Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stopped Kushida Kikyo in the hallway. He meant that they could not keep putting off the matter with Sudo, and hoped she would go with him to persuade Horikita Suzune to join the investigation.
Kushida Kikyo did not slow down in the slightest after hearing him out. She casually tossed out, "Sure. Then Horikita is all yours! I'll go ask the people in Class A for help."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka glanced at her without pressing further. He nodded and watched her back vanish around the corner before turning and heading in the opposite direction.
He ran into Horikita Suzune in the corridor along the side of the school building. She had just come out of the faculty office with a sheet of paper in hand. When she saw Ayanokoji Kiyotaka walking toward her, she did not slow down at all.
"Horikita, can I have a few minutes of your time? There's something I'd like to discuss—"
"No."
Horikita Suzune did not even raise her eyes. The two words came out cold and fast, and she brushed straight past him. Her footsteps turned at the end of the hall and disappeared.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka did not call after her again. He stood there, watching Horikita Suzune's back disappear around the corner, then turned and walked the other way, his face giving nothing away.
A little after eight that evening, Kiryu Yume was leaning against his bed reading when someone knocked on his door.
"It's unlocked."
Kushida Kikyo pushed the door open, shut it behind her, and locked it with a click.
She wore a light gray hoodie and matching lounge shorts, exposing a stretch of thigh.
Kiryu Yume's gaze paused on her, sliding over that stretch of thigh before settling on her face.
He closed his book. "What is it?"
Kushida