'Italic': Notebook
'Underline': Phone's A.I.
I met up with Sakura when she gave me unexpected news.
"My group has ended..."
I checked the mail on my phone. It simply said:
The test for the Cow group has ended. Members of the Cow group are no longer required to participate in the exam. Please make sure not to disturb the other students.
It was the exact text sent after the Monkey group's exam ended.
Sakura looked at me with uneasy eyes, "Have I... done something wrong?"
I shook my head, 'Someone in your group reported the target to the school.'
I know that none of my classmates in the Cow group were the VIPs.
"I will see you later, Kagurazaka-kun."
Sakura left while swinging her hands cutely from side to side.
3rd POV
Boiler Room
"What's going on? There's no stupid signal here," the designated time was almost upon us.
Once Karuizawa set her phone aside, she leaned against a wall.
"Wh-what are you doing here?" Karuizawa trembled at their arrival.
"We happened to see you come here, so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to see if Rika-san remembers you," Manabe said.
Rika was forced to stand inches away from Karuizawa.
"Hey, Rika-san, is this the person?" Morofuji timidly nodded.
Manabe faced Karuizawa, "Apologize."
"I haven't done anything wrong," Karuizawa was trembling, but she stood firm, believing she didn't do anything wrong.
An amused smirk appeared on Manabe's face, "I find your behavior rather strange. You seem frightened."
Manabe let out a fake gasp, "Don't tell me you've been bullied before?"
"What...?"
"It looks like I'm the winner and hit the nail on the head," Manabe continued.
"You're wrong!" Karuizawa tried to refute, but her breathing became ragged, and her words were weak.
"If you kneel and beg, we might forgive you. What do you say? You're good at groveling. Being on your knees?" Manabe mocked her.
"N-no, I won't! I've never done that before!" Karuizawa shouted.
Karuizawa attempted to break from the girls surrounding her, but Manabe caught her by the hair and threw her back into the wall.
"Ow, ow!"
Manabe drove her into Karuizawa's stomach before slamming her against the wall, "I want to beat you until you turn black and blue..."
Manabe grabbed Karuizawa by the hair, "Rika-san, I'll allow you to deal the final blow."
"H-huh?" Morofuji looked scared and confused.
"She lied and hurt you," Manabe said.
"O-okay..."
Slap
Morofuji hit her with a weak and pathetic slap.
Manabe groaned before releasing Karuizawa, "Whatever, we are leaving."
Kagurazaka's POV
I noticed something strange when I saw Manabe and her friends leaving the boiler room.
What were Manabe and her friends doing down there?
I decided to check it out.
I entered the room and saw Karuizawa squatting and crying on the floor. An overwhelming sense of fear consumed her.
I crouched and tapped the top of Karuizawa's head.
She lifted her head and finally noticed me, "What...? How...?!"
She wasn't expecting to see me, and she started to panic. She was in a traumatic state as the tears continued following.
I waited silently as Karuizawa's sobs gradually turned to subdued quiet.
Karuizawa used her sleeves to wipe her swollen eyes. She is still paralyzed and can't get back up. I reached out to help her, but she didn't take it.
"Where is Hirata...?"
Hirata?
'I don't know why you're asking for Hirata, but why are you crying?'
"It's Manabe and her gang... I will not let them get away with this."
Karuizawa's body began to shake. Even though she doesn't want to show me this humiliating side of herself, the fear that has taken hold of her is not easily removed.
"Do not tell anyone that I cried. If you do, I will not forgive you."
If Manabe and her friend's physical assault on Karuizawa is known, the school would want to find out why.
She doesn't want anyone to know. Is her social status that important?
"You know, to get back at them, even someone like you can do it. They are just girls, after all."
'You should've apologized to Morofuji.'
"Are you afraid that they will pay back? And you claim that you are a man..."
'This has nothing about being afraid. Seeking revenge will only escalate the conflict, bringing unwanted attention to the school.'
"So, are you telling me to suck it up?"
"Like, they would, no, for sure they would continue to do all kinds of things to me..."
Karuizawa's body continued to shake. Although Manabe might not stop, there are more escape points on the school campus. However, Karuizawa can not keep playing hide and seek forever, and her classmates will eventually notice her strange behavior. As both sides close in on her, she will have nowhere to run.
Karuizawa realizes this and is now highly anxious about stopping this.
'Karuizawa, you're a victim of bullying, right?'
"Who? Who did you say is a victim of bullying?!"
I pointed at her.
I grabbed Karuizawa's wrist and dragged her up, "Wait, what are you doing?!"
'I'm helping you to your feet.'
Even though she did not want to face to face with me, she was staring directly into my eyes.
'Ever since you were little, you were a victim. In middle school, the bullying was non-stop.'
"Did you hear... from Hirata?"
'Hirata fancies himself as everyone's trusted companion. He will help you, and he will help others. Even if you did secure your place in D class by pretending to be his girlfriend, he would not be much used to you in situations like this. In other words, you're an annoying parasite.'
She understands Hirata's neutral alignment but flaunts her social status; she pushes Rika and picks a fight with Manabe and her friends.
"Why you... What gives you the right to lecture me pretentiously?!"
'You're a headstrong idiot that's a hypocrite. You were a bully victim, and you turned into a bully.'
'Someone put you in your place, and you don't like it. It must make you upset that Morofuji had people who would stand up for her.'
"Don't... don't joke around! Who do you think you are?!"
'Someone that can see behind the facade you call a mask.'
Karuizawa turned her head away, "What do you want from me? Are you aiming for my body? Just get it over already."
It goes way beyond bullying if she's something like that.
Karuizawa's POV
I was terrified of my past more than anything.
I was terrified I would lose the place I had. I needed to protect it at all costs, even if I let him use my body.
I can't bow down to Kagurazaka. He has a hold of my weakness. I will do whatever it takes to keep him quiet.
Kagurazaka forced me to sit as I closed my eyes and mentally prepared myself.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
Four seconds.
Five seconds.
I don't hear anything. Why hasn't anything happened yet?
I hesitantly opened my eyes and saw Kagurazaka sitting beside me and staring at me with a deadpan expression.
'I'm not that kind of person.'
'Tell me more about your past.'
I mockingly laughed at him, looking him in the eyes, "Why should I tell you anything?"
'You don't have to. The door is right there, but you must get past me.'
'No, I don't want your body, so get that out of your head.'
I mockingly laughed.
I shook and hugged myself as a hollowed and dulled smile formed, "I give up. Yes, I was preyed on and devoured. I was reduced to mechanically reacting to stimulus. I couldn't even muster the courage to resist. I couldn't do anything else. All I can do is receive them."
'What did you receive? Where were the pains that tormented you?'
"Of course, everything I had. My shoes were tacks put in. My table drawer was filled with dead animal carcasses. When I go to the washrooms, I get splashed with dirty water. My uniforms were written with words like 'prostitute.' My hair was dragged on. Punches and kicks were so numerous that they were not worth mentioning. Any bullying that you can imagine, I've experienced it. What I said was just a selected sampling. They were so relatively 'gentle' that I could laugh. So why don't you start laughing? Laugh at me; who was continuously spit on and bullied?"
He wrapped his arm around me, pulling me into his embrace.
"What...?" I muttered.
My head rested on his chest as his hand gently combed through my hair.
It felt nice...
'Machida or Hirata can't protect you from intimidation. I can help you with Manabe and her friends.'
"You can...?"
'All you have to do is apologize.'
"No."
He flicked my forehead, 'I'll be with you, and Manabe and her friends won't do anything.'
"It won't work," I argued.
'You need to trust my words. I will even get Manabe to apologize.'
"Really...?" When I looked at Kagurazaka, he seemed sincere.
He nodded.
~Timeskip~
Kagurazaka's POV
I arrived at Manabe's room, knocking on the door. I briefly waited until the door opened.
Manabe had a surprised expression before it turned into a hateful glare when her eyes landed on Karuizawa.
"What is she doing here?" Manabe crossed her arms.
'She came to apologize. Can we come in?'
Manabe gave me a skeptical look, but she reluctantly nodded.
"Fine..."
I walked into Manabe's room and was greeted by Yamashita, "Hello, sir. What lowly peasant like me be allowed to be grace by your presence?"
Yamashita was talking to me in theatrics.
A shocked gasp escaped, "Are you teaming up with the evil princess?!"
She pointed an accusing finger at me as I mentally facepalm.
'She came to apologize.'
Yamashita lit up, "You managed to defeat the evil princess?! Today is a wonderful day!"
Karuizawa looked at Yamashita like she was insane.
Yabu was reading a book on her bed and gave me a slight smile.
Morofuji refused to look at me, trying to make herself as small as possible.
"Alright, go apologize to her," Manabe ordered.
Karuizawa slowly made her way over to Morofuji, "I'm sorry about pushing you, Morofuji-san. I went too far as lying to prevent myself from apologizing. I'm sorry..."
"It's... fine..." Morofuji muttered.
"Now, get out," Manabe demanded.
I grabbed Manabe's ear and pulled on it, "Ow, what the hell?! Let go of my damn ear!"
'We aren't done yet. You need to apologize, Karuizawa, while she does the same.'
"What?!" Karuizawa and Manabe yelled.
'You two have been nothing but trouble.'
"I refuse to apologize to this thug," Karuizawa huffed.
"I refuse to apologize to a bitch!" Manabe spat.
I let go of Manabe's ear as she massaged it, giving me a hateful glare.
I ignored Manabe and brought my gaze to Yabu, who looked at this with slight amusement and interest.
"The more I look at it, Karuizawa-san and Shiho-san are similar," Yabu said.
"What?! I'm nothing like her!" Karuizawa and Manabe simultaneously said before glaring at each other.
You could've fooled me.
'Fine, let's make a deal. If you can take me down, you don't have to apologize.'
Manabe clicked her tongue, "Not a chance."
'Is the cold-hearted Queen afraid?'
Manabe looked at me with a furious expression as her left eye twitched, "I'm going to kick your ass for calling me that."
She tried to kick me, but I caught her ankle, dragging her to the ground.
Before she managed to get up, I pinned her arms and body to the ground.
"Get off me!" Manabe said, kicking her legs, struggling to break free.
"Nanami, Saki, help me out."
"Well, Kagurazaka-kun isn't hurting you," Yabu said.
Manabe continued to kick and squirm for a few minutes before admitting defeat, "Alright, I will apologize... Now, get off of me."
"Nanami-san, the cold-hearted Queen, was defeated."
Manabe flipped off Saki.
Manabe didn't make eye contact with Karuizawa, "I'm sorry..."
'For?'
Manabe gritted her teeth, "I'm sorry for hitting you."
I looked at Karuizawa.
"I'm sorry for lying and provoking you..." Karuizawa muttered.
'That wasn't hard, was it?'
Manabe and Karuizawa glared at me.
'Manabe, if I catch you pulling a stunt like this again, I won't show mercy next time.'
Manabe's POV
I felt a shiver crawl down my spine from the threat. He was serious.
"Fine..."
Karuizawa and Kagurazaka left the room.
~Timeskip~
The final day of the exam began. And unlike the time on the uninhabited island, time passes quickly on the luxurious ship. Furthermore, two hours of discussion passed without much content being discussed each day.
"Waah. I pulled it again! Maybe I'm just bad at Old Maid?" Ichinose says while scattering the cards in her hand before me.
'You wear your emotions on your sleeve.'
Ichinose pouts, but she didn't refute what I said.
No one in Class A (B) will come forth for the discussion. So only a small group of people who thought it would be better to play than spend time aimlessly joined in the card games.
Manabe and her friends weren't focusing on Karuizawa.
"Is it okay for me to stay here like this...?" Yukimura said that while sitting beside me with a gloomy, depressed expression.
"You're being gloomy, Yukimura-kun. This is where you play your heart out and shake out your anger. Rematch. Rematch!"
"I'll pass on that," Yukimura said.
~Timeskip~
"And with the next meeting, the exam will be over. How are things on your side, Kagurazaka-kun?"
'Fine, I think I can get Outcome 1.'
"I don't know who's listening in on us where, so I cannot tell you the details yet, but I won't mind if you believe in me. Everything will go well," Horikita replied.
I know that Kushida is the VIP in the Dragon group.
"Did you perhaps want to consult me?" she asks.
I shook my head, 'We haven't seen each other since we've been business.'
"Yes, that's true, but I would like to avoid careless contact if possible," Horikita says.
'You can't afford to be terrified by Ryuuen's gaze forever.'
"Can I assume you have a plan?" Horikita asked.
I nodded, 'I want to focus on Class D.'
'That reminds me... Hirata wanted me to be the bridge between you and him.'
"I don't trust him."
I poked Horikita's side, 'You better start working together with your classmates.'
Horikita glared at me, "Don't poke me."
I look at the time on my phone. The last discussion will take place in 30 minutes.
"In this exam, I wonder how many groups will be decided by traitors?" Horikita said.
'It depends on how things go with each group.'
Horikita averted her eyes.
'What's wrong?'
"Nothing. It's just that I sensed something wrong with the way this exam developed. But there shouldn't have been any errors. I definitely shouldn't lose," she said.
'Horikita, there's nothing wrong with losing. It will happen to the best of us.'