Kushida Kikyo's smile remained bright as she thanked Ichinose Honami naturally. "Thank you, Ichinose." As she spoke, one foot had already crossed into Class B's classroom, her uniform skirt swaying lightly with the movement. Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, she turned to look at Watanabe Hayabara, who was still standing at the doorway. A hint of impatience showed in her eyes, as though she were saying, "Hurry up and come in."
Yet Watanabe Hayabara stopped at the entrance to Class B. One hand remained on the doorframe, as if some invisible force were holding him back. He showed no sign of stepping inside. His gaze swept quickly around the classroom before returning to the doorway. His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, his expression turning hard to read.
Ichinose Honami had already turned to lead them inside, but when Watanabe Hayabara still didn't move, she glanced back at him. A flicker of confusion crossed her clear eyes, as if she couldn't understand why he had suddenly stopped. She didn't ask him about it right away, though. She simply kept smiling and waited patiently at the side.
Watanabe Hayabara looked away from Ichinose Honami, then back at her. He wore an apologetic expression and bowed slightly, his voice plainly embarrassed. "Sorry, Ichinose. I have something to take care of right now. Could you help Kushida? I'll be going, then."
Then he turned to Kushida Kikyo, who had already entered the classroom, and bowed slightly again, his tone full of apology. "Sorry, Kushida. I have something to deal with, so I can't stay with you. Sorry for breaking my promise."
Kushida Kikyo still wore her sweet smile. She waved a hand lightly and said casually, "It's okay, Watanabe. Go take care of what you need to. I'll be fine on my own."
Ichinose Honami smiled warmly as well and gave Watanabe Hayabara a gentle nod. "It's all right, Watanabe. We'll help Kushida. Go take care of your business." Her voice was still sweet.
Watanabe Hayabara nodded to them both in response, then turned and quickly left the entrance to Class B. His footsteps soon faded down the hallway. Kushida Kikyo and Ichinose Honami exchanged a glance and smiled knowingly. Then Ichinose Honami led Kushida Kikyo farther into the classroom.
As soon as Watanabe Hayabara disappeared around the corner by Class B's classroom, he stopped. The bustle of the hallway seemed cut off by an invisible barrier. He pulled his phone from his uniform pocket and quickly tapped the screen, the light from the unlock screen reflecting off his composed face.
"Shiina, are you in class? Help me arrange a meeting with Ryuen Kakeru. Meet me behind the Special School Building."
The moment he hit send, he slipped his phone back into his pocket, put both hands in his uniform pants pockets, and headed toward the Special School Building.
Before long, his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was a reply from Shiina Hiyori. Watanabe Hayabara stopped and took out his phone. The screen showed just two simple characters: "Okay." He stared at them for a few seconds, the corner of his mouth lifting in a faint smile.
Watanabe Hayabara reached the back of the school building. It was unusually quiet there, with only the wind in the leaves and the faint chirping of cicadas in the distance. He leaned against the cold wall and tilted his head back slightly, closing his eyes, his hands still in his pockets.
The silence behind the Special School Building was shattered by an arrogant voice, sharp and grating. "What do you want, Watanabe Hayabara? If you're going to waste my time without anything important to say, you'd better be ready to pay for it." Ryuen Kakeru hadn't even appeared yet, but his arrogance and threats had already reached Watanabe Hayabara.
Watanabe Hayabara slowly opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through his otherwise calm gaze. He looked toward the source of the voice, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. His voice was neither loud nor soft, but it carried a clear challenge. "Ryuen Kakeru, you lost our last match, and you're still talking big."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ryuen Kakeru came into view. He had both hands in his uniform pockets, his chin tilted slightly upward, his usual defiant expression on his face. At Watanabe Hayabara's words, his face hardened, his brow furrowing as his eyes seemed to blaze with anger.
Seeing him like that only made Watanabe Hayabara's smile grow more mocking. His eyes gleamed with amusement. "That's a nice reaction, Ryuen Kakeru. If you're that competitive, why don't we test our skills again?" As he spoke, he casually rolled his wrist, as if ready to fight at any moment.
Ryuen Kakeru clenched his fists in his pockets, his knuckles turning white with the force. Anger surged within him. He wanted nothing more than to rush over and beat up the man mocking him, but reason told him that now wasn't the time. For some reason, he was confident he'd defeat Watanabe Hayabara eventually. In the end, he chose to avoid the subject, forcing down his anger.
He shot Watanabe Hayabara a disdainful glance, then taunted him. "Watanabe Hayabara, if you came to beg for mercy on Akito Miyake's behalf, forget it. Being in the same class as a bunch of losers is embarrassing enough." His contempt was plain, like a blunt knife meant to wound.
The smile never left Watanabe Hayabara's face. He shook his head lightly, amusement deepening in his eyes. "Beg for mercy? Do I look like the kind of person who'd beg for someone else?" He stepped forward, instantly closing the distance between them. The tension in the air grew heavier, as if a clash could break out at any moment.
But the next moment, Watanabe Hayabara suddenly burst out laughing. "Hahaha, Ryuen Kakeru, you still fly off the handle at the drop of a hat." His laughter rang out across the empty space behind the Special School Building, carrying a relaxed sense of relief that was completely at odds with the hostility from a moment earlier. He waved a hand as he laughed. "But this time, I'm not interested in arguing with you."
"Oh?" Ryuen Kakeru watched Watanabe Hayabara with a frown, suspicion and confusion in his eyes. He couldn't understand why the man who had been provoking him moments ago had suddenly changed his tune. A sense of unease rose in him, as if the other man were plotting something. His brow furrowed even more tightly, as though he were trying to lock all his questions between his brows.
Watanabe Hayabara's laughter gradually faded. His smile vanished, and his gaze sharpened as he stared straight at Ryuen Kakeru. Then he said slowly, "But, Ryuen Kakeru, you're pretty ruthless with your own men. You beat all three of them so badly they ended up seriously injured." His voice was calm, yet carried a penetrating force, as though it could reach straight into a person's heart.
Ryuen Kakeru stiffened slightly at those words, but quickly regained his composure. He said nothing, simply watching Watanabe Hayabara in silence, his expression complicated, evidently waiting to hear what else he had to say. Both hands remained in his uniform pockets, though his clenched fists tightened.
Seeing Ryuen Kakeru's reaction, Watanabe Hayabara understood. Everything had gone exactly as he expected. The corner of his mouth lifted in a mocking smile. "I just came to ask you something, Ryuen. Are you going to use the favor you bought with points earlier—the one where I agreed not to step in once?" His tone was casual, as if he were discussing something trivial. But the sharpness in his eyes hadn't diminished; he kept them fixed on Ryuen Kakeru, watching his every move.
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