A few days had passed since the four of us went to karaoke.
I wasn't sure what kind of conversation had taken place while I was away, but it seemed that Arisu and Fuka had managed to reach a relatively stable relationship—though hardly a harmonious one.
Since then, Arisu hadn't pried into my business any further.
If anything, what bothered Mamoru most was that, for some reason, Kamuro had ended up with the penalty drink and was forced to eat something called "Russian takoyaki."
Anyway, today was the actual midterm exam.
Mamoru and Arisu walked side by side along the path to school.
"The real test is finally here. How confident are you, Mamoru?"
Arisu asked the question casually, without a hint of worry. Mamoru responded in kind, his tone relaxed.
"Well, at least I don't think you'll fail. You seem to be in good spirits too, Arisu."
"That's right. There were a few unexpected developments, but I think we'll manage without much trouble."
"Unexpected?"
He had anticipated a smug "Of course," so her response made him tilt his head in curiosity.
"Yes. Regarding that little game... Katsuragi-kun made a rather unexpected move."
"...Oh?"
It appeared that Katsuragi hadn't chosen a straightforward confrontation, but had instead taken a more calculated approach. Judging by Arisu's tone, it wasn't a move she welcomed.
Though Mamoru had no intention of getting involved in their internal conflicts, curiosity got the better of him.
"Is it bad for me to ask? I have nothing to do with your little war games."
"It's fine. Today is the actual test, and you've remained strictly neutral. There's no issue with you being informed."
With that, Arisu began explaining.
"Shortly after the revised scope for the exam was announced, several members of Katsuragi's faction left and declared they were forming a new group."
"A small, elite team aiming for victory?"
Mamoru recalled that Katsuragi had once proposed such a plan to him. He assumed they were finally putting it into practice, likely with a new representative.
But Arisu shook her head.
"Not quite. His goal wasn't to create an elite group, but to split his own faction in half."
In other words, instead of concentrating power, he chose to bifurcate his forces.
Mamoru's expression sharpened. Slowly, the pieces fell into place.
"Dividing into two groups... wait. Did he split them based on subject strengths?"
"Fufu, if you figured it out that quickly, it means you'd thought of the strategy too, Mamoru-kun?"
"Well, it's not a bad tactic if the goal is to maximize efficiency."
Mamoru had considered the idea himself—what he'd do if he aimed to win.
The rules for this intra-class exam were simple: the group that scored the most wins across five subjects would be the winner.
In that case, dividing students based on their subject strengths, and having each group focus intensively on one area, could boost the odds of winning.
But beyond efficiency, the strategy had another advantage.
"So Katsuragi suspected there might be a mole."
By splitting the faction in two, the damage from an insider could be contained.
Even if Arisu had planted three spies, it would be harder for them to sabotage both groups simultaneously. If one group were compromised, the other could still perform safely.
Choosing a smaller, stronger group would have increased the chance of winning, yes—but only if there were no traitors. If the elite group got sabotaged, the loss would be catastrophic.
This move suggested Katsuragi wasn't simply aiming for victory—he was preparing for betrayal.
"Fufu, I'd love to play dumb here, but I should stop underestimating you, Mamoru-kun."
With a playful smile, Arisu placed her finger on her lips.
"That was a special deduction."
Mamoru nearly sighed. (If she didn't talk about things like this all the time, I might actually find her cute... Then again expecting something ordinary from this school is wrong of me)
She smiled sweetly, all while casually outlining tactics meant to undermine the opposition. It was almost admirable—how she wore that smile without the slightest hint of remorse.
"Still, it was a bold move by Katsuragi."
Splitting the group wasn't without risks. Even with a win, there could be arguments over the reward split, and the ability to tutor weaker subjects would drop. Improving weak areas usually had more impact on test performance than doubling down on strengths.
This strategy, while clever, could lower the overall average for the sake of maximizing subject-specific dominance.
Mamoru didn't claim to understand Katsuragi completely, but even so, he found it surprising that someone as reliable and conservative as him would make such a calculated gamble.
But Arisu simply shook her head at Mamoru's words—
"No, it doesn't seem like this was Katsuragi-kun's idea."
"Then… the other group members?"
"Not them either. It looks like someone from another class gave him the strategy."
"Another class?"
There wasn't any gag order about the internal strife happening within Class A, so it wouldn't be strange if students from other classes caught wind of it. Still, it was surprising that someone from outside would actively interfere.
"So—"
Just as Mamoru was about to ask who it was, a realization dawned on him. He closed his mouth and shifted his gaze forward.
They were walking along the tree-lined path next to the school building. The morning sunlight filtered through the leaves, painting a peaceful scene. Yet Mamoru could feel it—an aggressive, ill-fitting gaze piercing through the calm.
(This is going to be a pain...)
It wasn't quite murderous intent, but the pressure in the air was unmistakable. A gaze not of curiosity or amusement—but of a predator sizing up prey.
It wasn't uncommon for Arisu to look at him like that, but this time it was even more blatant. Mamoru followed the source of the hostility.
Sensing his shift in mood, Arisu turned her head in the same direction.
Three male students stood nearby. One sat arrogantly on a bench, legs crossed. Long hair. On either side of him stood a large black student and a boy with a buzz cut.
(Kakeru Ryuen...)
Mamoru recognized him. They had only spoken once after enrollment, but even then, the guy gave off the scent of trouble, like thugs that you can find under bridges or in market areas. He instinctively frowned.
There were too many people around for Ryuuen to try anything reckless, but just in case, Mamoru subtly shifted his position to stand between Arisu and the trio.
Sure enough, Ryuuen spoke up as they passed.
"Yo, fairy tale bastard. Done playing with cats, and now you're chasing a little girl's skirt, huh?"
Mamoru grimaced. He had hoped they could pass without incident. No such luck.
Arisu smiled—but there was a sharp edge behind it now.
They stopped walking and turned to face him.
"Ryuuen Shou from Class C, was it? I'm more curious about how you refer to Mamoru-kun… but who's the 'little girl' you mentioned?"
"Tch. You really need me to spell it out? Just look at your position."
"Oh? My apologies. I suppose that's not something you should ask while flanked by two bodyguards."
Arisu had just called herself the "little girl" in question. Despite standing before three delinquents, she remained completely composed.
It was broad daylight with plenty of students around—low risk of violence—but even so, her nerve was impressive.
"Pfft, saying crap like that while hiding behind a guy? Pathetic, Sakayanagi."
"Mamoru-kun is a gentleman. He's just considerate toward women."
Mamoru let out a quiet sigh. Barely a minute in, and the tension between them was already palpable. Still, what surprised him more was that they knew each other's names.
"...Wait, you two know each other?"
"'Know' might be a stretch. This is our first time speaking face to face."
"Yeah, I was just surprised you knew who I was. I figured a princess from Class A wouldn't bother with us lower classes."
"Fufu. You're the one who gave Katsuragi-kun that strategy, aren't you? I have a certain respect for talent, regardless of class."
(That strategy…?)
Mamoru's eyes widened slightly. The one who suggested splitting the groups—Katsuragi's mysterious advisor—was standing right here?
Before he could dwell on it, a knowing look crossed Ryuuen's face.
"Heh. If you know about that, then that means what I thought was true—Katsuragi's got a rat in his faction."
No doubt, Katsuragi wouldn't want it known that he was taking help from another class. At the very least, he would've tried to limit that info.
Yet Arisu knew. Which meant someone leaked it.
"Well, what's the problem? We're all classmates at the end of the day. Even if our groups differ, there's nothing wrong with sharing a few friendly words."
"Friend? Funny coming from someone who sees others as pawns."
Ryuuen scoffed. It was their first meeting, yet he already seemed to have a handle on Arisu's personality—likely thanks to Katsuragi.
Or maybe… he simply recognized her as a fellow schemer.
To Mamoru, both Ryuuen and Arisu felt like wild cards—different types from Fuka, but just as sharp.
"Now, how rude of me—speaking of friends. You must be really free if you've got time to interfere in another class's affairs."
"Unfortunately, I'm not as busy as you think. I just couldn't ignore the sorry state of a grown man, so I tossed him a little advice."
It sounded noble, but Mamoru had his doubts. That didn't sound like Katsuragi at all—asking for help, especially from someone like Ryuuen.
More likely, Ryuuen forced his way in.
"If you're not busy, then what brings you here today? The test hasn't even started yet. Isn't it a little early to be declaring victory?"
"Relax. I just happened to see you and thought I'd say hello."
He called it a coincidence, but the fact that he was waiting around this area during the morning rush made it obvious—he had been lying in wait.
"To be honest, I don't really care about the outcome of your games. But when I heard about this particular test, I got curious about the one who came up with it. Splitting a class in half—now that's a hell of a hobby."
Ryuuen had clearly seen through Arisu's real intentions behind the test. He wouldn't have been able to hand Katsuragi such a precise plan otherwise. Mamoru could see now—this wasn't just some brute. He was sharp. Maybe even dangerous.
Mamoru couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Katsuragi.
(Katsuragi-kun… looks like you're being used already.)
It was only speculation, but Mamoru guessed Ryuuen had lent his support this time to gain Katsuragi's trust—laying the groundwork for manipulating him later.
In that sense, Ryuuen really might not care about winning or losing. Just offering Katsuragi a plan had already served his purpose.
While Mamoru thought it over, Arisu responded to Ryuuen with a knowing smile.
"I have no intention of destroying the class. But sometimes, to complete a scattered puzzle, you have to break it down first."
"I get that. But me? I wouldn't need to break them—I'd train them to fall in line on their own."
With that, Ryuuen stepped forward, jerking his thumb over his shoulder toward the two students behind him.
The large black student, likely Albert, had an unreadable expression hidden behind his sunglasses. The other, Mamoru remembered, had once been a rebellious short-haired boy named Ishizaki. Now, he looked like a loyal follower.
"While you guys were busy playing games, I took control of my class. I'll mess around with Class D and Class B for a while, but eventually, I'll come for you guys in Class A too."
But Arisu's smile only deepened in amusement at his declaration of war.
"I see. Let's hope that's not just bluster."
"Heh, I'll show you."
The two exchanged fierce smiles. Then, Ryuuen turned his sharp gaze toward Mamoru.
"Hey, fairy tale guy. What about you?"
"Huh? What about me?"
Mamoru tilted his head, confused by the sudden question.
"You gonna play too? I heard you've got no interest in class rivalries, but how serious are you?"
Mamoru could tell Ryuuen hadn't figured him out yet. He was still unsure about where Mamoru stood—especially after the alleyway incident and the odd rumors from the first day.
Mamoru understood that. So, he answered in the dullest, most boring way he could think of—something that would make Ryuuen lose interest.
"No matter how many times you ask, I really don't care about class warfare. I'm planning to help with the family business after school, so it doesn't really matter which class I graduate from."
"Ha! So that's why you're chasing cats and girls around campus?"
"Girls...? If you're talking about Arisu-san, we're just friends. As for the cat, I saw it by chance and followed it. That's all."
However, Mamoru noticed something off about Ryuuen's tone. The story about the cat was just something he made up—but Ryuuen kept bringing it up, as if he believed there was more to it.
As their eyes met, Mamoru stared back at him expressionlessly.
"Coincidence, huh? Whatever. If you're playing the role of Sakayanagi's little lackey, I'll play with you too."
"Tch."
With that, Ryuuen turned and started walking toward the school, Ishizaki and Albert trailing behind.
He hadn't come to fight. His goal was to evaluate his opponents—and maybe rattle them before the test. Now that he was gone, Mamoru quietly sighed in relief.
Once the trio had put some distance between them, he turned to Arisu.
"Well then, shall we head in too?"
"Yes, let's."
Even though the test was still ahead, Mamoru already felt mentally drained. But if this encounter had been meant to rattle them, then maybe it had served a purpose.
"By the way, Mamoru—did you already know Ryuen?"
Arisu asked casually as they walked. Mamoru had no reason to hide the truth, so he explained—including the fabricated story.
"Just once. I saw a cat in town, chased it down an alley… and ran into him by chance."
"I see. So you really are a fairy tale guy.
Do you like cats, Mamoru-kun?"
"I guess so."
Though not enough to chase one into an alley again.
Even if Mamoru tended to act indifferent, he wasn't immune to cute things.
"Hehe, then next time, want to go to a cat café with me?"
Arisu's smile as she said it wasn't her usual sly smirk—it was a genuine, playful smile.
"You really like cute things, don't you, Arisu-san?"
It might surprise some, given her cunning personality and mature aura, but Mamoru, who spent time with her often, knew she had a fondness for cute designs—especially animals.
But then, Arisu's expression shifted. She suddenly stepped closer, her gaze fixed on Mamoru's face.
"...Do you think I'm a childish too, Mamoru-kun?"
Apparently, Ryuuen's earlier jab had hit a nerve.
Arisu didn't seem to dislike her own appearance—but she did hate being underestimated. Maybe that's why she pushed herself so hard—to prove something.
Mamoru considered that, then chose his words carefully.
"...To be honest, I'm not even sure what defines a child or an adult. But high schoolers are all still kids, right? We'll all be adults someday, so for now, why not just enjoy being young?"
Saying she was a child or little girl would've been rude. But lying and saying she was an adult felt false too. Mamoru didn't think any of them had really grown up—not even himself.
Arisu looked up at him, her expression unreadable.
(Crap… did I say the wrong thing?)
She stared for several seconds, silently.
Then she looked down and muttered softly—
"That's true… We really are still kids."
She seemed to waver for a moment—but then looked up again with a soft, gentle smile Mamoru had never seen before.
"You too, Mamoru. Don't forget that you're still a child. After all, you said it yourself."
"Yeah… I guess I did."
He still wasn't sure what she was thinking. But at least she didn't seem offended.
"Well then—shall we go?"
With that, the two of them walked off toward the school building, leaving the tension of that morning behind them.