That evening I got a call from Kushida. This was unusual, due to the fact that whenever she wanted to talk, she would just barge in using the key card I gave her, knowing I never had visitors, or send me a message.
"Good, you're still up." So she wasn't even going to act civil over a phone call.
"I was going to go to bed in a bit. Did you need something?"
"Sakura's digital camera was broken, right? Since it was somewhat my fault, I had to offer to go get it fixed with her. Though if she just pulled herself together this never would have happened."
This wasn't the time to let Kushida go on a rant.
"So why call me about it?"
"It's also your fault for getting us both to the special building. You need to come along as well."
"That makes no sense whatsoever. I had nothing to do with the camera breaking."
"Doesn't matter, you're coming along. Sakura wants you to."
That was interesting. I wondered why she would want me to come along just to repair her camera. Perhaps it was a guise to tell me more about the case. It wasn't easy for her to speak up, so this excuse could have been her plan.
"Sakura asked for us?"
"No, I offered to help her. The last thing I want is to spend more time with her, but if it gets more information, I suppose I can suffer through. She said she'd go if you came along."
Interesting. But I wouldn't find out for sure until we went to the electronics shop. It had been a while since I went there and would be good to check if they had any new stock.
"Fine. Text me when we're going, and I'll come along." Hopefully she tells us some more info, or this will be an even bigger waste of time. "Is that everything?"
"Well... yes, I suppose that's all." So, she had more to say but chose not to. "I'll see you then, Ayanokouji-kun."
"Okay. And afterwards you can tell me what you wanted to say just now."
"Ah. Uh, I suppose. I'll be coming to let off some steam then anyway, I need a break." That was surprising. Kushida had never told me that before, favouring barging in at her convenience. Perhaps she had come to trust me a bit.
"Goodnight, Kushida."
"Goodnight, Ayanokouji-kun." This last part was spoken with a whisper, almost embarrassed. I didn't bother trying to understand for now though. The mind of a girl, especially one as convoluted as Kushida's was far beyond my ability to comprehend. For now, I needed to figure out what to do with Sakura.
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On Sunday afternoon, I went to the shopping mall to meet Kushida and Sakura. It was important that I accept her requests when she makes them. If our relationship was ever going to become closer to trust, and I did want that to happen, she needed to know that if she needed help, I would give it.
I would like to get along with Kushida. To find out what it's like to have a friend. It would take a lot of work, but I could see her as someone close to me one day. Perhaps once we grow more comfortable with each other, but for now she would continue keeping me at an arm's length.
One that seemed to have slightly shrunk.
"Good morning!"
In the surrounding hustle and bustle, Kushida drew nearer, a wide smile on her face.
"Sorry. Were you waiting for long?"
"Not too long. Besides, it's fun to watch people go by." Fun probably wasn't the correct word. Informative perhaps. In any case, I wasn't bored.
"This is the first time we've met up on a day off. It's refreshing." Kushida laughed at her statement, which confused me greatly. Up until now I had always been able to roughly determine whether Kushida truly believed what she was saying but now I was unsure. Every instinct screamed at me that she generally was happy to meet up, but logically that should be incorrect.
"It's true, we haven't hung out often. Or at all."
The conversation seemed to lull for a bit as we waited for Sakura.
"What's the matter?"
"Just wondering about your reputation. Spending time with someone plain like me might bring it down."
This was an important topic I had been considering. Not only was it important people didn't think too much of the relationship between us, Kushida had to keep some level of social respect, and spending time with me, someone generally disliked by most of our class, wouldn't help.
"No, no, that's not true at all. I think we're great together," she replied.
"So you're saying that someone like me is a good match for you? A narcissistic annoyance?"
"Yeah."
I felt a sharp stab at her admitting that. I was still trying to figure out who I was, and it seemed I had developed into that sort of person, due to mimicking actions and mannerisms from Kouenji and Kiryuuin.
"You're that surprisingly delicate, Ayanokouji-kun? I don't really care what others say. I don't think it's an insult at all. I really think we suit each other."
I felt like she was teasing me somehow. Considering it logically, based on our goals and abilities, we were a good match, but that didn't explain why she would think that way. Kushida could never settle with a singular person.
The interesting part was why I cared. I couldn't figure that out. Kushida was objectively attractive, I didn't believe there was a single guy who would disagree, but that didn't explain why I cared. True, I had intended to experience all that a normal high school life had to offer, which hopefully involved falling in love with a cute girl, but Kushida?
It seemed my thoughts had moved in that direction slightly without realising. An unexpected development. With the dangerous balance we both had, it would be essential to keep an eye on how I truly felt about her. One slip could mean my downfall, so she wasn't a viable candidate to fall in love with. Yet my mind was forced to acknowledge her attractiveness, and on some level show an interest towards her.
"So, what about Sakura-san?"
"I don't see her yet."
It was the exact time we'd agreed to meet, but there still was no sign of her.
"Hmm... wait isn't that Sakura-san sitting next to us?"
Sakura, clearly flustered and indeed sitting on the bench next to us, stood and gave a sheepish bow. Had Sakura really been sitting there the entire time? To think I didn't notice her at all. The distractions of the female truly are dangerous.
"I'm sorry, I don't stand out much, I suppose... Good morning." It was an ordinary greeting from someone dressed up in an extraordinary outfit. Sakura was wearing a hat, and even a surgical face mask, which made it difficult to recognize her at a glance. I wondered if she'd caught a cold or something.
"You kind of look suspicious..."
"Rather than saying you look suspicious, I think you actually stand out more."
"Yeah, I suppose so. I think I do stand out, especially here," Sakura responded. Sheepishly, she removed her mask.
She didn't seem to have a cold. Rather, she seemed like the type to wear the mask in order to avoid attention. She must have really hated standing out.
"So anyway, about my digital camera. Is it okay if we go to the electronics store in the mall?"
"Yeah, sure Sakura-san. It was my fault that it broke, so I'll be happy to pay for it to get fixed."
"Th-thanks but you don't have to do that. Just coming along... is enough."
What could cause such a reaction in someone to make them so afraid of society? It seemed any kind of interaction was more than Sakura could handle.
We made our way to the electronics shop, Sakura practically hiding behind the two of us. If someone didn't pay close attention, she wouldn't be noticeable at all, and would only see Kushida and I out for a day at the mall.
As we entered the electronics store, I took a moment to head over to one of the isles, checking if any new merchandise was on sale.
"Nothing new, huh."
It wasn't a problem. What I had currently would still work, but I was hopeful that something new would come in. While like most conceivable topics, I had been trained in technology and surveillance in the White Room, technology developed at a much faster pace than say, Karate. In just the one year since I last had a lesson, there had been major developments I hadn't followed. This made having someone like Sotomura around much more valuable, as a reference that could keep up and help me learn what I had missed.
While I had been browsing the merchandise, Kushida and Sakura had made their way over to the service desk, in the back corner of the crowded store.
"Ah..."
For some reason, Sakura suddenly stopped in her tracks. When I glanced over at her, I noticed she was wearing an expression of blatant fear and revulsion. It seemed that something had upset her quite a bit. However, when I followed Sakura's line of sight, I saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"What's the matter, Sakura-san?" Kushida asked.
She also must've thought Sakura's behaviour was strange.
"Ah, umm... Well..."
Although it seemed like she was about to say something, all Sakura did was shake her head and take a deep breath.
"It's nothing."
She donned an earnest smile and walked to the repair counter. Kushida and I exchanged looks but decided to follow her. Maybe it really was nothing, like she said, just her social anxieties playing up, but I found this extremely unlikely. Kushida talked to the store clerk and asked him to repair the camera.
While she handled the interaction, I spent my time watching the mannerisms of both Sakura and the clerk. Both of them were acting extremely odd. Sakura was hiding, even more than she had been on the way in, practically crouching behind the two of us. And despite her obvious intention to stay out of sight, the clerk hadn't taken his eyes off her. It was a possessive gaze, everything about his actions was focused on her, paying just enough attention to Kushida to continue their interaction without allowing anything to draw his attention away from Sakura. It was really creepy, and it made sense why Sakura had wanted our help.
He'd struck up an interesting conversation with Kushida, who had somewhat dragged his attention off Sakura by slightly flaunting her assets. I would need to commend her for that later, sparing Sakura from the lecherous gaze, no matter how much Kushida must have loathed everything about the situation.
The store clerk seemed to have a fascination with Idols, conversing with her about any topic related to them. He aggressively engaged Kushida in conversation, without even pausing for a breath. Although I could just barely hear the conversation, it sounded like he was asking Kushida on a date. He asked if she wanted to see a certain female idol's concert, which was being screened over in the theatre.
The most notable thing I got from the conversation was Sakura's reaction. Every time he mentioned the word Idol, Sakura flinched. I was missing a crucial piece of information about the situation, but I felt this conversation wouldn't reveal it, at least in a reasonable time frame.
He seemed to be getting excited over talking to Kushida about a topic he enjoyed, but their conversation didn't proceed any further. As I'd expected, Kushida began to feel awkward. In order to conclude their business, she urged Sakura to hand over the camera. When the store clerk opened up the camera to confirm the contents, he saw that part of it had been damaged from the fall. That was why the camera wouldn't turn on properly. Fortunately, because Sakura still had the warranty card, the item could be repaired free of charge.
Finally, all Sakura had to do was fill out her contact information, and we'd be done. But Sakura's hand suddenly stopped as she filled out the form.
"Sakura-san?"
Kushida, thinking that something strange was going on, called out to Sakura. She seemed to be hesitating for some reason. I didn't intend to say anything at the time, but her attitude seemed to weigh on my mind.
"Can I see that for a second?" I asked.
"Huh?"
Standing next to Sakura, I reached for the pen she was holding. She didn't seem to understand why I wanted it, but she anxiously handed it over.
"When the repairs are finished, please contact me."
"H-hey, wait a minute. Contact you? She's the owner, isn't she? That would be..."
"The manufacturer warranty explicitly shows where the item was sold and the date of purchase. Also, I doubt there'd be any legal problems with me putting my information down. It should be perfectly fine if the user's name is different than the purchasers."
Before the clerk could say "I understand", I'd entered my name and my dorm room number into the required fields.
"Or is there a reason why she specifically has to enter her information?" I added, staring directly at him, showing the clerk a fraction of the darkness in my eyes.
"N-no, not at all. I understand. There's nothing to worry about," the clerk said. I think he peed himself but pulled himself together enough to complete the preparations.
Shortly after I'd completed the form, I handed it over with the camera. Sakura gently patted her chest and sighed in apparent relief, but when she learned it'd take two weeks for the camera to be repaired, she grew discouraged. Her shoulders slumped.
"That clerk sure was something else. The way he stared at you was horrible, Sakura-san." Kushida said.
"I-I'm sorry you had to go through that Kushida-san"
"No no its no trouble! Is that why you wanted us to go with you?"
"Sakura gave a meek nod. I guessed that something had been off even when she first purchased the camera. Turning to me, she asked, "What do you think, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"He's a disgusting man. I would expect girls to have a hard time approaching him."
"That was kind of what I was trying to get at before... I was scared to go to the repair shop alone because of that..."
"That's why you wrote your number down instead of Sakura-san's, Ayanokouji-kun." I'm sure Kushida had already realised this, being a cute girl and constantly leered at by boys, but in order to keep up her façade she had to pretend she hadn't realised the whole situation completely.
"Th-thank you...Ayanokouji-kun. You really...saved me."
"Nah, I didn't really do anything. I just wrote down my address. When they contact me about the repairs, I'll get in touch with you right away, Sakura."
Sakura nodded, looking glad. If that's all it takes to please you, then it actually makes me sorry for you.
"You really looked out for Sakura-san," Kushida said.
"Well, you're making it out to be bigger than it was. Honestly, I was only watching out for that rather weird clerk. I guess he gave the impression that he really, really loved girls."
"Ha ha... That's certainly true."
"Since you were with me today, Kushida-san, we completed our task without me having to talk at all. Thank you."
If Sakura had faced that store clerk one-on-one, she probably would've run away.
"Oh, no need to thank me. If you're okay with my help, then I'm happy to lend a hand any time. Sakura-san, you really like your camera. Don't you?"
"Yeah... I've liked cameras ever since I was little. My dad bought me one before I entered junior high, and I absolutely fell in love with it. Or I suppose you could say that I just love taking pictures... I'm not really well-informed when it comes to this stuff, though."
"I think being knowledgeable and liking things are separate matters. It's wonderful to be so passionate about something."
"Sakura, do you ever take pictures of people?"
"Huh?!"
Sakura stumbled back at that. It seemed like a question she hadn't expected, despite it being a rather natural one. Another interesting reaction from her today. The situation grew ever more curious.
"Th-that's a secret."
Well then. It sounded like she didn't want to go into the details with me.
"W-well, it's just... It's embarrassing," replied Sakura, her cheeks reddening. She looked down as she spoke."
"Don't worry about it, I was just curious. In any case, I suppose we're done today."
"Umm... Thank you for everything today. You really helped me out," Sakura said.
"It's okay, it's okay. There's no need to thank us. Actually, Sakura-san, you can talk to us normally, you know? If it's okay with you. We're in the same grade. It sounds a little weird when you speak so formally to us."
It was certainly true that Sakura's speech patterns weren't exactly what you would expect from a peer. But changing that might be easier said than done for her; she was visibly perplexed."
"I didn't mean to sound that way. I wasn't aware of it... I sound weird?"
"It's not really a bad thing! I mean, I'd be happy if you didn't speak so formally to me, though."
"Ah... O-okay... I...I got it. I'll do my best."
I thought that Sakura would have rejected the notion, but she managed to squeak out a few words of agreement. It seemed like she wanted to accept Kushida's proposal. Perhaps this was how people became friends, little by little. Even Sakura, who seemed to have hardly interacted with another person ever, was steadily growing closer to Kushida.
"It's okay, though. You don't need to force yourself."
"I-It's okay. I...will."
"Well then, we'll see you at school. Okay?"
With that, Kushida thought the conversation had ended. However, rather unexpectedly, Sakura didn't move.
"Well!"
Sakura spoke in a small voice but looked straight at us. When our gazes met, however, she immediately averted her eyes.
"About Sudou-kun... As my way of saying thanks for today, I... Well, that might be a little misleading, but if you like..."
She paused, and started again more clearly.
"I-I may be able to help you with Sudou-kun's case."
This is what I had been hoping for before the trip, but now it seemed unnecessary.
"Don't worry about it, Sakura"
"Ehh?"
"Wait what do you mean Ayanokouji-kun? Sakura is the witness; we need her help."
This was true when we last discussed it yesterday, but I now had a much better plan in store for solving the issue with Sudou.
"No, it's fine. I've got everything under control, you won't need to testify." It was clear how much she didn't want to do so, and forcing her, or the equivalent of it like what was happening now, could only work against us. "There's no need to force yourself to. Instead, just head home after school and stay in your room. I'll just say you're unwell, and that will give us some extra time."
It wasn't a foolproof plan, but if worst came to worst Sakura would just have to testify. Nothing was lost by trying out my new plan.
"A-are you sure? Ok then... thank you Ayanokouji-kun. Sorry to be so much trouble"
"It's no trouble at all, Sakura-san. Just leave it to us!"
Kushida gave Sakura an incredibly cute smile, and Sakura's cheeks turned up slightly at seeing it, before quickly turning and making her way back to the dormitories.
"That was a horrible time, wasn't it Ayanokouji." To say such a thing with a smile on her face was always an incredible thing to see.
"I suppose it wasn't a great use of our time, but I got something out of it."
"Oh? And what could that be. Perhaps you enjoyed spending time with sweet little Sakura-san?" Kushida seemed to be implying I had any interest in the girl. While she was objectively attractive, I had no time nor inclination to put any care towards such a socially stunted girl who could provide me nothing.
"Nothing like that. I just figured out how to make life more fun. It seems I'm going to have to involve an old friend in this matter."
"Hmm, if you say so. Don't go doing anything without letting me know first. I'm the one who has to clean up your mess after all." What a cheeky slave.
"Don't go getting cocky Kushida. Just do what I say, and everything will go perfectly."
"Yeah yeah, relax. If you want to leave the bitch out of the trial, then that's what will happen. I have more friends to catch up with now, so enjoy being lonely for a while Ayanokouji. Bye!"
And with that Kushida also left, leaving me alone to ponder and plan. What a cruel woman she was.
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It was later that night, and I was just finishing up cooking dinner when Kushida entered my room.
"Hey. Oh, you're making dinner!"
A slightly less harsh greeting from Kushida tonight. Perhaps she felt guilty for all her teasing today?
"Yes. I believe it would be good for me to practice my culinary skills. I assume you want some food?"
"Obviously"
Not even an insult. Something was definitely different about Kushida. Finishing up my cooking, I served up two portions of the meal, before seating them at my small dining table across from Kushida.
"Itadakimasu!"
We both dug in, and Kushida had stars in her eyes from the cooking.
"I thought you said you couldn't cook Ayanokouji, this is great!"
"I never said I couldn't cook, just that I wanted to practice. Practice never hurts." Even for someone trained in cooking by five-star chefs from age 7. Who knew when you would have to impress someone with a meal, much like now.
"It's amazing! Right, you're now my personal chef. Whenever I come over from now on, I expect a meal, no take-backsies." It was rude of her to impose herself so quickly, but it wasn't much trouble. I did prefer cooking for myself than eating food from the school, so increasing the portion sizes wouldn't be difficult.
"Fine. It would be helpful to have someone else critique my food."
"Great! I can't wait to eat more of your meals Ayanokouji."
Kushida continued to babble about inconsequential things to me, while I washed up the mess created from the meal, half listening to what she said. This was a side of her I had never seen before. Talking about things she actually cared about and was interested in, while it was useful information, was also something she hadn't been comfortable sharing with me before.
It seemed that these were things she actually did enjoy as well, as opposed to the fake interests she took when talking to other people. Kushida genuinely had grown comfortable enough around me to open up. It would explain her strange actions, seeming to care more, her lack of insults or general distain towards me, and most importantly the fact that she forewarned me she would be coming tonight. Everything indicated that she had grown to trust me.
I had been waiting for this moment. Now, she would be likely to explain herself if pushed, as opposed to clamming up. It was essential that this happened now, as if it happened any later she would probably retreat and close up again, with a renewed fear of me.
"Well?"
I gestured towards my bed. That could have been taken in a very different manner, but fortunately Kushida overlooked it, and once I had seated myself on the end, she sat down in the middle of the bed, leaning against me. It seemed to be a comfortable position for her, a favourite while she spewed garbage about virtually everything around her.
"So, you remember how I had to go meet friends after we finished our business with Sakura? God, it was horrible. I had to spend four fucking hours with Inogashira and..."
As usual, Kushida launched right into story, with little regard for who it was about. Everyone was scum in her eyes, and apparently spending time out with friends was something.
But as the conversation flowed, and we neared the hour mark, I noticed a discrepancy. My name had never been mentioned. Thinking back, Sakura's had definitely come up, as 'the bitch with cow tits who can't speak for shit', and even the electronic store clerk had been mentioned, but I was never brought up. Another piece of evidence that she had come to care for me, even if only slightly, in her own way.
No, that wasn't right. She wanted me to trust her. Perhaps, in some way she did come to trust or have some affection towards me, but that was irrelevant. Kushida was not someone to let that slip out. This was an attempt to get me on her side. There was nothing trustworthy about her at all.
"Why do you do it Kushida?" The time for answers had come.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Pretend to be someone you're not. Try to get everyone to be friends with you, to love you? You don't seem to enjoy it, so I don't get why you bother."
That seemed to stump her. Kushida stopped talking and sat quietly for a few moments. I let her sit, not interrupting her thought process, leaving it all up to her.
"Ayanokouji, you're really smart, right? And super fit too. You know what it's like to be the best. Don't you think that the best thing in the world is feeling valued in some special way? When you get the highest score on a test, or win first place in a race, everyone's eyes are on you. You know those moments when people shower you with attention?" asked Kushida.
Of course, I understood the concept. People naturally desired the approval of others. Working hard enough to earn praise for accomplishments was fundamental to how human society functioned. Unfortunately for Kushida's explanation that didn't apply to me. I was fundamentally indifferent to others.
I wasn't going to interrupt her to correct this misconception, however.
"I think that I'm probably addicted to that feeling," Kushida said. "More so than normal people. I can't help wanting to show off. I can't help wanting to stand out. I can't help wanting to be praised. When I am, I truly feel how wonderful it is to be alive. But I know my own limits. No matter how hard I try, I won't be number one in school or in sports—and coming second or third won't satisfy my cravings. So, I thought I'd do something that no one else could—be nicer and kinder than everyone else."
That was the root of Kushida's kindness? It was better to be a genuinely kind, helpful person who made mistakes than someone two-faced who just bragged about being perfectly good. A kind but flawed individual was more honest than a saintly liar.
"Thanks to that, I became popular with both boys and girls. I took pleasure in being trusted and relied upon. Elementary school and junior high were really fun," said Kushida."
This was an extreme reaction to praise. I had considered something along these lines as a possibility, but never outright thought it was likely, or to the extent that Kushida suffered from it.
There was just one problem, which I had been observing since that fateful night in May.
"It's agonizing thought, isn't it? Doing things you don't want to do every single day. That's why you need to vent to me."
"Of course, it's agonizing. Day after day, I'm under so much stress I feel like I'm going to go bald. I've pulled my hair out and vomited from anxiety. But I can't let anyone see that side of me. That's why I continued to endure, and endure, and endure," said Kushida.
Even with her venting to me, there was no way she could have kept this up for so long.
"My blog saved me. It was the only place where I dumped out this hidden stress. I could tell it all my most painful secrets. Of course, I posted everything anonymously, you know? But I wrote the facts just as they were, and it made me so happy when I received encouragement from people I didn't even know. Then, one day, a classmate discovered my blog. Even though I hadn't named anyone, it was clear my posts were all based on real events."
"That's how everything went wrong?"
"The next day, my posts were shared with the entire class. Everyone condemned me. I'd helped them so much, and yet they all turned on me. Selfish, right? The boy who'd told me that he liked me actually shoved me. It was understandable, though, since I'd posted that his romantic confession grossed me out and I wanted him to die. One girl I'd comforted after she was dumped even kicked my desk. I'd posted in detail about why she was dumped and made fun of her. Over thirty students decided I was their mortal enemy that day."
"And so you exposed everything." It wasn't a question but a statement.
"Yep. I revealed all my classmates' secrets. Who hated who, who thought who was a disgusting creep. I exposed truths I hadn't even written on my blog."
Truth was a weapon you could only obtain through trust. I had long ago realised such a fact, which was why I kept Kushida so close to me, making her my most valuable tool. My only flaws, which involved my social skills, she wielded with utmost precision, accomplishing things I would never be able to. And clearly, she had experience doing such a thing, destroying a class in a single day out of spite.
"At that point, my classmates stopped being angry at me and started hating each other. The boys got into fistfights, the girls pulled each other's hair and shoved each other over. The entire classroom descended into complete chaos. It was honestly incredible."
"So, that's how it happened."
"Because of everything I exposed, the class could no longer function. The school rebuked me, but my blog was anonymous, and all I technically did was tell my classmates the truth." Kushida spoke indifferently, but every word she uttered carried weight. "I still don't know that much about my fellow Class D students. However, I know enough to destroy a few people. That's my only weapon."
And a deadly weapon it was. Despite her playing it down, I suspected she already had information on almost everyone in the class, and probably some involving students in other classes. Out of everyone in the grade, I suspected only Ryuuen and Sakayanagi were more unpredictable than Kushida, the only ones capable of wreaking more havoc than her. And even then, not for long.
"It was a mistake to use the blog to vent my feelings. Everything was there to be found by someone, to expose myself, just like you ended up doing on that rooftop."
Then she did something unexpected. Reaching behind herself, Kushida grabbed and held onto my hand softly.
"Now I can vent to you. I'm not totally alone anymore."
She said this last part softly. Could she actually mean it? Did Kushida actually trust, or possibly even care about me? I couldn't tell.
"Do you want to remain as you are right now?" I asked.
"This is my reason for being. More than I love anything else in the world, I love everyone respecting and noticing me. When people trust me with their secrets, I feel joy that surpasses my wildest imaginings."
Knowing the anxiety, suffering, embarrassment, and hopes that people held deep within their hearts was Kushida's forbidden fruit. And that made it just that much easier to manipulate her. By feeding her what she wanted, Kushida would grow addicted not just to praise, but to me getting it for her. Hopefully, she could grow to be dependent on me.
"Boring, isn't it? But to me, it's everything."
"I can't pretend to understand. Acting like that and caring enough to do that is beyond me." She pulled back a little at this. "But I'm always here to listen when you need to."
I couldn't see her face, but I felt like Kushida was smiling a little. Perhaps the only true smile she had given while at this school.
After a few moments, Kushida spoke up again.
"Hey, Ayanokouji?"
"Hm?"
"If I wanted to expel someone, would you help me?"
That threw a wrench in my theory that she liked me. It now made much more sense that she was trying to get close to me, and then use me for her own ends. That felt much more like the Kushida I knew so far. But it still felt like she was genuinely warming up to me.
Perhaps it was a mix of the two options. Women were inscrutable.
"It depends on the person and when, but I suppose I would. I said I'd help you after all, and I intend to stick with that."
"Ok." It seemed she didn't want to elaborate on the question, satisfied with knowing I would help her out if she needed it. It wasn't a lie, I almost certainly would, unless it interfered with my own plans. I expected her to understand that without it being explained.
I didn't want to end the moment, but there was one last thing I had to talk to her about. I had noticed Kushida staring intently at Sakura while at the shops. More than just trying to be kind, it was like she was staring at someone she half-remembered, but was out of focus, trying desperately to see where they were from.
"Kushida, did you perhaps know Sakura before coming to this school?"
Kushida jumped slightly, perhaps not expecting the change in topic.
"Huh? You noticed my stares, then."
"Obviously."
"Aha, nothing gets by you does it Ayanokouji? No, I don't know her, but she looks familiar. Just without glasses and different hair, I feel like I know her."
Hmm. Perhaps my observations combined with Kushida's knowledge would help her remember.
"If it helps, she was constantly jumpy whenever the word 'Idol' was mentioned today."
"No, that doesn't help much..."
"Also, her glasses are fake."
At this, Kushida jumped up from the bed, whirling around to face me.
"You didn't think to mention that earlier!" She had her phone in her hand, frantically typing something. It seemed that the glasses had triggered a connection.
"I noticed it just before she left. The glass is flat, not curved like a prescription. They're completely cosmetic."
"Well, ignoring that insane observation you made... here, I think I found her!" Passing me her phone, Kushida showed me the website of a teenage idol, Shizuku.
"Hm, she does look similar. And if you pay attention, this photo here."
"What about it?"
"That's a school dorm isn't it?"
Kushida held the phone closer to her face, trying to get a good look.
"It is! Does that mean..."
"Sakura is Shizuku. It's honestly surprising."
"I know! Such a quiet girl normally, she looks so energetic and happy in these pictures. She's a completely different person."
While Kushida continued to rant about how Sakura was living a double life, I spent my time scrolling through the comments on some of the posts. Now this was interesting. It seemed there was a fan of hers closer than usual. Much closer, if today was anything to go off.
Meanwhile, I felt my own phone buzz in my pocket. Taking it out, I saw an affirmative to the request I sent to my friend asking for help. I grinned internally. Once again, everything had fallen completely into place. If I was confident the other day, there were no doubts left at all now.
Time to get Kushida to utilize her skills properly. I would enjoy witnessing her magic at work.
"Kushida."
"Hm?"
"I have a rumour I'd like you to spread..."
Authors Notes:
Full disclosure: I hake Sakura. She sucks in every way possible, i want her dead every time i read or write her. That said, she's still a character so I will treat her with the utmost respect.
As for the Kushida/Ayanokouji relationship, I'm pretty happy with what I have. Neither is the type to genuinely care for someone, but even so they have spent a pretty decent amount of intimate time together in this fic, so of course something happens at least a little. This felt like a reasonable progression, so I went with it. And of course, Kushida is a bitch but she's not emotionless like Ayanokouji, so its inevitable that she feels something, at least a form of calm and caring for the only person she can open up to, no matter how much she might or might not like it.
It's also come to my attention that when I switched from character dividers between sections to Microsoft Word dividers, these stopped copying over. I don't remember when I changed but I'm going back through now to find and fix these up.
As always, hope you enjoyed, and we are on the new upload time as of this chapter.