As Hirata continued observing Hikaru and Ichinose, Kushida also found her gaze settling on the boy.
After hearing his explanation, an unfamiliar feeling welled up inside her.
This Hikaru was undoubtedly the central figure controlling Class A, from selling hidden rules to now calmly providing intelligence.
Yet, in contrast to his usual cold and detached demeanor, he had previously shown an interest in her, even going so far as to strategize according to her wishes.
This contradiction made Kushida's emotions complicated. Being liked wasn't unusual for her. However, when the person who liked her wasn't just competent but also wielded immense influence—while treating only her in a unique manner—it was hard not to feel a certain way.
After all, who wouldn't want to be seen as special?
For a moment, Kushida wasn't sure what to say. All she could do was quietly listen to the sound of her own heartbeat.
"Anyway, since we're here to help, let's move quickly." Hikaru's gaze swept over the remaining students in Class C. "Time isn't on your side."
"That's right, let's get to work, everyone!" Hirata urged, rallying those who had stayed behind. Together with Hikaru and Ichinose, they left the classroom, ready to begin gathering witness testimonies.
The alleged assault had taken place on the second floor of the Special Building. Given this, the best approach was to inquire not just among first-year students but also among upperclassmen. The wider their search range, the better.
Hikaru, Ichinose, and Kushida formed a group and headed toward Keyaki Mall, the most frequented area, where they approached students and asked if anyone had seen anything unusual. Though the approach was direct, it was also the most effective.
Meanwhile, another group—including Ayanokōji and Hirata—searched the paths around the Special Building, looking for anyone who might have been nearby during the incident.
After some time, Ichinose lifted her phone and showed it to Hikaru.
"Hikaru-kun, it looks like Kanzaki-kun just posted something on the online forums. Look."
"Is that so? He's fast. That'll definitely help widen the investigation," Hikaru remarked, glancing at the screen before returning his focus to their search.
He strongly suspected Ryūen was behind this, but without direct evidence, confronting him would be meaningless. The Student Council would be the ones to judge this case—only solid proof would hold weight.
However, something about this situation didn't sit right with him.
Ryūen had suffered a major setback from their last encounter. If he had truly orchestrated this, he wouldn't leave any loose ends. Wouldn't it make sense for him to have secured photographic or video evidence?
Yet, according to the information from Kushida, Ishizaki and Komiya had only filed accusations—they hadn't provided any evidence. If they had, the verdict would've been immediate rather than scheduled for a week later.
"Was this an oversight on his part? That doesn't seem likely…"
Hikaru rubbed his temple in thought. Since he couldn't pin down Ryūen's intent just yet, he set the idea aside and continued searching for witnesses alongside the two girls.
They scoured Keyaki Mall for several hours, yet no one claimed to have been near the Special Building that day. Given how isolated the location was, it wasn't surprising.
By the time they regrouped, the sky had already begun to darken.
"How did it go, Hikaru-kun? Any leads?" Hirata asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"Nothing yet. Everyone we asked said they hadn't been near the Special Building yesterday."
Hikaru shook his head. Some of his classmates had been discussing information in their group chat, but nothing substantial had surfaced.
"What about you guys?"
"We searched the area around the Special Building thoroughly, but we didn't find anything either."
"This isn't good… If we don't find anything on the first day, it'll only get harder later," Kushida said, concern etched on her face.
"Maybe we should continue after dinner," Hirata suggested, determined not to let one of his classmates get expelled.
"Yeah, I want to keep looking too," Kushida immediately agreed.
"Haha, if Kushida-chan is staying, then I can't back out either," Yamauchi declared. "I'll keep looking with her."
"Me too! Me too!"
"Thank you, everyone," Kushida said, a grateful smile forming on her face.
Standing nearby, Hikaru glanced at Ichinose, who also seemed eager to continue the search. Leaning in slightly, he asked in a hushed voice, "Ichinose-san, do you plan on staying to help?"
"Yes, I think we should see this through to the end. I really want to know the truth behind this case," she answered with conviction.
Hearing this, Hikaru fell silent for a moment. If it were still early, he wouldn't mind continuing the search. However, it was already nearing 7 PM, and he had something far more important to do.
After all, he had already purchased the [Athletic Booster]—he couldn't afford to skip his daily one-hour swimming session.
"I need to go swimming. Could you explain to them for me?" Hikaru asked, knowing Ichinose was familiar with his training routine.
She nodded quickly. "Got it. See you tomorrow, Hikaru-kun."
"Mm. Let's hope for good news."
Without further hesitation, Hikaru turned and headed back to his dorm.
Before heading to the pool, he needed to change out of his uniform, retrieve his key, and warm up properly—he had no time to waste.
After Hikaru left, Ichinose explained his departure to the group before resuming the second round of searches. The efforts continued for another hour before they finally called it a night.
Meanwhile, having completed an intense swimming session, Hikaru stepped out of the gymnasium, dressed in fresh clothes.
The cool night breeze brushed against his still-damp hair as he walked, taking in the illuminated campus surroundings.
As he strolled through the quiet pathways, a sudden thud caught his attention.
Bang! Bang!
What was that?
Scanning the area, Hikaru's sharp eyes locked onto a faint silhouette in the distance.
"Who's there?"
A flicker of curiosity rose in his chest as he stepped forward.
~~~
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