Watching the Play

"Rinya, meet me at the library after school. Don't forget to bring all your study materials."

"You're certainly not shy about making demands, haha." Rinya chuckled and closed his phone.

"Ding... dong..."

Accompanied by the long, resonant toll of the bell, the school day drew to an end before anyone realized it.

Though, if one were to speak only of this day, it didn't seem to have truly reached its conclusion yet.

Rinya stepped slowly out of the student guidance room, watching Ayanokoji, who had exited just ahead of him, as he continuously offered excuses and deflected topics while being grilled by Horikita Suzune over his suspected manipulation of test scores.

For some reason, watching this scene made Rinya want to laugh, and it was the kind of laughter that was difficult to suppress.

To think that the man once called the greatest masterpiece of the White Room would now be reduced to casting pearls before swine over such trivial matters.

Knowing full well that Horikita Suzune's level of thinking was nowhere near his own, yet still attempting to persuade her—there were many ways to help her grow, but in Rinya's eyes, Ayanokoji had undoubtedly chosen the most thankless and exhausting one.

"Stop right there. What are you laughing at?"

Just then, Horikita Suzune, who was feeling incredibly indignant about the situation, caught sight of Rinya's faint smile as he walked past and couldn't help but demand an answer.

However, Rinya ignored her and continued walking on his own. After all, if one could foresee trouble, why bother touching a result that held no meaning?

"Wait, I remember you're a student in our class too. Since you saw the scores at Chabashira-sensei's office, are you going to condone his score-manipulation behavior, which ignores the class and serves only his own personal agenda?"

"Don't provoke him." At this moment, Ayanokoji, who rarely made a move, unexpectedly reached out to stop Horikita Suzune, who was about to chase after Rinya to press for an answer.

"Why? We're all classmates. I just want to ask his thoughts. How is that provoking him?"

"Don't ask. I'll ensure that not a single person drops out this time. Is that enough for you?"

"You... I never said I wanted to deal with them." Horikita Suzune slapped his hand away and walked off in a huff.

She only took a few steps before pausing to say, "Hmph, do whatever you want with this matter. If it weren't for the fact that tonight I have..."

"Forget it, just leave it at that."

Watching Horikita Suzune's retreating figure, Ayanokoji shook his head slightly, lost in thought.

Perhaps this expression was the most fitting evaluation Ayanokoji could give of Horikita Suzune at this stage.

School, Library.

Rinya had just arrived, thinking he was too early. However, when his gaze fell upon Matsushita Chiaki, who was fast asleep with her head resting on her books, he couldn't help but freeze for a moment.

Did this girl come here without eating just to wait for me?

He found it interesting, yet also somewhat amusing.

"Heh~ in that case, I can't blame myself."

Rinya sat down gently. He placed his books to the side, though most of them were unrelated to his studies.

After all, he had long since stopped caring about that level of knowledge; instead, it was books with creative thinking that piqued his interest.

And so, he didn't disturb the girl's rest. When it came to the messy affairs between men and women, he preferred the domineering approach of making the other party submit completely.

Perhaps the habits formed in that place were impossible to change for a lifetime, but being his most authentic self at all times was quite comfortable.

Rinya picked up a thick book and began to read it calmly.

During this time, the members of the study group—Ayanokoji, Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo, and others—arrived right on time.

The subsequent events played out much like what Rinya had seen in his previous life: the arrival of the "three idiots" led by Sudo Ken, followed by a heated argument with Horikita, and their eventual angry departure.

Although he had seen it once before, perhaps because he was now experiencing it firsthand, Rinya enjoyed watching the drama unfold while snacking on his food.

By the time everyone had left and the warning that the library was closing sounded, Matsushita woke up in a panic. However, even though the first thing she saw was the person she had been waiting for, she couldn't bring herself to smile.

The man's half-smiling expression was ruthlessly telling her that she had lost out big tonight... "And to think I wasted the invitation I earned with my first confession, wuwuwuwu~"

After the library closed, Rinya looked at the girl trailing behind him with a pitiful expression. He didn't hesitate; seeing that no one was around, he caught her off guard and gave her a compensatory hug.

"Ah!"

After a shy shriek, Matsushita Chiaki crossed her arms over her chest and ran away, blushing.

This scene caught Rinya by surprise. He had originally wanted to see if he could take her under his wing under the cover of night, but since it had come to this, it seems the timing isn't quite right yet, Rinya thought to himself.

Though he felt a bit empty, his interest hadn't waned. Since watching the drama in the library was so entertaining, how could he miss out on the grand performance scheduled for the night?

Time slowly drifted into the night. Perhaps because everyone was exhausted from preparing for the midterms, the streets around the school were empty, save for a few 24-hour convenience stores.

Ayanokoji, who had stepped out in the middle of the night to grab a snack, happened to spot Horikita Manabu, the student council president, talking to Horikita Suzune in a small alleyway.

"The student council president is her brother?"

"Oh no." Just then, Ayanokoji, who was watching from the shadows, noticed the president making a move. He rushed over immediately and blocked his path.

"Aya... Ayanokoji, why are you here~" Horikita Suzune, lying on the ground with tear-reddened eyes, looked at him in disbelief.

"Oh, so it's someone from Class D of the first year. This is a private matter for the president; I suggest you don't interfere," Tachibana Akane, the petite secretary behind Horikita Manabu, warned first.

"I only know that you are bullying a student from my class, so I'm not going anywhere."

"You!" It was the first time Tachibana Akane had encountered someone so ignorant of the rules, and she was so angry her face turned bright red.

"It's fine." Horikita Manabu waved her off. A sudden spark of interest appeared on his face as he smiled faintly. "So you are Ayanokoji, huh? Heh... you really are different from the others. Just this composure you show when facing me is quite worth looking forward to."

"In that case, let me inspect your strength for myself."

"Whoosh!"

Horikita Manabu's figure flashed, instantly arriving before him, and in a split second, he delivered a kick aimed at his opponent's vitals. Ayanokoji didn't say a word, dodging to the side while simultaneously launching a sweep at his lower body...

Just like that, the two fought with increasing ferocity, their speed creating a blur of afterimages. The muffled thuds produced by the collision of their fists and feet were in no way inferior to the raw power exchanged between heavyweight boxers.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!!!"

Watching the two of them fight amidst a swirling wake of air, not only were Tachibana Akane's pupils dilated in shock, but even Horikita Suzune, who had always looked down on Ayanokoji, was so stunned that she forgot to stand up.

He was hiding so much... This thought echoed simultaneously in the minds of the Horikita siblings and Tachibana Akane.

Standing on a high vantage point in the corner, Rinya naturally observed the entire process, though what caused him to lose interest was that both parties were holding back, stopping just short of landing a blow. He had originally wanted to see what choice she would make in a moment of desperation if one of them were injured.

As it turned out, the fight had instead led Horikita Manabu, who had come to respect his opponent through combat, to appreciate Ayanokoji's methods and intellect.

However, just as Rinya was about to leave, thinking it was boring, a novel scene unfolded.

Perhaps due to the butterfly effect, the conversation that should have ended here in the original story took a sudden turn after Horikita Manabu finished praising Ayanokoji: "By the way, is there someone named Rinya in your class?"

"Yes, there is."

"Heh, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, I'm sure you've noticed it too. That guy is just like you; the ability he displays in controlling his scores is truly extraordinary. Although I haven't noticed any unusual behavior from him recently, I still feel it is necessary to warn you: if you cannot keep him within your sphere of control, believe me, that man will undoubtedly become your greatest hidden threat."

"Is that so~ Perhaps."

Listening to Ayanokoji's ambiguous reply, Horikita Manabu said nothing more. Sensing something unusual, he chose to take his leave first.

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