Ryūen was deep in thought as he left the faculty office and headed back.
Who the hell was X, anyway?
This time, their side had managed to shut down any moves, so X hadn't shown themselves—or maybe Horikita had been telling the truth and X didn't exist at all.
(No, that's impossible.)
Ryūen dismissed the idea outright.
There was no way Horikita could have played the sports festival the way she did if she'd truly seen the end coming.
Which meant X was real.
(…So it really is Ayanokōji, then?)
Ryūen turned his mind to the current top suspect: Ayanokōji.
Horikita's shadow advisor. His connection to Karuizawa. The fact he'd been hiding his athletic ability. The fact he'd stayed behind on the uninhabited island test.
There were plenty of reasons to suspect him.
But there wasn't a single piece of decisive proof. He stood out far too much to be hiding in plain sight.
And this time, he'd done nothing but watch the conclusion unfold right in front of him.
X was ruthless, no question—but would someone like that throw away victory so easily? Ryūen didn't think so.
Because X thought the same way he did. That similarity was exactly what fascinated Ryūen, what made him obsessed.
If it were him, he wouldn't abandon a win.
So X wouldn't either.
(Guess I'll have to rethink this. Still, the list of suspects is narrower now, which means I can dig deeper into fewer people.
Ayanokōji, Hirata, Kōenji. And maybe Matsushita as a dark horse. Kamukura called her nothing more than a boring, overly capable girl, but even he could be wrong.)
Ryūen secretly hoped Kamukura's judgment would turn out to be completely off the mark.
Once he'd indulged in a few satisfying scenarios of Kamukura screwing up, Ryūen let the thoughts go and started wondering how to kill time instead.
Kushida's case was basically guaranteed to be accepted, so he didn't need to study anymore.
He was considering blowing some points on nothing in particular when an unexpected figure appeared, walking toward him from the opposite direction. Ryūen stopped in his tracks.
"…Oi. Why the hell are you heading to the faculty office? What happened to your little study session with your friends?"
Ryūen's voice was low and heavy with menace.
He shifted his stance to block the path completely. After all, the person in front of him was practically the poster child for betrayal.
"Move, Ryūen. I need to get to the faculty office."
Kushida Kikyo answered in a voice just as sharp as his.
Her face wore a forced smile that tried to hide her distress—or perhaps a crazed grin warped by fear, or maybe something harder to name, a mixture of every emotion swirling together.
Ryūen felt a chill at how unnaturally creepy it was. Still, he didn't back down.
"I'm the one asking questions here. Why are you in this hallway?"
"That's none of your business."
Kushida furrowed her brow as she spoke, but there was no force behind her words. Her tone suddenly softened, turning almost gentle.
Her expression and voice didn't match at all.
She couldn't even keep up the friendly act she always put on for everyone. Ryūen could tell her mental state was teetering on the edge.
"Tch. I don't know what flipped your switch, but I'm not letting you through until you tell me what you're planning."
Ryūen hadn't expected Kushida to show up here.
If she ran into Horikita or Ayanokōji further ahead and something changed because of it, he couldn't allow that.
So he blocked her way, plain and simple.
"My plan…?" Kushida echoed. "I don't have one. I don't even know why I'm walking this way."
"You really think that's going to satisfy me?"
"No. But I feel like… if I don't do something right now, it'll be too late."
Kushida pressed a hand to her temple as she spoke.
Her face twisted in pain, as if she were suffering from a sudden migraine, and she took another step toward him.
"…Hah, got it. Well, even if you go there now, it's not like you can change anything. Do whatever you want, Kikyo."
Kushida was unstable right now. Ryūen judged that whatever she did, she posed no threat.
He stepped out of her way and resumed walking, brushing past her.
His footsteps rang out crisp and quick.
Kushida felt a flicker of irritation at the dismissive words and the casual way he passed her, but she kept moving toward her destination all the same.
"Is that your choice?"
A voice called out to her from the side.
A young man was leaning against the corridor wall, watching her with an expressionless face.
"I'm here because I wanted to see how this ends," he said, answering a question no one had asked.
The hallway was wide open, with nothing to hide behind, yet Kushida hadn't sensed him until this very moment.
She hadn't been looking down—she'd been walking forward, slowly but steadily—yet she'd completely missed his unmistakable silhouette. The realization unsettled her.
But there was something else she wanted to ask more.
"You said it before, didn't you?" she began. "That my ability to earn people's trust is the talent of a con artist."
"Yes. Compared to mine—or his—yours is worlds apart in quality. Even so, you do possess that talent."
Who "he" was, Kushida had no idea. And it didn't matter.
"Trust earned through deception…" She looked down, hiding the self-loathing on her face. "Yeah. Just like a con artist."
Memories flooded her mind.
The version of herself who smiled kindly at everyone in class.
The past that had shattered because of it.
And Kamukura's actions during the cruise test—memories that felt like signposts pointing to her own future.
"What will you do now?" the young man asked.
"…I don't know."
His tone, his wording, his rhythm—unchanged from the very first time they spoke.
It infuriated her. She lifted her head and glared at the man she despised so much she could barely stand to look at him.
She just wanted the conversation to end, so she started walking again, intending to pass right by him.
"I really, really hate you."
She took a step as the words left her mouth.
"That smug, perfect face of yours makes my skin crawl."
The insults kept coming—raw, honest words rising from the depths of her heart, spoken with force.
"I hate that you're good at everything—studies, sports, all of it."
The young man said nothing in return. He didn't even glance at her as she walked past.
"It's not fair. That talent of yours… I wanted it too."
With that, Kushida quickened her pace, putting more distance between them.
She hurried the rest of the way to the faculty office, turned the corner—and immediately saw Horikita, looking dejected, and Ayanokōji, who was already facing her direction.
She called out to them.
"Boring. Utterly, fundamentally boring—that's what your true feelings amount to. And yet, those words are completely honest.
…True feelings. Yes, that's what they are. If there's even one person who can accept the real you, then surely, around you——"
The young man spoke softly, then erased his presence once more.
He moved to a spot where he could still overhear the conversation between Kushida and the others, waiting to witness the conclusion.
...
Horikita, Ayanokōji, and Chabashira all registered Kushida's presence in the hallway outside the faculty office.
The girl looked utterly drained—a fragile sixteen-year-old at first glance. Chabashira, as a teacher, started to speak up out of concern.
But Horikita beat her to it.
"…What do you want, Kushida-san?"
She began with a calm assessment of the situation, handling the unexpected encounter without flinching.
"Who knows? What do I want, anyway?"
The reply left not only Horikita but Chabashira and Ayanokōji equally baffled.
"What are you even saying?" Horikita pressed. "You came all this way without any purpose?"
"So what if I did? Is that a crime? What I do and where I go has nothing to do with you."
Her gaze was icy, laced with unmistakable hostility—the real Kushida.
Chabashira stared in shock at this side of her. The school was aware of the incident Kushida had caused; based on her usual behavior and demeanor, the reports had seemed almost unbelievable. Now, seeing it firsthand, Chabashira was convinced it was all true.
Horikita, already accustomed to it, continued the conversation without batting an eye.
"It has everything to do with me. Because of the 500,000 points you wagered, you've caused us nothing but trouble."
"Oh, that? So what?"
She acted as though she'd only just remembered it, feigning complete indifference.
The attitude pushed Horikita's already frayed nerves to the breaking point; the emotional restraints she'd been holding in place began to snap.
"So what…? Are you serious? Because of what you did, Class D has a much higher chance of losing this special exam.
And right now, I'm confronting the person responsible. How can you brush it off like that? Enough with the games!"
Her voice rose sharply—an uncharacteristic outburst from Horikita.
Kushida merely snorted.
"I'm not playing any games. This was a bet. I did everything I could to win. What's the problem?"
"The problem is everything! You went to all this trouble just to get me expelled… Don't you realize what would happen if the class found out!?"
"They won't. Are you really unsure which of us the class trusts more—you or me?"
"I have proof! And don't forget—you already have a record from the sports festival!"
"Calm down, Horikita."
Ayanokōji stepped in to soothe the heated Horikita.
The mental damage Ryūen had inflicted, the root cause she couldn't overcome no matter how hard she tried—the negative emotions were clouding her judgment.
In her place, Ayanokōji took over the conversation.
"You went to all this effort to secure a win in the bet. So why show up here now?"
"Who knows? Just felt like it."
"Is that really it? I thought for sure you'd come to gloat, basking in your sense of superiority."
"…Huh. Pretty provocative words, Ayanokōji-kun.
I never expected you to throw insults like that. Maybe we could've been friends after all."
"I still think we could be."
"Save the jokes."
Kushida turned the same cold stare on him.
Then she shifted her focus back to Horikita. Ayanokōji was already irrelevant to her.
"Does it hurt, Horikita-san? Being one step behind, about to lose the bet and get expelled. Your pride in tatters—how does it feel to grovel like this?"
She taunted Horikita without a trace of enjoyment on her face, speaking flatly, as if merely confirming facts.
"…Too bad for you. The bet isn't over yet. If I score perfectly on the problems I set for Class C, it ends in a draw.
And I'm good at studying. You know that, don't you?"
Horikita laughed through her nose in return. The smile reminded her of her brother, and Ayanokōji noticed that her emotional anchor hadn't shifted.
As long as there was even one beacon of hope in a hopeless situation, Suzune Horikita would never stop.
"That attitude of yours… I really can't bring myself to like you."
Kushida spoke with a detached air, showing neither irritation at Horikita's defiance nor exasperation at her stubborn honesty.
"Hey, Horikita. You kept trying to 'start over' with me, talking to me like an idiot, right?"
"…And?"
Horikita gradually regained her composure, toning down the sharpness in her words.
"It's just… you're the first person who kept approaching me even after knowing this side of me. It made me a little curious. What kind of idiot are you, exactly?"
"I might have been an idiot for repeatedly reaching out to someone as foolish as you. But I need your cooperation—you specifically—for Class D to reach Class A."
"…I've heard that line so many times it's annoying. By now I can tell it's completely sincere.
You're seriously trying to build a real relationship with me. Using terrible persuasion skills, coming straight at me over and over—it was honestly irritating."
"Did my sincerity get through to you?"
"Your sincerity, yeah. Ugh… This is exactly why I can't make a single real friend."
Kushida shrugged dramatically and flashed a mocking smile. Horikita's face tightened in annoyance.
She was about to fire back when Kushida continued.
"Honestly, even now I can barely control the urge. Someone knows my past. Do you have any idea how much stress that causes, Horikita-san? No, of course you don't. Someone like you, with no friends."
"I wouldn't know. I'm not you. And I have zero interest. I have no reason to spread your secrets."
"Probably not. But I can't stand it. The fact that you know—the fear that it could all happen again—that's what drives me."
"…You're impossible. That's called paranoia."
"Maybe."
Kushida lowered her head and stared at her open palms.
Small hands. Soft, distinctly feminine curves.
But that was all.
No hardened skin from athletic training. No long, graceful fingers like a pianist's.
Just ordinary hands.
Her faded eyes gazed at them.
Dark emotions began to bubble up inside her, but only for a moment.
After all, she had already given up on those things. The girl who once wanted to be the best had decided that being trusted by everyone was her path to the top.
The searing jealousy faded quickly. She couldn't stop wishing for what she lacked, but usually she suppressed it.
"I hate you. I hate you, hate you, hate you!! …God, I really can't stand you, Horikita-san."
But in front of Horikita, she couldn't hold it back.
The girl before her possessed so many talents Kushida lacked.
Looks, academic ability, athletic ability.
And lately, she was starting to be recognized as Class D's leader.
To Kushida, who struggled desperately for the pleasure of being accepted, it was unbearable—Horikita was effortlessly claiming the status she craved, as if mocking her efforts.
"What exactly do you hate about me?"
"A lot."
"I see. …It's true, I can do more things than you. But I don't have your gift for conversation or communication."
"Yeah."
"Everyone has limits. No one can do everything. Each person has something they excel at.
You have impressive talents too, don't you? So why hate me for it?"
Horikita spoke earnestly, trying to reason with her.
Clumsy as she was, she faced Kushida's feelings head-on with sincerity.
But her directness led her straight onto a landmine.
"Impressive? You called it 'impressive'?
Ahaha! Hey, Horikita. This talent of mine that you just praised—what do you think it is?"
Kushida let out a manic laugh, her pupils wide as she glared at Horikita.
Chabashira faltered at the sudden shift, but Horikita waited for the next words.
"No one can do everything? Of course someone can! And he's been right here, close by, this whole time!
…That guy told me. He said this talent of mine is the talent of a con artist!
You're kidding me! What part of that is 'impressive'!? Of all things—this, this talent of mine is nothing but a weapon to drag people down!"
It was a scream from the depths of her soul.
Every ounce of Kushida's pent-up feelings poured into those words, leaving Chabashira speechless. Sympathy even began to stir in her chest.
What was the right thing to say? What could a teacher possibly offer a girl this deeply twisted?
Her attention shifted, curious despite herself, to what Horikita would say next.
Ayanokōji felt nothing.
Kushida was an enemy to be eliminated. He could think of words to persuade her, but he had no intention of saving her.
"This is the only talent that lets me feel any pleasure—"
"—It's impressive."
"…Huh?"
Kushida had been about to continue her tirade, but Horikita cut in.
Both Ayanokōji and Chabashira widened their eyes.
"I don't care what you call the talent. Even if it's a bad one, it's all about how you use it. And I respect the way you treat our classmates.
I genuinely admire that talent of yours—the one I don't have."
"W-What are you even saying?"
"Someone with medical talent doesn't always use it for good.
Someone with a gift for writing might pen lies laced with malice. Having a talent for lying doesn't mean you only use it to deceive."
Caught completely off guard, Kushida could only stare in stunned silence.
She wanted to deny Horikita's words as lies, but the talent of a con artist was precisely the talent of manipulating lies.
Detecting falsehoods was second nature to her. Which was why she instantly knew there wasn't a trace of deception in what Horikita had said.
"…You're insane."
"That's not true. You see your true nature and your talent as ugly, so you can't comprehend someone like me who accepts you anyway.
Having two faces isn't anything rare, yet you've decided on your own that it makes you ugly.
You misunderstood your own worth and spent all this time playing the opposite of the 'ugly' you.
Honestly… In the end, you're brilliant at reading others, but when it comes to yourself, you couldn't manage it at all. That's all it is."
Kushida fell silent.
She had been certain that once Horikita touched the truth of who she was, she would despise her.
Yet here Horikita was, barging into her heart like an intruder stomping through someone's home—arrogant, forceful persuasion that most people would find grounds for cutting ties forever.
She barely bent at all.
And yet, to Kushida, that very behavior felt utterly without pretense.
"…Hah. So that's it. That guy… he knew this would happen."
Kushida muttered the words listlessly.
Confused by the unfamiliar emotion blooming in her chest, she still savored its faint warmth.
For the first time, a sliver—small but undeniable—of affection sprouted toward Horikita, who had tried to accept her even knowing her true self.
And with that, she began to seriously reconsider the choice she would make from now on.
(…That guy?)
Ayanokōji didn't miss Kushida's words.
But he had far too little information to speculate. The only possibility that ran wild in his mind was that someone might have intervened with Kushida.
While Ayanokōji turned the thought over, Kushida finally faced Chabashira.
"Sensei, I have a request."
"…What is it?"
The girl whose emotions had swung so violently moments ago now spoke in a calm voice with a gentle expression.
Though inwardly shaken, Chabashira responded politely to this strangely resolved Kushida.
"Can I withdraw the points I wagered?"
"Wha—!?"
Horikita let out an audible gasp of shock.
After all, that request opened a lifeline in what had seemed a hopeless special exam.
Even Ayanokōji raised an eyebrow and listened closely.
"You can. However, the 500,000 points you already wagered have been accepted, so they won't be returned.
Additionally, there will be a penalty. In this case… let's settle it at 50,000 points."
"…I see. Well, things don't always go that smoothly, do they?"
Kushida gave a self-deprecating smile.
She didn't look repentant, yet her actions were clearly trying to correct her mistake.
Chabashira sensed it immediately.
"Once private points have been used, they almost never come back unless there's an extraordinary reason. It's the same with real money—refunds require justification."
"Right. But it can't be helped. The points won't return, but please completely void that agreement."
"Understood. I'll take care of the paperwork right away."
With that, Chabashira stepped into the faculty office.
She judged that this was a moment for an adult to step back and that the children no longer needed her to stop their fight.
"…Kushida-san, you—"
"Don't get the wrong idea… Horikita-san."
Kushida smiled brightly—the angelic smile she always showed her classmates.
The harsh tone was gone. The Kushida Kikyo everyone knew stood there.
"I still hate you, Horikita-san. You annoy me, you get on my nerves, I can't stand you. The desire to get you expelled hasn't disappeared."
'Kushida Kikyo' spoke her venom in a voice clear enough for anyone to hear.
"…I see. Then why did you do this?"
"Ahaha, it's just to get one over on Ryūen-kun for betraying me. Nothing more, nothing less."
'Kushida Kikyo' declared it with an untroubled smile.
"What about the 500,000 points? It didn't seem like they came from your own balance. Weren't they from Ryūen-kun?"
"Yep. The 500,000 points were an investment from Ryūen-kun. I just wasted them without permission, so if I don't pay him back properly, he'll sue me."
Horikita grew uneasy at how casually Kushida stated the facts without a hint of worry.
Was it a lie or the truth? Her phrasing and expression gave away nothing.
Did she have a plan, or didn't she?
If she did, Horikita wouldn't press further.
This whole affair was Kushida's self-inflicted mess. The responsibility was hers, and Horikita had no intention of cleaning it up.
But if she had no way to pay, Ryūen would complain to the school.
Then, just like Sudō's incident in the first semester, it would escalate into a case involving the school itself.
Horikita couldn't allow that.
"We'll cover it with Class D's points. We have private point reserves. So…"
"That's unnecessary worry. Besides, if those points dropped, you'd have to explain the reason to the class, right? Then my secret would come out."
"Then… how do you plan to handle it? You're a student in Class D. If there's anything we can do to help, let us."
"Ahahaha! Seriously, don't get the wrong idea, Horikita-san."
'Kushida Kikyo' clutched her stomach and laughed.
Something struck her as hilarious—something Horikita couldn't grasp.
But there was no time to think. Kushida wiped the tears spilling from her eyes and continued.
"I'm the enemy, remember? I told you I still want you expelled.
Can't pay the points back? Then I'll just work off the 500,000 under Ryūen-kun. That's all there is to it, right?"
"…You really are something."
Horikita glared hard at the beaming Kushida.
Moments ago, Kushida had done something beneficial for Class D. But it was temporary. Horikita now recognized it as such.
"I won't cooperate with Class D from now on either. I'll keep working hard to get you expelled, Horikita-san."
'Kushida Kikyo' announced it with the brightest smile of the day.
Horikita faltered before that utterly guileless expression.
Until now, Kushida had always shown her malice. But this was the Kushida she showed her classmates.
In other words—'Kushida Kikyo.' The false Kushida who wore a mask to satisfy her desires. A con artist-like existence who hid her true feelings and wielded lies with skill.
Which meant Horikita couldn't tell if this attitude reflected Kushida's real intentions.
"What will you do after you finish working off the 500,000 points?"
Ayanokōji spoke up in Horikita's silence.
"Hmm. What should I do~?"
She crossed her arms and tilted her head thoughtfully.
The gesture clearly showed she was considering it, so Ayanokōji waited.
"Hmmm… By then you'll probably already be expelled, Horikita-san, so next I'll go for getting Ayanokōji-kun expelled."
"I see."
"Yep. Actually, you really are sharp, Ayanokōji-kun. That calm ability to think ahead—I respect it. The X that Ryūen-kun's looking for… it's you, isn't it?"
"No, I'm not X."
"No need to play dumb. I've already decided it is. But don't worry—I'm not planning to spread it around."
Untrustworthy.
Ayanokōji raised his guard against Kushida even higher.
Her statements were harder than ever to read as truth or lie.
"Well then, Horikita."
Kushida turned as if to face Horikita again—but instead turned her back.
"From now on, I'll be Class D's enemy for the sake of getting you expelled."
"How troublesome."
"Right? But…"
Kushida's words suddenly caught.
She lowered her head and covered her face with her hands.
Like a girl hiding her expression out of embarrassment, she refused to reveal it.
But all that was visible anyway was her back. Her face remained unseen.
And in that position, she whispered,
"But… you'll figure something out, won't you?"
Horikita froze at the words.
What did she just say? The thought spun endlessly in her mind.
By the time it registered, Kushida had already stopped looking down and uncovered her face.
"Just kidding~ That's my talent. Now that you understand, don't ever go thinking it's something impressive."
Kushida began walking away.
Her pace was quick, almost as if fleeing the scene.
Horikita and Ayanokōji watched her back until she vanished.
Then,
"…Hey, what did you think of that last thing she said?"
"What do you mean?"
"Was it a lie… or did she mean it?"
"Who knows? I don't understand the female heart."
"…Heh, true. You wouldn't."
"Hey."
Horikita laughed cheerfully; Ayanokōji looked mildly displeased.
A casual, everyday atmosphere returned.
"Let's head back."
"Yeah. …I'd like to say that, but if we leave it like this, Ryūen will come back."
"True. He'll return to confirm nothing's changed."
"Yeah. We'll need Chabashira-sensei's cooperation to stop that."
"You have a plan?"
"A simple one. When Ryūen comes to check, he'll call Chabashira-sensei. He'll show up at the last possible minute so we can't alter anything afterward.
But if we create a situation where Chabashira-sensei can't respond, Ryūen won't be able to do anything."
"You…"
"Some Class D students are causing trouble in the library. Or they want her to teach them studying… anything works.
If we keep Chabashira-sensei occupied somewhere other than the faculty office starting about thirty minutes before the 6 p.m. deadline, Ryūen won't be able to negotiate. Then the special exam becomes a pure contest of academic ability—no tricks."
Horikita sighed at Ayanokōji's outrageous suggestion.
"That's ridiculous."
"Not really. She's a teacher—sudden errands happen."
"Good grief. But… it seems like the only way."
Horikita gave a faint smile and approved Ayanokōji's plan.
Somewhere inside, she was enjoying this bit of mischief she'd never usually indulge in.
It showed.
***
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