. No matter how many private points he had, that was still too much.
"Well, Sudou aside, Horikita should be able to repay you," Ayanokouji said, joining the conversation.
He knew Hirata had a large amount of points from the previous exam, but that didn't change the fact that it was still his money being spent on others. Fortunately, Horikita had been in the same group as him during the cruise ship exam, so she had also earned a fair amount and could repay him later.
"Wouldn't it be better to let the participants bear the cost this time? The participants, I mean."
"You might be right, Ayanokouji-kun, but 100,000 points is a lot. It's not something most people can save easily. And since I was the one who allowed the use of substitutes, I can't really ask them to pay," Hirata said with an awkward smile.
"That's not true!" Kushida cut in. "You shouldn't carry all the burden yourself, Hirata-kun. It's okay to ask for help. I'm sure there are people willing to support you."
"Kushida-san..."
"Actually, would it be alright if I helped too? I'd like to participate in the three-legged race. Of course, I'll pay the points myself. Is that okay?"
"Huh?"
Kushida had already decided.
"I can't let you handle everything alone. Besides, I want to do my best for the class, and for Horikita-san and Sudou-kun."
"Since you're good at sports, Kushida-san, your help would be appreciated," Hirata said with a relieved smile in his face.
"Thank you. I'll go inform Chabashira-sensei that I'll participate in Horikita-san's place," Kushida replied, then quickly ran off.
"Now for a guy. I'll ask around," said Hirata.
"Hey, Hirata. Could I go in as Sudou's substitute? I'll pay the points. I can't guarantee I'll be much help, but I'll try." Before Hirata could leave, Ayanokouji spoke up.
"Well... yeah, sure. I don't mind, of course, but... are you okay with that, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"I don't feel right making you carry this alone. Besides, I'm a little worried about the next test. I'd like to earn at least one extra point."
With Hirata's approval, Ayanokouji went after Kushida, cutting into her conversation with Chabashira-sensei.
"So, you're going to be Sudou's substitute, Ayanokouji?" Chabashira-sensei asked.
"Yes."
"That's unusual. You usually prefer to stay on the sidelines."
"..."
Ayanokouji chose not to respond to the unnecessary remark. For a moment, he considered saying something, but decided against it. There was no need to create trouble. It was better to act humble and handle things in business like manner.
"You're taking Sudou-kun's place, then, Ayanokouji-kun? I'm looking forward to racing with you!" Kushida said with a bright tone.
"Yeah, same here. I'm not that fast, though, so you'll have to forgive me," Ayanokouji replied.
"Ahaha, don't worry. In the first place, the most imporatnat thing in the three-legged race, is coordination You don;t have to worry about speed."
As they talked, they did some light warm-ups for the next event. Another pair approached from the opposite side. They were likely their opponents.
"Geh, it's you."
"Can you not say it like that? What did I ever do to you...?" Ayanokouji replied flatly.
It was Ibuki Mio, walking onto the field for the three-legged race. Beside her was a boy with dark green hair and a sturdy build, most likely her partner.
"Hmm? Isn't that the guy you went with to the fortune teller at Keyaki Mall during summer break? Are you dating him, Ibuki?"
"Shut up, Ishizaki!" Ibuki snapped, kicking him from behind.
"OW! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"Hmmph."
Ignoring his complaint, Ibuki turned away and crouched down, tying the cord between their legs without paying him much attention.
"Oh, wow, we've got some tough opponents," Kushida said, looking at the pair.
"Do you know how strong they are, Kushida?"
"Hmm..." Kushida placed a finger on her chin, thinking. "Ibuki-san is very athletic. In terms of speed, she might be slightly below their top runner, Kinoshita-san. But overall, she's probably the most physically capable girl in Class B."
Ayanokouji already had an idea. During the island exam, she had managed to steal Kumagawa's card while moving through a crowd. She was fast and agile. And judging by her build, she had likely trained in some form of martial arts too.
"As for Ishizaki-kun... I'm not sure about his speed, but he's strong. Still, I don't know how much that strength will help in this kind of race."
Hearing that, Ayanokouji judged them to be fairly difficult opponents.
"By the way, Kushida, could you tie the cord for us? It'd be a bit awkward for me to do it."
"Sure. But isn't that a little strange? You tied it yourself when you practiced with Horikita-san, didn't you, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"..."
Ayanokouji was a bit impressed. He knew she was observant, but she really had been watching the class closely like a hawk.
"She's...well, an exception. I can't act the same way around other girls."
"Are you saying Horikita's special, then?"
It would be more accurate to say she held a special position, but that would be hard to explain.
"Anyway, I can't believe Horikita-san went to look for Sudou-kun like that," Kushida said. "Considering her personality, it's not something she would usually do. And she's someone who never skips class either. She's very strict with herself, so it feels a bit unusual. Do you think someone's been giving her advice?"
"Yeah, I was surprised too. But maybe it's just a sign of her growth."
"Growth, huh... But you don't look that surprised, though." Kushida said as she crouched down and began tying the cord around his leg.
"I guess it's hard to read my expression. It's always been like that."
"You mean you have a good poker face?"
"Kushida."
Ayanokouji called her name.
"Hold on just a little longer, okay? I'll be finished soon," Kushida said sweetly, as she usually did, while tying the cord around their legs.
Ayanokouji decided to get straight to the point.
"It's you, right? The traitor who leaked Class D's participation table to Class B."
When Ayanokouji accused her, Kushida paused for a moment. Then she continued tying the cord as if nothing had happened.
"Come on, Ayanokouji-kun. What's wrong with you? Even as a joke, that's a cruel thing to say."
"I did that to keep a record, so I wouldn't forget. It would be a problem if I forgot my own events, after all."
"Didn't we all agree to write them down by hand?"
"Oh, really? Sorry, I forgot." Kushida finished tying the cord and slowly stood up, her usual smile still on her face. "Is that all that made you suspect me?"
"Sorry, but I'm sure I'm right. If it wasn't true, Class B wouldn't have been able to target us so precisely or massacred us like this,"
It was rare for Ayanokouji to stand this close to Kushida, alone like this. In a way, it was the perfect chance to talk.
"Um, but even if someone leaked Class D's participation table, that doesn't necessarily mean Class B could crush us, right?"
"That's true, but not in this case."
During the exam, Class B's participation table appeared specifically designed to counter Class D because their matchups were consistently advantageous. While Class B wasn't completely unmatched in every competition, making it difficult to level direct accusations, such a perfect contrast suggests that Class D's order must have been leaked to significantly raise Class B's chances of winning.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. Let's say I really did leak the information..." Kushida tilted her head slightly. "If you suspected me because I took a picture, that means you knew the table was leaked, right? Then why didn't you just change it afterward? You could've submitted a new one and made my picture useless."
"That would work in most cases. But not if the traitor is someone from Class D."
"What do you mean?"
"If we changed the table, even secretly, it wouldn't matter. As long as the traitor was in our class, they could check the updated version anytime. Everyone in Class D has access to it."
If Kushida wanted to see the table, she could do so whenever she liked. No matter what adjustments they made behind the scenes, she would always be able to confirm the final version.
Kushida... no, Ryuen would definitely take advantage of that.
"But if you hid the table until the last possible minute before submitting it, even if someone did see it, they wouldn't have time to act. You could still prevent leaks."
"That's true, I suppose."
"Ah, but doing that might throw the whole class into confusion later. That wouldn't be good either."
Kushida wasn't wrong.
To properly prevent spying, they would have needed to prepare from the start. Submitting the table at the last second would reduce the risk of leaks, but it would also confuse everyone.
At the same time, changing the roster without telling the class would only create resentment toward Horikita or Hirata. A better approach would have been to prepare multiple versions and submit one at random.
If they had done that, then no matter which version was submitted, they would've been able to compete effectively. At the same time, it would have worked as a countermeasure against leaks, without causing any resistance within the class.
"I understand what you're saying, Ayanokouji-kun. But I'm not the culprit, okay? I don't want to suspect my classmates either."
"In that case, how about we confirm it with Chabashira-sensei? She should know if anyone specifically asked to see the participation table after we submitted it."
"....."
Kushida fell silent.
Ayanokouji had cornered her.
At this point, her involvement was all but confirmed.
He expected her to drop her mask, to show the same expression and personality she had revealed on the rooftop that day.
But instead—
"Hahaha. You really aren't an ordinary person, are you, Ayanokouji-kun?"
She laughed.
It was a familiar expression.
Yet also unfamiliar.
Kushida wore her usual sweet smile, the kind she showed to everyone. Yet at the same time, there was something uncanny about it, something she had never shown before. Ayanokouji couldn't say it was exactly the same, but the feeling it gave off reminded him of a certain person.
"I guess there's no helping it now that you've figured it out. I expected some variables, but I didn't think you'd uncover it this quickly, Ayanokouji-kun."
"You're admitting it?"
"Yes. Even if you asked Chabashira-sensei, it was only a matter of time. Besides, even if I tell you the truth, I'm confident I won't be exposed."
"What makes you so confident? The fingerprint thing? If that's what you're relying on, it's meaningless."
He was referring to that incident on the rooftop, when Kushida let him grab her chest. The first time he saw her true nature.
Ayanokouji was referring to the time when Kushida let Ayanokouji grabs his boobs that one time on the rooftop, which is also the first time Ayanokouji saw the true selves of a person called Kushida Kikyou.
The thing about fingerprints is that they're easily erased, especially on fabric like a blazer. The texture absorbs the oils and breaks the pattern, and the fibers are too porous to retain clear ridge details. It works differently on smooth surfaces like glass, but not on clothing.
On top of that, humidity, the natural breakdown of skin oils, and regular washing all make it even harder for any trace to remain. Any usable print would disappear within days, let alone a month. There was no way Kushida would leave her blazer unwashed for that long.
"Ah, that? Yeah... now that I think about it, that was pretty careless of me. Because of that, Kumagawa-kun keeps harrasing me about it, you know? He keeps mentioning why would I give my breast virginity to someone else instead of him. It's definitely annoying."
"Kumagawa...?"
Hearing that name here gave him a bad feeling.
"Didn't you know, Ayanokouji-kun? One of Kumagawa-kun's favorite places to read manga is the rooftop. With his nature, his occasional lack of presence, and that uncanny habit of showing up at the best possible moment at the worst possible time... I don't think I need to explain what that means for both of us, right?"
"..."
This was bad.
No, this was really bad.
This was the first time Ayanokouji felt this threatened since coming to this school.
Ayanokouji knew something had felt off lately. Even though he usually didn't rely on intuition without evidence, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Was this the source of that uneasiness?
If what she said was true, then his peaceful life would be over. At worst, it could even lead to expulsion. On top of that, Kushida was Kumagawa's childhood friend, someone close to him. And Kumagawa himself was the vice president, someone with considerable influence in the school.
There was no chance he would take Ayanokouji's side.
And there was even less chance he would act as expected.
Really....
Nothing good ever came when Kumagawa was involved.
"...What do you want?"
The situation had completely flipped.
Ayanokouji hadn't expected this turn, but there was no other choice now.
"Don't make that kind of face, Ayanokouji-kun. Even if Kumagawa-kun has something on both of us, it's not like I have it myself, right? If you want to settle things, you should talk to him instead." She said while smiling.
Revealing that much was a bit of a waste, but Kushida didn't have much choice. She knew her mistake back then had been careless. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Kumagawa had been there, which gave her some room to wiggle around.
As for why she admitted she didn't have any recording, it was simple. She was certain Ayanokouji would figure it out sooner or later, now that she understood his capabilities. There was no guarantee that things would work smoothly which is why she revealed it.
"But remember this." Kushida looked straight at him. "Even if I don't have anything, Kumagawa-kun won't do anything that puts me at a disadvantage."
In that sense, Kushida trusted him.
At the very least, compared to Ayanokouji, Kumagawa would definitely take her side in this situation.
But knowing Kumagawa, there was always a chance he wouldn't act as expected. If that happened, Kushida still had a hidden card that could turn things in her favor. You could even call it an absolute form of defense.
Even so, it was something she didn't want to use.
But that was beside the point.
"....Even if you don't reveal anything, it's not like I can expose you as the culprit, Kushida."
Ayanokouji let out a quiet sigh. There was nothing he could do about it now, so there was no point in thinking too much about it.
"But that makes me wonder. Why would you betray your class? I'd like to hear it from your own lips."
"I wanted to expel her. Expel Horikita Suzune. That's all," she replied without hesitation.
"I just don't understand why you're going after Horikita so relentlessly." Ayanokouji had hoped they could settle things before the sports festival, but that didn't happen.
"I wonder... Why don't you guess, Ayanokouji-kun? You managed to figure out that I was the traitor, didn't you? Surely you have an idea."
Despite her sarcasm, she kept smiling.
"And you're fine with sabotaging Class D just for that?"
"And what's wrong with that? It's not like I'm doing anything wrong, right? Didn't people say that the goal of all humans is the pursuit of happiness? In that case, my happiness is seeing Horikita-san expelled. So it's not my fault."
Her desire was twisted from the very beginning.
She was completely focused on her goal. If necessary, she would probably involve people like Katsuragi, Ichinose, Sakayanagi, or even someone like Kumagawa to achieve it.
"Ah, now that I think about it, I'll add one more thing. I've added you to the list of people I want expelled, Ayanokouji-kun. After both you and Horikita are gone, my happiness might finally be complete."
She still wore that gorgeous smile. Her expression was almost dazzling.
"Then what about Kumagawa? Don't you have any intention of expelling him? Just like me, isn't he also someone who knows your true nature? I doubt something like being childhood friends would stop you."
Ayanokouji decided to ask what had been on his mind.
Depending on her answer, he could understand the kind of dynamics she had with Kumagawa.
"Ahaha, don't be ridiculous, Ayanokouji-kun," she laughed. "I'm not that suicidal to even think about something like that. Though it's true, he can be frustrating at times."
"I see..."
It seemed their relationship was more complicated than he had expected.
"Anyway, Horikita-san took quite a beating in this sports festival, didn't she?" Kushida said. "It's a shame you couldn't save her."
"Who knows?"
He wasn't so sure about that.
There was indeed some risk involved. A big one, if things went wrong. But Ayanokouji didn't have many options at this point. And if what Kushida said was true, then he still had just enough room to move and achieve his objective.
With that, their conversation ended. They ran the three-legged race in silence, without another word.
『END』
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Here you go peasants, another chapter.
Anyway, that's it for today's chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for reading!]