Third Person PoV

( 2 hours after classes ended....)

Manabe sat in her desk, fiddling with her phone to hide her nervousness from the current situation.

" Ishizaki, lock the doors." A familiar voice instructed.

" On it!" Ishizaki said.

He slid the doors close and a small click! sounded from the lock.

Ryuuen walks over to Manabe.

" You're the traitor, right?" Ryuuen asked.

" I told you I'm not." Manabe quickly replied.

Manabe was prepared for this interaction. She needed to act defiantno matter what, in order to fool Ryuuen into using her as bait without hesitation. If she were too submissive, then Ryuuen would've suspected that X had a plan in mind. That X had intentionally given away Manabe as bait.

" Manabe, are you afraid of X?" Ryuuen asked.

" Why are you asking me these questions?" She said, " I'm not the traitor, I already told you that!" She said.

Ryuuen chuckled.

" Is that so? Then how come X knew of our plans?" Ryuuen asked.

" I don't know. And again, why me? Maybe Ibuki is the traitor. It's not a secret to anyone that she hates your guts!" Manabe points to Ibuki.

Ibuki scoffs at that.

" Heh, that's what any other person would think. Ibuki clearly shows her distaste of me and I am well aware of that. But even SHE'S not dumb enough to willingly sabotage our own class. Despite my way of leading this class, none of you would have gotten far without me." Ryuuen said.

" Yeah! Ibuki knows that Ryuuen-san's way is the only way! Just admit it already, Manabe!" Ishizaki backed Ryuuen.

" But why me? All of us heard about your plan for the sports festival. But you've only been targeting me. This is unfair." Manabe scoffs.

" Would you like to hear my reasons then, Manabe?" Ryueen proposed.

Manabe crosses her arms and leans back on her chair. " Fine, whatever."She said.

" Number one," Ryuuen shows one finger, " When I was discussing my plans for the sports festival, you were closer to me than usual. In the previous plans, you'd often stay back with your group of bimbos while still managing to hear me out." He said.

" Don't you think that's pretty suspicious? You were in the first row, seperated from your group, and you seemed absolutely attentive when I spoke. I was suspicious about that but I didn't dive further into it until now. What's your response to that?" He said.

" My response? I think you're just stupidly paranoid after losing to Class D in the island exam." Manabe said.

Ryuuen's eye twitches at that, indicating the hint of irritation. But it was only for a second.






He laughed.

" Perhaps that statement of yours has some truth in it. But my main reason; is to discover the mastermind who can think like me. "  He said.

' Tch, we all know it's just some weird obsession of yours. You prick.' Manabe kept that thought to herself.

"  Someone as cunning as me. Someone as scheming as me.....I want to find that person and destroy them. " Ryuuen said.

" And you're the only one who knows their identity." Ryuuen twirls a strand of Manabe's hair.

" You-" Manabe was about to lash out until her eyes met Ryuuen's serious gaze. That gaze alone silenced whatever she was about to say.

She had no intention of messing with Ryuuen when he looks like this....

After all, this was the same man that managed to get Albert under his command. Albert, an african-american transfer student who possessed a large build and intimidating aura. Ryuuen was able to relentlessly pursue him no matter how many times he was beaten down. That determination that couldn't be fathomed by most people.

" Say, Manabe...." He spoke.

Manabe keeps her eyes on his.

" If I were to hurt you.....would X step in and save you?" He asked, a smirk forming on his lips.

Manabe furrows her brows. " Stop asking me such a dumb question. I'm not their accomplice-"

" Personally, I don't think they'd save you. The moment they hear that you've been caught, they'd abandon you because in the end, you were always expendable. " He said.

"...." Manabe averts her eyes.

" I, too, think you're expendable. If you were expelled, you wouldn't make a permanent impact in our class. My plans for this class are left unaffected, and people will just move on. Isn't that cruel? The reality of it all?" Ryuuen provoked.

" You're expendable.....to so many people. " He added and watched her expression carefully.

" But....that can change. All you have to do...." He trails off before grabbing her gently and then turning her head to look at him.

" Is to give me their identity."  

Manabe looks into his eyes.

" Piss off, will you?" She was still resistent. Completely committed to her role. She was instructed to not give the information no matter what until Ryuuen fully commits into taking matters into his own hands.

She needed to keep fighting.

"Heh..." Ryuuen steps away and breaks out into chuckles of laughter. " Kukukuku! "

" Ryuuen, what are you laughing about?" Ibuki asked, irritated and confused.

Ryuuen gives Manabe a smile which caused goosebumps around her body. " Nothing. My questioning is done. "

Manabe scoffs, " Finally." She said, exasperated by the situation. She stood up and grabbed her bag before heading towards the door.

" Oh. By the way, Manabe. " Ryuuen called out before she could slide the door open. She halted.

" Tell X that I'm going to take his bait. When school is about to end and winter break begins, tell him to come to the rooftop. He wants to end this game, right?" 

Manabe flinched.

' How....How does know.....' She tried to hide her shock.

" I don't know X." She said one last time.

" Kuku, whatever." Ryuuen simply brushed away her weak response.

Manabe slides the door close.

Her face lost its previous composure.

' R-Ryuuen wasn't supposed to be aware! S-So...h-how...?' She thought to herself as she rushed out of the school buildings into somewhere more secluded.

' Not this early....he shouldn't be aware until Ayanokoji revealed it himself....or.....d-did Ayanokoji already did that without me knowing?' once she arrived at the usually empty special building. She took a breather.

' I have to ask him.' She thought and pulled out her phone and then began dialing his number.

' Hey. Ryuuen is aware that I'm bait. Did you tell him without me knowing?' she sent.

5 minutes passed...

Manabe stared at her phone, the worry began creeping in.

she began typing her next message....

' Hey could you answer me? What am I supposed to do?' sent.

' No response....again....' She frowned.

" Come on, Ayanokoji....please..." She began typing her next message.

' Ayanokoji stop playing this sick joke and answer me you idiot!' she sent. She hid her panic by sending an angry text.

But once again, there was no response.

" ....He's not even reading my messages......Ayanokoji.....are you....ghosting me?" She furrowed her brows.

She then decided to call him to confirm.

" Pick up....please..." She pleaded in a low voice as the dial tone rung.

" I'm begging you....please...." She closed her eyes in anticipation.

But it went to voice mail.

Manabe looked defeated as she stared at her phone in silence.

She wondered....

If Ayanokoji had lied to her....

" Am I....really....that expendable..." She said in a defeated tone.

She wondered where Kiyopon was. She wondered why he wasn't answering her...

And in the deepest part of her heart...

She wondered if she truly meant anything to him....

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( The next day....)

Suzune tried to pay attention to the subject teacher that was currently giving a lecture.

But her thoughts couldn't help but think of Kiyopon...

And his cold voice...

" Leave me alone."

Those three words sent a shiver down her spine. The way she said it....it felt like if she were to disobey....then grave consequences would occur...

A commanding tone and yet, she could feel the pain behind it. She couldn't understand it. He wouldn't LET her understand it.

Or was it because she didn't try to show him that she's willing to understand? to listen?

She was having an internal conflict in both her mind and heart.

Her mind instructed her to give him as much time as he needs, convincing her that it was the smart thing to do.

But her heart was arguing whether that was the RIGHT thing to do. It ached whenever she tried to imagine the pain he was feeling, the pain he was trying to endure......she hated the fact that she's currently hesitating on helping him.

Not all smart decisions are the right decisions....and vice versa...

Right now, she was indecisive..

And indecisiveness was never a trait most people would associate the  Horikita Suzune with....

' What should I do....what CAN I do....' she thought deeply as she began drifting away from reality into her personal void full of thoughts.

' If I try to push the matter further, it might just worsen the situation.....and Ayanokoji-kun....might hate me for it.' her logical side spoke.

' But does it really matter? Ayanokoji-kun is my first friend....he was there for me when I was down.....aren't I supposed to do the same? Why am I hesitating!' her heart argued.

' Ayanokoji-kun will distance himself from me if I try to risk it...' her logical side tried to reason.

'But no matter how much he distances himself....I need to be able to close that distance. I need to help him.' her heart continued to argue.

' Think about what's best for him, Suzune!' both her mind and heart yelled out in her void of thoughts.

" I don't know.....I really don't know...." She whispered to herself in defeat.

" Ayanokoji-kun....I'm so....sorry...." She closed her eyes for a few seconds and opened them once more.

She returned back to reality and continued to  ( bitterly ) listen to the teacher.

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It was lunch time once more.

Suzune stood up from her seat with the intent to eat somewhere more private.

"Suzu-chan.....are you okay?" A voice called out to her, worry evident in her tone.

Suzune turned towards her caller, Mori.

" I'm okay." She lied.

" You're not." She could tell.

"..." And Suzune decided not to respond.

Mori inwardly sighed.

' I guess....not even Suzu-chan could get through to him......that's....incredibly shocking...' Mori thought in disappointment.

' But she looks beyond troubled right now. What exactly happened when she decided to stay?' Mori wondered as she examined Suzune's expression.

" I'm going to have my lunch now, Nene-san...." She told her before taking her bag.

' Huh? Crap, say something, Nene!' Mori quickly shook away her thoughts and quickly blocked Suzune's path.

" Let's go together! The group is waiting for us-" But she was interrupted when Suzune stared her dead in the eye.

" Forgive me, but I'd like to eat alone for today." She said.

" Huh?" Mori took a few seconds to process what she'd just said and Suzune quickly walked past her. Mori turned around and watched as Suzune exit the classroom.

' This is bad.....this really bad...' Mori frowned in worry.

The situation was worsening. And she didn't know if she could relieve it before more damage is done.

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Suzune sat on an unoccupied bench, facing the ocean. The atmosphere was peaceful, the wind was just right, the heat from the sun was normal, and the ocean view was still calming as always.

But as she ate her food.

She realized that not even this scenery nor atmosphere could cool down the emotional turmoil in her.

' I need to do something'

' What can I do?'

' How do I help him?'

' Is it by giving him space?'

' or is it to close the distance and comfort him?'

Those were the kind thoughts running through her head.

Thoughts of indecisiveness, hesitation, worry, anxiety....

Those feelings were caused by one person and it was the object of her thoughts, the cause of her emotional turmoil, the root of her current indecisiveness...

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

A friend she hasn't seen for days.....

But she heard his voice the day