---Notice---
This is a big chapter, so you'd better give me your actual thoughts on this one, or I may try to escape the basement again.
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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~Attributed to Arthur Schopenhauer
***Kikyo Kushida***
Horikita's expulsion.
Since I've entered this school, all I've wanted was that one thing. That singular, all-consuming goal.
Useless. Everybody's useless.
I've outright betrayed my class and sold my soul—yet look at her. She walks into class every day and takes her seat as if nothing has happened. As if the world isn't crumbling around me. As if I don't exist.
Since the moment I stepped foot in this school—no, since the moment I saw her face on that damn bus—her name has been clawing away at my mind, digging deeper with each passing day.
I'd do almost anything to have her gone. Smile while lying. Beg. Burn bridges.
And yet.
She walks in every morning, with the same stupid-looking face, those same quiet steps, and sits in that same damn seat.
It's not fair.
I've risked everything, yet it's like I'm the only one who lost something. It makes me furious. If I've suffered this much, then she should have disappeared by now.
I looked down at my phone, scrolling through my message chain with Ryuen.
He had already targeted Matsushita, Horikita, and Hirata to no avail, and next was Ayanokoji. And of course, he wanted to use me again. Like always.
Once again, I had to support him, knowing there would be nothing to gain from it.
But this time, there was really little choice. Yagami had made that more than clear to me. And while I'm not afraid of anyone in this school… if there was someone who gave me the chills, it would be him. Even I understood my limits. It's why I never took on Horikita one-on-one.
But maybe… maybe this time would be different.
Maybe I didn't have to keep going down this path.
"You okay, Kushida-chan? You seem a bit lost in thought," Mori said, pulling me out of my spiraling thoughts.
A smile quickly emerged on my face, bright and effortless. "Oh? Hihi, I guess I was just thinking about the end of the Paper Shuffle special exam."
I turned to her, letting my voice fill with warmth. "Even though we're off to a late start in terms of points, Class D has been working very well together as of late! I think once the exam is over, we should do something as a class to celebrate! Maybe karaoke? Or a big dinner together?"
"That does sound like fun," Mori said with a pleasant smile on her face.
See? This was what I was good at. Making people feel comfortable. Making them trust me.
"Although a large part of the reason we haven't had to be too on guard is because Yagami apparently isn't taking part in this special exam," Karuizawa said, entering the conversation. "It's just Ryuen heading Class C."
Hirata also cut in, his tone turning more serious. "Don't get too ahead of yourselves, guys. Remember, Ryuen has still been a bother and has caused us problems on multiple occasions. In some ways, Ryuen is worse than Yagami. He wouldn't mind expelling someone just for the fun of it."
Of course, these idiots don't know how I've assisted Ryuen. In the Paper Shuffle, his victory is essentially guaranteed. I didn't even see a reason to make an attack against Horikita myself, even though she's practically begging for me to challenge her head-on.
Under normal circumstances, I may have competed with her in this special exam. But I believed Ryuen would actually be fucking useful for once, given he was confident he could learn who Class D's mastermind was, thereby weakening Horikita and giving me an opportunity to attack. But all he's done so far is go on a wild goose chase.
Incompetent.
My mind quickly drifted to Yagami.
Someone many considered an angel. He seemed anything but that in my last conversation with him. Not like I could expose him—Ryuen was so hated, even in his own class, that even if people believed what I said about Yagami, they wouldn't care.
He might be more generally dangerous than Ryuen, but he was right. Even if Ryuen isn't expelling Horikita for me, I've already stuck around for him this long. Now, at least, I could get the benefits of learning the mastermind of my class if I continue to assist him.
It's not like there's anything to lose at this point.
And Yagami made it clear—after this, I could possibly jump onto his ship. He's defeated this mastermind before, so he's my best bet.
But…
My smile slowly evaporated as I lowered my eyes to my phone once more, looking at Ryuen's message.
His message read: 'You remember what you need to do for me today, right?'
I replied simply: 'Yes, I'll message you as agreed if anything happens.'
Ryuen then responded: 'Good. Make use of those skills of yours to get everything I need. By the end of today, I'll pull the mask off of Class D's mastermind.'
My thumb hovered over the screen.
I could ignore it. I could stop right now. Tell someone. Warn them.
But who would believe me? And even if they did… what would happen to me?
No. I had to see this through. There was no turning back now.
I quickly turned my eyes away from the messages.
"Matsushita, are we still good for our plans today?" I asked, forcing brightness back into my voice.
Matsushita was quick to reply. "Sure, just let me finish packing up my stuff."
Of course, getting her to agree to hang out with me wasn't that difficult. Matsushita was already a friend of mine, after all. So I simply waited for her to finish packing and saying her goodbyes.
"Let's get going then, Kushida," Matsushita said with a bright smile.
I looked at Matsushita as we walked down the hall and giggled softly.
"What is it? Do I look weird?" Matsushita said, amused.
I looked at her again before tilting my head in a playful manner. "No, you look good like always. It's just funny—since the first day of school, you've changed so much," I said brightly.
Matsushita seemed a bit surprised, but she smiled. "Is that so? In a good way, I hope."
I nodded enthusiastically. "Well, I don't know. You can never be sure. But I think so. You've been more involved than ever in the class as of lately. I mean, not outstandingly so, but as your friend, of course I noticed."
"Ha? Am I that easy to see through?" Matsushita replied with a light laugh.
Horikita was destroying my life, but there was one thing she'd stupidly left me with: my social control.
She should've exposed me to the class the first chance she got, but she didn't. That bitch probably did it thinking she's better than me. But it will come back to bite her in the ass.
As long as no one knows the truth about me, I am still considered the most trustworthy individual in the class—behind Hirata at worst.
I frowned slightly as we continued to walk, my thoughts churning.
Matsushita, perceptive as always, noticed quickly. "Is something wrong?"
"I was just thinking… I've made a lot of friends since I got into this school," I replied quietly.
"Isn't that a good thing? If I remember correctly, that was your goal when you first introduced yourself," Matsushita said as we finally made it out of the main entrance of the school.
"That's true, but it also comes with some burdens…" I paused, letting out a sigh. "Well, maybe that's an exaggeration. What I'm trying to say is that sometimes you learn things you may be better off not knowing. And sometimes, things you can't change."
Matsushita's expression softened with concern. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right, Kushida? I'm here to listen."
I took in a deep breath.
In my mind, I knew one thing: if I wanted to redeem myself to Class D, to integrate back into Class D, and have my past transgressions forever wiped away from my name—then this is my chance.
This could be my way out.
"…The truth is, something bad's about to happen," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Something bad?" Matsushita said, slowing down to look at me directly.
I didn't look her in the eyes. I couldn't. Not yet.
"You have to promise…" I looked at her contemplatively, the hesitation showing on my face. "You don't tell anyone. No matter what. I don't want anyone else to know. I'm scared of what may happen if everything comes out…"
"I understand, Kushida. You can trust me," Matsushita said sincerely.
"No, you don't!" My voice came out sharper than I intended, tinged with desperation. "You have to swear, Matsushita. I mean it. This won't leave you and me. You promise, right?"
Matsushita nodded without hesitation, her eyes filled with concern. "Of course, Kushida. I promise. Now tell me—what's wrong?"
I let out a shaky breath, the relief washing over my features as I heard her comforting words.
"…Well, you see, as you know, I have friends in most classes. And so I managed to get wind of some news…" I paused, swallowing hard. "Ryuen—he's confident he's figured out Class D's mastermind."
Matsushita's eyes instantly sharpened, her entire posture changing. "What? What do you mean?"
"I-I don't know," I stammered, letting my voice shake just slightly. "That's what I heard. And that Ryuen was planning a confrontation to confirm his knowledge… I didn't know what to do. You know how scary Ryuen could be, or how he may pettily harm my friends or the class…"
My voice dropped to barely a whisper, and I looked down at my hands.
Matsushita thought to herself for a moment before pulling me aside to a lesser foot-traffic area, away from passing students. Her expression was serious now, focused.
"Kushida, this is very important. Where did you hear this, and what do you know?"
I shifted my eyes nervously before responding. "I-I prefer not to say… And not too much. I heard that Ryuen had done a similar thing with you and Hirata. And way before that, he had been pressuring Horikita…"
"Do you know who he's confronting?" Matsushita asked, her voice urgent.
I hesitated, biting my lip.
"I-It's… Ayanokoji-kun," I said quietly.
Matsushita's eyes widened slightly before her expression hardened with determination. "We have to inform Horikita."
"No!" The word came out quickly, louder than I intended. I grabbed Matsushita's hand, holding it tightly. "You can't! You promised…"
Matsushita looked obviously conflicted, her gaze searching mine. "Okay… Okay… If it means that much to you… but we have to do something."
"What do you mean? Do you think Ayanokoji-kun is in danger?" I questioned, allowing genuine worry to creep into my voice.
"I-I'm not sure," Matsushita replied, clearly wrestling with the decision.
"But Ryuen never harmed you, Horikita, or Hirata, so I thought everything would be okay, no?" I asked, trying to sound hopeful.
"It's complicated, Kushida," Matsushita replied shortly, her mind clearly racing.
I let the silence hang for just a moment before asking the question I needed to ask.
"Could it be… is Ayanokoji the mastermind of Class D?"
Matsushita didn't reply. She just looked out toward the dorms, her jaw tightening. Then, finally, she spoke.
"Let's call Ayanokoji as we make our way to the dorms to see if he's there. Maybe we aren't too late. If we act fast enough, we may be able to prevent whatever Ryuen is planning."
"Yes, yes, you're right. I'll call him…" I replied, taking out my phone with trembling hands.
My heart pounded in my chest as I searched for his number.
This was the right thing to do.
***Kakeru Ryuen***
"That was easy," I whispered, standing up from the bench just outside the path of the school's main entrance and exit.
Classes had basically just ended. I'd essentially rushed here right after class, securing my position early. And it seemed my prey was getting out at just the right time.
Ayanokoji slowed down as he took note of me. It seemed like he was going to walk right past me, but I stopped him.
"Hey, you there. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, right?" I asked, bringing him to a full stop.
"I suppose that's what I'm called. Is there a problem?" Ayanokoji asked, his tone flat, disinterested.
I looked at him carefully.
Physically, there was no issue with him—average build, average appearance. But at the same time, there didn't seem to be anything evidently special about the guy. Nothing that screamed "mastermind."
"I want you to come with me," I said simply.
"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that," Ayanokoji replied, adjusting his bag on his shoulder as he spoke.
"Oh? Why not?" I asked, frowning slightly.
"My class has made it quite clear we shouldn't talk or fraternize with you in private, especially in places with no cameras involved. I think it would be unwise to go against that advice," Ayanokoji said, continuing to walk forward without breaking stride.
I'd thought that since he was one of the middle-of-the-pack members of Class D, he might be more likely to fall into a trap. But it seemed Class D as a whole was being pretty careful around me.
It made sense. Even those I had talked to before had made sure to only talk in "protected areas," so to say.
I quickly followed right behind Ayanokoji, keeping pace.
"Come on, it isn't a big deal. I'm sure you're a big boy. You can make your own decisions, right?" I said, voice casual but edged with mockery. "I know there's a construction site in the mall area. I heard they installed new cameras there after a student council incident that occurred."
Ayanokoji completely ignored me, continuing to walk forward without acknowledgment.
"Or how about the school rooftop? It's pretty private up there this time of year. What do you think?" I continued, letting my voice carry just enough threat.
Once again, Ayanokoji moved forward toward the dorms, not engaging with me at all.
Tch.
"You're a coward, you know that? Are you too scared to even talk to me?" I said, raising my voice slightly.
Once again—nothing.
"Yeah, of course you are. That's why you follow the orders of your class like a good little dog. Maybe you're hoping your classmates see you ignoring me like this, so when you go to class tomorrow morning, they'll call you a good boy? That's probably what you're hoping for, isn't it?"
Still nothing got to him.
His face remained completely blank, his steps measured and unbothered.
"Ha… who am I kidding? You aren't doing this for recognition," I said as we arrived at the main dorms. "No, it's worse than that. I mean, look at yourself—a friendless loser. You have nothing better to do than go to class, then head right home. Let me tell you something: I might as well be the closest thing you have to a friend."
Ayanokoji glanced at me as we got into the elevator, and I spoke those words.
Just a glance. Nothing more.
But it was something.
"You have no reason to be loyal to Class D or its members. Look at it—it's in shambles. Still, it's impressive how even in its current state, the class seems to support and uplift its members, even if all they do now is argue about school lunch. But still…" I paused, letting the silence stretch. "Yet who's been there for you? How many people care about how you're doing? How many have offered you help, Ayanokoji? They don't really care about you or your goals, do they?"
The elevator chimed softly as it arrived on the fourth floor.
"But Class C is different," I said, stepping out behind him. "If you tell me the name of the mastermind of Class D, I can get you out of that horrendous situation you're in right now."
But Ayanokoji simply walked down the hall, approaching his room—401.
I continued to follow behind, my footsteps echoing faintly in the quiet corridor.
"Aren't you interested?" I said as he began to unlock his door.
As he stepped inside his dorm, I looked at the camera in the hallway and then back at Ayanokoji's door as he began to shut it on me.
So this is what it's come to.
I sighed, then placed my foot in front of Ayanokoji's door and grabbed it with my hand, pushing it open with force.
Ayanokoji, obviously not being known for his physical strength, couldn't stop me. And so I entered the dorm and closed and locked the door behind me.
Ayanokoji glanced at me up and down, letting out a similar sigh, before proceeding inside his dorm. He removed his shoes and began unpacking his things from his bag, as if my presence was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.
"If you're going to intrude, I'd prefer you'd remove your shoes," Ayanokoji stated flatly.
I smiled, crouching down to unlace my shoes. "Of course. I'm not an animal, after all."
I sat down in Ayanokoji's chair next to his computer and watched him carefully, studying his movements.
"Tell me their name, or else I'm sure you'll know what will happen," I threatened once more, my voice low and dangerous.
This time, Ayanokoji replied.
"And then what? I wouldn't be the first person you've threatened, would I? And you didn't harm them. As it is now, I think it would just be best if I take my chances."
At that moment, my phone buzzed.
I looked down at it, smiling—a message from Kikyo Kushida.
'It is Ayanokoji. We are heading to the apartments. I'll be calling him in a few seconds, so do what you must before then.'
Perfect.
I didn't think for a second.
I accelerated out of the seat I had just been in and launched my fist straight at Ayanokoji, who was standing by his bed.
He put up a flimsy defense—arms raised awkwardly, like someone who'd never been in a real fight.
Then he looked into my eyes, as if analyzing me.
And then he spoke.
"Ah, I see. So you've figured it out."
At that moment, his whole composure changed.
His movements became far more deliberate—smooth, practiced, controlled. He grabbed my right arm and twisted it sharply, using my own momentum against me as he threw me onto his bed.
It was power incredibly surprising for his build.
But of course, I quickly got up. I wasn't about to stay down.
Ayanokoji was seemingly waiting for me to attack first, standing there with that same blank expression.
He spoke calmly. "What now? Now that you've figured it out, what's next?"
As I launched to punch him again, I spoke through gritted teeth. "Now I've won! I've finally caught you! Your tricks are nothing to me!"
I quickly converted my punch into a grab, aiming for his collar—but Ayanokoji grabbed my arm first and, using his back, slammed me onto the hard wooden floor.
The impact knocked the wind out of me.
I groaned as I pushed myself off the floor, my ribs aching. But this was nothing to me. I'd taken worse.
"I'll make your life a living hell until you admit it—until you accept that I won and forfeit the class conflicts," I said, fully standing and rushing toward the uninterested Ayanokoji once more.
In an instant, I felt two punches hit my face, and I staggered back, vision blurring slightly.
"Is that so?" Ayanokoji asked, his voice completely devoid of emotion. "I think there's something you don't understand."
He finally moved toward me, albeit slowly. Deliberately.
Like a predator that knew its prey had nowhere to run.
But I am no prey, so similarly I approached him, slower than usual, given the blows I had sustained, but still moving forward.
That's when I sustained a kick to the gut.
Before I could even process what had happened, I was on my back on the floor, Ayanokoji towering over me.
My hands instantly moved toward the collar of his uniform as I tried to lift myself up and push him off me.
But quickly, I was pushed down by another blow to the face.
"I never truly cared about the idea that you'd find me at some point or not. It was never even a thought on my mind," he said, his voice sounded sterile.
I attempted to free myself again, but was launched down by another blow to the face.
Blood filled my mouth. I could taste copper.
"You see, in the end, it didn't matter. Because the outcome would always be the same," he said.
This time, I tried to launch myself even faster—
A hard punch sent me crashing down onto the floorboards once more.
My head spun. My vision swam.
"This wasn't even a challenge. You couldn't even get me to sweat," he said.
He punched me again. This time, I hadn't even tried to push myself up.
"Although I'll give you credit—you found me quicker than I had expected. Significantly so. And your plan was indeed incredible."
His voice remained perfectly calm as he continued.
"Making use of Kushida to manipulate Matsushita, who happens to know me. The setup was clever: have Kushida 'warn' Matsushita that you'd already identified the mastermind and were confronting them. If I was the mastermind, Matsushita would know—and her reaction to Kushida's warning would confirm it. If I wasn't, Matsushita would still know who was, and she'd know I knew as well, given the Hirata incident—which means my confrontation with you would confirm you were testing your suspicions. Either way, her responses could be used to verify the mastermind's identity. You protected yourself from being wrong while forcing the answer into the open. All you needed was Kushida's credibility and Matsushita's trust in her to expose the truth."
He paused, looking down at me with those dead, emotionless eyes.
"It was impossible to tell earlier, but you also controlled where we ended up. The construction site, the rooftop, my dorm—each one a backup depending on how I reacted. You probably paid someone to disable at least three cameras to cover your bases. Whichever path I took, you'd get your confrontation without witnesses. It was to make me think I had a choice, but you'd already planned for everything."
Ayanokoji had quickly deduced my entire plan.
Every single piece.
"Too bad nothing went your way," he said simply.
I struggled as I pulled my body to face Ayanokoji better, pain shooting through my ribs and jaw.
Then I smiled at him.
It was a bright smile. I don't think I've smiled like this in years.
In that very moment, I spat in his face.
Ayanokoji wiped the spit off with his sleeve slowly, his expression not changing in the slightest. Moments after he finished, his fist slammed into me again.
But I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.
"F-forever… everywhere you turn… me!" I said, letting out a chuckle as my face continued to get beaten.
"So what?" Ayanokoji replied simply.
It was the type of reply that wouldn't normally bother me. But for some reason, it did.
Even as he continued to hit me.
Over.
And over.
And over again.
As I looked over his shoulder, I was smiling. But still, there was something I couldn't keep my mind off of.
Even as, for what seemed like the hundredth time, Ayanokoji's fist came speeding down to pound my face in—
But it stopped before it even reached me.
"I see. So that's how it is," Ayanokoji said, standing up.
I took the moment to push myself up slightly so I could look at him as I leaned against his bed, breathing heavily.
"This was never entirely about me, was it?" he said expressionlessly.
At that moment, a knock sounded from the door to Ayanokoji's room.
"Ayanokoji, are you there, Ayanokoji? It's Matsushita! Tell me if you're in there!" the girl spoke urgently from the other side.
Ayanokoji paid me no mind as he moved toward the door to his dorm and unlocked it.
"Yes, I'm just fine," he said calmly as he turned back around to face me.
At that same moment, the two girls—Kushida and Matsushita—also peeked in to see me, bloodied and broken on the floor.
But just like Ayanokoji, this situation no longer interested me.
I'd found what I was looking for. Confirmed what I needed to know.
And yet, somehow, it felt hollow.
Like I'd been chasing the wrong answer to the wrong question.
All this effort. All this planning. And for what?
He'd challenged me to find the mastermind myself.
And I had.
But as I sat there, bloodied and broken, I couldn't shake the feeling that even this—even my victory—no, whatever this is—was exactly what he'd expected.
What he'd wanted.
He'd already faced this monster and walked away unscathed.
And here I was, barely conscious on the floor.
Maybe there was a gap between us after all.
One I'd been too arrogant to see.
Maybe I don't even belong in this damn place.
(Image)
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This one was fun to write, kinda, I guess, lol. It's obviously an important point in the story, so I'm curious how you guys think I've handled everything so far. I'm not exactly sure how many are still reading, but I do appreciate each of you. I don't consider myself the greatest writer, and even when I disappear sometimes, like I always say, I have no intention of dropping this story as long as there's someone out there who wants to read it, so continue to enjoy.
Additionally from this point on is when you'll start to see some of Koji showing he plans on taking things more serious in the future.
On that note I have a question, would you like to have some chapters from Koji's perspective to see his view on things?
That's all for today.