After hearing Watanabe Hayabara's words, Ryuen Kakeru fell silent for a few seconds, as if he were processing the information. Then he suddenly laughed. There was not a trace of surprise in his smile; instead, he looked completely at ease, as though everything was under his control. His mouth spread into an exaggerated grin, and his eyes gleamed with smugness, as if he had expected Watanabe Hayabara to make this very demand.
He slowly raised a hand and straightened his collar. His movements were unhurried, yet radiated an unmistakable confidence. Sunlight fell across his face, clearly outlining his assured expression, as though the outcome of this dispute were already firmly in his grasp.
Looking at Ryuen Kakeru, Watanabe Hayabara merely lifted the corners of his mouth in a meaningful smile. "You're really very confident, Ryuen Kakeru." His voice was calm, with little emotion, as though he were simply stating the obvious.
"Enjoy it while you can, Watanabe Hayabara. Another student in your class is about to drop out." Ryuen Kakeru abruptly stepped closer, looming over Watanabe Hayabara. His voice brimmed with arrogance, and his laughter echoed behind the Special School Building, full of smug certainty. "Don't come crying and begging me when it happens."
At that, Watanabe Hayabara's smile didn't waver. He gently shook his head, his voice tinged with amusement. "Something this interesting deserves a closer look." He paused, his gaze sweeping over Ryuen Kakeru, then continued, "Miyake has some ability, after all. It'd be a shame for him to drop out for nothing. Losing a worker would be a real problem."
Hearing that, Ryuen Kakeru laughed even more brazenly. He pointed at Watanabe Hayabara as if he were watching some clown who didn't know his place. "Then sit back and enjoy the show. I want to see how you'll keep him here."
Even after their verbal sparring, the tension in the air did not immediately dissipate. It still hung over the open space behind the Special School Building. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, and the spots of light on the ground trembled faintly, as if stirred by the bloodless battle that had just taken place.
Watanabe Hayabara still wore that faint smile, though the sharpness in his eyes had not yet faded. He quietly watched Ryuen Kakeru without speaking or moving, as if silently declaring that their contest had temporarily come to an end.
The arrogant smile remained on Ryuen Kakeru's face. He returned Watanabe Hayabara's gaze with a taunting look, his chin still slightly raised in defiant pride. He seemed to want to say something more to reinforce his dominance, but after opening his mouth, he ultimately said nothing and merely snorted.
A few seconds later, Ryuen Kakeru was the first to break the silence. He abruptly turned around, his back to Watanabe Hayabara, and kept both hands in his uniform pockets. He strode away with heavy, deliberate steps, each footfall landing with a dull thud.
Watching Ryuen Kakeru walk away, Watanabe Hayabara's smile shifted slightly. A moment later, he turned and headed in the opposite direction.
[You chose wrong, Ryuen Kakeru.]
[You don't think a camera's blind spot can hide everything, do you?]
For Watanabe Hayabara, who had access to "Palm Campus Surveillance," dealing with cameras was no challenge at all. After spending a little time reviewing that day's footage, he quickly pinpointed his target.
Horikita Suzune's gaze fell on Kushida Kikyo, who had just returned to the classroom. She asked bluntly, "Did you find out anything in Class B, Kushida?" Her brows drew together slightly, and there was a hint of expectation in her eyes. She was clearly eager to hear how the investigation was going.
Kushida Kikyo went over to her seat and gently set down her bag. Wearing a rueful smile, she shook her head. "No. I went to Class B, but they didn't have any witnesses." She paused, then added as if recalling something, "But Ichinose said they'd help gather clues, so hopefully we'll hear some good news."
"I went to Class C, too." Sitting down, Kushida Kikyo propped her chin in her hands, a puzzled look on her face. "Those three students who filed the complaint really were badly injured. The bruises on them were awful to look at. But I don't think Miyake is the kind of person who would lie. It's so strange." Her fingers absently traced circles on the desk, showing how confused she was by the contradiction.
"Is that so? The most important thing right now is to find a witness," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka said calmly from his seat, his hands folded on the desk. "That's the only way to find out exactly what happened." His expression was placid, as though he had already seen what mattered most.
"This is really difficult." Kushida Kikyo let out a soft sigh and grumbled under her breath. The corners of her mouth dipped as she looked a little dejected. "We can't find any clues anywhere. It feels like we've hit a dead end."
"There's no need. The witness is in our class." Just then, Watanabe Hayabara spoke up. He had just entered the classroom and chimed in after hearing their discussion. His face held a composed smile, and his eyes showed quiet certainty.
"Really?" Horikita Suzune immediately turned to look sharply at Watanabe Hayabara and asked in confusion, "But if the witness is in our class, why didn't they come forward in front of everyone?" Her voice was full of uncertainty, and her brows furrowed more deeply.
Watanabe Hayabara walked to the middle of the classroom and explained, "The witness is Airi Sakura, one of our classmates." As soon as he said it, he turned his gaze toward the seat in the corner, where Airi Sakura sat, always as quiet as air. "Sakura is a very timid person. She barely dares to raise her hand in class, let alone take part in class discussions. So asking her to publicly admit she's a witness would be very difficult for her." His voice was understanding and considerate, as if he could fully appreciate Airi Sakura's unease.
"But leave this to me." Watanabe Hayabara looked at everyone with a confident smile and promised firmly, "I'll talk things over with Sakura and help her feel comfortable telling the truth."
"Then I'll thank Watanabe on Miyake's behalf." Kushida Kikyo immediately gave him a sweet smile and bowed slightly, her voice full of gratitude. "It's wonderful to have you helping us. Now Miyake has a chance to clear his name."
Watanabe Hayabara hadn't spoken loudly, but in the relatively quiet classroom, every word carried clearly. In the corner, Airi Sakura strained to listen, hearing their entire conversation. When she heard Watanabe Hayabara's firm promise, her already lowered head dipped even farther, almost to her chest. Her long eyelashes quivered like little fans, and a faint blush crept across her cheeks, delicate and shy as dew on a flower petal in the morning. It was almost impossible to notice unless you looked closely. Her fingers clenched the hem of her uniform so tightly that her fingertips turned pale. Her heart fluttered like a little rabbit's, pounding with the nervousness of being discovered.
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