Ripples

The next morning, before the mist had fully lifted, the fresh scent of grass and trees filled the forest. Kazama In left the Class D camp alone without disturbing anyone. His destination was clear: the Class B base.

He had already seen through Ryuen Kakeru's "sacrificial pawn" plan. To the Arbiter, that clumsy act was as transparent as glass. He also knew about Ayanokoji and Horikita's discussion. It was good that they had worked out Ryuen might be the leader; it saved him the trouble of explaining. What worried him more at that moment were the two assassins lying in wait. The Blood Crow mark found at the Class A base was an unmistakable threat. And considering the information "Phantom" had brought back last night—which was false, though he didn't know that—as well as his understanding of the assassins' methods, it was entirely possible they would use a "valuable target" to set a trap.

Ichinose Honami of Class B. Her family wasn't among the most powerful, but it had a strong local foothold. More importantly, there was that vague, hard-to-define "connection" between her and him, one the enemy could exploit. Kanzaki Ryuji, from a military family, was also a target worth watching. He needed to see for himself how Class B was doing. More importantly, he needed to warn Ichinose and leave her a safeguard.

The Class B camp remained orderly, nestled beside a stream and full of life. As Kazama In approached the outer perimeter, a tall figure appeared in front of him with the alertness of a leopard. It was Kanzaki Ryuji. His sharp gaze examined the unexpected visitor with the vigilance characteristic of a soldier.

"Kazama In?" Kanzaki's voice was steady and forceful. "The leader of Class D? What do you want?" His eyes swept over the area behind Kazama In, confirming that he had come alone.

Kazama In remained calm and stepped forward. "Good morning, Kanzaki. I'm not here on official business. I'd like to ask you about something personal." His gaze seemed to wander casually across the Class B camp. In an inconspicuous corner, he spotted a familiar figure: Kaneda of Class C, awkwardly helping a Class B girl carry firewood while occasionally glancing toward the camp's central area. Ryuen's spy. Kazama In understood, but paid it no mind. This level of espionage was insignificant compared to the storm that was about to break.

"Something personal?" Kanzaki Ryuji furrowed his brow, evidently surprised. "Go ahead."

Kazama In looked straight into Kanzaki's eyes. His dark eyes were unfathomable, and his tone was even, yet carried an undeniable seriousness. "Has the Kanzaki family recently made any enemies who might require unconventional methods to deal with? Or have you been caught up in anything that could provoke extreme retaliation?"

The question was far too abrupt and bizarre. It was completely beyond Kanzaki's expectations. He paused, then his gaze sharpened further, taking on a hint of offended coldness. "Kazama, what do you mean by that? My family has always acted with integrity. We've never done anything unjust! And we certainly don't provoke the kind of 'unconventional methods' you're talking about!" His tone was firm, carrying the pride of a military family.

Kazama In wasn't surprised by his reaction. All he needed was an initial confirmation; he hadn't really expected Kanzaki to give him any inside information.

"I understand. Thank you for telling me." He gave a slight nod, his tone still even. "I'm only warning you to stay vigilant. In times like these, it's better to be cautious."

"Kazama?" A clear voice rang out, surprised and carrying a hint of bashfulness. Ichinose Honami hurried over, the morning light reflected in her deep blue eyes. She looked curiously at Kazama In and the stern-faced Kanzaki. "What are you two talking about? Kanzaki, Kazama is our friend." She tried to ease the tension.

Kanzaki glanced at Kazama In but didn't answer. His expression clearly said that the question had been strange and impolite.

Kazama In took the opportunity to change the subject, turning his attention to Ichinose. "It's nothing. I was just asking a few questions. You're just in time, Ichinose." He paused, his tone growing more serious than usual, even carrying a note of unmistakable concern. "You must stay alert on this island and protect yourself. Don't go anywhere alone, especially somewhere secluded. Kanzaki," he said, turning to him, "please keep a close eye on the safety of the Class B students too, especially the key members."

His words left both Ichinose and Kanzaki confused and even a little uneasy. Ichinose blinked. "Kazama? Did something happen? Why are you saying this all of a sudden?" Kanzaki also asked in a low voice, "Kazama, do you know about some danger that we don't?"

Kazama In shook his head, his dark eyes unfathomably deep. "I can't say more. But please believe me, this is no joke. Staying alert and looking out for one another is the key to survival." He glanced around and lowered his voice. "Don't tell anyone about this, so we don't cause unnecessary panic."

The seriousness of his manner and the weight behind his words made Ichinose and Kanzaki realize that something might truly be wrong. Worry appeared on Ichinose's face, but she nodded firmly all the same. "Okay! I understand, Kazama! I'll be careful, and I'll warn everyone too!" Though Kanzaki was still full of questions, his soldierly instincts to follow orders and watch for danger made him nod solemnly as well. "Understood. I'll take responsibility for Class B's safety."

As Kazama In looked into Ichinose's worried yet trusting eyes, that inexplicable flutter stirred within him again. After a moment's thought, he said to her, "Ichinose, could I speak with you privately?"

"Huh? O-okay!" Ichinose's cheeks flushed, and her heart inexplicably began to race. She glanced at Kanzaki, who gave a small nod to show that she could go.

Kazama In led Ichinose to a relatively secluded spot at the edge of the camp, screened by several thick bushes. Morning light streamed through gaps in the branches, dappling the ground.

Ichinose stood in front of Kazama In and looked up at him, her deep blue eyes holding a hint of nervousness and... anticipation? Her cheeks were faintly flushed, and her fingers twisted unconsciously at the hem of her clothes. Kazama called me over alone... What is he going to say? Her heart fluttered, and the teasing her classmates had given her about the ring last night seemed to echo in her ears again.

Kazama In looked at her flushed cheeks and shining eyes, and his heart suddenly gave a clear, uncontrollable thump. The feeling was strange and sudden, and he was momentarily taken aback. He forced down the inexplicable stir in his chest, keeping his expression calm. He reached up and took off an exceptionally fine silver chain from around his neck. At its end was not a pendant, but a simple, old-fashioned ring, jet-black and made of a material that was neither metal nor jade. A tiny, almost invisible deep-blue crystal was set into its surface.

"Take this." Kazama In held the ring out to Ichinose.

The moment Ichinose saw the ring, her mind went blank. Her cheeks turned red as a ripe apple. A ring... Kazama... Could he really...? Overwhelming embarrassment and a secret thrill washed over her, leaving her almost unable to think. Instinctively, with a maiden's modesty and anticipation, she extended her slender right hand, palm up. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she gazed at Kazama In with watery blue eyes, silently inviting him to put it on her.

Kazama In saw her outstretched hand and her expectant, bashful gaze, and immediately understood the misunderstanding. A trace of awkwardness, so faint it was almost impossible to notice, flickered through his dark eyes, but calmness quickly replaced it. He neither explained nor hesitated—there was no time. He reached out and gently took hold of her right wrist with his long, well-defined fingers. The delicate warmth of her wrist touched his hand, and his fingers paused almost imperceptibly. His heart seemed to skip another uncontrollable beat.

He quickly steadied his breathing and carefully slipped the black ring onto the index finger of her right hand. It seemed to be just the right size, fitting snugly at the base of her finger. The cold touch made Ichinose shiver, pulling her partway out of her bashful daydream. On her index finger? That didn't seem... like what she'd hoped it meant.

"Remember," Kazama In said, releasing her wrist. His low, serious voice broke through the delicate atmosphere. "If... and I mean if... you feel you're in extreme danger, can't get away, or are trapped somewhere with no one to help you, press this crystal firmly with your thumb for three seconds." He pointed to the tiny deep-blue crystal set in the ring. "It'll send a distress signal that only a specific receiver can detect. I'll... find a way to get to you." He spoke the final sentence with unusual gravity.

Ichinose looked at the distinctive ring on her index finger, cold to the touch, then at Kazama In's utterly serious, even worried expression. Her embarrassment and disappointment were quickly replaced by a stronger sense of security, mixed with a little heartache. So that's it... He's doing this to protect me? Kazama... She nodded firmly and gently pressed the hand wearing the ring to her chest, as if the cold ring had taken on his warmth. "Okay! I'll remember! Thank you, Kazama!"

Kazama In gave Ichinose and the ring on her finger one last lingering look, then turned and left the Class B camp without another word.

Watching his tall, solitary figure disappear into the forest, Ichinose remained where she was, unconsciously rubbing the cold ring on her index finger. Her heart was a tangle of emotions: the sweetness of being cared for, worry about the "extreme danger" he had mentioned, and a touch of... faint disappointment. She lowered her gaze to the ring, and the corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily. This is a keepsake from him. She comforted herself, her cheeks still flushed.

When she returned to the central area of the Class B camp, the sharp-eyed students immediately noticed the distinctive ring on her right index finger.

"Wow! Honami! A new ring? It looks so cool!"

"Where did you get it? Do they sell jewelry on the island?"

"Wait... that style... Could it be from that Kazama in Class D...?"

"Ohhh! Were we right yesterday?! He really gave it to you?!"

"Come on, Honami, tell us! Is it a love token from Kazama?"

Amid her classmates' teasing and questions, Ichinose blushed even harder and hurriedly waved her hands. "N-no, it's not what you think! It's... it's an important protective charm! Kazama was worried about our safety, so..." To her excited classmates, her explanation only sounded more like she was trying to hide something. Kanzaki Ryuji stood to the side, watching the ring on Ichinose's hand and her bashful expression, his brow furrowed in thought. Kazama In's warning about "danger" and this ring of unclear significance only deepened his suspicions.

Kazama In walked alone along the forest path back to the Class D camp. Morning sunlight streamed through the leaves, casting dappled shadows over him. But his thoughts were far from calm.

His fingertips still seemed to remember the delicate warmth of Ichinose's wrist...

He kept seeing the bashful anticipation in her eyes, the way they had shone when she held out her right hand...

And the clear flash of disappointment in her eyes when he slipped the ring onto her index finger...

Why was my heart beating so fast?

What was that unfamiliar flutter?

When I look into her eyes, why do I want to look away, yet can't help lingering?

Why did I feel a faint... discomfort when I saw her disappointment?

These jumbled emotions were like a breeze weaving through the forest, brushing against his usually cold, rational heart and stirring unfamiliar ripples across its surface. He tried to analyze the feelings as he would intelligence: a physical response—accelerated heartbeat; a psychological response—captured attention and emotional fluctuation; a behavioral trigger—close contact and the other person's particular expression. The conclusion pointed to a state described in Love Song of Green Seasons.

Could this... be what it means to fall for someone?

Or is it merely a stress response to a potential "weakness" being touched?

Kazama In stopped and looked up at the sky, fragmented by branches and leaves. For the first time, clear confusion appeared in his dark eyes. As the Arbiter, he was used to taking control, analyzing, and eliminating. Yet now, an unknown variable called "emotion" was quietly intruding into his carefully calculated equation, bringing with it a sweet and dangerous chaos unlike anything he had experienced before. More urgent than that chaos, however, was the deadly storm that might be brewing in the Waterfall Area to the northwest. He had to make sense of it all as soon as possible—both the ripples within him and the murderous threat outside.