11 Chapter 11 - Emotions
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"speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." ~Theodore Roosevelt
Big Stick Ideology - The principle that peaceful negotiation and cooperation are preferable but that forceful intervention is necessary when diplomacy fails.
***Flashback***
"I see. So you came here for your 400,000 points, right?" Chabashira said, taking out her phone.
"Not exactly," I say, putting my hands into my pocket. Instead of taking out my phone, I take out a lollipop and start to unwrap it.
Chabashira puts her phone down and looks at me with a hint of annoyance. "What are you up to, Eru?" She asked.
"I have some questions for you, Chabashira sensei. Nothing too unusual, I assure you. If you don't mind…"
Chabashira sighs and puts her phone on her desk. "Go ahead. But make it quick. I have other things to do."
"Very well. On the first day of class, you said we could buy anything from the school. Could you please explain that in more detail?"
Chabashira pauses for a moment as if wondering what I'm getting at. "You're overthinking it. Anything that we can legally and ethically provide to students of your age is available for purchase, as long as you know where to look."
I ponder her words for a second, sucking on my candy. "I see. So it should be possible to change SIM cards and get a new number from the school."
Chabashira raises an eyebrow but answers quickly. "Yes, there is nothing stopping you from doing that. But you can only have one active number per school-issued phone as we use eSIM, and your numbers are linked to your points account."
"I understand. So, the system is not as simple as you made it sound. But that's not a problem for me. I have another question. Is it possible for me to open a secondary points account?" I ask Chabashira.
"No, it is not possible for you to open a second account," she says firmly.
"Sorry, I should have phrased that better. But it doesn't matter. I think I have figured out everything I need to know. So this should be easy. Chabashira sensei, it should be possible to buy another school-issued device with points, right? And since you said only one points account can be linked to one device and not to one student, with this new device, I should be able to get a secondary number and points account, right?" Chabashira nods slowly, looking a bit wary. "Then I guess what I want to ask next is whether I can request some modifications to the device for privacy reasons in exchange for points. For example, things like removing or disabling the internal microphone or getting a hidden number. And am I correct to assume that a hidden number will allow me to remain anonymous during point transactions, as long as I provide the other party with my transaction information since you said our points accounts are tied to our numbers?"
Chabashira smirks. "Yes, that is all correct. And yes, people would not be able to see the name of who they are sending points to or receiving from since the system would not assign a visible name to your number."
"Good. Then I would like you to make those purchases with the points you owe me. Transaction logs can be a dangerous thing, after all. And I'm sure you will benefit from it as well." I say, looking at her with a faint smile.
Chabashira stares at me, thinking to herself. "Fine. I don't know how much such a request would cost, but I'm sure you have enough. And I assume once this purchase is done, you would want to transfer whatever points you have left from me to this new device?"
"You are correct," I say, nodding slightly and turning to leave.
"Wait. Why are you going through all this trouble? If you wanted to be anonymous to deal with other classes, you could just use your classmates." Chabashira asks, curious and suspicious.
"I think you are mistaken, Chabashira sensei. This device is not for dealing with other classes, although I might use it for that purpose. This device is for something else." I say as I turn back to face her, staring her in the eyes. "I once read a story of a king. In his first life, the king lived a life of indulgence and tyranny, resulting in a revolt, his poisoning, and the collapse of his kingdom. Disappointed with the king, God told him, 'You have learned from your mistakes. Now undo them.' And sent the king back to his childhood. In his second life, the king was kind and lenient. His people adored him, unlike his previous life. But adoration does not buy respect. You cannot build a kingdom on love. And that's why in this life, his kingdom also collapsed. No one took the king seriously. Few obeyed the laws. And because of this, people grew to hate the king. And he was stabbed to death by the very people he devoted every ounce of kindness to in this life."
"What are you trying to say? How does this relate to a phone?" Chabashira interrupts, impatient and confused.
I disregard Chabashira and finish the story. "In the afterlife, the king met God again and attempted to plead with him. 'I have tried ruling with an iron fist, and I have tried ruling with kindness.' But before the king could finish his sentence, God replied, 'Then you have learned from your mistakes. Now undo them.' And before he knew it, the king returned to his previous life as a child. But in this life, he realized something. It was not that there was anything inherently wrong with ruling through tyranny or kindness. But it was simply that to be a good ruler, these things alone were not enough. I am not Honami Ichinose and I am not Kakeru Ryuen. Nor do I want to follow in their footsteps, as I doubt their success. Class D has a kind leader already. One that I believe will fail on his own. So we need a presence to keep those in check when peaceful means don't work when something goes wrong. To control those who can't be trusted. And to serve as a deterrent to those who think about going against the class. As you have pointed out before, a minority can greatly affect the whole of a class. So I plan to keep that minority in check myself."
"So you are implying that Ichinose and Ryuen are not a threat?" She asks, sounding intrigued. I suppose she has seen different kinds of leaders in this school.
"I did not imply that. This is not a kingdom, after all. This is a much more restricted and regulated environment than the real world. What I am trying to say is that both Ichinose and Ryuen would achieve more if they adopted a big stick approach into their governance." I say, explaining my logic.
***
"Me? Well, I am glad you asked. I am L." I say to Kikyo, who just asked for my name.
There is a brief silence on the phone, and then I hear Kikyo's voice change from cheerful to furious. "Stop playing games with me! Who are you really?"
"You shouldn't speak like that, Kushida. After all, I hold your fate in my hands." I say calmly, holding a microphone to my face.
"I swear I'll find out who you are, and when I do, you're going to regret being born," Kikyo says, spitting out malice.
"I see you at least somewhat understand your situation by the way you are acting now. Good Kushida, it doesn't matter if you act like a good girl or are your true self here because I have the power to expose you to the world, Kushida. Keep that in mind while we talk, and I'm sure we will have a productive conversation." I say, trying to reason with her.
"I'll find you, I will, and then-" Kikyo says, but I cut her off.
"Kushida, you will not be finding anyone. How many numbers do you have in your contact list? I imagine it is around the 100 mark. If we assume 50% of those are men, those are 50 possible suspects. And even then, for all you know, I got your number from one of those people. Do you understand your situation now? You are in no position to be making threats." I say, showing her the futility of her actions.
I hear her breathing heavily on the other end of the line as she struggles to say the words. "Wh- What… do you want from me?" Her voice sounds broken and hopeless.
"Relax, Kushida. I don't find you repulsive or anything like that. I actually like your true self more than your fake persona. I saw you on the rooftop, you know." I say, but she doesn't calm down. She keeps hyperventilating. "What I want is very simple. Just send me all the contacts on your phone. That's all. Then we can end this call, and you can resume your normal life, knowing you're safe, for now at least."
Kikyo's breathing slows down a bit, but she still sounds panicked. "Is that… really it? You won't… tell anyone?"
"Of course not. Why would I? I told you, I like your true side. I have nothing to gain by exposing you. But I will give you a warning. Don't do anything foolish. Keep acting like a good girl with everyone else. Hide your true self. Stop venting your anger in public. And don't try to find me. If I sense that you're looking for me, I won't hesitate to show that video to the whole school. But if you follow my instructions, we won't have any problems." I say, making my terms clear.
"Okay, okay, I get it. You win. I'll do whatever you say. Just please don't show that video to anyone. Please." Kikyo says, sounding desperate.
"I'm glad you understand. Now, share your contacts with me, and we'll be done for now. But remember, don't try anything funny. I'll be watching you." L says, sounding calm and confident.
"Fine, fine. I'll send them to you. But can I ask you something? Why are you doing this?"
"That is none of your concern, Kushida. You will hear from me again." I say, ending the call abruptly.
I feel a slight twinge of guilt for tormenting Kikyo. But it was necessary. I had to make her aware of L's existence and make her fear it. To prevent her from taking any actions that would harm the class, such as trying to expel Horikita, she was too unpredictable at the moment, and trying to understand her may have resulted in a disastrous outcome considering the lengths she has gone to conceal herself.
"That was easier than I expected," I think to myself, glancing at the microphone I used to connect to my phone. With some special software, I was able to alter my voice completely.
I had a meal with Kikyo a few hours ago, but I still need to eat well tonight. I have an exam tomorrow, after all. I think to myself as I walk to my freezer and grab some ice cream.
***
"I hope you are all ready for the test," Chabashira says to the class with a stern expression.
"I'm sure we'll all do great!" Kikyo says with a bright smile.
"I agree. We've studied hard for this." Hirata says with a confident tone.
Chabashira nods, looking at the two students. "Well, don't forget, if you all pass, you'll get to enjoy a summer vacation trip." She says, then turns her gaze to me. I had taken out some candy from my bag and put it on the table to eat while I waited for the test to end since I knew I would finish it quickly.
"Where will we go?" A student asks, sounding curious.
"You'll be taken on a luxurious cruise. So do your best to earn the trip." Chabashira answers as the naive students cheer.
The test finally began, and I quickly skimmed through it. I answered the questions with ease, making sure to get a 70 percent score. I then took some candy from my table and ate it while I watched Chabashira walk around the class for several hours. She seemed irritated by my constant stare, but she never said anything. When everyone finished their test, Chabashira collected the papers and glanced at me before leaving the room.
"Great work, everyone! I'm sure we all passed!" Kikyo exclaimed as soon as Chabashira was gone.
"I thought it would be much harder to pass, but I guess all that studying paid off," Ike said, looking at Kikyo. "Thank you for all your help, Kushida. You're amazing."
"Yeah, same here, Kushida. If it wasn't for you, I don't know what I'd do. I probably would have failed." Yamauchi said.
"Yeah, seriously. I was struggling in the study groups, but thanks to the past year's tests you gave us, I managed to pull through." Sudo said, sounding both happy and disappointed.
"Yeah, thank you so much, Kushida!" Hasabe said, and the girls started to shower Kikyo with gratitude.
"I must also express my appreciation, Kushida. If you hadn't helped us by offering a study group and providing the old test answers, I wouldn't be this confident talking to everyone right now." Hirata said with a smile. "To a bright future for the next three years!" Hirata said, and the class cheered loudly.
The next morning, the test results were announced. Everyone in the class passed, thanks to the collective effort of those confident in getting above 50%, giving up some points for the others. The passing score was only 34%, the same as the previous test. The class was overjoyed, and the respect for Kikyo rose.
***
"Kushida, what's up with you and that jerk? Don't tell me you're going out with him?" Ike says, glaring at me as I sit on the floor next to Ayanokoji's bed, with Kikyo by my side. We were all in Ayanokoji's room, celebrating our passing test scores. Me, Kikyo, Horikita, Ayanokoji, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudo.
"Hey, actually, did you guys hear the rumor, too? I heard that Eru was seen in the girls' dorm, coming out of Kushida's room with his clothes in his hand a few days ago." Sudo casually asks why, looking at me. Most of the others look at Kikyo and me with curiosity, and even Horikita sneaks a glance from her corner.
"What?" I say, puzzled. "I don't see why my whereabouts would matter to any of you. But if you insist, then yes, it is true." I reply, causing Kikyo to giggle and cling to my arm.
I could sense the surprise in the air as everyone in the room turned their attention to us. No one dared to say a word except for Sudo, who seemed to have no filter.
"So you two are really going out on dates and walking back to the dorms together?" he blurted out, his eyes wide with disbelief. The other two fools looked at me expectantly, waiting for my answer.
"I wouldn't use the term dates. That would be inaccurate. They are merely occasions where we meet over some food, mostly sweets for me."
"That's what makes it a date, silly," Kikyo said to me with a sweet smile. I felt the glares of the others on me, but I ignored them.
"You are mistaken. Logically speaking, you are right to say that dates involve spending time together. But your logic fails to take into account that I never felt any romantic attraction to you during any of our meetings." I say, looking at Kikyo, whose face became serious. It seems I ruined the cheerful environment, but she did not seem offended by my words since she knew we were not dating. My relationship with Kikyo was purely professional, like how business partners work together or how a professional uses his tools. That was how I treated everyone else, as that was the most efficient way to deal with human relations. It is the only way I know.
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I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you all think. I know the ending may seem a bit strange but I wanted to show a bit of L's character in the way he never really has connected with anyone except maybe Watari.
