I made my way to Pallet café now that I had finished my business with Chabashira. Kikyou had sent me a message to inform me that she'd managed to gather the important figures in our class, and they were now just waiting on me.
That was a tricky situation to manage. I didn't want to become a super important figure, someone relied upon, but I also didn't want to miss out on meetings like this. Sending a proxy simply didn't cut it, especially with the razor thin margins I was working with. One piece of missed information could be the difference at that point, and I wasn't willing to take that risk.
Walking in, the café was just as busy as ever, something I was thankful for. It was hard to get a seat here, but there was always plenty of noise cover for covert conversations.
Looking around, I quickly spotted Kikyou waving at me from a booth in the corner. Walking over, I took a seat beside her, a coffee already in front of me.
On Kikyou's other side was a disgruntled Horikita, glaring dangerously at Hirata, who was sitting across from us with Karuizawa sitting on the same side, but as far along the bench as she could possibly get from him. This was obviously going to be a tense meeting.
"Sorry to make you wait. I just wanted to confirm something with Chabashira," I explained.
"What were you asking her, Ayanokouji? You were a lot more involved yesterday than I expected, so I'd like to know how much you're going to participate this time." As expected, it was Hirata who pounced on the information. Neither Karuizawa nor Kikyou would particularly care about my conversation, trusting me to do what was best, and Horikita wasn't quite as nosy.
"I was just checking with her who submitted participation tables for the sports festival. I didn't want a repeat of that to happen," I lied.
Both Hirata and Horikita went rigid at that, obviously worried about what I found out, but relaxed when I didn't elabourate any further. I also didn't miss how Kikyou's eyes narrowed, observing the actions of our associates.
"Right, but that was a yesterday problem. What're we gonna do about the Paper Shuffle?" Karuizawa asked, clearly trying to move the conversation forward.
I took a sip of coffee, before making a decision. I had already shown I would be slightly more proactive in class, and while I wouldn't help with group tutoring there were other ways to help. At least, it would make this conversation somewhat productive.
"I'll write all the questions for the exam," I announced.
"To be honest, I did expect you to offer to do that," Horikita admitted, surprising me since I had only decided upon that course of action just then. "But I cannot allow you to be the sole person to write the questions."
"I too have a problem with this, Ayanokouji. You take action to help yourself, and I'm not satisfied leaving the exam questions in your hands. Unfortunately, I have to consider your betrayal as a possibility," Hirata bluntly said.
I was impressed by the two of them. I hadn't expected Hirata to outright state he was concerned by the thought of betrayal, and so his refusal and worry was surprising, to say the least.
"You think I'll give away our exam questions?" I asked curiously.
Hirata gave me a stony look in response. "If it gets you a personal advantage, I can't imagine you hesitating. You're a loose cannon, Ayanokouji, and while it's fine when our interests align, I can't bring myself to trust you."
That was a fair summation, I felt. It was true, that he shouldn't trust me, but right now our interests did align. The problem was, I had no way of proving that.
"A solution then. Horikita wants to help develop the questions. Yukimura, and you as well probably want to help. How about we all make 400, pass them on to Kikyou and she can select the ones she wants to. That way, Kikyou is the only person to know the questions," I proposed.
"Hey, I trust Kushida-san. I think that'd be a great idea!" Karuizawa exclaimed, backing my proposal immediately. "Honestly though, I don't see why I was brought along," she finished with a small grumble, eating another bite of her cake in the process.
"You, along with Kushida-san, are our link to the majority of our class. You two play a valuable role, Karuiawa-san," Horikita explained. "And I suppose if you insist on pressing the issue, then I'll agree to this Ayanokouji-kun. I can't deny that you know the subject matter and should be able to come up with good questions," Horikita said, acquiescing to the middle-ground idea I proposed.
Hirata let out a heavy sigh as all eyes turned to him. He took a long drink of his coffee, before putting it down on the table.
"I suppose I can go along with this. It would be foolish to waste your talents when you offer them, no matter how suspicious you seem Ayanokouji."
"Well... if you all really trust me this much, then I guess I'm happy to sort out the qustions. Woah, it's all a bit much though, my heart is racing! Hehe such a clever plan, Kiyotaka-kun, it's like we're spies," Kushida agreed with a giggle.
A slight bit of weight lifted off of all of our shoulders as one decision was made. It was slow progress, but the exam wouldn't even occur for another few weeks, and we had ages to write out the questions and submit them.
Well, we had ages if that was all we were doing. It was going to be a few very busy nights for me.
"None of this matters until we get our partners though, right?" Karuizawa asked, confused. "Like, why are we even bothering, since we don't know how they will be picked?"
And this was why I insisted on Karuizawa coming along. The perspective from an ordinary student was invaluable.
"Karuizawa-san raises a good point. All of our plans will fail if our partners are matched inefficiently," Hirata added.
"Well, it seems obvious to me that there must be a method to manipulate the system. The school wouldn't force us into an exam that was doomed from the beginning. No, there must be a method to control who is partnered with whom," Horikita astutely identified.
"Well, I'm pretty sure Chabashira-sensei said that the practice exam next week would decide our partners, so it might be based on how well we do? But there's just so many ways the school could organise that. I just don't know, and I don't want anyone to fail..." Kikyou trailed off with a depressed sigh.
"Is there even a way to check? I remember asking some senpai's from the soccer club earlier this year, and all they said was that they couldn't tell us anything," Hirata mused.
Finally, I decided to put them out of their misery. Clearly, in the information overload they had missed some important details.
"It's rather easy actually. If you had been paying attention you would know," I said.
Horikita turned to me, a prideful look in her eyes. "I listened to all the same information that you did. Are you suggesting that we missed something? Are you sure you weren't hallucinating while you looked out the window, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"Obviously. 'If you think this is a mere threat, then it might be good for you to talk to an upperclassman. You should've started building connections with them, after all'. Chabashira was practically begging us to ask for help. Clearly every year does this exam, and they can tell us the secret."
My four companions at the table sat in silence for a moment processing that information.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing you pay attention, Kiyotaka-kun!" Kikyou exclaimed. "Now all we have to do is ask a senpai what to do."
"Yes, but that is something we can do later. There is still one more matter I want to discuss. I don't understand why you are insistent on keeping me from having a study group," Horikita asked Hirata.
"I thought I made my reasons perfectly clear in class, Horikita-san," Hirata coldly said, his eyes never flinching.
"You stated facts from the sports festival yesterday. I don't see why that should excuse me from my chance to redeem myself. Academically, and from experience, I am the best tutor this class has. To refuse my aid is a knowing attempt to underperform."
That was a rather dramatic way of putting it, but I couldn't ague with it. Objectively what she said was correct, but it also didn't take into account the failings of her claims. Really, all it came down to was a matter of opinion and bias, and Hirata was predisposed against her.
"The point is moot, Horikita-san, I already gave you my permission in class to lead a study group," Hirata bit back, in an exasperated tone.
"But that is exactly the problem. My study group exists only due to your decision, one that must continually be checked by you. I exhibit no authority in this scenario, and it's the same as if you were running it with me as a teaching assistant. You're not the leader of our Class Hirata-kun."
"Maybe I should be. Since we don't have an official one, maybe I should take up the position."
Hirata threw down the gauntlet.
"I won't deny that you are a capable public speaker, someone who could most certainly take a frontal role in our class. But I have yet to see you show any sign of being a leader capable of standing up to the other classes." It was an important point that Horikita brought up. Hirata was fully capable of uniting the class and getting people to follow him well enough, but he wasn't at all capable of leading our class in a special exam, not against the opponents we faced.
"And you are? You had your chance in the sports festival, Horikita-san, and we all saw how well that turned out. I still have the picture saved on my phone," Hirata nastily responded.
"Yes, I had a very good opportunity to show my talents with you sabotaging our class," Horikita argued back.
"Please, stop arguing!" Kikyou intervened. "Can't we just try to get along for this exam?"
"Let's go outside," Horikita suggested. "I need to have words with Hirata-kun before we make any more decisions."
"I agree," Hirata said with narrowed eyes. "I can't cooperate with someone so insistent on ignoring their failings, to the point of wilfully endangering the class."
The two of them shot up from their seats, and leaving their cups behind, moved to leave the café. Karuizawa took one last bite of her cake before following quickly, leaving Kikyou and I to move at a more subdued pace.
"What's going on?" she asked quietly.
"I'm not sure, but I think you might find the end satisfying. The two of them need to clear the air before we can make any more progress," I explained. In other words, don't interfere.
Kikyou gave me a small nod of acknowledgement.
Walking out of the café, we saw Karuizawa disappear around a nearby corner, and after following her came to a curious sight.
Horikita was leaning against the wall, typing on her phone, before she shut it off and put it in her pocket. Hirata was standing not too far off, pointedly not looking in Horikita's direction.
As we got closer, Hirata turned to Karuizawa.
"It might be best if you weren't here for this," he warned. "There's nothing for you to contribute anyway. This is between me and Horikita-san."
Karuizawa looked around dubiously, but when she caught my eyes I gave a slight nod. Shrugging her shoulders, she accepted the situation.
"Alright then but let me know if you decide anything else. Like, I gotta translate it so most people understand you, right?"
She threw another concerned look towards me, before turning around and walking back the way we came from. Soon enough, it was just the four of us left. No students usually came around here, despite how close it was to the shops. I suddenly realised this was the same alley I had set up Sakura in months ago. An odd coincidence.
"Kushida-san, you can go too," Hirata suggested, but Horikita quickly cut him off.
"No, Kushida-san, please stay. I want one trustworthy person here at least, and somehow you manage to keep Ayanokouji-kun in line."
"Alright, if you insist, Horikita-san," she agreed dubiously. "But really, what's going on?"
That's right, Kushida wasn't supposed to know what was going on, not really. I was the only person who would have a good indication of what had happened behind the scenes.
Ignoring her question, Hirata turned to face me.
"Ayanokouji, when you spoke to Chabashira-sensei, did she tell you who submitted participation tables?"
"She did."
"And?" Hirata asked impatiently.
"Both you and Horikita submitted a participation table. Oh, and Ryuuen told me that you both gave him one. He thought the entire situation was ridiculous, and couldn't help but brag."
It was important to give the second piece of information. If I had only said they both submitted a table, they could talk enough to realise I was the mastermind with a third submission. By adding in a lie from Ryuuen, I confirmed their own beliefs and forced the inevitable confrontation.
"As I thought. Hirata-kun, it's your fault that I was forced to endure that humiliation at Ryuuen's hands."
"My fault? You did the exact same thing, but I assume with much higher risk. My actions were taken to protect our classmates, while yours were taken to further your own goals," Hirata argued back, fury in his voice.
"So you would take the moral high ground? How pathetic. We both performed the same scheme as the other, but you took it a step too far," Horikita seethed.
"A step too far? You were willing to allow our classmates to come last just to give us a better chance of winning. And now you're upset because the same thing happened to you."
"You destroyed my credibility, Hirata-kun, and you wounded my pride. I'm sorry, but I can no longer cooperate with you in good faith."
"So that's it then. Things go wrong, and you turn your tail and run? I'm glad you've come to the realisation that there's no place for your radical ideals in my class, Horikita-san. I work for everyone, and you only work for yourself."
"Oh, I'm not giving up. But we are settling this matter, once and for all. We're just waiting on one more person," Horikita said with a cold smile.
At that moment, as if he had been waiting for the opportune time, Horikita Manabu walked around the corner.
"Suzune. I was surprised to get your message."
"Nii-san, thank you for coming." There was a slight flicker to her tone, but Horikita held firm, ready for the coming conflict.
"Horikita-senpai, I'm surprised to see you here. This is between me and your younger sister. I wouldn't want to bother you with this."
Manabu's eyes flickered to me, possibly wondering why I was here as well, before he turned back to Hirata and gave him a searching look.
"Suzune asked me to come here and act as a witness. For what, I'm not sure, although I do hope my younger sister isn't wasting our time."
"Nii-san, I..." Horikita stopped and took a deep breath, before turning to Hirata. A deadly focused calm had come over her, and I couldn't help but feel excited in anticipation for whatever she asked him.
"Hirata-kun, it's now clear to me that we cannot both remain without conflict. No matter the reason, your actions have insulted my pride and I demand recompense through a challenge."
"Are you challenging me to a trial by combat?" Hirata asked, almost incredulous. I had to agree, it was a rather dramatic way to phrase her accusation.
"In the paper shuffle exam, we will compete with our scores. Whoever has the lowest individual score, regardless of our partners, will leave the school."
"Wait, Horikita-san, what are you talking about?!" Kikyou exclaimed in shock. "it sounds like you're competing to see who gets expelled, but that would be ridiculous, right?"
"No, Kushida-san, that's exactly what I mean. Whoever performs worse will drop out."
"You've mentioned multiple times that you are better academically than I am, Horikita-san. I would be stupid to take this bet," Hirata wisely answered.
"Then we will continue to have problems. No," Horikita said, holding up her hand to forestall the obvious question, "I will not intentionally cause trouble, but by our very nature and beliefs we will clash. I would see this resolved now."
No one spoke for a while, as Hirata stared at Horikita, clearly calculating, weighing the relative risks and rewards.
Finally, he came to a conclusion.
"I can see how in the future our continued presence would cause problems. You are also a disruptive influence Horikita-san, who selfishly works for her own goals at the expense of others. I won't deny it; I have considered trying to get you expelled before."
"You were already planning such a thing?" Horikita asked in surprise. I guess this had been the first time she really considered solving the problem this way, and even then, she wanted a fair competition. Horikita wasn't capable of stabbing someone in the back successfully; her strength came from her upfront talents.
"I had hoped that by exposing you as incompetent to the class, you would learn your lesson and back down before any real harm was caused. It seems that wasn't effective," Hirata noted.
"Clearly you didn't understand how much my sister values her pride," Manabu said. I could even detect a hint of pride in his voice. Clearly he respected the way she was standing back up after such an embarrassing event.
"Yes, I see that I miscalculated. Even so, Horikita-san, why should I accept your offer?"
"Because this is inevitable," Horikita concisely explained. "Eventually, we will clash and it will come at the expense of the class. I can't imagine a better chance to decide this once and for all, when the only loss is one of us. In fact, Class D is practically immune to the outcome of this, aside from losing a member."
"Manabu, what are the punishments for expulsion in this exam, or dropping out for no reason," I interrupted
The President turned to face me, along with Horikita and Hirata, and gave me a stern look.
"The punishment for the exam is expulsion, there is no more affect to the class. You already lose a member and the private points with that; the school sees no reason to take any more. As for dropping out, if it is voluntary, again there is no problem. Only expulsion due to bad behaviour will result in a demerit, but as I understand it you already have experience with such a situation," Manabu concisely answered.
"Right, I just wanted to be sure. Now I have no problem with either of them expelling the other," I said, taking a step back from the conversation.
"Wait, Kiyotaka-kun, I don't want either of them to leave! Both Horikita-san and Hirata-kun are important for the class!" Once again, Kikyou made a futile attempt to stop what was going on.
It was incredible acting. I knew she wanted Horikita expelled more than anything and was pushing every argument just not quite far enough to stop the situation, but enough to look like she cared. I had to commend that manipulation of the conversation.
"No, it's inevitable, and it's better to happen now," I reasoned. "Besides, I'm sure one of the two has more value to the class, so it's no problem to get rid of the other."
Horikita very quickly turned to Hirata.
"One more condition. Ayanokouji-kun isn't allowed to assist either of us in any way. If he does, he is also expelled."
Hirata narrowed is eyes, before throwing a quick glance towards me. I could tell Horikita was thinking about my promise from before the sports festival, that I would help whoever gave my participation table idea. Both suspected it was the other and would happily keep me out.
"Agreed. I guess I also agree to your competition," Hirata said, sticking his hand out. Horikita quickly reached out and took it, shaking it.
"Kushida-san. Can I rely on you to ensure Ayanokouji-kun doesn't violate the rules?" Horikita asked.
"Uh, I mean sure. I don't think he was likely to do that anyway..." Kikyou said, surprised at the turn of events, or possibly shocked that Horikita was worried about the complete wrong person.
"Can I assume this is why I was called here?" Manabu asked, drawing our attention back to the older boy.
"Yes. I want you to guarantee the outcome of this bet and ask as a witness, along with ensuring the loser does in fact leave."
"I see. In that case I agree to be witness. As a matter of fact, ive been recording this entire conversation," Manabu admitted, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
"Well, that makes things easy. I guess we'll see who does better then," Hirata calmly accepted.
I could tell he was happy with how the conversation had proceeded. Although he hadn't intended for this when we first met up, he was in a much better situation now. His main problem in the class, the biggest threat to the safety of his classmates and friends was placing their position at school on the line, and he was the only other person taking risks. Hirata was the type of person to take a risk for the greater good, and this situation fit him perfectly.
It would certainly be difficult, for both of them. They were quite capable, and with enough study, it wasn't ridiculous to imaging that they could get perfect scores. And even if Hirata lost, he could leave knowing that he did everything he could to protect his classmates. Horikita would leave knowing she did everything she could to live up to her brother, even though she failed. Maybe that would be the wakeup call she needed.
"What if there's a tie," I pointed out.
"In that case, the bet is canceled," Horikita suggested.
"Fine."
And with that, all lose ends were tied up.
"Wait, but aren't you worried for your sister, Horikita-senpai?" Kikyou asked.
"Suzune is her own person. She has disappointed me by being in Class D, and then embarrassed herself, and by extension humiliated me at the sports festival. What she does is her own choice," Manabu answered in a cold tone. There was no apparent love lost in their actions.
"Well... don't tell anyone, ok! People wouldn't like it if they knew that one of you was going to leave. They wouldn't study so hard, so just... keep it quiet, alright?" Kikyou practically begged at the end.
"It will be fine, Kushida-san. You've got nothing to worry about," Hirata consoled.
"There's nothing you can do anyway. By the end of semester, one of us will be gone. And it won't be me, Hirata-kun." Horikita had a fire in her eyes, barely matched by Hirata.
"Fine. We'll talk tomorrow morning again about the exam. Thank you for your help, Horikita-senpai, Kushida-san." He walked off, not even bothering to acknowledge me. I had a feeling that once he was done with Horikita, Hirata would set his sights on getting me in line. I was, after all, the next most problematic person in class.
"Thank you nii-san. I won't disappoint you this time." Horikita too left us behind, leaving me standing with Manabu and Kikyou.
"What... just happened?" Kikyou asked, fighting down a smile.
"One of them just signed their death warrant. Would you mind going ahead, Kikyou? I need to have a word with Manabu," I asked.
"Alright then. I'll see you for dinner tonight, yes?" At my agreement, Kikyou bounced off with a wave, to do whatever she did once school was over.
"You wanted a word with me, Ayanokouji?"
I turned to face Manabu, who was looking at me with a serious stare.
"If you have time, then yes. I had a few questions about the exam, but more importantly, your sister."
Authors Notes:
I was really tired when I wrote this chapter, so I have been perfecting the art of typing while I lie on the desk with my eyes shut. Ignore any spelling mistakes that came from a result of that.
And yes, I will be following the story from the LN with a few modifications. This time it is Horikita vs Hirata. I spent a long time debating whether their conflict would reach this point, because I haven't been overly clever with Ayanokouji's manipulations of them. If they talked it out, and both explained their entire stories, it would quickly unravel. In the end though, i decided that Horikita most definitely, and Hirata as well to some degree, are too proud, and at this point their clash cannot be avoided. It's a bit flimsy, but I think i've made it work.
As always, hope you enjoyed!