The night after Ichinose left was quiet for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. He spent the evening analyzing the information he had gathered and contemplating his next move. The list of students he suspected of being connected to the White Room was small but significant, and he knew he had to handle the situation delicately. The White Room was a place shrouded in secrecy, and its operatives were likely to be well-hidden within the school.
As he lay in bed, his mind wandered back to his conversation with Ichinose. Her earnestness and innocence were almost disarming, but Ayanokoji knew better than to let his guard down. In the world he navigated, trust was a luxury he couldn't afford. He had to remain vigilant, especially now that the game was entering a critical phase.
The next morning, Ayanokoji arrived at school early, as usual. The morning classes passed by uneventfully, but his mind was already on what he needed to do after the final bell rang. He had prepared a list of names—students who he believed could be linked to the White Room. The only way to be sure was to dig into their backgrounds, something that would require resources and discretion.
Once the classes ended, Ayanokoji made his way to the staff room. The corridors were bustling with students heading to their clubs or making plans for the afternoon. Ayanokoji moved through them with his usual composed demeanor, drawing little attention to himself.
When he entered the staff room, Chabashira Sae was sitting at her desk, reviewing some documents. She looked up as he approached, her expression neutral but with a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
"Ayanokoji, what brings you here?" she asked, setting aside the papers.
Without wasting any time, Ayanokoji handed her the list of names. "These students," he began, "I need you to check their admission forms and send some of your contacts outside the school to investigate their backgrounds in real-time. I want pictures of these students in their previous schools, their involvement in clubs, and any other verifiable details. Also, have your contacts interrogate other students from those schools about these individuals. Each of them needs to be investigated separately and thoroughly."
Chabashira raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the list. "You suspect them of something?"
Ayanokoji nodded slightly. "If any of them are from the White Room, their backgrounds will be fabricated. Although the details might be near perfect, there will likely be some inconsistency—some mistake that we can uncover. That's what I need you to find."
Chabashira studied him for a moment before responding. "You're aware this will take time, right? And it's not exactly a simple request."
"I'm aware," Ayanokoji replied calmly. "But it's necessary. The stakes are high, and I can't afford to miss anything."
She nodded, her expression turning serious. "I'll see what I can do. But if these students really are from the White Room, it won't be easy to find any mistakes. They're trained to be almost flawless."
"Almost," Ayanokoji echoed, a faint smile playing on his lips. "But not quite."
Chabashira gathered the list and was about to leave the staff room when Ayanokoji suddenly reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back towards him. The unexpected action caught her off guard, and she stumbled slightly, her body pressing against his.
She looked up at him, her face flushed with a mix of surprise and something else—something she had tried to keep hidden. Ayanokoji's hand lingered on her arm, and she could feel the warmth of his touch seeping through her skin. Her heart raced as she realized how close they were.
"Ayanokoji…" she began, her voice a whisper. She knew what was coming, and despite the shock, there was a part of her that was not only accepting but eager. Yet, she couldn't make it too easy for him. She had to put up some resistance, if only for appearances.
"You know," she continued, her voice barely audible, "it's still the middle of the day. The cameras in the staff room might be watching."
Ayanokoji's expression didn't change. He leaned in slightly, his voice calm and measured as always. "I've already taken care of that. The cameras are showing a recorded clip from another day—one where I had already left the staff room. Right now, the feed is displaying you working on your laptop."
Her breath hitched at his words. The realization that he had planned this so meticulously sent a thrill through her, even as she tried to maintain a facade of reluctance.
"In other words," he continued, his voice dropping lower, "I could do anything with you right now, and no one would ever know."
Chabashira's heart pounded in her chest, and her mind raced with conflicting emotions. On one hand, she knew this was dangerous—reckless even. But on the other, the excitement, the forbidden nature of what was happening, was intoxicating. She had always been drawn to Ayanokoji's cold, calculating demeanor, and now, standing so close to him, she felt a desire that she hadn't allowed herself to acknowledge before.
Still, she had to play her part. "You're bold, Ayanokoji," she murmured, her voice trembling slightly. "But we shouldn't—"
Before she could finish, Ayanokoji's hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her even closer. His touch was firm, possessive, and it sent a shiver down her spine. He could see the conflict in her eyes, but he knew that, deep down, she wanted this as much as he did.
"Don't pretend you don't want this," he said softly, his lips close to her ear. "You've been waiting for this moment just as much as I have."
Chabashira's resistance crumbled at his words. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she finally allowed herself to surrender to the moment. Her hands found their way to his shoulders, gripping them tightly as if to anchor herself.
Ayanokoji's hand slid down her back, exploring the curves of her body with a deliberate, almost calculated touch. He could feel her tense beneath his hands, but there was no hesitation in her movements as she leaned into him, pressing her body against his.
He paused for a moment, looking into her eyes as if seeking confirmation. What he saw there was all the permission he needed. With a swift motion, he began to unbutton her blouse, his fingers deft and confident.
Chabashira's breath caught in her throat as her blouse fell open, exposing her to the cool air of the staff room. She knew this was wrong, that she should stop it, but every rational thought was drowned out by the overwhelming sensation of his hands on her skin. She couldn't help the soft gasp that escaped her lips as he continued, his hands moving with a precision that spoke of his experience.
Time seemed to slow down as Ayanokoji undressed her, each piece of clothing falling to the floor with a soft rustle. Chabashira's mind was a whirl of emotions—excitement, fear, desire—all blending into a heady mix that left her trembling. She had never felt so exposed, so vulnerable, and yet there was something thrilling about it, something that made her pulse quicken with anticipation.
When she was finally stripped bare, Ayanokoji took a step back to admire her. Her cheeks were flushed, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath. Despite her earlier resistance, there was no denying the desire in her eyes as she looked at him.
"You're beautiful," he said simply, his voice devoid of emotion, yet the words carried a weight that made her heart skip a beat.
She tried to respond, but before she could, he closed the distance between them once more, his hands roaming her body with a possessiveness that made her knees weak. She gasped as his lips found her neck, trailing a line of kisses down to her collarbone, each touch sending jolts of electricity through her.
Chabashira's hands clutched at his shirt, pulling him closer, needing to feel him against her. The last remnants of her resistance melted away as she gave in to the heat that was building between them. She was lost in the sensation, in the way his hands and lips seemed to know exactly where to touch, how to make her body respond.
Ayanokoji was methodical, yet there was an underlying intensity to his actions, a hunger that surprised even him. He hadn't expected to feel this way, hadn't anticipated the way her body would react to his touch, or the way his own would respond in kind.
The staff room, usually a place of order and discipline, was now filled with the sounds of their heavy breathing, the soft gasps and moans that escaped Chabashira's lips as Ayanokoji's hands explored every inch of her body. There was a sense of urgency in their movements, a need to claim each other completely.
Finally, as the tension between them reached its peak, Ayanokoji lifted her onto the desk, positioning her just right. He paused for a moment, looking into her eyes, seeking any sign of hesitation. But there was none. Only desire, burning bright and unrestrained.
With a slow, deliberate motion, he claimed her, and the world around them seemed to fade away. All that existed in that moment was the two of them, their bodies moving in perfect synchrony, lost in the heat of their passion.