For once, the weather was merciful — clear skies, a soft breeze, and the faint scent of popcorn drifting through the mall's upper floors.
It was rare for any of us to have a day off, and after weeks of studying, strategizing, and nearly burning our brains out over exam prep, the group needed a break.
And so, when the idea of watching a movie came up, I didn't hesitate.
The only problem? I somehow ended up dragging Ibuki Mio along.
Not that she resisted too much — she pretended to complain, muttering things like "I didn't say yes, you idiot", but she still walked beside me, hands in her pockets, her short ponytail swaying as she kept pace.
"Relax, Ibuki," I said, balancing a soda in one hand and snacks in the other. "You're acting like I kidnapped you."
"You did," she snapped. "You texted me, said we're 'meeting for something important', and then dragged me to the cinema!"
"That's called 'strategic persuasion'," I grinned.
Her glare was sharp enough to cut steel, but I could see the faintest twitch at the corner of her lips.
We were just about to head toward the ticket counter when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar figure walking through the crowd — Ayanokōji Kiyotaka, looking as stoic as ever.
Right beside him were two girls — Karuizawa Kei and Satō Maya.
The moment Satō saw him, she beamed, almost too brightly. "Ayanokōji-kun! What a coincidence!"
Ayanokōji's eyes flicked to her, expression unreadable. "...Coincidence, huh."
Even from a distance, I could tell — this wasn't some random meeting. Satō was too perfectly timed, her tone too eager.
I leaned toward Ibuki, whispering, "You think she planned that?"
Ibuki folded her arms. "Of course she did. Girls like her don't 'coincidentally' appear."
"Spoken like a professional," I teased.
She shot me a warning glance, but before she could reply, I decided to make my move.
"Yo, Ayanokōji!" I called, walking over with a grin while carrying Ibuki — literally — on my shoulders like a sack of potatoes.
"Put me down!" she shouted, hitting my back with her fists, but it only made the moment funnier.
Ayanokōji blinked, clearly trying to process the absurd scene in front of him.
I laughed. "Man, you sure are popular today, huh? Surrounded by girls on your day off. I didn't know you had it in you."
Satō giggled awkwardly, cheeks red. Karuizawa looked less amused, eyeing me and Ibuki with an expression somewhere between disbelief and curiosity.
Ayanokōji sighed. "It's not what it looks like."
"Sure, sure." I set Ibuki down, who immediately smacked my shoulder.
"You're an idiot," she muttered, though there was no real heat behind her words.
Then Satō, as if struck by sudden curiosity, turned to me. "Um, Miyamoto-kun… are you and Ibuki-san… dating?"
The question caught both of us off guard.
Ibuki froze mid-motion. I blinked, looking at her — she was blushing, though she tried hard to hide it behind her usual scowl.
"No," I said easily, smiling. "We're just friends. Teammates, I guess."
"Oh… I see." Satō's expression softened — but there was something else behind her eyes. Disappointment? Or curiosity?
Ibuki looked away quickly. "Let's just buy the tickets already."
As we walked off, I glanced back at Ayanokōji. He gave me that subtle, almost imperceptible nod — the kind that said "I know this is a mess, but thanks for the distraction."
I returned the nod, smirking.
Sometimes, the best way to protect secrets… was to create new distractions.
Evening came faster than expected.The lighthearted movie mood vanished as soon as I stepped into the karaoke bar, where the atmosphere was far from playful.
The so-called "strategy meeting" for Class D had begun.
The dim room was filled with faint neon lighting, empty glasses, and the muffled hum of a karaoke machine that no one dared to turn on.
Horikita sat near the center, posture perfect, her gaze sharp as ever. Ayanokōji was beside her, arms crossed, face neutral.
Sudō leaned against the wall, looking both awkward and proud. Hirata, ever the peacemaker, sat between Karuizawa and Kushida, whose forced smile was practically glowing.
Horikita began the meeting in her typical, clipped tone.
"First of all, I want to acknowledge Sudō's efforts. You've grown a lot as a student, and your performance has improved significantly."
Sudō blinked. "Huh? You're praising me?"
Horikita nodded. "You've earned it. Keep it up."
"W-Well…" he rubbed the back of his neck, flustered. "Guess I'll keep doing my best then."
But the tension in the room shifted when Karuizawa Kei spoke up, her tone light but her eyes sharp.
"You know, Kushida's been awfully nice lately," she said, almost playfully. "Like, too nice."
Kushida's smile didn't falter. "What do you mean, Karuizawa-san?"
"Oh, come on. You're smiling, complimenting everyone, and even called Horikita your 'dear friend'. That's not like you."
The air grew thick. Everyone could feel it — the quiet, passive-aggressive undertone brewing between the two girls.
Then, without warning—
Splash.
Karuizawa tilted her glass and poured her grape juice all over Kushida's blazer.
The sound of liquid hitting fabric echoed like a gunshot.
"Karuizawa-san!" Hirata stood up immediately, shocked. "That's too much!"
Karuizawa's expression didn't waver. "Oops. Guess my hand slipped."
Kushida stared at the purple stain spreading over her uniform. Her lips curved into a small, almost angelic smile — but her eyes… they were icy.
"It's fine," she said calmly. "Accidents happen."
Hirata, visibly uncomfortable, turned to Karuizawa. "Please apologize."
Karuizawa sighed dramatically, already reaching for her wallet. "Fine, fine. I'll pay for the dry cleaning. Happy?"
Kushida nodded, still smiling. "Of course."
But everyone in the room could tell — that smile didn't reach her eyes.
Ayanokōji, meanwhile, simply observed the exchange silently, as if analyzing every word, every breath.
Horikita sighed, pinching her temple. "This isn't a playground. Let's focus."
And with that, the meeting resumed — but the tension never left the room.
Later that night, after the meeting, the dormitory halls were filled with whispers.
Something unusual was happening.
Crowds of students were gathering around the mailboxes — a place rarely used, except for official school notices.
"What's going on?" I asked, joining the crowd alongside Yukimura.
A boy pointed at a letter pinned to the main board. "Look — there's a message."
In bold handwriting, it read:
"Ichinose may be collecting points illegally."— Ryūen Kakeru
The crowd immediately erupted in murmurs.
"What? No way.""Illegally? But Ichinose's always been so straight-laced!""Is this another one of Ryūen's pranks?"
Just then, Ryūen himself appeared, hands in his pockets, wearing that same smug grin.
Beside him — Ichinose Honami, her usual warm smile subdued but still gentle.
"Yo, everyone," Ryūen said, projecting his voice effortlessly. "Since everyone's already here, let's clear this up, shall we?"
Ichinose stepped forward, calm despite the tension. "Ryūen-kun… this kind of accusation isn't very nice, you know."
"Nice?" He chuckled. "You've been suspiciously generous lately — helping other classes, giving away points. So tell us, Ichinose… where's all that money coming from?"
The crowd leaned in.
"I don't think I need to explain my personal spending habits to you," Ichinose replied evenly. "But if the school asks, I'll gladly provide records of my points."
"Oh, really?" Ryūen's grin widened. "Then say it here — how much do you have right now, and how did you get it?"
She hesitated, not because she couldn't answer — but because she wouldn't.
"I don't want everyone knowing how I use my points," she said quietly. "That's private."
The murmur in the crowd grew louder.
Ryūen stepped closer, his voice low but sharp. "Private, huh? Sounds like someone's hiding something."
Ichinose met his gaze without flinching. "Or maybe I just don't trust someone who thrives on lies."
That earned a few gasps from the students.
The two stood there — the embodiment of two completely opposite forces: her warmth against his manipulation.
After a long, tense pause, Ryūen finally smirked. "Heh. Guess we'll see what the school says."
He turned and walked off, his laughter echoing down the hall.
Ichinose exhaled softly, shoulders relaxing only after he was gone.
The next day, the school released an official announcement:
"After reviewing the situation, we have determined that Honami Ichinose has not violated any school rules."
The forums exploded with debate — some praising Ichinose's integrity, others accusing Ryūen of playing dirty again.
But amidst the chaos, I couldn't shake one thought —
Ryūen wasn't just throwing accusations. He was testing reactions.
And if that was true… then the next move in his game was already in motion.
That night, as I sat by my dorm window, watching the city lights shimmer beyond the campus walls, Ibuki texted me.
Ibuki: "Today was… not bad, I guess."Ibuki: "But next time, don't carry me in public again, idiot."Ibuki: "Goodnight."
I chuckled softly, replying:
Me: "Got it. Sleep well, Ibuki."
I put my phone down and leaned back.