Kiyopon arrived inside the theater room of the ship.

He was called by Chabashira to meet here, and as a student, he couldn't really say no.

He quickly spotted Chabashira and decided to sit down on the chair next to her.

" You've arrived." She said.

Kiyotaka wrote on his notebook.

It said.

He knew for a fact that something was going to go down.

Chabashira suddenly chuckled.

" Straight to the point, I see." She said and took a quick glance at Kiyotaka before returning her eyes to look at the play.

" A man has contacted the school. He requested for your expulsion." She said.

Kiyotaka stayed silent.

" Of course, the school's rules will protect you and brush off any absurd requests like this from the outside......so long as you don't break any rules." She took a quick glance at Kiyotaka, only to see him staring at the play.

This was a win it all or lose it all for Chabashira Sae.

She knows that Kiyotaka had been cooperating with the class and with Horikita.

But he still has limits that he set for himself.

She knows that he is holding back.

Kiyotaka wrote on his notebook.

It said.

" Of course you won't. But if I decide that you are a problem, then you will surely be expelled." She replied , " and you will lose your freedom...."

Kiyotaka simply closed his eyes and let out a quiet sigh.

" If I will get expelled, then you will fail to reach Class A." He said.

He didn't say it with a quiet tone, instead he used a much more emotionless tone that almost made Chabashira flinch.

It wasn't something she expected, but she mustn't break under the pressure.

" But I can try again, no? I have many years as a teacher to do my best and reach Class A. How about you, Ayanokoji?" She retorted.

" ....."

Kiyotaka did not respond.

Chabashira saw this as her chance.

This gamble will begin.

" How about I offer you a deal? If you do your best and reach Class A. Then I will do my absolute best to protect you. " she offered with a smirk.

" Then I'd rather be expelled." His reply caught Chabashira off-guard.

Kiyotaka looked at her with a blank look.

" No matter how much you try to hide it. You need me in order to reach Class A, because you know that Horikita will probably not recover if she were to find out that I had been expelled." He said.

Chabashira's eyes widened.

He sighed and stood up.

" So, are you going to do it?" He challenged her.

"....."

Chabashira had no proper response. But before, Kiyotaka could turn around and leave, Chabashira decided to ask him a question.

" So you are using Horikita as a cloak to protect you from me? " she started.

Kiyotaka slowly glanced at her.

Chabashira still had some fight left, after all.

" I want to ask you a question, Ayanokoji. What do you really think of Horikita? Do you really see her as your friend? Or is she just someone you are willing to use if it came down to it. In simple terms, " She said.

Kiyotaka stared at Chabashira in silence.

And then, the play ended, and the lights turned off.

Kiyotaka turned around and walked away, leaving Chabashira behind.

He did not answer her question, it will only make matters worse.

He knew that Chabashira tried to see how he would respond if she were to also try to use Horikita.

And deep down, it irked him.

But saying or doing anything else, would give Chabashira an edge.

That's why, like always, Kiyotaka stayed silent.

And Chabashira.....had lost the gamble.

It was their second day in the boat.

Everyone had been enjoying themselves, thinking that this vacation was truly paradise.

But Kiyopon had noticed something.

He hadn't seen Horikita the whole day, and he barely saw her yesterday.

Kiyopon had also tried to text Horikita, but she hasn't responded.

He decided to go and check up on her.

Kiyopon knocked on her door and it opened.

Horikita was in her comfy clothes.

" Ayanokoji-kun...? What is it?" She asked.

Kiyopon narrowed his eyes as he observed Horikita.

He wrote on his notebook.

it said.

Horikita nodded slowly.

" I'm fine..." she responded.

But Kiyopon was not content with that answer.

He wrote on his notebook.

It said.

Horikita widened her eyes in suprise.

" I'm sorry, Ayanokoji-kun....but I'm quite busy-"

But Kiyopon cut her off by entering the room, anyways.....much to Horikita's dismay.

Kiyopon observed the room and looked for any clues on why Horikita was acting strange.

Horikita had only sighed at his antics and closed the door.

" What are you trying to achieve..." she asked him.

He looked at her and wrote on his notebook.

It said.

" F-Favorite?!" Horikita said as her face turned red.

Kiyopon nodded.

Horikita chucked a pillow at him and it landed right on his face.

He slowly fell down onto her bed, with the pillow still on his face.

" Such an idiot...." she said before giggling. " Haha....I can't believe you're going this far...." she said as she tried to hide her smile.

Kiyopon took the pillow off his face and only stared at Horikita.

Kiyopon was now definitely worried.

Something wasn't right and Horikita was trying to hide it....

Kiyopon sat up as Horikita went to sit beside him in the bed.

" You don't have to worry. I've just been a bit tired, recently." She tried to assure him. " That's why I didn't go out, recently. " she added.

Kiyopon stared at Horikita......

Horikita noticed his stare.

" What?" She asked.

Kiyopon lifts his hand to her forehead, in order to check her temperature.

But Horikita quickly slapped his hand away, before it could reach her.

Kiyopon narrowed his eyes as he used his other hand to try it again.

And Horikita also slapped that one.

" Stop it." She ordered.

Kiyopon stayed stubborn and kept trying to check her temperature and Horikita slapped away all of his attempts.

" You leave me no choice...." he softly muttered.

" Huh? WAH! " she was confused at first, but then suddenly, Kiyopon tackled her and pinned her hands on the bed.

" A-Ayanokoji-kun?!" Horikita's face turned red.

Kiyotaka leaned his head towards Horikita.

' I-Is he going to do it, right here and now?!' She thought.

------------------------------------------------------

The Chibi Horikitas yelled in her head.

Chibi Horikita 1 asked.

' Chibi Horikita 2 said.

Each Chibi Horikita tried to brain storm until one Chibi Horikita spoke up.

a random chibi horikita raised her hand and all the chibis looked at her.

She said.

The Chibi Horikitas all agreed

---------------------------------------------------

Horikita decided to surrender and closed her eyes.

And then....she felt contact....

But it wasn't on her lips...

She felt Kiyopon's forehead lean into hers as he muttered,

" 39.1 degrees....."

' HE CAN TELL?! ' Horikita thought.

Chibi Horikitas died.

Kiyopon leaned away and stood up.

" You lied..." he said.

Horikita averts her eyes as she hugged her pillow.

" It's really nothing.....it will go away in a few days...." she muttered.

Kiyopon pressed x to doubt.

He sighed and wrote on his notebook.

It said.

But before he could leave, Horikita suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled down to the bed, forcing him to sit where he sat before.

" Please stay....." she requested.

She leaned her head into his arm.

" At least....until I can fall asleep...." she said while blushing at her actions.

" Okay...." he agreed.

Horikita slightly smiled at this and leaned her entire body into his arm, lulling herself to sleep.

Kiyopon only sighed and then took a picture of this, to tease Horikita when she's back to normal.