Secret Talk in the Dormitory

The evening afterglow streamed through the window, casting long shadows on Fūki Ran's dorm floor. He had just finished organizing his class notes when a soft, rhythmic knock sounded at the door. Opening it, he found Kushida Kikyo standing outside, a hint of worry she couldn't quite conceal on her face, though her lips still maintained a perfect, social smile.

"Good evening, Fūki-kun. I hope I'm not disturbing you," she said, her voice a little lower than usual, with a touch of deliberately suppressed tension.

"Not at all, come in," Fūki stepped aside to let her in. His gaze quickly swept the empty corridor before he gently closed the door.

Kushida entered the room but didn't immediately find a place to sit as she normally would. She paused for a moment in the center of the room, her hands unconsciously clasped in front of her, a subtle gesture that betrayed her inner unease. Fūki didn't rush her, simply waiting quietly for her to speak.

"I..." she finally looked up, her eyes flashing with a complex light, "I received some rather bad news."

"About Ryuen's next move?" Fūki walked to the desk and pulled out a chair for her.

Kushida nodded and sat down, her hands still tightly clasped on her knees. "This afternoon, when I was getting equipment from the storage room behind the gym, I accidentally overheard Yamauchi talking to Ishizaki from Class C."

Fūki sat on the edge of the bed opposite her, gesturing for her to continue.

"Ishizaki gave Yamauchi some private points and instructed him to spread rumors about Hirata-kun in the class," Kushida spoke a little faster than usual, revealing her anxiety. "The content was about Hirata's relationship with Karuizawa. They're saying Hirata is biased towards Karuizawa in class matters due to personal feelings, and that it might even harm the class's interests."

Fūki's eyes narrowed slightly. This was indeed a vicious move. Hirata Yousuke, as the de facto spiritual leader of Class D, had his image of fairness and impartiality as the key to uniting the class. If this image were shaken, Class D would likely begin to fracture from within. Ryuen had accurately found Class D's weak spot.

"Is the information reliable?" Fūki's tone remained calm.

"I heard it with my own ears," Kushida confirmed. "Ishizaki explicitly told Yamauchi to 'casually' bring this up in class starting next week. They plan to start small, perhaps in the boys' groups, or through a few specific girls."

She paused briefly, adding a detail she had observed: "Notably, Ishizaki's tone when giving these instructions was quite practiced, clearly not his first time doing something like this. And he specifically emphasized 'gradual progression,' not spreading it too obviously at once."

Fūki stood up and paced slowly around the room. The sun had completely set, and only the warm glow of the desk lamp remained in the room.

"Who in the class do you think would easily believe such rumors?" he stopped and looked at Kushida.

Kushida frowned slightly and began to think seriously. "Horikita-san might be influenced; her relationship with Karuizawa-san seems a bit delicate lately. And then there are those boys like Sotomura and Hondo; they were already somewhat jealous of Hirata-kun, so they might use this as an excuse. Sudo-kun might not care too much about it, but he's easily incited..."

She listed seven or eight names, providing brief analyses of each person's personality and potential reactions. This precise grasp of the class's interpersonal dynamics made Fūki look at her with new respect.

"We need to stop this," Kushida's eyes held clear worry. "But if we expose it directly, it might make Yamauchi and Ike desperate, and it could even reveal that I'm investigating in secret. What should we do?"

Fūki didn't answer immediately. He walked to the window and looked out at the gradually appearing lights outside. Directly confronting rumors often proved ineffective, sometimes even accelerating their spread. He needed to find a more subtle solution.

"We don't need to stop it directly," Fūki turned around after a long pause, his tone firm.

Kushida clearly froze for a moment. "Why?"

"Firstly, most classmates know Hirata's character. Rumors without concrete evidence have quite limited influence in the initial stages," Fūki analyzed calmly. "Secondly, we need to make Ryuen believe his plan is proceeding smoothly. Only then will he make his next move, and we can catch more solid evidence."

"You mean... play along with the plan?" Kushida's eyes widened slightly.

"Exactly," Fūki nodded. "We need to let the rumors spread within a controllable range while closely monitoring their development. During this process, we need to gather enough evidence not only to prove the rumors are false but also to prove it's a conspiracy intentionally orchestrated by Ryuen."

He walked back to the desk, picked up a pen and paper, and quickly drew a simple diagram. "You have two main tasks: First, pay attention to the spread of the rumors and the main disseminators, recording the specific time, place, and content, but do not intervene actively. Second, you must act as if you know nothing, and perhaps even show a slightly 'surprised but uncertain' attitude when others discuss it."

Kushida focused on the diagram, understanding dawning in her eyes. "I understand. Let the opponent underestimate our vigilance while secretly gathering evidence. Then, at the critical moment, we strike back decisively."

"Precisely," Fūki watched her. "However, this will put you in a very delicate position. You'll need to maintain your usual image while secretly carrying out these tasks. This will be a significant test of your mental fortitude."

Kushida took a deep breath, a mixture of nervousness and determination appearing on her face. "I understand. For the sake of the class, I will proceed carefully." She paused, her voice lowering slightly. "And... I trust your judgment, Fūki-kun."

At that moment, Fūki saw a different light in her eyes than usual. It was no longer the hollow smile behind a perfect mask, but genuine determination and courage.

"Also," Fūki added, "we need to keep an eye on other classmates Ryuen might exploit. For example, Sudo; his recent reduction in training time might not be a coincidence."

Kushida nodded thoughtfully. "I'll keep an eye on that. However, regarding Sudo-kun, perhaps Horikita-san will need to pay more attention."

"I'll communicate with Horikita," Fūki agreed.

The conversation lasted nearly an hour. By the time they finished discussing, the sky outside had completely darkened. As Kushida left, her steps were more resolute than when she arrived, her retreating figure exuding an undeniable strength.

Fūki stood at the doorway, watching her figure disappear at the end of the corridor. He knew that Kushida was gradually shedding the persona of a maiden who only protected herself with a perfect mask, and was beginning to act for her own beliefs. While this transformation was difficult, it meant she was moving towards true growth.