Inside the school.
The two were about five meters apart.
Hachiman followed the girl with a growing headache.
It wasn't that he wanted to follow her, but she was heading toward the Wool Club. Could he have offended her at some point?
That shouldn't be right!
While she looked familiar, he really couldn't recall such a character among his acquaintances.
Hachiman racked his brain.
She probably wasn't from Class B. Even though he didn't know most of Class B, he saw them every day and would have some impression.
The only other times he saw people from other classes were during the Sports Festival and the island exam.
She was likely a student from Class D.
"Ah..." Hachiman remembered.
That "loose woman" had mocked him back then. Is she really here to cause trouble?
The two reached the fifth-floor Wool Club.
"Why won't you pick up?"
Karuizawa stopped, staring at her phone in terror. No matter how many times she called, the screen showed the other person was already in a call.
Just then, hearing footsteps from behind, Karuizawa's heart was momentarily filled with joy. She turned around quickly.
She saw a boy following her, with dead-fish eyes and a listless expression.
Karuizawa was extremely disappointed and looked at him with hesitation.
What? Are you Mr. 2 Bon Kurei? Changing your face for me?
Hachiman said nervously, "Is... is something wrong?"
After a moment of hesitation, Karuizawa bit her lip.
Regardless of everything else, the man before her wasn't particularly weak, but he wasn't sturdy either.
Furthermore, she didn't know him.
That meant he wasn't famous in the school and likely didn't have much ability—just an ordinary student.
And judging by his stuttering just now, his communication skills were probably poor. Someone who stutters when talking to girls usually has very little courage.
No matter how she looked at it, the man in front of her was not someone to trust.
Karuizawa decided not to say anything, yet a sliver of hope remained in her heart. After a moment of hesitation, she asked in a weak voice:
"Why... why are you following me?"
"Uh..." Hachiman pointed to the room next door. "I have some business in my club..."
"I see..." Karuizawa bit her lip and said nothing more.
"Is something wrong?"
Hearing Hachiman's question, Karuizawa hesitated for a moment and then shook her head. "No..."
"Then I'll be going..." Hachiman pointed toward the club room and tentatively walked past her.
Until he opened the door to the Wool Club.
Hachiman stole a glance at her. She was still standing there, looking toward him with hesitation, as if she wanted to grab a final lifeline but was still unsure.
"Bang."
Hachiman quickly shut the door.
Even if she wasn't looking for him, the fact that she'd want to rely on someone like him meant she was clearly a source of trouble. It was better not to get involved.
The kettle, the computer, the treadmill, the microwave...
Hachiman pulled every plug and checked carefully to make sure nothing was missed.
Speaking of which, was that girl still waiting outside?
Should he go out?
What if she asks for help?
Maybe he just shouldn't go out? Or wait until she leaves? It would be the same either way.
Hachiman sat down and looked at a few soft cookies left on the table. They were probably the ones Kobashi and the others made and forgot to clean up.
Even though he was wearing a sweater, the weather had turned cold, and he could feel a chill spreading through his body.
"So cold..."
Hachiman stood up and left the room.
He didn't even know her, so there was no reason to worry about her. It would be better to return to his dorm and the air conditioning.
When he left the club, he saw that the girl was gone.
This was the fifth floor, and there were usually no people around. If his guess was correct, her destination was the rooftop.
Ugh. As expected of a "loose woman."
She must be going to the rooftop to do something "loose."
Showing no regard for the fact that a school is a public place—if that was the case, she had nobody to blame but herself.
Hachiman walked to the stairs and stepped lightly up toward the top.
He was going to peek!
A tall Black man appeared in his field of vision. He wore sunglasses and had his hands behind his back, standing like a guardian deity at the door.
It was the same guy who stepped on Sudo during the Sports Festival. He had left a strong impression.
"Uh..."
Hachiman clutched his chest. A strong sense of nausea rose within him.
Ryuen was looking for Class D's Target X... a terrified Class D girl... a Black guy guarding the door.
This is bullying, right? This is clearly a setup for bullying!
Anyway, they definitely aren't doing anything good. Otherwise, that Class D girl wouldn't have been so scared.
Hachiman turned to leave. He should just stay away.
He wasn't close to that girl, and besides, she had mocked him on the island. There was no reason to help her.
"Wait."
Back on the fifth floor, Hachiman stopped again.
If he could get evidence of bullying, he could take down Class C in an instant. That way, Class B wouldn't have any worries while fighting Class A.
Furthermore, on such an important occasion, Ryuen—who had been leading the search for Target X—would definitely be there. Maybe he could even take Ryuen down directly and ensure Class C never recovers.
"Tap, tap, tap."
Hachiman crept back to the landing between the floors and peeked at the Black guy.
However, Hachiman was self-aware.
Even if he wanted evidence... let alone the Black guy or Ryuen, he couldn't even beat Ryuen's lackey, Ishizaki. He was confident he would lose to any of them.
He should just go. Leading Class B to Class A was Ichinose's job; what did it have to do with a corporate slave like him?
Hachiman turned to walk back down.
"Wait."
Back on the fifth floor, Hachiman stopped once more.
That Class D girl had been calling for help; the person on the other end was likely the Target X Ryuen was looking for.
While there was no proof, the first person who came to Hachiman's mind was that guy Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
After all, he didn't know any other Class D students.
Even if it wasn't him, it might as well be.
Sudo, Hirata, Yamauchi—those "muggles" didn't seem the type. If it were Koenji, Ryuen wouldn't be using a girl as bait to bully him.
Yes. It had to be Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
And besides, just because he recognized the Black guy didn't mean the guy recognized him!
Hachiman only remembered seeing him from a bystander's perspective during the Sports Festival. He only stood out because he was a foreigner.
That's why he left such an impression.
Ryuen hadn't been bringing the Black guy around lately, but today he had him guarding the door. There must be a reason.
Anyway, the Black guy shouldn't have any reason to know him.
Ryuen was surprisingly sloppy for not introducing his subordinates to the people they were supposed to watch for.
Well then, let him experience the "harshness of society"!
"Tap, tap, tap..."
Hachiman went back again, took a deep breath, and walked onto the rooftop landing. Hearing a sound, the Black guy turned his head immediately.
"It's me, it's me~"
Hachiman raised his right hand with a smile and greeted him in a lighthearted tone.
This was the famous "It's Me, It's Me" scam (Ore Ore Sagi) from TV.
The essence of it was to use a casual tone to make a stranger think you were an old friend they hadn't seen in years.
Foreigners should be careful; don't be fooled by such a classic Japanese scam.
"..."
The Black man stood there like an iron tower, his eyes behind his sunglasses filled with scrutiny.
"What?"
Hachiman curled his lip, acting arrogant and dismissive.
"Don't you recognize me? Honestly, what is Ryuen doing, letting someone like you keep watch without telling you to let me in? Better move, or you won't be able to take the responsibility for delaying me."
In this world, over ninety percent of people are risk-averse and hate responsibility.
As soon as they hear the word "responsibility," most people hesitate.
Seriously, is this guy a mute? Say something already.
Hachiman's heart was pounding. The Black guy was wearing sunglasses, so he couldn't see his expression at all.
Was I being a bit too mean? Maybe I should buy a pair of sunglasses too.
"..."
The Black guy, Albert, looked hesitant for a moment before stepping aside to make room.
Is this the Target X Ryuen is looking for? He seems a bit different from the mastermind he had imagined.
"That's more like it."
"Only the leader needs to take responsibility."
Hachiman assumed this was a sign to pass. He spoke in a flippant tone as he walked past, and the Black guy followed silently behind him.
What's he doing? This is terrifying.
These guys... do they really dare to cause a violent incident in a public school setting?
"Creak."
Hachiman turned the doorknob, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
It's over. I'm going to have to leave my parents' inheritance to Komachi.
Well, if Komachi gets everything, it's not that scary after all.
Hachiman stepped onto the rooftop.
What he saw was Ryuen, Ishizaki, and Ibuki Mio—the girl he had met at the cinema who looked fierce but was actually kind.
The Class D girl was sitting on the ground in a "duck sit" position, her hands over her head. Her blue shirt was already soaked with water.
Ishizaki was bending over, preparing to switch to another bucket of water. He was clearly the culprit.
The surveillance cameras on the rooftop were dark, with no red lights visible. Ryuen and the others had clearly tampered with them.
This...
This is still really scary.
Hachiman wanted to turn around and leave immediately.
Would they let him leave if he asked nicely?