Night Sakura and an Old Acquaintance

The setting sun bathed the campus in warm gold and crimson. Kazama In walked along the tree-lined path toward his dormitory. His pace was steady, but his mind was racing. Class D's makeup, Ayanokoji's identity, Kushida's façade, the school's rules... countless fragments of information collided and connected in his mind.

Just as he reached a quieter grove of cherry trees, a faint, rhythmic metallic rumble came from around the bend in the path ahead.

Kazama In's steps slowed slightly.

A figure slowly appeared in his field of vision.

Her long silver-white hair flowed like moonlight, reflecting a cool, noble sheen in the setting sun. She sat in a sleek, exquisitely designed silver wheelchair, her posture as elegant as if she were seated on a throne. A dark blue uniform jacket lay casually across her legs. Beneath it, she wore a fine white blouse, its collar adorned with a delicate black velvet bow. Her features were as exquisite as a doll painstakingly crafted by the most skilled artisan, and her skin was so fair it seemed almost translucent. Her long lashes were lowered, veiling the eyes rumored to be as clear as amethyst. Her slender fingers rested casually on the wheelchair's armrest, their tips smooth and lustrous.

Sakayanagi Arisu.

Behind her, pushing the wheelchair, was a girl in the same dark blue uniform—Kamuro Masumi. There was also a boy, Hashimoto Masayoshi, with neatly styled yellow hair. The two silently carried out their duties as her escorts, their presence as solid as stone.

The wheelchair rolled smoothly over the cobbled path with a faint rumble, slowly approaching Kazama In.

Kazama In stood where he was, neither deliberately moving aside nor stepping forward. The sunset's golden light fell on his black hair, parted in a 7:3 style, illuminating the unusual silver-white strands and dark red highlights at his temple. It also lit up his calm, placid features.

Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to notice the figure ahead. She raised her head slightly.

Her long lashes lifted like butterfly wings, revealing her eyes.

They weren't the amethyst of rumor, but rather like the purest violet gemstones: clear and deep, alight with the wisdom of one who saw through everything, yet seemingly set behind a thousand-year-old layer of ice, aloof and noble. Her gaze settled calmly on Kazama In, carrying just the right touch of curiosity, as if she were examining an intriguing object.

Their eyes met briefly.

Neither spoke nor moved. Kazama In could clearly feel the penetrating force of her gaze, its composure concealing a precision that seemed capable of dissecting the soul. In Sakayanagi Arisu's eyes, too, there seemed to flicker a faint interest in Kazama In's unusual hair and tranquil bearing.

The wheelchair didn't slow. It glided steadily and silently past Kazama In. Katsuragi Kohei pushed it like a moving fortress, his sharp gaze sweeping over Kazama In with an air of scrutiny and warning.

Kazama In stayed where he was, watching the silver-white figure disappear around the bend in the cherry grove. A faint, cool, and refined fragrance seemed to linger in the air.

He slowly looked away, his fingers unconsciously touching the cold silver pocket watch inside his uniform.

The Courier's encrypted signal... the Student Council... a product of the White Room... and now, the A-Class queen, as immaculate as a precision-crafted doll...

Beneath the Ladder at Advanced Nurturing High School, the undercurrents seemed even deeper and more complex than he'd imagined. Kazama In's lips pressed together almost imperceptibly, forming a hard line. He didn't linger. Turning, he walked toward his dormitory beneath the fading sunlight. His dark blue silhouette soon disappeared into the campus gloom.

The pale glow of a phone lit up the dark dormitory, breaking the quiet of the night. Kazama In leaned against the headboard, swiping a finger across the screen. A message with no signature appeared:

[The moon is lovely tonight. An old acquaintance wishes to catch up. Would you be willing to join me for a meeting at the café, Mr. Kazama?]

The message was brief, its phrasing refined, with a trace of reserve and familiarity. Kazama In's gaze lingered on the words "old acquaintance." A flicker of understanding passed through the depths of his dark eyes. Someone who could locate his private line so precisely, despite his modifications, speak in that tone, and specifically mention catching up...

He tapped out an equally brief reply:

I'll be there shortly.

He got up, changed out of his comfortable loungewear, and put on a well-ironed dark shirt and trousers, casually draping a fine wool coat over them. In the mirror, his reflection showed dark, deep-set eyes beneath his 7:3 black hair. The silver-white and dark red highlights at his temple glimmered in the dim light.

The café sat in a quiet corner of the campus residential area, known for its elegant atmosphere and excellent pour-over coffee. It was nearly midnight, and few customers remained. Kazama In pushed open the door, setting the bell above it ringing softly.

Soft, warm yellow light spilled across the dark wood furnishings. The air was rich with the aroma of coffee beans and soothing jazz. His gaze immediately settled on the seat in the farthest corner by the window.

Sakayanagi Arisu was sitting there.

Unlike during the day, she wasn't in her wheelchair. She was turned slightly to one side, her slender, fair fingers braced on the edge of the table as she tried to stand up from the comfortable sofa under her own power. Her long silver-white hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, shining with a cool luster beneath the lights. She wore a fine ivory knit dress, with a light gray cashmere shawl loosely draped over her shoulders, outlining her slight yet still elegant figure. The warm light softened her exquisite features, lending them a fragile quality absent during the day. Yet her violet eyes remained clear and deep, gleaming with insight.

In the shadows of another booth not far behind her, Kamuro Sumire sat like a silent statue, her back turned to them. But Kazama In could clearly feel her sharp, wary gaze fixed on him as if it were tangible.

When she saw Kazama In enter, Sakayanagi Arisu paused. She took a deep breath, seeming to gather all her strength, and finally managed to stand, albeit with some difficulty. Even so, she maintained her impeccable grace. She gave a slight nod, a perfectly measured, aristocratically reserved smile playing on her lips.

"Mr. Kazama, it's been a long time." Her voice was clear and lilting, like jade beads falling onto a tray. It carried the ingrained manners of someone steeped in etiquette, yet the title "Mr." held a subtle hint of teasing.

Kazama In walked over and stopped in front of her. He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile coloring his dark eyes. "Such a formal greeting from Miss Sakayanagi. I'm almost flattered." His low voice held a hint of teasing as well. "Or have we grown distant after all these years?"

"Heh." A light laugh, like cracking ice, escaped Sakayanagi Arisu's lips. Genuine warmth rippled through her violet eyes. "You've become even more silver-tongued since you were a boy, Big Brother Kazama." She naturally switched to the affectionate nickname from their childhood, and some of the aristocratic distance melted away at once.

The smile in Kazama In's eyes deepened a little. "Likewise, little Arisu." He pulled out a chair and sat across from her with an easy familiarity. His gaze swept casually toward Kamuro Sumire. "Your 'knight in shining armor' seems very dedicated." He deliberately made the remark lightly.

"Sumire is only doing her job." Sakayanagi Arisu sat down gracefully, her tone casual. "Don't mind her." She lifted the fine bone china coffee cup in front of her. The dark brown liquid within sent up a rich aroma; it was clearly made from heavily roasted, high-caffeine beans.

Kazama In's gaze fell on the cup in her hand, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He remembered clearly that Sakayanagi Arisu had had a weak heart since childhood. Her doctors had repeatedly warned her to strictly limit her caffeine intake, especially from strong, dark-roasted coffee like this.

"You're still drinking that?" Kazama In's voice lowered, his concern undisguised. "Your health..."

Sakayanagi Arisu's hand paused with the coffee cup. She raised her violet eyes to him, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings. She saw the pure, unfeigned concern in his eyes—the exact same expression he'd worn as a child when he rushed to help her after she fell. Something in her heart seemed to stir gently, and a long-missed warmth quietly spread through her.

She set down the coffee cup. Its base clinked softly against the saucer, and she gave him a helpless, indulgent smile. "You're still such a worrier, Big Brother Kazama. I just wanted a little pick-me-up." She didn't deny her poor health.

Kazama In said nothing more. He simply raised a hand and gestured to the server nearby.

The server quickly came over and asked respectfully, "What can I get for you, sir?"

"Please bring her a hot milk with a little honey." Kazama In's voice was gentle but firm. He turned to Sakayanagi Arisu. "Is that all right?" He asked respectfully, but had already made the decision for her.

Sakayanagi Arisu paused slightly, looking into Kazama In's calm but determined eyes. After a moment, her smile deepened, like the first ray of sunlight after the snow melted, and genuine warmth shone through. "All right," she said softly, without the slightest displeasure. Instead, she seemed comforted by being cherished. She turned to the server. "I'll have what he said, thank you."

The server left to fulfill the order. In the shadows, Kamuro Sumire seemed to relax her tense shoulders almost imperceptibly.

After the small interruption, the atmosphere grew more relaxed. The two naturally began reminiscing about their childhood.

"Do you remember the huge cherry tree in your family's back garden?" Kazama In's fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the table, his eyes distant with memories. "You used to read beneath it all the time. Once, a falling petal startled you, and your book dropped into the pond nearby. You were so upset you nearly cried."

"Of course I remember!" Sakayanagi Arisu covered her mouth with a soft laugh, a mischievous glint in her violet eyes. "And wasn't it you, Big Brother Kazama, who jumped in to fish it out for me? You caught a chill and had a fever for three days. Uncle gave you quite a scolding."

"That book was your favorite, Little Women. It was soaked through, but you still couldn't bear to throw it away." Kazama In smiled too, his expression softening the severity in his brow. "Later, I secretly found someone to restore it for you."

"Right. They did such a good job you couldn't see a trace of the damage." Sakayanagi Arisu's expression softened. "I've treasured it ever since."

The hot milk soon arrived, giving off a sweet fragrance. Sakayanagi Arisu cradled the cup and sipped it slowly, warmth spreading from her fingertips through her body. Kazama In ordered a mild cup of Earl Grey tea. Soothing jazz drifted between them, and for a moment, time seemed to turn back to their carefree childhood.

But the warmth of their reminiscence couldn't conceal the barriers of the present forever. Inevitably, their conversation turned to the here and now.

"I never imagined," Sakayanagi Arisu said, setting down her cup of milk. Her violet eyes had grown deep and sharp again, like jewels whose warmth had been drawn back, as she gazed quietly at Kazama In. "That I'd see you here again, in this way, Big Brother Kazama." Her gaze pointedly swept over the differently colored strands at his temple and the cold aura of the underworld that his tranquil bearing couldn't quite conceal. "The Arbiter himself has deigned to enter Advanced Nurturing High School... to experience an 'ordinary' life?" Her words carried a trace of curiosity and an indefinable complexity.

Kazama In lifted his teacup, the rising steam blurring his composed features. "A change of scenery. A chance to experience the Ladder." He answered tersely, avoiding the title of Arbiter and using his father's words instead.

"'The Ladder'..." Sakayanagi Arisu softly repeated, a meaningful curve appearing at her lips. There was a knowingness unique to the queen of Class A, as if she saw through everything. "For the heir to the Kazama Family, starting in Class D is certainly an... interesting challenge." She paused, a glint of wisdom in her violet eyes. "So, Big Brother Kazama, what do you think of this 'meritocratic' ivory tower? Especially..." Her voice lowered, taking on a chill of amusement. "...this system that measures everything in points and meticulously ranks people into different tiers?"

Kazama In set down his teacup and met her gaze with his dark eyes, not flinching in the slightest. Their eyes met in a silent contest. The warmth of their childhood friendship receded, replaced by the scrutiny of two brilliant minds facing off on the chessboard of the rules.

"A meticulously engineered cage." Kazama In's voice was low and clear. "A seemingly fair numbers game concealing the naked law of the jungle. Differences in starting points, resource allocation, social mobility... every step is designed to interlock with the next, stirring up humanity's deepest greed, fear, and competitiveness. It quantifies and objectifies 'merit,' turning relationships into nothing but arenas for the pursuit of self-interest. It's highly efficient, but..." He paused, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips. "It's so cold it leaves you suffocating. It selects for tools best suited to these frigid rules, not for people who are truly whole."

Sakayanagi Arisu listened quietly, her violet eyes shifting like a precision instrument running at high speed. She lifted the hot milk and took another small sip before speaking at last, her voice carrying the composure of someone in control of the entire situation. "Well put. But there's no denying this system is very effective. It's the most merciless mirror, reflecting everyone's true worth and flaws. Class D's chaos, Class C's struggles, Class B's scheming, Class A's... stability." She raised her chin slightly, with the pride of a Class A leader. "The starting point certainly matters, but what truly constitutes 'merit' is whether you can maximize your advantages within the rules and turn your shortcomings into useful bargaining chips."

She set down her cup and leaned forward slightly, her violet eyes fixed on Kazama In. "Big Brother Kazama, in Class D, do you intend to be the catfish stirring up the muddy waters, or..." Her voice carried a probing note only the two of them could understand. "...are you looking for the true secret of this academy, beneath the Ladder?"

Kazama In's fingers stopped tapping. He looked at Sakayanagi Arisu in silence, his dark eyes unfathomable, like a cold pool reflecting her cool, keen figure. The jazz flowing through the café seemed to fade into the distance. He could feel the cold pocket watch through his clothes, and his mother's gentle smile seemed to appear before his eyes.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice low and strangely penetrating:

"I'll climb the Ladder one step at a time. As for the secret..." The corner of his mouth curved into a faint, hard-edged smile. "Whatever stands in my way, I'll 'judge' with my own hands."