บท 43: Hiyori's advice?
A strong breeze swept across the rooftop, making Horikita's long hair dance with the wind. She stood alone, her back to the railing, staring down at the campus below. From her vantage point, she could see students milling around, making their way back to the dorms. Yet, her solemn eyes weren't really seeing any of them; they were lost in some far-off place, somewhere even she couldn't quite reach.
A voice broke through the silence, pulling her back. "What do you make of this upcoming exam?" Ayanokoji's tone was flat, yet there was an edge to it, like he was probing for something deeper. Horikita turned to face him, really looking at him for the first time in weeks. He face was stilled a bit ragged, and his knuckles were scarred—remnants of battles she didn't ask about. But his eyes, which had always been cold and distant, carried a flicker of something... something she couldn't place. Anger? Regret? Happiness?? It wasn't much, but it was a change.
She narrowed her eyes and exhaled heavily, trying to shake off the emotions swirling within her. "I think I know how to win it."
She didn't ask him what had happened to make him this way; she had a pretty good idea already. The events of the sports festival two weeks ago had left scars on more than just skin. She turned back towards the door, her mind shifting back to strategy. "Call Hirata-kun and the others. We're holding a strategy meeting," she ordered firmly, her voice steady.
"Hey, Horikita, do you really think this is a good idea?" Ayanokoji's voice stopped her in her tracks. She paused, not turning around. "What are you talking about?"
"You know, the stuff with Yuto and all. You don't have to throw yourself into this meeting with your head clouded. Take a moment to breathe, to cool off." His words were oddly gentle, almost like he was trying to help her.
Horikita felt a bitter laugh rising in her chest. "That's a strange comment coming from you, Ayanokoji-kun," she replied, her voice carrying an edge she couldn't suppress. "Considering you're the reason all of this even happened."
Ayanokoji's expression remained stoic, but his eyes hardened. "I'll admit I played a part, but you're being childish if you think that everything between you and Yuto is my fault."
Before he could say more, Horikita's leg lashed out. Ayanokoji blocked her kick with a swift motion, barely flinching. "I'd prefer it if you shut up," she spat, her voice trembling.
Ayanokoji kept his guard up, sidestepping her next punch with infuriating calmness. "Avoiding the truth doesn't change anything, Horikita. Do you think your brother would approve of this behavior?"
His words cut deeper than any physical blow, and she froze, her eyes wide with the sudden sting of the truth. She quickly masked her expression and pulled back, turning sharply towards the door. "Don't worry, Ayanokoji-kun. As the class leader, I won't let my personal life interfere with my duties. I'll perform as expected." Her voice was cold, but it was clear she was speaking as much to herself as to him.
The door slammed behind her, the sound echoing in the empty air. Ayanokoji stood alone on the rooftop, letting out a quiet sigh, his shoulders relaxing slightly. His phone buzzed in his pocket, but for a moment, he didn't reach for it. He just stared at the spot where Horikita had been, feeling the tension settle back into the silence around him.
__________________________________________________________
Step. Step. Step.
Ryuen paced slowly among his classmates, each of his steps reverberating through the deathly silence of the classroom. The dim light barely reached the corners, casting shadows over the students, who kept their eyes glued to their desks, avoiding his gaze.
"Quite a lot went wrong during the sports festival, didn't it?" Ryuen's voice was low, but it carried a dangerous edge that made the hair on the back of their necks stand up. As he walked, he started slamming his fist onto desks, one by one, making each student flinch."And sure, Kazuki was involved in some of that... but that's not the only problem."
SMASH!
A desk shuddered under the force of his blow, and students huddled lower, desperate to avoid his gaze. Ryuen continued as if he hadn't noticed their fear, but the dark glint in his eyes said otherwise.
"First, there was the Island Exam. Class D won with 305 points, while Class A and Class C ended up with nothing. All because of that so-called 'ghost' messing with our plans."
He let his words hang in the air, then slammed another desk, louder this time. A few students visibly jumped, clutching their seats tighter.
"And then the Zodiac Exam. Sure, we managed to hold our own... if you ignore the 100 class points we lost to Class D. Funny enough, half of those points went to a group that Kazuki was part of."
SMASH!
This time, the impact left a crack in the wood, but Ryuen barely seemed to care. He leaned forward, his voice turning cold and cutting. "But all of that doesn't add up, does it?"
The silence was thick, the students' unease palpable as they exchanged nervous glances. He pounded another desk, his grin stretching wider with every flinch. "And you know what? I've concluded that we have traitors among us."
"Ryuen! That's absurd—!" Ibuki tried to cut in, her voice strained, but Ryuen's glare silenced her instantly. He brought his fist down on another desk, making the student sitting there shudder.
Hiyori, sitting nearby with a book in her hands, finally sighed, closing it with a faint snap. "Ryuen, that's the third time you've slammed my desk while I'm trying to read. Could you smash someone else's, please?"
Ryuen's twisted grin shifted toward her. "Why, of course, Hiyori," he sneered, though he moved on, turning his attention back to the cowering students.
"Now, to all the traitors in this room, I'm offering you a deal. Reveal yourselves, tell me who the mastermind is, and I'll let you walk away."
His voice dropped to a whisper, sinister and threatening. "Otherwise, I'll find you myself, and I'll make sure you regret it."
He began striking desks again, each blow punctuating the seconds that ticked by. Students shuddered at the sound, glancing nervously at each other, but no one dared to speak. Hiyori, finally having enough of Ryuen, slipped out of the classroom. "Ryuen, your grinning too much, stop it, it's creepy and childish." She said before slamming the door behind her. The class envied her nerve, but no one else had the guts to follow.
"Thanks for the advice Hiyori." Ryuen wanted to laugh. He turned back to the class, his grin widening before it becoming straight, remembering Hiyori's words. "I'll give you five seconds before I start picking you off, one by one."
He started counting, his voice slow and deliberate. "One…"
The students' eyes darted around the room, desperate, sweat beading on their foreheads.
"Two…"
Ryuen's footsteps echoed as he moved toward a particular student, his shadow looming over them like a predator closing in.
"Three…"
The pressure became too much. Ishizaki shot up from his seat, his voice breaking as he stammered, "It's Kazuki, Ryuen-san! I swear, he's behind everything!"
Beside him, Kondo and another classmate also stood up, their faces pale and drenched in sweat. "Yeah, it's him... He's the one we've been working with!"
Ryuen's grin spread into something menacing, and he gestured casually to Albert, who moved closer. Ishizaki and the others paled further, dread creeping into their eyes. "Well, that's three out of six." Ryuen's voice dripped with satisfaction. He turned his gaze toward a group of girls clustered together, who shrank back as he addressed them next.
"Four…"
"I'm sorry!" Manabe's voice rang out, her shoulders trembling. She practically crumpled under the weight of her confession, barely able to meet his gaze.
Ryuen chuckled softly, a sound that sent shivers down their spines. "Well, now that we're getting somewhere... I'll deal with you three later. For now, Manabe, why don't you tell me everything you know?"
__________________________________________________
[A/n: Hiyori's advice didn't help... sigh.. Anyway! I'm back! and I'll try to upload another chapter tommorrow so stay hyped! (if your wondering, I used ryuen as a kind of recap cuz y'all might find it hard to remember as ya know, I did take a lot of breaks :P).]
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง 
kreakerss
kreakerss Creation is hard, cheer me up!
บท 44: Karaoke!
"Kazuki-san, want to join us for karaoke later today?"
Yuto looked up to see a group of familiar faces gathered around him—no, not just a few, but most of Class B. They watched him with eager expressions. Yuto's eyes landed on Ichinose, who stood at the front, her ever-bright smile aimed directly at him. He coughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.
"But like... don't you guys need to discuss the upcoming exam? I'm still in Class D, you know, and—"
"We know," Ichinose cut him off gently, her smile undiminished. "Kazuki-san, you've been having a tough time lately, haven't you?" Her tone was warm, understanding, as she glanced at her classmates, who nodded encouragingly. "So, we all thought it'd be nice to cheer you up."
Yuto's gaze shifted around the circle of smiling faces. They radiated such a genuine, almost overwhelming positivity that it made him a little uneasy.
Too positive... Yuto thought to himself, feeling a shiver run down his spine. How could people be this relentlessly cheerful? It seemed almost unnatural.
He finally shrugged, letting out a resigned sigh. "Sure, why not?"
______________________________________
"Damn." That was all Yuto could think as he sat back in the dimly lit karaoke room. Two weeks with Class B, and he still couldn't wrap his head around how they balanced it all. It felt like all they did was party, laugh, and have fun. 'When do they even have time to study, strategize, or plan for the next exam?' he wondered, shaking his head.
After stepping off the stage, Yuto's mind lingered on the song he'd just sung— "Another Love." It hit closer to home than he wanted to admit. The lyrics resonated with him, even though he didn't have another love to pine over. But the longing, the frustration… it all felt too familiar. And for a moment, it lightened the weight on his shoulders. Just a little.
Still wasn't enough to forgot that devilish smile Horikita played yesterday.
"Kazuki-san, you sing really well!" A voice broke his thoughts, and he turned to see a familiar face.
"Kobashi-san," he replied, managing a small smile. "Thanks."
She blushed, though it was too dark for Yuto to notice. Others started chiming in, complimenting his singing, making Yuto feel awkward under the sudden spotlight. He mumbled a polite response and glanced around for a seat, eventually finding one next to a particular girl.
As Ichinose took the stage, the room's attention shifted to her, but Yuto's focus remained elsewhere. He leaned closer to his right, addressing the girl next to him. "Hemino-san."
Yuki turned, caught off guard by the way he said her name. "W-What is it, Kazuki-kun…" she replied, maintaining her usual polite facade.
"It's fine," Yuto said casually, his eyes on Ichinose as she began to sing a song he didn't recognize. "No one's watching. You can drop the act."
Yuki's eyes widened, a flicker of genuine surprise crossing her face. "H-How did you—"
"I'm just good at reading micro-expressions," he interrupted, then paused, glancing down before turning his gaze back to her. "You know, we're kind of similar in that regard. You know, hiding our true selves."
Yuki raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "How so?"
Yuto leaned back, his expression turning pensive as he folded his hands together. "Let me ask you something instead. Why do you hide your true self?"
Yuki let out a short, dismissive laugh. "So much for a genius…" she muttered, rolling her eyes. Yuto smirked, pushing back playfully. "Just answer."
Yuki sighed, glancing at Ichinose on stage, her voice lowering as the cheerful ambiance of the room seemed to dull. "Well, it's been my misfortune to end up in Class B," she began, her tone laced with frustration. "This class is so overly positive. People like me? We don't fit in, not unless we change ourselves to match their expectations." She glanced at Ichinose, a vein visibly pulsing on her forehead. "On the very first day, Ichinose took charge, trying to make everyone in class mingle, socialize—forcing even the quiet ones to open up."
She leaned back, taking a long gulp of her drink. "Sometimes, you just have to follow the herd if you don't want to be left out in the cold." Her voice softened, a somber smile playing on her lips.
They sat together in a brief silence, the ambient noise of the karaoke room fading into the background.
"So, what's your story?" Yuki's voice shifted to a teasing lilt as she poked Yuto's cheek with a smirk.
Yuto let out an awkward chuckle, rubbing his cheek. "Well... pretty similar to yours, I guess." His smile faded, his expression growing more somber. He clasped his hands tightly, as if trying to ground himself. "Except, if people found out about the other side of me... it's not that I'd be a social outcast." He took a deep breath, forcing himself to meet her eyes. "I think they'd hate me. Maybe even fear me."
Yuki stared at him for a moment, and then, to his surprise, burst out laughing, her hand clapping him hard on the back. Her sudden outburst drew a few curious glances from others in the room. "Fear you?" she snorted between laughs, her voice carrying a hint of disbelief. "Nobody's going to fear or hate you when you've got that cute little face! Just flash those puppy eyes, and they'll be eating out of your hand!"
Yuto's brow twitched as he shot her an indignant glare. "Puppy eyes?! Really?!"
Yuki smirked, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. "Switch back to the other Hemino, would you? I prefer her better." He crossed his arms, pretending to sulk.
But Yuki simply shook her head, a genuine smile lingering on her lips. "Sorry, but I'll pass on that," she said lightly, leaning back. "I kind of enjoy talking to you like this. Maybe it's because you're the only one who's seen this side of me... the real me."
She suddenly pinched Yuto waist, causing him to yelp, "Bad memories!" Yuki giggled, "Can't help it! You made a madien say such embarassing stuff."
For the first time in a while, Yuto found himself relaxing, the corners of his lips turning up in a faint smile.
"You are so annoying." he sighed.
"Why, Thank you!" She laughed.
____________________________
Yuto walked back to the dorms in silence, the echoes of the karaoke fading into the background. The cool night air brushed against his face, a small contrast to the warmth he'd felt earlier. It had been a long time since he'd had such an open conversation—one where he could just... be. It was a strange feeling, like a knot inside him had loosened, even if just a little.
'Maybe there's some peace in talking after all...' he mused, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. The weight of everything—the lies, the facades—seemed a little easier to bear tonight.
But then, his phone buzzed, shattering the fragile calm. He pulled it out, and the small smile he had vanished as he read the message.
[Kushida: Come to that place, now.]
Yuto stared at the screen for a long moment, the words sinking in. A dry laugh almost slipped out of him, but it caught in his throat. "Another two-faced one," he muttered, shaking his head slightly. The irony wasn't lost on him—he'd just finished talking with someone who hid behind a mask, only to be summoned by another who did the same.
ความคิดของผู้สร้าง
kreakerss
kreakerss
Sorry for not uploading yesterday, sat and thought.
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
200+ การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
0 หินพลัง 
ความคิดเห็นย่อย