The ink-like night completely swallowed the clamor of the daytime Sports Festival.
Inside the girls' dormitory room, the air was filled with the lingering warmth of a party that had just ended.
Kushida Kikyo hummed a little tune, happily removing the light makeup from her face. The girl in the mirror had rosy cheeks and a genuine, heartfelt look of satisfaction on her lips.
Although Class D finished last in total points during this Sports Festival, and although their Class Points were deducted, in Kushida's view, it was all worth it.
Because Horikita Suzune, who was always so high and mighty, had finally fallen from grace.
Especially the expression on Horikita's face this morning when Sōsuke-kun scolded that little bitch until she couldn't talk back—it was the most beautiful sight Kushida had seen in months.
"Serves her right... This is called karma."
She made a face at her reflection, then returned to her bed, planning to chat with her classmates before sleeping. Just then, her device lit up, showing Sōsuke-kun as the sender.
Kushida quickly picked up the device, eager to see what message Sōsuke-kun had sent. Over the past month, she had strictly adhered to her promise with him; to avoid suspicion, she hadn't even signed up for events like the Mixed Three-Legged Race.
She was like a docile house cat, retracting all her claws to please her owner.
(I've been so obedient, Sōsuke-kun must be very happy, right?)
(I wonder what kind of message he sent me. Tomorrow is the weekend; he's not going to invite me out on a date, is he...)
Filled with anticipation, she lit up the screen.
However, what appeared was not the greeting she expected, but:
[Don't come looking for me anymore. We're finished.]
"...?"
The smile on Kushida Kikyo's face instantly froze.
She blinked, thinking she had read it wrong, or that it was just a cruel joke.
Finished?
What's finished?
Her fingers trembled as she quickly typed on the screen, then deleted it, and finally dialed the familiar number directly.
"Beep—Beep—"
Every ring tone was like a heavy hammer striking her chest.
Panic, like a black tide, instantly spread from her feet to her entire body.
Why?
Why suddenly like this?
Did I do something wrong?
Just as her heart was about to leap out of her throat, the call connected.
"Moshi moshi..." Kushida Kikyo's voice carried a distinct tremor. "Sōsuke-kun? Was that text message... sent by mistake? Or... is this another new game you're playing with me?"
"It wasn't sent by mistake, and it's not a game."
Natsukawa Sosuke's voice came through the receiver.
The voice was no longer gentle as usual; instead, it was cold, laced with deep disgust.
"Kushida, I was very clear. We are finished. You are no longer qualified to enter that room."
"W-why?!"
Kushida Kikyo panicked, tears instantly welling up in her eyes.
"Did I do something wrong? If something made you unhappy, you can tell me! I will change! I truly will!"
"I've been so obedient this past month! During the Sports Festival, I didn't talk to boys from other classes, and I avoided Ike Kanji, who always bothers me, as much as possible! I've only been looking at you!"
"Obedient?"
Natsukawa let out a cold laugh.
"Do you think I'm blind, or do you think I'm an idiot?"
"If your so-called 'obedience' means secretly flirting with other men in the hallway, and even eagerly handing over something that important to them..."
"Then your 'obedience' is truly cheap and disgusting."
"Wh-what?"
Kushida Kikyo was completely stunned.
Flirting? Giving away things?
What is he talking about?
"I didn't... I really didn't!" she pleaded tearfully. "Sōsuke-kun, are you misunderstanding something? Aside from the girls in my class, I haven't met any boys alone these past few days!"
"You still won't admit it? Kushida Kikyo."
"What about that Entry Form?!"
Boom—
As soon as those three words were uttered, Kushida Kikyo's brain instantly crashed.
The Entry Form... fragments of memory flashed through her mind like lightning.
The corridor under the setting sun, Ryuuen Kakeru's oppressive figure, and the hands that forcefully snatched the item.
"Th-that was..." Kushida tried to explain in a panic. "That was Ryuuen, he..."
"Ryuuen wanted it, so you gave it to him?"
Natsukawa didn't give her a chance to explain. He interrupted her harshly, every word like a poisoned arrow.
"And you have the nerve to bring up that slut?"
"What did I tell you? 'Don't interact with boys from outside the class.' And what happened? You not only interacted with him, but you handed over your class's confidential information like a gift!"
"No! I didn't give it to him!" Kushida screamed hysterically, the immense feeling of injustice making her almost unable to breathe. "He snatched it! Ryuuen cornered me and forcibly took it from my hands! I resisted, but I wasn't as strong as him..."
"Resisted? Heh..."
Natsukawa's tone was full of contempt, as if he were looking at someone trying to maintain a false reputation.
"You call that half-hearted, yielding coquetry resistance?"
"Kushida, you truly disgust me."
"He snatched the form this time, and you just went along with it. What if next time he corners you in the bathroom and tries to take you? Will you just 'resist' slightly and then comply?"
"N-no... that's not true... how could you say that..."
Kushida Kikyo trembled all over, her face as pale as paper.
"I originally thought you were special. I thought that in this school full of lies, at least you maintained some sincerity toward me."
"I gave you my trust, allowed you into my world, and was even willing to tolerate your ugly, dark side."
"And the result? This is how you repay me?"
"Pretending to be a docile kitten in front of me, yet turning around and throwing yourself into the arms of another man, selling out our shared interests?"
"I didn't... Sōsuke-kun, please believe me..."
Kushida was already sobbing uncontrollably, the knuckles of the hand holding the phone turning white from gripping it too tightly.
"I really didn't know why Ryuuen was there... I truly didn't want to give it to him... I was so scared then, I just wanted to submit the form quickly..."
"Enough. I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses."
Natsukawa's voice was coldly despairing.
"The fact is, the item ended up in his hands completely unscathed."
"Kushida Kikyo, your body is much more honest than your mouth."
"Since you love being such a two-timing flirt so much, go run off to your wild man. Don't disgust me anymore."
"Don't... listen to my explanation... don't hang up..."
"Beep... beep... beep..."
Kushida Kikyo sat blankly on the bed, her vision blurred by tears.
Injustice.
Overwhelming injustice.
She felt she was being wronged to death.
She had worked so hard to maintain that "agreement," and had so carefully avoided all members of the opposite sex.
That encounter was a completely unexpected accident!
Although she did have a fleeting thought of "killing with a borrowed knife," she hadn't actually actively given the item to Ryuuen!
Why... why did he say such things about me?
Why insult me with such horrible words... "Ding-dong."
Her phone vibrated again.
Kushida snatched up the phone as if electrocuted.
It was a message from Natsukawa.
It was a video file.
There was no text, just this single, isolated file.
Kushida's fingers trembled as she tapped the video open.
The footage began to play.
It was a high-angle, overhead shot. Although the lighting was dim, everything in the corridor could still be seen clearly.
That was... the scene where she encountered Ryuuen that day.
In the video, Ryuuen stopped her. They exchanged a few words.
Then, Ryuuen reached out to snatch the file envelope.
Kushida looked at herself on the screen.
In that moment, she had thought she was resisting fiercely.
But viewed through the third-person camera, her movements looked so... weak and powerless.
The hand gripping the file envelope released its hold almost without effort the instant Ryuuen touched it. That posture looked less like resistance and more like a tacit handover.
Ryuuen got the file envelope, glanced inside, and then flashed a look of triumphant certainty.
After that, Ryuuen took pictures, handed the Entry Form back to her, whispered something in her ear, and then waved his hand and left.
As the person involved, she naturally knew what Ryuuen had said.
Kushida Kikyo's face instantly turned ashen.
It's over.
Everything is over.
This video... this angle... to an uninformed person, this looks exactly like a carefully orchestrated transaction!
And her reaction in the video—though panicked, lacking any substantial resistance—served as ironclad proof.
"It's not... it's not like this..."
Kushida desperately shook her head at the phone screen, large tears splashing onto the glass.
"I didn't cooperate with him... I really didn't..."
"Sōsuke-kun... listen to my explanation... this video is a misunderstanding..."
With trembling fingers, she dialed the number again.
She needed to explain clearly. She needed to tell him that it was Ryuuen acting on his own initiative, that Ryuuen was framing her!
But the cold "phone powered off" message from the other end mercilessly announced the final verdict.
He refused to listen to her explanation.
He had already determined that she was a traitor, a deceitful woman who slept with anyone.
"Pat-da."
The phone slipped from her powerless fingertips, falling heavily with a dull thud.
Kushida Kikyo felt her entire world collapse at that moment.
The haven that affirmed her, understood her, and was even willing to accept all her dark sides... had closed.
The "home" where she had finally found a place to take off her mask and breathe... had kicked her out.
Moreover, it was because of this accusation.
It was because she had tried so hard to be a good cat, yet was still misunderstood, wronged, and abandoned.
"Ahhhhhhh—!!!"
Hugging her knees, she buried her face in the blanket and let out an extremely suppressed, desperate wail.
Injustice, regret, fear, and the coldness of being alone again gnawed at her heart like countless ants.
"I don't want this..."
"I don't want to be alone..."
"Sōsuke-kun... save me... don't abandon me..."