In the late evening at the Alpha dorm, Masanori approached a door and knocked. He waited, only to get nothing but silence. He sucked in a resigning breath, still feeling a nervous churning in his stomach for his actions. He knocked again a little more firmly and called out. "Yuuki! Open the hell up!! It's me!"
'This guy can't be asleep already, he's already asleep half the day.' Masanori frowned. 'I hope he didn't spend the entire day lazing around in his room…'
Finally the door opened. Masanori looked down at a student he didn't recognize. They let out a loud shocked gasp and backed into the room a step. "Imada Masanori-sama!"
Masanori flinched back agitatedly, one eyelid briefly twitching. He silently stared at the student before roughly pushing open the door past him. Inside the room it was dark save for the dim orange glow of a lamp on a table in the center, where Yukihiro slouched on a massive couch, eyes glued to a laptop.
Yuki stopped scrolling to look up. "Nori!? You're here?" He hopped out of his seat and rushed up to the door.
The beta student trembled up at Masanori as they stuttered out an explanation. "It's not anything w-weird! I just lost track of time."
"No, it's...Yuki, why is this beta student hanging out with you past curfew?" Masanori asked to Yuki with a sigh, "And why is he calling me that?"
Yukihiro put a hand around Masanori's shoulder. "What? Forget him. Actually, why haven't you left yet? Leave please! Shoo shoo!" Yukihiro made a show of gesturing for him to leave. The beta student jolted and rushed off. Yukihiro then put a hand on his hip while the other pulled on the door, looking a bit less cheerful than usual. "So Nori? You weren't here to just scold me I hope."
"That's pretty rude for someone you're gonna get in trouble." Masanori calmly scolded with an aggrieved sigh. "Anyway, I'm sorry to come by so late but I need to check something on the cameras."
"Hm? Camera footage for what? You'd usually ask Sensei…" Yukihiro's face changed and he slowly began to give him a laughing grin. "You… must want to see something you don't want your father to find out. Meaning…!"
Masanori grumbled. "Don't rub it in. Yes, it's about Takeshita Akira. I need to figure out what he was doing yesterday and why he's avoiding me."
"Ha!" He smirked. "I knew you had it in you. Great now that I've got your Alpha type down as obsessed… do you prefer and -"
"Yuki come on." Masanori groaned. "Is this important?"
Yukihiro loudly scoffed back at him. "Give me a little bit of something at least! This is a new development; usually you just text me to scrub up some footage... Did this come about after that excursion at the new gym construction?"
"Not exactly…" Masanori began, "I sent him to talk to Ryusei to clear up some confusion, but now he seems to be avoiding me, at least I think that's what it is. And his schedule isn't the same as it was before so he's off doing-" Masanori cleared his throat. "J-Just give me access already Yuki, it's lights out soon. I want the footage from the beta dorm yesterday."
But then, Yuki shook his head at him, shrugging. "Ah, sorry… if you want that footage then, you'll have to wait until tomorrow."
"What?! Yuki, you have the security set up in your room for the dorms, don't you?"
"Not for the beta dorm. Limitations of old tech," He sighed. "Sorry, I can't help right now. Now, goodbye!" Yuki then lightly shuffled Masanori out the door. "Wish you could stay but I don't do late hours, but I'll see ya tomorrow! Au revoir!" and Yuki closed the door on Masanori.
"You barely do any hours…" Masanori's frown pinched the edge of his cheeks. He turned to walk back to his room. There was no helping but to wait until tomorrow.
———
The next day was Friday, so Ren continued his surveillance on the two beta assistants. Though today, he couldn't find Fumio doing much at all. He had even put away his oversized tablet and now seemed to be busy on his phone instead.
'And where did the tablet go…?' Ren peered behind a tree with a skeptical look. 'Maybe he realized that thing was super suspicious looking!'
Ren had even less luck keeping an eye on Shouta. No matter where he looked he couldn't seem to find him in the main areas students went during lunch. He tapped a few shoulders but he couldn't find anyone with answers.
Ren ended up leaving Fumio in order to search for him. It was only the second day, he must be somewhere he didn't know about yet.
But by the end of lunch he had gotten nowhere. To make matters worse when he returned to the main courtyard Fumio had vanished, and even stalking his classroom proved that he hadn't immediately gone there.
The rest of the school day passed with him speculating on where they had gone, mainly Fumio. He could have spent that time following Katashi.
Feeling mentally drained Ren ended up slumping down over the table in his club room the moment he walked in after class. Today it was just him and Shino, no sign of Kokichi.
Shino stopped what he was doing to look down at him worriedly. "Takeshita-kun? I wanted to thank you for delivering that note, but with you looking particularly down today… any chance you need an ear?" He offered.
Ren groaned. "I can't! It's… top secret. You know the deal." he whispered, remembering their plot to isolate and take down one of the Alphas.
It was frustrating. He wanted to nail down solid evidence on who the culprit was before he gave his information to Ryusei about the suspicious behavior of the Alphas and Betas. If only he had a better way to find out about students besides manually tracking their schedules. He sighed. At least he had a solid grasp on whatever nefarious schemes the school was planning with the betas.
Shino tilted his head in confusion but shrugged it away, adjusting the bag around his shoulder. "Well do your best then, and do be careful for the weekend."
"The weekend?" Ren lifted his head curiously. "What about the weekend?"
"Well there's an outing," Shino continued. "A good amount of the teachers and students will be gone until Sunday afternoon…"
Ren slammed a hand down on the table. "There's what!?"
"The change was announced this morning? You... don't seem to pay attention to the announcements, do you?" Shino asked.
"No… I usually tune them out." Ren slowly admitted. 'But, it was for good reason! Once I realized the school was manipulating the student body I did try to listen to them, especially when when I realized those student council members were the ones making the announcements! But actually listening to them is either usually super boring or confusing!'
At one point they tried to announce that there was a Alpha day to celebrate Alphas and that there were other people that celebrated it? And they once mentioned how the Prime Minister is a Alpha!? It was clear they weren't giving REAL news but it was all just absurd propaganda! Trying to convince these kids that all of this is normal outside of the school! So I borrowed some of my roommates ear plugs and I blocked it out! If I kept listening I might get all confused and actually start to believe that all this was normal, that the world outside the school also followed all this Alpha Beta Omega stuff! Yeah right!'
But now, he had missed vital information due to his drastic actions, so Ren's mood dipped with a sudden weight of regret.
Shino continued, "Well, it was supposed to be an overnight trip for Saturday and Sunday but they decided it would be best to leave today so we'll be back before Monday. Which is why I should mention, they'll be no access to the club room this weekend."
Ren eye's widened and he balked. "S-Shino, you're leaving?!"
Shino sighed. "Don't sound so distraught, I'll be back soon enough. It's an optional trip suggested by student wellness, and it'll be nice to leave the school for a bit and let out some steam… sorry you found out so late, maybe we could have gone together."
Ren was in disbelief. An optional field trip for student wellness? This was way too suspicious! Why was the school letting a bunch of kids leave?
'Acclimation into the real world? Of course, their end game may be to unleash these super powered kids into the world, like sleeper agents!
And this explains why Shouta vanished, he must be on this list! Who else is on there to leave?'
"Shino! I need to know everyone that's going to be going on this trip!" Ren shouted in proclamation.
Shino seemed to ruminate on his words for a moment before responding, "Well have you checked the school site?"
Ren flinched. He took a large gulped and raised a shaking hand, confidence dwindling. "A-Anywhere else…?"
"Hm, Takeshita isn't tech savvy I guess?" Shino mused. "Well… try student wellness then? Third floor, not that far from health monitoring."
Ren grumbled, "I-I can use technology… wait, Student Wellness…?" Ren stopped then loudly gasped. "You m-mean: Akagi is behind this!?"
"Well saying it like that is odd, but yeah." Shino answered.
Ren's face tensed up seriously. 'So he's behind this...!'
Akagi was 100% his #1 danger. His eyes glowed yesterday, just like Masanori did that one time. He knew an Alpha like him had powers, but being reminded of it made him think of what Masanori told him about being careful. He couldn't get caught by Akagi, no matter what. But then, was he just supposed to figure out who was leaving? He supposed the site was the only answer...
"Seems you've heard the news about him too to sound so wary," Shino continued calmly. "But hes not much to worry about. There are far worse Alphas here than Akagi Naoto. You stay out of his and other Alphas' way and you won't ever see him."
Ren raised his chin and grew a smile, a spark of enlightenment filled his eyes. 'I get it! Shino is suggesting I break in! Of course, he must see me as a skilled infiltrator after we worked together before! And, Ryusei said something similar too, didn't he? Right, if anyone is going to figure this out then it has to be me! I just need to sneak in!'
"Alright Shino: I'll head over there right now and get that file!" Ren then hurried out the room, leaving Shino alone without a moment for him to wave goodbye.
Shino's brow slightly creased. "Hm, hopefully he has no troubles with that guy…" he murmured to himself. He shrugged. "He'd be too busy looking into that omega from the construction site incident anyway…"
Ren approached the room to student wellness in an empty brightly lit hall, heart swelling with vindication. 'Can't believe a crazy kid like Akagi controls the students' well being! Well that's how he gets everyone to like him despite being an asshole, must be a real people pleaser to his Boss's as well. These guys: They're seriously up to something, and I bet this has to be related to that party happening tomorrow! This might be it, time to prove my worth!''
Ren peeked his head up into the room to see though the blurry glass that led into the room-
The door to the room then suddenly buckled! Ren ducked down, the sight of two shapes in the mirror by the door making Ren jolt. He put a hand to his mouth to stifle his frightened squeak and he hurried away. He quickly hid behind the pillar embedded in the wall, just thick enough for his small body to hide behind.
The door opened. Right away, someone was pushed out the room, a rather plain looking student. They looked back with a stunned expression, slightly flushed in the face. Akagi took a step out the room just to lean against the door. He grinned at the student with a sultry smirk. He then liked his lips meticulously with a sly grin, turning the student who was blushing a little into a shade of deep red and they quickly hurried down the hall, going so fast they couldn't see Ren.
Akagi let out a low, devious chuckle with a splitting grin, quietly humming to himself a playful tune as he closed the door behind him. He looked towards a window with a calmer look, a hand on his forehead to shield his eyes from it's glare. "Not yet." He murmured, and finally began walking away. Ren breathed a low sigh of relief.
'Good, he's gone. Now I can try to get in to get that list!'
Ren slowly approached the door. He reached for the handle with a shaking hand, when he stopped. 'Wait, what if someone else is inside? I would be walking right into a trap!!' Ren took a deep breath and steeled his nerves. 'I... I can't just leave though! I gotta try!!'
Ren placed his hand on the door, and pulled on it. It didn't budge.
'Ah…' Ren blanched, 'It's, locked! Gah of course he locked it! Damn it what do I do now?'
Ren sighed and stepped away from the door. H-He didn't anticipate this! How could he call himself a good spy if he couldn't even pick a lock!? He examined the window, trying to look in. There had to be some way to get in without it!
Ren flinched when he heard the echo of footsteps down the hall, and gulped. 'Is he coming back already?!' Ren didn't know but couldn't take the chance, so he left the door and ran down the hall until he was far away.
'Well, maybe it's for the better.' Ren frowned in resignation, letting out a sigh. 'There's not helping it: if I can't get the list of students leaving then I'll just have to find out on the school site, if that information is even accurate-'
"Hmm, Akira-kun? You're here?"
Ren jumped out of his skin and whipped his head over his shoulder, suddenly in the foothills of a mount Ryusei. Ryusei peeked out of a doorway with a naturally stiff expression, but expresses a subtle interest with his eyes.
"Oh, R-Ryusei-kun…" Ren brushed his arms to smooth down his bristling goosebumps. "You s-scared me…" Ren admitted with a small tremor.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you…" Ryusei slightly tilted his head with concern. "You, alright?" He stiffly asked.
Ren nodded his head. "Y-Yeah, I'm alright. Honestly you're right: you're not the scariest Alpha I could see right now…" He trailed off, thinking of Akagi and for a moment, Masanori. He rubbed his arms again but still felt bumps. 'Fine except the crazy goosebumps. Is it in these kid's blood to be so good at sneaking up on people or something?'
Ryusei noticeably relaxed his posture and leaned a little farther away with a minor wrinkle to his eyes. "Hm, so I scare you less than someone else after all. Was short-lived, I'm kinda disappointed." So then, how's your progress been then? You remember haven' ya, about my assistants?"
"Of course I remembered!" Ren proclaimed loudly, to then calm down then to a more tepid hum. "Buuut… I, haven't found anything conclusive. I… wish I had more to give. I'm sorry." Ren apologized, feeling a stirring of guilt wrestling in his gut. He did have something but he didn't want to give it yet, not without more evidence. But now that he was in front of him, he was having more doubts. 'More evidence would be great but Ryusei might listen to him if he told him about what he heard from the beta dorm, right? Then he might help me out rather than tell me to stay out of the way…'
"I… Do I still have, more time?" Ren slowly asked instead, looking up to Ryusei with a sorry set of eyes.
Ryusei's expression was hard to read at first, but soon a subtle arch of his brow raised a twitching curve of his eye, like he was amused. One of his hands went on top of Ren's head and he patted it twice then gave it a small rustling. "Of course. Take as much time as you want."
Ren's eyebrows furrowed while he comprehended what was happening, then he swiftly grabbed Ryusei's hand with both of his and dragged the hand off his head. He glared up at him but his face was noticeably reddening. "W-What's your deal? Don't do that!"
Ryusei calmly mused with a rousing dip to his voice. "Really? You seem like the kind of Omega that would like it though. Or so I figured."
Ren huffed harshly under his breath. "I'm not like anything: You're just… really weird!" He yelled out.
"Ah, and they call me straight-forward." Ryusei said with a more humorous tone, giving for a moment a slight smile. He quickly dropped it and shifted back a step, musing slightly. "Masanori's got a little reason to worry like he's been. With you givin' him the run-around."
Ren stiffened. He then flushed a light shade of pink with a frown, meekly lowering his head. "Y-You know about that. Did, Did he tell you…?"
Ryusei looked at him matter of factly as he answered. "Nope. Just a guess. Yer easy to read, especially with a red face like that. A look like that could call a bull."
"T-That's…!" Ren's cheeks puffed out furiously. "R-Rude! And disrespectful! I'm not a bull caller. If you want red, call Akagi Naoto! He's way redder and way more like a bull! That guy's primal!"
"Naoto as a bull? You really are funny." Ryusei paused then sighed a little. "Masanori said you like to say crazy things, but I've got a hunch… I want yer help, but don't push too far to end up in trouble if yer havin' issues with Naoto. Can't imagine Masanori would be too happy about it."
Ren then just grit his teeth. He straightened his shoulders and let out a harsh scoff. "Yeah, whatever! I'm leaving now! To search for the suspects! Which I'll do well cuz I'm great at stealth and good at finding clues, not attracting trouble!! So, goodbye!" Ren gave Ryusei a quick head dip of a bow then left in a rush, a disdainful snarl on his face.
'He really is disrespectful, and as infuriating as Imada Masanori! Trying to tell me to back down when the going gets tough: that's why a guy like Akagi has so much power! People just back down and do what he says, like those students at the court! But I'll prove it to them, when I find out Ryusei's culprit and the missing meds they'll stop treating me like a wuss! I should head back to the beta dorm for more clues rather than search around for his assistants, Fumio will likely be there anyway planning that party!'
Ren rushed off down the hall, passing by one that Masanori just missed him passing as he turned his head out the door. He was finally done with some work, now he could head to Yuki's.
Masanori made his way only a few doors down the hall to a room on the same floor, knocking once before entering. Inside, Yukihiro was already at a computer in a dark, messy room. Yukihiro turned in his seat with his sly grin and pose befitting a villainous yakuza boss. "Masa, Masa! Here clear as day! I've been expecting you…!"
"Stop fooling around and show me. I'm not in the mood." Masanori grumbled.
"About your omega problem? " He chuckled and pressed a button on the keyboard, bringing up a collage of different camera footage.
"Where's your assistant today?" Masanori asked as he sat in a chair next to him.
"I sent him off of course." Yukihiro answered with a mischievous smile. "I'd assume you wouldn't want him here to watch you get all obsessed with-"
"Don't finish that sentence. Yuki: it'll be bad if something breaks because your normal security student is not here. Just because you set up the system, doesn't mean it's going to work like you think."
Yukihiro scoffed. "Um, you're talking to me, Nori, are you kidding? Not to too my own horn, but I haven't made a single real mistake since middle school? My system will work flawlessly." His smile returned and grew into a teasing smirk. "So, you want to look for footage, hmm? You wanna spy on your little omega, don'tcha?"
Masanori stiffened and fought a heat climbing his face. "It's not like that at all! Something's going on with Takeshita-san and I need to figure out what he was doing at the beta dorm yesterday evening around their curfew. If he's doing something against school rules then I'm the one that needs to defuse it, right?" He sighed. "I'm doing my job is all."
"No no, you had it there!" Yukihiro suddenly shouted out, then unexpectedly pointed the unsharpened pencil in his hand at Masanori's head. "A Rule enforcer enforces the rules! That's a fact; no room for error or mistake! Putting your authority to good use is a real high class Alpha move! And your bullshit excuse you conjured up sounds so reasonable too!"
"Is... Is that supposed to be a joke?" Masanori stuttered with a slightly aggrieved dead-pan.
"Au contraire! It's truly true, without a doubt!" Yukihiro said, even as he grinned devilishly and his eyes gleamed with some unspoken humor. He whisked his way back to the screen. "Anyway, yesterday evening beta dorm?" Yukihiro tapped a few buttons and spun the pencil in his hand as the footage on screen changed. Yuki used his free hand to control the mouse. "It's the beta dorm so it's a little outdated, but that's the entrance there, and… yep, there! I think that's your omega?"
Masanori watched the fuzzy and pixelated black and white screen. He watched as he entered the dorm and seemed to be looking around. Though the footage was blurry, the small omega was hard to miss. He had a way of moving around, stiffly bunching close to the walls and going short bursts as he did. He watched him enter the dorm and walk around but soon, he vanished from sight.
"Eh, he's in a blind spot." Yuki explained. "He really enjoys avoiding cameras doesn't he? Couldn't find him much at all today, always hugging the walls when I do. Paranoid much?"
"Speed the footage a little until he shows back up." Masanori just instructed, and waited until he finally reappeared, but he wasn't alone. Masanori's eyebrow twitched as he watched a student dragging him across the hall while he struggled against his grip.
Masanori leaned more out of his chair with a rising panic. "W-Who-!" He then froze when he saw what happened next. Ren backing up, tripping then being caught. By the time he pushed him away Masanori rose from his chair and had leaned over the desk to watch himself rush in his direction and right past the student. He stared at the footage in silence, mouth straining with a worried frown.
"Wow. You're being two-timed, Nori?" Yukihiro chuckled at him with a playful smile.
Masanori's eyes narrowed with an implied eye roll but remained focused on the screen. "Play the footage back." He ordered.
Yukihiro did so silently, and let Masanori look over it again, focused on Ren's face.
"His eyes. They're all blotchy. I didn't imagine it yesterday." Masanori explained.
"So his boyfriend made him cry?" Yukihiro scoffed. "What's the point here exactly with this excuse?"
"It's not a- Y-Yuki, can you focus?" Masanori loudly grumbled. "His eyes were like that before he entered the dorm when I spotted him too, so there might be something else going on. Let's not jump to ridiculous conclusions."
"Look at you, a real detective." Yukihiro's sly smile stretched wider. "But I'm just saying. How dumb is it when he's already being called an Alpha baiter? And, that student there is an Alpha. Yoshida Junichiro. He's pretty shy, kinda meek, annoying and asks too many questions. Maybe, your omega's got a type?" He jeered.
"If he's meek then he wouldn't be so aggressive with him in the video," Masanori sternly replied, only looking a little annoyed.
"I don't know about that. It can change people, this business of love and pheromones." Yuki swirled his pencil in the air dramatically. "A wolf can turn into a pup the same as a kitten can turn into a wild cat. That's why I'm curious what a guy like you would be."
Masanori pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "You're thinking too much about useless things…" He muttered. His eyes once more moving over to the screen where Yuki looped the footage, seeing Ren being dragged off by them once more. His eyes darkened and he clenched his jaw.
Then the footage was gone, and flashes of other screens took its place. Masanori looked over to Yukihiro who had started rapidly working the keyboard, screens flying by in what seemed like a flash.
"Yuki, what are you doing now?"
"Looking for your Omega on the other cameras." Yuki explained. "Got some face recognition going this moring, should beee... Ah, found him. Right… there." Yuki pointed at one of the screens and the small figure, the body of someone else nearly covering him.
"T-That was fast… hm? That's Ryusei-kun." Masanori could tell by his build and the white lab coat. Though the footage was slightly better than the beta dorm it was hard to see exact detail, but even Masanori noticed Ren looking sad and timid in front of him.
Masanori looked at the screen for a moment then shielded his eyes from it. "Q-Quit it. I shouldn't be spying on him even if he is avoiding me. It doesn't feel right."
"And you're losing me, Nori," Yuki loudly sighed. "Didn't you say you're here just to do your job? If you're going to find out if he's getting into trouble again why get cold feet over something like this? Come ooon," Yuki pulled the monitor closer. "You want to figure out what he's doing. I can show you him and anyone at any time. I can show you the whole school, only a few clicks away…" He teased with a grin. "I could probably find where he's at right now."
"Stop, that's enough." Masanori pressed a button on the keyboard and turned off the monitor. "You're practically asking me to throw away morals talking like that. He's not a criminal so I won't treat him like one and invade his privacy anymore. I'll go talk to Yoshida instead. He'll clear things up and give me some clues."
''And, the last time I tried following him when he was avoiding me, it didn't end well...' Masanori silently added.
"Ugh, a strong man of justice." Yuki rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Yoshida's just in his club room. This was from a few minutes ago. He's hard to catch but I'll try to see if I can figure out what he's been doing, for you Nori." Yuki explained. "This footage was only a few minutes ago, maybe you could catch him."
"No, even if you tell me where he is he'll likely keep avoiding me anyway." Masanori sighed. "Come on. Yuki: why is the beta dorm footage quality so bad?" He changed the subject, "I thought you got the approval to update the dorm's system this year."
"I did. Well, partly." His voice raised a pitch and he waved a hand in agitation. "But there was some talking about budgets bloating with the other buildings or whatever, so the beta upgrade got pushed back."
"Is it the budget that bad this year?" Masanori frowned.
"Well that, and I keep putting it off." Yukihiro admitted with a nonchalant shrug.
"Yuki… You shouldn't sound so proud of skirting your priorities like that."
Yuki shrugged again. "What do they want me to do? I'm working on no salary and can't even drown my stress in alcohol like a real salaryman! But don't worry I'll get it done! Like everything else. And when I do it'll be flawless."
"Please don't apply your freaky genius on this. And don't add weird software that's no school approved or you might get in trouble."
"You worry too much. My added software won't cause any problems, trust me. Have a little more respect for your ultra genius best friend."
"A friend whose also a social recluse with no social skills?" Masanori jabbed with a teasing smirk. "Well, thanks for helping me out. Do your best." He said, and turned and left the room. Yukihiro rotated his chair to watch him leave, crossing his arms with a resigning frown. Suddenly something in the corner of his eye changed. He spun back around to the computer but nothing was different, only just missing the brief flickering of the monitor.
"Hm?" He peered a little closer at the screen for a moment more, before flopping back in his seat and forgetting it.
———
Ren went back to the beta dorm but found nothing of interest this time. With nothing to show for his work he returned to his dorm, wondering how he was supposed to figure out anything when he was being so inefficient.
'Nothing at all, I listened in on so many conversations! I wonder how I'm going to figure all of this out. It's all starting to feel like a lot to tackle. There's so much going on and so much of it makes little sense right now and I'm picking up so little… I couldn't even get into that room! Maybe I need to evaluate how I approach collecting information if I can't even find out something as simple as a field trip… have I been, doing this all wrong?'
Ren stopped walking and gave himself a pinch on his arm.
'No, get it together! I'm doing the best I can! I'll get my evidence, then I'll give it to them both. Ryusei and Masanori and even Shouta. Then they'll help me figure this out. Whatever is going on here…'
Ren's eyes caught sight of the school's main gate, watching some figures walking in as it closed.
'Guess it's already that late. I wonder when Shino will be going, I should have asked…'
Ren paused. "Huh… Wait, I forgot to ask! I didn't get into the room so I never got to check who was leaving! Damn it I got distracted at the beta dorm!"
He just sighed, a bit too drained now to get worked up again. 'Well Shino said they were coming back so I can just see then. I hope, Shino-kun will be alright…' He assured himself, and continued walking back to his dorm.