Chapter 246: The Scent of Kikyo / Ryuen Kakeru, Are You an Idiot?
"You... aren't you going to ask me why I'm doing this?"
Kushida Kikyo subconsciously leaned closer to him, her voice soft and gentle.
Shimizu Akira paused, turning his head with a conflicted expression.
'If I ask, will she actually tell the truth?'
He vividly remembered the last time he had casually probed her about which junior high school she attended. She had simply laughed it off, changed the subject, and left shortly after, claiming she had urgent business.
Although this girl had always been kind to him, she was covered in "landmines." Words like "Junior High," "Dark History," "Two-faced," and "Fake Smile" were absolute taboos.
One wrong step and the intimate atmosphere would vanish instantly, let alone any hope for further physical contact.
After a moment's thought, Akira gave a sincere answer: "During the island exam, you didn't ask for details about what I was doing, yet you proactively helped me. I'm just putting myself in your shoes and doing the same for you."
Back then, when he made his request, Kushida hadn't asked a single question.
Upon hearing that they needed to "act quickly," she immediately contacted her acquaintances in Classes A and B to leak the critical information about "changing leaders."
She had even facilitated Hashimoto Masayoshi's betrayal of Class A according to Akira's instructions. She cared about his information sources but never pried, executing his arrangements with unconditional trust.
Part of his restraint was a fear of hitting her triggers, but part of it was a reciprocal response to that trust.
Since she was this open with him, he would respond in kind.
"So that's how it is..." Kushida blinked, her lips curving into a slight, involuntary smile.
To be honest, she had been in a terrible mood before coming to this room.
But after sitting on the sofa and chatting with Akira for a few minutes, something magical happened.
Her tension melted away, the problems she had been obsessing over during her walk were easily solved by him, and he had no intention of prying into her private life.
The reason he gave was the island exam. In reality, she hadn't pried back then not just because of "trust."
She wasn't like Horikita Suzune, who had to get to the bottom of everything. Besides, with her intellect, she probably wouldn't have understood Akira's complex plans anyway.
She was mostly afraid that if she asked and failed to understand, Akira would look at her like she was an idiot.
Just the thought of that look made her skin crawl.
Kushida suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
The number of times she had felt guilty in her life could be counted on one hand, and this was definitely the strongest instance.
Combined with the fact that she was over ten minutes late for this "date" and Akira hadn't complained—only waited patiently—her feelings surged.
Akira wanted to be more intimate with her—but wasn't she thinking the exact same thing?
"Turn toward me."
Akira didn't overthink it and turned his face. He was about to ask what was wrong when Kushida suddenly leaned in. They were already very close on the sofa; the next second, her lips were softly pressed against his.
After a three-second pause, she decided this wasn't enough.
A kiss shouldn't just be a touch of the lips; there was something deeper, something greedier that neither of them had tried before.
She tentatively licked his lip, and Akira quickly caught the hint.
In the next second, she tasted her first deep kiss—the unique, singular taste of Shimizu Akira.
She couldn't describe the feeling; it was like eating candy for the first time in elementary school, the sweetness dissolving in her mouth, yet it was sweeter than any candy and made her heart race much faster.
Akira soon took the initiative. His movements became more proactive, their breaths entwining. Kushida's cheeks burned bright red as his heavy breathing hit her face, and she couldn't help but let out small, muffled whimpers.
She subconsciously grabbed his back and patted it twice, and Akira finally restrained himself slightly.
She took the opportunity to break the kiss, her chest heaving, her oxygen-deprived brain feeling dizzy.
It took her a while to blink and savor the sensation.
Her first reaction was embarrassment. They were so close; those whimpers and sharp gasps for air... she hadn't thought much of them in the moment, but now they seemed so loud. 'Didn't Akira hear everything?'
Her second reaction was intense palpitation.
It felt so much better than a simple touch of the lips. A normal kiss was just skin on skin, but this was different; she could clearly taste him, "invading" his territory as if that action made him more truly hers.
She had read online that a deep kiss was the simplest way to test physical compatibility. Now she had the answer: her compatibility with Akira was so high she didn't have a single worry.
Only one thing bothered her slightly: Akira had stolen the initiative during their first deep kiss.
Then again, he was a boy and she was a recognized beauty; it was only natural he couldn't hold back. Even so, she didn't want him to remain the dominant one.
From the start, this closeness had been her initiative.
"Again," she whispered. "But you can't be that proactive this time."
She took Akira's right hand and placed it on her thigh, her fingertips lightly brushing his palm. "We only have a sofa here, so you can only touch."
Akira looked at the warm thigh held in his palm, then looked up into Kushida's reddened eyes. His Adam's apple bobbed as he replied, "Okay."
He could feel the fine fabric and the body heat radiating from beneath it. Remembering her words, he kept his touch light.
Seeing him obey so readily, Kushida's annoyance at "losing control" mostly evaporated. "Here I come."
She took a deep breath and leaned in, pressing her lips to his without hesitation. Without the panic of the first time or the passivity of being overtaken, she tried to slow the pace, brushing her tongue against his lips—testing him, claiming him.
Akira remained still, opening his lips slightly to give her space. The room was silent save for their rhythmic breathing; the noises from next door were long forgotten.
She could taste the faint hint of mint—likely his mouthwash—which acted like a catalyst for her racing heart. As she maintained the kiss, she hooked her finger into Akira's clothes, a silent urge. Akira felt the movement and maintained the rhythm of his palm.
Kushida's body trembled slightly, but she didn't pull away; instead, she pressed closer, narrowing the distance to zero.
.
.
.
They huddled together until past 10:00 PM. With a lingering flush on her cheeks, Kushida said tiredly, "...We should probably stop."
She had started the initiative, but by the end, she had run out of strength, and Akira had ended up leading most of the time.
She didn't mind much—in fact, she had occasionally urged him on.
Kissing really was a physical workout; she used to think the expert recommendation for couples to kiss for ten minutes a day was an exaggeration, but now she knew that thirty minutes was enough to leave her breathless.
Akira, however, still looked full of energy.
'Will I really be able to handle him?'
"Yeah, okay," Akira nodded, noticing her fatigue. He was satisfied with the intimacy, but knowing girls generally have less physical stamina, he agreed to stop.
Shortly after, Kushida patted her lap.
"Lap pillow. Come here."
Akira was surprised but complied. This had become their routine—resting together after intimacy, either in silence or light chatter. He thought she'd be too tired for it tonight, but she insisted. Lying there, Akira checked his phone: 10:20 PM.
"What are you looking at?" Kushida asked, smiling but with a hint of dissatisfaction. "Do you have somewhere urgent to be?"
Internally, she was fuming: 'I've been this proactive with you, and you're thinking of leaving? Does he think I'm useless now that he's touched and kissed me? He won't even talk to me?'
"Don't be mad, I'm just checking the time. It's nothing," Akira explained, seeing her expression. He was checking to see if it was 10:30 PM yet. According to his information, Kushida was supposed to meet Ryuen and Shiina Hiyori at 10:30 PM. But the time was almost here, and she showed no sign of leaving. He felt lucky to have a girl who chose to stay with him instead.
Unaware of his thoughts, Kushida brought up something unrelated: "Yamauchi Haruki has been talking bad about you lately."
"Huh?" Akira blinked. "What do you mean?"
"He's been hanging out with Hondo Ryotaro, Miyamoto Soshi, and Onizuka. They've been gossiping about you in private," Kushida said with clear displeasure.
"Oh, I see." Akira realized why a few questioning messages had appeared in the class group chat today.
"Kushida, did you suppress it for me?"
"Yes, I already explained things for you," she nodded, her fingers brushing his forehead. She would never allow anyone to talk down about her Akira.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." She tapped his brow.
"Wait, Yamauchi actually has friends?" Akira realized. Since Yamauchi had fallen out with Sudo and drifted away from Ike, he thought the guy was an outcast.
"Of course," Kushida, who knew everyone's social standing, explained.
"Ever since they argued in June, he's been with Hondo, Miyamoto, and Onizuka. They happen to share a dorm room, so they got close. He even publicly opposed you on the island."
Kushida was one to hold a grudge. Since Akira was "hers," anyone insulting him earned her enmity. Plus, Yamauchi had had delusional thoughts about her in the first month, making her hate him even more.
"How do you plan to respond? Thought of a counterattack?" she asked. She knew Akira wasn't the type to let people walk over him.
"I want to, but it's not easy," Akira replied. "We have Hirata Yosuke in the class. You know his almost pathological obsession with 'class harmony,' right?"
He wanted to deal with Yamauchi, but Hirata wouldn't sit by if a classmate was being targeted.
On the island, Sudo had punched Yamauchi for his behavior, and Hirata had forced Sudo to apologize.
Hirata was a good person, but his kindness often became an obstacle. To get to Yamauchi, Akira would have to bypass Hirata first.
"You can't think of anything? ...I think I've thought of a good way."
"You have?!"
"Yes."
"???"
"Just wait for the show."
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The Deck of the Ship: 11:00 PM
The night wind carried the scent of salt. Ryuen Kakeru checked his phone; it was 11:00 PM. He clicked his tongue in irritation. The person he was waiting for hadn't arrived.
"Did this guy stand me up?"
"Perhaps. Or they ran into an accident and can't get away," Shiina Hiyori said calmly. Albert stood nearby, nodding in agreement.
Ryuen frowned. "Forget them. You got the list of three names I sent you?"
"I did," Hiyori nodded. Those were the three VIPs Ryuen had already ferreted out from Class C. "I'll give you a day. Try to find the pattern, okay?"
"I might not find it," Hiyori admitted honestly. "With only three VIPs, the sample size is too small. Patterns aren't that easy to crack. If you only have the numbers 1, 2, and 3, you can't be sure if the rule is '+1' or 'sum of the previous two.' Usually, you need four or five to narrow it down."
"Tch, fine." Ryuen accepted the logic. He had been stumped by the three names himself. "Keep the 500,000 personal points from the island exam. Don't transfer them to me."
"Eh? That much?" Hiyori was stunned.
"You worked hard on the island and in this exam. You earned it," Ryuen waved her off. "Use it for a date with Akira, go shopping, whatever."
"Ryuen-kun, you misunderstand. Shimizu-kun and I aren't in that kind of relationship," Hiyori blushed, shaking her head.
"No need to explain. I don't believe you," Ryuen snorted.
"You and Albert stopped me from fighting him during the meeting. Don't take me for a fool. As long as you work for Class C, I don't care about your private life."
Ryuen knew Hiyori was a valuable asset; interfering in her personal life would be counterproductive.
In fact, having her stay in touch with Akira might even benefit Class C.
However, he realized that if Hiyori couldn't find the pattern with three names, Akira—who likely only had two—certainly couldn't either. The priority was getting more VIP names to feed to Hiyori.
Ryuen had two paths:
Continue contacting the anonymous student from Class D. Cooperate with Sakayanagi Arisu to share VIP info (though this would consolidate her power in Class A, which he wanted to avoid).
Suddenly, his phone pinged. It was the anonymous contact.
Anonymous: Something came up. Won't be there today.
Ryuen sneered.
"Speak of the devil."
He typed back: Ryuen Kakeru: Tell me the identities of the three Class D VIPs. Name your price.
He knew there was no free lunch. To know Class D's secrets, this person had to be an insider. He wondered why someone would betray their class after Akira had worked so hard to win them points on the island. Was it jealousy?
He decided to probe: Ryuen Kakeru: Interesting! You hate Akira too, don't you? I'm the same. Don't you think he's terrifyingly deep? Doesn't feel like a high schooler. Is he some middle-aged man reincarnated? That's how light novels go!
The reply was instant and explosive.
Anonymous: What the hell are you talking about, Ryuen Kakeru?! Are you a fcking idiot? If you can't talk properly, shut up!*
"Huh?" Ryuen froze. He had never been talked to like this. Not even Akira cursed at him. This person didn't seem to hate Akira; they were defending him!
He went through Class D in his head. Who had this temper? Sudo Ken? No, Sudo didn't have the brains for an anonymous deal.
Ryuen swallowed his pride; the contact held all the cards. He waited.
Anonymous: I want 1,000,000 personal points. I'll sell you the identity of ONE VIP.
Ryuen Kakeru: Three. I'll give you 3,000,000. He didn't care about points; he got 780,000 a month from Class A. If he got three names, Hiyori could crack the school's logic and win them 450 class points.
Anonymous: I'm not negotiating. Just one. 1,000,000. I won't say it twice. And I need a 200,000 advance. Ten seconds to decide, or I go to another class.
Ryuen gave in.
Ryuen Kakeru: Fine. But why the change of heart? You were going to meet us and give two names. Now you just want points?
Anonymous: None of your business. Worry about Class C.
Ryuen Kakeru: How do I know you're telling the truth?
Anonymous: I'll show you my phone. I'll let you see the VIP email with your own eyes. How can that be fake?
Ryuen's eyes lit up.
Ryuen Kakeru: Interesting. So YOU are one of the three Class D VIPs?
Anonymous: Yes. Send the 200,000. I'll arrange a meeting. This time, bring Ibuki or Shiina with you.
The contact went offline. Ryuen mused.
'They want to meet in private and insisted on me bringing a girl... Is this anonymous contact actually a female student?'
.
.
.
Day 3: 7:00 AM
Akira returned to his dorm and saw Ayanokouji Kiyotaka walking toward him with a notebook.
"Ayanokouji, how did it go with Koenji?"
"He won't listen to me," Ayanokouji said flatly.
"Heh... of course," Akira chuckled. Koenji was a law unto himself.
"I heard from Matsushita-san that you mentioned all 12 groups reaching 'Outcome 1.' Akira, I don't think that's possible."
"Yeah, I agree," Akira nodded.
"The '86 million points' was just theoretical. In practice, it's a Prisoner's Dilemma. One person betrays the group and it collapses. Plus, Ryuen is watching."
Akira didn't like high-risk plans anyway. He preferred 100% certainty.
"I can't find a pattern with just two VIP identities," Ayanokouji added.
"Same. Two names is a useless sample size."
Just then, both their phones buzzed. It was the Class D group chat. Hirata Yosuke had sent another reminder: Will the last VIP please contact me, Horikita, or Kushida?
The final VIP was still hiding. The group chat was flooded with people asking who it was.
"Maybe we should gather the whole class and have Akira look at everyone? He'd definitely know who's lying!"
"Hey! Figure out your own group's VIP first! Don't start unnecessary drama!"
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