The peaceful school life was disrupted once again. This time, Ken Sudō was at the center of the commotion. During basketball practice, he got into a heated altercation with Kinoshita Masayoshi from Class C. According to the rumors, Kinoshita had resorted to dirty tricks during a scrimmage and insulted Class D, until Sudō finally lost his temper and hit him. Both boys were injured in the fight, and the matter was taken to their homeroom teachers and the PE teacher.
When the news reached Class D, the room erupted.
"That Sudō guy's in trouble again!"
"Class C must've started it!"
"This is bad. Could it affect our class rating?"
Hirata Yousuke immediately tried to find out what had happened and offered to mediate, but Teacher Chabashira coolly stopped him, saying the school would handle it. Kushida Kikyo worked hard to calm the class, her face full of "concern," while privately she quickly analyzed the potential consequences of the incident and how she could use it to maintain her image as someone who "cared about her classmates."
When Fūki Ran heard the news, his eyes shifted slightly. The clash seemed to be the result of Sudō's impulsiveness, but with rumors about the Special Exam growing more intense, the timing felt like too much of a coincidence. He thought of Ryuen Kakeru's face, full of mockery and malice. Could this be a probe by Class C? Were they testing Class D's unity—or, rather, how easily the class could be thrown into chaos?
He immediately realized this was an opportunity. A perfect chance to break the deadlock and make formal contact with Horikita Suzune.
He didn't go to Hirata or join the class discussion. Instead, he headed straight for the Library. Sure enough, at her usual seat by the window, he found Horikita Suzune immersed in her book, as if the commotion outside had nothing to do with her.
Rather than choosing a nearby seat as he usually did, Fūki walked straight over to her, pulled out the chair opposite, and sat down.
His action clearly disturbed Horikita. She raised her head in displeasure, her purple eyes gleaming coldly. She was obviously unhappy with Fūki's "rude" behavior. Normally, she might have snapped at him or simply walked away.
But today, before she could speak, Fūki spoke first, his voice calm and clear, pitched so only the two of them could hear:
"Horikita, about the conflict between Sudō and Class C, I don't think this was just a simple fight. It may well have been a planned provocation aimed at Class D, and its purpose was probably connected to the upcoming Special Exam."
Horikita paused halfway through closing her book and standing up. She frowned slightly as she looked at Fūki. The displeasure in her eyes gave way to the faintest hint of scrutiny. She said nothing, but her silence meant she was listening.
Fūki continued, speaking at an unhurried pace and laying out his reasoning clearly. "First, the timing of the conflict is suspicious. Second, from the bits and pieces I've heard, Kinoshita Masayoshi isn't a core member of Class C, yet his actions may have been carefully calculated to provoke Sudō—one of the most volatile and impulsive people in our class. If it was a coincidence, then it was an awfully convenient one."
He leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice. "I suspect Ryuen Kakeru was behind it. He's testing us—testing how our class reacts under outside pressure, whether we're united enough, or... whether we're easy to break apart from within. Sudō's impulsiveness gave him exactly the answer he wanted."
Horikita's frown deepened. She wasn't completely indifferent to class affairs; she simply had no interest in discussions she considered pointless and foolish. But Fūki's analysis went beyond deciding who was right or wrong. He was pointing directly to the possibility of a strategy or conspiracy behind the incident, which suited her rational, no-nonsense way of thinking.
"...Even so," Horikita finally said, her voice still cool, "what does that have to do with me? The school will deal with anyone who breaks the rules. As for whether the class has been provoked or whether we're united, those are things Hirata and Kushida need to worry about." She tried to maintain her isolation.
"The school will deal with anyone who breaks the rules, sure. But the outcome will affect our class rating, which in turn will affect the resources each of us can obtain." Fūki met her gaze and pointed out the most important matter of self-interest. "More importantly, if Class D gets labeled 'easy to provoke' and 'unstable within,' then we'll likely become a priority target for the other classes during the upcoming Special Exam. Even if you're outstanding on your own, do you think you can stay out of trouble when you're part of a disorganized group everyone is ganging up on? You remember what Teacher Chabashira said, don't you?"
"Merit above all." But in this system, an individual's abilities couldn't always be separated from the circumstances of the group.
Horikita fell silent. Fūki's words had struck a nerve, precisely exposing the fact she had always tried to ignore: she couldn't completely distance herself from Class D. The class rating would affect her points and the resources she could enjoy. It might even affect her goal of reaching Class A. And in group events like the Special Exam, the class's circumstances would only magnify or limit what an individual could do.
Her fingers tightened slightly against the page. Fūki could see her inner struggle: reason told her he was right, while long habit and pride resisted the idea of "cooperating."
"Why are you telling me this?" Horikita raised her eyes and stared sharply at Fūki. "Do you want me to calm Sudō down? Or join Hirata and the others in shouting about 'unity'?" Her voice was openly mocking.
"No." Fūki shook his head. "Someone else will handle those things. What I want is for us to share information and make our own judgments based on it, then act in our own best interests when the time comes."
He was proposing a highly practical, almost cold-blooded form of "cooperation"—one that involved no emotional ties and didn't require her to change how she behaved. It was simply an exchange of information and coordination of strategy based on rational analysis and mutual benefit.
"Share information?" Horikita picked up on the phrase.
"For example, what I know about Ryuen Kakeru and Class C's way of doing things, and some... theories I have about the school's rules." Fūki spoke frankly. "And you, Horikita, have exceptional powers of observation and analysis. You might notice details I've overlooked. We'd each act independently, but when necessary, we could exchange information to avoid being misled or to seize opportunities that come our way."
The proposal preserved Horikita's independence as much as possible, while giving her the perspective and information she needed—things that went beyond the surface-level conflicts in the class. It wasn't like Hirata's "unity," which carried a sense of moral coercion, or Kushida's "warmth," which felt fake.
Horikita remained silent for a long time. Looking at the boy before her, who was always calm and seemed to have everything under control, she began for the first time to seriously weigh the pros and cons of forming some kind of connection with him.
"I'll have to think about it." In the end, she didn't accept immediately, but she didn't reject him outright as she usually did. That alone was a huge step forward.
"Of course." Fūki stood up, as though their conversation had been nothing more than a casual remark. "If you notice anything before you decide, you can come find me anytime."
He gave a slight nod, then turned and left without pressing the matter.
Horikita watched him disappear through the Library entrance and kept her gaze fixed there for a long time. Fūki Ran... He was more calculating and... dangerous than she'd imagined. And yet, the form of "cooperation" he'd proposed had a cold appeal that made it hard to refuse outright.
She lowered her head to the page again, but found it difficult to focus on the words. Fūki's words were like a stone dropped into a still lake, sending ripples through her mind. Independent judgment, shared information, acting in their own interests... These ideas didn't seem entirely at odds with her belief in "getting stronger on her own." In fact... they might even complement it.
For the first time, Horikita Suzune began to seriously consider whether there might be another path to the top besides climbing alone. And Fūki Ran, that mysterious boy, had cast a deep shadow at the beginning of that possible path.
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