Chương 9: Fear.

3 days before the exam.

"Hey Sudo! Stop zoning out in the middle of a game man!"

Sudo looked at his teammate with a blank expression and nodded.

"What has gotten into him?" one of his teammates questioned.

Sudo glanced at the clock and spoke in an emotionless tone, "I'm sorry, I've got to go," before quietly exiting the club without a backward glance. Outside, Horikita approached Sudo out of the blue and handed him a book. "I summarized everything in this book. I can only hope you don't fail, Sudo."

Sudo looked at the book, then turned to Horikita, attempting a smile. Over the past few weeks, he had truly come to appreciate Horikita's support, even if it didn't ultimately matter.

"Thank you," Sudo responded gratefully before beginning to walk towards the dorms. As he walked, he unexpectedly encountered someone he never thought he would see at this time.

His eyes widened as a certain brown-haired boy approached him. "Can we talk? I have a popsicle!" Yuto exclaimed in his usual cheerful tone.

_________________________

Sudo settled into an isolated chair next to Yuto, holding a melting popsicle. "Eat it before it melts!" Yuto urged cheerfully, startling Sudo into immediately placing the popsicle in his mouth and swallowing it out of reflex. Yuto smiled before proceeding to enjoy his own popsicle. "Yum! I knew orange was better," he exclaimed before falling silent.

Yuto sat quietly, his gaze fixed on the fountain before him, the rhythmic flow of water being the only sound between them. After a moment, he broke the silence. "Do you know what flavor your popsicle was?" he inquired, turning to look at Sudo witha girn.

Sudo, who had swallowed the popsicle whole, couldn't register the flavor at all. He shook his head in denial, admitting, "I couldn't taste it."

"I see, did you like the the taste then?"

Sudo looked at Yuto with a hint of confusion, wondering why he was being asked again when he had just stated that he couldn't taste the popsicle. "I couldn't taste it," he repeated.

Yuto turned to Sudo with a deadpan expression, locking eyes with him intensely. "Then how would you say you like basketball after only tasting it half-heartedly? How would you say that you hate studying after tasting it half-heartedly? How would you say that 'YOU' are Ken Sudo with only knowing yourself half-heartedly?" he questioned, his words probing deeper than just the flavor of the popsicle.

Sudo was utterly confused by Yuto's words, unsure of their meaning. Sensing Sudo's puzzled expression, Yuto stood up from his seat, stretching his arms before speaking again. "Nevermind what I said. I came here to apologize to you about what happened that day."

Sudo looked stunned by Yuto's apology. "No, no, don't be. All you did that day was show how incompetent I am," he replied, his tone heavy with self-doubt.

Yuto threw a sharp gaze at Sudo and asked, "Then why the hell are you still mourning about the past?" his words cutting through Sudo's self-deprecation.

As Sudo pondered Yuto's question, he realized that his sadness stemmed from losing to Yuto. But why did it matter so much? It wasn't a national-level tournament or anything significant. He thought of a few potential reasons, His ego. His confidence. His expectations. Looking down with a mixture of fear and nervousness, Sudo admitted, "I refused to accept it."

"Why?" Yuto asked in a steady tone.

"Ego."

Yuto's slapped Sudo again, bringing back painful memories.

"Wrong answer. It's fear."

Sudo's eyes widened as Yuto continued, "Fear that you might get beaten again. Fear that people might see you as a loser. Fear that kills dreams, Sudo."

Sudo fell into deep thought, grappling with Yuto's words. But before he could dwell on them, Yuto interrupted, "Sudo, are you angry at me?"

"No. Never. I wouldn't dar-"

Yuto cut him off, "That's fear. Now answer honestly, are you angry at me?"

"Of course I am, you fucking bastard!" Sudo yelled.

"Then punch me."

Sudo tightened his fist and began walking towards Yuto, the latter added, "If you do, I'll punch you back." Sudo halted in his tracks, gritting his teeth. "See, Sudo, the very same fear is holding you back. Now-"

Before Yuto could continue, Sudo abruptly punched him in the face. "How does that feel, you fucking bastard!" Sudo roared, his anger palpable.

Yuto looked at Sudo and chuckled, "Nice one, Sudo! Now, as I promised!" With that, he retaliated with a punch to Sudo's face, causing him to stumble and fall.

Sudo looked up at Yuto, his face slightly swollen from the impact, and laughed, "Man, that hurts! But I feel much better now!"

Yuto smiled warmly and said, "Welcome back, Sudo Ken!"

Sudo grinned in return. "You're a better guy than I thought, Kazuki!"

Yuto's smile dimmed as he placed a hand on Sudo's shoulder. "You're still screwed for the exam," he remarked bluntly.

Sudo grimaced and shouted, "Kazuki, you bastard! You ruined my mood!"

_______________________________

2 days before the exam.

"Ayanokoji-kun, I think this is the first time you ever invited me somewhere! You must have a reason, right?" Kushida exclaimed in her usual, cheerful tone.

"Can you promise me you won't breath a word to anyone?"

Kushida nodded.

As Ayanokoji scanned the cafeteria, his sharp eyes locked onto a particular figure. "Found him," he announced quietly, prompting a puzzled look from Kushida, who followed his gaze without comment. With purposeful strides, Ayanokoji approached the individual in question and settled into a seat beside him, Kushida gracefully following suit.

"Your Kashio Namakame from class 3-B, correct?" Ayanokoji inquired, his tone calm and composed.

Kashio regarded Ayanokoji with evident confusion. "Uh, who the hell are you now?" he responded bluntly.

Kushida looked at Kashio and thought, "Who is this weirdo? And why is he missing his front tooth?"

"I'm Kiyotaka Ayanokoji from class 1-D and I'm here to ask you for your first midterm questions from 2 years ago."

Kashio shouted in rage "And why the hell would I do that?!"

Undeterred by Kashio's outburst, Ayanokoji remained composed and extended his phone toward him in a calm and collected manner. Caught off guard, Kashio accepted the phone, perplexed by the unexpected gesture. That's when he heard a voice

[Ahhhhh! Kashio, old friend. It as been so long!]

"Who the fuck are you?" Kashio scoffed.

[I see you don't recognize my voice, I'm Kazuki Yuto.]

Kashio's eyes widened in fear as he hastily apologized, "Oh, sir, I'm sorry for raising my voice. What is it that you want from a fool like me?"

Glancing at Ayanokoji, Kashio suddenly recognized him as the same individual whose coffee he had spilled not too long ago. A cold drop of sweat trickled down his side.

Meanwhile, Kushida watched the exchange with growing bewilderment. 'Why is this person so terrified of Kazuki?' she wondered. 'What could Kazuki have done to elicit such a drastic change in behavior?'

[Can you provide your first midterm papers to Ayanokoji over there?]

"Of course, sir. I'll do it right away!" Kashio responded hastily, eager to comply with Yuto's request and alleviate any potential repercussions.

As Kashio hurried off to retrieve the papers, Ayanokoji observed the scene with a thoughtful expression. 'To instill such fear in someone... Kazuki must be adept at manipulation as well,' he mused silently. 'The mere mention of his name sparks fear into his very being. It seems that Kazuki has left a significant impression on him.'

SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO
kreakerss

Sorry for the break yesterday, had to go out and all. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I had fun writing this one.

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Chương 10: Cruel.

The midterm exam results were prominently displayed on the board, showcasing the remarkable achievements of Class 1-D. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Ayanokoji and Yuto, the class had gained access to past midterm papers, which turned out to be strikingly similar to the current ones. It was a testament to their meticulous preparation and strategic thinking.

Yuto, discovered that Ayanokoji had discreetly credited Kushida with obtaining the past midterm papers, ensuring that she received recognition for her role in the endeavor. Indeed, Everyone in the class had achived high or passable scores.

Except one.

"You got a failing score, Sudo." Sae stated

Yuto wasn't suprised that Sudo failed, however he was suprised how close Sudo got to passing. "44 eh.? It seems I raised the failing score due to my marks. I'm suprised Sudo got a 43. My intial assesment of him getting a 41 is wrong I see."

Sudo wasn't that shocked either, he was deeply saddened that he was leaving school, but with his new found confidence, he was sure he would go pro his basketball. "It's a shame though..."

Meanwhile, Horikita's reaction bordered on incredulity as she stared at Yuto's score on the board.

"A perfect 100..." she muttered, her voice barely concealing her astonishment.

Internally, however, her thoughts raced at lightning speed. 'What the hell! I knew he was holding back, but to such an extent? This is insane! What is his IQ?!' Her gaze oscillated between Yuto and the board, grappling with the incomprehensible brilliance displayed before her.

Ayanokoji excused himself to the bathroom. Sudo stared at his desk with deep saddness, all of a sudden, a hand gripped his sholder. Suddenly, a reassuring hand gripped his shoulder, prompting Sudo to look back and find Yuto's smiling face, "Don't worry bud, Suzune-chan is going right there to retract your expulsion." Yuto said as he pointed at Horikita walking out the door. He continued "Trust me, it'll work out. I need to go help her out as well so bye"

Just like that, Yuto left Sudo with the most vauge explaination ever, however Sudo was happy. He believed Yuto somehow. He believed in Horikita as well.

_______________________________

"In the first day, you said we can buy 'anything' in this school with points. So let me buy a mark to add to Sudo's score," Ayanokoji calmly explained to Sae.

"Indeed, you are right," Sae smirked. "But can you afford the mark?"

"100 thousand points."

"That's too cruel, sensei," Ayanokoji replied, realizing he only had 50,000 points.

"I'll pay too!" Horikita interjected unexpectedly.

Sae smirked once again. "I knew you guys would be interesting. Alright, I'll sell it to you. However, I am surprised Kazuki didn't come with you two."

"What do you mean, sensei?" Yuto said, appearing beside the door with his arms crossed. Horikita shot Yuto a deadly glare, still holding a grudge about the marks. "If you had come earlier, I would have raised the price," Sae said, sounding somewhat disappointed.

"Well, well, can we complete the transaction now?"

As the trio made their way down the stairs, Ayanokoji couldn't help but wonder. "Why did sensei say she would have raised the price if you had come earlier?"

"Wait, I never told you, right?" Yuto shrugged as he showed his points to Ayanokoji.

"I see."

__________________________________________________

"Cheers!"

In a room filled with joyous chatter, seven individuals sat basking in the glow of their exam success. Sudo couldn't contain his elation, but Yuto's expression remained clouded.

"Hey, I'm all for celebrating, but why turn my room into party central?" Yuto's tone held a hint of annoyance.

A moment of silence hung before laughter erupted, breaking the tension, save for Ayanokoji, who remained stoic. Even Horikita couldn't suppress a chuckle.

"Who would've thought someone as intimidating as you would have a giant teddy bear in their room?" Sudo teased.

"Well, I find it rather cute!" Kushida chimed in.

Ike and Yamauchi nodded in agreement. "I might just get one for myself!" they exclaimed simultaneously.

Yuto's cheeks flushed pink. "Well, I... I just prefer not to sleep alone," he mumbled in defense.

Horikita's lips twitched into a slight smile. "Even children manage to sleep solo," she remarked teasingly.

"Well, at least I don't go avoiding my broth—" Horikita swiftly covered Yuto's mouth with her palm, her demeanor shifting drastically. Gone was the hint of amusement; instead, her eyes bore a chilling intensity.

"Say another word, and you're done for," she warned with a sharp edge to her tone.

As Sudo's eyes simmered with jealousy, he couldn't help but feel a pang of longing for Horikita, appreciating her protective gesture. Meanwhile, Yuto was in a state of bliss, relishing the warmth of Horikita's hand on his mouth.

The illusion was shattered when Ike rose to his feet and excused himself, breaking the fictional bubble with a simple statement. Yuto reluctantly freed himself from Horikita's grasp, acknowledging Ike's departure with a hint of disappointment due to losing his haven.

"Sure, I guess it's time to call it a night. Ayanokoji and I will take care of tidying up. The rest of you can head off," Yuto announced, mustering a smile.

Kushida eagerly volunteered to stay behind, her enthusiasm infectious. "Count me in! I'll help too," she exclaimed with a beaming smile.

Ayanokoji's internal disapproval was evident as he questioned, "Again? Why am I always the one left behind?"

Yuto flashed Ayanokoji a reassuring smile before uttering the magic words, "Because, my 'friend', that's what friends do."

While cleaning up, Kushida casually asked with a pang of dissapointment, "Hey boys... Do you guys like girls like Horikita?"

Ayanokoji's response was characteristically composed. "Well, she's a friend... or rather, just a neighbor."

Kushida turned her gaze towards Yuto, who seemed lost in thought, his eyes fixed on the floor. With a sigh, he finally spoke up. "It's not just about liking girls like her. It's... different with Suzune. There's this aura about her that draws me in. I don't think I could feel the same way about anyone else, even if they had a similar personality and appearance."

Kushida absorbed his words with a thoughtful expression. "I see... Well, I suppose I'll take my leave now," she said, masking any disappointment with a polite smile.

As Kushida departed, Yuto's attention shifted to the abandoned phone on the bed. "Looks like Kushida forgot her phone," he remarked, breaking the silence. "Ayanokoji, would you mind returning it to her?" he asked, extending the device toward his 'friend'.

"Sure, why not." Ayanokoji obliged and walked out the door.

Minutes later, Yuto's eyes caught sight of a phone resting on the kitchen counter. With a sigh, he muttered to himself, "Looks like Kiyo-chan intended on coming back. But why now? Well, it's better to ask him outside. I'm not in the mood to brew tea."

As Yuto stepped out of the door, he noticed Ayanokoji on the ground floor. However, something else caught his attention, stirring a sense of suspicion within him. "Why is Kushida walking towards the seaside in the middle of the night? Looks like Kiyo-cha also thought the same" he pondered, his curiosity piqued. Without hesitation, he decided to follow them, his steps quickening as he moved to catch up.

"This is suspicious.."