April 15th marked the beginning of a new school year at the Advanced Nurturing High School, and for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, it signified the start of an intricate and dangerous game.
His father's influence loomed large over him, and the special exam was a manifestation of his machinations.
The task of identifying White Room students had become his top priority. To aid him in this endeavor, he had recruited three of his closest allies—Kushida Kikyou, Sakura Airi, and Ichinose Honami
Each of them had been sent to gather intelligence on the new first-year students, subtly weaving their way into their circles without raising suspicion.
The first to visit him that evening was Sakura Airi. It was just after the last class of the day, and Ayanokoji had sent her a message to come by his dorm room. The once-shy girl had blossomed into someone more confident, yet around Ayanokoji, she still exuded a quiet softness that made her seem vulnerable. When she knocked on his door, he opened it, allowing her inside.
"Good evening, Kiyotaka-kun," she greeted, her voice laced with warmth as she entered the room. Her timidness from their first year had all but evaporated, replaced with a steady determination.
"Airi," Ayanokoji responded in his typical calm tone. He shut the door behind her and motioned toward the small table where they could sit. "What have you found?"
Airi sat down, placing a small notebook on the table. "I've been getting close to some of the first-year boys like you asked. The first one, Kyo Ishigami from Class 1-A, is… well, he's different." She hesitated, biting her lip before continuing. "He's quiet, reserved, and has this calm intensity about him. It's hard to explain, but it feels like he's always one step ahead, like he knows more than he's letting on. He's very skilled academically, and while he doesn't stand out socially, I think that's deliberate."
Ayanokoji listened closely, his expression unreadable as always. "Interesting. And the others?"
Airi flipped through her notes. "There's Rito Utomiya from Class 1-C. He's athletic, very confident in himself, and well-liked by his peers. He comes off as very straightforward, but I get the sense that there's something more behind his smile—like he's hiding something. Then there's Tsubasa Nanase from Class 1-D. She's sweet, almost too sweet, but very sharp. She's good at keeping a low profile, but when she's in conversation, she's surprisingly insightful. I don't know if they're hiding anything, but all three of them have a certain… depth."
As Airi spoke, Ayanokoji reached out, placing his hand on her knee. Airi glanced at him, her cheeks flushing pink, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned into his touch, her voice growing softer. "I… I'll keep watching them, Kiyotaka-kun. I won't let you down."
Ayanokoji's hand slid a little higher, gently caressing the inside of her thigh. "I trust you, Airi," he said calmly, his voice sending a shiver through her. His hand moved to her waist, and before long, he was teasing her body, his fingers tracing delicate patterns over her clothes. Airi's breathing grew heavy as she surrendered herself to him, her eyes closing as she allowed him to explore her.
But even as his hands wandered, Ayanokoji's mind never lost focus. He listened intently to everything Airi said, cataloging the details about the first-year students in his mind. When they were finished, and Airi had left, he took a moment to reflect. So far, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but there was still more information to gather.
It was around 10 PM when Kushida Kikyou arrived at his door. She wore a short skirt and a low-cut top, her usual bright smile plastered on her face. "Kiyotaka-kun," she greeted in her usual cheerful tone as she stepped into his room. "I've got some juicy details for you."
Ayanokoji gestured for her to sit. Kushida settled on the edge of his bed, crossing her legs seductively. Ayanokoji couldn't help but notice the way her breasts strained against the fabric of her top, but he kept his composure.
"What have you found?" he asked, his tone as steady as ever.
Kushida leaned in closer, her lips curling into a sly smile. "Takuya Yagami from Class 1-B is definitely someone to watch out for," she began. "He's almost too perfect. Top of his class, polite, charming—he's like a model student. But here's the strange thing… the moment I started talking to him, it felt like he knew what I was doing. It was subtle, but I could see it in his eyes. He's smart, too smart. He asked me questions that made it clear he knew I was trying to gather information about him."
Ayanokoji raised an eyebrow at this. "Interesting. What else?"
"There's Kozuomi Hosen from Class 1-D," Kushida continued, her voice growing more serious. "He's a real piece of work—rough around the edges, aggressive, and very violent. He's got a reputation for getting into fights, but he's smart in his own way. He knows how to manipulate people, especially weaker students. He's a dangerous one, Kiyotaka-kun."
As she spoke, Ayanokoji stood up and walked over to her. Kushida's eyes followed him, a glint of excitement dancing in her gaze. He knelt in front of her, placing his hands on her thighs and sliding them upward slowly. Kushida let out a soft moan as his hands reached her hips, his touch igniting a fire inside her.
"Anything else?" he asked, his voice low and smooth.
Kushida bit her lip, her breath coming in short gasps as Ayanokoji continued to caress her. "Yagami… he's dangerous," she whispered, her voice trembling with desire. "Be careful with him, Kiyotaka-kun."
Ayanokoji nodded, his hands moving up to cup her breasts, gently squeezing them through her top. Kushida let out another moan, leaning back as she surrendered to his touch. For Ayanokoji, this was just another way of ensuring her loyalty, of keeping her completely under his control.
By the time Kushida left, it was close to midnight. Ayanokoji sat on the edge of his bed, contemplating everything she had told him. Yagami's awareness was troubling, but it wasn't enough to confirm him as a White Room student. There was still one more person to hear from—Ichinose Honami.
Just as the clock struck midnight, there was a soft knock at the door. Ayanokoji stood up and opened it, revealing Honami standing there, bathed in the soft glow of the hallway lights. She smiled warmly at him, her gentle demeanor instantly soothing. She entered the room quietly, her presence bringing a sense of calm after the intensity of his interactions with Airi and Kushida.
"Good evening, Ayanokoji-kun," she greeted softly as she sat down on his bed. "I've gathered some information for you."
Ayanokoji sat beside her, his gaze fixed on her face. "Tell me what you found."
Honami nodded, folding her hands neatly in her lap. "I spoke with Ichika Amasawa from Class 1-A. She's… an enigma. On the surface, she's polite and friendly, but there's something cold beneath that facade. She's incredibly sharp, almost unnervingly so. She's good at masking her true intentions, but I could tell there's something she's hiding. As for Sakurabo Tsubaki from Class 1-C, she's a little more straightforward. She's quiet, very observant, and tends to keep to herself. She doesn't seem like the type to get involved in any trouble, but I noticed she's always watching people—like she's studying them."
Ayanokoji leaned back, his hand casually resting on Honami's thigh. She didn't flinch, instead leaning into him slightly as she continued. "They seemed more skilled than they let on."
Ayanokoji nodded thoughtfully, his hand gently caressing her leg as he processed the information. Honami blushed at the contact, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she placed her hand over his, a small smile playing on her lips.
"You're doing great, Honami," Ayanokoji said softly, his voice soothing. "I knew I could count on you."
Honami's heart fluttered at his words, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. She felt safe with him, even though she knew Ayanokoji was someone who operated on a different level than most people.
As Ayanokoji continued to gently caress her, Honami closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax in his presence. For a brief moment, she forgot about the complexities of their situation, content to simply be close to him.
When Honami finally left, Ayanokoji sat alone in his room, his mind racing with thoughts. Each of the women had provided him with valuable information about the first-year students, but none of it pointed directly to the White Room.