Classroom 2-B was already buzzing with activity when I arrived."Good morning, Kiyotaka!" Yosuke called, waving cheerfully from his seat. His gentle disposition remained unchanged.I nodded in greeting and made my way to my seat near the back of the room.The morning passed uneventfully. Classes proceeded as usual, though my mind wandered more than I cared to admit. I found myself staring out the window at the clear blue sky, feeling an unfamiliar weight settle in my chest.Two years.Two years of lying to myself, playing the role of a mediocre student, while quietly shaping events behind the scenes. Two years of avoiding attention, hiding my true capabilities, and manipulating my peers like pieces on a chessboard."Lying to yourself?" Yukimura murmured, his brows furrowing. "How does that even work? And that confirms what Horikita-san mentioned... with him being the reason for our victories, shaping everything behind the scenes.""It sounds so cold. Was that really how he saw us? As chess pieces?" Maezona exclaimed, a hint of anger in her voice."That's the Ayanokoji we knew," Ryuen Kakeru muttered, his voice carrying just enough volume to draw attention. He chuckled darkly, leaning back in his seat. "Playing everyone like a game of chess... Sounds about right."Shiina glanced at him, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "And yet, he stayed in that role for two years. Why? What was he hoping to achieve?"Ryuen shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he was just bored." His tone carried a note of sarcasm, but his gaze was thoughtful.I clenched my pen slightly, my thoughts drifting back to the White Room. For years, I have been trained to be perfect—a flawless tool designed to win at any cost. Emotions had no place in that place, nor did freedom."That place again," Horikita whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with unease. Her eyes narrowed as the mention of the White Room sent chills down her spine. "Just how much of who he is was shaped by that... prison?"Karuizawa clenched her fists tightly, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Trained to be perfect? A tool? That's not fair... No one should have to live like that. No wonder he didn't care about anything. He... He didn't know how to."Ichinose visibly stiffened, her hands gripping the fabric of her skirt tightly. "The White Room... It's even worse than I thought." She bit her lip, memories of her own brief encounter with the term surfacing. Beside her, Amikura whispered, "Honami, are you okay? You look pale."Ichinose forced a smile, though her eyes betrayed her distress. "I'm fine. Just... thinking about what he must have gone through.""No emotions, no freedom... That's not a life. That's... that's cruel." She thought back to her own encounters with Ayanokoji, wondering how much of the kindness he showed was real—or just part of his calculated perfection.The Advanced Nurturing High School had promised something different, but in the end, it was just another cage. A bigger one, perhaps, with looser bars, but a cage nonetheless.Chairman Sakayanagi's usually composed demeanor faltered for a moment as he watched the scene unfold on the screen. His hands, folded neatly in his lap, tightened slightly as his thoughts turned inward."Kiyotaka-kun, I am sorry that this school made you feel like that," he reflected, his gaze distant yet heavy with regret.What was I looking for?What was I hoping to find?In the staff section, Chabashira's face remained impassive, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of regret. "So that's how he saw it... Even here, he couldn't find what he was looking for."Hoshinomiya glanced at her colleague, her tone more serious than usual. "Sae-chan, do you think we failed him? This school is supposed to nurture potential, not make students feel trapped."Chabashira didn't respond immediately, her gaze fixed on the screen. "I don't think anyone could've reached him, Chie. Not after the life he had."▬▬ι═══════ﺤLunch arrived, and I found myself in the cafeteria with Kei. She chatted animatedly about a new store that had opened nearby, though I only half-listened. My attention was drawn to the far corner of the room, where Ryuen and his group were gathered.Their laughter carried across the cafeteria, loud and unrestrained. Ryuen's gaze briefly met mine, and a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. A silent challenge."That's so Ryuen," Amikura murmured from her seat near Ichinose. "He always has to provoke someone. And of course, it's Ayanokoji this time."Kei noticed my distraction and followed my gaze. "Ugh. Ryuen again? That guy's insufferable."Karuizawa's words caused a ripple of amusement among her classmates."She's not wrong," Sudo chimed in from the back. "Ryuen is a pain in the ass, no matter how you slice it.""He's consistent," I replied.Ryuen's ears perked up as he watched from the screen. "Consistent, huh?" He laughed, slapping Ishizaki on the back. "Guess even Ayanokoji respects something about me!""Respect or just an observation?" Shiina corrected him. "Those aren't the same, Ryuen."She gave me a puzzled look but shrugged it off. "Whatever. Just ignore him. Let's talk about something more interesting—like what you're going to do after the year-end exam.""I haven't decided yet."Kei pouted. "Mou, you're hopeless, you know that? At least pretend to have a plan."I didn't answer. In truth, I did have a plan—several, in fact. But something told me that none of it would matter soon. A strange feeling had been growing inside me all day, an inexplicable sense of unease that I couldn't shake.Horikita Manabu's sharp eyes narrowed as he observed the scene. "Unease? What is it that he sensed, I wonder? Ayanokoji rarely shows vulnerability, even in thought.""Unease?" Nagumo repeated, a sly smile playing on his lips. "I'd bet my former presidency it wasn't something trivial. ""How can you wager something you no longer have?" Asahina murmured softly.▬▬ι═══════ﺤBy the time classes ended, the feeling had only grown stronger. I lingered in the empty classroom, staring at the chalkboard as though it held answers to questions I couldn't articulate.The murmurs in the theater began to grow louder. Among them, Horikita's sharp voice cut through. "This... this was where Ayanokoji collapsed and... died."Karuizawa paled as the realization dawned. "That's right. This was where he collapsed." Her hands trembled as she clasped them together, her voice a soft whisper. "I remember it... I found him lying there."Something's not right.The hallway outside was quiet now, most students having left for their clubs or dorms. I finally stood and gathered my things, heading for the door.As I stepped into the corridor, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me.Ryuen narrowed his eyes as he leaned forward. "So this is it. This is the moment it started. The beginning of the end for him."Shiina gasped softly. "He collapsed here, didn't he? That's what they're showing us..."What is this...?I stumbled, one hand gripping the wall for support. My vision blurred, and the faint hum of fluorescent lights above me grew louder, distorting into an unbearable ringing.Sudo, sitting nearby, clenched his fists tightly. "Why didn't anyone notice earlier? He was literally stumbling, and no one saw a thing?"And then—Time stopped.The room went silent as the students and staff processed the surreal description.Ibuki, seated with her arms crossed, frowned deeply. "Time stopped? That doesn't make any sense... What actually happened to him?"The moment was instantaneous, incomprehensible. My body faltered, a sudden weight pulling at me as though my very soul had been ripped from its core. My vision blurred; the world around me melted into an unfathomable void. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I was drowning in a sea of darkness.From above, my own body crumpled to the floor, lifeless and still. I watched, disembodied, as though I were a mere spectator to my own demise.Gasps rippled through the audience.Karuizawa broke down, covering her face with her hands. "That was it. That was when it happened... I found him like that..." Her sobs grew louder as Matsushita placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.Horikita lowered her gaze, her tone grim. "We thought it was a medical issue. That he just fainted. But this... this was something else entirely."And then the pull came—an overwhelming surge that sent my soul soaring upward with incomprehensible speed.The island that housed the Advanced Nurturing High School vanished below me. Tokyo, Japan, and then the entirety of the Earth shrank into insignificance in the blink of an eye.Shiina's eyes filled with tears as she whispered, "He didn't just collapse. He was... taken. From everything he knew."Nagumo let out a low whistle. "Whatever this is, it's not something anyone could survive. Not even him."Kiryūin, intrigued as ever, murmured, "So, what was it that pulled him away? What force could have done this?"Beyond the confines of the planet, the vastness of space unfurled before me, an endless expanse of stars and cosmic wonders. The sight was breathtaking, yet incomprehensible, as though my soul had transcended human understanding.The speed increased, the sensations blurring until I could no longer comprehend motion, distance, or even my own existence. I was hurtling toward something far beyond my grasp, beyond the reach of reason.And then—darkness.My consciousness faded, swallowed by the void, leaving behind only the faint memory of the stars.Gasps rippled through the room as the scene ended, leaving everyone grappling with the overwhelming imagery."What the hell was that..." Ishizaki muttered, his voice barely above a whisper, breaking the heavy silence. His usually brash demeanor was absent, replaced by unease.Ryuen, who had been unusually quiet, let out a low whistle. "Looks like we've been underestimating just how far Ayanokoji's existence bends the rules. He wasn't just a monster in the classroom—this guy was connected to something none of us can comprehend."From the third-year section, Nagumo tapped a finger against his chin thoughtfully. "Whatever pulled him out of here wasn't random. It had a purpose. It had power. The question is... why?"Chabashira rubbed her temple, her voice a quiet mutter. "This explains nothing... and yet, it changes everything."Hoshinomiya leaned closer to her. "Sae-chan, this isn't normal. Whatever this was... it wasn't natural."No one in the room spoke for a moment, the weight of what they had witnessed pressing down on them. Finally, Ryuen broke the silence with a sardonic laugh. "Well, if anyone was going to leave the world like that, it'd be Ayanokoji, huh? Guy didn't even die like a normal human."▬▬ι═══════ﺤ"That's it," the figure, Bái Xūé, declared, appearing in mid-air before the screen. His blurred visage maintained its inscrutability, but his voice carried an unyielding authority. "The rest of the scenes would merely be reactions to reactions—an infinite loop of perspectives that serve no purpose. Therefore, I will transfer the memories of all those reactions into your minds directly."With a sharp snap of his fingers, a ripple spread through the room like an invisible wave. Every individual froze momentarily, their expressions glazing over as if caught in a shared trance.Then, one by one, their awareness returned, confusion flickering in their eyes as the newly implanted memories settled. Gasps and murmurs filled the space as the full weight of what had just been shared began to sink in.Karuizawa's face turned crimson, her hands shooting up to cover her cheeks. The memories of her tearful moments and unspoken vulnerabilities now shared with the entire room made her heart pound. "They know... they all know," she thought, biting her lip to keep from spiraling. Her gaze darted toward Horikita, whose expression remained unreadable, though only for a short moment.Nearby, Ryuen smirked, leaning back in his seat. "Hah! So much for everyone's little secrets," he said, his tone laced with amusement. "Guess nobody's hiding anything now." His eyes flicked Hiyori, whose flushed face betrayed her discomfort.Shiina adjusted herself on her seat, her soft voice barely audible. "This is... too much. Why did he need to share everything with everyone?" Her discomfort was palpable, though her academic curiosity wrestled with her emotions, compelling her to analyze every nuance of the memories she now possessed.In Class 2-B, Horikita's hand gripped the edge of her seat, her knuckles whitening. "So much of myself laid bare," she thought, her Stoic mask slipping for a moment as her face flushed. She glanced at Hirata, who was already busy calming their classmates. "No matter. This too will pass."Kushida's face burned with a mix of embarrassment and anger as she muttered through clenched teeth, "You damn god—or whatever you are—just had to expose both my secrets at once." Her carefully maintained facade and her hidden feelings for the boy were now laid bare for the entire school to see.Sakayanagi's cheeks flushed as she rested her cane on her lap. "Oh my..." she murmured softly, raising a hand to partially cover her face.Nagumo in the third-year section chuckled lightly, tapping his temple. "What an amusing gift," he said, his tone carrying a hint of mockery. "Now I know who harbors what grudges, what alliances matter, and, most importantly, how everyone truly feels about that boy."Asahina elbowed him lightly. "Not everyone's taking this as lightly as you, Nagumo," she said, eyeing the tense expressions of many around them. "Maybe you should tone it down a bit."From the back of the room, Horikita Manabu's arms were folded tightly, his eyes narrowed as he processed the deluge of information. "So much revealed. So much to reconsider. Ayanokoji, what was your ultimate goal in this display?"Chairman Sakayanagi exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples as he thought, "Every hidden struggle, every unspoken pain... Kiyotaka-kun, you've forced a reckoning among these students. I only hope they can rise above this rather than fracture further."Ike, unable to contain his shock, blurted out, "Are we all just going to ignore the fact that the guy practically had a harem? Karuizawa, Horikita, Ichinose, Shiina, Sakayanagi, and even Kushida!" He paused, shaking his head in disbelief. "And that's not even mentioning that first-year girl, Amasawa, who practically worships him." He threw his hands up in exasperation. "I don't even want to imagine who else would've fallen for him if he'd stayed another year."The room fell into stunned silence after Ike's outburst, with many students turning to glance at one another, their expressions ranging from confusion to disbelief.Amasawa, sitting among the first years, leaned back in her chair with a playful smirk, her eyes glinting mischievously. She lazily waved a hand in Ike's direction, her tone laced with amusement."Oh, Ike-senpai, you noticed little ol' me?" She tilted her head, feigning innocence. "Worship is such a strong word, though, don't you think? I prefer to call it... admiration." Her smirk widened, and she added with a wink, "But you're not wrong. Senpai is worth admiring in every way that matters."Karuizawa, sitting rigidly in her seat, shot Ike a glare that could freeze fire. Her cheeks burned a vivid red, betraying her composure. "Why is everyone in love with my boyfriend?"From her seat, Horikita sighed, her irritation palpable. "That's absurd. Stop letting your imagination run wild, Ike."But despite her calm tone, she found herself glancing around nervously. Her heart thudded slightly harder than she wanted to admit, especially under the weight of knowing eyes in the room.Ichinose, seated with her class, fidgeted slightly, a sheepish smile on her face as her classmates whispered among themselves. "Well, I wouldn't say it like that," she mumbled under her breath, her voice barely audible.Shiina's calm demeanor faltered ever so slightly as she avoided the stares of her classmates. "That's... quite an exaggeration," she said softly, her face turning a faint shade of pink.Sakayanagi, ever composed, chuckled softly, twirling her cane in her hands. "How flattering for Ayanokoji-kun," she remarked, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "It seems he left quite an impression, doesn't it?"Kushida, still visibly flustered from her earlier exposure, tried to regain her usual bright demeanor but couldn't hide her frustration. "Ike, do you ever think before you speak?" she snapped, her voice harsher than usual. The room's attention only made her angrier.Ryuen, seated casually, burst out laughing. "A harem, huh? I knew the guy was a monster, but I didn't realize he was that kind of monster!" His laughter only grew louder as he noticed the increasingly mortified expressions around the room.Nagumo leaned forward with a smirk. "Now, now, everyone. Let's not dismiss Ike's observations so quickly. Maybe there's some truth to it?" His words were laced with teasing, his eyes darting to Karuizawa and Horikita with clear amusement.Even the usually quiet Kiryūin chuckled lightly, her sharp gaze sweeping the room. "Well, Ayanokoji certainly knew how to make an impact, didn't he?" she said, her tone more curious than mocking.Ike, realizing the storm he had unintentionally stirred, tried to backtrack. "I mean, come on, guys! It's not like I'm wrong... right?" His nervous laughter only made the atmosphere more chaotic as the students' whispers grew louder.The scene quickly devolved into a mix of embarrassment, banter, and tension, the students' varied reactions reflecting just how deeply Ayanokoji had influenced those around him—even in ways he might never have intended.In the midst of the rising murmurs and reactions, Bái Xūé floated silently, observing his work. His voice cut through the commotion, sharp and resonant. "What you do with these truths is your own choice. Growth comes not only from power but from understanding. Use this knowledge wisely—or suffer the consequences."With a final ripple of energy, the figure vanished into the shadows, leaving the theater steeped in a chaotic mix of introspection, regret, and raw, unfiltered emotion.