Secret Discussion

Under the cold moonlight, the ferocity on Kushida Kikyo's face froze in an instant, then turned into shock and fury at being seen through completely, with nowhere to hide. She jerked her head up and glared at Kazama In as he emerged from the shadows. Her eyes, usually brimming with laughter, were now poisoned ice picks aimed at him.

"Kazama... In!" Her voice squeezed through clenched teeth, filled with bone-deep hatred. She had abandoned her disguise completely. "You... saw everything?"

Kazama In ignored the glare that would have made an ordinary person tremble. He walked forward at an even pace and stopped a few steps away. His gaze was calm and still, as if he were inspecting a cold object rather than a person who had lost control of her emotions.

"Saw what?" Kazama In's voice was as cool as the night. "Your genuine emotional outburst, or the elaborate scheme you set up to frame him?" He tilted his head slightly, his tone touched with amusement but devoid of warmth. "Not bad acting, Kushida Kikyo. Too bad you had more than one audience."

His gaze swept over Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who stood silently to the side, his eyes sharp as a knife, then settled back on Kushida. That very calm only made him more intimidating.

"What... are you going to do?" Kushida's voice trembled slightly with rage and fear. Her fingers gripped the hem of her clothes so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"It's simple." Kazama In's voice suddenly turned cold, carrying an air of unquestionable judgment. "Put an end to your dangerous games. Stay away from Horikita Suzune. As long as your past, your disguise, and your hatred don't affect the class or threaten anyone in particular, I have no interest in exposing you. Not for now."

He leaned forward slightly. Though he wasn't significantly taller, the frigid aura of "The Arbiter" that radiated from him made Kushida instinctively take half a step back.

"But," Kazama In continued, a cold star seeming to glimmer in the depths of his dark eyes, "if I find you targeting Horikita Suzune again, or using such despicable methods to hurt another student..." He left the sentence unfinished. Instead, he slowly raised a hand, lightly tapped his temple with a fingertip, then pointed to the recording device in his pocket. The unspoken threat was chillingly clear: he had decisive evidence that could destroy the "perfect Kushida" image she had so carefully built, and he could use it at any time.

Kushida Kikyo's body trembled violently, all the color draining from her face. She bit down hard on her lower lip, nearly drawing blood. Fury, fear, and humiliation churned wildly in her eyes. She glared at Kazama In as if she wanted to devour him alive, but faced with the irrefutable evidence and his cold threat, what little reason she had left finally overcame her reckless impulse. She abruptly lowered her head, her shoulders heaving a few times. When she lifted her head again, the twisted, ferocious expression had vanished as if by magic.

In its place was her familiar sweet smile, tinged with a little confusion and helplessness. Only the stiffness in it and the cold resentment deep in her eyes betrayed her.

"Kazama-kun, Ayanokoji-kun, you've... got it all wrong!" Her voice had returned to its sugary sweetness, with just the right touch of hurt and confusion. "I was just... in a bad mood and letting off some steam. And as for Ayanokoji-kun... that was an accident! Really! I just tripped by myself... I'm sorry, Ayanokoji-kun. I startled you! Please don't take it to heart!" She bowed deeply to Ayanokoji, sounding so earnest she might actually have meant it.

Kazama In watched her performance in silence, his expression unchanged. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was silent too, his gaze inscrutable.

"Since it was a 'misunderstanding,' let's leave it at that." Kazama In's tone gave nothing away. "It's late. Go back and get some rest, Kushida-san." He put particular emphasis on "san."

Kushida Kikyo looked as if a great weight had been lifted, though a hint of unwillingness remained. She did her best to maintain her sweet facade. "Okay! Will do! Good night, Kazama-kun, Ayanokoji-kun!" She spoke, then hurried away from the riverbank almost as if fleeing. Her figure soon disappeared into the night.

Once she was sure Kushida had gone, Kazama In turned to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. He said nothing, merely reaching out and moving naturally toward him, as if brushing dust off his shoulder. In that seemingly casual contact, he deftly retrieved the grain-of-rice-sized recording device without Ayanokoji noticing.

"Here." Kazama In held out the recording device and his phone to Ayanokoji. "I sent you the video from earlier, too. You decide what to do with it." His tone was flat, as though he were handing over ordinary study materials.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at what Kazama In had offered, then raised his eyes to the other boy's unruffled face. He didn't ask how Kazama In had obtained the recording, nor did he seem surprised that Kazama was voluntarily sharing the evidence. He simply took the phone and recorder, tapped a few times, and received the video file. Kazama In voluntarily shared the evidence. Has my trust in him increased? Or did he assess Kushida Kikyo as a threat and decide that we needed to share information? A matter of efficiency. This evidence is valuable.

"Mm." Ayanokoji put the items away and gave a brief reply.

They said nothing more. In tacit agreement, they turned and headed back to the dormitory area together. The night was deep, and the streetlights stretched their shadows long, then short again. Silence spread between them, but it wasn't awkward. Instead, there was an odd, unspoken calm. Their footsteps echoed steadily through the quiet night.

The next morning, the sunlight chased away the night's chill. Kazama In arrived at the dormitory elevator and saw Ayanokoji Kiyotaka waiting there as well.

"Morning," Kazama In said simply.

"Morning," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka replied with a nod.

The numbers above the elevator doors ticked upward. As if remembering something, Kazama In took a clean paper bag with a simple design out of his backpack and opened it. Inside were several neatly cut sandwiches, still giving off a little steam. He casually took one out and offered it to Ayanokoji.

"Breakfast," Kazama In said succinctly.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka visibly froze for a moment. He looked at the sandwich held out to him, then at Kazama In's calm face. Kazama In is offering me breakfast. This behavior is unusual. Is it a social overture based on Love Song of Green Seasons? He analyzed it quickly, but his expression remained unchanged as he took the sandwich. "Thanks."

"Ding." The elevator doors opened.

Horikita Suzune and... Kushida Kikyo stood inside.

Kushida Kikyo had already returned completely to her usual sunny, adorable self. Her face was bright with energy, and when she saw the two of them outside, she immediately waved enthusiastically. "Good morning, Kazama-kun! Ayanokoji-kun! What a coincidence!"

"Morning," Kazama In and Ayanokoji replied at the same time as they stepped into the elevator. Horikita Suzune merely gave a slight nod, her gaze lingering on Kazama In for an instant with a trace of subtle curiosity.

The elevator descended. Kazama In opened the paper bag again, took out a sandwich, and handed it to Horikita Suzune. "Horikita-san, breakfast."

Then he took out another and offered it to Kushida Kikyo. "Kushida-san, here."

Horikita Suzune looked at the sandwich held out to her, rare surprise showing on her cool face. She hesitated, then accepted it. "...Thanks." Her voice sounded a little stiff with unfamiliarity.

Kushida Kikyo smiled even more brightly as she accepted it with both hands. "Wow! Thanks, Kazama-kun! I didn't know you could make breakfast! That's amazing!" Her tone brimmed with surprise and praise, and her eyes were clear and bright, as if the fierce girl by the riverbank last night had never existed.

Kazama In watched her perfect performance, his expression unchanged. He offered a simple explanation. "I read it in a book. Love Song of Green Seasons says that making breakfast for a classmate can raise their affection for you more easily if you made it yourself." His tone was earnest, as if stating a scientific principle that had been verified.

"..."

The elevator fell into an instantly eerie silence.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka silently took a bite of his sandwich and chewed without changing expression. Just as I thought. The source of his behavior is confirmed. His social understanding is skewed. He misunderstood who the increased affection was meant to apply to.

Horikita Suzune's hand froze in midair as she held the sandwich. She looked at Kazama In's utterly matter-of-fact, calm face. The corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, and she eventually chose to lower her head and look at the food in silence.

Kushida Kikyo's sweet smile froze for a fraction of a second before she burst into exaggerated laughter to cover her embarrassment. "Pfft, hahaha! Kazama-kun! Th-that book's 'raising affection' usually refers to... um... well... that's something couples do!" She laughed and waved her hands. Her cheeks were faintly red, but her eyes darted quickly between Kazama In and Ayanokoji, carrying a trace of scrutiny.

Hearing that, Kazama In raised an eyebrow slightly, looking enlightened. Then his expression returned to a calm "I see," and the corner of his mouth even lifted into a faint, almost innocent smile. "Oh? Is that so? I understand. I suppose it is." His tone was frank, as if he had just corrected a useful piece of knowledge.

Horikita Suzune and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka fell silent once again. Kushida Kikyo could only keep laughing awkwardly. The atmosphere in the elevator grew almost unbearably strange.

The elevator finally reached the first floor. As soon as the doors opened and the four of them stepped out, a clear, pleasant, lively voice called out:

"Ah! Kazama-kun! Ayanokoji-kun! Horikita-san! Kushida-san! Good morning!"

Ichinose Honami stood near the entrance to the lobby, her pinkish-blond hair especially dazzling in the morning sunlight. Her face was lit with a warm smile as she hurried over. Her gaze went straight to Kazama In, her bright blue eyes like a cloudless sky, openly warm and gleaming with excitement.

"Good morning, Ichinose," Kazama In replied calmly, seemingly unsurprised by her appearance.

"Good morning, Ichinose-san," Ayanokoji and Horikita greeted her as well. Kushida Kikyo immediately switched back to social mode and answered sweetly, "Good morning, Ichinose-senpai!"

Ichinose Honami came up to them, smiling brightly, but her gaze stayed almost entirely fixed on Kazama In, full of a familiarity and delight that others could hardly understand. Kazama In remained calm, but opened the paper bag again and took out the last sandwich. He held it out to Ichinose. "Breakfast."

Ichinose Honami's eyes widened with delight. She accepted it with both hands as if it were a precious gift. "Wow! Thank you, In... er, Kazama-kun! Did you make this yourself?" She managed to swallow the affectionate name just before it slipped out. Her cheeks turned faintly red, but her eyes shone even more brightly.

Kazama In nodded. "Yeah."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka thought, He's using the same strategy with Ichinose Honami. But she nearly let slip how close they are. Their history runs deeper than I expected. Horikita Suzune also glanced at Kazama In and Ichinose thoughtfully.

The group—Kazama In, Ayanokoji, Horikita, Kushida, and Ichinose—set off together toward the school building. The mood was much more relaxed than in the elevator. Kushida Kikyo and Ichinose Honami naturally became the center of conversation—or rather, Kushida worked hard to keep the conversation going.

As they walked, Ichinose Honami seemed to suddenly remember something. With a touch of worry and anticipation, she said, "Oh, speaking of which, we should be getting this month's Class Points soon, right? I wonder when they'll be added to our accounts. I can't wait!" Her words were casual, but she deftly turned the conversation toward something every student cared about.

Kazama In walked beside them, quietly listening to their conversation. The morning sunlight fell on the silver and dark-red strands of his hair, and also on the spine of Love Song of Green Seasons, which he had somehow taken out again and begun reading. Beneath the calm surface, a new chapter of school life was quietly unfolding.