"How did it go? Was Sudo cleared of the accusations?"
"Yeah, but he has to write a 3,000-word apology."
"...Ayanokoji-kun, you're so kind. I think a 3,000-word apology is pretty lenient."
"Is that so..."
"Yeah. By the way, Horikita was really impressive. She came up with that plan all on her own."
"Yeah. After all, she was top of our class on the exam."
"You're impressive too, Ayanokoji-kun."
"Don't flatter me. I'm just her lackey."
"Anyway, I'm glad Sudo didn't get expelled~"
"Yeah."
And so, Ayanokoji updated Ichinose on what had happened. After all, he'd asked her for help, so it was only polite to let her know how things had turned out.
It was a lesson in dealing with people that Ayanokoji had recently read in another book.
However...
Ichinose actually thought a 3,000-word apology was acceptable. Ayanokoji couldn't understand that at all.
He'd rather be suspended for two weeks than write something like that. Besides, he hadn't been expelled, so what difference did it make if he stayed in the dorm?
He didn't need to study anyway. He could just treat it like a vacation.
He could read and play with his Tyrannosaurus. What could be better?
As he was thinking this, the corner of his eye caught sight of a pair of long legs approaching from the side.
A familiar flash of pale skin on those thighs.
Ayanokoji recognized her by her legs. Without a second thought, he turned to run, but the girl's bone-chilling voice stopped him in his tracks.
Just as he'd thought. She was here to settle the score.
"Explain this. Why did you tell Ichinose and the others in our class that I was the one who planned everything?"
Horikita's icy voice made the hairs on Ayanokoji's arms stand on end.
He blinked his vacant eyes and calmly replied,
"You were the one who planned it. I just went along with it."
"Don't dodge the question!"
"...Why... did you help me?"
Horikita's expression grew serious.
"I didn't help you. I helped Sudo."
"Why did you help Sudo?"
"To help myself."
"Why?"
"So I can go to Keyaki Mall and get some fries every day."
Horikita's relentless questioning, like that of a stone-cold straight woman, left Ayanokoji speechless.
Still, he answered honestly, if somewhat vaguely: he'd done it to keep his ordinary life from being disrupted, not because he wanted to be some shadowy mastermind.
After all, a peaceful life like this was precious to him, having come from the White Room.
At the same time, Horikita stopped asking questions. She didn't believe Ayanokoji's bizarre explanation, but the simplest answer was often the truth.
Horikita's excessive suspicion and pride had made her miss the answer she'd wanted.
"Ayanokoji..."
"What kind of person are you, really?"
At last, Ayanokoji couldn't take it anymore.
Would this girl ever stop? He'd told her his most honest thoughts, yet she kept pressing him. His fists were getting tense again.
Ayanokoji turned toward her, irritation in his eyes, taking in her whole figure. His abyssal eyes met Horikita's gaze.
"Stop trying to pry into my life!"
His voice was cold.
Unexpectedly, his vacant stare combined with his lifeless expression had an effect he hadn't anticipated.
Horikita froze!
A hint of fear appeared in her eyes. Even that tiny flicker was enough for Ayanokoji to seize the upper hand.
Without a word, he raised his chin slightly, then lowered his eyelids and looked down at her. It was a gaze of complete indifference!
Looking into his eyes, Horikita felt a chill run through her. She could only fold her arms across her chest and lower her head slightly to avoid his gaze, looking as though she'd done something wrong.
She hadn't expected Ayanokoji's eyes to be so frightening when he got serious!
When she finally looked up again, all she could see was Ayanokoji walking away. She watched until he disappeared from sight.
In a daze, she wondered if she'd been mistaken. Ayanokoji didn't seem gloomy or antisocial. Instead, he gave off an air of aloofness, as though no one could match him.
She wasn't sure whether that impression had been a momentary illusion.
In any case, she felt that Ayanokoji, just as Chabashira-sensei had said, was definitely no ordinary person.
That evening, at a pub.
A harsh interrogation was taking place in Class C's "private" room.
Ryuen Kakeru stared at the three boys standing before him with their heads lowered. The look on his face shifted from disdainful confidence to mild seriousness and displeasure.
"Go on. Who ruined my plans? Tell me the whole story, and I'll go easy on you."
"The school's given you two weeks off anyway. Use that time to recover. As for the points you cost the class, we'll settle the score when you get back!"
"...It was Horikita, Horikita Suzune from Class D! I heard she planned the whole thing."
"Right! That's right. I remember she played us twice in a row. First, she arranged to meet us privately, then she acted helpless again at the final hearing. She fooled us both times..."
"There was also some deadpan guy who helped her out, but he barely said a word. He was just there to make up the numbers."
"Oh? Interesting..."
"Looks like Horikita Suzune is the leader of Class D."
As he finished speaking, a smile tugged at Ryuen's lips. He looked as if he'd discovered a new toy.
The moment he stopped talking, Yamada Albert, the big black guy beside him, seemed to understand and went over to the battered Ishizaki and the other two.
"Bad boy~"
The big guy showed them a whole lot of affection.
On the last day of the week, after class, Ayanokoji wandered aimlessly through the streets.
In the end, he chose to stop at Keyaki Mall.
As expected, the shopping center was bustling with people on Saturday. Ayanokoji took one look, decided that was enough, and turned to head home. Then he happened to catch sight of a furtive figure following behind him.
Heh. No need to guess. It was a little fangirl who'd fallen for his charms.
Ayanokoji didn't feel like dealing with her. He already knew who she was, since this wasn't the first time she'd given herself away.
Sakayanagi, what was this woman up to?
She'd sent a lackey to spy on him, but the Tyrannosaurus had an incredibly keen sense of smell.
Could she handle the Tyrannosaurus's wrath?
His imagination ran wild. The scene was far too brutal—kids would watch it and exclaim, "So this is what the adult world is like!"
By chance, he opened the calendar on his phone. The first semester was already drawing to a close.
The summer vacation he'd been longing for was almost here!
Before you continue