Confession?

Chapter 37

The wind on the rooftop was fierce.

"The rooftop is probably the best place for secret conversations. Other than the roar of the wind and the stillness of the night, there is nothing else."

Sakamoto, dressed in a trench coat, leaned against the railing. One hand, following the line of his coat belt, held a steaming cup of black tea. His long index finger lightly tapped the rim of the bone china cup, and he did not even look up at the latecomer.

"!"

At the wide-open rooftop door stood Tokito Yuya, the one who had sent the message. Tokito wore glasses as well, but they only made him look dull and awkward. He had no appreciation for Sakamoto's wit. His expression was impatient, though he did not dare show it too clearly, merely urging him anxiously.

"When exactly are you going to fulfill what you promised me!?"

"Don't be so impatient. We signed an agreement, after all."

Having rushed upstairs, Tokito's breathing had yet to settle. He pushed up his glasses three times, pressing so hard that red marks appeared on either side of his nose.

"Yesterday, people from Class D already came after me. I feel like helping you was the wrong choice."

"This isn't some child's game. There is no option to take it back, Tokito. You just need to keep yourself under control." Sakamoto lowered his eyes and took a sip of black tea, his Adam's apple gliding elegantly in the cold light of the night.

"I mean, how much longer do I have to endure this feeling of hiding around?"

Tokito was under several kinds of mental pressure at the moment. Part of it came from his own conscience, part from his fear that Class C would discover the truth, and part from the tension of Class D repeatedly coming to question him.

On the night he handed the photos over to Sakamoto, guilt had surged through him like a tide. He could not sleep all night, and scenes of Ishizaki and the others being punished, of Ryuen being suspended, kept replaying in his mind. However, he soon realized—he might have become a pawn.

Such an innocent child.

Sakamoto swirled the black tea in his hand, passing judgment on Tokito in his heart.

This glasses-wearing kid had betrayed his class, then felt miserable with guilt afterward. Should Sakamoto say he had a strong sense of justice, or that he was obsessive?

In Sakamoto's eyes, Tokito no longer held much value. Still, even junk could be sold one more time.

This little powder keg was like a box of surprises. If he showed up unexpectedly, perhaps he might prove useful?

"Things are beyond your control. Endure it for now, and everything will naturally work out when the time comes."

Sakamoto placed a heavy hand on Tokito's shoulder blade, his tone softening as the pupils behind his lenses suddenly shrank to pinpoints.

"Or are you saying you really don't want to do this anymore? If this gets exposed, you won't be able to stay in your class."

"I... I understand."

Tokito swallowed involuntarily, took two steps back, and fled Sakamoto's side.

Only Sakamoto, drinking black tea alone, remained on the rooftop.

The following day, Tokito obediently kept enduring.

No matter how the people from Class D questioned him, he refused to say a word.

Sudo and Yamauchi could not stand Tokito's reaction. They stormed over to threaten him, only to be snapped back at by Tokito.

Even the adorable Kushida Kikyo could not make the slightest progress.

With Class D achieving no results at all,

the accountability hearing began.

The meeting was presided over by Student Council President Horikita Manabu and secretary Tachibana Akane.

The three plaintiffs from Class C—Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo—were all present, along with their homeroom teacher, Sakagami Kazuma, a sharp-looking, skinny man in a suit.

Class D was represented by the accused Sudo, the "defense lawyer" Horikita, and her little follower Ayanokoji.

Because they had no evidence, Class D had no way to fight back as Class C's homeroom teacher made things difficult for them. Horikita had also lost her usual composure, all because of the man on the platform who was also named Horikita.

To snap Horikita out of it, Ayanokoji suddenly reached out and pinched Horikita Suzune's side. Horikita let out an unusually girlish sound, then came to her senses and began arguing sharply.

However, the situation did not improve because of that. Rather, with no evidence, this meeting had been doomed to end in defeat from the start.

The voices of both sides grew louder, and their tempers flared. Sakagami Kazuma's cold sneers and mockery made the air suddenly freeze.

Sudo wanted nothing more than to leap across and slap that teacher Sakagami twice, but Horikita stopped him each time.

The meeting ended there.

Throughout the entire meeting, they had failed to make any strong arguments.

The only good news was that no ruling had been made yet. Another meeting would be held tomorrow afternoon.

This was their last chance.

Sudo and the others could only leave unwillingly.

Meanwhile, the guilty Ishizaki and the other two finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Tokito, who had been following the news all along, also breathed a sigh of relief. Yet at the same time, he hesitated over the final plan.

According to the final plan, the photos he had taken

were supposed to be given to Class D. Only then could Ryuen's scheme be broken and his authority within the class undermined.

If it truly came to that, the charge of betraying his class would be confirmed. Whether anyone knew or not, he would always be tormented by that guilt.

The photos were in Sakamoto's hands, but for some reason, Sakamoto had not delivered them yet.

Tokito did not know, nor did he care. At least this gave him room to breathe, so he would not be drowned by the justice that made him suffer.

"That's fine too. Maybe Sakamoto has already forgotten about it."

Tokito muttered as if comforting himself. At the same time, he stood up blankly and walked out of the classroom.

Tokito moved step by step toward the door.

Then he suddenly collided with Ishizaki Daichi, who was coming in.

"Ow!"

Ishizaki, who had been chatting and laughing with Komiya and the others, immediately flared up.

He grabbed Tokito by the clothes.

"You blind or something? Don't you know how to watch where you're going!?"

The more Ishizaki spoke, the worse his mood became.

Looking at this dazed glasses-wearing kid in front of him only made him more irritated.

He raised his hand high, about to bring it down!

"Hey, Ishizaki."

Ryuen entered through the door, with Albert and Ibuki behind him.

His hands were in his pockets, and a small bamboo pick rested between his lips.

"Didn't I tell you not to casually lay hands on people in the classroom?"

Ryuen fixed Ishizaki with a sharp gaze.

Cold sweat immediately ran down Ishizaki's back, and he hurriedly released Tokito.

"Y-Yes, boss. You're right."

After saying that, he hurried out of the classroom.

Ryuen did not even glance at Tokito, who stood frozen where he was. He passed by Tokito and strode toward his seat.

"W-Wait, Ryuen—"

Tokito spoke from behind Ryuen, his voice trembling but resolute. "Ryuen, I have something to tell you... It was me. I betrayed Class C."

The classroom instantly fell silent, every gaze focusing on Tokito. Ishizaki Daichi, standing by the window outside the classroom, rushed inside at once, grabbed Tokito by the collar, and slammed his fist into Tokito's face as he roared:

"You traitor! You actually dared to sell us out!"