COTE: Wishing Well

by thann3

Ayanokōji Kiyotaka wants nothing more than to be human. To have wishes to throw into a wishing well. To experience emotions. Joy. Sorrow. Anger. Regret. Love. He understood them perfectly well. But he has yet to feel them himself. This school would be his sandbox of wishes. To do what he wanted, free of restrictions. That was the definition of freedom, wasn't it?

6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Monster

-o-o-o-

Like my classmates, I had naively thought this was a normal school. Though I had a few suspicions, I didn't bother making connections or investigating the issue. I admit it.

I had enjoyed myself. It was a simple life.

Then, a slender, purple-haired boy named Okitani Kyōsuke shattered my vision.

I will not be confined to Class D's supposed fate. I refuse to accept that my destiny is predetermined by the class ranking system. The school's facade of equality and promises of a guaranteed graduation rate mean nothing to me now.

I have always been an outlier, a loner. But now, with the revelation of the hidden truths within this school, I must adapt.

I must reach Class A and prove to everyone, especially my brother, that I am not a defect. I am capable of becoming the best. I am worthy of Class A.

I will use the strategy committee as a means to understand the intricacies of the special exams and exploit them to elevate Class D's standing. Ayanokōji-kun, whether friend or foe, will be a valuable asset. The strategy committee may force me to socialize with others, but if that's what it takes to ascend to Class A, then so be it. I will adapt, learn, and manipulate the social dynamics to my advantage.

The school is watching, and evaluating every move we make. This is a battle for survival, and I intend to emerge victorious. The journey ahead is uncertain and filled with challenges and revelations.

But I am determined to rewrite my story.

On my name as Horikita Suzune, I swear it. I will prove my worth as both a student and a person.

To my brother, to Okitani-kun, to Hirata-kun. To the rest of the class and the school.

To Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.

I, Horikita Suzune, deserve to stand amongst the elite.

-o-o-o-

"Ayanokōji-kun, please come with me to the faculty office."

She had called me out at the end of class. I obediently got up from my seat and followed Chabashira-sensei out of the room. The walk there was silent, and neither of us spoke to each other. Once we arrived at the destination, my teacher still hadn't spoken, so I decided to question her.

"Chabashira-sensei, what is this for?"

"Get inside. Don't speak a word." Her tone brokered no room for argument, and I obliged. She locked the door. The click cast an ominous atmosphere to our meeting. The room was dimly lit, and I could see the shadows cast onto Chabashira's smooth, pale skin.

"What's this about, Chabashira-sensei?"

"I know what you did. You were responsible for the expulsion of Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji. You lost 600 class points."

I didn't understand why my beautiful teacher had taken so long to confront me about it. It was rather strange, but everything was about adaptability. That was how you survived.

"I don't recall that. Besides, why confront me almost two weeks later?"

"Let's not play games, Ayanokōji. There are no cameras in this room." I already knew that, but I didn't know if there were audio recorders or not. "What are you planning to do with my class?"

"Your class? Chabashira-sensei, you should win the Oscar for how much you pretend not to care."

There was a glint in her brown eyes, as she moved forward.

"Let's return to the crux of the matter. You framed those two at the swimming pool."

"All this is merely conjecture. At the time, the school launched an investigation that swiftly proved I was innocent. But you're here disputing that fact. On what basis?"

"Ayanokōji, as talented as you are, you are merely a student here," she just blatantly ignored the need for evidence. "You would do well to remember that."

"What do you mean?"

"It wouldn't be so difficult to remove you from this school."

Woah, threatening me with expulsion? Chabashira-sensei was pretty

"You wouldn't do that. Not when I am your only chance of reaching Class A. A needle in a haystack."

At my self-confident demeanor and words, Chabashira's own demeanor shifted. In the blink of an eye, she pushed me against the wall, her hand on my throat. Her red lips shifted into a subtle smirk.

"I cannot guarantee your placement in this school if you don't cooperate in reaching Class A."

My hypothesis was correct. Chabashira Sae truly cared about reaching Class A, even with a bunch of defectives.

"I could report you for assault."

"That's a student's word against a teacher's," she countered. "Surely I don't need to spell it out to you."

Chabashira-sensei was correct. In a school, a teacher's word would be trusted over a student's if there was no evidence. Moreover, I was a man, and she was a woman. The difference in physical strength couldn't be ignored.

Chabashira-sensei's grip tightened, and I felt the pressure on my throat increase, to the point where I couldn't speak.

"I have my ways of dealing with obstacles, Ayanokōji. Reporting me would only lead to more problems for you."

I was being coerced into obeying her. There was nothing I could do at this moment, because she had the upper hand as the homeroom teacher of Class D. Her hold on my throat relaxed, allowing me a fresh breath of air. I took the moment to speak.

"I understand. What is it that you want from me, Chabashira-sensei?"

"Simple cooperation. You have incredible insights, capabilities, and influence over your classmates. I need you to guide them toward success in reaching Class A."

"What guarantee do I have that you won't turn against me once Class A is reached?" I questioned.

Chabashira-sensei's devilish smirk widened. "You don't. Trust is a luxury we can't afford in this institution. But understand this, Ayanokōji-kun, crossing me will have consequences far beyond your imagination."

"I see. Please let go of me now."

Chabashira-sensei let go, and I dusted my shoulders. She turned her back on me, ready to exit the room.

"Chabashira-sensei, I have a question."

"What is it?" she said over her shoulder.

"What do you think of our phones at this school?"

"What?" I didn't answer, allowing her to come to her own conclusion.

"You recorded this conversation. You expected this." There was shock in her voice. Given that it was a simple teacher-student meeting, she hadn't expected that I would be recording this. In fact, I hadn't reached for my pocket at all during this meeting, indicating that I had been recording since the beginning of this conversation. But all preconceptions and notions of expectance were thrown out the window. In the blink of an eye, the tide had flipped.

"It was just a precaution."

This was getting repetitive and boring. Extorting people using voice recordings or video tapes.

"Just a suspicion. Ayanokōji, as talented as you are, you are merely a student here. You would do well to remember that."

"What do you mean?"

"It wouldn't be so difficult to remove you from this school."

I began playing the audio and then stopped it after a few seconds. That should be enough evidence.

"Well, assaulting a student can hardly be called a conversation. Unfortunately, I think you're in trouble here, Sae."

Faced with the consequences of her actions, Chabashira was silent, even at the use of her given name. She clenched her fists. When humans feel nervous, their pupils dilate, and they take quicker breaths, even flinching toward the exits of a room. Chabashira was exhibiting those behaviors currently. She fidgeted with her hands behind her back, before forcing them to relax at her sides. Her demeanor had flipped in a mere instant, which demonstrated that she was nothing but a woman trying to put up a cold, hard front to

"Don't worry, Sae. I'll drag this pathetic class to Class A. You have my word."

She bit her lip.

"Be honest with me," Chabashira began, ignoring my use of her name, "Why did you expel those two?"

"I think starting from the very bottom builds character. Wouldn't you agree, Sae?" She swallowed audibly.

"That's…" she began, searching for the right word.

"Preposterous? I know. The turtle always beats the rabbit, though. You would agree that dismantling illusions is the key to success, wouldn't you?"

"…Yes…" she cleared her throat. "What are you planning to do with the audio?"

"Nothing, for now. As long as you help me whenever I require it. You understand your position now, right?"

"Yes, I do." Her dark brown eyes seemed empty like she was recounting a past life full of mistakes. However, despite the current situation that she found herself in, there was a spark of hope in them as well. "Do you really think you can bring me to Class A?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?" I moved for the door but paused when my hand landed on the doorknob. She was looking down at the ground, her arms folded under her breasts.

"Sae."

At the sound of her name, her gaze snapped upward to meet mine. Despite her own situation, a hint of hope was present in her chocolate eyes. The next words I uttered would only further amplify that flickering hope.

"I'll wash away all your regrets."

-o-o-o-

After the incident in the faculty room, I walked to the Student Council Room to conduct my interview. I reached into my pocket, and, fiddling around with my phone, managed to turn off my GPS tracker. Outside of the room, I met Ichinose Honami and Katsuragi Kōhei. The former was the first to spot me.

"Oh, Ayanokōji-kun! Are you here for the interview too?"

"Yes."

"I'm glad that troublesome friend of yours isn't here," Katsuragi spoke. "Your method of introducing yourself was strange."

"Kōenji suggested it and I saw no reason to decline."

We continued chatting away until the door opened to show Loli-senpai. "Katsuragi-kun, please come in."

Ten minutes later, Katsuragi left the council room with a stone face, and then we were invited in.

"Ichinose-san and Ayanokōji-kun, please come in."

After Katsuragi was called in, I assumed they were going to conduct the interviews separately, but that wasn't the case.

The two of us seated ourselves on the couch. In front of us were the smirking dictator and Loli-senpai. On our left were Nagumo Miyabi and Asahina Nazuna.

There was also a brown-eyed, black-haired boy who sat in a brown armchair.

After staring at us for a moment, the infamous dictator spoke. "I suppose introductions are in order. I'm Horikita Manabu, the President. This is Tachibana Akane, my secretary." He pointed over to our left. "The blond-haired man over there is Vice President Nagumo Miyabi. His secretary is Asahina Nazuna."

He then pointed to the boy in the armchair, "The second-year representative is Kiriyama Ikuto."

I see. They hadn't found a third-year representative, and this interview was for the first-year representative.

"Now, then. Let's begin with the interview. We'll start with you, Ichinose. Why do you want to serve on the ANHS Student Council?"

"I want to ensure the upholding of laws within the school…"

She started a long and eloquent speech about morality and how she wanted to contribute to the school.

Meanwhile, I stared at the dictator, and he stared back at me. It appeared that neither of us was paying attention to her spiel.

After a few more minutes, Ichinose's passionate speech finally concluded. Loli-senpai looked impressed by the performance. I was sure that if she were the Student Council President, Ichinose Honami would have been hired in a heartbeat.

"Now you, Ayanokōji. Why do you want to join the Student Council?"

"Because I'm bored."

"W-What a rude kōhai!"

A hint of amusement shone in the man's eyes, and there were the beginnings of a smirk on his face. I stood up, and he leaned forward so that we shook hands.

"Well, welcome to the Student Council, Vice President Ayanokōji Kiyotaka. You can call me Manabu, by the way."

I watched Nagumo and Ichinose splutter in shock out of the corner of my eye. This was funny.

"Manabu, I have a question. Can I have two secretaries?"

"W-What a rude kōhai-kun!" Loli-senpai exclaimed again. What was she, a non-playable character with voice lines?

"Why do you ask that?" Manabu smirked.

"You want me to accept Ichinose's application to the council and offer her the position as my secretary."

It was obvious that Katsuragi had already been rejected since he was invited in alone. Ichinose and I had been invited in together for a reason. Since I had already been accepted to the Student Council, it would have been cruel if Ichinose wasn't accepted as well.

"Huh?" Ichinose let out a sound of confusion.

"Huh?"

"Huh!?"

"Huh!?"

"What's going on here?" Asahina-senpai popped in. The brown-haired girl couldn't understand the situation at all.

For the first time, I watched Horikita Manabu laugh. He chuckled, his shoulders shaking up and down. "Yes, that's right. I'm impressed. So, will you?"

I shrugged. "Why not? I can see two very big reasons to hire her."

Ichinose looked confused. Tachibana-senpai and Asahina-senpai evidently had no idea what we were discussing. Nagumo, Manabu, and I exchanged furtive glances. Kiriyama sighed, massaging the temple of his nose. "You can't be serious…" he muttered to himself.

"And tell me, what are those two reasons?" Manabu coughed behind his fist.

"First, I can tell that she has a social presence greater than all of the first-years. I've met her a couple of times before, and I can tell that she would be amazing for a leadership position such as this one."

"The second reason is her work ethic. I can sense her passion just from the speech that she just gave. Giving her a position on the Student Council would be the correct move in my opinion."

Nagumo gave me a thumbs up as if he approved of my bullshitting.

Manabu smirked. "Then, Ichinose Honami, welcome to the Student Council."

Even though she was shocked, Ichinose quickly adapted to the situation. "Thank you very much everyone. I look forward to working with you all." She stood up from the couch and gave a quick bow.

"Now, what was this you said about two secretaries?" Manabu asked.

"It's just that I don't want to do that boring paperwork."

"W-What a rude kōhai-kun!" Loli-senpai stuttered.

Nagumo laughed, and Manabu smiled. "If that's what it takes to have a man of your caliber on the council, then so be it. Who do you have in mind?"

I thought about it. Fūka? No. Kōenji? No.

Okitani? Maybe, but he was already busy running the class. Matsushita? Maybe.

"I'll think about it and let you know. There's also a first-year representative spot open, right?"

"Correct," Manabu responded. "We still don't have any suitable candidates."

I wondered how Katsuragi would feel after the announcement that the two other people who applied to the Student Council were accepted. That meant an effective sixty-six percent acceptance rate. For someone who was supposed to be the leader of Class A, it could be considered a failure.

"Well, I do have a couple of candidates in mind."

"Then, do keep me posted. You are excused."

With that, Ichinose and I left the room.

"Hey, Ayanokōji-kun…"

"Yes?"

"I just wanted to thank you for giving me the position of secretary."

"It's no problem. I thought you were capable."

"Also, I wanted to ask you a few questions about this school. Have you noticed anything strange?"

Taking advantage of this moment to ask about the S-System. Ichinose Honami was a cunning woman. I was genuinely glad that she was my secretary, and I hoped to draw out that shrewd side of her more as the year passed. Eventually, that shrewdness would surpass her kindness.

"Hm? Like what?"

"Well, I was just wondering, since the President seems to respect you so much. I mean, you must have had a predetermined acceptance."

"That's right."

"Ayanokōji-kun, you're a very impressive person, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't say that."

"I know you broke the junior swimming world record. But the President wouldn't recruit you just based on physical abilities."

"I suppose."

"So you must be really smart or something."

"You could say that."

"Don't you think this school is a little too generous? The allowance, the amenities, it's like a paradise!" She spread her arms out dramatically. However, out of the corner of her eye, she was watching my expression for any reaction.

It was like an interrogation.

"Maybe. But we got in, right?"

"Y-Yeah… I guess you're right."

Ichinose was silent for a moment before she turned to me.

"Hey, Ayanokōji-kun, have you ever been confessed to before?"

This question struck my very heart. Was I about to be confessed to by this pink-haired beauty? The most popular girl in our year? My heart pounded ferociously. Any boy would be nervous right now, getting confessed to by a beautiful girl.

However, that didn't seem to be the case.

"Do I look like the type that's been confessed to before?"

"I mean, you're third place in the ikemen rankings, so I thought you might have some experience. Ah, never mind, it's nothing."

"No, I don't really. What's going on, did someone confess to you?"

"Well… yeah, something like that." She didn't seem to know what to do. It was strange.

A girl like her should have been confessed to multiple times already, so she should know what to do. I felt pity for whoever had confessed to her; it was clear that the confession wouldn't be accepted.

"Can you come with me? It's going to happen behind Gymnasium No. 1."

"Well, I don't have any plans today, so I guess I could spare some time."

We made our way through the sea of people who wanted her attention, and after around 10 minutes, arrived at the back of Gymnasium No. 1.

"Now then… I think someone will confess their feelings to me here," Ichinose said

She took out a letter and showed it to me. It was a cute love letter, adorned with a heart sticker. Although she wanted me to read it, I thought it would be rude to look. However, as I skimmed the handwriting, I noted that it was cute. It was definitely not a boy's handwriting.

This made it even more complicated for the author of the letter, as the chances of Ichinose accepting the confession dipped even lower.

I noticed that the meeting time and location were set for 10 minutes from now.

"Wouldn't it be better if I left?" I asked.

"Love is kind of alien to me. I don't know how to respond without hurting her feelings. I also don't know if we can stay good friends afterward. I want you to help me."

"I don't think I'm the person to ask for this. I don't have any experience with romantic confessions. There are probably other people in Class B who could help," I pointed out.

"That's the thing. The person confessing her feelings to me… is from Class B."

Oh. Now I understood why she'd ask me to come.

"I'd like for you to keep this secret. If not, things will probably get unpleasant. But you seem like a nice person, and knowing you, I doubt you'll go around telling people."

"But Ichinose, aren't you used to people confessing their feelings to you?"

"Huh?! N-no way!" she waved her hands around frantically, "Not at all! I've never experienced this before. I really don't understand why this is happening."

It was hard to believe. Ichinose was cute and she had a great personality. If she hadn't told me herself, I wouldn't have believed this was her first time receiving such a confession.

"So… will you please pretend to be my boyfriend?"

What? I wasn't following the logic here. I tilted my head at her curiously.

"I-I did a bit of research, and discovered that the rejected person hurts less if the object of their affection is already in a relationship…"

"I understand that you don't want to hurt anyone, but won't it be worse if they find out you lied?"

"Well, I could say that you and I broke up, or that you left me or something."

I didn't think that was the solution here. Lying would only be worse once the person found out, and that relationship would never rekindle again. It was like quickly ripping off a band-aid or slowly ripping out stitches. The second was much worse.

"That wouldn't be so believable. Honestly, I think it would be much better for you to talk with this person one-on-one. Truthfully."

"But-"

Ichinose seemed to have noticed something and awkwardly raised her hand. I turned around. Apparently, the person in question had arrived earlier than expected, probably because of nerves.

It was a petite, violet-eyed girl with short blonde hair.

"Um, Ichinose-san… why is Ayanokōji-kun here?"

The new girl seemed a bit unnerved by my presence.

"Ah… Well, Chihiro-chan…"

"Is he by any chance… your boyfriend, Ichinose-san?"

Confused by this unexpected situation, Chihiro began to cry. Tears welled up in her eyes.

She was probably struggling to understand what was going on, as she thought about the reason for my presence. Ichinose, seeing Chihiro's tears, grew flustered. Uncertain of what to do, she started panicking. I'd expected Ichinose to be a stalwart, reliable person, but apparently, she had an unexpected weak point.

"Um, Ayanokōji-kun, do you mind going somewhere else, please? I have something important that I need to talk with Ichinose-san about," Chihiro said, sniffling.

"P-please wait a minute, Chihiro-san. That's, um… Well, to tell you the truth, Ayanokōji-kun is-"

Ichinose was trying to make the first move and turn her down. She probably thought it would be harder if Chihiro directly confessed.

"What is it?" Chihiro asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

"So, Ayanokōji-kun, he's… Well, he's my-"

"I'm just a friend."

I cut Ichinose off before she could finish.

"Ichinose. I didn't think this was something I should say, considering no one's ever confessed to me before. But I think it was a mistake for you to call me here."

I spoke honestly, for both their sakes.

"It's true that confessing your feelings isn't easy to do. You spend every day in complete anguish, as you create the experience in your head over and over. And yet, you still can't confess your feelings. Even when you think the time has come to actually do it, you can't say the words 'I like you'. They get stuck in your throat. That's what I think."

"Don't you think that you should answer someone honestly when they desperately long to express their feelings? If you make the situation unclear, both of you may regret it later.

"Uh…"

Ichinose had probably never experienced seriously falling in love with someone before, either. Therefore, she didn't really know what to do, or if she was doing something wrong.

Though I wasn't an expert in love, I knew that trying to prevent someone's pain was useless. If you turned someone down, their feelings would inevitably be hurt.

Well, if you managed to come up with a suitable excuse, you probably could make things a little easier. An excuse like "I want to concentrate on my studies" or "There's someone else that I like." Or, like what Ichinose had attempted here: "I'm already dating someone." But no matter what answer you gave, the other person would definitely be hurt.

That was especially the case if the excuse was built on a lie.

I left without waiting for Ichinose's reply. I headed back, but didn't return to the dormitory right away. Instead, I stopped by the tree-lined pathway, leaned against the handrail, and sighed as I looked up at the green leaves.

About five minutes later, the girl ran past me. There were tears falling from her eyes, which left damp marks on the ground. Despite that shocking image, I waited a while longer. After a few more minutes, Ichinose trudged back from the gym and walked over to me.

"Ah…"

Upon seeing me, she looked a little awkward and hung her head low. The scene reminded me of Hirata, in a way. But then she glanced back up at me.

"I was wrong. I didn't respect Chihiro-chan's feelings. I just wanted to avoid hurting her and to run away from her confession. That was my mistake. Love is really tough, huh?" Ichinose muttered as she leaned against the handrail next to mine.

"I asked her if we could carry on like usual, but I don't know if we can really go back to how things were."

"That depends on you both."

"Yeah… Well, thanks for today. For accepting my Student Council application and also for coming along with me for such an odd request."

"It's okay. Days like this happen, anyway."'

There was a moment of silence before I spoke again. "I'm sorry for acting so full of myself back there."

Ichinose blinked a couple of times, as if I'd said something odd. She smiled. "There's no need to apologize, Ayanokōji-kun. None at all."

She stretched her arms towards the sky and hopped off the railing. "Let me know if you need anything in the future. I'm in your debt."

With that, she turned the corner and left toward the student dormitories. After the debacle of the faculty room incident, followed by the Student Council interview, followed by the messy confession, I was looking forward to kicking back for the day. However, there was one last thing that I needed to take care of.

-o-o-o-

Warning: This work is marked 'mature' for a reason. If the content is distressing, don't proceed.

I stopped by the vending machine to grab an orange juice. It was 11:00 PM—almost midnight. The clouds covered the sky, preventing the moon's rays from shining through.

Ahead of me, I saw Kushida Kikyō veer off, away from the dormitories. While I was scanning my student ID to pay for the drink, I sensed someone's presence.

"Demon-boy."

"What is it, Rokusuke?" I turned my gaze to meet the eccentric blond-haired boy. He had a neutral look on his face; for once, he wasn't bragging or checking himself out in the mirror. Instead, he seemed rather serious.

"Nothing, I suppose. You're going to deal with two-faced Tits McGee, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Don't do anything extreme. I have dates with some senpais in their rooms." Humming to himself, Kōenji made his exit towards the first-year dormitories.

My initial assumption had been incorrect. He had just looked like he was serious when in actuality, he didn't care. Perhaps he had been trying to play a game with me.

I watched him as he left. After I confirmed that there was no one around, I started trailing Kushida.

Every couple of days, she would come to this building's rooftop. I waited until tonight since the weather forecast the wind blowing east, out towards the sea. Since this building was secluded on the far eastern corner of the Tokyo Metropolitan ANHS campus, no one would hear anything that happened on this rooftop tonight.

Step by step she ascended the staircase inside the building, and I followed, slowly.

Eventually, I made it to the top but stopped short of the door.

And then…

"Ahhh, so annoying!"

Her voice was so low that it didn't sound like my adorable classmate at all. But it wasn't surprising. Most people had a different side to them.

"I fucking hate all of Class D! Dumbass perverts like Hondō and Ijūin! They should just all fucking die! All those perverted dogs sniffing around me like I'm their personal toy! Just go to fucking hell!" she kicked the bottom of the railing.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

The railing had managed to hold up against Kushida's onslaught. "Ugh, I hate stuck-up, snobby bitches who think they're so cute. Who wants to eat salads all day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and call that a meal? Karuizawa, what a rotten harpy! Shinohara, you ugly fuck!"

One by one, she ranted and dissected the members of Class D. This wasn't surprising. In fact, I had expected her to have a different side to her.

At any rate, I needed to get away from there. Kushida probably didn't want anyone else to hear her, and I didn't want to imagine what would happen if she did. Still hiding, I quickly tried to leave.

Thud!

My foot slammed against the door. Crap! I had accidentally hit the door while trying to leave. This was a dangerous situation for me to be in.

The ranting suddenly stopped. Kushida tensed and stopped breathing. I'd instantly become her enemy. Turning, my blonde-haired classmate set her sights on me. I had been seen.

"What are you doing here?"

"I got a little lost. My bad, my bad," I apologized. "I'll be going now."

Kushida glared at me, seeing through my lie. If looks could kill, this would undoubtedly take the cake. I'd never seen such an intense, pink gaze filled with hate before. Somehow, I found them inexplicably enthralling.

"Did you hear me?" she demanded.

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't?"

"I see..."

She briskly walked towards me—what was she going to do? I soon received my answer, as she placed her left forearm against the base of my throat and pushed me against the wall. I found myself in this familiar position once again.

Her tone of voice, her actions, everything about her was completely unlike the Kushida Kikyō I knew. This new Kushida wore a truly terrifying expression.

"If you tell anyone what you just heard, I'll say that you raped me."

"That's a false charge."

"It's okay. It wouldn't be false." As she spoke, my adorable classmate grabbed my right wrist and slowly opened my hand. She pushed my palm up against her soft breast.

"What are you doing?" I hurriedly tried to pull away, but she pushed on the back of my hand.

"Your fingerprints are on my clothes. That's evidence of my claim. I'm being serious. Understand?"

"I understand. I really do. So please let go of my hand." She finally let go and took two steps backward, still glaring at me.

"I'm going to leave this uniform in my room without washing it. If you betray me, I'll hand it over to the police." It went without saying that if that happened, I would be expelled from the school and face criminal charges as a result.

"I understand." My heartbeat sped up after the altercation. I feared being expelled. And even though I had just fondled a girl's breasts for the first time, I found that I couldn't remember the sensation.

My hands reached into my left pocket and opened my aluminum can of orange juice. I took a sip as she glared at me. As a byproduct of her terrifying nature, my hand trembled, and the juice splashed onto her blazer.

"My bad, I messed up the fingerprints. Do you mind doing it again?"

"Are you serious? Y-You fucker!" Kushida lunged at me.

Kushida Kikyō was one of the more athletically fit girls in the class. If I had to rank her, I would place her below girls like Onodera, Horikita, and Matsushita. She might even be able to overwhelm a physically unfit guy like Okitani or Sotomura. However, no amount of martial arts expertise could overcome the staggering gap in physical strength that each of us possessed.

With my left hand, I caught her by the throat and slammed her into the wall. I made sure to keep my grip light enough so that no marks would be left behind, but tight enough so that she could still feel it.

She choked and gasped, and I let go, allowing her to drop to her knees.

She coughed, "Y-You know I'll have to expel you, right Ayanokōji-kun? It doesn't matter what happens on this rooftop, as long as I'm in school, I'll expel you."

I reached my hand into my pocket, and, with the pressing of a few buttons...

"I fucking hate all of Class D! Dumbass perverts like Hondō and Ijūin! They should just all fucking die, god damnit! All those perverted dogs sniffing around me like I'm their personal toy! Just go to fucking hell!"

Kushida's face turned ashen white. Immediately, she understood the implications of this. I effectively had her life in my hands.

"Fuck! I'll kill you!"

She lunged at me. There was the beginning of desperation in her eyes that I had seen so many times before.

"Kushida."

"No..." she refused to meet my gaze, "No! I won't let it end like this! Not after I've worked so hard to build this life! Fuck you and damn you to hell, Ayanokōji!"

Futilely, she sent herself at me again. I slapped her across the face. Hard enough to shock her, but soft enough so that it wouldn't leave a mark.

"What will you do now, Kushida Kikyō?"

She lunged at me again, this time aiming a punch at my face. She probably thought I wouldn't react fast enough. I caught it and began applying pressure. I could feel the joints creak underneath my palm.

At first, she tried to mask her expression, and act like it didn't hurt, but, as my grip strength increased, her bones creaked. She twitched and contorted in pain, throwing her entire body weight away in an attempt to release herself from my grip.

"Ah, fuck, ah, fuck, let me out—"

"Shut up."

I released her fist before I could do any lasting damage, and I backhanded her across the face. She was sent sprawling across the ground. I bent down and lifted her by the neck, my grip exerting exactly two kilograms of pressure on the jugular. I could feel the blood rhythmically pulsing through the artery, and I cut it off.

She kicked and struggled, her hands coming over mine, desperately trying to pry them off. My grip on her neck and collar lifted her uniform so that her slender midriff was exposed.

One. Two. Three.

"A-A- Kōji-"

"What? I can't hear you, Kushida-san," I apologized profusely, "Could you speak again? Maybe I could help you if you spoke more clearly..."

Four. Five. Six.

Her lips began to turn blue.

Seven. Eight. Nine.

Ten.

Only four and a half pounds or two kilograms of pressure on the jugular for ten seconds is necessary to cause unconsciousness. Of course, this requires immense preciseness from the attacker. However, if the pressure is immediately released, consciousness will be regained within ten seconds.

I released her. Kushida's body fell onto the concrete floor.

I counted to ten. After that, it remained still, unmoving. What an impressive actress. She should win an Oscar.

"Stop playing dead."

Knowing that she was caught, she lunged at me again. However, she was not protecting her right side. Any trained martial artist knew to protect one of the few chinks in the human body's natural armor by bringing the right elbow down. Although it was typically a difficult spot to target, my experience with attacking that very spot made it easy for me.

I landed a gentle left hook on the upper right side of her abdomen.

Suddenly, she lost her balance. The air left her lungs. Her body shut down and forced itself into a horizontal position. Her mouth opened in agony, and she let out a howl of agony, shrieking. However, no one would hear her. It was almost midnight, and the strong winds toward the ocean carried her voice away.

"No one will be here to save you, Kushida."

The liver is a football-sized organ located in the upper right abdomen made of purely fluid and tissue, meaning that it does not absorb blows well. When it receives damage, it momentarily shuts down, causing a disruption in blood flow and impairing its ability to function properly. This sudden halt in liver function creates a cascade of painful physiological reactions. Then, the vagus nerve is triggered. It activates an involuntary shutdown of the body, which will fall to the ground and force itself into a supinate or right lateral recumbent position. In short, a properly placed liver shot can rupture the organ, causing internal bleeding and even death.

Currently, the blonde-haired girl was feeling a searing pain spreading across her entire body, like a thunderbolt had struck it. Another wail of agony poured forth from her lips, which was swallowed by the strong gales blowing toward the ocean. However, she should have realized one crucial fact.

Struggling, screaming, shouting, it was all useless. No one was coming to save her. No one could help her.

Except me.

She struggled to breathe, choking on air. I saw her throat bulge as she took in a great gasp of air. I waited a few minutes, watching this pitiful body tremble. Tears matted the ground, leaving dark stains, as she wept uncontrollably.

I crouched down. "Look at me."

I could see goosebumps form across her creamy, pale skin, as she heard my voice, devoid of warmth. Meekly, she raised her head to meet my gaze with those beautiful, darkened pink eyes.

She couldn't resist. Like a doll, I was pulling her strings, and making her dance in the palm of my hand. Her body quivered uncontrollably. She wanted to put distance between us. She trembled, crawling backward as far as she could. I followed her.

Caught in the web of actions and fear I had spun around her, her every movement dictated by me. Her quivering form spoke volumes of the terror coursing through her veins, her futile attempts to distance herself from me met with desperation and despair. With each backward crawl, her trembling intensified, the ground beneath her becoming slick with the salty traces of her anguish.

Finally, she hit the railing with a muted thud, the icy metal signifying to her that there was no use in running away anymore—Kushida Kikyō was confined. Frantically swiveling her head around, Kushida tried to find a safe spot to go to, but there was nowhere for her to run.

With every step I took, the wind carried the foreboding noise toward her ears, even if she didn't want to hear it. She knew I was coming, and that was exactly what I wanted. I needed to instill in her that she couldn't avoid me.

She shrunk herself as small as possible like it would disguise her from me. She couldn't back up, because her body was already against the railing. Instead, she brought her head down and her arms around her knees in a fetal-like position—a natural response to stress and anxiety, like a normal, frightened human.

But no matter how much she curled up, trying to avoid anything and everything, she could not escape the suffocating grip of fear that enveloped her, binding her to the railing like a moth to a flame. The cold touch of the metal against her back served as a cruel reminder of her captivity, a silent decree that there was no refuge to be found in flight.

With nowhere left to run, she curled, trembling on the precipice of surrender, her every shuddering breath a testament to the power I wielded over her trembling soul.

"Do I need to tell you to look at me again?"

She swallowed saliva, a small bulge in her throat appearing at the motion. Then, she slowly craned her neck upward so that she met my gaze. I stooped low.

Almost lovingly, I wiped my thumb across her cheek, across the smooth, almost perfect porcelain skin of her face. Her flesh was cold to the touch, a byproduct of staying outside at this ungodly hour. Her frame trembled at the skin-to-skin contact, the pain from the previous hit having ingrained itself in her body. She would remember that pain, that agony, every time she tried to resist. She tried to look away, but I grabbed her chin using my thumb and index finger. No, she wouldn't escape—I wouldn't allow her that opulent luxury.

Her pink eyes, which were normally so full of energy and fake happiness, were simply empty and wet from sobbing, remnants of her tears remaining on her lashes. They were wide, as if she were seeing a ghost. She was a husk of her former self, a doll for me to play with. That was how one felt when one's life was in the hands of another.

That was why she didn't resist anymore. She finally comprehended how fruitless her efforts were. There was no escape.

That same, thousand-yard stare caused by trauma and depression. Emotional detachment. I had learned to recognize it in the White Room. Often, it would happen a few days before they actually dropped out.

"From now on, you will do as I tell you to, understood? If I tell you to eat trash out of the dumpster or drink water out of the toilet, you will. You will do as I say, or you will regret it. I own you. Do you understand?'

She gave me a weak, frantic nod. At the motion, a few shattered remains of her tears fell off her lashes onto the concrete of the rooftop. However, I wasn't satisfied.

"You have a mouth. Use it."

She swallowed her saliva. "Y-Yes. I-I will work for you."

Even though she had agreed, Kushida was the type of resilient person to get up over and over again. She might have been temporarily shocked by my actions, but it wasn't enough. The physical trepidation that I had ingrained into her was far from enough.

I had to push her to the brink and dangle her over the frigid, bottomless abyss. I would take away everything from her, and leave me as her lone haven, her lone sanctuary.

Only then would she understand.

"Stand up. Look over the railing."

Knees shaking, she managed to pull herself up using the vertical bars of the railing. Her fingertips were a pallid white from how hard she curled her fingers.

The ocean breeze relentlessly battered against her trembling frame, pushing her into the railing even further. With every inhale, the salty air seared her lungs, a stark reminder of her precarious position on the edge of the rooftop. Her eyes were white and rife with horror. Goosebumps appeared all over her skin, a combination of the low temperature, and the harrowing moment that she found herself in.

This railing was the only semblance of stability to which she frantically clung. The stark contrast of her white-knuckled grip against the dark metal spoke volumes of the intensity of her terror.

Just for extra measure, I kicked the lower part of the railing, making it vibrate. She let out a small cry, closing her eyes. However, the vibration of the railing did not stop. Instead, it intensified, amplifying the torment of her terror-stricken mind.

"Let go of the railing and look down."

"…No… Ay…koji, please… not… that…" Her words were swallowed by her continuous sobbing. Her fingernails dug so hard into the edge of the metal that one of them nearly bent, but in her mental agony and anguish, she didn't even seem to feel the pain. She was entrenched in her fear.

"Is it that hard to follow instructions? Are you afraid of heights?"

Of course, it was a rhetorical question. She was clearly afraid of falling from the edge. However, I would make sure that she wouldn't receive such an easy end.

She feebly nodded her head.

"Don't worry. You don't need to be afraid anymore," I said. "Let go of the railing. Look down at the vast world below."

"…koji…please…"

"Do I need to dispose of you?"

Kushida burst into tears. Her hands trembling, she let go. Now, her chest was against the railing, her head raised to aim her gaze below. There was a lone, white streetlight on the end of every block, but that was it. We were about ten floors up, which was a sizeable distance for anyone. It was just high enough that all of her bones were guaranteed to fracture, but low enough so that I would be able to glimpse the dark stain the body would leave on the ground. If I pushed her right now, no one would witness it happening.

Kushida seemed to know this as well. I moved so that I was next to her, on her left. Our shoulders touched briefly, and she flinched violently.

"Do you think you would survive if you fell from this height?"

She shook her head, blubbering something unintelligible. Distressed, she gasped for air.

"You might have a chance," I continued. "Maybe a few shattered bones here and there. You certainly wouldn't be able to ever walk again. Want to test it out? I consider myself more of a hands-on scientist."

I nudged her shoulder. Even though I hadn't put much force into it, the slight contact was enough to unbalance her. She nearly lost her footing, but I righted her with my hand, catching her by the waist again.

At my touch and my threats, she began to hyperventilate, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Her heart was thumping and beating so loudly that I could hear it from this distance. Her trembling hands reached out, seeking purchase against the unforgiving metal of the railing, but found only emptiness. With every passing moment, the abyss below beckoned, a yawning chasm eager and ready to swallow her whole.

The frigid wind whipped against her quivering form, sending shivers down her spine as she teetered on the precipice of oblivion. Her eyes, wide with terror, pleaded for mercy. But she would only find the cold and unyielding gaze of her relentless captor.

"I could make the accusation true. The one you made earlier. Make you spread your legs." My words hung in the air like a death sentence, each syllable driving home the gravity of her situation. She couldn't stop shivering. "Then, I'd test the hypothesis from earlier—that is, if you'd survive this fall." She recoiled, her body instinctively curling in on itself, a futile attempt to shield herself from the impending onslaught.

Kushida's mind whirled in search of what I was talking about. I watched her carefully, noting the exact moment when she realized: If she disobeyed, death was the lightest sentence that she would receive from me.

"No, no, anything but that," she whimpered, her voice trembling with raw desperation. Her arms twisted across her stomach in a feeble attempt to shield herself from the impending threat; her clammy palms left damp imprints on the fabric of her skirt as she chewed her lips. With each passing moment, the weight of her terror bore down upon her, threatening to engulf her in its suffocating embrace.

With one arm wrapped around her waist, I forced her to confront the abyss below, her world tilting dangerously on its axis as I did so. My other hand brushed the back hem of her skirt, not too harshly, but enough so that she felt the threat of sexual contact. I was forcing her to confront the cruel reality—that she was weaker than me. I was threatening her with a fate worse than death.

"P-Please!" she cried out. I released her, and with an agonized gasp, she crumbled to the ground. However, on this moonless night, there was no refuge to be found.

"I won't make you jump. Well, yet. If you're a good girl. Work for me, and, if you do not turn against me, we will rise to Class A. Follow me, work for me, and you will reap the rewards," she desperately hung on to every syllable, every word I uttered. "Turn against me, and consequences and punishments will occur. It is inevitable."

She nodded feebly, her body trembling with both fear and resignation. She seemed utterly broken, adrift in a sea of despair, her spirit crushed beneath the weight of the night's events.

"Here," I murmured, stepping closer and crouching. She flinched at my approach, her eyes filled with apprehension. Gently, I reached out to adjust her collar and smooth out her uniform, my touch surprisingly tender despite the circumstances. As I examined her, I noted the absence of any visible marks, and with a few careful adjustments, her attire appeared neater and less disheveled.

She was staring at me, but at the same time, she wasn't. Her eyes were distant; she had completely disconnected herself from the situation as a means of self-defense.

I had witnessed it countless times within the confines of the White Room. The gradual erosion of one's spirit, leaving behind only a hollow husk of a person that they once were. Sadness, begging, grief, emotional detachment, even depression. All appropriate responses for normal human beings who were being subject to torment.

"Go home. Get cleaned up. Take a nice, warm bath, and tomorrow, you will resume your happy persona. You will continue being the angelic Kushida Kikyō that everyone knows. Don't get any stupid ideas, or face the consequences. Understood?"

She nodded, a feeble acknowledgment of my command. As she rose to her feet, her movements were shaky, unsteady as if her very essence had been drained from her. After taking a few paces, she nearly lost her footing and slipped, but I righted her with my hands on her slender waist again. I felt her body instinctively flinch from my touch before she began walking away into the stairwell. Her hands gripped the railings tightly, her knuckles white with tension. Every step seemed to require an immense effort, her body weighed down by the burden of what had transpired.

I watched her back as she disappeared down the flights of stairs. Afterward, I reached into my pockets and fiddled with a few things.

In the end, I was the same as I was in the White Room.

I can still remember it vividly, like the freshness of rain on a Saturday morning. My entire life until a year ago, those white walls had encased me.

I recalled my first time in the room. At first, I cried. I cried because I was lonely—because I missed human warmth. I missed color. Where had all the colors gone? But such weakness was punished in the White Room. I immediately came to understand that no one would come to save me. No one but myself.

Looking back on it, it was instinct, not logic. Later on, as I matured, logic began to guide my actions. I learned the only way to not be struck was to strike first. After a while, I'd just feel cold. I'd come to realize that no matter how much suffering or despair others experienced, the same would never happen to me.

I'd left the White Room physically, but some part of me would always be trapped there. That's why I wanted to cry. I wanted to feel sadness, to make a friend who I would not be afraid to cry in front of.

No, it wasn't that I was afraid to cry. It was that I was incapable of crying. I couldn't revert to my natural state, even outside the White Room in the real world.

I wasn't incapable of feeling. I could feel pain, still. But I couldn't feel happiness or sadness. I just felt numb.

I hoped that this school could provide me with emotions. But my actions on this rooftop today contradicted that. I didn't feel remorse or guilt for what I'd done.

If people learned about the events that had occurred on this rooftop this night, I would undoubtedly be ostracized and scorned by everyone. Of course, that also meant that the social network that I had carefully built would be torn apart in seconds. In normal humans, this would stir a deep, unsettling feeling within them. No one liked to be scorned and hated.

But for me… there was nothing there. No matter how much I tried, I couldn't find a sense of guilt or remorse within me for my actions today. I was from the White Room, but my heart felt black.

In the end, I was just like a blank canvas, waiting for its first drop of color.

After waiting another ten minutes, I headed back to the dormitories, too. I stopped by the vending machine to buy some juice again since I had finished this can of orange juice. I was looking forward to a good night's rest after a long and tiring day.

-o-o-o-

I had seen Ayanokōji-kun in the wrong light at first, I admit it. I thought he was someone who vied for attention. It wasn't strange at all to do so. Everyone did, in one way or another. Even me. Because of that, I was sure that he would accept my request to be my fake boyfriend for a while, at least to ease Chihiro-chan's sorrow. She wouldn't feel sad if she realized that I was already in a relationship. That was my goal. I didn't want to hurt a good friend.

At first, I hadn't thought much of how Chihiro-chan liked to hug me and always hung around me. Only after seeing her letter did I suspect that it was her, but it wasn't until she showed up at the place behind the gymnasium that my suspicions were wholly confirmed. Chihiro-chan's feelings toward me were romantic.

It wasn't like I didn't like her, but not in that way. I didn't like girls romantically, I was sure. But no one in general really caught my interest in a romantic way in my class. However, Chihiro-chan was important to our class—everyone was. That was why I wanted to ease her feelings, letting her down slowly so that we could stay good friends. I didn't want to hurt her, because otherwise, our friendship would have to end.

But he—Ayanokōji-kun—saw through my scheme and flipped it on its head. Instead of someone who disliked trouble or wanted to be popular, he decided to do things the right way, handling the situation with caution and honesty. It was something that not many people would have done in his situation. Even though he didn't have many facial expressions, his actions conveyed his opinion and sense of character.

His actions ultimately led Chihiro-chan to distance herself from me for several weeks. The damage was done. Even now, she was just warming up to me. However, our relationship was slowly starting to rekindle. She was recovering. In truth, if Ayanokōji-kun had gone along with my scheme, Chihiro-chan might have been hurt even more if she found out the truth—that I had lied to her. Honesty was the best policy.

I didn't understand romantic relationships very well, because I had never experienced a first love myself. By the intelligence shown through his actions, Ayanokōji-kun may have experienced a first love before. For some reason, something in my chest welled up at the thought, but I hastily pushed it away.

Ayanokōji-kun had made the objectively correct decision. To do that showed that he was mature and rational, always calm, cool, and collected. He was the first person at this school to show me a different side of him.

I admired that about him.

-o-o-o-

I opened the door, wanting to shower and go to bed.

However…

"Oh my, ara, ara, Kiyotaka~ you sure made old Fūka-chan wait, didn't you?"

It was almost 11:30 PM. Yet, Fūka was basically my roommate at this point and just lounged around in my apartment like she owned it. She leaned into my chest on the couch.

I did not know what she was going to do. She adjusted the angle with her hips, and she pushed me down so that my back was on the couch completely.

Her hips straddled mine, and she leaned in, grinning.

"Oh, Kōhai-kun, are you about to do something lewd to me?"

"No, it actually looks the opposite way around."

"It seems like you aren't exactly against it~"

Sitting up with an impressive display of abdominal strength, I pushed her off me, and I got up from the couch.

"I need to shower."

As I walked to the bathroom, she followed me eagerly.

"Can I join you?"

"No.'

I shut the bathroom door in her face and locked it just to be safe. My prediction was proven right, as a few seconds later, the door creaked on its hinges as she tried opening it.

"Oh come on, you really locked it!"

"What did you expect me to do?"

"I don't know, leave it unlocked?"

"That settles it. I'm locking it from now on."

"Oh well. I guess I just have to learn lockpicking skills."

"What are you, a thief?" I retorted.

"You could say that."

What a troublesome woman.

Approximately twenty minutes after Fūka and I had finished showering (separately, of course), there was a knock on the door.

"Fūka, you need to leave."

There was a second, more persistent set of knocks on the door.

"Gotcha. You better give me the details later. See you, Kiyo-kun~"

Without questioning it, she climbed out the window.

There were more knocks, and I rushed towards the door to answer it.

"Coming."

I opened the door.

"Chabashira-sensei? What can I do for you? It's really late, you know?"

"Get dressed and come with me. And grab your phone. This is serious."

Aside from my homeroom teacher, there were three other people with her. Their uniforms suggested that they were the school's security personnel. Their facial expressions were impassive.

Seeing that her tone brokered no room for argument, I stumbled back towards my closet, where I slipped into my school uniform. My four uninvited guests observed me without moving until I arrived at the door.

My homeroom teacher spun around on her heel and began walking. One of the security guards stayed behind in front of my dorm room, while the other two joined us.

"Did something happen, Chabashira-sensei?"

My black-haired teacher didn't look at me, ignoring my question. How hurtful. After all, I just wanted to know what the accusations from Kushida were.

Our small clique wandered through the dimly lit school grounds until we reached the main faculty building. It was eerie, and quiet, as it was after midnight at this point. I felt like a prisoner, as the two security guards behind me were extremely close.

Soon, we reached the main faculty building and ascended the stairs. This entire walk felt like an execution.

The halls and passages that should have been filled with students were completely empty. Chabashira's high heels clacked against the ground, producing a unique sound that echoed throughout the hallway with each step that she took.

After a walk that felt incredibly long, we stopped in front of the faculty offices.

"Go inside."

Chabashira-sensei opened the door. The entourage escorted me into the room.

A man in his forties sat on a chair in front of his desktop computer. He glanced at me with a stern, serious look as the door opened.

"Sit."

The room was practically empty aside from some basic furniture and a few dusty cabinets. Chabashira-sensei and I strode into the room to take our seats, while the two security guards positioned themselves outside the door.

It gave off the feeling that they had caged me.

"You are Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, correct? Class 1-D. Homeroom teacher: Chabashira Sae. Room Number: 401." He looked at me. There was a piercing gaze in this man's eyes like he was trying to dissect me.

"Yes."

"Give me your phone." He held out a hand. His voice was heavy, and somewhat grumpy, which made sense since he was up past midnight investigating this situation. I complied with his demands, sliding my phone out of my pocket and placing it face up on his palm.

"May I ask why I am here, Sir? Chabashira-sensei?"

"The school received an anonymous complaint that claimed you blackmailed a female student using a voice recording. They also claimed that you harassed them, made threats of sexual assault, and attacked them with intent to murder. "

Wow, that was a terrible thing to say about someone…

The man spoke impartially and seemed calm and unbiased. He understood that reports could be fake or lacking evidence, and, as such, withheld his own subjective opinion on the matter in favor of evidence and objectivity.

Chabashira-sensei seemed to be a bit nervous. And rightfully so. If they discovered the voice recording from today of her threatening me, she would undoubtedly be relieved of her position as a teacher at this prestigious school.

"What? That's obviously nonsense. I would never do something so terrible."

"We are here to verify your words. School investigators are searching your dormitory computer and your phone for copies of any recordings from the past day. We will also check the outgoing and incoming messages on your computer and phone in the specified timeframe, as well as any purchases at stores. If we find compelling evidence to suggest that you attempted to murder another student, you will be expelled effective immediately, and the police will initiate a more thorough investigation into your crime. However, if you are deemed innocent, then you will be free to attend school tomorrow, as usual."

"Well, that seems a bit extreme. Proof of bodily injuries or video evidence is needed to prove physical assault, right?

The man sighed, as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Correct, but this investigation is required, even though the student is anonymous and did not provide proof of bodily injury or video evidence of the crime. However, we are still required to investigate your belongings. Moreover, blackmail does not require video evidence or bodily injury, as you said."

Chabashira-sensei was hunched over her phone, scrolling through some web pages on the internet. However, I could see her shoulders shaking slightly. She really was nervous about this investigation.

She was searching "How to get a job referral" and "Open Teaching Positions in Tokyo".

"Has the school planned for the commotion in my room? If someone sees it, there will be rumors about what happened, and my quality of life will be impaired."

"Rest assured, the school has already prepared paperwork for this case, which will explain the commotion with a shower drain malfunction in your room if you are proven innocent. Chabashira-sensei and the other homeroom teachers will then explain this to their respective classes first thing in the morning, so it will leave no room for students to speculate."

I was impressed. This school was incredibly meticulous. They had figured everything out before they began investigating me, which was to be expected. It would have been a disaster if an innocent student was expelled or discriminated against purely based on unfounded accusations. There might even be media scandals about the school, which could lower its reputation as the undisputed #1 high school in Japan.

"What about the person who falsely reported me? Will the anonymous perpetrator be held responsible in any way?"

The man nodded, as he continued typing. The clicking sounds of the keyboard rang through the room.

"Yes. If the accusations are false, a second investigation into the anonymous student will start, according to our standard procedures."

"Thank you, that's reassuring. I'd also like to know which faculty members are aware of this incident."

I needed to know what information the other classes' teachers would receive. Hoshinomiya Chie, in particular, was dangerous. I needed to prepare against Class B if such a thing were to happen.

"Don't worry. Only Chabashira-sensei, a couple of technicians, and I will know of these accusations. If they turn out to be false, there will be no one who knows. The school takes these matters extremely seriously."

The man was probably bored of my questions, and I began playing a game of mental chess in my head. Chabashira-sensei continued scrolling away at her phone, fidgeting in her seat nervously, but, at the same time, trying not to give off any reaction. I imagined that she wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. I mentally gave her my condolences.

The time ticked away for probably another twenty minutes before he handed me my phone back, which turned out to be clean.

When that happened, Chabashira-sensei had a muted, shocked look on her face, before she hid it. I could tell that she was itching to ask me how I'd erased the voice recording. It was impossible to remove the traces of deleted files, after all. But in front of this investigator, she smartly resisted asking any stupid questions.

It was obvious that all three of us in this room were incredibly bored, so we began conversing about our day. Eventually, though, the conversation came to a halt, and I went back to fiddling with my phone and messing around in the group chat.

[12:25:01 AM] [Sudō Ken] Yo, Kōji, I think I saw some security people messing around in your room, is everything okay?

[12:25:10 AM] [Sotomura Hideo] Ayanokōji-sama, have you succeeded with your protagonist plans?

[12:25:15 AM] [Ayanokōji Kiyotaka] Ah, yeah, everything's fine. There was a shower drainage issue, but they're resolving it right now.

I chose to ignore Sotomura's message since it would stir up too many questions. He kept calling me a protagonist or something. Must have been a product of reading too much manga.

[12:25:19 AM] [Okitani Kyōsuke] That's good.

[12:25:50 AM] [Okitani Kyōsuke] By the way, Sotomura, I've been reading Volume 3 of that new light novel you recommended to me. I'm almost done with it. Could I borrow Volume 4 at some point?

[12:26:04 AM] [Sudō Ken] Okitani, slide me the Volume 3 light novel once you're done with it.

[12:26:20 AM] [Sotomura Hideo] Why of course, Okitani. I was thinking of beginning a manga and light novel lending service where customers would pay points to borrow manga and light novels from me.

[12:26:27 AM] [Sudō Ken] What's stopping you?

[12:27:00 AM] [Sotomura Hideo] Well, I can't start the business until May 1, when the class competition is officially revealed to everyone. Otherwise, people would start looking into why I'm selling book rentals when we receive allowances of points every month.

[12:27:10 AM] [Okitani Kyōsuke] That's very smart of you, Sotomura-kun.

Okitani praised Sotomura's quick thinking. Although he wasn't particularly athletic, Sotomura had a natural knack for technology as well as business. That was why I had him assist me, after all.

We continued conversing for some more time, and then I switched to another group chat. This one consisted of Matsushita Chiaki, Mori Nene, and Satō Maya. Why was everyone up so late?

[12:27:47 AM] [Satō Maya] Hey, does anyone want to go window shopping tomorrow?

[12:28:01 AM] [Matsushita Chiaki] Funny of you to call it window shopping.

[12:28:10 AM] [Mori Nene] Well, we can't actually buy anything expensive.

[12:28:15 AM] [Matsushita Chiaki] Yeah, it was good that Okitani-kun warned us.

[12:28:31 AM] [Satō Maya] Speaking of that, any idea why Ayanokōji-kun added you to the strategy committee?

[12:28:39 AM] [Matsushita Chiaki] I don't know.

[12:28:45 AM] [Mori Nene] Maybe he has a crush on you~

They were now teasing her. Though I wanted to remain out of the conversation, the read receipts outed my presence.

[12:28:56 AM] [Matsushita Chiaki] He seems to be reading these messages right now. Why don't you tell us, Ayanokōji-kun?

[12:29:20 AM] [Ayanokōji Kiyotaka] I just had a feeling she could contribute.

[12:29:41 AM] [Satō Maya] That's awfully vague, Ayanokōji-kun! Are you sure you don't like her?

[12:30:05 AM] [Ayanokōji Kiyotaka] I don't know.

[12:30:10 AM] [Mori Nene] Ahh mou~ what a vague answer…

It seemed that girls' conversations often surrounded romantic gossip and shopping. Soon enough, a few technicians walked into the room and confirmed that my dormitory room as well as my computer were free of any illegal belongings and files. They thanked me for my cooperation, and Chabashira-sensei and I left the room. As we walked down the stairs and exited the building, Chabashira spoke.

"Well, did you do it?" Chabashira-sensei peered at me, her yellow eyes piercing.

"Do what?"

"Attempt to murder someone."

"I wouldn't say that. Sae, how anonymous is an anonymous complaint at this school? Will the perpetrator be found?"

"Certainly. Since someone tried to frame you with a crime to get you expelled, you have the final decision on the level of punishment after the perpetrator is found. Everything is on the table, all the way up to expulsion. Now, tell me."

"Tell you what?"

"How'd you hide the voice recordings?" Chabashira-sensei was curious, but her posture was also a bit awkward. So I made sure to clarify the details.

"The recording of you threatening me with expulsion?"

"...Yeah." Her voice was quiet. Maybe she was still bashful from trying to threaten me with expulsion.

"It was never on my phone to begin with. I used a handheld audio device," I explained.

Back in the faculty room, when Sae was threatening me, my phrasing had tricked Sae into thinking that I recorded with my phone. However, the files were never present on my phone in the first place.

"What? Didn't they check all point purchases?"

"Yes. I never bought the audio recorders myself. I transferred points to Sotomura and he bought them for me."

"In that case, they would see the point transfers, no?"

"It wasn't from today—well, yesterday. I had him procure them earlier this week. In the case that they investigated my point transfer to him, I could just say that I bought a manga volume from him. It was present in my room as well. Then, I stashed the audio recorders in a place on campus."

"I-I see… How long have you been planning this?" She peered at me again out of the corner of her eye, like she was seeing me in a new light. She seemed shocked, but an act of this nature was incredibly simple. I would stake my private points on the fact that many others in this school could do the same.

"Not long." There was a long moment of silence, as we stood on the sidewalk. It was past midnight, and we could only hear the whispers of the wind. Not even the birds or crickets were chirping. It was dead silent. Just like it had always been.

"I promised that I would drag this class to Class A, didn't I? You should have a little more faith in me."

She chuckled bitterly, her shoulders rising and falling slightly "I have no option but to put my faith in you."

"Those are the consequences of your own actions."

"I suppose you're right. I had no way of knowing, though."

"You got desperate," I corrected. "That was your mistake. As long as you cooperate and trust me, I'll bring you to Class A."

Chabashira sighed, then took out a box of cigarettes. She seemed to be a habitual smoker. I slapped the box out of her hands. The box spun, and the cigarettes fell onto the ground. Some of them rolled into the storm drain.

"You know, you're the one who made me worry, and now you're taking away my source of relaxation," she accused.

"If relaxation is destroying your lungs, I guess you could call it that."

"I didn't know you cared," she remarked sarcastically.

"Why wouldn't I care about my beautiful teacher destroying her own health?"

"Stop flirting with me, you idiot." She rolled her eyes. After a couple of seconds, she spoke again.

"Well, it's getting late. I'm heading back." Chabashira-sensei excused herself.

"Wait."

"Hm?" Curious, she turned around, arching an eyebrow.

"I need you to do something for me."

-o-o-o-

"Ayanokōji Kiyotaka has been expelled from Advanced Nurturing High School," Chabashira-sensei said despondently.

"W-What?"

There were various reactions from everyone in the room. Shock, surprise, anger, denial, among others.

"H-How? Sensei, please provide us with an explanation!"

"There's no fucking way our leading strategist just got expelled for no reason!"

"I-Is he really expelled?"

"Impossible!"

"I'm sorry. The details are confidential according to the school."

Ha ha ha! What a dumbass, he really thought he could manipulate me, huh?

I had immediately reported him to the school administration, and they had him expelled on account of sexual assault, of course.

No one could control me. Not even the devil. I was the protected angel of the class, beloved and adored by the grade and the school. My position within this class was invaluable.

The news of his expulsion spread like wildfire, and a subtle satisfaction washed over me. It was a reaffirmation of my power and influence, a reminder that I stood above the idiots of Class D.

And they loved me.

Yet, after a few minutes, the class suddenly went silent. What was going on?

"Ayanokōji-kun!"

"O-Oh, good morning, Ayanokōji-kun!"

My stomach felt like it had dropped onto the ground.

W-What? How? How was he here? Were my eyes deceiving me?

No. The devil himself stood in front of me, greeting classmates like nothing had happened.

"How is he here?"

"At this school, you can buy anything with points. Isn't that what I told you on the first day?" Chabashira responded.

"How many points does it take to overturn an expulsion?" Horikita asked.

"20 million points."

"Huhh?"

"No fucking way Kōji had that many points…"

Various phrases of disbelief were uttered around the classroom. Everyone's gazes were focused on Ayanokōji, curious and demanding answers.

He… did he overturn his expulsion?

No… that wasn't possible. That couldn't be it. I had no way of knowing how many points he truly had.

Why had the school expelled him so quickly then? Was he expecting it—that I would report him? No, no way! Had he manufactured this situation from the beginning?

My mind had become a mess. I was torn, searching for the right answers.

However, none of it mattered when he looked at me.

"Good morning, Kushida."

"A-Ah, good morning, Ayanokōji-kun!" I smiled brightly.

Throughout class, a deep, unsettling feeling permeated all over my body. I felt like I was being watched, being monitored.

My gaze darted from the whiteboard to the golden-eyed devil, and back to the whiteboard.

And every time I looked at him, he looked back at me.

With the same, apathetic gaze sitting on his face. As if he didn't even care.

No…

I'd made a mistake, hadn't I? Was he going to kill me? Strangle me to death in my room? Cave my skull in? My heart felt like it was pounding out of my ribcage.

No…

All I could think was 'breathe'.

My hands didn't feel like mine. My arms didn't feel like mine. Even my face felt like a mask. My palms were so sweaty I couldn't hold my pen properly. It kept slipping from my grip.

I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself.

Then, his horrifying, golden orbs flashed in front of me.

It didn't matter.

Those horrible orbs followed me everywhere.

There was no escape.

Not from the devil himself. I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry. No matter where I ran—he would find me. It was inevitable, just as the sun would rise the tomorrow and the day after that. No one could change that.

"Kushida-chan, are you okay?"

"H-Huh? Oh, yeah…"

I was dizzy. My head pounded. I reached up to massage my temples. But my arms were growing tired under all the weight. It was so heavy. I let it go.

I felt myself slide off the chair, and my body fell onto the floor. Everything felt far away from me, though. It was like I was a spectator in a theater.

"Kushida-chan!"

"Kushida-san!"

There were distant shouts and yells that hardly reached my ears. I was focused on what was in front of me. It was blurry, but it was something brown—then gold flashed in front of me. I must have jerked back because there was a loud clattering and a pain that shot up the vertebrae of my spine.

I felt like a movie watcher right now, feeling the protagonist's fear through the screen. And then, I realized. That was right. Even if I was a spectator in a theater…

I turned around. There was no one else in the theater—no one except him. It took a second, but I spotted those orbs up at the control booth. I almost laughed. It was ironic that he was playing the scene before me. Pulling the strings.

He would always be right behind me. Watching. Listening. Observing.

Those golden, unforgiving orbs.

Then, a hand planted itself on my shoulder.

I heard a scream. And realized it had poured forth from my own mouth.

-o-o-o-

Kushida slid off her seat and cried out in horror, flinching backward from something in front of her. However, there was nothing in front of her but a notebook and a pencil. In response, everyone in the vicinity rushed over to her, shocked.

"I'll take her to the infirmary," I volunteered, as I helped her. Thankfully, the infirmary wasn't too far away.

She didn't seem to recognize my face, as she gladly accepted my help. I hoisted her right arm around my neck. She limped along with a dead, distant look in her once bright pink eyes. Her knees were locking as she walked like her leg muscles were refusing to obey her.

Every once in a while, her left hand would twitch, and reach up to rub the upper right abdomen. I was concerned for her.

"Are you alright, Kushida?"

"Huh? Yeah…"

Her eyes widened, pupils contracting. She stumbled backward, and her back hit the wall of the hallway we were walking in. Her small body slid down the wall, as she brought her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around them.

"G-Get away from me!"

"Kushida? Are you okay? Don't worry, I can help you."

She bit her lower lip, her eyes damp. I could see her swallow.

"No…no…no…"

She was murmuring nonsensical things to herself. Her voice trembled,

Her complexion was increasingly pale, and she was blinking rapidly as if she was hoping that the image in front of her would suddenly vanish. I worried for her health.

Suddenly she gasped, and closed her eyes, falling onto the ground. It seemed like she had fainted again.

I opted to bridal carry her to the infirmary. As I walked, I noticed that her body was incredibly light. Was she eating normally? I had no way of knowing.

"Hello, this is Kushida Kikyō of Class 1-D. She fainted in class today."

"I see, do you know why?"

"No, we were all shocked when we saw it. I don't know what happened, but please take care of her."

The nurse instructed me to leave her on the white infirmary bed, and I left the building to return to class.

Hopefully, Kushida could make a full recovery. I wanted to be her true friend.

However, as I was returning to the student building, someone interrupted me.

"Ayanokōji."

For once, there was a seriousness in this blond-haired boy's address. "I hope you didn't do anything drastic last night."

"I assure you I didn't."

He examined me with a keen gaze for a moment, before exhaling. "Very well, I shall believe you, Demon-boy. I trust you in your assessment."

"That's comforting."

-o-o-o-

For the rest of the class, my classmates were fidgety and nervous. None of them could pay attention to the lessons, and we would undoubtedly lose even more class points.

However, their erratic behavior was justified, as Chabashira-sensei had announced I was expelled, and Kushida had fainted. They were obviously worried for her but also wanted to interrogate me about why Chabashira had said that I was expelled. Once homeroom came, everyone began asking questions, clamoring for me to answer them.

"Ayanokōji-kun if you were expelled, how are you still here?"

"Ayanokōji-kun, what's going on?"

"Did it have something to do with Kushida?"

"Everyone, please let Ayanokōji-kun explain," Okitani managed to quiet the class.

"I don't know myself. Chabashira-sensei, could you please explain it to the class? I hadn't heard anything of the sort."

The class quieted to hear my black-haired homeroom teacher's explanation. Chabashira glared at me, before clearing her throat. She turned to address the rest of the class.

"My apologies, it was just a mistake. I must have misread things and jumped to conclusions. In truth, there was a shower drainage issue in Ayanokōji's dorm room, which is why you may have seen some commotion around his room last night. After all, Ayanokōji-kun is right here. He is living proof of not being expelled."

Collective sighs of relief emanated from everywhere in the room. Everyone cared for their fellow classmate's well-being.

"Sensei, that's cruel, you know? Please don't joke about such things." Hirata looked at Chabashira. However, his eyes were filled with a hint of hatred.

It was like he was becoming the character he had described to me once more. I couldn't imagine not harboring hatred toward those who caused harm to your closest friends. That's what Hirata had told me himself, after all. He must have been carrying the weight of his comatose friend on his shoulders all this time.

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again," Chabashira-sensei replied simply. Everyone else crowded around my desk, asking me questions. Was this how Hirata felt every day? I felt pity for him.

Once I was done fielding away the questions, the intercom speaker rang.

"Good afternoon, students of ANHS." The voice undoubtedly belonged to Loli-senpai.

"We are here to announce some new members of our school's Student Council. Ayanokōji Kiyotaka of Class 1-D has been accepted to the Student Council as the Vice President and Ichinose Honami of Class 1-B has been accepted to the Student Council as his secretary. That is all. Thank you."

"Ehhh?"

"Ayanokōji-kun, congratulations!"

"Congrats! Our strategist!"

"Congratulations, Ayanokōji-kun."

Even my black-haired seatmate, who had previously ignored me, congratulated me. Was this happiness?

With Hirata Yōsuke being in a relationship with Karuizawa Kei, much of the female population turned its attention onto me. Was this happiness? I wasn't so sure. The attention was overwhelming.

It was like I was a celebrity. Everywhere I walked, there were dozens of eyes on me. I understood Matsushita's intent to hide, now.

I couldn't say that I liked the attention.

But a monster let out of its cage was expected to attract attention, anyway.

-o-o-o-

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Next Chapter: June 16th

-thann