The morning sun filtered through the classroom windows, pale and cold, painting soft streaks of gold on the desks.The end of the semester was approaching, and with the final exams behind us, there should've been a sense of calm.But peace never lasted long at this school.
The door to Class D slid open with a sharp bang.Everyone turned toward it immediately — because only one person entered rooms like that.
Sudō Ken.
He stormed in, fists clenched, his eyes blazing with barely restrained anger. Even his footsteps carried heat, echoing across the polished floor like a drumbeat of fury.
"Horikita!" he barked. "You got a minute?"
Horikita, who'd been quietly writing something in her notebook, didn't even flinch."Yes, what is it this time?" she asked, voice as calm as winter frost.
Sudō slammed his hands against the nearest desk. "Those damn Class C guys! They're tailing me again! Following me around after practice — calling me names, trying to get me to snap!"
A faint murmur spread across the classroom. Some students whispered among themselves, others just sighed. It wasn't the first time Sudō had been provoked by Ryūen's crew.
But what was surprising was that Sudō hadn't thrown a punch.
Horikita closed her notebook slowly. "And what did you do?"
"I ignored them," he growled, his jaw tightening. "Didn't even look at 'em. Just walked away."
Her eyes softened for a second — just a second. "That's… unexpected. And impressive."
"Don't sound so surprised," Sudō said, though there was pride hiding beneath his annoyance. "I can control myself now. Like you said."
"You're learning," she replied. "That's what matters. But don't let your guard down. If they throw the first punch, walk away."
He nodded reluctantly. "I promised I wouldn't fight. Not even if they start it."
A small smile tugged at Horikita's lips. "Good. You've come a long way, Sudō-kun."
I leaned back in my chair, arms crossed. "Guess you're growing up, huh? Didn't think I'd see the day you'd ignore someone calling you names."
Sudō glared at me, though it was half-hearted. "Shut up, Miyamoto. Don't make fun of me."
"I'm not," I said with a grin. "I mean it. Horikita's right — you've changed."
"Damn right I have," he muttered, scratching the back of his neck. "I'm not gonna get expelled over some dumb fight."
Ayanokōji, who'd been quietly observing from his seat near the back, finally spoke up. "You've made progress, Sudō. That's not something small."
"Yeah?" Sudō said, a hint of pride leaking into his tone. "Guess so."
Horikita glanced at Ayanokōji. "He's ready for the next step."
"The next step?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Yes," she replied simply. "Responsibility."
Ayanokōji smirked faintly. "You're starting to sound like a class leader."
"Am I not?" Horikita said, returning the smirk for once. Then she flipped her notebook open again and began scribbling something down — a list, maybe a plan.
Ayanokōji tried to glance at it, curious, but she closed it sharply.
"No peeking."
He raised an eyebrow. "I was just looking."
"I know," she said. "That's why I closed it."
For a brief second, there was a flicker of something between them — familiarity, but also distance.She wasn't relying on him like before. She was moving forward on her own.
Ayanokōji leaned back in his chair, watching her silently. She's growing, he thought. Faster than I expected.
After Sudō cooled off and sat down, Horikita looked at Ayanokōji again. "So, what do you think Ryūen's trying to achieve this time?"
"Creating chaos," he said immediately. "He likes to stir things when there's no exam. Keeps everyone anxious."
"That's what I thought," she replied. "But this feels different. He's more… focused. Like he's looking for something specific."
"He is," I added. "He's after the mastermind."
Horikita turned toward me, eyes sharp. "You're certain?"
"Pretty much," I said. "He's been watching me, Ayanokōji, even Miyake. He's narrowing the circle."
Ayanokōji nodded slowly. "He's lost interest in you, Horikita. He's moved on."
Horikita crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "I see. I suppose that's progress in its own way."
"Do you miss it?" Ayanokōji asked dryly.
She glared. "Excuse me?"
"His attention," he said, his tone deliberately teasing. "You sound almost disappointed."
Her pen froze mid-scribble. "Do you want to be kicked, Ayanokōji?"
He smiled faintly. "No, not particularly."
Their exchanges had softened over time — still sharp, but laced with mutual respect.Watching them, I couldn't help but chuckle.
Horikita shot me a look. "What's funny, Miyamoto?"
"Nothing," I said, waving it off. "You two just sound like an old married couple sometimes."
Both turned toward me in unison. "We do not," they said simultaneously — which only made me laugh harder.
The mood settled, and Horikita grew thoughtful again.
"It's strange," she murmured. "No one from Class C dropped out during the Paper Shuffle Exam. Not a single person."
"That's true," I said. "Even with how chaotic they are."
Ayanokōji nodded. "Ryūen must have had strong academic support. Maybe Hiyori Shiina or someone else behind the scenes."
Horikita tapped her pen against her notebook. "Or multiple people. Class C isn't just muscle anymore."
"Ryūen's evolving," I added. "That's what makes him dangerous."
She glanced up. "And yet, you sound almost… impressed."
"Maybe I am," I said honestly. "He's the kind of guy who doesn't give up — even when he's cornered."
Ayanokōji didn't respond. He stared out the window instead, the sunlight catching his face.He was thinking — as always — several steps ahead of everyone.
Horikita suddenly broke the silence. "I'll be your decoy."
Ayanokōji blinked. "What?"
"For Ryūen," she clarified. "If he's still searching for the mastermind, I can draw his attention again. You can move freely that way."
"That's… unexpected," he admitted. "You're volunteering?"
She nodded. "I can't keep avoiding risk if I want to grow."
He looked at her for a long moment, then smiled faintly. "You've changed."
"I've learned from experience," she said simply.
I watched them, leaning my chin on my hand. "So this is the famous partnership everyone talks about. No wonder Class D keeps climbing."
Horikita ignored me, flipping a page. "Speaking of climbing, I noticed you've been spending a lot of time with your little group lately."
"You mean Yukimura's study group?" I asked.
"Yes," she said. "The exams are over, yet you still gather almost every night. Why?"
"Because it's fun," I said with a shrug. "They're my friends. It's easy to be around them."
"Fun," she repeated, almost testing the word. "That's… rare for this school."
Ayanokōji glanced at me. "You really enjoy being around them, don't you?"
"Yeah," I said. "They remind me what normal feels like."
He was quiet for a moment, as if considering something.Maybe if Horikita could talk about things other than strategy, he thought, I could treat her the same way.
Horikita closed her notebook and looked at him seriously. "Ayanokōji, I'll need your cooperation."
"On what?"
"Future plans," she said. "Whatever Ryūen's preparing, we'll need to be ready."
He hesitated for a second, then nodded. "You'll have it — as much as I can give."
She raised an eyebrow. "That didn't sound convincing."
"Maybe because it wasn't meant to," he said with a faint smirk.
Horikita sighed but didn't argue. "Fine. I'll take what I can get."
Their conversation trailed off after that, comfortable silence filling the space. The rest of the class chatted softly among themselves, the buzz of normal student life returning. Yet underneath it, tension hummed quietly — like static before a storm.
When the final bell rang, students packed up and drifted out in small groups.Sudō, still simmering but calmer, left with Ike and Yamauchi, muttering something about basketball practice.Horikita stayed behind, sorting through her notes.
Ayanokōji stood by the window, watching the snow start to fall outside again — thin flakes swirling through the pale sky.
"You've really started leading," he said without turning around.
Horikita glanced up. "Someone had to."
"You've changed more than anyone else in Class D," he said quietly.
"Growth is the only way to survive here," she replied. "Even Sudō's proving that."
He smiled faintly. "You're right."
I joined them near the door, slipping my hands into my pockets. "You two really never stop thinking about the next step, huh?"
"That's the difference between people like us and people like you," Horikita said flatly, though her tone was more teasing than cold.
I grinned. "Then I'll stay the 'people like me' type."
"You do that," she said, gathering her things.
Later that evening, as the sky darkened and the snow fell thicker, I sat in the dorm lounge scrolling through my messages.Yukimura had sent a new study schedule.Haruka was arguing in the group chat with Akito about which movie we should watch over winter break.Airi had sent a photo of the snow-covered courtyard — soft and quiet, just like her.
I leaned back, smiling faintly.
But something about the day stuck with me.Ryūen's name, Horikita's decision, Ayanokōji's unreadable calm — all of it felt like pieces of a puzzle moving closer together.
This peace we were enjoying — the laughter, the small moments — wouldn't last.The next special exam was coming, and with it, another storm.
At night, I stepped out onto the dorm balcony. The air was cold enough to sting my lungs, but the view was worth it.Snowflakes drifted lazily under the streetlights, each one glimmering before melting on the railing.
A soft knock on the balcony door made me turn.Ayanokōji stood there, holding two cups of hot tea.
"You look like you're deep in thought," he said, handing me one.
"Maybe I am," I replied, taking it. "You ever wonder what happens when all of this ends?"
He didn't answer right away. "We graduate, I suppose."
"That's it?"
"That's all this place promises," he said, gazing out at the snow. "But what happens along the way… that's up to us."
I took a sip of the tea. It was bitter — just like the school itself.But it was warm.