Settled

The tense midterm exams finally came to an end. As the last subject's test papers were collected, the classroom of Class D was filled with an atmosphere blending relief and anxiety. Sudo Ken, Ike Kanji, and Yamauchi Haruki immediately huddled together.

"Hey, Sudo! Did you guess right on that last math problem?" Ike Kanji scratched his head, looking shaken.

"Ha! That one? I think I just managed to plug in the formula!" Sudo Ken slammed the table hard, his voice a bit shaky but his face unable to hide a glimmer of lucky excitement. "Feels like... I might just scrape by?"

"Me too, me too!" Yamauchi Haruki chimed in excitedly. "I couldn't understand most of the words in the English reading, but I think I guessed a bunch of the multiple-choice questions right! Feels like... I probably won't fail, right?" His tone carried the uncertainty of a narrow escape, but compared to the despair before the exam, a faint spark of hope had already ignited in his eyes.

Their discussion wasn't exactly quiet. Kazama In, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and Horikita Suzune were each packing up their stationery, their gazes inadvertently meeting before all landing on the three "problem children."

Horikita Suzune's tightly pressed lips seemed to relax by a fraction of a millimeter, and the usual cold hardness in her eyes melted slightly, though she quickly pursed her lips again, resuming her aloof demeanor. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained expressionless, silently observing the trio's state, calmly assessing in his mind: "Positive emotions, favorable feedback. Probability of passing significantly increased. Initial plan achieved."

As for Kazama In, the assassin known as "The Arbiter," watching Sudo and the others flailing with excitement over the possibility of passing, the corners of his mouth involuntarily and naturally curved upward into a clearly visible smile. It was a pure smile, tinged with relief and relaxation, like a warm ray of sunlight breaking through a crack in the ice.

This fleeting smile was brief but strikingly vivid, caught precisely by Horikita Suzune, who had turned her head, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had looked up.

"..." Horikita Suzune's eyes widened slightly, as if she had witnessed something unbelievable.

"...Kazama," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stated a fact in his flat, emotionless tone, "you smiled."

Kazama In paused briefly, then the smile didn't completely fade; instead, it took on a hint of helplessness and honesty. As he packed his stationery into his pencil case, he pulled out from his desk drawer the beautifully covered book Love Song of Green Seasons, his tone carrying a casual matter-of-factness: "Is it that strange? Laughing is one of my natural traits, isn't it? Besides," he traced his finger over the book's cover, his gaze turning slightly serious, "this book seems to hint that people who smile more easily gain others' goodwill and make friends? Maybe there's some truth to it." He paused, then dug out another book with a strikingly different cover from deeper in the drawer—School Days. "I heard this one is also a school-themed story, so I borrowed it from the library."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's gaze swept over the cover of School Days, and a series of calm evaluations flashed through his mind: "Negative textbook. Extreme content. A textbook example of poor interpersonal relationship handling. Kazama In's social cognition is still in the basic exploration stage; exposure to such works could cause cognitive bias. Risk exists. Not recommended for reading." But in the end, he said nothing, simply looking away.

The day for the results announcement finally arrived. The air in Class D's classroom seemed to freeze; everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed intently on Chabashira Sae as she stepped up to the podium.

Teacher Chabashira adjusted her glasses, swept her gaze across the room, and paused especially on Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi. She cleared her throat and began reading out names and scores.

"...Sudo Ken, Math, 57 points; Japanese, 42 points; English, 48 points..."

"...Ike Kanji, Math, 52 points; Social Studies, 45 points..."

"...Yamauchi Haruki, English, 51 points; Science, 43 points..."

When it was confirmed that all three of their weak subject scores had firmly landed above 40 and below 60, the classroom was dead silent for a moment before erupting into huge cheers! Especially Sudo and the others, who nearly hugged and jumped together. The scores weren't high, but they were absolutely safe! They had avoided expulsion!

Chabashira Sae watched the lively scene, and her usually stern face showed a rare, almost imperceptible, tiny smile. She raised her hand to signal for quiet, her voice slightly gentler than usual: "It seems everyone's efforts weren't in vain. Especially some students, who pulled back from the brink and earned themselves the chance to continue learning. This time, Class D's overall performance... has improved. Class points," she paused, then announced, "105 points."

Though the points were still at the bottom, these 105 points were like rain after a long drought, igniting hope in everyone in Class D. It meant they had finally shed the shame of "zero" and now had usable points! The classroom atmosphere grew even more heated, filled with the joy of survival and anticipation for the future.

To celebrate this hard-won victory and to thank the core members who had put in effort during the pre-exam cramming, Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo took the lead in organizing a small study group dinner party at Kazama In's dorm. The reason for choosing Kazama's dorm was obvious—his contribution of past exam papers had been the foundation of this success.

That evening, Kazama In's dorm saw rare liveliness. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo, Hirata Yosuke, Karuizawa Kei (naturally present as Hirata's girlfriend), and the three "protagonists"—Sudo Ken, Ike Kanji, and Yamauchi Haruki—all showed up.

Upon entering, everyone was slightly surprised. Kazama In's room was unexpectedly tidy to the point of being rigid: books were arranged meticulously by size and color; the bed was smooth with not a single wrinkle; the desk was spotless, with nothing but essential stationery and that copy of Love Song of Green Seasons. The air carried a faint, cold scent, a mix of disinfectant and books, subtly matching his identity as "The Arbiter."

"Wow, Kazama, your room is way too clean!" Ike Kanji couldn't help but exclaim.

"Mm, a habit," Kazama In replied flatly, bringing out prepared drinks and snacks (purchased with the newly obtained points).

The party atmosphere quickly heated up. Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi, holding their drinks, solemnly expressed their gratitude to Horikita Suzune, Kazama In, Ayanokoji, and Kushida Kikyo.

"Horikita! Even though you still talk harshly... thanks!" Sudo said awkwardly to Horikita.

Horikita Suzune gave a slight nod, her cool face showing little expression, but the distance in her eyes had indeed faded a bit compared to before: "It's the result of your own efforts. Next exam, I hope you'll truly understand the material instead of relying on last-minute cramming." Her tone was firm but lacked the usual hostility.

Kushida Kikyo, on the other hand, smiled sweetly and brilliantly, naturally picking up the conversation: "That's right, that's right! Suzune-chan was really serious and responsible! This time, it's all thanks to everyone working together!" She leaned affectionately toward Horikita, trying to link arms with her. Horikita's body stiffened almost imperceptibly but ultimately didn't pull away, though her expression was slightly unnatural.

Kazama In sat a little farther away, sipping his drink while calmly observing. When Kushida Kikyo used that syrupy, exaggerated tone to say "Suzune-chan," he keenly caught a flash of deeply suppressed irritation and disgust in the depths of her eyes. That was definitely not a look of genuine praise. His fingers tightened around his cup for a fraction of a second, understanding inwardly: "A superficial reconciliation. Kushida Kikyo's hostility toward Horikita Suzune hasn't faded—it's even deeper. She's still fixated on getting Horikita expelled." Kazama In silently adjusted his assessment of Kushida Kikyo in his mind, deciding to be more cautious about pushing their relationship until he fully uncovered her hidden motives and secrets.

Throughout the party, Kazama In smiled noticeably more than usual. Though mostly just a slight curve of his lips and a gentle look in his eyes, his relaxed state and occasional light smiles at certain topics still felt novel to Sudo and the others, who were used to his usual cold demeanor.

"Hey, hey, Kazama, you're in a great mood today!" Yamauchi Haruki pointed out bluntly.

Kazama In nodded frankly: "There's plenty to be happy about, isn't there?" His gaze swept over the three who had safely passed, over the class that had earned points, and also over... that copy of Love Song of Green Seasons on the bedside table.

After the party dispersed, the dorm returned to its quiet state. Kazama In stood by the window, watching the figures of the others receding below, his gaze finally locking onto Kushida Kikyo's back—seemingly cheerful but with a slightly hurried pace. The expression of barely suppressed irritation she had shown earlier resurfaced in his mind.

"Need more information." Kazama In turned and sat at his desk, opening what looked like an ordinary laptop but was actually a highly modified one. The cold light of the screen illuminated his expressionless face as his long fingers flew across the keyboard, like playing a silent symphony. Firewalls were pierced like thin paper, encrypted files were cracked one by one... Fragments of information about Kushida Kikyo's middle school days, carrying unsettling dark undertones, began to appear on the screen—bullying, betrayal, the complete collapse of her social image, and... an extreme hatred for anyone who knew her past.

Kazama In's pupils contracted slightly. "The root of it. Horikita Suzune knows about the past she doesn't want to face, becoming an intolerable stain on her perfect mask. Must be completely eliminated..."

Just then, a thought struck him. The direction Kushida Kikyo had left in wasn't toward the girls' dorm but toward the secluded riverside path behind the school. Combined with her suppressed emotions when leaving and the information he had just uncovered... Kazama In didn't hesitate for a moment. He closed the laptop and, like a panther merging into the shadows, silently left the room.

The night breeze by the river carried a chill. Kazama In concealed himself within the dense canopy of a large tree, his presence perfectly blending with the environment. He soon spotted his target—Kushida Kikyo, her back to him, standing by the riverside railing.

The Kushida at this moment was a completely different person from the sunny, sweet image at the party. Her face was twisted, her eyes bloodshot, and she radiated a violent aura. She kicked the metal railing viciously, again and again, producing dull "clang! clang!" sounds, venting her fury with low growls laced with the most venomous curses against Horikita Suzune: "...Damn Horikita! Why doesn't she just die!... Fake! Putting on airs!... I'll make sure you get kicked out of this school! Out!!" That ferocious expression and hate-filled voice were her truest self, never shown in front of others.

Kazama In stood like a cold sculpture, silently watching from above, his pitch-black eyes showing no ripple. He quietly activated a miniature high-definition recording device, capturing this highly impactful scene. At that moment, his sharp gaze caught another figure almost blending into the environment behind a nearby tree—Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Clearly, he too had been drawn or followed here.

What followed seemed like a replay of a predetermined script. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's phone ringtone abruptly shattered the riverside silence. Kushida Kikyo spun around like a startled viper, instantly locking onto the source of the sound. When she saw it was Ayanokoji, the violence on her face was instantly replaced by an extreme madness and calculation.

"Ayanokoji-kun... You heard that, didn't you? You heard everything, didn't you?!" Her voice trembled with a sob as she stepped closer, a bizarre smile spreading across her face.

"Kushida, I just came to return your phone."

"I can't let you tell anyone! Absolutely not!" she shrieked, cutting him off, and as Ayanokoji tried to step back, she grabbed his wrist! Then, under Kazama In's cold camera lens, Kushida Kikyo made that framing move—she forcibly pulled Ayanokoji's hand and pressed it against the front of her uniform shirt!

"If you betray me, I'll make sure everyone knows about this." Her cold voice echoed on the silent riverbank, filled with deliberate performance and malice.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's body instantly froze, a rare crack appearing in his poker face. He quickly pulled his hand back, his eyes turning extremely dangerous and cold, but Kushida Kikyo's mad, threatening gaze locked onto him, silently conveying, "Deny me, and I'll destroy you completely."

Just as the tension peaked and Ayanokoji was about to be forced into a response, a voice, calm and devoid of any warmth, descended like a judgment from above:

"So, it's finally fully exposed, isn't it? Your... 'true nature.'"

Kushida Kikyo and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka both jolted, looking up sharply.

There stood Kazama In, who had silently descended from the tree without a sound, now standing in the shadows not far from them. Moonlight outlined his tall, cold silhouette, his pitch-black eyes like an abyss, calmly looking down at the two stunned figures below. In his hand, he toyed with a small recording device, the faint glow of its screen illuminating a faint, yet bone-chilling, curve at the corner of his mouth. And without Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's knowledge, a rice-grain-sized miniature recorder had already been stealthily attached to a hidden corner of his uniform's inner lining by Kazama In, using a technique so subtle it went completely unnoticed.

The Arbiter had already seized the crucial evidence and witnessed everything in the darkness.