Is What You See Always the Truth? / That Looks Good on You

Ichinose smiled at that.

"Exactly. So, to ensure that we can all finish this exam successfully, I'd like to propose something, and I want every class, including Class A, to cooperate!"

Chapter 54: Is What You See Really the Truth?

In response to Ichinose's words, the three students from Class A, who had been sitting some distance away, turned to look at them.

"This stalemate isn't doing any of us any good. We'd be better off being open and honest with one another. That would benefit everyone. We just need to show the information on our terminals, and the identity of the VIP will naturally come to light.

Some people might not want to show theirs, but the longer someone hesitates, the more likely it is that they're the VIP. That would let us narrow things down, too. What do you think?"

Seeing that everyone was still hesitating, Ichinose smiled and said,

"To show our sincerity, Class B will go first. I'll start."

With that, she took out her terminal, opened the information, and placed it on the table. Even the students from Class A craned their necks to get a look.

"She's not the VIP," Ibuki said after a quick glance.

The other two students from Class B took out their terminals as well. Neither of them was the VIP.

To everyone's surprise, Kiyotaka was the first to show his terminal after Class B. He took it out and said,

"I think this is a good idea. After all, I want the points, too."

Yukimura, sitting beside him, stared at Kiyotaka in disbelief.

"Kiyotaka, why did you agree to this?"

Kiyotaka ignored him and simply gazed down at the table.

Following Kiyotaka's lead, Ibuki and Karuizawa also placed their terminals on the table.

"Ibuki, why are you getting involved in this?" Manabe asked loudly, unable to understand what Ibuki was doing.

"Five hundred thousand points. Don't you want them? Or are you the VIP?"

Ibuki didn't even spare her own classmate the harsh question.

Put on the spot by Ibuki, Manabe had no choice but to take out her terminal and place it on the table, her face dark. Seeing that Manabe had done so, the other two handed over their terminals without hesitation.

By then, most of them had handed over their terminals. Only two students from Class D and three from Class A remained.

"Machida, what do you think? Could the VIP be one of you?" Ichinose asked the students from Class A, looking toward the sofa.

The students exchanged glances. After hesitating for a while, they finally came over and handed over their terminals.

Unfortunately, none of them was the VIP.

All the clues now pointed to the two students who hadn't come forward yet: Yukimura and Doctor.

"You two from Class D, I think it'd be better if we shared the reward, don't you? You're the only ones who haven't handed over your terminals. That means the VIP has to be one of you."

Ichinose smiled sweetly at Yukimura and Doctor.

Yukimura's forehead was slick with sweat. His hands were clenched tightly around the hem of his shirt.

Seeing his strange expression, Karuizawa asked,

"Yukimura, why are you acting so strangely? Could you be the VIP?"

At Karuizawa's words, everyone's attention immediately turned to Yukimura.

Yukimura felt as if an invisible mountain were pressing down on him. He took two deep breaths, but when he spoke, his voice still trembled slightly.

"Before we do anything else, I want everyone to leave their terminals on the table and not take them back. We can't have a traitor among us."

Then Yukimura took out his terminal and showed it to everyone. He looked at Doctor and Kiyotaka and said,

"I'm sorry...I lied. I'm the VIP..."

"What?! Yukimura, you're the VIP?!"

Doctor stared at Yukimura in disbelief.

"I've revealed my identity. I hope there won't be a traitor in our group," Yukimura said with his head lowered.

"Everyone, please don't report Yukimura. We have to pass this as a group!"

"Of course."

"This is the best outcome, isn't it?"

As everyone talked over one another, Ichinose looked toward Class D with a puzzled expression. She couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. That sense of unease grew stronger, especially when she saw Kiyotaka sitting off to the side as if none of this had anything to do with him.

"Thank you, everyone. I want to believe in you. Let's pass this together," Yukimura said sincerely as he looked at them.

Could that really happen? Surely someone would get greedy and report him in secret, falling into this trap...

Kiyotaka stared straight ahead without expression, silently thinking to himself.

"Bzz, bzz."

Suddenly, Yukimura's terminal vibrated, making him jump.

"Huh? I called Ayanokoji, so why is Yukimura's terminal ringing?" Ichinose said, her voice almost devilish. Her words sent a chill through Yukimura.

"So the real VIP is Ayanokoji, isn't he?"

Ichinose smiled at Ayanokoji as she spoke.

"No...this..."

Yukimura had completely lost the ability to defend himself against what was happening. The evidence was irrefutable; there was no way to talk his way out of it.

"Hmph. I see," Machida said, looking like he had everything under control.

"What's that supposed to mean? So that was all a lie?" Manabe and the other two burst out.

Even Karuizawa looked shocked.

"How could this..."

Kiyotaka remained silent, sitting there expressionlessly as if what was happening had nothing to do with him.

"The fourth discussion period has ended. All students, please end your discussions and return to your rooms..."

The announcement rang out mercilessly.

Machida from Class A led the others toward the door.

"Hmph, what a clever bait-and-switch. You'd better pray no one reports you, Class D."

"Trusting one another, my ass!"

Manabe snorted and led the others away.

Soon, only Ichinose and Kiyotaka remained in the room.

"People always think that whatever they come up with after making assumptions must be the answer, don't they?" Ichinose asked with a smile.

Kiyotaka shrugged indifferently.

"You knew that and still played along."

"I've realized you're a pretty nasty person. You set up a double trap. Whether Class A or Class C fell for it, they'd both be badly hurt."

"Yeah...maybe. Who knows? I was just following Horikita's plan."

Ichinose stared at Kiyotaka for a while, then stood up and headed for the door.

"I'll take your word for it for now."

Karuizawa was alone in her room.

A blush spread across her face. Just before leaving the room, as she passed Kiyotaka, he had quietly said something to her.

"Wait for me in your room. I'll come by later..."

Karuizawa drew a deep breath and patted her cheeks.

What had to happen would happen. At the very least, he really had protected me from Manabe and the others. Since I'd promised to give him my body and soul, I had to follow through...This was for my own sake, too, wasn't it?

Lost in her thoughts, Karuizawa slowly took off her clothes, then retrieved a set of underwear from her closet.

After changing, Karuizawa looked at herself in the mirror. Seeing so much of her skin exposed made her feel unbearably self-conscious. She draped a bath towel over herself, and only then did she feel a little more secure.

Before long, someone knocked on the door. Karuizawa jumped like a startled rabbit.

She tiptoed over and asked,

"Who is it?"

"Me."

Hearing Kiyotaka's familiar, indifferent voice from outside, Karuizawa unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. Then she hid behind the door, leaving only her head visible as she opened it for him.

Kiyotaka found Karuizawa's strange behavior puzzling, but before he could say anything, she pulled him into the room.

Karuizawa's room was very dark. The curtains were drawn completely shut, and even after she closed the door, it took Kiyotaka a moment to adjust to the darkness.

"Why don't you turn on the light?" Kiyotaka asked, puzzled.

Instead of an answer, he heard a soft rustling. Then he felt a warm body press against him.

Karuizawa had a lovely figure, and she was tall for a girl, so she easily wrapped her arms around Kiyotaka's neck.

Then he felt her cool, delicate lips trembling slightly as they pressed against his.

Kiyotaka could sense Karuizawa's nervousness and inexperience. When he placed his hands on her slender waist, her skin felt cold to the touch. As he rubbed her smooth skin, he also wondered where her clothes had gone.

When Karuizawa felt his hands on her waist, her body trembled. She did her best to suppress the panic inside her.

Then she took the initiative, moving her tongue against his and entwining it with his. Their tongues pressed together and tangled.

Kiyotaka didn't disrupt her rhythm. He simply followed her lead, slowly sucking and stealing the moisture from her mouth.

Karuizawa had never experienced anything like this before. She and Hirata had been a couple for four months, but the most intimate thing they had ever done was link arms in front of other people.

And now she was standing nearly naked in front of a man, kissing him passionately.

An unfamiliar heat spread through Karuizawa as Kiyotaka kissed her. Her skin began to burn, and before she knew it, she was starting to enjoy the sensation. With Kiyotaka guiding her, her movements grew more practiced and more passionate.

Only when she was overcome by a powerful feeling of breathlessness did her dazed mind finally come back to her. She gently pushed Kiyotaka away and began to breathe heavily. Her chest rose and fell, making her breasts tremble. Karuizawa was suddenly glad the room was dark. She couldn't see herself, but she could imagine exactly what she looked like.

Chapter 55: You're Dressed Just Fine

The room suddenly fell silent. The only sound was Karuizawa's soft breathing. In that moment, even she found the sound unbearably suggestive.

"Can I turn on the light?" Kiyotaka asked calmly.

At his question, the blush that had just faded from Karuizawa's face returned. Her eyes shifted with embarrassment. She gently bit her lip. Though they were in the dark, she had the feeling Kiyotaka was watching her with his bright eyes, so she instinctively looked away. She leaned forward slightly, as if trying to hide her embarrassment, and couldn't help fidgeting.

"Okay..." Karuizawa gathered all her courage, but her voice was barely louder than a whisper.

"Click."

With Karuizawa's permission, Kiyotaka flipped the switch, and the room lit up. Embarrassed, Karuizawa squeezed her eyes shut and wished she could bury her little head in her chest and turn herself into an ostrich.

She had already imagined countless scenarios. For example, what she would say if Kiyotaka teased her, or whether she should just go along with it if he pounced on her like a beast...

The possibilities kept spinning through her mind. She had even prepared a response for every situation she could imagine.