Yuto strolled up to the familiar rooftop railing, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Hey, two-face. Didn't know you brought company tonight." His gaze shifted to Kushida, who leaned casually against the black railing, while Ryuen sat nearby on the same bench where Ayanokoji had sat after being beaten black and blue by yours truly.
Kushida's cheerful voice rang out, "Kazuki-san! You sure took your sweet time!" She wore that innocent smile Yuto had come to loathe.
"I did," Yuto replied flatly, not bothering to play along as he dropped onto the bench beside Ryuen. He eyed the other boy with thinly veiled disdain. "So, why's he here?" He jerked his head toward Ryuen. "I thought I was in for a quiet night with a two-faced chick."
Ryuen started to grin, but it faltered, as if he remembered an advice. Kushida's expression twitched into a more dangerous smile. "Please don't joke like that, Kazuki-kun. It makes me want to expel you even more."
Before Yuto could retort, Ryuen's voice cut through the banter, low and serious. "Kazuki."
Yuto's eyes narrowed, turning his full attention to Ryuen, who kept his gaze fixed on the ground. "I'll be frank," Ryuen said, pausing as shadows shifted behind him. Ibuki, Albert, and a heavily bruised Ishizaki stepped forward from the darkness. "Are you the mastermind behind Class D?"
Yuto scanned the faces around him, then let out a dry laugh. "That is quite frank," he drawled, leaning back against the bench. "But no, I'm afraid you've got the wrong guy."
Ryuen's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Then are you the ghost?"
Yuto's relaxed demeanor shifted as he stood up, instantly putting everyone on edge. "If that's all you brought me here for, I'll be on my way," he said, turning his back. "And no, I am not the ghost."
"I don't recall saying you could leave," Ryuen called out, his voice carrying a dark edge.
Yuto shot him a sharp look over his shoulder. "And I don't remember you being in charge here," he replied coldly. His stance was firm, his eyes defiant. In response, Ryuen's lackeys tensed, ready to spring into action, while Ryuen slowly rose to his feet, meeting Yuto's glare head-on.
Before the tension could snap, Kushida stepped forward, raising her hands in a mock gesture of peace. "Now, now, let's all calm down, shall we?" Her tone remained falsely sweet as she turned to Yuto. "Kazuki-kun, there's actually something else we'd like to discuss with you."
Yuto arched a brow, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Go on," he said, sounding bored, but his eyes never left the two in front of him.
Kushida's smile widened, her voice taking on a coy edge. "It looks like you're on bad terms with Horikita-san and Ayanokoji-kun, isn't that right?"
Yuto's face remained impassive, but the sharp silence that followed his non-response told Ryuen and Kushida everything they needed to know. Ryuen's smirk deepened as Kushida continued, practically singing, "So, you wouldn't mind if I tried to expel them, would you?"
Yuto's expression remained unchanged, his icy blue eyes locked on the two of them. Kushida's grin widened, taking his silence as agreement. "I'll take that as a yes!" she chirped.
Ryuen leaned in, extending a hand toward Yuto. "Kazuki, an enemy of my enemy is a friend, don't you think?" He paused, letting the silence stretch between them. "Join us."
Yuto glanced at Ryuen's outstretched hand, then back at his eyes, searching for some hidden motive. "What do I get out of it?" he asked, his voice low and measured.
Ryuen let out a humorless laugh. "How does a million points sound?"
Yuto chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Tempting," he admitted, then met Ryuen's gaze directly, his eyes sharp. "But I'm curious, Ryuen— Why do you want to expel Horikita and Ayanokoji?"
Ryuen's grin returned, "I don't care about expelling them. I just want your help finding the mastermind behind Class D. That's all."
Yuto sighed, turning away from Ryuen and Kushida. "Not interested." He took a step toward the stairs but paused, glancing back at them over his shoulder. "But I'll leave you with a bit of advice."
He focused on Kushida first. "I don't know about the ghost, but you're delusional if you think the mastermind will sit back while you try to expel two of his assets," he said, his tone flat but cutting. Kushida's smile faltered, a flash of irritation crossing her face.
Then Yuto turned to Ryuen, his voice dropping lower. "And as for you, Ryuen, remember this: the moment you think you've got the upper hand against the mastermind, is the moment you've lost."
With that, Yuto turned and walked away, the sound of his footsteps fading into the darkness. Ryuen's lackeys made no move to stop him, while Ryuen and Kushida stood there with clear disdain in their eyes.
Kushida's cheerful mask crumbled as she lashed out, kicking the railing in frustration. "That fucking piece of shit," she spat, her usual composure shattered. Each kick rang out sharply in the night air, while Ryuen remained eerily still, his gaze fixed on the ground.
Ibuki crossed her arms, watching the outburst with a mix of annoyance and curiosity. "So, what do you think, Ryuen?" she asked, her voice lower than usual, trying to gauge his thoughts.
Ryuen's reply came in a hushed tone, just loud enough for Ibuki to catch. "He's definitely the ghost. I don't know how he pulled it off, but he didn't care to hide it much."
As he spoke, his lips curled into a wicked grin, a gleam of excitement flashing in his eyes. "This is going to be fun," he muttered.