65 #65 Last-minute preparation
"Of course I trust my own students. But you better place a future-to-be lawyer in that deliberation if you want to completely get rid of Sudo's punishment." Chabashira glanced at Yuichi and replied with an amused tone.
"What a coincidence, I am planning to get a law degree in the future, sensei!" Yuichi said with a smile and closed eyes.
"Then this is your first hurdle, Iwamura" Chabashira replied with a faint smile.
Chabashira looked at the time and told them to relay who will participate in the deliberation the next day and asked them to leave for today.
"Well, it wasn't that bad but to think that even sensei doesn't trust us..." Kushida said with a disappointed expression. Anyone seeing that expression would feel an urge to comfort her.
No one really replied to her words as everyone had their own thoughts on this matter so she took out her cell phone and started writing a message to someone.
"Are you contacting someone who might still help us?" Yuichi asked as he glanced at Kushida's face.
"Hm? No, not at all...I am just asking Ayanokoji-kun if we can gather at his room tonight. I would like to discuss the entire strategy during the deliberation and we also need to agree on who those 2 people will be." Kushida replied with a soft smile.
"Umm, I will be going, bye!" When Sakura heard word "we" she immediately excused herself but not before throwing a last glance at Yuichi.
"Ah, Sakura-" Kushida most likely wanted to invite her but Yuichi stopped her, reminding her how uncomfortable Sakura felt when she was at the mall among the big crowds of people.
"Horikita-san, will you participate in this last discussion before the Sudo's hearing will take place?" Kushida changed her target.
"...I guess I should, we still need to agree on who will attend the deliberation, however, if I will the one person, I doubt you-" Horikita was most likely planning to say something rude or awkward so Yuichi interrupted her.
"Kushida-san, I think that things like deliberation aren't for you. I mean no offense but you want to be friends with everyone, right? In that case, you won't be able to be aggressive enough to protect Sudo's statement of being innocent." Yuichi said, eliminating Kushida from the candidates for this deliberation.
"...I guess you are right. I wouldn't be able to be aggressive enough, that's why I think Horikita-san is a good choice here. Iwamura-kun, you have said something about law degree, is that true? I have heard that it is one of the hardest degrees." Kushida agreed with a bit sad expression before asking him with a curious expression.
'Eh?'
"He was just joking." Horikita replied in his stead with folded arms.
Kushida turned at Horikita before turning back at Yuichi for his confirmation so he just nodded his head with a small smile.
"Oh!" Kushida exclaimed as if she just realized something.
"What is it?" Horikita frowned and immediately asked what's wrong.
"I just realized...Sudo will be present during the deliberation...won't it be pretty hard for him to control himself? It could get heated up really quick and if Sudo-kun loses his cool, it might even serve as evidence that he is the one who is the assailant in this incident." Kushida said.
"Hmm, and what about it?" Horikita understood her worries so she asked her to continue.
"Iwamura-kun is Sudo-kun's friend, isn't he? And he is also someone Sudo-kun respects, if he will be there, he might be able to keep Sudo-kun in check." Kushida explained.
Horikita nodded her head with a thoughtful expression.
"Will you attend tomorrow's deliberation with me?" Horikita asked Yuichi but it sounded more like an order than question or request.
"I guess I have to since I agreed to help you. Don't worry, I will keep Sudo-kun in check. However, can I borrow your math compass for that job?" Yuichi asked with a calm expression.
"Math compass?" Kushida muttered as she began looking back and forth between them.
Horikita on the other hand narrowed her eyes with her folded arms, looking at Yuichi for a while before she eased her eyes and released a faint smile.
"You are learning pretty fast but no...Take your own math compass, I don't want the school to discover that you are using my things as harassing items" Horikita replied before slowly making her way towards the school's front doors.
"Will you come with us to Ayanokoji-kun's room, Iwamura-kun? I have asked and you are invited" Kushida asked once they stepped outside of the school.
"Hm? Well...I have already promised to help Mei-san with some things, sorry" Yuichi refused with an apologetic smile but Kushida shook her head and told him not to worry about it.
'Well, I guess I should get ready for tomorrow, for any possible situation.' Yuichi thought and went to the dorms where he spent more than 1 hour just sitting on his bed in a cross-legged position..
*Inhale* *Exhale* 'I guess that's all I can think of with this limited amount of information.' Yuichi thought before he contacted Sotomura once again and then Mei.
He spent more than 2 hours of running around the campus and dorms before he was ready for tomorrow's deliberation.
In the evening when he ate dinner, he received a few messages from Sakura. Letting him know that she is feeling extremely nervous. He just replied to her in a few words that she doesn't have to worry about anything. After that, they suddenly changed the topic and began chatting for about 15 minutes before they wished each other good night.
-----Ayanokoji's room-----
The same evening, Kushida discovered Sakura's secret and her second persona. She also showed this to Ayanokoji when they were inside his room, discussing tomorrow.
'So that's why there is some kind of creep after her?' Ayanokoji knew that there would be no reason for anyone to go as far as stalking Sakura who appeared really plain on the outside.
Horikita also informed Ayanokoji about Iwamura occupying one place in the deliberation and he wholeheartedly supported this since he was already aware that Yuichi has some kind of plan. He was glad that he doesn't need to involve himself in this because he had just realized that he has shown quite a lot to a few people around him. Be it Kushida, Horikita, or Yuichi.
All 3 of them were already somehow suspicious. He could feel that neither Kushida nor Horikita were cautious of him, however, Yuichi was the only one who was suspicious of him even before anything big happened and after that fight with Manabu, Yuichi started being cautious around him.
It's easy to trick people who expect almost nothing from you, however, those who even overestimate you are the hardest to deal with.
'Well, he seems like he genuinely doesn't care.' Ayanokoji thought while glancing out of the window with his apathetic brown eyes.
.
.
The next day, everyone attended classes as any other day, and surprisingly Sakura wasn't the exception but once the classes were over, Sudo's presence was required in the Staffroom right at 4:00 PM.
Just 15 minutes before the discussion, Horikita gathered all of them and asked them if they are ready.
"I was born ready!" Sudo pumped his fist and replied in quite a loud and confident manner.
"...Iwamura-kun?" Horikita flinched slightly as if Sudo's sudden outburst hurt her eardrums before she turned at Yuichi with a particular look.
Yuichi just slightly tilted his head to the side with a smile and closed eyes while showing off his math compass to her.
"Good" That was the only answer from Horikita as she faintly smiled, making the rest of the group slightly scared from their interaction.
"A-Alright, good luck!" Kushida rather excused herself before getting to know what is this about and the same applied to Yamauchi and Ike. Ayanokoji threw a last glance at Yuichi who just nodded at him and he returned the gesture before leaving.
"Eh- What was that?" Sudo asked Yuichi with a bit worried expression.
"Shall we?" Yuichi asked, taking the lead together with Horikita, completely ignoring Sudo.
"Oi, Iwamura-kun!" Sudo grew even more worried as Yuichi ignored him.
When they arrived at the Staffroom, they were greeted by Hoshinomiya in very exaggerated enthusiasm.
