The shift between seasons always brings sharp changes in temperature, and before I realized it, winter had fully arrived.
Today marked exactly one week until the final exams, and all club activities had been completely banned. This gave everyone uninterrupted time to devote themselves entirely to studying.
In Class C, starting this afternoon, three of us would rotate as tutors to oversee the group. Until now, we had split the sessions into two parts to accommodate students with clubs, but that was no longer necessary.
With the final push ahead, we had to make effective use of after-school hours. That meant we also needed to create the best possible study environment.
From today onward, our tutoring hours would run from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the latest—four solid hours in total.
Some students might want more time, but factoring in independent study and rest, this felt like the right balance.
"Kamukura-san, I don't understand this problem—could you explain it to me?"
There were less than ten minutes left before the study session officially began.
Ishizaki-kun, who had recently started showing real improvement, was already eagerly asking questions. It was hard to believe this was the same boy who had stumbled through everything at the start of the year.
"I'll go over it once the session starts. Just make sure you can clearly explain which part you're stuck on."
"Yes, sir! Understood!"
His loud, enthusiastic reply was almost deafening, enough to make me want to cover my ears. But it passed in an instant. Ishizaki-kun obediently returned to his seat.
Lately, I've felt him growing attached to me again. …Well, considering I'm the one tutoring him, it's only natural.
For reference, Ishizaki-kun's current level is roughly that of someone who has just managed to complete the full middle-school curriculum. He handles basics without issue, stumbles a bit on standard problems, and still clutches his head in despair over anything applied.
From an overall perspective, he's reached about average. Three weeks of serious effort had clearly paid off.
"Considering where he started, there are still plenty of gaps."
Even with the best instruction available, someone who never studied before won't show dramatic results overnight. The holes left by years of slacking can't be perfectly filled in just three weeks, no matter how good the teaching.
Even so, Ishizaki-kun's improvement came down to one thing: his straightforward honesty. He does exactly what he's told. Putting instructions into practice is harder than it sounds—that's his true strength.
"Hey, Nishino If there's anything you don't get, I could teach you, y'know"
"Shut up and get lost. The guy who's always dead last should keep quiet."
Getting cocky was just part of the package. I had no intention of babysitting that far, so I left them to it.
I turned my attention away from Ishizaki-kun harassing Nishino-san and watched the students heading home from the classroom window.
Some hid gloomy expressions behind scarves as they hurried away. Others, dark circles under their eyes, pored over notes even while walking.
The fatigue was visible on every student who had been studying diligently day after day.
By comparison, Class C looked remarkably relaxed.
Ishizaki-kun was always full of energy, which was fine, but even the weaker students like Komiya-kun and Nishino-san—who usually struggled—were tackling their work seriously without showing any signs of strain or exhaustion.
They had that much mental margin. Starting study sessions early had likely eased their deep-seated aversion to studying.
"Hey, Kamukura."
I was about to turn back to the window when Ryūen-kun called out to me. I'd assumed he had already left quickly as usual, but he apparently still had business here.
"Only one week left, and you've finally decided you want my help with studying?"
"I can avoid failing on my own without your charity. More importantly, you're coming with me today. We're hunting X."
"No."
I rejected him flatly.
"You think you have veto rights?"
"I'm scheduled to tutor after school."
"Relax. I'll have you back in under thirty minutes."
I tried to refuse again, but he ignored me completely. In his head, the possibility of me saying no simply didn't exist.
"Where are we going?"
"A café in Keyaki Mall. A candidate and a prime suspect are there."
"Names?"
"Teruhiko Yukimura—the overly serious guy with the highest grades in Class D. And Kiyotaka Ayanokouji—the yes-man who's always glued to Suzune's side."
Hearing those names, especially the second one, lifted my mood considerably from its earlier indifference.
But agreeing too quickly would hand Ryūen-kun a hint in his little game.
That would ruin his fun.
So I kept the conversation going casually—avoiding spoilers while naturally steering things toward me accompanying him.
"Too much trouble."
"Kuku. All the same, you're coming this time. I've concluded Ayanokouji is X."
"You want to observe how the current top suspect, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, reacts to seeing me with you. What's your evidence?"
"Simple. His pipeline to Suzune is thick. He was one of the four who witnessed Manabe's incident. And—the physical ability he displayed at the sports festival. You haven't forgotten, have you?"
I recalled the head-on collision during pole toppling. The moment we slammed into each other at full speed was still fresh.
Ayanokouji-kun walked away from a direct clash with me with only injuries. He truly is abnormal.
That alone made him a student with the potential to alleviate my boredom.
"There's a saying: a talented hawk hides its talons. That yes-man had been concealing his physical prowess all this time.
To answer his classmates' efforts—or whatever—he finally revealed his true strength. He got injured colliding with you, yet endured the entire sports festival to avoid costing the class points.
Lately he's cemented his position as Suzune's right hand in Class D. But the crucial point is that he was hiding his ability in the first place."
"How likely is it that all of that is true?"
"I can't deny the possibility. It's the kind of rumor you'd find in a classic story, and the logic holds up. Still… something feels off. It's too neat. Too perfect."
Ryūen-kun continued weighing the rumors and information he had gathered.
With only the current facts, there was little room for doubt.
He had hidden his strength because exerting himself seriously was too much hassle. But when he decided he wanted to work hard for the class, he revealed it.
He produced results. Securing a solid position in Class D would naturally be seen as earned merit.
"The clincher is the uninhabited island test. Ayanokouji stayed behind on the island."
During that test, Class D retired early after leaving only a few members behind.
Ayanokouji-kun was one of those who remained. That was what Ryūen-kun found suspicious.
"That's leaning heavily on intuition."
"True. But it's worth confirming with my own eyes, don't you think?"
"Yes. At the very least, he seems more credible than the other candidates."
When I agreed, Ryūen-kun gave a faint smile.
A small smirk of satisfaction at having persuaded me. Evidently, I hadn't given him any real hints. The game could continue.
"Finally dragging your old ass into motion, huh, gramps."
"Seems there's a brat out there insolent enough to use me."
Returning provocation for provocation, Ryūen-kun turned toward me with genuine delight.
Behind the feral glint in his eyes lay an innocent hunger—an intense desire to devour me whole.
"Hah. We could settle the rematch right here and now if you want."
He cracked his neck and loosened his body, ready to fight at any moment.
This was a classroom with plenty of witnesses, but to Ryūen-kun, a second bout with me apparently outweighed any such concerns.
"Fight if you want. Of course, if I win, I'll gift you private one-on-one study sessions with me."
"And if I win?"
"I'll gift you private one-on-one study sessions with me."
I cracked my knuckles to show I was ready.
Ryūen-kun scowled at my response. Needless to say, he wasn't fond of the idea of private tutoring.
"Win or lose, that's the worst possible outcome. Interest gone."
"Having me tutor you personally is the worst thing imaginable? …You really don't understand value."
"Narcissist. Drop dead."
He spat the insult and turned away. This exchange was my victory.
I followed the visibly irritated Ryūen-kun, and the two of us headed together to a café inside Keyaki Mall.
...
The after-school Keyaki Mall felt quieter than usual.
With only one week left before finals, it was only natural for foot traffic to drop in a place primarily frequented by students.
Still, it wasn't entirely empty.
We reached the café that was our destination, yet the interior was nearly packed with students—despite it not being a silent study space like the library.
Most likely, students who had predicted that places like Palette or the library would fill up once club activities were suspended starting today had converged here instead.
It was fair to say the crowd consisted of students with the same idea, or those who had come to study while mixing in some casual conversation.
"So, where's that Ayanokouji bastard sitting?"
As soon as we stepped inside, Ryūen-kun gave his neck a quick crack and scanned for his target.
There were simply too many people.
Finding him would be a hassle—or so I thought, but Ryūen-kun locked onto him surprisingly fast.
Without reserving a seat or any pretense of manners, he strode in like he owned the place.
"I'm gonna go grab a refill~"
"More extra-sugar again? How do you even drink that super-sweet stuff?"
"To me, drinking it black is the real mystery… Whoa—"
Following behind, I quickly spotted Ayanokouji-kun. He and three others were enjoying a relaxed conversation.
One of the girls interrupted the flow, standing up with her plastic cup in hand to get a refill.
But she tripped over a bag left on the floor and dropped the cup she had just picked up.
As I idly followed the rolling cup with my eyes, it unfortunately came to a stop right at Ryūen-kun's feet.
"Ah, sor—"
The Class D girl started to apologize, but before she could finish, Ryūen-kun deliberately crushed the cup under his shoe.
The blatant malice in the act forced the apology back down her throat.
"You guys look like you're having fun. Mind if we join?"
"What the hell do you want…?"
The girl instantly went on high alert, glaring sharply at us.
Recognizing two of Class C's most notorious students, her reaction was entirely reasonable.
The boys sitting with her reacted the same way.
One was Ayanokouji-kun, watching us warily with his usual blank expression.
The other two I didn't know by name, but since Ryūen-kun had mentioned Yukimura Teruhiko as the top academic in Class D, the calm-looking boy with glasses was almost certainly him.
The remaining one was another unnamed Class D student, wearing a bored expression while keeping careful watch on Ryūen-kun's movements.
"Hey, why'd you just step on my cup? That wasn't an accident, was it?"
"It rolled right to my feet, so I figured you were throwing it away. Saved you the trouble by crushing it for you."
She was bold enough to confront Ryūen-kun head-on—definitely strong-willed.
But Ryūen-kun only snorted at her defiant words.
Perhaps prompted by that, one of the previously silent boys slowly stood up with a serious look.
"Listen, Ryūen. I've been wanting to say this for a while—cut that attitude out."
"I've got no business with you. My interest is in those two over there."
Ryūen-kun directed his gaze straight at Ayanokouji-kun and Yukimura-kun, scrutinizing every micro-expression without missing a thing.
"I see. So you're diligently holding study sessions under Yukimura's guidance to avoid anyone getting expelled in the next exam."
"And what's your problem with that? Maybe you should head home and study yourself, Ryūen. I hear your grades aren't exactly stellar."
Yukimura shot back with a condescending look, using Ryūen-kun's poor academics as ammunition.
But the opponent was Kakeru Ryūen. Mild provocation like that wouldn't rile him up.
"Is academic ability really that important, Yukimura?"
"Of course it is. I'm not saying it's everything, but there's a clear difference in cultivation between those who study and those who don't.
Learning broadens one's perspective and expands possibilities. There's no downside. And Japan is a meritocracy—finding a reason why academics wouldn't matter is harder."
"Kuku, I get the gist. Taking all that into account, my evaluation of you would be… 'budget-version Katsuragi.'"
"…What did you say?"
Being unfavorably compared to someone else made Yukimura's voice drop low.
High pride. He couldn't let an insult slide. Ryūen-kun was analyzing that reaction too, using it to assess whether Yukimura could be X.
"Looks like you're not the X I'm looking for."
Having reached a negative conclusion, Ryūen-kun immediately shifted to his next target, losing all interest in Yukimura.
"Now for the main event. I've been suspecting it's either you or Hirata… right, Ayanokouji?"
His expression carried a grin like he'd just run into an old friend.
Ryūen-kun was thoroughly enjoying the moment, ignoring the surrounding stares as he eagerly awaited Ayanokouji-kun's next words.
"X…? What are you talking about?"
"Kuku. It's the nickname I gave the hidden mastermind in your class—out of respect."
Ryūen-kun politely explained to the feigning-ignorance Ayanokouji-kun, then continued the conversation.
"Ayanokouji, I hear you put on quite a show at the sports festival, even if you lost to us.
I was surprised. A nobody who'd never stood out suddenly reveals real talent. So tell me—why? Why the sudden motivation? Why decide to finally show the strength you'd been hiding?"
"Do I have any obligation to answer that—to you, the leader of Class C?"
"Nope. But if you're not X, then there's no reason to hide it, right? Questions like these are just casual chit-chat between students from different classes."
"Even so. I've heard you're dangerous. I'll pass on casual chit-chat with someone like that."
"'Heard,' huh. From Suzune?"
Ayanokouji-kun maintained his blank mask. The complete opposite of Ryūen-kun, who was clearly relishing the exchange and firing off questions.
"Kuku, you're like an iron mask. Just like you, Kamukura."
Ryūen-kun turned only his face toward me, standing diagonally behind him.
I wasn't surprised by the sudden shift— the man was nothing if not unpredictable.
"Doesn't matter. Time is precious, so if he's not X, I'd like to head back soon."
"Don't be like that. Why don't you talk to him yourself? You might pick up on something."
"Boring."
I chose my words carefully to avoid ending the game prematurely.
I tossed out a casual lie, but Ayanokouji-kun had probably noticed. Still, since I'd told him before the ship test that I wouldn't report to Ryūen-kun, he wouldn't be rattled.
"Kuku, one more thing, Ayanokouji. I hear you stayed behind on the uninhabited island instead of retiring. That's because you came up with the strategy, right?"
Ryūen-kun quickly pulled the conversation back on track and resumed observing Ayanokouji-kun.
"No, that's wrong. The retirement strategy was Horikita and Hirata's idea. The reason I stayed… was simply because I wanted to contribute to the class however I could."
Ayanokouji-kun answered instantly.
There wasn't a trace of falsehood. Given the positive rumors swirling around him since the sports festival, it sounded sincere. Revealing his ability at the festival for the class's sake also fit perfectly.
But that king's skepticism remained unshaken.
"Kuku, I see! No contradictions at all! Fine—I'll let you off here for today. See you again, Ayanokouji."
Judging he couldn't dig deeper with words alone, Ryūen-kun turned his back on them.
This was a crowded café—violence wasn't an option.
With security cameras around, pushing further would only invite punishment.
So he kept it to conversation, treating the whole thing like a game. But this time, Ayanokouji-kun had played his hand better.
I followed Ryūen-kun toward the exit.
"Go on ahead."
I stopped and told Ryūen-kun, who was heading straight out without pausing.
He shot me a look that asked why.
"To compensate the girl whose cup you crushed."
And, while I'm at it, to observe Ayanokouji-kun one more time.
"Hah, aren't you the gentleman."
Ryūen-kun mocked, clearly planning to call it an accident if pressed.
"Fine. More importantly—what did you think of Ayanokouji?"
"His statements today contained no contradictions, so judging him innocent seems reasonable. However, it's better not to conclude definitively."
"Why's that?"
"Because he possesses the physical reflexes to walk away from a direct collision with me with only minor injuries. It wouldn't be strange if he were hiding something else."
"Same opinion. When someone's this close to pure white, it's hard to keep doubting… yet something still feels off."
When I reached the register, Ryūen-kun temporarily joined the line to confirm my thoughts.
Hands in pockets, frowning in thought—he looked like someone agonizing over which coffee to order.
"If things go normally, Hirata-kun is next on the suspect list."
"Yeah. But when I approach Hirata, you don't need to come. Instead, I want you to make contact with Satō and Matsushita."
"The two eyewitnesses."
Satō and Matsushita. They were two of the four who had witnessed Manabe confronting Karuizawa.
Ayanokouji-kun, Hirata-kun, and the two girls.
Considering Manabe had been used as a pawn, focusing on these four was indeed inevitable.
"I've already looked into them to some extent, but I still can't say for sure they're clear. I'm about to get busy, so I'll leave this part to you.
While you're at it, test whether we can steal test answers from them. Satō's grades are laughable, but I hear Matsushita is decent. No need to force it, though."
"Meaning?"
"This round of negotiations—they're as good as settled."
"I see. But it would be better not to say that here."
This was a café. Walls have ears, screens have eyes. It was the kind of topic that needed a change of venue.
"Obviously. We'll continue this discussion in your room. I'll decide the time later."
"Understood. One question, though—why will you be busy from now on?"
"No need to tell you that."
Ryūen-kun stepped out of line after saying that.
He was heading for the exit—straight back to the dorms, apparently.
That last question had been rather malicious, even for me.
—Because the reason he'd be busy was studying.
He'd certainly pour effort into his schemes. But that wasn't all.
His grades weren't the type to pass tests without effort. It was one week before finals. And Ryūen-kun was, in fact, a hard worker.
From that information, only one conclusion followed.
He had grown—he was now acting with contingencies in mind.
Even if his hidden maneuvers failed, he was desperately putting in the work to avoid failing on his own merits.
I had instantly grasped that and asked the question anyway.
The figure of the one secretly grinding away grew smaller and smaller.
If he swallowed his pride and asked me for help, the problem would be solved easily—but that very pride was what made him Ryūen-kun.
Afterward, I returned to their table once more to compensate for the crushed cup.
...
The café fell into a brief silence the moment Ryūen and Kamukura left, only to quickly regain its usual buzz.
Just two visitors, yet the tension they brought had stretched through the entire place like a live wire.
I was reminded once again that those two were among the most dangerous people in this school.
"…What the hell was that guy's problem?"
Hasebe, whose cup Ryūen had crushed, had been in a foul mood ever since.
She wanted to get back to studying, but the sudden confrontation had killed any motivation.
"Cheer up, Hasebe. You can't study with that kind of vibe. I'll go grab you another cup."
Miyake, seeing the situation, stood up again.
He claimed he didn't like dealing with people, but he was capable of looking out for others.
Though, truthfully, he was probably just looking for the fastest way to escape the table.
"…Extra sugar, okay?"
"How about switching to black for a mood boost?"
"Absolutely not."
Her pout was impossible to hide, drawing wry smiles from both Miyake and Yukimura.
The rumors about how hard it is to cheer up a woman seemed to hold some truth.
"Yukimura, Ayanokouji—want anything? I'm buying this round."
"I'm good. Don't need a refill. If anything, I'm a little hungry, but I'm not letting you treat me."
Yukimura stood up as he spoke.
Honestly, I'd rather he didn't leave me alone with an irritated girl.
"Don't worry about it, Yukimura. You should stay and smooth things over with Hasebe."
"…Don't assume I'm capable of that kind of finesse. You're the one who's better at it."
Yukimura shot Miyake a light glare.
So Yukimura had noticed Miyake trying to slip away. The counter-move was perfect.
"Ayanokouji, anything you want?"
"I'm fine."
Yukimura turned the question to me.
He seemed fully prepared to tag out. Fair enough—Miyake was definitely the best at handling a bad-tempered girl. No mistake in personnel choice.
"Someone—just anyone—hurry up and get it if you're going."
Hasebe pouted at all three of us.
She was genuinely angry, but the controlled tone of her voice suggested she had no intention of taking it out on us unreasonably.
We had to tread carefully, like avoiding a tiger's tail.
The three of us exchanged quick glances, silently negotiating who would take on the task of appeasing Hasebe.
In the end, it was decided—without a word—that the one who suggested buying, Miyake, would go.
But before Miyake could head to the register, an unexpected voice cut in.
"Extra-extra sugar, correct?"
At some point, Kamukura Izuru had appeared near our table, holding a wooden cutting board and four small plates.
I immediately went on maximum alert.
As always, his presence was completely unreadable. Even in a noisy, crowded café, that abnormality stood out.
Both Miyake and Yukimura couldn't hide their surprise at seeing someone who should have left standing right beside us.
Hasebe, however, was different.
"…Yeah. Wait—are you bringing it?"
She was surprised too, but her irritation over the crushed cup clearly took priority.
She showed her displeasure to Kamukura without backing down an inch.
"Rather than 'bringing it,' I've already brought it."
Kamukura placed the wooden board and four plates in front of Hasebe.
On it sat a coffee visibly darkened with sugar, extra sugar sticks, and a cheesecake—clearly an expensive 4-inch one.
There was no way Hasebe could finish that alone. Which meant the cake was intended for all four of us.
"I'm not sure exactly how much 'extra-extra' means, but I brought plenty of sugar sticks. Adjust it however you like."
Kamukura gestured for Hasebe to try the coffee.
At first she eyed it warily, but she couldn't bring herself to refuse something already brought, so she picked up the cup.
She took a sip, murmured that it was good, and immediately went for another. The sweetness was apparently right up her alley.
"This cheesecake…"
"As you've guessed. Consider it an apology."
Hasebe's expression brightened at Kamukura's words. So sweets really were effective at improving a woman's mood.
"…Isn't this cheesecake, like, 3000 points?"
Hasebe's hand paused as she started cutting the cake into portions.
I glanced at the menu to verify Miyake's claim.
Sure enough, it was true.
Hasebe looked to me for confirmation, and I nodded.
"Hey, I was pissed about the cup, but this feels way too generous—like I'm getting too much… Is this really okay?"
"Yes. This is both an apology to you and a thank-you to Ayanokouji-kun. It's not too much."
"To Ayanokouji-kun too?"
I tensed at the sudden mention of my name. But there was no hostility from Kamukura.
I had no recollection of deserving thanks, but I'd hear him out.
"What do you mean, thanks to me?"
"For entertaining me at the sports festival."
The pole toppling? Or something about Class C's search for X?
Unclear. Too vague. Besides, I remembered Kamukura remaining expressionless throughout the festival—had he actually been enjoying himself?
"It's not about the pole toppling, Ayanokouji-kun."
Hasebe casually clarified while cutting the cheesecake into eighths with one hand. She must have noticed my confusion and thrown me a lifeline.
"Is that so?"
"Correct."
He confirmed it. Maybe I was overthinking.
I continued analyzing, but got nowhere new.
The fact that Kamukura had noticed my abilities and hadn't reported them to Ryūen.
The fact that Ryūen was hunting X meant Kamukura truly hadn't told him anything.
He was either playing around or simply unbothered. I didn't know which, but it worked in my favor.
And—it was going according to plan.
"I've fulfilled my obligation, so I'll take my leave."
"Thanks for the coffee and cheesecake~"
Hasebe waved gratefully, but Kamukura only gave a slight bow before turning away.
"Ayanokouji-kun."
He wasn't heading straight out, after all. He had one more parting gift.
"My prediction is that the time limit will be before winter break.
However, he's not stupid. There's a chance it could come out during this exam. So do your best not to let your guard down and prepare countermeasures."
Kamukura walked off without looking back.
He'd mentioned earlier to Ryūen that time was precious, so he probably had something else to do afterward.
"…Ayanokouji, what was that about?"
Miyake asked, eyes still following Kamukura.
"…Who knows. But he probably thinks I'm X too."
"Figures. You've got it rough."
"Well, if it helps spread some of the hate directed at Horikita, this much is easy."
Miyake seemed genuinely concerned for me, not suspecting I was X.
Yukimura sent a serious, probing look my way, but only for a moment. He accepted my words and decided further pursuit would be tactless.
"Still, rumors really can't be trusted, huh~"
"Talking about Kamukura?"
When Miyake asked, Hasebe answered instantly.
"Yeah. Since he hangs around Ryūen-kun, I figured he'd be super dangerous, but he was actually pretty normal. Well, except for the hair."
Hasebe divided the cut cheesecake onto the small plates and passed them around.
"Yeah. Cool guy."
"Hmph. He's just unsociable."
"Ehh, Yukimuu saying that?"
As they bantered in relaxed tones, Hasebe took a bite of cheesecake.
The blissful smile that appeared the moment it touched her tongue looked nothing like the usual cool beauty's expression—it was pure happiness.
I suddenly felt like trying it too, so I picked up a fork and took a bite.
"…Shut up. And what's with 'Yukimuu'?"
"Nickname~"
I see. It really was worth 3000 points. The sweetness wasn't cloying at all—you could eat as many as you wanted.
"…Jeez. Once we finish this, we're getting back to studying."
"Okaaay."
Yukimura sighed at the carefree reply, but he didn't look entirely displeased.
This must be what a comfortable friendship feels like.
For some reason, that thought crossed my mind.
***
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