Chapter 6: The Ayanokouji Group’s Formation

Time flew by, and soon it was time for Yukimura's fifth study session with Miyake and Hasebe. We'd held the prior sessions at Pallet, but we decided to gather at the café inside Keyaki Mall today. We anticipated that Pallet would be exceptionally crowded, since all the clubs had ceased activities in order for the students to focus on the final.

"Wow, it's even noisier than I imagined," said Yukimura.

He looked overwhelmed by the number of students in the café. We managed to secure seats, but Pallet was practically at full capacity. It was packed with students from all grades sitting in their own study groups.

Despite how focused everyone was on cramming, the library would definitely have been quieter.

"We should've met in the library," said Yukimura, echoing my thoughts. "Or in my room."

"No way. It's easier to do it here. Right, Miyacchi?" asked Hasebe. "Yeah. Archery club is already quiet and tense enough," replied

Miyake.

No one wanted to be stuck in a stuffy room. The modern method was to study while chatting with friends. Degenerative evolution.

"Well, you're the ones who'll be studying. If you say that you can concentrate, then I believe you. Here, I prepared some material," said Yukimura.

He handed Hasebe and Miyake notebooks full of questions on the humanities. The two accepted the material indifferently. The questions were lined up closely, like food stalls packed together at a festival with a fireworks display. Yukimura looked all keyed up. These problems he'd created wouldn't be easy to solve.

"Whoa. You really went overboard. You're merciless, Yukimuu!" said Hasebe. Since she didn't exactly like studying, let alone studying her weakest

subject, I was sure this was torture for her. Miyake, meanwhile, looked as though he was about to vomit. He kept his hands over his stomach while he perused the notebook.

"How can you be so terrified before you even start?" asked Yukimura. "It's just… There are clearly way more questions here than last time,

and they look harder."

"That's a mediocre student's mindset. Think about what you can do first, and challenge yourself," said Yukimura.

"In that case, are the questions simpler than last time?" Hasebe asked. "Of course not."

"Yeah, I knew they'd be tough."

Honestly, the problems Yukimura had come up with really were brilliant. He could probably become a real teacher someday if he tried. He chided students, but never gave up on them, and never raised his voice or lost his patience when they didn't understand something. Had Yukimura, like Horikita, matured? It was incredible.

In the first semester, Horikita and Yukimura had both insisted they were placed in Class D by mistake, as both were superior students. That felt like such a long time ago.

"Come on, Hasebe." Miyake understood that there was no point in grumbling.

"Wow, you're getting pretty gung-ho there, Miyacchi. What's up with you? Is your blood boiling?" she asked.

"I finally got a break from club stuff, but I don't want to spend all my free time studying. Can I head back after I finish?" Miyake asked Yukimura.

"Of course."

Yukimura and Horikita had different teaching methods. While Horikita designated a fixed amount of time for studying, Yukimura was more flexible. His sessions lasted until the students got through all the material, and could therefore finish earlier or later than expected. The method's effectiveness depended on who Yukimura tutored—if he tried this with lackadaisical students like Ike, for instance, it would be a bust. They'd probably just

answer without thinking so they could finish early and escape.

"If you don't have any free time, why not quit the club?" asked Hasebe.

"I want to be in the club. I just also want free time," replied Miyake. "Wow, selfish."

It seemed that Yukimura really had a positive impact on them both. I didn't think they had any remaining doubts about his method's effectiveness.

"All right, Ayanokouji. Starting today, I'll have you do these, too." "Huh…?"

"You get good enough grades, but your partner is Satou. You'll need to prepare and review thoroughly so you don't both get kicked out," said Yukimura.

"No, I—"

"Just do it, Ayanokouji-kun. Let's all die together," said Hasebe, dipping her head low so her hair hung down. She grabbed my hand, as if she were a vengeful spirit trying to drag me into a well.

"Welcoooome," she moaned.

A shiver ran up my spine as I was swallowed by the terrible darkness of the humanities questions.

6.1

"That reminds me. There's a guy named Yoshimoto-kun in Class C, right? Do you know him, Miyacchi?"

"Yoshimoto Kousetsu? Yeah, he's in the archery club."

"I heard that he started going out with a second-year. You know about that?" Hasebe, tired of studying, started to gossip.

"Nope. But, come to think of it, he's been in a real hurry to leave as soon as club ends lately. That must be why."

If you were an adult in your thirties, an age difference of a year or two didn't matter much. For high school students, though, trying to date someone even one grade above you was tricky. At least, I was fairly sure that was how things worked.

"It seems as if Yoshimoto-kun's really into it. He said they're going to get married someday. Jeez, guys are morons, aren't they?" Hasebe and Miyake's conversation completely derailed their focus.

"Talk about the future later. First, get your work done," said Yukimura. "I know, I know. We're just taking a short break," said Hasebe. She

didn't seem to care what Yukimura said. "Yes. Very short."

"Wow, okay, I feel those sarcastic vibes. I'm gonna get a refill."

"You're having even more sugar? Your coffee's so ridiculously sweet, I'm shocked you can drink it," said Miyake.

"Well, I struggle to understand why anyone would drink their coffee black." Hasebe started to get up, but stumbled slightly over the backpack she'd placed at her feet. "Whoa!"

She dropped her empty cup. My eyes followed it as it rolled along the ground, until it stopped rolling by a particular student's feet.

"Ah, sorr—" Hasebe started to apologize. However, the student's foot crushed the cup.

"My, you seem to be enjoying yourselves. Mind if we join?" asked Ryuuen.

"What are you…?" Hasebe glared at the Class C guys. An understandable reaction. Ryuuen had a smug grin on his face. Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondou, the evergreen trio of goons, stood behind him.

There was also one girl with them whom we hadn't seen before. She stood next to Ishizaki, and appeared extremely calm.

"Hey!" said Hasebe. "Why'd you stomp on my cup like that?" "It rolled up to my feet, so I thought you were throwing it away. I

stomped it to save you the trouble," said Ryuuen.

He kicked the crushed cup back toward Hasebe, laughing. A little of the remaining liquid splashed onto the ground.

Miyake slowly stood. "Hey, Ryuuen. Knock it off."

"Oh? And whom exactly do you think you're speaking to, buddy?" Ishizaki grabbed Miyake by his collar.

"I wasn't talking to you. Lackeys should mind their own business, Ishizaki," said Miyake, shaking off his grip.

"Bastard!" shouted Ishizaki, attracting other patrons' attention.

Surprisingly, that outburst enraged Ryuuen most of all. "Shut up. Are you really trying to throw down, Ishizaki?"

"S-sorry. Miyake was getting full of himself, so I—"

"Reckless idiots amuse me, but I need you to behave yourself for

now."

"Yes…"

Ryuuen was right to rein in Ishizaki. Senior students, store clerks, and

several surveillance cameras surrounded us. Nothing went unseen here, and if Class C started trouble, they would pay for it.

"I have no business with you. I'm interested in those two," said Ryuuen to Miyake, glancing at Yukimura and me. "Did you receive my gift?"

Naturally, Yukimura was bewildered. "What in the world are you

talking about?"

Ryuuen looked to me. Without a doubt, the "gift" was the email he'd sent me the other day, the one that said, What are you?

"Who knows?" I feigned ignorance. Ryuuen's methods were heavy- handed. I wouldn't dig my own grave by answering his questions.

"So, how about it? Did you catch something, Hiyori?" Ryuuen glanced at the girl with him.

"I can't say anything at this stage," she replied.

A lot of the students working under Ryuuen were terrified of him, but this Hiyori was completely calm. She kept looking back and forth between Yukimura and me. What in the world was Ryuuen planning?

"Both their faces are weak. I'll probably forget them immediately," she added.

"Heh heh, come now. These are our future friends, after all." "Yukimura-san, Ayanokouji-kun, Kouenji-kun. Who was the other

guy?" she asked.

"It was Hirata."

"Yes, that's right. Hirata-san. Why are faces and names so hard to remember?" Hiyori was a complete mystery. I was concerned that Ishizaki was being this polite around her.

"It looks like the only one you'll remember is Kouenji." "Well, he's unique," she replied.

So, Ryuuen suspected Hirata and Kouenji as well. Though Kouenji was

far from a team player, it was only natural that Ryuuen was cautious of his talent. That said, I had a hunch that Ryuuen would never consider Kouenji a suspect if he knew what a natural-born weirdo Kouenji really was.

"What the hell do you want, Ryuuen?" asked Miyake aggressively. "We're busy. If you've got something to say, say it."

"Nothing. I just came to say hello. But I'll tell you something. We'll be seeing you again real soon," said Ryuuen.

"What does that mean?"

Ignoring Miyake, Ryuuen left with his lackeys in tow. At his departure, the café immediately grew lively again.

However, Hiyori remained, still watching us. We couldn't concentrate under these circumstances.

Hasebe spoke up. "What is it? You're getting in the way of our studies," she grumbled.

"Just wait," replied Hiyori.

"Huh? Look, I'm telling you that you're distracting us, so just go away.

Understand?" said Hasebe, in a bad mood now that Ryuuen had crushed her cup.

Hiyori responded with an odd smile. She grabbed her bag and walked over to the cash register.

"What was that about?" asked Hasebe.

"Who knows? I don't want to know," said Yukimura.

"That's Shiina Hiyori from Class C. I've seen her before," said Miyake.

Hiyori placed an order at the register, then returned with two cups. "Please accept this," she said.

"What are you up to?" asked Hasebe.

"It's quite all right. You needn't be so wary of me. Please allow me to apologize on Class C's behalf. I went ahead and took the liberty of adding some sugar. Do you mind?" said Hiyori.

"Adding some…hmm? Wow, this is tasty! It's exactly the same as what I was just drinking!" exclaimed Hasebe.

"I noticed that a lot of sugar had collected at the bottom of the cup Ryuuen crushed, so I assumed that you liked your coffee sweet. I'm glad to see I wasn't mistaken," said Hiyori.

"It tastes like you put in the exact amount of sugar I did. Coincidence?" asked Hasebe.

"I used the amount of undissolved sugar to estimate how much you put in at first," replied Hiyori.

"Huuuuh?! You can do that?!"

"Despite how I may look, I'm actually quite perceptive." Hiyori fixed her gaze on Yukimura, then me, and then Miyake. "You're holding a study session, aren't you?"

"Girls like you just totally sap my energy," grumbled Hasebe.

Yukimura hurriedly closed everyone's notebooks.

"Do you happen to think that I'm a spy?" asked Hiyori. "We definitely think you're a spy."

"I wouldn't, if I were you. I generally keep my distance from Ryuuen-

kun."

me."

"Wait a minute. Didn't Ryuuen-kun just call you by your first name?" "I insisted that he let me accompany them to see you. Class D interests

The rest of the study group tilted their heads in apparent confusion,

unable to understand Hiyori's words or intentions. I imitated them, cocking my head to the right as I pretended that I didn't realize what was going on, either.

"You don't know?" asked Hiyori. "It's all anyone in Class C talks about right now. They say a master tactician's hiding in Class D, disguising his or her true identity. Apparently, this tactician has contributed significantly to Class D's successes, from the island test to the cruise ship and sports festival. You really don't know?"

Hasebe, Yukimura, and Miyake almost had question marks floating above their heads. "I honestly have no clue what you're talking about," said Yukimura. "Do you mean Horikita?"

"Yeah. The only person I can think of is Horikita-san," Miyake agreed. "It's not Horikita Suzune-san," said Hiyori flatly. "Ayanokouji-san,

you spend a great deal of time with Horikita-san, right?"

"Not so much recently, but I've probably spent more time with her than with others," I replied.

"You do sit right next to her, don't you?"

Hasebe and Miyake backed me up. "But there's no one smarter than Horikita-san is."

"Yeah. She comes up with all Class D's strategies."

It was important that I appeared like a typical Class D student right

now.

"I see," said Hiyori. "You all feel the same, is that it?"

"Can you please stop interrupting our study session?" muttered Yukimura.

"I apologize. I'm disturbing your studies, aren't I?" "Yes, you're exactly right. You are," said Yukimura. "You don't have to be so harsh, Yukimuu," Hasebe said.

"If you're fine with failing and getting kicked out of school, go ahead and chat with her. I'll head back," said Yukimura.

"I-I'm sorry, really. Please forgive me. I'd like you to keep tutoring me," said Hasebe. She bowed her head.

Hiyori stood up from her seat, looking apologetic. "I'm very sorry. You're right that it'd be a real risk not to take this test seriously," she said.

Was that a dig at the bad students? Although I got the impression that Hiyori was naturally rather aloof, I wasn't certain whether she could be trusted or not.

"Let's talk about that stuff after the final exam's over." Hiyori picked up her cup and made to go.

"Thank you for the coffee. It was yummy," said Hasebe. "No problem at all. Goodbye," said Hiyori.

With that, she left alone after showing up with Ryuuen. She might have come here as part of Ryuuen's plan to trap me, but I couldn't be too careful. I decided to investigate Hiyori.

6.2

Since we all lived in the same dormitory, we walked back together.

Fiddling with his phone, Yukimura recorded today's progress.

"It's been a long time since I studied this hard!" Hasebe said. "Six hours in class, plus another two hours afterward, right? There's gotta be, like, almost no students in the world who have to study that much, huh?"

"Those Class C students interrupted us and wasted our time, though," said Miyake.

"But we didn't let them throw us off. We studied hard today!" replied Hasebe.

An irritated look flashed across Yukimura's face at their happy chatter. "You've got to be joking. When university entrance exams begin, you'll need to study for at least three hours after class. Four hours, if you can manage it. And I mean every day. When exams are close, you'll want to study ten hours a day on your own."

"Huuuh? No way, no way! There's no way I can study like that. Come on, you know that, Yukimuu," said Hasebe.

"My older sister is a teacher. She always studied that much before an exam as her usual routine."

"Well, maybe you just come from a really elite lineage! Yukimuu, are you thinking of becoming a teacher?"

"There's nothing particularly 'elite' about becoming a teacher. If I wanted that, why would I come to a school like this, one unlike any others in the world?"

Yukimura had a point. If you wanted to be a teacher, there wasn't any particular benefit in specifically choosing this school.

"So, why did you come here?"

"It doesn't really matter. Do you want to ask everyone why they decided to enroll? If you had someone trying to pry into your business, you'd understand how it feels," said Yukimura.

He was clearly trying to shoot Hasebe down, but unfortunately, his response appeared to have the opposite effect. Hasebe didn't look particularly upset. Rather, she volunteered her own life story.

"I got interested in the school because of the promotional advertising they ran, you know? I mean, advancing to higher education or getting a good job just because you graduated from here? Who wouldn't choose this place? Isn't that good enough for most people?" she said.

"A lot of people also enroll here because it's free. We don't even have to pay for our dorms, and the campus is set up so that we can survive without using any points. Right now, I appreciate that more than any guarantees after graduation," said Miyake.

"Don't you think that's kind of lame? I mean, being able to go to university or get a job anywhere is incredible," said Hasebe.

"Look, talk about your dreams after we're done with the final exam. The system you expect great things from won't do anything for you if you don't graduate from Class A, Hasebe," said Yukimura.

"There's gotta be some kind of bonus, though, right?" she replied. "Like, maybe the school lied about how only Class A wins. If we manage to graduate, who's to say we can't do whatever we want?"

"That's not very likely. If that were the case, we'd have heard about it, and I've heard nothing of the sort, not even during club activities. Besides, the second and third-year Class D students seem pretty miserable," said Miyake.

He had a point. I'd sensed no drive or ambition from the third-year Class D student I met earlier in the year.

"If we don't make it to Class A, graduating from this school could even have a negative impact on our careers. That's why I absolutely must graduate from Class A," said Yukimura.

"Ah, wow. That'd be the worst," agreed Hasebe.

Good colleges looked for people who'd attended prestigious schools and boasted impressive personal accomplishments. However, as far as the Advanced Nurturing High School was concerned, you were a defective product if you graduated from anything other than Class A. Universities and

corporations had to know that about our school.

"Miyacchi, you've really committed to this study group, huh? And here I thought you'd quit right away," said Hasebe.

"Well, don't you think it's odd that you're still here? You usually don't want anything to do with anyone," said Miyake.

"Well, sure. But if it's a study group with you three, it's all right," she replied.

"Hasebe, do you mind if I ask you a question?" I said. "Hmm?"

"Are you and Satou close?"

"Satou-san? No, not especially. I don't really like big groups, anyway.

If you're curious about her, shouldn't you ask Karuizawa-san?"

If I could do that, I wouldn't be this stressed out. I didn't want to talk about this with anyone too close to Satou. "Well…"

I couldn't tell Hasebe the truth. Yukimura noticed that I was in trouble and spoke up. "I understand why you're concerned," he told me. "She's your partner. Not knowing her strengths and weaknesses has to be nerve-racking."

"Ah, yeah," added Hasebe. "That's right, you did say you guys were paired together."

"Satou and I don't have anything in common, so I can't just talk to her," I replied.

Hasebe put her hands together, as if offering condolences. However, she seemed to have a new idea. "If it's hard to ask Karuizawa-san, why not try asking Kyo-chan? She and Satou-san are close."

"Huh? Kyo-chan?" I didn't recall ever hearing that nickname before. "I'm talking about Kikyou-chan. You hang out with her a lot, don't

you, Ayanokouji-kun?"

This particular task certainly suited Kushida. She knew a lot about the class's internal affairs. If it weren't for the issue with Horikita, I wouldn't have hesitated to ask her for help. However, I doubted that she was someone I could rely on.

Miyake added his two cents. "Yeah. Asking Karuizawa might be one thing, but Kushida should be good, right? She gets along with everyone, doesn't she, Hasebe?"

"Mm-hmm. There're a lot of girls I hate, but I like Kyo-chan. She does so much for the class without even batting an eye, and she's always cheerful. Normally, I don't like talking to other people, but Kyo-chan is special. She actually listens to you, and she'd never ever go around telling others what you said."

"Even you need some girl talk, huh?" said Miyake.

"Rude, Miyacchi. Young maidens have lots of things to talk about," said Hasebe.

"What kinds of things?"

"Why should I tell you? You'd definitely spill the beans to everyone." "Would not. Well, probably not. Depends on what it is."

"If you're worried about anything, it's probably best to discuss it with Kushida," Yukimura told me.

"Right?" agreed Hasebe. "I don't know whether you like Satou-san or not, but if you told Kushida-san, she definitely wouldn't let it slip."

"What? You like Satou, Ayanokouji?" said Miyake.

"I didn't say anything like that. I just asked whether Hasebe was close to Satou, that's all."

"Isn't that kind of suspicious, though?" said Hasebe. "You haven't exactly been tight with Satou-san until now, right?"

"Ayanokouji said that he was worried about Satou because they're partners. Did you already forget that?" asked Miyake.

Hasebe didn't back down. "Because of the way he asked, it just feels like there's more to it, y'know?"

Girls had a powerful radar for secrets that I couldn't comprehend. "That reminds me. Is it okay if we swing by the convenience store real

quick?" Miyake's proposal derailed the conversation. Thank goodness.

Kushida was clearly a vital asset that Class D couldn't afford to lose.

From the very beginning, she'd been involved in everything. She dedicated herself to supporting other students, and now she was seeing the fruits of her labor. Everyone in our class liked her. When someone wasn't present, people usually griped about them, so it was remarkable to hear only good things said about Kushida in her absence.

"Ah, yeah. I need to make a stop for some treats, too. Come on, guys," said Hasebe.

"You're such a child," said Yukimura. Still, he joined them.

6.3

The four of us stood outside the convenience store, eating ice cream. "Whew, having ice cream when it's slightly chilly outside is a trip,"

said Hasebe, bringing a spoonful of vanilla ice cream to her mouth.

Yukimura must not have eaten ice cream much, because he was reading the ingredients. "This is just a smorgasbord of preservatives and food coloring."

"How do you enjoy anything if you're that worried about every single detail?" said Hasebe.

"I'm particular about what I eat. I've been thinking about how I was in such poor shape when we were on the island. Now, I buy my food from the organic section in the supermarket."

"You sure are serious," said Hasebe.

"Besides, convenience store food is expensive. If you just make the short trip over to the mall, you can get the same things at a lower price. Why not buy your groceries more efficiently?" asked Yukimura, pointing to the grocery bags that Hasebe carried.

"Yukimuu, you're not one of those penny-pinching misers, are you?" "I'm just conscientious about money. Also…what's with calling me

'Yukimuu'?"

"You're Yukimura-kun, so, Yukimuu. When I make friends with someone, I give them a nickname. Miyacchi, Yukimuu, and Ayanon. Hmm… for some reason, Ayanon doesn't really roll off the tongue," said Hasebe.

There it was. My first iffy nickname.

"Quit calling me Yukimuu. It's embarrassing." "You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that. I said it's embarrassing."

"Come on, it's not a big deal."

"It's just that calling me Y-Yukimuu in front of other people is a little…" Yukimura trailed off.

Hasebe responded with a surprisingly serious look. "You know, I think our friendship is coming along nicely," she said.

"A friendship where we can use nicknames, you mean?"

"Well, you and Ayanon are like me and Miyacchi. We're all loners, right?" said Hasebe.

"Hmm. I suppose so."

"Now that I've actually tried becoming a member of this group, I feel more comfortable than I expected. Also, Yukimuu and Ayanon, you don't have many friends, right? We're more than halfway through the second semester, so I thought I'd like to be friends with a new group. It's not like I'm trying to make up for lost time or anything. I just wanted to give you guys nicknames so that we could open up to each other. What do you two think?" asked Hasebe.

Miyake spoke up. "Yeah. This isn't too bad. I feel like I've gotten used to being in a group. I don't get along well with Sudou and those guys, and I think Hirata's kinda in another league. He's always surrounded by girls."

"Right? So, what do you two think?" Hasebe repeated.

Both Hasebe and Miyake seemed to want the four of us to be friends.

Would Yukimura turn them down?

"I just wanted to oversee your studies. When the test is done, this study group will end. But…I suppose there will be more tests. So, I don't mind forming a group for the sake of efficiency," said Yukimura.

"Okay, that was a little insulting. But…thanks," said Hasebe. "Well, y-yeah. We want to keep the school from expelling anyone,

after all," Yukimura replied.

"That just leaves Ayanon. Oh, but Ayanon, since you're already in a group with Horikita-san, will this be difficult for you? You hang out with Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun, too," said Hasebe.

"Well, I'm not better or worse than any of our classmates, but I think I'm a little different," I replied. "There are lots of ways Ike, Horikita, and I

aren't compatible. I suppose it's good that I don't have to pretend to be someone I'm not around you guys. Horikita and I just sit next to each other in class. It's not like we're in a clique or anything."

"I see. Well then, it's decided. From now on, we'll be known as the Ayanokouji Group. Nice to meet all you group members!"

"Wait. Why'd you name the group after me?"

"Well, you brought us together, more or less. Isn't that enough?" "I don't object. Besides, it'd be weird if we called ourselves the

Yukimura Group," said Yukimura.

"One more thing. From here on out, let's ban the use of formal surnames in the Ayanokouji Group," said Hasebe.

"You can go ahead and ban whatever, but I won't say M-Miyacchi, or…A-Ayanon, or anything like that. It's embarrassing," said Yukimura.

It would definitely feel really weird for Yukimura or me to call Miyake something like "Miyacchi." I was relieved that Yukimura felt the same.

"Well, let's at least use first names. My name's Haruka. You can call me whatever you want. What's your first name again, Miyacchi?" said Hasebe.

"It's Akito."

Hasebe looked expectantly at Yukimura and me.

"Akito, huh? Easy enough. Ayanokouji, your first name's Kiyotaka, isn't it?" said Yukimura. We'd been roommates during the cruise.

"And your first name's Teruhiko, right, Yukimura?" I replied. Yukimura's expression darkened for some reason. "You remembered?"

he asked. He looked troubled by that.

"So, Yukimuu's first name is Teruhiko, huh? Wonder if I should think of another nickname," said Hasebe.

"Knock it off," snapped Yukimura. Hasebe shrank back. "Is something wrong?" I asked.

"I'm okay with calling you all by your first names. I accept that much.

But will you please stop calling me Teruhiko?" he replied.

"So, you're fine calling us by our first names, but you hate being called by your first name?!" asked Hasebe.

"It's not that I don't like any of you. It's just that I hate my name. I never really had to worry about it before, because no one called me by it," said Yukimura.

"It's not especially unconventional. Isn't it actually pretty common?" asked Miyake. "Is there any particular reason why you hate it?"

"Yes. My mother named me Teruhiko. She's a contemptible woman who left the family when I was little, so I reject the name she gave me," said Yukimura. Hasebe and Miyake's faces stiffened, and Yukimura changed the topic. "Sorry. I made you uncomfortable."

"No, no, I'm sorry. I just blurted out your name without permission, after all," said Hasebe.

"You don't need to apologize. You didn't know. Most people like using their first name, after all. I'd prefer not to ruin the mood, so why don't you call me Keisei from now on? It's the name I've used since I was a child," said Yukimura.

"Keisei? So, you have two first names, Yukimuu? This is crazy complicated."

"Keisei isn't my real name. It's the name my father wanted to give me, so I made it my own after my mother left. You could call me Keisei or Yukimura," he replied.

If that was what he wanted, that was what we would do. Besides, it wasn't weird for someone to have two different names. Ordinary people made a habit of it, as did celebrities.

"Well, I didn't mean to use a name you didn't like. Right, Miyacchi?" "Yeah. Nice to meet you, Keisei."

"Sorry for being so selfish about that…Kiyotaka, Akito, and Haruka," replied Yukimura.

"No worries. Everyone's got their own issues," I said.

Just like I had a past that I didn't want exposed, Yukimura…no, Keisei…also had a past he wanted to hide.

I tried saying everyone else's names just like Keisei had done. "Akito, Keisei, and…Haruka, right? I'll remember those," I told them. It was even more stressful to call a girl by her first name.

"Anyway, Kiyotaka? We won't call you 'Ayanon,' but what about 'Kiyopon'?" Haruka seemed stuck on the issue of my name. "Yeah, that one definitely rolls off the tongue better. Yukimuu, do you want to call him that, too?"

Whoa. I'd gotten an even more embarrassing nickname. Just thinking about Hasebe calling me "Kiyopon" in front of people gave me goosebumps.

"I won't call him that. It's embarrassing. I already decided to call him Kiyotaka," said Yukimura.

In the end, we decided to call one another by our given names. Before long, it felt completely natural.

I looked behind me to check on the person following us.

Were you okay with just listening in, Sakura?

Every time we'd held a study session, Sakura had tailed us. Today, she watched from a slight distance. She probably couldn't hear everything we said, maybe enough to just barely get the gist of our conversation. The moment this new group formed was probably her last chance to join.

If she didn't assert herself, then…

"Well, now that we've all learned one another's names, let's start over.

From here on, the four of us will be known as—" "U-u-um, excuse me!"

CRASH! The trash can next to us rattled. Sakura clambered back to her feet and walked over, tense and nervous.

"Sakura?" The others said her name simultaneously. "I-I also want to join Ayanokouji-kun's group!"

Sakura summoned up every last bit of courage she could to force those words out. She was incredibly nervous, her face turning a deep shade of red. She was so flustered that she didn't notice that her glasses were crooked.

"Do you want to join the group because you're anxious about the exam? I mean, when you consider your own scores and your partner, it'd be

understandable if you were worried, Sakura," said Keisei. "Personally, I think you should join Horikita's group. I'm not sure I can tutor too many people.

Besides, your situation's different. You probably need to work on other subjects."

Sakura tried again. "N-no, it's not that. I just… I genuinely want to join the group!" she answered.

As the saying went, shame committed on a journey could be left behind. Or, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

"Come on. It's fine if Sakura participates. She kinda fits in with the group," said Akito.

"Is letting me join really all right?" she asked.

"I mean, adding one person's not a big deal. Besides, it isn't like you need any qualifications to take part. We're all loners, so I think it's appropriate. Am I wrong?"

"Loners, huh? Well, I guess you're right," I mused. "Keisei, is it okay with you?"

"I have no objections. But I don't want our group to grow any larger than this. Sakura is easy to accept, but if someone annoying joins, I'm done," said Keisei.

"Th-thank you, Miyake-kun… Yukimura-kun…"

The only person left was Haruka. She was usually welcoming, but this time, she didn't have a smile on her face.

"Sorry, Sakura-san, but you haven't convinced me yet," said Haruka. "Ah…so I-I, uh, I can't…?"

"Well, look. I'm really looking forward to being part of this group. Or, rather, I get the feeling I'm going to enjoy it. So…" Haruka pointed at Sakura. "If you want to join, you have to follow our one big rule. We call each other by our first names, or by nicknames. So, Sakura-san, uh…" Haruka looked at me. "Wait, what's her first name again?"

"Airi," I replied without missing a beat.

"We'll all call you Airi, and you'll use all of our first names. Are you okay with that?"

Sakura wasn't good at dealing with interpersonal relationships. We all knew that, which was why Haruka was testing to see whether she could manage this.

"U-um…"

I tried to help the bewildered Sakura. "Keisei, Akito, and Haruka." "K-Keisei-kun, Akito-kun, Haruka…san… Whew…" said Sakura,

barely whispering the words.

"There's no need to use honorifics, right?" Akito said.

"Yeah. As long as you use our first names, that's good enough. Now, all that's left is using Kiyopon's nickname."

Sakura's face reddened. A mysterious sound escaped her lips. "Ah- hyuu!"

"You've seemed pretty close to Kiyopon for a while now, so calling him that shouldn't be a stretch, right?" said Haruka. She was merciless.

"Kiyotaka is fine," I said. Kiyopon was a bridge too far. It was embarrassing even in my head.

"Ki-Kiyo-Kiyo…pyo!"

Everyone focused on Sakura. She hated attention, which made her stammer, which made them pay more attention. It was turning into a vicious cycle.

"I don't know what kind of effect this group will have on you, but I think it's good that you're joining, Sakura. You've taken a big step forward. Just one more step can't hurt," I told her gently.

"Yeah…K-Kiyotaka-kun. I look forward to studying with you all." Sakura looked me square in the eye.

"Okay, you passed. I'm in favor of Airi joining us," said Haruka. With that, Sakura became part of the group. "Come on, Kiyopon, try calling Airi by her first name."

"Uh…hi, Airi."

"H-hello!"

Even though we were stiff and nervous, we both managed.

"From now on, we five are the Ayanokouji Group. Looking forward to it!" said Haruka.

Apparently, the group would be named after me whether I liked it or

not.

6.4

And so, the Ayanokouji Group (saying it still felt weird) was officially established. We began to make plans together, including Airi. Haruka created a group chat, making it much easier to talk when we weren't physically together. Because we were often alone in our rooms, our chats were lively and long.

After we finish class tomorrow, do you all feel like seeing a movie to take our minds off things? Haruka texted.

Wait, are you talking about that one new movie?

Yeah, yeah, that one. I heard that it comes out tomorrow. Since everyone's studying right now, scoring tickets should be easy!

I suppose that taking a break is a good idea. When you say "you all," I assume I'm invited?

Of course! You're part of the group, Yukimuu. But I guess I did spring this on you guys. If you don't have time, we can wait and go after the test.

Akito hadn't seen these messages yet, but when he did, he'd probably agree to go. I wondered whether I should take the initiative here. Even though I was a little nervous, I replied in the group chat. I'll join you.

A message from Airi came only a few seconds later. I want to go, too. All right. If Akito goes, I'll come as well, replied Yukimura.

Akito himself sent a response in a couple minutes. Sounds good to me.

Can you reserve our tickets?

Sure. I'll collect points from you later. Thanks, everyone!

The group chat quieted down after that. Haruka had probably switched over to her web browser to reserve our seats online.

I'm looking forward to seeing the movie, Airi texted me.

Yeah, me too.

I'm really excited about tomorrow, Kiyotaka-kun. Goodnight. She ended the chat on that especially polite note.

"So, I'm going to the movies with a group, huh?" I muttered to myself.

It seemed I was somehow developing a social life. This'd be normal for anyone else, but I trembled with a kind of excitement I'd never experienced before. I decided I should probably hit the sack early to make sure I wasn't sluggish tomorrow.

My phone rang, and I answered it. "Seems like you're awake," said Horikita.

"It's still only ten o'clock. Do you need something?"

"The library study groups are just about finished. After tomorrow's session, I'd like to make some final preparations for the exam. Can you come along with me? If you could tell Yukimura-kun as well, that'd be a big help."

"Tomorrow, huh?" That was the day I'd just agreed to see a movie.

"If that's inconvenient, the day after tomorrow is fine. But Thursday is the limit. The questions are almost complete, but I think we need to change some of them."

"I'll talk it over with Keisei. Is it okay if we're late? We should also get in touch with Hirata and Karuizawa ahead of time, if we need to," I told Horikita.

"Keisei? It seems like you and Yukimura-kun have gotten quite close. You don't need to worry about the other two. I already talked to them," said Horikita.

I wasn't the only one who'd gotten closer to others, evidently. Horikita seemed to have successfully bridged the divide between herself and the students in her study sessions. I'd be delighted if she got on good terms with Hirata and Karuizawa, at the very least.

Just as I hung up, I received another text. Apparently, I was popular tonight. This time the message wasn't from Airi, though, but from Karuizawa.

I confirmed that a girl was walking around today asking whether people saw how much sugar Hasebe-san puts in her coffee. Apparently, Hasebe puts a ton in, so people had noticed.

Just as I thought. Rather than being incredibly perceptive, Hiyori was quick-witted. She'd pretended to display remarkable powers of observation to

shake us up.

I think that Horikita's going to contact you about tomorrow, but we plan to meet around 8 p.m.

Isn't that pretty late? Karuizawa asked.

I'm busy before that. I'm going to a movie with my study group. A movie? Are you seeing that new one, by any chance?

Seems like you know it. Anyway, I have a favor I'd like to ask of you.

I gave Karuizawa detailed instructions. Once she finished reading everything, she sent me an irritated reply. This is another super-annoying errand. What are you even after?

I'll explain when it's done. It's for your own sake. Yeah, sure. See ya tomorrow.

I thought that was it from her. However, immediately afterward, I received another message. There wasn't any text, but there was a little sticker. It was a cute strawberry shortcake with a bunch of candles in it.

Happy belated.

That additional message popped up after the cake. Karuizawa didn't text me again.

"She noticed that it was my birthday? But how?"

I hadn't told anyone about my birthday. Then I recalled that our chat app had a field for your birthdate, in addition to the fields for your name and email address. I hadn't chosen to keep that information private.

I'd thought that no one would notice my birthday this year. Karuizawa was the first.

After finishing my conversation with her, I deleted all the texts.

Though I hesitated, I also deleted the birthday sticker she sent. Afterward, I accessed Karuizawa's profile and saw that her birthday was March 8.

"Guess I'll remember that."

6.5

Class the next day felt surprisingly long. Maybe that was because I'd gradually begun to look forward to the study sessions with my friends. When school was done, I headed toward the movie theater with Yukimura and the others.

"It kinda feels exciting to go out with everyone…K-Kiyotaka-kun," said Airi, walking next to me. She sounded reserved, but also upbeat. She was like a child, but I felt the same way, so I guess I was childish, too.

"Yeah, it does. It's not a bad feeling." "Hee hee. Kiyotaka-kun."

"What's up?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" "You said my name."

"I-I did?! S-sorry, you must've heard wrong!"

I didn't think I'd misheard her. Upon arriving at the Keyaki Mall, we immediately went to the movie theater. Haruka had bought the tickets ahead of time, and she handed them out to us one by one.

"I'm looking forward to this."

"Ayanokouji-kun!" Satou Maya's voice called out to me. Why was she

here?

"Hey, are you going to see that movie right now? You know, that one

everyone's talking about?!" she asked excitedly. "To tell you the truth, I came here to see it, too. So did Karuizawa-san and the others," she added.

Behind Satou, a crowd of girls approached the theater. "Looks like it," I replied. "Did Karuizawa invite you?"

"Nope. When I mentioned wanting to see a movie after our study group, Karuizawa-san said that she wanted to come, too. So, we all decided to go. Since we're all here, let's see it together!" said Satou, quickly latching on to my arm.

"Huuuh?!" Airi yelped.

"H-hey, knock it off," I told Satou.

"Huh? Why? This is okay, isn't it?" she asked. Satou sounded calm and composed, but her face was red. She was trying a little too hard.

"Oh, what a coincidence. Yukimura-kun, Ayanokouji-kun. Oh, and Hasebe-san and Sakura-san, too," said Karuizawa in a slightly condescending manner.

It wasn't a coincidence at all. I'd told her last night.

"What an unpleasant coincidence. I'm going inside." Keisei went on ahead by himself, looking rather indignant.

"Well, guess I'll go, too," I said.

Separating myself from Satou somewhat forcefully, I followed Keisei inside the theater. It was almost entirely full, and the scent of popcorn and hot dogs tickled my nostrils. We'd reserved the five seats farthest to the back and right. Satou, Karuizawa, and their group had gone to buy popcorn and soda, and hadn't come in yet.

As I sat down, Airi leaned over and whispered to me. "Um, K- Kiyotaka-kun?"

Since everyone around us was chatting loudly, I didn't think she needed to speak that softly. "What's the matter?"

"Well, Kiyotaka-kun, it's… Recently, you've gotten along pretty well with, um, Satou-san, right?" she asked.

Considering what Airi had seen, it wasn't surprising that she was curious. However, I needed to keep that particular rumor from spreading. "That's not how it is. Satou and I are exam partners. We've been studying together."

"B-but…p-people don't normally walk, um, a-arm-in-arm like that, do they?"

"That wasn't really arm-in-arm. She just grabbed me," I replied.

"Well, if you dislike it, you could just, um, shake her off," said Airi.

While timid, Airi's comeback was correct. I'd passively gone along with Satou.

"I understand. I don't think there will be a next time." "A-also…"

There was more?

"Before we partnered up, you went somewhere with Satou-san alone, didn't you?" she asked.

I remembered the day Satou had called me over in the classroom.

Hadn't Airi watched me?

"I-Is there s-something g-going between you two?" "No."

Well, that wasn't entirely true. Then again, all Satou did was get my contact information. Besides, Airi and I had also exchanged contact information. It was nothing to feel weird about.

"Not convinced?" I asked.

"N-no, I am. S-sorry. I've been asking you all these strange questions… Did I make you uncomfortable?"

"Not at all. If there's something bothering you, you can ask me any time," I told her.

"I'll keep an eye on you, then, Kiyotaka-kun," she replied. "L-Leave it to me!"

Er, thanks? Not too closely, I hope.

Well, I didn't want to burst Airi's bubble. She looked very confident

now.

After that, I enjoyed the movie in peace and quiet. Well, as much as I

could. The movie itself was very strange.

6.6

There were many shops in the Keyaki Mall. Most were establishments people frequented daily, like supermarkets, but there were specialty shops as well. For example, there were stations that helped deal with any electric, gas, or water utilities problems you might have, and a delivery service that brought items from the convenience store to your room. There was also a dry cleaner's that a salaryman would probably use frequently, but students at this school didn't need as often. Unless you happened to get a blazer dirty, of course.

It was past eight o'clock on Thursday night, and our test was next week. It was closing time for the shops, so everyone from Class D gathered in a karaoke room. You could hold a meeting there without having to worry about anyone overhearing. Although it probably would have been best to do this in someone's room, none of us wanted to.

"Hey, is it okay if I sing?"

"Wait, Karuizawa-san. We didn't meet here to have fun," said Hirata.

"Even though we came all this way, and there's karaoke right here?" "We came because you said that you didn't want to use the dorms to

study."

"Yeah, fine. But, come on, isn't it kinda stupid to go all the way out to a place that has karaoke and not sing?"

"Just enjoy the food and drinks and deal with it," said Horikita.

Karuizawa had already put in an order. There was a bunch of junk food on the table, plus the drink she'd gotten for herself.

"Then let's sing a duet together after the meeting's over, Yousuke-

kun."

"Sure," said Hirata. "It'll be nice to relax afterward."

"I agree," replied Karuizawa. "I do want to make sure we discuss this

test, but it's been quite a while since I could do karaoke."

"Okay, I'm going to start," said Horikita, ignoring Karuizawa. "First,

our study sessions. To be perfectly honest, I think the results have been fantastic. The boys were imbeciles at first, so I was worried, but fortunately, they studied hard."

"It's like an English dictionary is just flying out of my mouth all the time, dude!" said Sudou.

"Sudou-kun has improved significantly compared to where he started.

His concentration, in particular, got better by leaps and bounds. However, Sudou, don't forget that your basic abilities are still inferior to a first-year junior high school student's," said Horikita.

"I studied this hard, and I'm still only at a first-year junior high level?" replied Sudou despairingly.

"Considering that you began at an elementary school level, that's amazing," said Horikita.

"H-Horikita-san, don't you think that's going a little too far?" Hirata

asked.

"He didn't even know that the mathematical constant pi existed until

recently," Horikita countered.

Dang. To think Sudou had lived this long without knowing what pi

was.

"Huh? That's so stupid!" said Karuizawa. Even though Karuizawa

wasn't very studious herself, she was certainly better than that.

"Shut up, Karuizawa. You probably don't even know it either," said Sudou.

"No, no, no, I do. Even I know pi is 3.14," said Karuizawa. Our conversation was rapidly devolving. Everyone involved would end up with a headache.

"Please stop." Yukimura said. "Horikita, is Sudou really going to be okay?"

"Like I said, his fundamental scholastic abilities are low. But if we just focus on the things a first-year, second-semester high school student needs to know, then I think so. He definitely shouldn't expect to fail this exam. What about you, Yukimura-kun? Did you manage to resolve Hasebe-san and Miyake-kun's issues?" asked Horikita.

"Of course. Ayanokouji watched everything closely, so he can back me up on that. Right?" Keisei asked me.

"I don't think there was a better method we could've gone with. I'm not worried about anyone," I replied.

"I'm glad. I'd absolutely hate to lose anybody from Class D," said Kushida.

"Yeah. But are we really going to do okay?" said Karuizawa. She still seemed unsettled. "Look, I hate the idea of having fewer classmates. But this test always gets someone kicked out, right? So, like, there's no guarantee Sudou-kun and I won't fail, right?"

"Well, I can't guarantee that," Kushida said. "But…" "Then don't act like it's a done deal."

The somewhat relaxed atmosphere became tense.

"You know, Kushida-san, I kinda feel as if you've been paying us lip service for a while now," said Karuizawa.

"R-really? But I just want everyone to pass," said Kushida.

"Man, it sure must be nice. Being smart, I mean. You don't have any idea what's gonna happen to me," snapped Karuizawa.

"It's okay, Karuizawa-san. You studied hard in your group," said Hirata.

"Kushida-san, I've wanted to say this to you for a while now. Don't you think you're taking this goody two-shoes act a bit too far?"

"Uh…r-really?" stammered Kushida.

"Can you please calm down, Karuizawa-san? We're in the middle of discussing our final exam. Don't waste our time," said Horikita.

"Be quiet, Horikita-san. Hey, Kushida-san. Are you making fun of me in your head right now? Thinking about how stupid I am?" asked Karuizawa.

"I wouldn't do something like that," said Kushida.

"Then don't patronize me. Tests are always hard for me, no matter how many I take. Are you going to be responsible if I fail?" asked Karuizawa.

This was getting absurd. Karuizawa's inexplicable anger baffled not

just Kushida, but everyone else. Then, in a move no one saw coming, Karuizawa picked up her glass of grape juice and dumped it over Kushida. The juice soaked into Kushida's blazer.

"Karuizawa-san!" Hirata grabbed Karuizawa's hand, which still held the cup. "You can't do this. That's not okay."

"B-but… Are you saying I'm in the wrong here?" asked Karuizawa. "Yes, Karuizawa-san. Kushida-san hasn't done anything bad to you,"

said Horikita. Even she, locked in a cold war with Kushida, couldn't defend this.

"I'm fine, really. I don't mind. Please don't blame Karuizawa-san, okay?" said Kushida.

"No. Karuizawa is at fault here," said Keisei.

"Oh, sure. I'm the bad guy. Kushida-san is the class's favorite, after all," said Karuizawa. She turned toward me, as if I were her last hope. "Hey, Ayanokouji-kun. Whose side are you on?"

"Whose side am I on? There are no sides. You're in the wrong, Karuizawa," I told her.

"I knew it. Everyone is my enemy," said Karuizawa. She got up and grabbed her bag.

"Karuizawa-san. If you leave now, you'll regret it later. I don't want that," said Hirata.

"So, what do you want me to do, then?" barked Karuizawa.

"First, apologize to Kushida-san. That's the most important thing," said Hirata.

Karuizawa wouldn't even listen to her supposed boyfriend. She stood her ground. "So, even though I don't think I did anything wrong, I have to apologize?" she asked.

"You have to talk to her," said Hirata.

Karuizawa stood completely still and silent for a moment. Then, slowly, she spoke. "Sorry."

"No, it's completely all right. I should've been more understanding of how you felt, Karuizawa-san," said Kushida. She could have been angry,

under the circumstances, but forgiveness came easily from her lips.

Karuizawa looked guilty as she sat back down next to Hirata. "I guess I lost my cool. Sorry," she said again. Kushida responded with a gracious smile.

"Thank you." Hirata patted his chest and let out a sigh of relief.

However, this didn't necessarily mean that everything was settled.

"Kushida-san, do you have a spare blazer to wear tomorrow? Will you be okay?" asked Horikita.

"Ah, no. My first blazer got damaged, so this was the only one I had left," said Kushida.

The school had provided us with two blazers each when we first arrived, but accidents happened, and students could simply outgrow their uniforms. A store in the Keyaki Mall specialized in student uniforms.

However, it took time and cost many points to tailor clothing.

"Ain't there a dry cleaner and a laundromat? I could bring your blazer in with some of my sweaty basketball clothes. If I take them in today, you should get the blazer back first thing tomorrow morning," said Sudou.

"I didn't know there was a dry cleaner," replied Kushida. "That sounds like a good solution."

"Well, it's not exactly an apology, but at least let me cover your cleaning fee," said Karuizawa.

"Really, don't worry about it," said Kushida. "I'd feel too guilty if I didn't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Please let me do this much," said Karuizawa, and so, she paid the fee.

6.7

On the way back to my dorm, I came across Katsuragi standing next to a water fountain. He didn't seem to be looking for anyone in particular, so I called out to him.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Ayanokouji? Oh, nothing. Just thinking a little about the final exam next week," he replied.

"In a place like this?"

"I wanted some time alone to think in peace and quiet," said Katsuragi. "Do you feel like the exam will go well?"

I decided to respond honestly. "Dunno. But everyone's studying really

hard."

"Is that so? It would be nice if no one were expelled," said Katsuragi. I didn't feel as if he was particularly concerned for his classmates.

"Did something happen?"

"When you were in junior high, were you ever class representative or on the student council?"

"No, wasn't interested at all," I replied.

"I've been a student council member since elementary school. I even served as student council president in both elementary and junior high. But, after coming to this school, I had to make some significant course corrections," said Katsuragi.

"Come to think of it, you didn't join the student council here."

"I wanted to, but I couldn't get Student Council President Horikita's attention."

So far, this had nothing to do with the final exam.

"At first glance, the student council president and class representatives don't appear to have much authority. Most students think that participating is nothing more than a waste of time and effort. That's why only a few people

want to join the council," said Katsuragi.

I shared the majority's feelings on that. I didn't want any management position.

"However, those roles come with certain privileges. There's a divide between people who hold the positions and people who don't—one that can't be crossed. I've lost those privileges," said Katsuragi.

"But your standing in Class A is still good, right?"

"If that were the case, we absolutely wouldn't have chosen Class B as our target for the final exam," he replied.

True, someone like Katsuragi would've picked Class C or Class D. He'd have chosen the path of strong defense and decisive victory.

"Is it okay to talk to me about your class's internal politics?" I asked. "It's fine. You understand what it's like."

"You know, you should cut yourself some slack. You're trying to

singlehandedly carry Class A, but I bet if you relaxed a little, they'd still be fine. The important thing right now is to maintain your position," I told him.

"I suppose. Hmm…to be told to maintain my position by a Class D student who should be chasing after us," he responded, clearly amused.

"Perhaps I can see things objectively precisely because I can't catch up with you."

When the two of us got to the dormitory, we found a crowd in the

lobby.

"It's pretty noisy in here. Did something happen?" Katsuragi asked. "Dunno. Should we try asking around?" I caught sight of the Professor

and called to him. "What happened?"

"Oh, Ayanokouji, is that you? It seems that all us first years somehow received the same missive in our mailboxes."

"The same letter?"

I slipped through the crowd, went over to my mailbox, and unlocked it.

Others peered over my shoulder as I opened the door.

I took out a letter folded into fourths and walked back to Sotomura.

"Is this…?"

"Yes, it would seem so!"

A few moments later, Katsuragi returned with a similar piece of paper.

We unfolded our letters at nearly the same time. They said:

First-year Class B student Ichinose Honami may be collecting points illegally. —Ryuuen Kakeru

Sotomura showed us the same message on his paper. Katsuragi mumbled, "What is that guy planning by signing his name to this? If this claim is baseless, the school will take disciplinary action against him."

"If he's risking that, does that mean his claim is true?"

"Well, I suppose that this is something I could see Ryuuen doing. If people start to suspect Ichinose of fraud, it'll make her life difficult, regardless of whether it's true. What Ryuuen is doing could be considered defamation, but he wouldn't care about something like that," Katsuragi explained.

It was true. Ryuuen had no reputation to lose.

"Hey, Ryuuen's back!" said one student as Ryuuen entered the building. I wondered whether he knew what had caused all the commotion.

"Hey, Ryuuen. What're you trying to pull?!" One of the Class B guys grabbed him.

"Hmm? What in the world are you talking about?" "This! Your letter! This nonsense you handed everyone!" "Oh, that. Pretty interesting stuff, huh?" said Ryuuen.

"What's so interesting about it?! Look, this is going too far!"

"Fine then, let's see some proof that Ichinose isn't collecting points illegally," Ryuuen replied.

"That's—"

"How about it, Ichinose?" asked Ryuuen, still holding the letter. He looked at Ichinose, who'd just arrived.

"No matter what I say to you right now, you probably won't believe me, will you, Ryuuen-kun?"

"That's right. Besides, it's up to the school to decide whether you're doing something wrong."

"I suppose so. Sorry, everyone. But please don't worry. I'll report to the teachers tomorrow and prove that this is just a misunderstanding on Ryuuen-kun's part," said Ichinose proudly.

"How exactly do you plan on proving that, Ichinose?" asked Ryuuen.

"I'll explain everything in detail. I'll tell them how many points I have, and how I acquired them. If I do that, will you be satisfied?"

"Report it to the school? Why don't you prove it right now, in front of all of us?"

"Will you believe me if I just explain it to you, Ryuuen-kun?" Ichinose countered.

"No, I won't. Spewing lies is probably as easy for you as breathing," Ryuuen taunted.

"Then it stands to reason that, if I report my total points to the school, there shouldn't be any room for fraud, right?"

"Heh. I see. I suppose you have a point," said Ryuuen. "Are you convinced?!" shouted a Class B student.

"Humans are nasty, lying creatures. Isn't it possible that Ichinose is coming up with some kind of scheme to hide the evidence right now?" said Ryuuen.

"What is that guy plotting? Even if Ichinose has lots of points, she's far from the kind of person who'd steal them. Ryuuen has absolutely no chance of succeeding," said Katsuragi. His expression grew even sterner.

"In that case, what can I do to make you believe me?" Ichinose asked Ryuuen.

"First off, say how many points you have right here and now. Second, explain how you acquired those points. I'll report that information to the school tomorrow. If you do that, you'll convince the students who distrust you, right?" said Ryuuen.

"I can't accept, Ryuuen-kun."

"So, you admit that you committed fraud?"

"That's not what I'm saying. It's precisely because I didn't obtain my points illegally that I can't just show you all my cards. If I explain everything to the school tomorrow, they should investigate. On top of that, if I did commit fraud, they'd make everything public anyway, right?"

"There's no guarantee that you'll report your total points to the school like you say you will."

"Then go yourself, Ryuuen-kun. Tell them just what you wrote down in this letter," said Ichinose.

"Really? Heh. Seems like you're pretty confident." Ryuuen snickered. It was true. A guilty person might have been nervous, yet Ichinose remained as calm as ever. "Well, I'll be looking forward to tomorrow."

Ichinose watched Ryuuen board the elevator with a bold smile on his

face.

"Once the seed of doubt is planted, that doubt will grow until it's

eradicated. Even an exemplary student like Ichinose isn't exempt. The deeper the doubt, the greater the loss of trust," said Katsuragi.

He was right. The same thing applied to politicians. However high their approval rating, one damaging lie could cost a great deal of support. Once the lie proved entirely groundless, approval ratings might rebound, perhaps even soar higher than ever. But, generally, it was hard to entirely dispel allegations once they spread.

The next day, Ichinose did as she'd said she would. The school issued an official notice that there was no fraudulent activity. They cleared her of all suspicion.

A while back, I'd noticed that Ichinose possessed well over one million personal points. She'd probably accumulated even more by now.