Airi Sakura (Seeking Everything)

Ryuen Kakeru remained silent for a few seconds after hearing Watanabe Hayabara's words, as if digesting the information. Then, he suddenly began to laugh; there was not a hint of surprise in that smile, but rather the composure of someone who had everything under control. The corners of his mouth curled into an exaggerated arc, and his eyes were filled with smugness, as if he had long anticipated that Watanabe Hayabara would make such a request.

He slowly raised his hand to adjust his collar, a deliberate, unhurried movement that exuded an undisguisable confidence. The sunlight hit his face, clearly outlining his look of absolute certainty, as if the outcome of this dispute were already firmly gripped in his hands.

Watanabe Hayabara watched Ryuen Kakeru's display and merely raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a meaningful smile. "You certainly are very confident, Ryuen Kakeru." His tone was calm, devoid of much emotion, as if he were simply stating an obvious fact.

"Savor this well, Watanabe Hayabara. Another student from your class is about to drop out." Ryuen Kakeru lunged forward, closing the distance to Watanabe Hayabara, his voice filled with arrogance and insolence. His laughter echoed through the empty space behind the Special School Building, carrying the smugness of a man who had already secured victory. "Don't come crying to me later."

Upon hearing this, the smile on Watanabe Hayabara's face did not diminish in the slightest. He shook his head gently, his tone tinged with amusement. "Such an interesting affair; I must savor it properly." He paused, his gaze sweeping over Ryuen Kakeru before continuing, "After all, Miyake still has some ability. It would be a real shame to lose a laborer for nothing."

Ryuen Kakeru laughed even more arrogantly at this, pointing a finger at Watanabe Hayabara as if looking at a clown who didn't know his own limits. "Then wait and watch the show. I'd like to see how you manage to keep him."

After the verbal exchange, the scent of gunpowder in the air did not immediately dissipate, lingering over the open ground behind the Special School Building. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting flickering light spots on the ground that seemed to tremble in sympathy with the bloodless war that had just taken place.

Watanabe Hayabara still wore that faint smile, though the sharpness in his eyes had not yet fully faded. He watched Ryuen Kakeru quietly, neither speaking first nor moving, as if silently declaring the temporary conclusion of this confrontation.

The arrogant smile on Ryuen Kakeru's face did not fade either. He returned Watanabe Hayabara's gaze with a provocative look, his chin still slightly lifted with an unyielding defiance. He seemed to want to say something more to bolster his presence, but after opening his mouth, he ultimately said nothing, merely letting out a heavy snort.

After a few seconds, Ryuen Kakeru was the first to break the silence. He turned abruptly, his back to Watanabe Hayabara, hands still shoved deep into his uniform pockets. He walked away with heavy, long strides, each step hitting the ground with a dull thud.

Watanabe Hayabara watched Ryuen Kakeru's retreating figure, the smile at the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. A moment later, Watanabe Hayabara also turned and walked in the opposite direction.

[A wrong choice, Ryuen Kakeru.]

[You don't really think a blind spot in the camera's field of view can hide everything, do you?]

Cameras and the like posed no difficulty at all for Watanabe Hayabara, who possessed "Palm Campus Surveillance." After spending a short amount of time reviewing the day's footage, Watanabe Hayabara quickly locked onto his target.

Horikita Suzune's gaze fell upon Kushida Kikyo as she returned to the classroom, and she asked directly, "Did you gain anything from Class B, Kushida-san?" Her brows were slightly furrowed, and her eyes held a hint of anticipation, clearly focused on the progress of the investigation.

Kushida Kikyo walked to her seat, set her bag down gently, and shook her head with a helpless smile. "No, I went to Class B, but there were no eyewitnesses there." She paused, as if remembering something, and added, "However, Ichinose-san said they would help gather clues, so there should be good news soon."

"I went to Class C as well," Kushida Kikyo said, sitting down and resting her chin on her hands with a puzzled expression. "Those three students who filed the complaint were indeed badly injured; the bruises on them looked terrifying. But I don't think Miyake-san is the type to lie. It's really strange." Her fingers traced circles on the desk unconsciously, clearly confused by the contradictory situation.

"Is that so? The priority now is to find an eyewitness," Ayanokoji Kiyotaka said, sitting at his desk with his hands folded on the surface, his tone flat. "Only then can we truly understand the whole process of what happened." His eyes were calm, as if he had already seen through to the heart of the matter.

"It's really difficult," Kushida Kikyo sighed softly, complaining a little, the corners of her mouth drooping slightly to reveal a dejected expression. "I can't find clues anywhere; it feels like we've reached a dead end."

"No need for that. The eyewitness is in our class." Just then, Watanabe Hayabara's voice rang out. He had just walked into the classroom and, hearing their discussion, interjected. He wore a composed smile, his eyes filled with certainty.

"Is that so?" Horikita Suzune turned her head immediately, looking at Watanabe Hayabara with a sharp gaze, and asked skeptically, "But if they are in our class, why didn't they admit it in front of everyone?" Her tone was full of confusion, and her brows furrowed even tighter.

Watanabe Hayabara walked to the center of the classroom and explained, "The eyewitness is Airi Sakura-san from our class." As soon as he finished speaking, his gaze shifted to the seat in the corner of the classroom, where Airi Sakura, who was always as quiet as the air, sat. "Sakura-san is a very introverted person. She rarely dares to raise her hand to speak in class, let alone participate in class discussions, so asking her to publicly admit she is an eyewitness would make her feel very distressed." His tone was understanding and considerate, as if he could fully empathize with the unease in Airi Sakura's heart.

"However, leave this matter to me." Watanabe Hayabara looked at the group, a confident smile on his face, and promised firmly, "I will communicate well with Sakura-san and get her to tell the truth."

"Then I'll thank you on behalf of Miyake-san, Watanabe-san." Kushida Kikyo immediately flashed a sweet smile, bowed slightly to Watanabe Hayabara, her tone full of gratitude. "It's great that you're helping; this way, Miyake-san has a hope of clearing his name."

Although Watanabe Hayabara's voice was not loud, every word carried clearly through the relatively quiet classroom. Airi Sakura, in the corner of the room, pricked up her ears, hearing their conversation perfectly. When she heard Watanabe Hayabara's promise, her already lowered head sank even further, almost burying itself in her chest. Her long eyelashes, like two small fans, fluttered gently, and a blush quietly stained her cheeks—a blush as delicate and shy as dew on a morning petal, almost impossible to notice without a close look. Her fingers gripped the hem of her uniform tightly, her fingertips turning white, and her heart pounded like a trapped rabbit; it was the nervousness of being discovered.