On Monday morning, the atmosphere in Class D was completely different from usual.
When Karuizawa Kei walked into the classroom, several girls immediately gathered around her, chatting excitedly about their weekend. Her smile was still as bright as ever, but Hanyu Xiuyi noticed it no longer seemed forced or guarded. It was genuine, relaxed.
"Good morning, Hanyu," Karuizawa said quietly as she passed him. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Hanyu nodded. "You seem much more cheerful today."
"Yeah!" Karuizawa nodded vigorously, her ponytail swishing behind her. "Because I know someone's on my side."
She ran to her seat, leaving behind a lighthearted figure.
Horikita Suzune walked over to Hanyu and said in a low voice, "She's recovering faster than I expected."
"That's because she's stronger than we gave her credit for," Hanyu said.
Horikita glanced at him but didn't argue.
Classes proceeded as usual that morning. But Hanyu noticed that Kanji Ike and Yamauchi Haruki were unusually enthusiastic today—not only did they pay attention in class, they also volunteered to answer questions. Chabashira Sae glanced at them a few times but said nothing.
At lunchtime, Hanyu had just taken out his bento when his phone vibrated. It was an email from Ayanokoji Kiyonaga:
"Rooftop. Something's up. —Ayanokoji"
Hanyu put away his bento and hurried to the rooftop.
Ayanokoji Kiyonaga was leaning against the railing, holding a can of coffee. Someone else stood beside him—Kanji Ike.
"Hanyu!" Seeing him, Ike hurried over, looking nervous. "Something's happening with Ryuen!"
"What happened?"
Ike took a deep breath and said, "Yesterday afternoon, Ryuen approached me again. He said his previous plan had failed and told me to stop getting close to you and keep an eye on someone else instead."
"Who?"
"Karuizawa Kei."
Hanyu's gaze sharpened. As expected, Karuizawa was Ryuen's next target.
"What else did he say?"
Ike tried to remember. "He told me to pay attention to who Karuizawa spends time with and what she usually does. He also said..." He hesitated. "He said he'd give me five hundred thousand points if I could find some kind of 'dirt' on her."
"Dirt?" Hanyu frowned. "What kind of dirt?"
"I don't know..." Ike shook his head. "But he mentioned something about 'secrets from the past.' It sounded like he knew something."
Ayanokoji spoke up. "Ryuen must have already uncovered part of Karuizawa's past. But instead of using it directly, he's having Ike gather more information. That means..."
"That means he doesn't have enough leverage yet," Hanyu finished. "He needs more 'evidence' to bring Karuizawa completely under his control."
"Right." Ayanokoji nodded. "And the fact that he's asking Ike to do this means he's still testing Ike's loyalty. If Ike does it, he'll prove that he's still on Ryuen's side. If he doesn't..." He paused. "Ike will become the next target."
Ike's face went pale. "What should I do, then? If I don't do it, he'll definitely get suspicious!"
Hanyu thought for a few seconds, then said, "Do it."
"What?" Ike's eyes widened.
"Pretend to do it," Hanyu said. "Send him some harmless things. Like pictures of Karuizawa eating with everyone, or paying attention in class. Even if those get passed around, they won't cause any problems."
Ike understood. "You mean feed him false information to keep him calm?"
"Right." Hanyu nodded. "But at the same time, we'll gather information on him. Do you know where Ryuen keeps that 'evidence'?"
Ike thought for a moment. "He has a notebook he carries around with him. Once, I happened to see inside it. It had all kinds of things written down—information on students in each class, their weaknesses, and a list of people he'd bribed..."
"A notebook..." Hanyu looked at Ayanokoji. "What do you think?"
Ayanokoji took a sip of coffee and said evenly, "If we can get our hands on that notebook, we'll have Ryuen by the throat."
"But how?" Ike asked, looking troubled. "He never lets the notebook out of his sight. He even takes it with him to the bathroom."
"Then we'll make him hand it over himself," Ayanokoji said.
Hanyu and Ike both looked at him.
Ayanokoji set down his can of coffee and spoke slowly. "Given Ryuen's personality, he keeps what matters most close to him. But that's exactly why, if we create a situation that forces him to get distracted..."
He didn't finish, but Hanyu already understood.
"Draw the snake out of its hole," Hanyu said. "Create a big enough incident to keep Ryuen from focusing on the notebook."
"Right." Ayanokoji nodded. "But the incident can't seem fake. It has to be something that genuinely makes him nervous."
Hanyu fell into thought. To make Ryuen nervous, they'd have to hit him where it hurt. What was Ryuen's weak point?
Class C.
What Ryuen cared about most was Class C's standing and his control over it. If they could cause unrest within Class C...
He looked at Ike. "Is there anyone in Class C who's unhappy with Ryuen?"
Ike thought for a moment. "There is. Ibuki Mio. The short-haired girl who's always around Ryuen. I heard her complain to someone that Ryuen is too domineering and never listens to anyone else's opinions."
Ibuki Mio—the short-haired girl with the gloomy eyes. Hanyu remembered her. On the island, she had always stood behind Ryuen, looking cold and hardly ever speaking.
"What's her relationship with Ryuen like?"
"I'm not sure," Ike said. "But once, I saw her arguing with Ryuen. They were speaking quietly, but she looked really angry."
"Good," Hanyu said. "Ike, keep pretending to help Ryuen. If anything new comes up, tell me right away."
Ike nodded and left the rooftop.
Hanyu and Ayanokoji remained where they were, gazing out over the campus.
"Do you think Ibuki Mio could be a way in?" Hanyu asked.
Ayanokoji was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Any resentment can be a way in. The key is how you use it."
"What do you suggest?"
"Let her see Ryuen fail," Ayanokoji said. "If Ryuen's plans keep failing, she'll think less of him. Then, all she'll need is for someone to offer her a 'better choice'..."
He didn't finish, but Hanyu already understood.
"Who do you think that 'better choice' is?"
Ayanokoji glanced at him but said nothing.
But that look said everything.
After school that afternoon, Hanyu Xiuyi "happened" to run into someone unexpected at the entrance to the Teaching Building—Iбуки Mio.
She was walking alone, her short hair slightly tousled by the wind, her expression as cold as ever. When she saw Hanyu, she paused, but quickly resumed walking as if nothing had happened.
"Ibuki," Hanyu called out.
Ibuki stopped and looked back at him, wary. "What is it?"
"Nothing important." Hanyu walked over and stopped beside her. "I just wanted to ask you something."
"What?"
"Do you think Ryuen Kakeru is worth following?"
Ibuki's expression changed. Her eyes flickered for a moment, but she quickly returned to her cold demeanor. "That's none of your business."
"True," Hanyu said. "I'm just curious. On the island, you had a chance to catch Sakura Airi, but you didn't. At the cliff, you could have stopped us from saving someone, but you just stood there and watched."
Ibuki fell silent.
"You're not the kind of person who'd do anything for Ryuen," Hanyu continued. "You have your own limits. So why do you keep following him?"
Ibuki stared at him for a long time, then suddenly laughed. It was a cold laugh, but a genuine one.
"You're pretty observant, Hanyu Xiuyi."
"Thank you."
Ibuki stopped smiling and grew serious. "I follow Ryuen not because I admire him or because I'm afraid of him. It's just that, at this school, only the strong survive. And Ryuen is at least strong."
"What if one day he's not strong anymore?"
Ibuki froze.
Hanyu didn't wait for her to answer. He turned and walked away. After a few steps, he looked back and said, "Ibuki, if that day comes, come find me. Class D's door is always open."
He walked off, leaving Ibuki standing alone, her expression complicated.
That evening, Hanyu Xiuyi was organizing the information he'd gathered that day in his dorm room. His phone vibrated. It was an email from Karuizawa Kei:
"Hanyu, a few students from Class C were keeping an eye on me today. But I did what you said and pretended not to notice, just carrying on as usual. They took a few pictures of me eating with my friends, but those shouldn't be a problem. —Karuizawa"
Hanyu replied, "Thanks for the effort. Keep it up. Remember, the more normal you act, the more anxious they'll get."
"Got it! Oh, Kushida said she wants to organize a girls' get-together and invited me too. Can I go?"
"Sure. You'll actually be safer if you spend more time with everyone."
"Okay! Thanks, Hanyu!"
After putting his phone down, Hanyu looked out the window. The campus was quiet and shadowy beneath the night sky, but he knew that under the calm surface, currents were stirring.
Ryuen was making his move, and so was he.
This was a war fought out of sight. Victory would depend on who could seize the other's lifeline first.
And he already had a plan.
A plan to make Ryuen pay.
Before you continue