Horikita, Eichiiro, and I ultimately resolved to carry out our plan when the next several days arrived. We should be able to easily attract the eyes and ears of our classmates' thanks to my leadership position and Eichiiro's great reputation.

Eichiiro stood up and called for everyone's attention as Chabashira-Sensei left us after the last homeroom period.

"I know we all agreed that this last day would be a self-study day, but, Horikita has something she'd want to say before you all depart," Eichiiro announced.

Horikita's name was brought up unexpectedly, which startled and perplexed everyone. After all, she hadn't done anything noteworthy in class to draw any type of heed to herself. Of course, aside from becoming an instructor.

She swiftly rose from her seat and made her way to the front of the room. She came to a halt in front of the podium, facing the Class B students.

"I'm hoping everyone has been studying hard in preparation for tomorrow's exam." She remarked. "I've got something that might be useful for some final studying tonight. I'll distribute them right immediately."

Everyone in the first row received a copy of the questions and answer sheets.

"Test... Questions? Horikita-San did you create them?" With an astonished look on his face, Hirata inquired. "

"These are, in fact, previous exam questions. They were given to me a few days ago by a third-year Senpai." She replied to his question.

"Huh?"

"Will we be studying with these?"

"Eh? Will these problems even be valid on the tests?"

Everyone had questions and thoughts on the subject, but after a brief review of the papers, they realized that the questions were quite similar to the study materials they'd been utilizing.

"That's correct. The midterm questions on this problem set were substantially identical to those on the midterm two years earlier. So, I believe we'll be able to do better on tomorrow's test if you practice using these papers. I recommend that everyone try to memorize the answers to each of the lessons." She was firm in her advice.

When they heard those statements, the entire class into an uproar.

"Are you serious, Horikita-San?" Onodera wept.

"D-Doesn't that mean if we just memorize all of these, we'll earn a perfect score?" Karuizawa was taken aback.

"Woah! Seriously? Horikita-San, thank you so much!" Satou expressed his gratitude with a profound bow.

"Let's go!" In joy, Ike clutched his test. All of the other pupils were equally unable to contain their feelings.

"What the hell, doesn't all of our studying become pointless if we have these problems?" Yamauchi was both laughing and grumbling at the same time.

This was a happy occurrence for everyone. Horikita attempted to offer Kouenji a copy of the questions at this time, but he chose to remain inside the classroom for some reason.

"Please take one, Kouenji-kun. I'm confident it'll be beneficial to you." She said as she handed him one set.

"Hmph, I appreciate your concern, Horikita girl. However, I will politely decline. Such things are unnecessary for me. I was only here to listen to what lovely things Ayanokouji boy had to spout." He got to his feet and took his luggage. "I'm satisfied now that he didn't let me down. Goodbye."

Kouenji walked out of the room with his customary graceful strides. For Class B, seeing him like this was nothing out of the ordinary.

"Do your best today, Sudou-kun, while studying."

"Yea. Thanks." Sudou was ecstatic to receive the papers as well.

"This is a well-kept secret amongst the other classes! Let's all do well and achieve our goals!"

Ike shouted out with full determination, but I had to acquiesce. It's unnecessary to send assistance to the other classes. Everyone was in great spirits when they returned home.

———————————————————

"Cheers!" Eichiiro exclaimed with delight as everyone hoisted their cans of juice.

All of the students who were the tutors of the eight study groups gathered in the evening after school had concluded. Except for me and Horikita, everyone was giddy with delight because we had finally completed our job of instructing the members of our study group.

We made it through the hardships with the help of our friends. Is this what it means to be young? It doesn't seem so bad, I guess.

"What's up with your glum expression? Everything should be fine because today is the final before the midterms, right?" Matsuhita enquired, a sly grin on her face.

"I'm not opposed to a party, but why is it taking place in my room?" Exasperatedly, I sigh.

"Your room is very desolated and vacant. Ayanokouji, it's a little strange that you don't have any unique furniture or decorations in your room." Yukimura was the one who spoke up.

"School has barely been in session for two months. It's stranger to have so much stuff in your room, rather." With rationality, I rebutted.

I don't require anything else but my everyday essentials.

"Kushida-chan, what are your thoughts on Ayanokouji's room?" Mii-Chan posed the query.

"It seems satisfactory to me. It has a simple, clean vibe to it." Kushida put in her two cents.

"However, in the grand scheme of things, this upcoming midterm is quite risky. Ike, Sudou, and Yamauchi would have been kicked out if we hadn't planned to hold study group meetings." Eichiiro remarked, sarcastically mocking them.

"Ayanokouji-Kun's efforts are responsible for everything. He is entirely deserving of praise. After all, he was the one who first proposed the notion of forming a study club." Kushida complimented me profusely.

"You know, I still haven't forgiven you for making me an instructor." Matsuhita, who sat next to me, poked my cheeks with a teasing smirk.

"Well, it's not like I was forcing you to become one in the first place. You fared quite well on our recent exam, finishing in the top three of the entire class, alongside Yukimura and Horikita. I also noted that you completed the test a lot more faster compared to the others. You must be a high-achieving student." I included little praise in my statement.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow playfully after hearing what I said. "How did you know how quickly I finished the test? Were you perhaps staring at me the whole time while I was doing the exam?" Matsushita swooped down on me right away. She wore a smug grin on her face.

I see... So that's how she wants to play it. Matsuhita, your efforts are admirable. But, unfortunately, you've dug your own grave. Because I have a secret trump card you don't know about.

"That could be the case. But I'm simply repaying the favor." I shrugged jokingly. "Near the end of gym class, you were also staring at me with a very odd expression on your face. I've always been curious as to what you were thinking about at the time." I would've already flashed a proud and wisenheimer grin on my face if my emotions hadn't been so restrained.

She was attempting to get into my thoughts and elicit a worried and agitated response from me. In other words, she was waging psychological warfare on me. Perhaps she thought it would be amusing to see my cool crumble and me act out of character. Regrettably for her, two can play at that game.

In my mind's eye, I had mentally saved the image of her ogling me in the gym. Because Matsuhita had such a mischievous and playful disposition, I had kept it there just in case she tried to tease me into giving a reaction. She was similar to Eichiiro in appearance, but his antics were a little more subdued.

All according to keikaku.

After hearing my brilliant ripost, she flinched and widened her eyes. She was probably taken aback that I had spotted her staring at me and remembered it from so long ago. Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, indicating that she was blushing from embarrassment.

"E-eh?!" She stuttered. "I-I don't know what y-you're talking about, Ayanokouji-Kun." She stammered even more, sheltering her face with her palms to hide her face.

"It's pointless for you to act as if you don't understand what I'm talking about or try to lie your way out of it, Matsuhita. Your facial expression and tone of voice make it brutally evident that I'm telling the truth." I continued to obliterate her with basic logic and reasoning. "You may have tried to outsmart me but I've outsmarted your outsmarting." With my index and middle fingers hitting my forehead, I returned.

"Tch," she clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You win this time, Ayanokouji-Kun. But I'll get you someday!" She pouted while crossing her arms and turning her head away.

With the exception of Horikita, everyone laughed at our shenanigans.

"Oh, Horikita-San, could you tell me how you found out about that? I'm still baffled as to how you were able to come up with such an idea." Kushida spoke up.

"As you can see..." She built on the theory in the same way as I did with her. Of course, I nitpicked certain facts that may be left out. Her explanation astounded everyone, as one might anticipate.

"That's amazing Horikita-San!" Mii-Chan cheered.

"I guess you really do care about the class, even when you act so cold and distant to us." Eichiiro grinned even though he knew It was me who actually got the papers.

"I merely acted for my own benefit. Nothing more, nothing less." She shot him down coldly.

"No need to act so Tsun-Tsun, Horikita. Your dependable side is also rather charming, don't you think?" He continued to poke fun at her.

"Matsuo-Kun, do you want to die?" Horikita made a threat while rummaging inside her bag for something.

"N-no, ma'am. Please forgive me. I beg you to not stab me with that compass again." He pleaded for his sins.

Horikita and Eichiiro's antics made everyone giggle. I looked at Kushida while everyone else was looking at Horikita with respect and affection. She wasn't smiling, but she was biting her lower lip as if she was irritated with Horikita getting the attention over her.

Her facade has been eroding in my view over the previous few days. I could now detect whether she was being sincere or not on occasion. I just hope she doesn't reach her breaking point and throw the class into chaos.

I have to prevent that from happening. Even if I have to resort to inexcusable means to silence her.

———————————————————

After the tiny celebration, I was cleaning up the mess that my classmates had created. While Kushida was gathering up the juice cans and other rubbish on the floor, I began sweeping the crumbs to the dustpan.

Everyone had gone, but she remained for some unfathomable reason. She graciously offered to assist me in cleaning up the dorm. I initially tried to dismiss her act of kindness, but I eventually caved in after she begged me repeatedly to let her help me.

"I'm not sure how many times I've said it, but thank you for lending a helping hand. It means a lot to me." I made an attempt to strike up a conversation with her.

"Instead, Ayanokouji-Kun, I should be the one thanking you. Even if you were a little uneasy about it, you allowed us to use your room to celebrate. Ayanokouji-Kun, I regret if we've caused you any big problems." To appear honest, she bowed.

"There is no need to be concerned. I'm only returning the favor because you're all my buddies." I wasn't really bothered by it, so I just brushed it off.

I swept the floor and walked over to the garbage can. I pressed my foot against the pedal, and the bin slid open. I poured the small food scraps on the dustbin's surface into the garbage bin's interiors. I finished by returning the broom and dustpan to their proper places.

When I glanced back, I noticed Kushida had completed her part as well. She was attempting to tie the last of the two trash bags together in a knot.

"Ayanokouji-Kun..." She addressed me in a tone that was extremely different from what I am used to hearing most of the time. She had a serious expression on her face as she looked at me. In front of me, the bright and smiling Kushida was not apparent.

"Yes, Kushida?"

"Do you perhaps like girls who are like Horikita?" Well, that was a very unexpected question. "I always notice you two walking hand-in-hand. It's also causing a lot of gossip among the girls in the class. They might even believe you're dating surreptitiously." Kushida presumptively assumed.

"Horikita is simply someone I just know. My next-door neighbor, to be precise. I don't consider her as someone special to me or anything along the lines of that." I answered earnestly.

"I see..." She paused for a bit. "Then, I'll be going home now, Ayanokouji-Kun. I'll see you tomorrow!" She waved at me as she briskly left the room.

I was going to get up to throw the garbage bags away when I discovered Kushida had left her phone on my bed. I took her phone in my hands with the goal of returning it to her. I exited the room and awaited the coming of the elevator.

I could see a screen above the buttons that showed whether the elevator was moving to the upper or lower level. It was headed to the lobby, according to the screen. That's strange. Kushida just announced that she would be returning to her dorm. The dorms for the girls are meant to be located upstairs...

It was 6:17 p.m. when I checked the time. If she really wanted to return to the dorms, she wouldn't go anyplace else than here. When the elevator door opened, I decided to pursue her.

I raced about looking for her because she wasn't in sight. From the back of the school building, I noticed someone who looked like Kushida. It was late in the evening, so only club members were present. There's also the potential that Kushida is meeting one of her club-going friends.

Time to go inside.

I proceeded to the hallway after getting my indoor shoes from the rack, but I didn't see Kushida. Is it possible that I've lost track of her? That was my first thinking, but then I heard the faint sound of someone's sneakers. I reached the stairwell going to the second floor.

I dashed as quickly as I could without making a sound. When I eventually made it to the third floor, I heard footsteps ascending to the rooftop. If it was Kushida, she was either walking slowly or stopping for a moment to do something. Regardless, I chose to follow the person in a sneaky manner.

Someone, as expected, unlocked the entrance to the rooftop. I noticed her approaching the brink through the small gap. Kushida was the culprit.

I murmured softly, "So this is what Eichiiro was talking about."

I had tasked him to spy on Kushida and track her whereabouts a month ago. And he delivered on his promises.

He claimed that she would normally walk to the rooftop at 6 or 7 p.m., where there were no cameras visible. Of course, he couldn't ascend the stairway and go much higher because it would blow his cover. In any case, he had provided me with vital knowledge.

When Horikita and I came here to question Chabashira-sensei, I confirmed that the door would not make a sound if I opened it again. Kushida wasn't looking in my way, so I decided to enter the rooftop and completely conceal my existence with the help of the night's darkness.

Kushida could just be here for a breath of fresh air, for all I know. Another possibility is that she's in town for a meeting. Should one of those be the case, I'll just return back to my dorm.

"Agh, screw this!" Even though she spoke loudly, her tone was so low that it didn't sound like Kushida.

"They're revolting!" They're seriously so annoying! Always trying to get close to me, always trying to ogle me-!" Kushida grumbled as if she were attempting to cast a curse.

"That Horikita... Why did she have to attend the same school as me?! Don't act so conceited and pompous just because you handed out some test papers to the class. I absolutely despise her! I wish she would just kill herself! Agh!" She screamed and repeatedly kicked her foot on the railing.

So this is the true face of Kushida Kikyou...

I feel like the image of the class' most popular girl has been burned down. It was a figure that she didn't want to be seen by anyone else.

I pulled out my phone and launched the camera app, making sure Kushida couldn't see the bright screen. This might provide a significant amount of leverage. It would be extremely useful to have someone like Kushida forced to do dirty work for me with unwavering commitment.

Through the crack in the door, I aimed the front camera. If the audio was followed by visual evidence of Kushida's rant, the tape would be far more incriminating. I slid my thumb across the screen and pressed the record button.

Kushida ultimately came to an end after a few minutes of recording. I kept the record button pressed in case she tried to harm me in any way. The only difference was that it was now a voice recorder. Not video graphic. I pushed open the door to let her know I was there.

"A-Ayanokouji-Kun?!" Bewilderment could be heard in her voice.

"Yo," I raised my palm casually. "You left this, so I thought I'd give it back to you," I spoke, pointing to my phone, which she smacked out of my hand, closing the gap between us.

"Did you hear everything?" She spat at me, her gaze fixed on mine. Nearly everyone in our school would be terrified by her duality, but I, too, am concealing something far worse.

"Would you believe me if I said I didn't hear or see anything?"

"I'll make you pay if you say anything about this to anyone."

"Oh? How so?"

"I'll spread a rumor that you raped me up here."

"You know, that's a bogus accusation."

"It's all right. It wouldn't be false." Her remarks were hefty and powerful, exuding a lethal aura.

Kushida grasped my right wrist and slowly opened my hand as she whispered. My palm was pressed against her soft breast.

"Can you tell me what you're doing?" I inquired quietly, putting up no protest.

"Your fingerprints have left their mark on my clothing. That is proof of my claim. I'm serious about this. Understand?" Kushida was still icy and spoke in a low, gloomy tone, but she seemed also slightly pleased with her strategy, showing a sadistic and haughty smile.

I heaved a sigh. "I understand. Could you please let go of my hand now?"

"I'm not going to wash this uniform and will keep it in my room. I'm going to give this to the cops if you tell a tone."

I locked my eyes on Kushida for a few moments as she kept my hand on her breasts.

"Don't forget," she narrated. Kushida took a step aside from me to make sure I understood.

She might believe she has the upper hand over me. Everything, however, was going according to plan. I can turn her into a pawn. A shaky tool that I may be forced to discard or deem obsolete in the future. However, she will be valuable to me for the time being.

Fear and aggressiveness will work wonders in subduing her and guaranteeing her compliance for the time being.

"You know, Kushida... " I began to tell my story. "If I were you, I wouldn't be so arrogant." As I took my phone from my pockets, I advised.

"Huh? What the hell are you talking about-" Before she could finish her sentence, I displayed a video on my phone screen and started and tapped the surface to play it.

"I'll spread a rumor that you raped me up here."