On the day of the in-class voting special exam, after Sakura Airi went into the staff room for paperwork, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka returned to the classroom to check on the rest of the affected students.
Horikita Suzune, Hasebe Haruka, Akito Miyake, and Yukimura Teruhiko sat in a somber silence.
The unexpected expulsion of Sakura had shattered Horikita's newfound confidence.
Hasebe, Akito, and Yukimura mourned the loss of a cherished member of their friends' group and the tranquility they had just begun to enjoy.
Ayanokouji, though considered a friend, remained untouched by Sakura's departure.
His indifferent demeanor masked a mind that saw beyond the immediate loss.
To him, Sakura's expulsion presented a fortuitous opportunity—one that could be turned to his advantage.
He saw a chance to eliminate potential threats to his carefully crafted peaceful existence.
In this ordinary environment, surrounded by ordinary students, he sought to blend in, to live a life free from the shadows of his past.
As he observed his classmates, their faces etched with grief and confusion, Ayanokouji's thoughts were already racing ahead.
He acted not out of emotion, but with calculated precision, foreseeing the steps needed to maintain his anonymity and stability.
And thus, he started weaving a trap.
***
After the lottery drawing event to fix the class matchups for the year-end speacial exam for first years, Chabashira went inside the staff room, to complete the remaining work for the day.
As she had not heard anything from Hasebe Haruka regarding why she was absent today, Chabashira went ahead and made a call to check upon her condition to write a report.
The call connected after a few seconds, as Hasebe picked up Chabashira's call.
"Hasebe, I know that you are not feeling well, but at least pick up my calls."
On the other end, Hasebe's response was slow and lethargic, echoing the weight of her grief and her attempts to mask it with a polite apology. Her voice, tinged with exhaustion, conveyed more than just a mild fever.
".....Sorry, sensei. I didn't realize that you had called me. I have a mild fever, so I would be absent tomorrow too."
"Did you go through the check up at the clinic?" Chabashira asked to confirm her suspicions.
"Yes. Do you want me to send the medicines' receipt?" Hasebe replied with confidence.
"No. It's alright if you say so. Anyway, make sure to call me if anything severe happens." Chabashira, already aware of Hasebe's mental condition, decided to end it with a mild warning.
"Sure......Um, sensei?" However, Hasebe had something else in her mind.
"What is it?"
"Can I ask you a question?" Chabashira's curiosity was piqued, sensing the weight of Hasebe's question.
"Go on."
Then, Hasebe continued with her question, the one which she mulled over for the last two days.
The one question which might decide her future actions to a large extent, depending on Chabashira's answer.
"If somehow, it is found out now that Airi's expulsion was a mistake on the school's management part or something like...the results were tampered with, by someone, what would happen?"
"....That's a difficult question. During this school's long years of history, no mistake like that has ever occurred, that would have affected any student's career." Chabashira tried to evade the question, by stating that, something like that had never happened.
"And, is it common to have a temporary acting-director in this school?" Hasebe retorted sarcastically, pointing out the strange appointment of a temporary chairman at the school.
"......I know what you are trying to find out, but Sakura's expulsion has been proceeded through the government's records. So, even if something related to tampering is found now, bringing back an expelled student is next to impossible. " Chabashira, knowing that Hasbe's wish was to bring back Sakura Airi, replied with facts.
"Next to impossible? Isn't it the school's fault for that, though? They should take responsibility, no?" Hasebe retorted once again, her voice mixed with annoyance and frustration.
"You are right. That's why I didn't say it's impossible. But, you see, something like that has never happened before in this school, so I can't say this with absolute confidence that Sakura's expulsion would be revoked. However, in my opinion, if something like that comes to light, it might jeopardize the position of our acting director."
"It's not impossible, huh?" Hasebe's voice softened, a glimmer of hope threading through her words.
"......Anyways, was that all you wanted to ask?" Chabashira, sensing the conversation veering into dangerous territory, decided to end it before it could escalate further.
"No, thank you, sensei."
Just as Chabashira was about to hang up, a final question lingered in her mind, one that could potentially unravel more than she intended to reveal. "Uh, Hasebe, Ayanokouji is in your group of friends right?"
Hasebe's pause was telling, a brief moment of hesitation before she answered with a mix of caution and curiosity. ".......Yes,...is anything wrong with that?"
"Nothing....I am hanging up."
And with that, Chabashira's expression turned into a knowing smile, savoring the subtle play of intrigue unfolding before her. Meanwhile, Hasebe found the confirmation she wanted all along.
Both came to their respective conclusions after that brief conversation.
***
On the night Yamauchi Haruki suddenly started running through the escalator and screamed to call out someone, each of the staff of the Keyaki Mall was startled. Some of them ran behind him to confirm what was happening.
Just as they made their exit, they saw him collapsed under one of the light poles.
Gradually, everyone present in that mall, mostly staff members, and a female student gathered around him. Their faces were etched with concern and confusion, whispering amongst themselves as they tried to make sense of the situation.
As they had closed each store of the mall, they were about to move to their respective rooms. The staff members exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to proceed.
Moreover, upon checking his condition, they found that his temperature was normal and there was no sort of injury on his body. The staff members were perplexed by this absurdity and, realizing that the clinic was already closed, decided to call the teachers to take care of this situation.
However, just as they were going to call one of the third-year teachers, the female student stepped out. Her face was determined, but there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes.
"Um. I am his classmate, so let me call our homeroom teacher," she offered, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.
The staff members turned towards her, scrutinizing her with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. Realizing that she was the one student who refused to go back to the dorms, even after being this late at night, they all hesitated for a moment but finally let her do so.
Upon hearing their approval, she called her homeroom teacher right away.
After ringing for a few seconds, the call was answered.
"Hasebe?" Chabashira's voice was tinged with concern and surprise.
"Yes, it's me. Chabashira sensei. Actually, there is a problem here," Hasebe began, her voice calm but urgent.
"What happened?" Chabashira's tone sharpened, the concern now fully evident.
"I can't explain everything, but I am in front of the Keyaki Mall right now. And Yamauchi has collapsed here," Hasebe explained, glancing at Yamauchi's unconscious form.
"What!? How?" Chabashira's voice rose in alarm.
"Due to exhaustion or something, as his body temperature is normal and there is no wound on his body," Hasebe replied, her tone steady.
".....Okay, let me call the clinic-"
"Ah, sensei. There is no need for that. I am sure that it's not something major. He just needs a little bit of rest as it's already too late at night. The clinic is already closed and they must be sleeping right now," Hasebe interrupted, her voice firm yet reassuring.
".......Are you sure about that?" Chabashira asked, the skepticism clear in her voice.
"Yes. You don't have to worry about him at all. I would take him to his room with the help of some staff from the mall. Just let me know his room number," Hasebe assured.
"........Is that really okay with you?" Chabashira hesitated, her concern evident.
"Sensei, are you, perhaps, suspicious of me, that I might try to do something funny? You can always check the CCTV footage for that, you know. And I am not ready to be expelled yet," Hasebe responded, a note of sarcasm in her voice.
"That's not what I meant. Anyway, if it's alright with you, then do so. Do you have the key?" Chabashira relented, her voice softening.
"Yes. I found it in his pocket," Hasebe confirmed, her tone lightening slightly.
"Alright, make sure to call me if anything further happens.....I am searching for his room number. Just give me a second," Chabashira instructed, the sound of papers rustling in the background.
"Thank you very much, sensei," Hasebe replied. This one was devoid of any emotion at all. As if the worried and hesitant tone from before were all just an act of her.
"No. No. I should be the one to thank you. Also, make sure to give an explanation on what you two were doing beyond the curfew hours outside your dorms, okay?" Chabashira's tone turned stern again. She sensed something off here.
".....Sure," Hasebe agreed, a hint of resignation in her voice.
After Chabashira told Hasebe Yamauchi's room number, she took him towards the first-year dorms, as promised. The staff members watched with a mix of curiosity and concern as she guided him.
With the help of the staff members, she found out his room and took him inside with the key she found in his pocket. She slowly put him on his bed.
As if trying to check if Yamauchi was really unconscious or not, she slapped him a few times on his cheeks.
A sense of achievement flushed over her as she realized that Yamauchi was actually unconscious.
After closing the door from the inside, she took out her phone and made a final call.
Her hands trembled slightly, a mix of excitement and nerves coursing through her.
The call was instantly answered, as if the person on the other end already knew about it.
Hasebe Haruka spoke up, her voice steady but urgent.
"...Are you awake right now, Horikita-san?"