Ryunosuke leveraged his authority as Student Council President to pull the private files on Yagami, Ichika, Sakurako, Riku, and Nanase from the archives.
In truth, these documents were trivial to him. Given his deep understanding of their backgrounds, the paperwork felt redundant. However, since he needed to present a cohesive case to Ayanokouji, he had to go through the motions of producing them.
Ayanokouji opened the folder and began to scan the contents. It didn't take long before he placed them back on the desk, signaling he was finished. They began to divvy up the tasks—or more accurately, deciding who would take down whom.
Ryunosuke claimed Yagami and Ichika for himself, citing a personal grudge that he insisted on settling personally.
Ayanokouji expressed his understanding; he was well aware that Ryunosuke was the vengeful, petty type. Consequently, he was left to deal with the remaining targets: Sakurako and Nanase.
As for why Riku wasn't included in the count?
The reasoning was simple. Ayanokouji figured that if Sakurako were handled, Riku—her childhood friend—would inevitably follow her out the door. Thus, instead of two operations, he only needed to neutralize one. With the plan set, he and Ryunosuke moved out separately.
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Meanwhile, over with Yagami.
Yagami was currently at rock bottom, slumped over a desk and questioning the very meaning of his existence. He could accept losing to Ayanokouji—after all, the man was the undisputed pinnacle of the White Room. But losing to a girl named Asuna was a variable he couldn't even begin to process.
The crushing blow, however, was losing to a "bastard" he could have crippled in under a minute just a month ago. Yagami's mental state was in shambles. There was no trace left of the arrogance belonging to the fifth-generation White Room's top graduate; he looked utterly pathetic. His fighting spirit had evaporated, replaced by a desperate urge to give up.
Yagami reached a decision that "betrayed his ancestors": he wanted to withdraw from the school. He had already drafted his resignation letter and was preparing to head to the Chairman's office to hand it in.
Ichika blocked his path, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Yagami! Where do you think you're going?! Have you forgotten why we came here?!"
Yagami shoved past her. "Get out of my way! I have no desire to fight anymore. I just want to go back to the White Room..."
Because only within the White Room did he feel like the strongest.
Yagami was clearly fleeing from reality, haunted by the fact that this school held too many people more powerful than him. Ichika blocked him again, refusing to let him pass. Yagami was the only person she truly knew here, her sole comrade-in-arms. If he left, she would be forced to survive alone, and she couldn't face that.
She pleaded with him through tears to stay. Yagami frustratedly ran his hands through his hair, but eventually, his resolve softened. They were partners, after all; he couldn't bring himself to abandon her in this place. Ichika exhaled in relief as he turned back.
"Let's go back... Yagami." Ichika said, clutching his hand as if afraid he might bolt the moment she let go.
Yagami walked on with a hollow expression, but internally, he was already trying to figure out how to arrange Ichika's life at the school. He still wanted to leave—he felt his skills were insufficient and that he needed to return to the White Room to train—but he couldn't simply discard her.
Despite their frequent bickering, as fellow White Room graduates, their bond transcended mere partnership; they were like siblings. Yagami viewed Ichika as a younger sister, and the feeling was mutual.
Watching from a corner, Ryunosuke observed the scene and let out a quiet sigh. Even so, he had to act; they had already threatened his interests. However, he felt he could provide a "pathway" for them both. He had a plan. Originally, he had intended to bring Yagami down according to the original timeline—which involved tricking Ibuki into writing a fake love letter, despite the risk of being beaten half to death for it. But now, Ryunosuke changed his strategy.
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Elsewhere, Ayanokouji began his move. He decided to start with Nanase, whom he considered the easier mark. He invited her to meet at a park bench.
When Nanase arrived, she sat at the absolute edge of the bench, putting as much distance between them as possible. Ayanokouji said resignedly, "Is it really necessary to sit that far away?"
Nanase replied with a dead serious expression, "Yes, it is. Because you are gay!"
Ayanokouji: "😐"
He was speechless. He hadn't expected Nanase to fall for such a blatant lie. He had assumed that as the leader of Class 1-D, she would be a bit sharper; clearly, he had miscalculated. Not wanting to waste any more time, he went into action. He pulled a letter from inside his blazer and held it out to her.
Nanase took it hesitantly, looking confused. "What is this?"
"It's a letter." Ayanokouji replied flatly.
Nanase scoffed. "I can see it's a letter! I'm asking what's in it!"
"It is Eiichiro's final message." Ayanokouji answered.
Instantly, Nanase's composure shattered. She tore open the envelope and found that the handwriting was unmistakably Eiichiro's. Tears of grief began to spill from her eyes. She had come to this school for him, to exact his revenge.
But that idiot Eiichiro! He had left nothing for her, yet he had left a letter for Ayanokouji!
A fire of jealousy flared in Nanase's heart; she glared at the man responsible.
"You bastard! Why is it always you who gets to be 'the first' for Eiichiro!" [Meaning the first person to receive the letter].
Ayanokouji felt a bit bewildered by her logic, but he offered a calm suggestion. "You should probably open the letter first. You might find the answers you're looking for inside."
Without another word, Nanase began to unfold the paper and read.