Kikyo's Visit

June slipped away amid the cicadas' chorus and the rustle of turning pages. The 747 Class Points announced at the start of the month had injected a shot of adrenaline into Class B, bringing generous rewards—this month, every student received 74,700 Personal Points. During lunch break, the classroom brimmed with early-summer ease and small plans for their newfound "wealth."

"Ah, I can finally get those new sports earphones!" Shibata Hayato flipped through the product catalog on his terminal, rubbing his hands together excitedly.

"I want to try that new dessert shop on the shopping street," Shiratori Chihiro murmured, sharing her plans with Hino Yuki beside her.

"Kanzaki-kun, what do you think of that new reference book set?" Tsubaki Hitomi adjusted her glasses and asked seriously.

Kanzaki Ryuji analyzed steadily: "From the catalog, the knowledge coverage is more comprehensive, but the difficulty gradient of the exercises needs more thought..."

Ichinose Honami sat at her desk, her terminal screen lit up, displaying the Class Collective Points management interface. From time to time, classmates walked over and said with a smile:

"Class President, I've transferred this month's 'class dues' to you!"

The nickname "class dues" had become Class B's affectionate term for their shared reserve fund, carrying a light sense of belonging and camaraderie.

"Got it, received! Thanks for the support!" Ichinose always replied with a warm smile, carefully confirming the records on her terminal. "The accounts will be updated in the shared document—you can check anytime."

"We know, Class President, we trust you the most!"

Just then, Shibata Hayato breezed through the classroom, stopping at Shimiya Kuki's desk by the window. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he nudged Shimiya with his elbow. "Hey, Shimiya! There's a really—really pretty girl looking for you out in the hallway!" He dragged out the word "really," winking exaggeratedly. "Man, who'd have thought? You're always so quiet, but you've got game! It's that super famous Kushida Kikyo from Class D!"

Shimiya Kuki looked up from the book he was reading, his face expressionless. He followed Shibata's gesture and calmly glanced toward the classroom door.

Sure enough, Kushida Kikyo stood in the hallway outside Class B's room. Her signature sweet, flawless smile was in place, but upon closer look, a hint of barely concealed anxiety lurked beneath it. When she saw Shimiya looking her way, she immediately raised her hand and waved at him—small but clear—her eyes carrying an unmistakable plea for help.

Shimiya closed his book and stood up, walking out calmly amid Shibata's "hehehe" teasing laughter and the curious glances of a few nearby classmates.

"Shimiya-kun, sorry to bother you," Kikyo said, her voice still sweet but slightly faster than usual, betraying her urgency. She gave a slight bow.

"Kushida-san, what can I do for you?" Shimiya's voice was calm and unwavering, getting straight to the point.

Kikyo took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her smile, though her brows had already furrowed slightly. "It's... about Sudo Ken from our class. Yesterday evening, he got into a serious conflict with Ishizaki-kun from Class C near the warehouse behind the gym... It turned into a violent incident."

She paused, observing Shimiya's reaction. Seeing he remained composed, she continued quickly: "The school administration is investigating now. But the situation looks very bad for Sudo-kun. He might face suspension, or even... expulsion." Her voice trembled almost imperceptibly at the word "expulsion."

"But," Kikyo's tone grew urgent and earnest, "Sudo-kun insists that Ishizaki-kun and his group provoked and attacked him first—he only fought back in self-defense! And he says there was a third party present besides the two of them! That person can prove he wasn't the instigator! He's... the victim!"

She looked at him pleadingly, her eyes full of helplessness and hope: "Sudo-kun says that witness might have been wearing our school uniform, but he didn't get a clear look at their face or class... I, we really have no leads. Shimiya-kun, did anyone from your class go near the gym warehouse after school yesterday? Or... could someone have happened to see something? I know this is a rude request, but please... could you ask your classmates for me? It's about whether Sudo-kun can stay at this school!" Her hands unconsciously clasped in front of her, her knuckles whitening from the pressure. The worry and anxiety finally broke through her perfect smile, clearly written on her face.

Shimiya Kuki listened quietly, his expression utterly unruffled, as if hearing about something unrelated to him. He was silent for a few seconds. Just as Kikyo's heart began to sink, he nodded, his voice still steady:

"Alright. Wait a moment. I'll ask for you."

Kikyo let out a long, relieved sigh, and her smile finally carried a hint of genuine gratitude. "Really? Thank you so much, Shimiya-kun! Then... I'll leave it to you! Sorry for disturbing your lunch break!" She bowed deeply again.

Shimiya gave a slight nod and turned back into Class B's classroom.

The relaxed atmosphere was still going. Shimiya walked straight to the area near the podium, where Ichinose Honami, Kanzaki Ryuji, Hino Yuki, and others were discussing something. He didn't raise his voice, but his calm tone carried clearly through the classroom, which had quieted down at his approach:

"Sorry to interrupt. Kushida Kikyo from Class D just came to ask for help. Sudo Ken from their class got into a violent conflict with Ishizaki from Class C yesterday evening near the gym warehouse. Sudo claims there was a third party who witnessed the other side striking first, and he only fought back in self-defense. He might now face serious punishment. She wanted to ask if anyone from our class happened to pass by the gym warehouse area after school yesterday and witnessed the incident."

The smile on Ichinose Honami's face was instantly replaced by seriousness. She stood up, walked over to Shimiya, and faced the class, her voice warm but carrying the authority of a class president: "Everyone, sorry to interrupt—there's something I need to ask that concerns whether a Class D student can stay. Please think carefully: yesterday after school, between about five and six, did anyone go near the gym's back warehouse? Or pass by on a nearby path? Any possible clue, no matter how small, could help."

The classroom fell silent. Students exchanged glances and began racking their memories.

"The gym's back warehouse? That place is so out of the way—no one usually goes there, right?"

"After school yesterday? I remember heading straight back to the dorm..."

"I went to the basketball court with Hamaguchi and the others, but that's in front of the gym, far from the back warehouse."

"I think I saw Shibata training on the soccer field? Shibata, which way did you go after training?" someone asked.

Shibata Hayato scratched his head. "Me? I finished training close to six-thirty, it was already getting dark. And I took the main path from the field entrance—no way I'd loop around to the back warehouse."

Kanzaki Ryuji pushed up his glasses and analyzed calmly: "The timing is too coincidental. The conflict happened between five and six. During that period, most of our classmates would have been in the classroom studying, at club activities, or on their way back to the dorms or the cafeteria. Very few routes pass by that remote warehouse area behind the gym."

Hino Yuki added softly, "Yeah, and hardly anyone goes there normally, especially after school..."

Everyone asked around, recalled, and confirmed. Time ticked by.

Finally, Ichinose Honami swept her gaze across the now-quiet classroom. With a hint of regret, she looked toward Shimiya waiting by the door and gently shook her head. "Shimiya-kun, no one from our class was near the gym warehouse during that time yesterday. It seems the witness isn't from our class."

The result wasn't surprising. The gym's back warehouse was already a relatively secluded corner of the campus, even more deserted after school. Class B's activity patterns rarely touched that area.

Shimiya Kuki showed no reaction to the outcome. He simply nodded calmly. "I understand. I'll go reply to the Class D student now." He turned and walked out of the classroom again.

In the hallway, Kushida Kikyo leaned against the wall, her hands tightly clasped, her smile forced but her eyes flickering like a candle in the wind, barely holding onto hope. When she saw Shimiya come out, she straightened up immediately, looking at him with her last shred of expectation.

Shimiya walked up to her, his voice still flat as he stated the facts: "I asked. Unfortunately, no one from our class was near the gym warehouse during that time yesterday, and no one witnessed the incident."

The smile on Kikyo's face froze instantly, then cracked like delicate porcelain. The composure she had clung to rapidly faded, replaced by undisguised disappointment and even deeper anxiety. The light in her eyes dimmed. Her lips moved as if to say something, but in the end, only a low, trembling sigh escaped: "...I see."

She took a deep breath, trying to force the corners of her mouth back up, but the smile was painfully fragile and weak. "...I understand. Still, thank you so much, Shimiya-kun, and everyone in Class B for being willing to ask. Sorry for the trouble." She bowed hastily once more, turned, and walked away quickly, her back looking flustered and helpless.

Shimiya Kuki stood still, watching Kikyo disappear around the corner of the hallway. The afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, casting a long, calm shadow at his feet. This violent storm in Class D was like a stone thrown into a lake—it stirred only a brief ripple in Class B's daily routine before quickly settling back to stillness. Yet at the vortex's center, a storm was brewing, one strong enough to swallow an individual whole.