Whispers in the Dormitory

The evening sunlight streamed through the window, casting long shadows across Fūki Ran's dorm room floor. He had just finished organizing his class notes when a soft, rhythmic knock came from outside. When he opened the door, Kushida Kikyo stood there, a trace of worry impossible to conceal on her face, though her lips still held a perfectly practiced social smile.

"Good evening, Feng Qi. I hope I'm not disturbing you." Her voice was a little lower than usual, with a hint of deliberately suppressed nervousness.

"Not at all. Come in." Feng Qi stepped aside to let her enter, quickly glancing down the empty corridor before gently closing the door.

Kushida entered the room but, unlike usual, didn't immediately look for a place to sit. She paused in the middle of the room, her hands unconsciously clasped in front of her. The small gesture betrayed her unease. Feng Qi didn't press her, simply waiting quietly for her to speak.

"I..." She finally raised her head, a complicated light flickering in her eyes. "I've heard some troubling news."

"About Ryuen's next move?" Feng Qi went to the desk and pulled out a chair for her.

Kushida nodded and sat down, her hands still tightly clasped in her lap. "This afternoon, I was getting equipment from the storage room behind the gym when I happened to overhear Yamauchi talking with Ishizaki from Class C."

Feng Qi sat on the edge of the bed opposite her and gestured for her to continue.

"Ishizaki gave Yamauchi some personal points and told him to spread rumors about Hirata in class." Kushida spoke a little faster than usual, betraying her anxiety. "The rumors are about Hirata and Karuizawa's relationship. They're saying Hirata favors Karuizawa in class matters because of his personal feelings, and might even be harming the class's interests."

Feng Qi's gaze sharpened slightly. It was a truly vicious move. As Class D's de facto spiritual leader, Hirata Yousuke depended on his reputation for fairness and selflessness to unite the class. If that reputation was shaken, Class D could easily start fracturing from within. Ryuen had found Class D's weak spot with remarkable precision.

"Are you sure about this?" Feng Qi asked calmly.

"I heard it with my own ears," Kushida said firmly. "Ishizaki specifically told Yamauchi to start bringing it up 'casually' in class next week. They plan to start small, maybe with groups of boys or by getting a few specific girls to spread it."

She paused, then added an observation of her own. "One thing worth noting is how practiced Ishizaki sounded when he was giving those instructions. He's clearly done this before. He also stressed that Yamauchi should 'take it gradually' and not make the rumors too obvious right away."

Feng Qi stood and slowly paced around the room. The sun had completely sunk below the horizon, leaving only the warm glow of the desk lamp to illuminate the room.

"Who do you think would be likely to believe those rumors?" He stopped and looked at Kushida.

Kushida furrowed her brow and thought carefully. "Shinohara might be affected. Her relationship with Karuizawa seems a little strained lately. Then there are boys like Sotomura and Hondo. They're already a little jealous of Hirata and might use this as an excuse to stir things up. Sudo might not care much about the rumors, but he's easily provoked..."

She rattled off seven or eight names, briefly analyzing each person's personality and likely reaction. Her keen grasp of the class's social dynamics made Feng Qi see her in a new light.

"We need to stop this," Kushida said, clearly worried. "But if we expose them directly, Yamauchi and Ike might panic and do something reckless. We could even expose the fact that I've been investigating them in secret. What should we do?"

Feng Qi didn't answer right away. He walked to the window and gazed at the lights gradually appearing outside. Directly confronting a rumor was rarely effective; sometimes, it only spread it faster. He needed to find a more subtle solution.

"We don't need to stop it directly." After a long pause, Feng Qi turned around, his tone resolute.

Kushida visibly froze. "Why not?"

"First, most of our classmates already know what Hirata's like. Rumors without any actual evidence have very little influence at the beginning," Feng Qi explained calmly. "Second, we need Ryuen to think his plan is going smoothly. That's the only way he'll make his next move, giving us a chance to catch him with more conclusive evidence."

"You mean... we play along?" Kushida's eyes widened slightly.

"Exactly." Feng Qi nodded. "We'll let the rumors spread within limits while keeping a close eye on how they develop. In the process, we need to gather enough evidence not only to prove the rumors are false, but also to prove that Ryuen deliberately orchestrated the whole scheme."

He returned to the desk and picked up a pen and paper, quickly sketching a simple diagram. "You have two tasks. First, keep track of how the rumors spread and who the main people spreading them are. Record the exact time, place, and content, but don't interfere. Second, act as though you have no idea what's going on. If people discuss it around you, you can even show a little 'surprise and uncertainty.'"

Kushida studied the diagram intently, understanding gradually dawning in her eyes. "I get it. We let our opponents underestimate how alert we are, while we gather evidence in secret. Then, when the time is right, we strike back all at once."

"Exactly." Feng Qi looked at her. "But this will put you in a delicate position. You'll have to keep up your usual image while doing all this in secret. It'll be a major test of your mental resilience."

Kushida drew a deep breath, her expression a mix of nervousness and determination. "I understand. I'll be careful for the sake of the class." She paused, her voice growing quieter. "And... I trust your judgment, Feng Qi."

In that moment, Feng Qi saw something in her eyes that hadn't been there before. It was no longer an empty smile behind a perfect mask, but genuine determination and courage.

"One more thing," Feng Qi added. "We need to keep an eye on anyone else Ryuen might take advantage of. Sudo, for instance. His reduced training time lately might not be a coincidence."

Kushida nodded thoughtfully. "I'll watch out for that. But as for Sudo, Horikita might need to keep a closer eye on him."

"I'll talk to Horikita," Feng Qi agreed.

Their conversation lasted nearly an hour. By the time they finished, it was completely dark outside. When Kushida left, her steps were surer than when she'd arrived, and there was an unmistakable strength in her bearing.

Feng Qi stood at the door and watched her disappear down the corridor. He knew Kushida was gradually leaving behind the girl who had once known only how to protect herself with a perfect mask, and beginning to act for the sake of her own convictions. The change was difficult, but it meant she was growing into someone stronger.