HER GAMER'S GUIDE. karma akabane

→CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Riku scoffed, "Okay, and?" She had no business with those expelled students, frankly, she did give a single fuck and what Asano just said was something completely irrelevant to her. 

"Two of those students were caught cheating, and although they were given second chances, which is rare, and were sent to Class D -- which was the lowest at the time, they still cheated."  Asano bluntly stated, as if he too, did not care about the former students he is talking about. "Again and again. Test after test."

Asano breathed out. "Somehow, they've become masters at the art of cheating. To the point their many tricks and hacks spread throughout the area--"

"This is my last warning." Riku had almost had enough with his bullshit. "I said go straight to your fucking point."

However, Asano remained stern. "Father found out. And expelled them right away. He would've sent them to E-Class but what they did was far too damaging and that can be disastrous for this school's reputation."

Riku clenched her fists, willing to control herself from pouncing on the Director's son. Asano let out a small tsk-ing sort of sound, similar to the ones Terasaka usually makes. "I understand my father's decisions, of course, what I couldn't get through my head, however..."

Riku found herself flinching in the empty void that was Asano's eyes as he looked at her. "...Is how he made you an exception."

"...What?"

Asano got out from his comfortable position on the wall, before slowly stalking towards Riku, each step more calculated than the previous one (which may be a slight overstatement).

"You don't think I know what you did?" Asano sneered. "I'm not stupid like the rest of your classmates, Akiyama-san. I'm not dumb enough to not know the fact that you were the reason as to why four of those seven students were expelled."

There.

Asano spotted it. Just barely, but barely was just enough for him for he has to make do. He was an Asano after all.

The way Riku's eyes widened for a fraction of a second with realization. With fear. 

"Why didn't father expel you for gambling another student's future away? Hm," Asano hummed, but Riku blocked him out, her heart palpitating in her chest, her ribs started to hurt -- more specifically, her right one.

"For what you made them do, for the consequences you made them face..." Asano was finally face-to-face, standing an arm's length away in front of her. "Had only vandalized Kunugigaoka Junior's High name even more..."

Riku fisted her hands tightly, clenching her jaw and removing any crumb of emotion from her face as she stared straight ahead -- refusing to show another moment of weakness. She could feel her nails digging into her skin, she was sure she would be seeing crescent marks once she lets go.

"Maybe..." Asano's eyes trailed all-over her face. "Maybe that's because he doesn't know."

It was at the very last second, that Riku realized her mistake. Her violet-blue eyes now locked with Asano's like a deer caught in headlights, her breath caught up in her throat as she stared at the taller boy, wide-eyed.

Asano smiled with victory clear in his eyes. "That maybe the Director only knows quarter of the bigger picture..."

"Oh, whatever would happen to you if he ever found out...?" Riku only looked up to him, her eyes were still wide. There was no point anymore...He already knew.

Riku could only look away and close her eyes, her chest heaving as she released a defeated sigh. "What is it that you really want from me, Asano-san?"