Back in my dorm room after dinner, I settled down to check my point balance. Disappointingly, the numbers hadn't changed. The first-year point situation remained shrouded in mystery. Folding my phone shut, I leaned back in my chair, contemplating the day's events.
My train of thought was interrupted by a loud bang – my door swinging open with a force that rattled the frame. Sudou, a whirlwind of nervous energy, burst into the room.
"Ayanokouji!" he bellowed, his voice laced with panic. "You gotta help me!"
I raised an eyebrow, noting the strange entry. My door was always locked after I came in. "Sudou," I began calmly, "perhaps a little explanation about your sudden… appearance is in order. The door was locked."
Sudou scratched his head sheepishly. "Oh, right. Well, the thing is, this room is kinda like the unofficial meeting place for the… well, you know, the group we got going on."
Before I could press further, the door swung open again, revealing a much more composed Kushida. She held aloft a small, rectangular object – a duplicate key card.
"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun," she greeted me with a cheerful smile. "Mind if I borrow some sugar?"
I blinked, then glanced at the key card in her hand. "For your room, Kushida-san?"
She shook her head, her smile widening. "Actually, for this very room. Apparently, it's become the unofficial meeting place for a certain group."
My internal sigh deepened. It seemed Ike and Yamauchi, in their boundless enthusiasm, had taken it upon themselves to create duplicate key cards for "easier access" – a fact they'd neglected to mention to me. Not exactly ideal, but considering the current state of Class D, perhaps not entirely unexpected.
"I see," I said evenly, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes. "Well, come in, then."
Kushida entered, closing the door behind her. She exchanged greetings with Sudou, who was now sprawled dramatically across the sofa, clutching his head.
"Alright, Sudou-kun," I said, deciding to cut to the chase. "What brings you here so… agitated?"
Sudou sat up, wiping a hand across his sweaty brow. "Suspension, Ayanokouji! They're talking about suspending me!"
"Suspension?" I echoed, feigning surprise. "What did you do this time?"
"Do?" Sudou sputtered, indignation coloring his cheeks. "I didn't do anything! Those jerks from Class C ambushed me yesterday, told me to quit basketball and all that crap! Then they tried to jump me, but obviously they didn't stand a chance!"
He puffed out his chest, a hint of pride momentarily replacing his worry. "So then they run crying to the school, claiming I assaulted them!"
Kushida chimed in. "Apparently, they were called into the staff room earlier, Sudou-kun. Chabashira-sensei gave you a chance to explain your side, but…"
"But I don't have any proof!" Sudou interjected, his voice laced with desperation. "Those guys were the ones who started it!"
The situation was clear – a classic case of he-said, she-said. Without any evidence to corroborate Sudou's story, a suspension seemed likely. And a suspension wouldn't just affect Sudou – it would translate to a loss of points for Class D, points we desperately needed.
Sudou, sensing my silence, leaned forward, pleading eyes fixed on me. "That's why I came to you, Ayanokouji. You gotta help me! I can't get suspended!"
I met his gaze, my expression carefully neutral. Helping Sudou would require some careful maneuvering, but the potential loss of points was a significant motivator. Perhaps, just perhaps, there was a way to turn this situation to our advantage.
"Very well, Sudou-kun," I said finally. "Let's hear the details of this 'ambush' in more detail." A faint flicker of hope flickered in Sudou's eyes.
Sudou's panicked rambling filled the room, his desperation palpable. Locking the door after I came in was a small detail compared to the potential suspension hanging over his head. I let him vent, my mind already working through the situation.
"Alright, Sudou," I interjected calmly once he'd finished, "let's take a step back. Shouting won't solve anything."
He slumped back on the sofa, his bravado replaced by a worried frown. "But… a suspension, Ayanokouji! They can't just…"
"Without evidence, they can," I cut in, my voice neutral. "Your word against theirs – it doesn't look good, especially considering the injuries they supposedly sustained."
Sudou scowled. "But it was self-defense! They ambushed me!"
"Right," I said, nodding. "But how do we prove that? Security cameras probably didn't catch the entire thing, and witnesses are likely to be biased towards the injured party."
The implication hung heavy in the air. The odds were stacked against Sudou. A single, uninjured defendant against a group of injured accusers? Suspension seemed like a foregone conclusion.
"So… what do we do?" Sudou pleaded, his voice cracking with despair. "I can't get suspended!"
A flicker of a plan ignited in my mind, a possibility worth exploring. "There's a chance, Sudou," I said, my voice calm and measured. "But it hinges on finding evidence, something to corroborate your story."
Sudou perked up slightly, a glimmer of hope replacing his dejection. "Evidence? Like what?"
"An eyewitness, perhaps," I suggested. "Someone who saw the fight, who can confirm your version of events."
Sudou scrunched his brow, concentrating. "Now that you mention it… I did have this feeling someone was watching. But I looked around and didn't see anyone."
It wasn't much, but it was a start. A witness, even an unseen one, could tip the scales in Sudou's favor.
"Alright, Sudou," I said, my voice remaining firm. "Here's what we're going to do. This needs to stay quiet, understood? Don't breathe a word of it to anyone."
Sudou nodded solemnly. He might be impulsive, but he wasn't stupid. He understood the importance of discretion.
With Sudou gone, I turned to Kushida, who had been watching the exchange with a carefully neutral expression. "So," she said, her voice laced with a hint of amusement, "what exactly did you want me to do?"
I remained calm. "Help Sudou, of course. And discreetly, if you please."
Kushida raised an eyebrow, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Discreetly, huh? Sounds intriguing. What exactly do you have in mind, Ayanokouji-kun?"
"I want you to use your… connections," I said, choosing my words carefully. "See if anyone, anyone at all, witnessed this fight between Sudou and those Class C boys."
It was an order, not a request. Given our current arrangement, I knew she wouldn't refuse.
A slow smile spread across her face, erasing any trace of doubt. "Intriguing," she purred, her voice dripping with a honeyed sweetness. "Let's see what we can dig up, shall we?"
Before Kushida could leave, I moved forward and suddenly stopped her, my hand coming to rest on her soft breasts.
It wasn't the first time this had happened - in fact, it had become a bit of a natural occurrence between us every time Kushida came to my room. This was the way I took rent from her for her presence in my room.
I dryly commented, "Any boy would be blessed to fondle these large breasts of yours, Kushida."
But then I added, equally dryly, "But it's become such a natural occurrence that I don't feel all that excited."
I continue to fondle her breasts for a moment longer, ensuring that the message is clear. Then, just as abruptly as I started, I release her chest and step back, my expression unreadable.
"Go," I tell her simply, my voice devoid of any emotion.