This chapter will end the sports festival arc, which was a thrill for me to write. The next few chapters will also be my iteration of Volume 7, although things will not be the same as in the light novel. Also an important announcement in the end notes.
"Have you decided yet?"
"...Yes."
There was no time to waste. The clock struck with every passing second, and the sun was ready to dip into its resting phase. If there were an opportunistic moment to spare, it would be now for Ryuen Kakeru.
Things had played themselves out like a puzzle piece being solved in front of him. Tangled strands of a rope unraveled so effortlessly he thought it was some movie scene that was being shown.
It was naturally strange, and even cautioning. The life he led would be a tricky path with no easy shortcuts at any point, so this scenario was a miracle and a warning. His guts told him something was hissing at his greedy, uncaring acceptance of everything. It would 'come to bite you back', whispered in a shrill rattle.
For example, Kakeru was ecstatically watching Horikita begin to drop to her knees and prostrate in front of him. He would have done a lot more than just make her bow, but there were important matters that came after the sports festival. In the end, all the boy could do was enjoy the scene and engrave it into his mind.
Horikita Suzune knew she wouldn't forget this moment either. While her expulsion had been put aside for the time being, the issue with Ryuen had snuck up on her recovering mind. The moment to breathe was merely an illusion, and the fangs had bit deep into her flesh.
Of course, this bite left no mortal wound. Her dignity and pride would be left shattered, unfortunately.
That's the price I pay. It is what it is.
The black-haired girl bit her lip as her knees lowered further. Her mind panged in retaliation, unwilling to bend any further, but her bones naturally sunk by the second like it was quicksand.
Ryuen held his phone up, making sure she could see him recording her every move. The embarrassment was slowly engraving itself into her soul.
"How do you plan on paying the five million points, Suzune?"
"You don't need to concern yourself over that. I'll deal with it."
"If it's becoming a prostitute, I'll buy you off for the five million."
"...I hope you rot in hell."
The boy laughed, enjoying himself to the fullest. Everything felt significant to him at that moment- the complete opposite of the girl's feelings. Being shamed and forced to pay millions for something she didn't do was infuriating.
It didn't help that many things were awaiting her after this. First and foremost, she'd need to contact Ayanokoji-
Suddenly, an electrical spark sizzled her heart. Suzune's words from some time ago repeated in her head, taunting her.
"I'll never work with you."
If she were to contact him now, he'd realize that there was nothing the girl wanted to discuss other than how to deal with the predicament she was in. It wasn't any better than asking for help.
"Hurry up. I don't feel like waiting."
Suzune mentally clicked her tongue in annoyance. The boy was clearly in no rush and just wanted to see her prostate already. Her creaking kneecaps refused to touch the ground, so she merely hovered above the ground. Her mind, body, and soul refused to go any lower.
A cold shoe pressed against her silky black locks. The girl's eyes widened as a force pushed down more and more with every second. Not even tears could express the feeling pouncing on her heart.
Ring Ring
A ringtone spread across the empty sky, filling the ears of those nearby. Ryuen, who was about to smack the phone to pieces, paused as a name lit up. His face turned sour. "Pick it up." He growled, easing the weight on the girl's head and pulling his hands out of their pockets.
Suzune didn't need to be told twice. Her shaking hands grasped the phone and pressed the call button. A heartbeat filled the black-haired teen's ears like a melancholic symphony. The caller's ID didn't even register in her head.
"Hello?"
"..."
Silence responded to her strained greeting. She didn't know who to expect behind the phone, but only prayers of an angel coming to her rescue resonated in her head. After everything that had happened in the past few months, now would be an ideal time for her karma to help her.
"H-hello? Is it broth-"
"Do you want my help?"
What replied was no angel. A hand reached out to her, but a fiery pit of hell blazed behind the silhouette.
The choice between two wrongs presented itself in front of Suzune. The voice was unmistakably another source of her worries. Working with him would come with many demerits, not to mention the hit it would take on her pride-
"Yes. Please."
A voice accepted her. For a second, she felt confused. Who just said that? Why'd they sound just like her? It didn't take long to realize her mouth had gaped and expressed such words. Her shaken soul, which the girl attempted to ignore, could not be quelled.
Humans were beings who survived by finding the easiest way to overcome their problems. If there was a being capable of solving them in some way, people leaned toward them. The presence of leaders and even god was based on such ideologies.
Even the prideful Horikita Suzune couldn't overcome her carnal instincts, which overtook the weak-willed body. And suddenly, she was now at the mercy of someone she vowed against.
The call ended abruptly. Within seconds, another phone vibrated with a lit screen. Ryuen took it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen. He looked away for a moment, only to crane back with wide eyes.
A video began playing. The girl on the floor could tell from the scratchy mummers coming from the cellular device. Slowly, the voices grew louder until a girl's cries of pain rang on the silent roof.
Ryuen's face never changed. But with every second of the video, the light in his eyes seemed to darken. What he was watching stood as nothing more than a threat, even though he wasn't directly involved in it.
A message popped up to accommodate the short clip.
Unknown Number: If you want to keep this out of the student council's hands, revoke your deal with Horikita Suzune.
It was a simple yet intimidating text. The long-haired boy's hands gripped the phone so tightly it nearly broke. A swirl of emotions filled his heaving chest as he reread the message over and over again.
I thought I was prepared.
Kakeru loved playing around. Whether it was bringing pain to others or leading one to false hope, anything that could be manipulated was something he desired. When the teen met Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, that desire grew into a blooming flower. A strong opponent meant a tough fight, and the mere thought lit his blood into a fiery dance.
Yet here he stood, utterly defeated. A video dated before the brown-haired made an appearance in his life had found its way to him. There was nothing he could do. Four out of five girls in that video were ones he recognized as classmates, and they were thoroughly bullying a class D girl.
Suddenly, he laughed. It shocked him and the girl. He continued to laugh, slowly approaching Suzune and kicking her off balance. She fell, losing the posture of someone who was about to prostrate. "Wh-"
"You've got a great savior, Suzune. And here I was thinking he was your little slave," He muttered. Ryuen was looking her straight in the eye, but his gaze felt far away. It was hard to realize everything one thought was true turned out to be the complete opposite of it.
The roles were reversed. Horikita was the pawn on the chessboard. When Ryuen looked into those unusually frail eyes of the girl in front of him, his head hurt just a bit more.
"Just get out of here."
If she stayed here any longer, Kakeru would do something he'd come to regret later. With a dismissive tone, the teen waved off Suzune and turned to the window. There were so many thoughts running through his mind he failed to notice a certain someone standing outside, listening to the entire conversation.
-
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka knocked on a wooden door. Unlike the other doors around this one, which had cute little trinkets or rugs around the entrance, the door was plain and mundane. Light steps approached the wooden rectangle, and the noise of a lock opening reverberated in the empty hallway.
Kiyotaka's eyes glanced down slightly. A girl with pristine lilac hair which seemed a bit disheveled and adorning violet eyes greeted him with her traditional grin. A cane was clutched in her fragile fingers, which were nearly as pale as the white maxi she wore.
Arisu Sakayangi gave an enticing look at the boy. His presence made her elated, even though she knew he only would be visiting for a few minutes at most. But before she could slowly approach him and give a proper greeting, his uncaring tone sliced through the air.
"Sorry, did I come at the wrong time? You look like you just woke up."
Slam!
The boy stared at the door, which had retaken the place of Sakayanagi. A voice mixed with a sense of panic from behind the door spoke up. "Give me a moment!"
It did not take a moment for Sakayanagi to open the door back up. Ayanokoji heard the unrhythmic tapping of a cane moving around the room, and even the sink running for a good three minutes. By the time she reappeared, the smell of perfume was fresh on her skin and her hair was combed to perfection.
"I apologize for that. Now, where were we?"
"Uh, nowhere."
The two blinked for a second before Arisu plastered a smooth smile on her face while moving aside. "Come in," She cooed, opening the wooden door a bit. Ayanokoji stepped inside and placed his shoes at the entrance of the room after taking them off.
"Then let's start over. Good morning, Ayanokoji-kun."
"Good morning. Sorry for interrupting your sleep-"
The lilac-haired girl was quick to interrupt, sitting down on her puffy bed and patting a spot next to her. "I didn't expect you to visit this early, especially since the sports festival starts soon. Would you like some tea?"
He sighed, looking at her small face for a second. "I'll make some for us."
"Thank you."
She didn't try to argue back, despite suggesting making some tea herself. Ayanokoji walked towards the kitchen which was in the corner of the room and barely visible from the bed. He dug through the cupboards and quickly found what he was looking for.
"Do you not cook at home, Sakayangi?" He asked. The placement of everything in the kitchen surprised him a bit, considering it was the same as his. The boy knew his room was devoid of anything that made it unique- even the location of ingredients, which came stored with the room.
"I usually have all three meals in a peer's room. Today's a bit special though," She said suggestively, the grin not leaving her face. A liquid being poured into a pitcher filled the momentary silence.
"Is that so?"
"Indeed."
Ayanokoji didn't seem interested in small talk like this, but Sakayanagi continued without mentioning it. Soon through their chat, the boy brought a cup over to her on a small plate. It was black coffee- her preferred drink.
She had never revealed her preferred drink to him or anyone in the school before, yet the girl stared at the drink for a moment before taking a hearty sip. It tasted good, although the brand was a bit on the cheaper side.
"It takes a good brewer to turn cheap beans into an average drink," Sakayanagi commented while gulping another portion of the drink. The aroma held within the wisps of smoke coming from the coffee reached her nose, intensifying the poor quality of the beans.
"It's bittersweet," Ayanokoji said, adding his input for once. Of course, black coffee was meant to be bittersweet, but his words held more of a meaning than just a description.
"Just the way we like it, no?"
The boy had sat down next to her by now. They were halfway done with their drinks, past the initial sting of the bitterness and calming aroma. It was time to let the flavor settle in.
Arisu leaned in closer to the teenager, attempting to find his gaze. When they made eye contact, her violet gems shook ever so slightly. The perfume clinging to her body suddenly eviscerated his nose like it was trying to raid him.
"How do you know me?" Kiyotaka asked, placing the cup down on the bed. It was improper, but he didn't seem to worry about formalities right now. "Your taste is the same as mine. The arrangements of our rooms are identical. And the way you look at me..."
His cold eyes clashed with hers. Sakayanagi had her petite body pressed against him with a hot breath trailing on his collar, which felt ticklish. The girl in front of him stared up with a sense of curiosity, confidence, and familiarity.
"I have a type for boys too, you know," She said, adjusting her drink so it wouldn't be bothered even if the bed rocked, "You just so happened to fit the category."
Their faces were so close they were basking in each other's warmth, which radiated in the room. Her fingers snaked around his face and pulled him right past her lips, resting his ear below her chin. Her silky strands of hair brushed against his face, the smell of her shampoo invading his senses.
"The White Room raised you well..."
It turned silent. Ayanokoji's sharpening gaze stopped itself before it turned to harmful intent, as he pulled back from her nape and stared again. It was no shocker to him at this point- Arisu Sakayanagi was aware of the white room.
Her father, who he'd already met, was someone close to his father. It wouldn't be strange if she'd visited that place before. But what sold him the most was the emotions held within her gaze every time they saw each other. Even now, a strange emotion leaked from her voice which reminded him of a teacher praising their student.
"Have I met you before?"
"I have, but you haven't met me."
The two stared at each other for another moment, before Ayanokoji slowly leaned in closer. Arisu giggled at the lack of embarrassment or sexual need in his gaze despite pushing a girl down in bed.
"...Are we playing Shoji?"
She pressed a hand against his chest playfully as the other hand ran through his hair, messing it up slightly. A single strand broke off and landed perfectly on her red-tinged face.
"Chess."
It seemed to click in his head now. While backing off her frail body and letting the cold air split their hot bodies, he muttered a few words, "It was that day, wasn't it..."
"Eight years, and two-hundred twelve days ago."
It made sense that he didn't know her, but she knew him. After all, he wasn't aware of anyone's presence at the time until after that exam ended.
"That makes things easier, then." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sighed, adjusting his uniform. He would have fixed Sakayanagi's clothes too, but she seemed like the type to do it on her own accord, so he went back to take another sip of coffee. It was a bit cold.
"We've wasted some time, haven't we?" Arisu said, getting up. Her maxi had lost its crinkles which were made from Ayanokoji's hands pressing down on it.
"I don't think it was a waste."
"Is that so?" She, just like the boy, took a sip of her coffee again. A small frown grew on her face as the lukewarm liquid hit her lips.
There was a sense of understanding between the two students. Without glancing at each other, one got up and picked up his plate while the other offered hers over to him. He then carried the dishes away, before the sound of a pitcher being filled rang in the air again.
"Sakayanagi. I wanted to request something." From across the room, Kiyotaka got down to business while boiling some water on the stove. The disabled girl in question crossed her legs while looking out the window.
"What could it be?"
Her aloof acting wouldn't fool him, but she kept it up just for the sake of it. It was mere hours before the sports festival started, so he had something related to the event. It made the girl a bit excited as she hummed happily.
"I want you to convince a third year to bump into the student council president during the relay race."
Arisu paused after hearing the abstract request. There was some sort of plan formulated around the relay race, but it would be hard to tell what it was with barely any information. With a small laugh, she closed her eyes and took in the sunlight. It was like the afterglow of a long night.
"Why?"
"Because it will benefit our teams."
"You're taking the strongest unit out of our team. What will we gain from doing that?"
If her memory served her right, the relay race took place in the second half of the sports festival. Plus, President Manabu was Class A, meaning they were on the same team. There weren't any pros to such a vile act.
Ayanokoji didn't bother to answer her question. He merely continued to stare at her, awaiting an answer instead of evasive questions.
It occurred to Arisu that the boy currency brewing up some more coffee had a good understanding of her. Indeed, whether the president remained in the special exam was of no matter to Sakayanagi.
"Let me rephrase that- what will I gain from this?"
Ayanokoji finished making the coffee and clicked the spoon against the rim of the cup to remove excess, before moving toward the other person in the room. He handed her a fresh cup and sat down next to her.
"I won't hold back on a special exam of your choice."
The girl shot her head in his direction, eyes wide open. Her hands, which held the cup against her lips, froze in the air like time had stopped working on them. There was compensation involved for such an unnecessary task, but she hadn't expected an opportunity as a reward.
"You do realize what you're saying, right?"
The boy nodded with little care. The coffee in his hands was being downed at a much faster rate than hers, which had only been sipped once. But the lilac-haired girl didn't seem to care about that at all as she was dazed beyond comprehension.
It was strange to see the usually calm and collected girl all flustered. It made an urge in his body rise, but he controlled it and kept awaiting a better response.
"...Deal. I'll have it done in an hour or so."
"Great. I'll get going then."
Ayanokoji just replied casually again, like it was a predetermined answer. He was pondering what would happen if she wouldn't accept the offer because she didn't believe in his abilities, but things turned out fine in the end.
Sakayanagi wanted him to wait. Things felt so confusing for no reason- even the drink was beginning to taste weird.
Why am I so tired suddenly..?
When Sakayanagi fell onto the bed knocked out cold, he sighed again while opening the door.
"At least I didn't have to resort to anything else."
If she had refused the offer because there was a lack of demonstration of his skills, things might have escalated. With such pointless and fleeting thoughts, the door closed.
-
Horikita Manabu waited in the room with a stiff expression. As expected, things went awry with the student council just two days prior, and Nagumo would announce his early acceptance as the president of the student council in the coming days.
All that remained was the penalty he'd get for assaulting Ayanokoji, although he truly had done nothing of such sort of purpose. But, if he were to argue that, it would merely be the desperate pleas of a third year. It would bring his public image down more than it already had.
He remembered the aftermath of the sports festival like it was yesterday. Many third years, even from other classes, wanted to argue against the claims made by the other students. Since the school had yet to say anything, others took the opportunity to badmouth him as there wouldn't be any other chances.
The senior begged them to stop, as it may cause more problems later. He knew something was awaiting him later, so he remained quiet and out of trouble ever since then. That wound him up in the office of a chairman.
Sweat formed on his palms, which he had already cleaned for the nth time that day. A woman had instructed him to stay put until the chairman arrived, and a couple of minutes had passed since then.
I can only hope this penalty won't be too heavy.
The worst outcome, according to him, was 500,000 points as a down payment, with the total payment being 1 million points over 4 months. There would be many issues in such a payment, but it would be the easiest way to squeeze money out of someone.
Suddenly, the door opened. The elder Horikita froze as a man who looked to be in his late 40s appeared. He walked with his hands held behind his back, and a trained smile plastered on his mouth.
"Hello Horikita Manabu."
"Ah, Chairman..."
"No need to stand up, keep sitting."
The man himself didn't sit- he felt no need to do so. He would be out of this room soon enough. But Manabu took that as a sign that he wasn't worth the respect of having a formal conversation with. With a heavy heart, he sat back down and gripped his hands together. There was so much he wanted to say, but the chance to utter any of it would never come.
"So, chairman, what did you call me in here for?"
"I have a message to relay to you."
"...A message?"
Confusion set into the former student council president. He was talking to a chairman- one of the highest positions in the school district. If it was a message from a fellow chairman, then they would have come to meet him instead. But it was relayed: someone of a higher position might have made the message.
A cold sweat trickled down his back. Things were looking worse by the second.
"I would ward any concern- I've already checked over it." The man assured, his smile stretching a bit on the side of his dimples. Although it was meant to calm him down, it made the senior worried.
"I see. Then, after the message, please go over my penalty."
"Penalty... Ah, I forgot about that," The man laughed, expecting the response but pretending to be surprised. The sour face of the kid in front of him was funny for some reason.
The boy turned confused again, but the elder chairman just cleared his throat. "Let me clear out the message first. It's from Ayanaokoji Kiyotaka."
Before another word could be said by Manabu, he continued.
"'Consider my loan paid' It says," The chairman concluded shortly after he began. "Along with the small note comes your verdict- Which has been revoked. We suggested a million points, but Ayanokoji said he wanted time before deciding to not give a penalty. Consider yourself lucky, young man."
The world felt like it had restored itself in front of the Horikita. He understood why nothing had been said for weeks, and why the school stayed quiet during the sports festival. It was all because of a single first year, who was secretly creating a huge rumble in this advanced high school.
He probably forced Suzune to do something in turn for all this...
It wasn't hard to put together puzzle pieces. His little sister had informed him of the problems she was dealing with, and how they suddenly resolved. The younger girl hadn't mentioned Kiyotaka at the time, but he could assume he was behind it.
A small laugh escaped his dry lips. As everything fell back into place, the man realized just how parched and hungry he was. The scare of being summoned to a chairman's office had made him forget how to do regular things like eat or drink. It was fortunate he'd brushed his teeth in the morning.
"Well, that'll be all. You can stay a bit longer if you want some tea, which I ordered. If not, then excuse me."
The busy man left the room, leaving Manabu to his thoughts. He could only worry would come of the brown-haired first year in the future, far after he left this elite school.
Going silent for a month only to post a small chapter... Sorry! I wanted to wrap a few plot points up before moving on to the rest, but it turned out a lot shorter than expected.
As for the big announcement, I decided to make a one-shot book just to let off some of the times I get tired of writing about the same thing. It should be uploaded around the time of this chapter, and a one-shot should already be up. Hope you guys will check it out!
-Supa
