Who Was Lying?

Student Council Office

Amid the solemn atmosphere, everyone met again. It was hard not to marvel at how dramatic fate could be.

"You really are a troublemaker, Kato Satsu." Miyabi Nagumo rested his chin on one hand as he sprawled across the table, speaking casually.

"As your homeroom teacher, you must be having a hard time, Chabashira-sensei."

"He's my student, after all. No matter how much trouble he causes, I have to show up." Chabashira-sensei spoke with her eyes lightly closed, sounding resigned.

Horikita Manabu said nothing in response to their remarks. Instead, he gave Tachibana Akane a look, and she immediately understood.

"Then, the Student Council Disciplinary Committee is now in session!"

"The matter under review is the case of Yamamoto Sae of Class 2-C accusing Kato Satsu of Class 1-D of attempting to assault her."

When Tachibana Akane finished speaking, Horikita Manabu took over. In a calm, measured voice, he said:

"Then, the plaintiff may speak."

Sae slowly rose to her feet. She clutched her collar tightly, her eyes full of hurt and sorrow.

"I heard from my homeroom teacher that Kato-kun and Kuraku had made a deal to get me expelled."

"I was scared. I wanted to beg him not to do it."

As Sae continued, her voice began to break with tears. Her tears fell at just the right moment. After lightly wiping the corner of her eye, she continued:

"After I went into his room, I told him about it."

"But then he gave me this lecherous grin and said... said..."

She bit her lower lip, putting on a helpless, hesitant expression.

"He said that if I spent the night with him, he'd let me off!"

"Then he jumped on me and started tearing my clothes."

At last, Sae could no longer bear the immense psychological pressure. She collapsed onto the table and began to sob.

"Wow, sis. If you don't win the Oscar for Best Actress next year, there's definitely something shady going on!" (Kato Satsu)

Sae's performance had been a great success. At the very least, she'd won Tachibana Akane's sympathy. Tachibana was glaring at Satsu with indignation.

"Then, Kato Satsu, do you have anything to say?" Horikita Manabu asked, pushing his glasses up with his index finger.

"Too bad. If you're Best Actress, then I'm Best Actor!" (Kato Satsu)

When his turn came, Satsu suddenly burst into tears. His blatantly fake sobbing left everyone in the room dumbfounded.

"She knocked on my door, and I thought she needed something."

"But as soon as she came in, she started getting handsy with me and telling me how handsome I was!"

At this, Satsu suddenly stopped sobbing and brightened his tone. "I mean, who doesn't know that?"

Then he resumed his tearful tone. "After that, she started ripping her own clothes. I was so scared that I hid in the corner."

"But then... then..."

He imitated Sae's helpless, hesitant manner and said, "She rushed over, touched my thigh, and even touched my chest!"

Satsu practically shouted the words as he rubbed his chest, as if reenacting Sae's actions.

"Shameless. A grown man can make up a lie like that without even batting an eye." (Hashimoto Masayoshi)

"What do you know? This is called giving her a taste of her own medicine." (Kato Satsu)

After Satsu finished speaking, silence fell over the room. After a long while, Miyabi Nagumo was the first to speak.

"You're both sticking to your stories. So how will you prove that what you've said is true?"

Seeing that Miyabi Nagumo's question played right into his hands, Satsu's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.

"Those two students over there recorded what happened in the room. I think that should prove I'm not lying."

Hashimoto naturally took over the conversation, speaking without a trace of panic. "Tachibana Akane and I were trying to film some videos around school. Not long after we started, we heard a girl scream."

"We thought something had happened, so we hurried over and accidentally recorded this video."

As he spoke, Hashimoto handed over the camcorder. Tachibana Akane took it and played the video on the big screen.

The footage clearly showed Satsu with his back to Sae. Sae, on the other hand, seemed unmistakably to be the one who moved in close to him.

"See? I'm the one telling the truth!" Satsu said, sounding triumphant.