So, Ruka wants me to attend a council meeting with him tomorrow. I suppose I shouldn't, therefore, be surprised to find a small square envelope, held closed with an embossed rose foil sticker tacked to my door when I get back to my room.

I've seen them on Ruka's locker before, names inscribed in calligraphy. This one has something other than paper inside it. I hear it slide the short distance from one side of the envelope to the other as I pull it off the door.

A game for bored rich kids...not to be taken seriously.

Forgive me for saying so then, but isn't the student council really supposed to be concerned with say school dances? Next year's election? The lack of variety in the lunch room? Has there even ever been an election?

There are elections...they're anonymous. You're unimpressed?

Highly.

The envelope seems dangerous, sitting there against the vase, looking at me.

Ruka's attitude is getting to me. I just personified a stupid envelope.

I shower. I change. I go to bed.

The envelope is still there in the morning, right where I left it, having neither the back bone nor the force of will to grow legs or eyes and walk away. I pick it up.

The object inside slides again. It's round. I can see its outline against the confines of the paper. A ring.

This should also not surprise me.

The only thing most of this 'council' has in common aside from pompous prick attitudes is those rosy signet rings, and the white uniforms.

Do they even do anything?

I dress, and take the letter with me, with my books. Inside them. Hidden. I'm good at things like that. I'm not about to open it, given I don't understand all their strange rules and rulings. I don't like being backed into a corner.

Sometime since yesterday Ruka has posted notification that I will take his place as Fencing Captain, so there is buzz about that.

Peons don't seem to even have a pretense vote around here. They don't seem to mind either.

Ruka shows up after second period, waiting across the hall. He falls in step with me, "The council is meeting now," he says.

"The council can wait. I have class."

"No, you don't."

There's something in the tone that makes me not argue the point. I follow him to the terrace they meet on. There are three up there already, two male, and one female. I recognize Kiryuu and Kyouchi, and the girl, but I don't know her name.

Kiryuu was slouched on a patio chair, where as Kyouchi and the girl are on a long bench that has a flower patterned cushion on it. His head rests in her lap, but she's reading and not paying attention to him.

Kiryuu gets up as the elevator door slides shut behind us, "Ah, you found her, I see..." he directs towards Ruka, and comes over beaming, arms wide, "So, what do you think of the place?"

I merely look at him.

He stops a foot or so away and eyes me, "I've heard you're not to be underestimated," he remarks, and pulls out a chair, "Come, sit."

I remain standing.

He sighs.

"I believe I am owed some kind of explanation before my life is over run by an organization I did not ask to join." I make my point by producing the offending envelope and tossing it towards the table. There's a clink of metal hitting glass, and a gasp from over by the couch. Kyouchi is standing now, and as he walks over the girl picks up her book and follows him, clasping it in front of her.

"You didn't open it?" Kyouchi exclaims, as though this is unheard of.

"I'm not interested in your game." I point out.

Kiryuu laughs.

Kyouchi looks as though he's about to burst, but Kiryuu leads him over to the other side of the terrace, which is quite a ways.

Ruka looks a bit pale, "I didn't realize you would get an envelope," he remarks.

"Why did you mention me to them?"

"Because you're good; and because I know you—I figured you'd keep an eye on things for me."

"And do what exactly? I have no real idea what this is about. I don't like it." It's then I realize the girl is still standing there, watching us, "And who is this, anyway?"

"This is Himemeya Anthy," Ruka says, "She's the one we duel for."

I give him a more severe look, "What makes you think I would be interested in that?"

"I didn't, as I said, I thought perhaps you would just keep an eye on things. I..." he falters, "The whole thing is complicated."

"Un-complicate it or I'm leaving."

"You can't just leave..."

"Then you better explain to me how you think you're going to hold me here."

"If End of the World sent you a letter then you're involved somehow. You wouldn't be just an observer."

"End of the World?"

"The rules of the game are very complicated."

"Not really..." Kiryuu breezes over, "but I can see with you," he waves at me, "you're going to take some convincing. We duel for Anthy, the Rose Bride, whoever holds her, i.e. the current winner of the duel, holds the power to revolutionize the world."

I try not to snort, "The power to what?"

"The power of miracles," he continues, "the power to revolutionize the world," he repeats, "It's all very clear."

"And where is your proof exactly?"

"I could show you," Kyouchi blusters, moving towards Anthy.

"Uh-uh-uh," Kiryuu waggles a finger at him as though he's a child trying to take an extra cookie, "Juri has not accepted her ring, therefore you cannot Duel."

Kyouchi pauses, and looks back at him, obviously put out at not being able to show off.

"Juri is not going to accept the stupid ring," I retort, "Juri is leaving. You people are all insane. I don't know how you got mixed up in all of this, Ruka, but it's probably a good thing you're leaving."

I go back towards the elevator and down.

I find myself shaking as I walk back down the corridor, and back to class. I walk in and sit down, and take note of the fact that the teacher doesn't say anything about me having missed almost the entire period. She hands me the notes I missed as I leave, actually as I read them, the notes cover the entire class. So, she knew I was going to be gone and wasn't expecting me back. The same thing happens when I get to the next class. The teacher is surprised to see me there, and already has notes for me.

On the one hand it means I don't have to pay attention, I can sit in the back of the class and fume. Does accepting these notes equal the same as accepting the ring? Suddenly hits me. Aside from the fact that I'm trying to ignore that I'm genuinely curious about the insanity that is the student council. If they were the reason that Ruka is leaving...why would he want me to take his place? I thought we had respect for each other. He also wouldn't involve me in anything he didn't think I could handle.