The winter sun hung low above the campus, casting long, sharp shadows through the glass windows of the Advanced Nurturing High School. The final day of the second semester had arrived, and with it came a stillness that felt almost deceptive — the calm before an inevitable storm.
In the dim corner of Class C's classroom, Ryuuen Kakeru sat languidly on his chair, legs crossed, his gaze distant yet brimming with quiet intensity.The day had finally come.The day he would crush X.
He had spent weeks circling his prey — baiting, observing, provoking. The longer it went on, the more his patience eroded, replaced with something primal and exhilarating. It had been so long since someone had amused him like this. Someone who could think, adapt, manipulate. Someone who saw the board the same way he did.
That realization made his blood sing.
He smirked, resting his chin on his hand. "Time to strike."
Ishizaki, standing near the window, flinched slightly. "Strike? Against who, Ryuuen-san?"
Ryuuen didn't answer right away. His crimson eyes glimmered with the same spark they did during the exams — the spark of a man on the verge of chaos. "Against the ghost haunting this school. X."
Albert stood silently, arms folded, while Ibuki leaned against the wall, eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You've been saying that for weeks. You sure this isn't just another wild goose chase?"
"Oh, it's no chase," Ryuuen murmured. "It's the final act."
He rose from his chair, pacing slowly, deliberately. "I've tailed the more prominent figures in Class D — Horikita, Hirata, Sudou, even that quiet loner Ayanokōji. I made sure they knew I was watching. That's all it took to make the real one squirm."
He stopped and smirked. "But they didn't. Not once."
He chuckled softly — the kind of laugh that sent unease rippling through those around him. "Even when I tightened the noose, X stayed calm. Hidden behind Suzune Horikita, no signs of panic, no missteps. Perfect control."
Ibuki frowned. "So you still don't know who it is?"
"Oh, I do," he said, eyes gleaming. "There's only one person who's fascinated me this much. One who can make my heart race. It's almost like… falling in love."
The others exchanged uneasy glances. Ryuuen laughed under his breath. "Don't get the wrong idea. It's not romance. It's instinct — the thrill of meeting someone who can match me."
He turned to the group. "But that ends today. I'll drag X into the light — through Karuizawa Kei."
The Hidden Flame
Hiyori Shiina, who had been quietly reading at her desk, finally looked up. The soft flutter of pages marked her disapproval before she spoke.
"Ryuuen-kun," she said, voice calm but firm, "you're planning something again, aren't you?"
He smiled faintly. "Always. Want in?"
She closed her book, her expression thoughtful. "No. I don't like your methods. But… if you run into trouble, come to the library. I'll listen."
He tilted his head. "You're not scared?"
"Of you?" she said with a small smile. "Not at all."
Her confidence was genuine — and that, ironically, made her all the more interesting. As she left, her long hair swayed softly in the faint afternoon light.
Ryuuen watched her go. "A clever girl," he murmured. "Too kind for this world."
Then his gaze hardened. "And too useless for what I'm about to do."
He gestured for Ishizaki, Ibuki, and Albert to follow. Each of them carried items that looked deceptively ordinary — but in Ryuuen's hands, they were weapons designed to shatter someone's soul.
I followed from a distance, keeping my steps silent. My group had agreed to let me tail him, to understand what he was planning. But even then, I felt a chill crawl up my spine. Something about today felt irreversible.
The Bait
Ryuuen's plan was simple, cruel, and effective.
He had obtained Karuizawa's email through a traitor in Class D — someone he didn't bother naming. He didn't need to. He had already won the moment she read his message.
The message was short, its meaning unmistakable:
"Meet me on the rooftop at 2 PM. Or your secret dies."
His followers were skeptical."What if she doesn't show?" Ishizaki asked."She'll come," Ryuuen said confidently. "People like her always do. When your whole identity hangs by a thread, you cling to it."
He had already tested the cameras up there days before, spraying over one of them to test the school's response. The punishment had been nothing more than cleaning duty. That told him everything he needed — the rooftop wasn't under real-time surveillance. Perfect.
Ibuki crossed her arms. "Still feels like overkill."
"You're too soft," Ryuuen said flatly. "Weaklings don't win wars."
She bit her tongue, though her eyes burned with quiet anger. Albert said nothing, merely tightening his grip on the small black can of spray paint he held.
At 1:45 PM, they reached the rooftop. The winter wind cut through their uniforms, sharp and cold. Ryuuen looked out at the distant horizon, a predator savoring the last quiet moment before the hunt.
"She'll be here," he said softly. "And so will X."
The Rooftop Confrontation
At 2:00 PM sharp, the door creaked open.
Karuizawa stepped out — trembling slightly, but her chin was lifted in defiance. Her hair fluttered in the cold wind, and her phone clutched tightly in her hand.
I crouched behind the stairwell exit, heart pounding, watching the scene unfold from the shadows.
"Oh?" Ryuuen grinned. "You actually came. Good girl."
Karuizawa frowned, pretending confusion. "What do you want from me?"
"You're a terrible actress," he said, walking closer. "Don't bother."
Ibuki shifted uneasily. "Ryuuen, maybe—"
He raised a hand, silencing her instantly. "Relax. She won't talk. Not yet."
Ryuuen circled her slowly, like a lion testing its prey. "You know, I was surprised to find out how X used you. Manipulated you into working for him."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
He chuckled. "Of course you don't. X didn't even tell you half the story, did he? He used you to bait Manabe, made you believe you were some kind of hero. How pathetic."
Her fingers trembled, but she said nothing.
"I'll give you credit though," Ryuuen continued. "You've got guts. You kept your mouth shut all this time. But this game's over."
He snapped his fingers. "Ibuki, hold her."
Ibuki hesitated — just for a second — before stepping forward and grabbing Karuizawa's wrists."Let go of me!" Karuizawa shouted, struggling, but Ibuki held firm.
Ryuuen crouched down to her eye level, his smile widening. "You've played your part well, Karuizawa. But now I want the truth. Who is X?"
"I don't know!"
"That so? Then let's make things interesting."He turned to Ishizaki. "Get the buckets."
Karuizawa's eyes widened. "Buckets?"
The sound of water sloshing broke the silence. Ishizaki returned with two full pails, his hands shaking slightly from the weight and the tension. Even he looked uneasy now.
"Wait, Ryuuen," Ibuki said, her voice low. "There are cameras—"
"I told you, I handled it," he interrupted, lifting a black spray can and shaking it. "No eyes. No proof."
He gestured. "Do it."
The first splash of icy water hit Karuizawa with a sharp splash. She gasped, the shock freezing her body instantly. Her breath came in ragged bursts as Ryuuen laughed quietly.
"Refreshing, isn't it?" he said mockingly. "Like old memories coming back."
I clenched my fists from my hiding spot. Every instinct screamed to intervene — but Ayanokōji's words from before echoed in my head:"When he makes his move, don't act. Observe."So I stayed still, teeth gritted, watching.
The second bucket came, then the third. Her hair clung to her face, her lips trembling as her knees buckled. By the fourth, her sobs were faint, her voice hoarse.
Ibuki looked away. Ishizaki swallowed hard, guilt flickering across his face. But Ryuuen was unmoved.
"Four times," he said softly. "And you're still holding out. Impressive."
He crouched again, brushing her soaked hair aside. "You built a fake self, didn't you? The popular girl, the cheerful leader. All to hide the weak one inside."
She glared at him through her tears. "You don't know anything about me."
"Oh, I know enough," he said. "You were bullied once. Badly. You thought changing your mask would make you stronger. But deep down, you're still the same scared little girl who can't fight back."
He smiled. "You probably think this isn't even bullying anymore, don't you? You're used to it."
Karuizawa trembled. The pain wasn't just from the cold — it was the voice of her past echoing back to her.Her breath quickened. Her hands shook violently.
And then, Ryuuen grabbed her arm and yanked her forward. "Don't pass out yet. The fun's just beginning."
The Breaking Point
The physical pain was one thing — but what truly shattered her was the flood of memories.
She saw herself — the younger Karuizawa, the one who smiled brightly at her classmates, only to be cornered and humiliated. The one who cried silently at home, wondering why no one came to help.
She had clawed her way out of that darkness by becoming someone else. Someone loud, confident, untouchable.But here she was again — that same helpless girl, stripped bare.
She thought of Hirata — kind, dependable Hirata — but she knew he couldn't save her now.And then she thought of him.
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.The one who used her. Manipulated her. Promised her safety.
"If things ever get bad," he'd said, "I'll protect you."
Was that a lie?Had he really abandoned her?
"Still won't talk?" Ryuuen said, tilting his head. "Fine. Let me tell you something interesting."
He leaned closer. "The incident with Manabe on the ship? That wasn't an accident. It was all X's doing. He used you, Kei. Set you up from the start."
Her eyes widened. "No… you're lying."
"Oh, I'm not. He knew you'd take the bait. You were just another pawn on his board."
Karuizawa's mind spun. Maybe it was true. Maybe Ayanokōji had used her.If she just said his name — his name — this would all stop.
Her lips parted."Taka—"
She froze.
Her body shook, but not from the cold anymore. Something burned inside her — a flicker of defiance that refused to die.
No… even if he used me… I chose to trust him.
The tears streaming down her face weren't just from fear anymore. They were from pride.She smiled faintly — a broken, trembling smile — but one filled with strength.
I won't betray him.
Even if Ayanokōji never saved her again…Even if she was nothing more than a tool to him…At least this once, she would protect his secret with her own hands.
Because somewhere along the way, the girl who was always saved… had learned what it meant to save someone else.
Ryuuen stared at her — silent for the first time — as she whispered through her trembling lips:
"…The things I did for him… were fun."