" Ayanokoji-kun......" Horikita weakly said as she looked up at him.

Kiyotaka silently went to her and picked her up in his arms.

Horikita stayed silent as she was carried by Kiyotaka.

' I......didn't expect him to be here......and why him.....the one person that I don't wanna show this type of weakness too....' Horikita thought.

Kiyotaka arrived to a big tree where they can both relax and not get hit by the rain.

Kiyotaka gently leaned Horikita to the tree.

" Ayanokoji-kun....." She started but Kiyotaka cut her off.

" Horikita, did you lose the card?" He asked softly

Even with his tone of voice, she flinched because it was a definite reminder that they did indeed stole the- no,

Horikita stayed silent and stared at the ground as she lamented over her failure.

Kiyotaka noticed this and didn't try to do anything that might worsen it.

Seeing that Horikita wasn't going to talk, Kiyotaka softly sighed and stood up to stare at the rain.





Kiyotaka closed his eyes and listened to the sound of the rain.

'" Ayanokoji-kun......." Horikita suddenly said.

Kiyotaka opened his eyes but he didn't respond to her.

" I-Im.....sorry....." She apologized with sincerity.

Kiyotaka's eyes widened slightly from this.

" Im....Im so sorry......I lost the card....I failed to get it back.....Im so sorry...." she apologized even more.

" Even when I did my best.......I still failed....as your leader......Im so sorry....." Horikita said with tears slowly building up.

" I failed.....Class D...." she continued, " I failed my brother...."

And then she it all out.

" I.....I failed...you!" She said as the tears finally came rolling down her cheeks.

' Im so weak.....here I am , crying......but........I can't take it anymore....' Horikita thought as she tried to wipe her tears.

" I'm...an incompetent leader......an even more incompetent person........" she clenches her fist.

Kiyotaka didn't turn around, but he listened to her every word.

" .....My life....is full of disappointment......no matter how hard I try, I still fail......"

" When everything was going well..... the fire happened.....I was caught off guard.....and eventually......I lost the card to Ibuki...." she said.

" You can't blame yourself for tha-" Kiyotaka tried to say but he was cut off.

" No.....It's my mistake....."

Even when she wiped most of the tears from her face, she could still feel the effect of it all.

The urge to cry and let even more tears come out.

" I....disappointed my brother..........I disappointed Class D.......I disappointed sensei..........haha......I most likely disappointed you.....even when you don't say anything....." she said with a laugh full of pity for herself.

" And most importantly........ I disappointed myself.........." she finished before leaning back onto the tree and pulling up her knees to hide her face.

" Especially myself......" she emphasized.

This defeat.... is a memory that Horikita will forever etch into her mind.

Imagine, all the effort you put into something and then suddenly, one mistake caused you to fail.....for everything to crumble.

It's even worse when you are a leader, just like Horikita.

Horikita blamed herself for it all.

" You should leave me here........Class D definitely would.......after all, they will hate me once they find out about this.......I don't want you to be hated too....." she added

Even at times like this....

Horikita always thought of Kiyotaka.

" You're almost right.........about everything....." Kiyotaka finally said.

Horikita flinched.

But one word from that sentence didn't sound right.

"....Almost...?" She asked as she lifted her head up to glance at his back.

" Yeah...." He said and then turned his to look at her, " Almost...."

She refused to look at him in the eyes.

He started walking towards her.

" But you were wrong about one thing...." he softly said as he finally stood in front of her.

She was confused.....she wondered what could she have possibly been wrong about?

Then again, she won't be suprised if she were wrong again....

The damage had been done....

And god, it hurts....

Kiyotaka kneeled down and gently placed a hand behind her head and the other on her back.

" And right now......just for this moment....I'll tell you." He said.

" Tell...me wha-"

Kiyotaka pulled her close and hugged her gently.

Horikita was suprised but she didn't push him away.

" I've never once thought of you as a failure........not once was I ever disappointed in you...." he said and hugged her tighter.

Horikita stayed silent.

" I would never leave you over something like this.......I don't think Class D will hate you either.......and you didn't fail as a leader........because......" Kiyotaka paused.

" The true failure....is me....... I failed as your classmate....I failed as someone you can rely on......I failed as your . "

Horikita's eyes widened and when she was about to deny it, he immediately continued his words.

" It was hard for you....being a leader......the burden was too high....I should've helped you...."

" I should've shared that burden with you........and yet, I kept to my selfish desire and only did the bare-minimum.....while you gave your all in every moment in this exam.........and for that....."

Kiyotaka pulled back from the hug and wiped away Horikita's remaining tears.

" " he apologized for everything.

" Im so sorry....Horikita...." he apologized again.

Horikita puts her hand over his and gives a small smile.

" It's okay.......I never blamed you...."

She holds his hands.

" So please.....let me take all the blame....." she pleaded.

Kiyotaka couldn't believe it.

This feeling....deep down inside......he couldn't understand it....

But this feeling....is urging him to do this one thing......

" I see......" he trailed off before standing up and lending her his hand.

" But let's take the blame together......the rain is clearing up.....let's go back to camp." He said.

It was true, the rain was slowing down.

Horikita slowly nodded and took his hand.

" You go on ahead." Kiyotaka said.

Horikita nodded but not before saying one more thing.

" " she said.

" Whenever you are in trouble, don't be afraid to show this side of yourself to me. I will never judge you....and I'll always be there for you.....for as long as you need me to." Kiyotaka suddenly promised out of nowhere.

This made Horikita suprised but then a genuine smile appeared on her face.

" I see......you know, this is the longest that you talked to me using your words..." she commented.

Kiyopon nodded.

" Back to the silent act?......well....if it's not too selfish of me to ask....I do hope you can keep your promise...." She said.

Kiyopon nodded again.

Horikita had fully accepted this loss now.

She was ready to tell Class D that she failed and admit all her mistakes.

This courage is propelling her to become a better person.

But this loss will still forever stain her mind.

But before Horikita could step into the path, she was suddenly falling to the ground and losing consciousness.

Kiyotaka gently caught her.

Kiyotaka had knocked her out.

He gently put her in a princess carry and made sure she was comfortable in his arms.

The rain has slowed down, so it was easier to navigate around the area now.

Kiyotaka set off unto the path while carrying an unconcious Horikita in his arms.

Kiyotaka had made a decision.....

Ayanokoji PoV

Why was I doing this?

I asked myself as I quickly walked through the forest.

I made sure to avoid slipping while carrying her.

I need to get there before the new day begins.

I finally made it out of the forest and arrived at the beach.

I walked towards the ramp that will eventually lead me to the ship's deck.

" Ayanokoji, what are you-" I immediately cut off Chabashira-sensei.

" Horikita is unconcious and sick." I said.

But it was also a half-lie.

She looked at Horikita in my arms.

" Hold on, let me check her temp-" but I cut her off again.

" Let me take her to her room. She needs to rest." I said sternly.

She looked at me, suprise evident on her face.

Sensei stared at me for a while and slowly nodded.

" At least let-" I cut her off once again.

" I'll take her there." I said as I stepped back from Sensei a bit.

She looked at me with a brow raised.

" You don't trust me?" She asked.

" I don't." I replied.

No, I just didn't want her to check Horikita's temperature.

There are other teachers here after all.

So I must be careful.

" Fine...." she surrendered. " But I'll come with you since I have her keys. And also to make sure you won't try anything."

I decided to agree with her terms.

I carried Horikita through the hallways until I finally ended up at her door.

I looked at sensei.

Sensei nodded and unlocked her door.

" Could you stay here for a moment?" I asked.

Chabashira-sensei sighed and agreed to stay outside.

I nodded in thanks and stepped into Horikita's room.

I gently laid Horikita down on her bed.

I went to the bathroom to get a clean towel to wipe her face.

I got a clean towel and went to Horikita.

She was breathing softly in her unconcious state.

I gently wiped her face.

I pulled the towel away and looked at Horikita's face.

I kept thinking.

" It was because........I didn't want to see you cry again....." I muttered

I stood up and looked for a piece of paper around the room.

I quickly found one in the drawers and also a pen.

I quickly wrote in it.

I left the note on Horikita's desk which was right by her bed.

it said.

I took one more glance at her and walked out of the room.

" You took a while." Sensei said.

I looked at her silently and nodded.

She sighed.

" You better go return to Class D." She said.

I nodded silently and went down the ramp which led me back to the beach.

The rain had already cleared.

I let out a sigh and walked to the forest and to return to the camp.