The Trial

After the commotion, Ryou and his group sit on the corner of the lobby. They chose a secluded place, so they can talk freely.

Honami keep looking at Ryou, something bothering her.

"What did you do?" She asked.

"What do you mean what did I do?" he tried to avoid the question, but he didn't have any intention to tease her since he know this is a serious matter for her.

"Come on Ryou, tell us what did you do that can make this happening. I know you're the one behind this." Honami keeps urging Ryou to tell her what did he do.

"Since it's Ryuen, there's impossible for him to do something like this if he's not forced to do it."

"Maybe he's persuaded by someone?"

"No, he must be forced. I'm sure about that."

"Hm... If we think about his personality, that's the most possible reason."

Ringo and Fumino have the same thought as Honami.

The three girls turn their gaze to Ryuji, who only replied with 'ask him' looks on his face while looking at Ryou.

Ryou replied to his friend's gaze with an annoyed face before giving up.

"Haah... come to my room tonight."

"Okay."

Later, they decide to gather at Ryou's room tonight.

It's because Honami keeps asking Ryou what he did to Ryuen. They know nothing about this after all, and both Ryou and Ryuji didn't tell them anything at all before.

After the girls are back to their room, Ryou and Ryuji are still at the lobby.

"Are you really going to tell them?" Ryuji ask him.

"Well, at least not the fighting part. I don't want to make them worried."

"Yeah, I will be worried if I knew my friend fighting someone like you."

"You're worried about the wrong person."

"Even I'm sure they will be worried about Ryuen if they saw the video when you fought him."

"Hm... maybe I shall make you as my sparring partner oh lowly peasant?"

"Please forgive this lowly peasant, let me take care of my farm than fighting with such a respectable knight."

"Pffttt... Hahahaha."

They're laughing together and after that, both of them back to their rooms.

..

That night, the 5 friends sitting around the table at Ryou's room.

The suspect already in his place, surrounded by 3 judges and 1 eyewitness.

"So, care to explain what happened what we don't know?" Honami ask Ryou.

"No lies please."

"And no words play."

Ringo and Fumino added.

"Well, how do I started this?"

Since they're his close friends, he thought it's no use to hide it from them. And this is actually Honami's problem, at least she deserve to know.

Ryou act like he was thinking for a while before explaining to them.

"I just happened to have some proofs about Ryuen's underhanded methods when he was attacking class 1D, and I use it against him."

"What kind of proofs?" Honami asked.

"A recording of his plan."

"Can you show it to us?" Ringo ask further.

Ryou then takes his phone and play the recording when Ryuen talking about his plan to make Suzune injured at the sports festival.

"What a cunning method." Fumino said.

"As expected of him."

"Is that is?" Honami ask him again.

Ryou then plays another recording when he plots with Kushida about their paper shuffle exam.

"What? She betrayed her own classmate?" Fumino is shocked about the fact that Kushida plotting with Ryuen against her own class.

"I never think she will do something like this." Ringo said.

"This has nothing to do with us, it's just I used this to fight against Ryuen."

The trial still ongoing, Honami asked another question.

"Where did you get this?"

"Someone from class C and someone from class D."

"Who is it?"

"Sorry, I can't reveal that. I still have to respect our agreement not to tell anybody about their identities, it's going to be a different story if you guys found it by yourself." Ryou can't answer Ringo's question.

"What is the agreement between you and those people to get this proof?"

"Points of course, and a coalition with someone from class D. But don't worry, this coalition will benefit both classes."

"Can't you tell us who is that person?"

"Just wait, you guys will know it by yourself when the times come. But for now, I'm sorry, I can't tell you guys."

"Then, how many points you've spent to get this thing?"

"Hm... about 700k maybe?"

*Gasp...*

The 3 girls gasped from his revelation about the points he has spent to get the proofs to fight against Ryuen.

Honami looks at him with a guilty look on her face.

"Sorry..." she said.

She felt she burdened her friend too much because of her problem.

But, suddenly she felt someone's hand pat her head. She look ahead and found Ryou smiling at her.

"What are you talking about Honami? Aren't we friend? I can collect as many points as I can whenever I want. But when a friend in need, points aren't something as valuable as friendship right?"

They smiled at his words, they knew Ryou value his friends so much, but they never realize that Ryou would do something like this to his friend. He even sacrifice his points so much to deal with Ryuen. Of course, they never know how Ryou values family relationships and friendship so much, more than what they thought.

Honami drops her head low, she's really grateful to have friends like them. Especially the boy in front of her.

"Thank you, thank you so much..." a tick of tear dropped from her eyes.

Ringo and Fumino smiled and hug her, Ryou and Ryuji looking at each other and smiled too.

15 minutes later, Honami calmed herself. She felt better after Ryou answer their questions.

"Haah.. I felt like I just saved from a trial with severe punishment if I answered the wrong answer." Ryou sighing in relief.

"Your fault." Ryuji just said that lightly.

"And you, as the witness didn't help at all."

"It's a rare occasion to see something like this happened to you."

"You're enjoying this too much aren't you?"

"Mou... can't you guys act more seriously?" Honami protested.

"I've been serious all this time at the trial your highness."

They smiled at him and continue their talks about the shuffle paper exam.

After that, they said goodbye to Ryou and back to their rooms.

10 minutes later when Ryou tidy up his room, someone knocked on his door room.

Ryou opened the door and found Honami standing in front of his room.

"Honami?"

She still lowers her face, not looking at Ryou.

Suddenly, she grab his hand and drags him inside his room before closing the door.

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A/N: Ara ara Honami-chan~

What's Honami going to do to him?

Say hello to Mr. Cliffhanger-san over here. lol