Stop peeking at me! Can you withstand the wrath of a Tyrannosaurus Rex?

"How is it? Has Sudo-kun been cleared of the false charges?"

"Yeah, though he has to write a 3,000-word reflection."

"...Ayanokoji-kun, you really are a kind person. I think a 3,000-word reflection is actually quite reasonable."

"Is that so..."

"Yes. By the way, Horikita-san is truly amazing to have come up with such a solution."

"Well, she is the top student in our class for exams, after all."

"Ayanokoji-kun is also very impressive, you know."

"Don't flatter me. I'm just her little sidekick."

"Regardless, it's a relief that Sudo-kun wasn't expelled~"

"Yeah."

Just like that, Ayanokoji reported the aftermath of the incident to Ichinose. After all, since he had asked for her help, it would be inconsiderate not to inform her of the outcome.

This was a way of handling interpersonal relationships that Ayanokoji had recently read about in another book.

However...

The fact that Ichinose actually thought a 3,000-word reflection was acceptable was something Ayanokoji could never understand.

He would rather be suspended for two weeks than write something like 3,000 words. Besides, he wouldn't be expelled, so what difference would it make to stay in the dorms?

He didn't need to study anyway, so he could just treat it like a vacation.

He could read books and fiddle with his Tyrannosaurus; how nice that would be.

Thinking this, he caught a glimpse of a pair of long legs walking toward him from the side.

It was a flash of white against familiar thighs.

Ayanokoji recognized the person just by looking at the legs. Without a second thought, he turned to run, but was stopped in his tracks by the girl's piercing voice.

That's the spirit; she's here to settle the score.

"Explain yourself. Why did you tell Ichinose and the others in class that I was the one who led this?"

Horikita's icy, bone-chilling tone reached him, and Ayanokoji felt the hair on his arms stand up.

He blinked his hollow, lifeless eyes and feigned composure as he said:

"This matter was led by you from the start. I was just going with the flow."

"Don't try to play dumb!"

"...Why... did you help me?"

Horikita's expression was somewhat serious.

"I wasn't helping you. I was helping Sudo."

"Why would you help Sudo?"

"To help myself."

"Why?"

"So I can go to Keyaki Mall every day to grab some fries."

With her blunt, relentless questioning, Ayanokoji was left speechless.

But he still told her the truth, albeit cryptically: he did it so his ordinary life wouldn't be affected, not because he wanted to be some kind of shadow mastermind.

After all, this peaceful life was incredibly precious to someone who had come out of the White Room.

At the same time, Horikita stopped her questioning. She didn't believe Ayanokoji's bizarre explanation, but the simplest answer is often the truth.

Horikita was too overthinking and aloof, and as a result, she missed the answer she was looking for.

"Ayanokoji..."

"What exactly are you?"

Finally, Ayanokoji couldn't take it anymore.

Does this girl ever stop? He had told her his most honest thoughts, yet she kept prying. His fist, it was hardening involuntarily again.

Ayanokoji turned his head with a hint of resentment, taking her entire figure into his field of vision, his abyss-like pupils staring straight into Horikita's eyes:

"Stop prying into my business!"

He said in an icy tone.

Unexpectedly, the combination of his hollow gaze and deadpan expression had an unforeseen effect.

Horikita, she was stunned!

A trace of timidity appeared in her eyes, and even though it was only a trace, it was enough for Ayanokoji to seize the initiative.

He said nothing, merely lifting his chin slightly before lowering his eyelids to look down at her—it was a gaze of complete indifference!

Horikita looked into his eyes and felt a chill run through her entire body; she could only cross her arms over her chest and bow her head slightly to avoid his gaze, looking as if she had done something wrong.

She hadn't expected Ayanokoji's eyes to be so terrifying when he was serious!

When she looked up again, she could only see Ayanokoji's retreating back, and she watched him until he completely disappeared from her field of vision.

In a daze, she felt that she might have been mistaken; the impression Ayanokoji gave off wasn't one of gloom or antisocial behavior, but rather a sense of aloofness, as if he were someone unapproachable who had never met his match.

Whether it was just a momentary illusion, she wasn't sure.

In any case, she felt that Ayanokoji, just as Chabashira had said, was definitely not simple.

At night, in a small tavern.

A harsh interrogation was taking place inside the "exclusive" private room of Class C.

Ryuen Kakeru stared at the three boys standing obediently with their heads bowed before him, his expression shifting from disdain and composure to a hint of seriousness and displeasure.

"Speak up. Who ruined my plans? Explain it clearly, and I'll go a bit easier on you."

"The school just gave you two weeks off, so you can use these two weeks to recover from your injuries. As for the points lost by the class during this period, we'll settle that account properly when you get back!"

"...It was Horikita, Horikita Suzune from Class D! It's said that this whole thing was entirely planned by her."

"Yes! That's right, I remember being played by her twice in a row. Once when she met us in private, and again at the final judgment meeting. She pretended to be at her wit's end both times, and we were completely taken in..."

"There was also a deadpan guy who acted as her lackey, but he basically didn't say a word; he was just there to make up the numbers."

"Oh? Interesting..."

"It looks like Horikita Suzune is the leader of Class D after all."

After speaking, a smirk curled onto Ryuen's lips, his expression like that of someone who had discovered a new toy.

As soon as he finished speaking, the big guy Yamada Albert seemed to understand his intent and approached the battered Ishizaki and the other two.

"bad boy~"

The big guy proceeded to show them some "affection."

On the last day of the week, after school, Ayanokoji wandered aimlessly through the streets.

He eventually chose Keyaki Mall as his destination.

As expected, the mall was bustling with crowds on a Saturday. Ayanokoji took one look, decided that was enough, and turned to head home, when he caught a glimpse of a sneaky figure following behind him.

Heh, no need to guess; he knew it was a little fan girl captivated by his charm.

Ayanokoji didn't want to pay her any mind. He had known who this person was for a long time, as this wasn't the first time she had exposed herself.

Sakayanagi, what is this woman trying to do!

Sending a lackey to monitor him—the Tyrannosaurus has an incredibly keen sense of smell.

Can you withstand the wrath of a Tyrannosaurus?

A series of thoughts flashed through his mind, the imagery too cruel; if children saw it, they would exclaim that the adult world is truly interesting.

He happened to open his phone calendar and saw that the first semester was nearing its end.

The long-awaited summer vacation, here he comes!