Ryuuen Kakeru, with that triumphant smile of "everything is under control," turned and left the dim corridor without a backward glance.
His footsteps faded into the distance, leaving Sakayanagi Arisu standing alone.
Silence returned to the corridor.
The cold anger on Sakayanagi Arisu's face did not last long.
She lowered her eyelids slightly, concealing the turmoil in her eyes.
Kamuro Masumi?
Sakamoto's dog?
This accusation was too sensational,
and too much in line with Ryuuen's vulgar taste.
Sakayanagi Arisu took a deep breath, forcing herself to detach from the provoked emotion.
Her brain began to churn rapidly, calmly re-examining all the information Ryuuen had brought.
The surface information, such as purchasing the right to work part-time at the cafe with points,
was indeed as she said; anyone with a bit of intelligence could deduce or observe it, making its value limited.
Class C has a spy planted by Sakamoto?
Ryuuen refused to reveal the name, his attitude firm.
There were two possibilities: one, it was true, and Ryuuen intended to clean up his own house;
two, Ryuuen was being deliberately mysterious, using vague information to tease her and increase his leverage.
And finally, the most crucial—Kamuro Masumi is Sakamoto's subordinate in Class A.
This information... Sakayanagi Arisu's fingers unconsciously rubbed the smooth shaft of her cane.
She recalled the scene she witnessed in the convenience store at the beginning of the school year:
Kamuro Masumi attempted to steal, and Sakamoto "caught" and resolved the situation with an almost "magical" method.
That incident could indeed constitute a "handle" or an "opportunity."
If Sakamoto blackmailed her, or if Kamuro, out of gratitude or fear, could indeed be manipulated by Sakamoto.
But,
it doesn't make sense.
Sakayanagi Arisu's brows furrowed slightly.
Throughout this past week, she had observed coldly.
Sakamoto was indeed the epitome of a lone wolf.
He was never short of eyes around him and people trying to get close, but he always maintained an invisible distance.
His elegance and kindness were superficial; his core was an unfathomable solitude.
Would such a person bother to "cultivate" a seemingly ordinary "subordinate" like Kamuro Masumi?
What would be the purpose?
More importantly,
Ryuuen Kakeru.
Ryuuen's triumphant, provocative, and even malicious expression from earlier flashed in Sakayanagi Arisu's mind.
This guy was definitely not to be trifled with.
Sakayanagi had absolutely underestimated him.
His ability to integrate Class C within a week, his cunning and methods, were far beyond those of ordinary students.
The information he provided, especially such "bombshell news" capable of causing an internal earthquake in Class A, must be taken with a grain of salt.
He was very likely using her, trying to use her to test or even strike at Sakamoto, thereby benefiting Class C from Class A's internal strife.
Truth mixed with falsehood, falsehood mixed with truth.
That was the most cunning lie.
Ryuuen didn't need to confirm that the information was 100% true.
He only needed to throw out enough shocking, thought-provoking "possibilities" to plant seeds of suspicion between her and Sakamoto.
Whether these seeds would sprout or not, as long as she took action because of them, Ryuuen would succeed—
He proved that Sakamoto was not unshakeable, and successfully muddied the waters.
"Heh..."
Sakayanagi Arisu gave a self-deprecating laugh:
"Did I make a misstep...?"
She almost got carried away by Ryuuen's crude provocation and flawed information.
It seemed the pressure from Sakamoto had indeed made her lose her composure somewhat.
During the afternoon classes, Sakayanagi Arisu appeared to be listening attentively, but her mind had already wandered far away.
Her gaze occasionally swept, seemingly unintentionally, over Sakamoto by the window, and Kamuro Masumi not far away.
Sakamoto remained calm and unruffled, listening to the lecture, taking notes, occasionally answering the teacher's questions.
His demeanor was elegant and composed, as if everything was under his control.
Kamuro Masumi, on the other hand, spent most of the time with her head down, her purple hair falling to cover her profile, making her expression unreadable.
But she seemed a bit distracted?
Her fingertips occasionally curled unconsciously, as if she was uneasy or hesitant about something.
These subtle gestures were infinitely magnified in Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes.
Was it guilt?
Or something else?
The dismissal bell finally rang, signaling the end of the day's classes.
The atmosphere in the classroom instantly became lively.
Students began packing their bags, discussing their evening plans.
Sakamoto's movements were as smooth as ever.
He closed his book, neatly placed it in his bag, then stood up, his movements without the slightest delay, as if precisely calculated, preparing to leave.
Sakayanagi Arisu also stood up at almost the same time.
She decided not to dwell on the truth or falsehood of Ryuuen's information.
Instead of guessing, it was better to make direct contact. She would personally go and talk to Sakamoto, to test him in her own way.
However, just as she was about to approach Sakamoto-kun—
A figure moved faster than her.
Kamuro Masumi suddenly stood up from her seat, even knocking over her chair, which made a moderate sound.
She seemed completely unfazed, a barely perceptible blush on her cheeks beneath her purple hair, as she rushed to Sakamoto-kun, who was about to leave, blocking his path.
"Sakamoto-kun!"
Kamuro Masumi's voice was urgent and nervous, even cracking slightly,
"I... I have something I want to talk to you about! Now!"
Sakamoto-kun's steps halted.
He lowered his head slightly, his gaze behind his black-rimmed glasses calmly falling upon Kamuro Masumi's face, which was filled with urgency and nervousness, without any hint of surprise or displeasure.
"Alright."
His voice was clear and calm, showing no ripples,
"We can talk on the way back."
He agreed.
Sakayanagi Arisu's foot, which she was about to step forward with, instantly froze.
Talk on the way?
On the way back?
Are they going the same way?
Or... is this just an excuse?
Ryuuen Kakeru's words echoed in her mind again
"He's probably Sakamoto-kun's dog by now."
Could it be that,
Ryuuen Kakeru's information was not groundless?
Kamuro Masumi's abnormal, urgent actions, and Sakamoto-kun's overly calm and natural response... all exuded an unusual atmosphere.
Sakayanagi Arisu's mind instantly changed.
Approaching him directly for a conversation might not be as good as,
Observing from the shadows.
She watched as Kamuro Masumi seemed to let out a sigh of relief, nodded quickly, and then somewhat flustered, followed Sakamoto-kun out of the classroom.
Sakayanagi Arisu did not hesitate at all; she leaned on her cane, her steps composed yet swift as she followed them,
Skillfully using the crowd in the corridor and the corners to maintain an imperceptible distance.
Her gaze was fixed on the two figures ahead.
Sakamoto-kun's steps were still steady and fluid, while Kamuro Masumi followed slightly behind him, her head slightly lowered, seemingly still organizing her thoughts.
What exactly happened between them?
Ryuuen Kakeru's trap, or was there something real to it?
In Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes, a cold and focused light flickered.
The tapping sound of her cane was faint and rhythmic, like the approaching footsteps of a hunter.