『』『』『』『』『』
『What's wrong, Kikyou-chan? You look like someone who's about to die. 』
It was already winter, and the morning air was cold as Kushida and Kumagawa both walked to the classrooom.
Even so, Kushida's body felt hot for a rather obvious reason. It was as if someone had picked her up in her sleep and dropped her into a tub of lukewarm water. The shock wasn't from the temperature. It came from the sheer audacity of the person who had done it, as though they hadn't felt the slightest bit guilty.
That was exactly how she felt right now.
『Oops. Please excuse me. My future personal manager, for what reason do you look like someone who's about to die? 』 Kumagawa corrected himself in a playful manner.
Personal manager.
Kushida felt like she couldn't respond to that title, one she was certain she would never get used to, nor could she answer that uncomfortable question.
Just thinking about how many more times she would be teased with that title again and again—goodness gracious, she was already feeling tired, even though this was only the first time.
"I'm just thinking about my future, that's all. I mean, it's been thrown so far off course that I don't even know if it can ever get back on track again...."
To be exact, it was mostly about the student council matter.
Out of all her problems, it was the most precarious one, since she was already too deeply involved in it with practically no way out or chance to turn back. She had already been cornered by the student council president. Fortunately, she had managed to delay it for now, but it was only a matter of time.
『I see, I see. Does that mean you look like someone who's reached the end of the rope because you feel uncertain about your future? 』
He spoke in a teasing tone, and in fact, he probably was just teasing her.
『Well, don't worry too much. Even if your life is uncertain and filled with misfortune, I'm sure it won't end up being as disastrous as mine. 』
"..."
It was hard to tell how serious he actually was.
"But speaking of which, it's rare to see you wearing the school blazer. What happened to your previous school uniform?"
It was a rather strange question to ask, but then again, his situation was already strange to begin with.
To think that he had actually bought the right to wear his previous uniform instead of simply wearing the standard school blazer. Of course, his previous uniform, consisting of a black jacket with a white collar, five yellow buttons, and matching pants, was pleasing to the eye, but still...
What an unnecessary expense...
Though he was quite rich, so even if he spent that many points, it wasn't like it would cripple him financially.
"And your tie is crooked.... Geez, come here. How old are you that you still can't do this?"
Kushida reached out and tightened his tie around his neck. She then loosened it slightly before adjusting it until it sat just right.
『The president scolded me for it. Something about a vice president not being allowed to wear another school's uniform or something. 』 He shrugged. 『But then again, I bought the right with my own points, so there's nothing he can do about it. 』
"But it's quite unusual of you to go along with it."
『Not really. It's just in the laundry. Besides, I'm not exactly the type to do what people tell me... unless it's a girl, of course.』
"What a surprise...."
Putting that aside, it once again cemented just how powerful points were as a currency. At this point, it wouldn't even be strange if it were possible to buy your way to graduation, though that would probably cost a couple hundred million points.
"But still, try not to get on his bad side any more than necessary. The entire second year already hates you more than enough."
『Are you worried? 』
"Isn't that obvious?" Kushida shot her partner a look that practically asked, Are you an idiot? "It was one thing when we gambled against Horikita-san, but going up against Nagumo-senpai without you? I'm nowhere near confident enough, especially when you're about to leave."
『I guess I can see why you'd be worried. Actually, why don't you just switch to Nagumo-senpai's side?』
"E~hhhh, no way!"
Kushida immediately rejected the suggestion.
『Why? 』 He tilted his head.
"Are you seriously asking why? Aren't you the one who dragged me into this?"
『Hey, hey. I did drag you into this, but I'm honestly more worried about your safety. Besides, Nagumo-senpai's already taken an interest in you, hasn't he? Wouldn't sticking with him make your school life a lot safer? 』
"...."
What utter, absolute nonsense.
If he was really worried, then he shouldn't have dragged her into this in the first place.
Putting his motives aside for now, even if she had considered it herself, the idea of siding with Nagumo was completely unappealing. There was just something about him that wasn't to Kushida's liking. It wasn't that she hated him or anything, but there was simply something about him that made the two of them incompatible for some reason.
"A-Anyway, no! I don't want to."
Kumagawa simply shrugged.
『Well, okay. As expected of my partner and personal manager. 』
Once again, being introduced as his personal manager was rather irritating.
No... could she really call this feeling "irritation"? It felt subtly different. In the first place, the reason it somehow felt 'unpleasant' was because she knew Kumagawa didn't see her as someone he could truly put his faith in, let alone someone he could call his partner in that sense.
Kumagawa. Kumagawa Misogi.
Knowing him, he was probably the type of person who had never trusted a single soul in his entire life, had never been trusted in return, and probably never would be for the rest of it.
There might be someone somewhere in the world who still had expectations of him, but he would probably betray those very expectations.
"Haah. Well, whatever...."
There was no need to respond to remarks like that unless she wanted to be teased as usual.
As soon as they arrived in the classroom, all Kushida hoped for was that nothing troublesome was going on. Or rather, she wanted to see something interesting unfold, if only to shake off the lethargic feeling that had been lingering over her lately.
Fortunately, that wish was granted rather quickly.
『』『』『』『』『』
It happened just after the end of homeroom.
Out of nowhere.
The door to Class D swung open, and Ryuen strode inside with his fellow Class C students. The entire class immediately erupted into chaos. As expected, the classmates accompanying him were his inner circle, or as Kushida would put it, his personal lackeys.
Chabashira-sensei glanced at Ryuen and the others, but left without a word. It would've been one thing if a brawl broke out right then and there, but there was no issue with students from another class coming to visit
Ryuen and his classmates had been acting like stalkers lately, but they had finally decided to take a direct approach, or perhaps this was simply another part of their strategy. Honestly, Kushida didn't care all that much, but it definitely piqued her interest since she knew exactly who Ryuen was trying to smoke out.
『Kikyou-chan, Kikyou-chan, are you free right now? 』
Without paying the slightest attention to the tension that had fallen over the classroom, Kumagawa casually called out to her as he walked over. Well, it was more like he was deliberately trampling over social cues, but what else could she expect from someone who had no social awareness?
"Well, I am, but—"
『Then can you come with me for a while? I'm meeting a second-year student in a bit, so I need you. 』 He cut her off.
"Why?" Kushida tilted her head. "Anyway, does it have to be today? Even if I'm free right now, something fun is about to happen."
Kushida didn't bother hiding her enthusiasm.
Normally, she would have been the first person to ease the tension, especially in a situation like this, but she had a feeling whatever was about to happen would be entertaining enough to cure her current lethargy.
『You mean Ryuen-chan's sudden cameo? 』
"Why do you make it sound like this is some kind of manga crossover...? Anyway, do you know something about it?"
『Maybe? I mean, it was honestly only a matter of time. But like you said, it does look pretty entertaining to watch. 』
"Matter of time...?"
Just then, both Kushida and Kumagawa noticed Ryuen glance at them for a brief moment. An arrogant smirk spread across his face before he promptly looked away, dismissing them entirely.
"Do you have some business with our class, Ryuen-kun?"
Quite bravely, Hirata stepped forward and stood in front of Ryuen. Even though the tension in the classroom was obvious, Hirata looked calm. Or perhaps he was simply trying to appear calm so the other students wouldn't become even more anxious than they already were.
In response, Ryuen exaggeratedly raised both hands.
"Is there any reason I can't visit my classmates? That does happen at this school, doesn't it? Visiting a pal. Why're you all shaking?"
The statement sounded like a provocation, but Hirata remained cool and composed.
"That would normally be true. But this school isn't exactly normal, is it? Besides, you've never visited Class D before."
"We've been too distant. I figured it was about time we got a little friendlier," Ryuen said. He rested a hand on a nearby girl's desk, flashing his white teeth in a grin. "Man, you guys sure did great in the Paper Shuffle. Class C lost because of your brilliance."
"Hah! Guess the only thing big about you is your mouth, you incompetent monkey. Time for you to get a taste of being Class D," Sudou cut in.
He probably still held a grudge over what had happened during the sports festival, so he was trying to throw that one fact right back in Ryuen's face.
Ryuen and Sudou locked eyes. The air between them turned electric. Several classmates who had been about to leave the classroom froze where they stood.
As Kushida had expected.
The current situation was fun.
"Could you tell us why you're really here, Ryuen-kun?" asked Hirata.
"I'm giving you a fair warning, Class D."
"Warning? What do you mean?"
"I have no intention of explaining things to an idiot. Or are you just pretending not to understand?"
It might have seemed as though Ryuen was trying to provoke Hirata, but in reality, Ryuen barely even looked at him. Instead, his eyes swept across the entire classroom. At first, Kushida thought this was going to be it.
A direct confrontation.
While that was a little disappointing since it felt rather anticlimactic, she could live with it. As long as she wasn't directly involved and managed to entertain herself, either outcome was fine with her.
Unexpectedly, however, his gaze settled on someone she never would have expected.
The person in question didn't even seem to notice Ryuen staring at him, or perhaps he simply didn't care. In fact, he was already on his way back to the dorms.
Much like Kumagawa, he was also the type of person who seemed to have no social awareness. The difference was that it wasn't because he lacked it, but because his overwhelming arrogance influenced the way he acted, making it appear as though he simply didn't understand social cues.
He simply didn't care.
Kouenji got up and nonchalantly walked out of the classroom.
Ryuen let out a quiet chuckle at the sight before signaling to his henchmans to follow. They immediately left after him, and as the door closed behind them, the tension that had filled the classroom vanished at once, replaced by an uproar.
"Huh... I thought he was going to do it here."
『I wonder about that. Despite his sewer rat-like personality, Ryuen-chan isn't that stupid, right? 』
What useless, superficial politeness.
Still, he had a point.
Despite his sewer rat-like personality, Kushida knew Ryuen wasn't that stupid. His methods could sometimes come across as tasteless, but it wasn't her place to criticize them. She could be just as tasteless, even petty, when it suited her. Still, Ryuen wasn't the kind of person who would take a risk without expecting something worthwhile in return.
Unlike a certain someone.
But that was beside the point.
『So, what are you gonna do? Are you going to watch them? 』
"Hmm...."
The suggestion did sound interesting. At the very least, it did to her.
While it would have been better if the confrontation had happened in the classroom, since she wouldn't have had to go anywhere and could've enjoyed it from her seat, the fact that Ryuen had targeted Kouenji instead of Ayanokouji piqued her curiosity. There had to be a reason Ryuen was trying to make contact with him in such a blatant way.
And it wasn't just her.
She looked around and saw her classmates already murmuring about Ryuen and his lackeys. Conspiracy theories were flying in every direction, especially those surrounding Class D's resident enfant terrible.
Even Horikita, who had been packing up her things to leave earlier, could no longer do so because of the sudden situation. As one of the class leaders, she couldn't simply pretend nothing had happened. She was now discussing the situation with Hirata, Ayanokouji, and the others.
So, most likely, Horikita would probably follow them.
But Kushida didn't really want to face Horikita right now. If it had been the previous, depressed Horikita, then it would've been killing two birds with one stone. But now that she had regained at least some of her confidence, Kushida simply didn't want to deal with her.
After mulling it over for a while, she finally came to a decision.
"Sounds fun!" Kushida said after making her choice.
In the end, the fun factor won by a slight margin.
『Well, okay then. 』
"Huh? What are you...?"
Ignoring her call, Kumagawa walked over to the classroom podium.
Naturally, such an obvious action didn't escape the class's attention. Whenever Kumagawa made a move, it usually ended with something disastrous happening or someone being burdened by it. Everyone watched as he stepped onto the podium before turning to address the entire class.
『Ahem. Please be quiet, you bunch of extras. 』
With just those sentence.
The classroom fell silent.
It was truly a sight that reminded Kushida that Kumagawa Misogi was, without a doubt, Kumagawa Misogi.
Despite his innately annoying disposition that always managed to grate on people in the worst possible way, there was no denying that he possessed the kind of confidence and charisma that naturally drew everyone's attention. Granted, it usually wasn't for a good reason, but even so, that presence stood out more than someone like Hirata, a natural leader, or even a confident person like Horikita.
『Now then, I understand why you're all worried, especially when our beloved classmate is probably about to become the victim of a senseless act of violence. But don't worry. I'm going to follow them and resolve the situation.』
"Hey, what are you planning, Kumagawa?!" Yamauchi suddenly pointed a finger at him. "Why does it have to be you? There are people who are way better at this, like Hirata or Kushida-chan."
Most of Class D seemed to share the same opinion and began voicing their disapproval.
『Huh? What are you all talking about? This still falls under my duties, especially a situation like this.』
"Your... duties?"
『Yup. I don't know if you all remember, but I'm still the student council vice president. The student body is still under my jurisdiction. Before I'm Kumagawa Misogi, I'm a Class D student. And before I'm a Class D student, I'm first and foremost a member of the student council. 』
"....."
Most people would probably say they were a Class D student before they were a student council member in a situation like this, if only for dramatic effect. But knowing him, he probably meant exactly what he said. Even though he rarely carried out his duties as a student council member and most of the work usually fell to Kushida, it was a surprisingly justifiable reason coming from him.
With those words, however, nobody could offer a counterargument.
『Okay then—Hmm? What's wrong, Horikita-chan? 』 Kumagawa looked toward the hand raised at the back of the classroom.
"I'm coming too," she said.
As expected, Horikita volunteered to go as well.
While nobody could stay calm with Kumagawa taking the lead, the opposite was true for Horikita. As one of the pillars of the class, her presence alone was reassuring. Because of that, no one voiced any objections. If anything, they seemed relieved that she would be there to keep an eye on Kumagawa.
『Hmm... 』
Kumagawa seemed to mull it over.
It was a rather strange sight. Horikita was supposed to be the class leader, yet somehow their roles seemed completely reversed.
『Well okay. 』 Kumagawa shrugged. 『Ah! By the way, you can bring one more person with you, Horikita-chan. And I should pick one or two people to come with us as well. After all, Ryuen may have something planned, so we should win with numbers! 』
"I suppose so... but even if we bring more people, there's no guarantee he won't try something."
『That's why, besides bringing more people, in other words quantity, we should also bring the important ones. In other words, quality.』 As he spoke, he pointed at two specific students. 『Hirata-kun and Kikoyu-chan. You two are coming as well.』
Hirata and Kushida didnt refuse it.
Well considering their disposition, they must also realize that them being there is probably for the best. Of course one of the two had a completely different reason for not refusing, but it was for the best
"Then I'll bring Ayanokouji-kun." Said Horikita
"W-Wait, Suzune!" Sudou hurriedly interrupted. "Then I'll come too. There's no telling what Ryuen might have planned, so it'd be safer if I came as well."
Before Horikita could respond, Kumagawa spoke first.
『It's a nice idea, but it'd be a problem if you came with us. Aside from how much calmer you've become lately, it's obvious Ryuen-chan is targeting Class D, and there's a high chance this could turn violent. 』
"Then doesn't that make it even more obvious that I should go?!"
『But what if that violence ends up being directed at Horikita-chan instead of Kouenji-kun? 』
"H-Hah?"
『If that happened, you'd respond with violence too, wouldn't you? Countering violence with violence. If we do that, we'll just end up becoming the same as them. It's much better if we simply talk things out. About how marvelous our purpose is! 』
"....."
『Now then, let's go save Kouenji-kun before he gets beaten up. Or after. Either works. 』
Now that the people going had been decided, the five of them left the classroom. Sudou looked disappointed, probably because he couldn't go with Horikita. Unfortunately, what Kumagawa had said was true, and even Sudou couldn't deny it.
As they stepped into the hallway, Ayanokouji suddenly spoke up.
"By the way, is it really a good idea to bring Hirata with us right now? No offense, Hirata, but wouldn't it be better if you stayed in the classroom?"
"Hahaha, you can be more casual with me, you know, Ayanokouji-kun." Hirata's generosity really knew no bounds. "But could you explain what you mean?"
"Well, the class must be pretty tense right now. Wouldn't it be better if you stayed behind and helped calm everyone down?"
『What are you talking about, Ayanokouji-kun? Isn't it obvious I brought Hirata so the others could calm down? 』 he said. 『They're probably restless enough just because I'm going, so bringing Hirata along should put at least some of their worries to rest. 』
What an understatement.
"You're surprisingly self-aware."
『Well, I'm used to being hated, so it's fine. Besides, we should probably focus on finding Kouenji instead of worrying about the others. 』
"Now that you mention it, where does Kouenji usually go after class?" Ayanokouji asked.
"No idea."
"I don't know either."
Horikita and Kushida were just as clueless.
"I mean... does anyone actually know anything about Kouenji?"
Almost at once, everyone's gaze shifted toward Kumagawa.
As far as socializing went, Kumagawa was probably the last person anyone would ask that kind of question. Strangely enough, however, he had a surprisingly decent amount of interaction with Kouenji. Most of it was inconsistent, and Kouenji seemed to avoid him for some reason, but compared to everyone else, Kumagawa had spoken with him the most.
『I dunno. Actually, I usually see him heading straight back to the dorms. He mostly spends his nights hanging around with all sorts of girls... though it could also be the president, since they're both blond. Why don't we check the path back to the dorms first? We're bound to run into him eventually. Ehehe. 』
He laughed.
What a scathing bit of sarcasm.
And why did he make it sound like they were looking for a lost pet instead of a person?
But ignoring the rather unnecessary information about Kouenji, which only lowered the two girls' opinion of him even further, no one had any better idea. In the end, they inevitably went along with Kumagawa's suggestion.
『』『』『』『』『』
They first checked the entrance and saw that Kouenji's shoes were missing. That meant he was no longer in the school building. Now it was simply a matter of finding him on the way back to the dormitories.
Leaving the school building, the group took the tree-lined path toward the dorms.
Fortunately, not far from the dormitories, in a secluded spot slightly away from the main student walkway, they found a small gathering of students. It was most likely Ryuen and his lackeys, along with what appeared to be Kouenji. Since most of the students had already returned to their dorms or gone elsewhere, it was the only group around.
And they were right.
Without wasting any time, they headed toward the gathering.
Kushida noticed Ibuki was there as well, the girl with the ahoge.
Ryuen looked past Kouenji's shoulder and noticed the group approaching. He didn't look surprised. If anything, it was as though he had expected someone to follow him after the bold stunt he had pulled earlier.
"Ayanokouji and Hirata, huh? Well, that's acceptable," Ryuen said.
His gaze then shifted to the other person in the group.
"But what are you doing here, Kumagawa?"
『Eh? What a strange question. Why wouldn't I be here? As the student council vice president, I can't just ignore indiscriminate violence. I'm here to prevent that. I can't exactly let you get off scot-free if something like that happens. 』
"Kukuku. What an exemplary student council we have here." Ryuen laughed. "But like I said, this is just a friendly visit. We ought to deepen our relationship as students of the same school. Isn't that right, Kouenji?"
Ryuen lifted his chin as a signal. At his command, Ishizaki and the others surrounded Kouenji.
"Stop," Horikita said.
"Stop? What exactly should I stop? As you can plainly see, I'm not doing anything."
No one had laid a finger on Kouenji.
"I don't particularly mind playing around, but it seems my presence here isn't exactly necessary. Would you agree?" Kouenji said, not looking the slightest bit afraid despite being surrounded.
"That reminds me." Ryuen turned to him. "You owe me a debt."
"A debt? I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean."
"The Zodiac Exam. Thanks to you, I lost the chance to make even more points."
"Ah. If I impeded you, then you have my apologies."
Kouenji said the words, but he didn't look even remotely apologetic. Instead, he casually took a hand mirror from his breast pocket. The Class C students watched him suspiciously, to which he responded with complete composure.
"It's quite windy today. I'm merely making sure my debonair hairstyle hasn't been ruined." Turning his face from side to side, he examined his reflection. "Hmm. I'm looking tragically disheveled. Sorry, but would you mind holding this?"
Kouenji then held out the hand mirror toward Ryuen.
Smack!
"Get that filthy thing out of my face."
Ryuen slapped Kouenji's hand away.
Kouenji didn't seem to mind the aggressive response in the slightest. Instead, he slowly looked around before his eyes settled on a certain person.
"Misogi-boy. Would you be so kind as to hold this for me?"
『Hmm? Okay. 』
Without the slightest hesitation, Kumagawa accepted the request.
"You may aim the mirror toward me," said Kouenji.
Retrieving a small container of hair wax from his bag, he scooped a generous amount onto his finger and was just about to begin styling his hair when...
『Ah! That reminds me. 』
Kumagawa suddenly let go of the mirror.
It slipped from his hand, fell to the ground, and shattered into pieces. Without sparing it another glance, he turned toward Ryuen instead.
『Where's Hiyori-chan? I don't see her anywhere. 』
"...."
Everyone's eyes instinctively turn toward Kouenji.
He didn't outwardly react, but anyone could tell he had taken offense for one very obvious reason.
"Kukuku... Hahahaha!"
Ryuen laughed openly while Ishizaki and the others looked away, seemingly trying their best not to react. Even Horikita, who had maintained a serious expression until now, slightly averted her gaze.
After all, the situation was rather obvious.
『Hmm? Ah, what a shame. It broke. My hand must've slipped. Sorry about that. Well, let's just call it an accident. 』
It was most likely on purpose.
No.
It was definitely on purpose.
"Indeed," Kouenji replied calmly. "What a tragic accident. Although, if I may say so, your fingers seem to possess a remarkable tendency toward betrayal, Misogi-boy."
『Well, well. You truly are an understanding person, Kouenji-kun. 』
"Hey, enough fooling around." Ryuen interrupted their exchange, though the smile had not entirely disappeared from his face. "I didn't come all the way here just to watch you fix your hair and break mirrors."
"Then perhaps you should get to the point," said Kouenji. "Unlike you, dragon-boy, my time is quite valuable."
"What...?" Ryuen's smile remained, but the amusement in his eyes faded.
『Ahaha, looks like you've got another nickname besides Sewer Rat, Ryuen-chan. 』
"Who the hell are you calling a sewer rat, huh, cockroach? You got a death wish?"
『Eh? Why are you saying something so vulgar? Are you stupid or something? Wasn't this supposed to be friendly banter? What happened to our original purpose? 』
"....."
『Hmm... this is troubling. Since it isn't my fault, I can't exactly apologize. But if nobody apologizes, we can't make up either. Hmm... I guess I have no choice then. 』
Without warning, he turned toward another student who had remained quiet the entire time and, by all accounts, had absolutely nothing to do with the conversation.
『Now then, Hirata-kun. Attack him with your kindness. Apologize on my behalf. 』
"H-Huh? Why me?" Hirata blinked, completely caught off guard.
Even someone as kind and understanding as Hirata couldn't exactly accept something so unreasonable.
『What are you talking about? That's the whole reason I brought you here in the first place. To serve as my countermeasure against violence. 』
That was what he claimed, but neither Hirata nor anyone else present understood what he meant by a "countermeasure against violence."
『If I remember correctly, aren't you the type of person who likes apologizing on other people's behalf? Attacking people with your kindness until it becomes harassment. Apologizing, apologizing, apologizing, whether it was your fault or not? 』
"..."
『Hmm... Well, I know it's an unreasonable request, but that's your specialty, isn't it? In that case, go attack him with your apologies! Harass him with kindness as our countermeasure! 』
If taken that far, it almost sounded like something a pervert would do.
Yet everyone found themselves looking toward Hirata.
After all, everyone knew what kind of person he was. As absurd as Kumagawa's reasoning sounded, they couldn't completely deny it either.
There was nothing anyone could say.
And to that, there was nothing Hirata could say.
"H-Hahaha..."
It was probably the only response Hirata could manage. An awkward laugh in the face of such an unreasonable situation.
"You don't have to laugh, Hirata-kun," Horikita interjected. "And you certainly don't have to apologize for him."
『Eh? 』
"No one is apologizing on your behalf."
She shut the entire conversation down with that single sentence. She said it with such finality that there wasn't even room for an argument.
『What a shame. There goes my anti-violence strategy. 』 Kumagawa let out a sigh. 『Well, there you have it, Dragon Boy... I mean, Dragon Boy-chan.』
"...Do you really have a death wish, Kumagawa?"
The atmosphere changed.
Calling it outright hostile would be an exaggeration, but it was definitely worse than before.
Kushida couldn't help but glance at her partner.
Hadn't he just said earlier that he wanted to prevent any violence from happening?
To be fair, believing anything Kumagawa said on the spur of the moment was foolish to begin with. Even so, she had expected him to take his role as the student council vice president at least a little more seriously. Strangely enough, despite rarely doing any actual work, he could be surprisingly sincere about his duties when it mattered.
But now, she couldn't tell.
Was he trying to prevent violence?
Or was he encouraging it?
"And you..." Ryuen turned to Kouenji. "You're pretty relaxed for someone surrounded by enemies."
"Enemies?" Kouenji let out a light laugh. "I merely see a collection of people of inferior standing surrounding me. If one tiger were to wander into a flock of sheep, should the tiger feel threatened?"
Ishizaki immediately stepped forward.
"What did you say?!"
"Hmm? Ah, my apologies. Perhaps I should revise that comparison. Some sheep are larger than others."
"You bastard!"
Just as Ishizaki was about to lunge forward, Kumagawa suddenly stepped between them.
『Now, now. Violence is prohibited. 』
Kumagawa said that while standing directly on the shattered pieces of glass.
And just then....
"My, this is quite an interesting gathering, isn't it?" a voice remarked.
As though summoned by some unseen cue, Sakayanagi arrived with her coterie. Kushida spotted Kamuro, who, as always, wore a dissatisfied expression while carrying two bags in each hand. She also recognized the blonde boy and the gloomy-looking one, though she had never really interacted with either of them beyond knowing their names.
『Eh? Oh? Isn't it Sakayanagi-chan? There's no way I could mistake you. After all, you're my crush. 』
"Fufufu. While I'm somewhat flattered by your confession, you really shouldn't say things like that, Kumagawa-kun. Toying with a maiden's heart is rather boorish."
Sakayanagi came to a stop and lightly tapped her cane against the concrete. The gathering had grown considerably. Including Kouenji, there were now six students from Class D, five from Class C, and four from Class B, making a total of fifteen people.
『Oh, right! I wanted to buy some porn magazines on the way home after this. Sakayanagi-chan, would you like to come with me?』
"Wha—! Kumagawa-kun?!"
Even Horikita couldn't hide her shock.
Nor was she the only one. Everyone present turned to stare at Kumagawa after that completely out-of-nowhere remark. The only two who looked even remotely interested were Kouenji and Ryuen, both openly watching to see what would happen next.
"...Kumagawa-kun." Sakayanagi's smile remained, though it had noticeably stiffened. "Are you stupid?"
Despite still smiling, it was obvious she had taken offense.
Of course she had.
What kind of girl wouldn't be offended by harassment like that?
Unfortunately...
There was already one girl who had been desensitized enough that she actually found Kumagawa's latest remark rather tame compared to the kind of harassment she was subjected to on a daily basis.
『Oh... Shock! I've been dumped. Well, I suppose that's only natural. Being disliked and rejected by your crush is certainly painful... but oh well. 』
"..."
『So? What are you doing here, Sakayanagi-chan? 』
Trying to regain her composure, Sakayanagi answered calmly. "I'm here purely by coincidence. I simply happened to notice this gathering and grew a little curious."
"Hah! Don't make me laugh," Ryuen snorted. "If you're planning to stick around, then stay out of my way."
Sakayanagi merely replied with a smile.
She then took a seat on a nearby bench. The three other Class B students stood around her as though acting as both shield and bodyguard. There were no surveillance cameras in this rest area, though students were still passing by on their way back to the dorms. There was no telling how many people might witness what happened here.
Kumagawa casually sat down beside her, and no one stopped him.
Kushida knew Sakayanagi had to be at least a little uncomfortable. Even she, who had become desensitized to Kumagawa's daily harassment, still found it unpleasant from time to time. Surprisingly, however, Sakayanagi didn't let it show on her face.
Kushida couldn't help but be impressed.
"I don't mind that our audience has grown, but isn't it about time we finished this? If we're not going to talk, I'll be on my way."
"Wait, Kouenji," Ryuen said. "I'm not letting you run away this time."
Kouenji wore a faint smile. "My apologies that our conversation has been delayed. I believe we should get to the heart of the matter. I presume you're obsessed with crushing anyone who stands in Class C's way, or anyone who conspires with another class to do so. Am I mistaken?"
"Exactly."
"In that case, I'm afraid I don't fit that description. I have absolutely no interest in Class D's future, nor in any other class—"
Ring! Ring! Ring!
『Ah, sorry. That's my phone. 』
"Good grief. You should set your phone to vibrate during an important conversation, Kumagawa-kun. It's bad manners," Sakayanagi said.
『I'll be right back. 』
Kumagawa walked a short distance away from the group before answering the call.
『Hello? 』
— "It's me, Kumagawa."
『Oh, hey there, Manabu-kun. How are you? 』
— "It's 'senpai' to you. How many times do I have to tell you?"
『Oh, come on. You're about to graduate anyway. Don't be so picky about a tiny little honorific. Aren't you embarrassed? But putting that aside, is there something you needed? It's pretty unusual for you to call me when you're not even in the student council anymore. 』
— "Right. By any chance, do you have an appointment with someone from the volleyball club?"
『Volleyball? 』Kumagawa tilted his head.
— "A friend of mine was asking about you. He mentioned something about an appointment. Apparently you've been assigned to accompany the team during the Winter Tournament. He didn't have your number, and Nagumo didn't have it either, so he ended up asking me instead."
He paused briefly.
— "There's also the matter between you and the second years. He said it still needs to be settled."
That hearing really had become the source of all kinds of trouble.
Even Manabu hadn't expected it to create that much resentment toward a single person. Dislike was one thing, but to be hated by practically an entire year level was an achievement in itself.
『Ah! I do have an appointment, but I'm in the middle of something right now. Could you tell your friend to wait a little? 』
— "...Something? Well, alright."
Manabu didn't pry any further.
『Is that all, Mr. Former President? 』
— "Well... there is one other thing. What kind of conflict do you have with Ayanokouji?"
『Ayanokouji-kun? 』Kumagawa raised an eyebrow.
He didn't know why Ayanokouji's name would suddenly come up. Then again, considering his recent actions, it wouldn't be strange if someone had taken an interest in him. Personally, however, Kumagawa didn't care much about Ayanokouji beyond the fact that he somehow kept getting involved in Anshin'in-san's usual pranks.
She was a real piece of work.
That former vice president of his.
— "Well, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. But other than avoiding you, it's true that he's wary of you for a completely different reason than everyone else."
『Hmm... Well, it's true that people hate me, so Ayanokouji-kun avoiding me isn't exactly strange. 』 He paused for a moment before continuing. 『But rather than being wary of me, it'd be more accurate to say he's wary of my acquaintances. 』
— "Your acquaintances?"
『Yup. My first love. My adolescent love. And my unrequited love. Ayanokouji-kun seems far more interested in my relationship with her than in me. So that means he's only wary of me because of someone else. In other words, it's not my fault. 』
There was a brief silence.
— "...I see."
Manabu couldn't tell which parts of that answer were true and which were lies, especially when it came to Kumagawa's personal relationships. Even so, he had no intention of digging any deeper. Judging from his tone, Kumagawa had no intention of explaining any further anyway.
— "Well, in any case, I'll pass the message along. But try to finish whatever you're dealing with as soon as possible. And you really should learn how to prioritize things. You're the student council vice president now."
『Oh my. Manabu-senpai giving me advice on social conduct? That's a little different from your reputation. 』
— "What are you talking about? I had a good reputation to begin with."
『Ahaha. Even so, I'll take your advice to heart. It's always been one of my weaknesses. I've always respected my upperclassmen, after all. 』
— "Don't bother with such an obvious lie... Anyway, I've said everything I needed to. Goodbye."
The call ended immediately afterward.
Kumagawa then return to the gathering to find that the discussion had grown considerably more heated.
"Are we finished here? I have no intention of denying you your fun, but I'd appreciate it if you got out of my way. I've wasted enough time listening to your meaningless drivel," Kouenji said as he prepared to leave.
"Wait, Kouenji. You still haven't answered my question."
"Something about a clever mastermind in Class D, was it? To be honest, I hadn't even considered it. At any rate, it's probably better if I don't tell you. I wouldn't want to rob you of your fun. As for me, I have no interest in anyone at this school. I'm merely enjoying the halcyon days of my youth, romancing beautiful women and basking in my own beauty."
"So you're saying you won't help your own class?"
"I haven't, and I won't. I've made that clear from the very beginning. From my perspective, Class A, B, C and Class D are no different. All of you are dreadfully boring." He then pointed toward a certain person. "Of course... with one exception. Even for someone like me, someone like him is a little too much."
『Hahaha. Should I take that as a compliment? 』
"Well, in any case, I'll continue staying out of your affairs and let you all enjoy yourselves." Said Kouenji.
"Ryuen-san, this bastard's been looking down on us this whole time! Let's teach him a lesson!" Ishizaki shouted as he raised his fists.
The one who stopped him, however, wasn't Ryuen.
It was Sakayanagi, who had been quietly observing everything with her ambiguous smile.
"There is something you said that caught my interest," she began. "Kumagawa-kun and Dragon Boy-san aside—"
Ryuen's expression darkened.
Then—
『Woah! 』
Without warning, Ryuen lunged at Sakayanagi, driving a kick straight toward her face.
Pak!
Fortunately, Kumagawa stepped in before the two boys from Sakayanagi's group could react, catching Ryuen's kick with his left arm. Had he been even a moment slower, Ryuen's foot would have struck Sakayanagi directly in the face.
"Hah! Would you look at that" Ryuen smirked. "I didn't expect someone with a build like yours to be this strong, Cockroach."
『Mm... now this is a problem. I only leave you people alone for one minute, and things immediately turn violent. Honestly, this school really can't function without me managing it. Good grief. 』
Everyone stared in surprise.
More accurately, they were surprised by Kumagawa's strength.
After all, Ryuen's attack had come without warning, yet Kumagawa had reacted instantly and stopped the kick without showing the slightest sign of strain.
"Kukuku... So you're one of Sakayanagi's lackeys now? That's certainly unexpected."
『I'm weak against girls, after all. You could even say they're my greatest weakness. Besides, I'm quite experienced when it comes to violence and fighting. I've always been caught up in those horrific scenes... usually from the victim's side. So I can't exactly let you lay a hand on Sakayanagi-chan. 』
"Fufufu. Thank you for your assistance, Kumagawa-kun," Sakayanagi said with a smile. "Although I didn't expect calling him Dragon Boy-san would hurt his feelings quite so much."
"I told you I'd kill you if you called me that again."
Even after such a blatant act of violence, the Class B students led by Sakayanagi showed no signs of panic. Fortunately, Kumagawa had intercepted the kick. Otherwise, the two boys standing beside Sakayanagi, who had already taken fighting stances, would likely have exchanged blows with Ryuen's group.
『That's no good, Ryuen-chan. Violence is no good. Well, not that violence itself is necessarily bad. There are things that can only be achieved through violence. Companionship, for example. But putting that aside, it's especially bad this time. Paperwork is scary. 』
A brief silence followed.
『Also, sadly, I have another appointment to get to, so try not to start any more fights while I'm gone. 』He then turned toward Horikita's group. 『Kikyou-chan. Let's go. 』
"Eh?"
『Come on, Kikyou-chan. What are you standing there for? 』
With the conversation suddenly directed at her, Kushida couldn't help but be puzzled. Or rather, she still hadn't quite recovered from the sudden burst of violence that had happened moments ago.
But Kumagawa continued on, regardless.
『I'm about to get my hands full dealing with the second years. So I need you to come along as my middleman... or I guess, middlegirl... in case things turn violent over there too. 』
"Ah!"
She had completely forgotten that he had asked her to accompany him somewhere.
Was it that?
The meeting with the second years?
If so, then Kushida could understand why he needed her there.
『Besides, unlike Hirata-kun, I don't have kindness apologies as a weapon, so I'm pretty sure things will end badly. That's why I need my personal assistant to help me behave properly. 』
Apologies as a weapon...
No.
Apologies as a form of violence.
Kushida didn't know whether "apology" and "violence" were even two words that could be placed side by side. It truly was the sort of logic only Kumagawa Misogi could come up with.
"Well... okay."
In the end, Kushida went along with it.
『Well then, that's settled. 』Kumagawa turned toward Hirata. 『If anyone resorts to violence, apologize on their behalf. If you apologize enough, I'm sure it'll eventually become violence in the form of an apology. 』
"That's... definitely not how that works," Hirata replied with an awkward smile.
『Really? What a shame. 』
Kumagawa simply shrugged before turning around.
『Bye-byee~. 』
And just like that, he walked away from the bizarre gathering.
『』『』『』『』『』
"Huh. That was more boring than I expected."
As Kushida and Kumagawa walked away from the gathering, she couldn't help but mutter those words.
『Huh? But weren't you the one who wanted to watch it? You said it sounded fun. 』
"Well, yeah, I did, but... I don't know. It just felt kind of boring and anti-climactic. At the very least, it didn't go the way I imagined."
It had definitely fallen short of Kushida's expectations.
Knowing a little about Ryuen's and Kouenji's personalities, she had expected something far more interesting to happen between them. Instead, it ended up being nothing more than meaningless exchanges and veiled sarcasm between two people with bloated egos, topped off by a pointless display of childish threat.
The only part she found interesting was when Ryuen suddenly attacked Sakayanagi, but even that excitement faded almost as quickly as it came.
Since things were only going to get more boring from there, Kushida figured she might as well go along with Kumagawa. He had said he was meeting with some upperclassmen, and considering his relationship with the second years, there was bound to be some kind of altercation at the very least.
『Speaking of which, how did things end up like that anyway? I mean, Ryuen-chan actually resorting to violence. 』
"Ryuen-kun seemed to really hate that new nickname, and Sakayanagi-san kept calling him by it. In a way, it was like watching an older sibling teasing a younger one... except one of them had Intermittent Explosive Disorder."
『Hoh... What a completely useless piece of trivia. Are you evolving beyond Kushida Kikyou and into the main heroine now? 』
"What are you talking about? I'm still in the prime of my youth. Of course, I'm improving..." She trailed off.
That was... weird.
It was true that she was improving.
But instead of growing upward or moving forward, it felt like she was growing backward... or perhaps downward. Kushida couldn't help but feel that her value as a human being had somehow been declining lately.
Her common sense, especially, had taken a direct hit. It hadn't simply been turned upside down and it felt more like it had been twisted toward a rotten part of herself that she never knew existed. That was the instinctive feeling she had been getting lately.
But there was no point dwelling on it.
If she couldn't even explain it herself, then it was probably better to just forget about it.
Rather, there was something else she was curious about.
"Kumagawa-kun, Kumagawa-kun. Since you're the person closest to having the same rotten personality as Ryuen-kun, what exactly was he trying to accomplish back there?" she asked. "I thought he'd confront Ayanokouji-kun directly, but that wasn't the case. Doesn't he already have a pretty good idea based on what he knows?"
『Hmm? He was probably just trying to confirm his suspicions. 』
"If that's the case, then why target Kouenji-kun?"
『Didn't I already tell you what Ryuen-chan's core personality is? I think it was back during the Sports Festival. 』
"You mean the one about how someone who seeks pleasure isn't necessarily a bad person?"
Kumagawa nodded.『That's right. In Ryuen-chan's case, he doesn't just seek pleasure from the result. He enjoys the process just as much. The ideal outcome for him is one where both the process and the result are enjoyable. 』
"...When you put it like that, doesn't that just make Ryuen-kun an exceedingly simple person?"
『I don't remember ever saying he was complicated. In a lot of ways, he's much easier to read than you are, as long as you understand what his core motivation is. 』
"..."
That was true.
His methods and schemes could be difficult to predict because they were often so tasteless and unconventional. But if everything was viewed through the lens of his desire for pleasure, then his actions became much easier to understand. Beneath it all, he was simply a pleasure seeker with a twisted sense of morality.
So everything could be deciphered by looking at someone's core motivation.
Kushida felt like she had learned something new once again.
"But how does Ryuen-kun get any pleasure out of what he did? I don't know what his exact plan was, but I don't see how dragging Kouenji-kun into it would make the process enjoyable."
『He was probably using Kouenji-kun as bait to observe how his person of interest would react. By now, he's probably already made up his mind and will move on to Karuizawa-san next. 』
"Karuizawa-san? Why would he use her?" Kushida tilted her head.
『Ah? I never told you about that, did I? Basically— 』
Kumagawa then went on to explain his reasoning.
He explained why Karuizawa was the primary person of interest, why Horikita was another, and why the person Ryuen was trying to smoke out had to be connected to both of them simultaneously.
It was surprisingly logical reasoning coming from such an illogical person.
Listening to him explain it so effortlessly, Kushida almost wondered whether Kumagawa had been the one who came up with the idea in the first place.
"Is that why you brought Hirata-kun and Ayanokouji-kun? To gauge his reaction?"
『Well, I only brought Hirata-kun. Horikita-chan brought Ayanokouji-kun. But yes, more or less... Hmm? What's wrong, Kikyou-chan? 』
"No, it's nothing. I understand now why you brought Hirata-kun and why Ayanokouji-kun ended up coming along, but... can't you empathize with her?"
『Empathize? You mean Karuizawa-san? 』
"Not on the level of telepathy, but yes, empathy. In other words, it's not something completely unrelated to me."
『Huh. I didn't know you were the type to just go around bullying people in the past. My impression of you was completely wrong! 』
"First of all, saying 'just' like that is incredibly insensitive. And why would you even assume I was a bully? It's something completely different."
The empathy she felt came from an entirely different perspective.
One that wasn't even remotely related to bullying.
"So... you don't empathize with her at all?"
『No, I don't. 』
He answered without hesitation.
『Not one bit. 』
"..."
How rotten.
But then again, it wasn't just him.
Even though Kushida could empathize with Karuizawa, that didn't necessarily mean she cared about her.
After all, she was just as rotten.
『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!]