"If you think cooperating is fine, contact me."
"I'll wait without holding any expectations."
The two male high school students finished their conversation, and one of them left the room.
The black tea, which hadn't been touched at all, remained on the table as the owner of the room began cleaning up.
"There doesn't seem to be any need to be that fixated on the Student Council, though."
The room's owner, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, voiced his straightforward impression of the negotiation with his visitor, the former Student Council President Manabu Horikita.
Ayanokouji understood that the Student Council at this school was a group wielding considerable power, yet it still failed to spark his interest.
"That said, to think that Kushida had visited Kamukura's room."
Among the information exchanged with Manabu Horikita, this was the detail that particularly caught his attention.
It was something Manabu Horikita had learned by chance before coming to Ayanokouji's room—specifically, he had witnessed Kushida connecting to Kamukura's intercom.
Taking this valuable piece of information into account, Ayanokouji organized it in his mind and considered how he would move from here on out.
"Kushida said she would side with Class C, but that's because of the debt binding her.
If she repays it even by force, I wonder if I could draw her over to this side…"
Ayanokouji, who had been considering discarding Kikyou Kushida, now found himself pondering—just a little—ways to turn her into an ally.
But he judged that it would depend on Horikita's abilities.
"No, more important than that is what she talked about with Kamukura.
If Horikita brother's information is correct, we can assume there's a reasonable level of favorability."
From the events on the day the Paper Shuffle problems were submitted, Ayanokouji had predicted that the favorability between Kamukura and Kushida was at least not high.
However, a private meeting between a boy and a girl from different classes implied a decent level of favorability.
And when two people with reasonably high favorability converse, their tongues loosen easily, making it easier for information that should normally remain secret to slip out.
Moreover, manipulating favorability is Kushida's specialty.
He figured there was a chance it would work even against Kamukura.
"Even if Kushida told Kamukura about me, Kamukura wouldn't reveal the answer to Ryuuen. Considering Ryuuen's personality, it would be the same as having one of his enjoyments stolen away."
During the Cruise Ship Special Test, Izuru Kamukura had been the first to grasp the rules regarding the favored student but hadn't shared that information with anyone.
He hadn't even told the leader of his own class. The reason was that he wanted to see the unknown.
And having the answer told to him was something Ryuuen himself probably wouldn't wish for, given his personality.
From this, Ayanokouji judged that the possibility of Ryuuen having been informed of X's identity by Kamukura was low.
However...
"The possibility that Ryuuen himself has noticed my true identity and is deliberately swimming in the palm of my hand, huh."
Ayanokouji held Ryuuen in high regard.
His thinking unbound by common sense, the cunning and boldness to use any means necessary, and the power to unite the class.
If asked who the most dangerous figure among the class leaders was, his name would come up first.
Yet even after considering all that, Ayanokouji believed the chance that Ryuuen could definitively determine his true identity was low.
"It's highly likely to exceed our assumptions. Could this also be Izuru Kamukura's influence?"
Ayanokouji assessed the current situation and acknowledged that the opponent wouldn't be easy to handle.
Even so, he showed absolutely no sign of agitation.
The White Room's greatest masterpiece always acted while looking several moves ahead.
He made the most rational choices to ensure his own victory in the end, constantly laying the groundwork that led to those choices.
"…As expected, the only obstacle is that guy."
The conclusion reached after deep thought was a point of concern.
Even for Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, he had no choice but to call Izuru Kamukura a formidable enemy.
"If I try to crush Ryuuen, that guy will definitely be involved too. Crushing them all together is…"
Impossible—that conclusion surfaced.
But at the same time, he realized there was a part of himself excited to carry out this flawed plan.
To Ayanokouji, Izuru Kamukura represented the first true unknown.
An existence comparable to himself—one he could never have encountered while in the White Room.
Even his father, Atsuomi Ayanokouji, who had contacted him the other day, had dismissed this unexpected existence as nothing more than a trivial lie.
"…This is fun."
At the chance to confront such an unforeseen element, Ayanokouji felt that from the depths of his heart.
A simple, pure contest of abilities—wanting to compete in intelligence, physical prowess, or anything else. He savored the sensation as if his nonexistent heart was crying out.
But precisely because of that, he needed to respond with flawless preparation.
Losing in a mere competition—in other words, losing at play—Ayanokouji wouldn't particularly mind.
But what if it was a serious showdown where victory or defeat determined his position?
The answer went without saying; for Ayanokouji, it was a question that didn't need answering.
"Bringing it to a one-on-one showdown with that guy would already mean my victory. …To think I'd end up finding enjoyment in the subsequent exhibition match."
Ayanokouji understood that there was one wasteful element in his plan to crush Ryuuen.
Even if that waste carried the possibility of leading to his own defeat, he was considering reworking the plan enough to hesitate over whether to eliminate it.
"…Well, that depends on the guy himself."
With the intent of resetting his thoughts as well, Ayanokouji lay down on the bed.
He then confirmed the progress of another plan that was unfolding in parallel.
That was—
"…Masayoshi Hashimoto. I'll need to make that guy disappear or drive a large nail into him."
An unavoidable connection that had formed.
A definite lead to himself aside from Kei Karuizawa, which had come about due to Chabashira's threat.
He could no longer leave it unchecked.
"Though I don't feel like it… using Sakayanagi seems like the surest way."
The other plan hadn't even been set in motion yet, but it was an extremely important one.
Given the significant benefits it would bring to Sakayanagi, the probability of success was very high.
"Well, regardless, the key is whether I can reliably summon the crucial figure for this plan…"
Ayanokouji closed his eyes in a pleasant mood.
He counted the arrival of that day as one of his enjoyments and took a short nap.
….
A cheap table used by a student living alone.
Its height was low, requiring one to sit on the floor to eat, but it had sufficient width and was excellent in terms of functionality.
Dishes lined up on such a table.
With teriyaki chicken as the main dish, salad and soup were set out for two people.
"Delish!! What is this? It's super delicious!"
Kushida-san brought them to her mouth at the speed of a glutton.
Her expression as she ate so blissfully made no attempt to hide her true face whatsoever; she was simply enjoying the meal as her appetite guided her.
The reason I'm serving her food is simply that it was convenient.
The time she barged in saying she wanted to talk with me was around 6 PM.
It was perfect timing for dinner, and since I had anticipated the conversation would drag on, I suggested we take care of it beforehand.
Originally, I had planned to make a large amount of food for tomorrow anyway, so I prepared a portion for her as well.
There's no deeper meaning to it.
"This salad is delicious too!! Where did you buy this dressing?"
"I didn't buy it. I made this Japanese-style dressing myself."
"How did you make it!?"
"I just mixed a few seasonings together. If you want the details, I'll teach you the recipe later."
"Please do!"
I felt a sense of oddity toward Kushida-san, whose true face showed such abnormally high tension, but in reality this is the natural reaction for anyone who has eaten the cooking of a Super High School Level Chef.
Reactions split into two types: becoming moved and speaking less, or getting excited and speaking more.
She was the latter.
Incidentally, Ryuuen-kun, Albert, and Shiina-san were the former, while Ibuki-san and Ishizaki-kun showed the latter reaction.
"So, are you full? Also, please wash the dishes at least."
Kushida-san had put her hands together deeply to finish her post-meal thanks, but the moment I said that, her face openly displayed annoyance.
However, perhaps her conscience stirred after all, as she reluctantly picked up the used dishes and headed to the kitchen.
If it had been Ryuuen-kun, he definitely wouldn't have listened.
Her upbringing must be good.
"…Hey, treat me again next time."
"No. There's no reason for me to cook for you."
She asked the brazen question from the kitchen.
When I immediately denied her, she turned toward me with a pouting, ambiguous expression.
"So, when exactly are you going to start talking?"
"Aren't there any desserts?"
Having finished washing the dishes, she sat cross-legged on the cushion and spoke as if my earlier refusal had never happened. Even shaking my head felt like too much trouble, so I ignored her.
"Let's get to the main topic. The person who has a face almost identical to mine——"
"——Wait. Before that story, tell me about yourself first."
Sensing that the conversation was about to begin in earnest, she composed herself. She wore a mischievous smile, clearly asserting that she held the initiative in the discussion.
"About me? That's far too vague."
"Then I'll ask you a few questions, so answer them."
I reluctantly nodded. I'm used to being probed by people who don't know me, and I've never made the blunder of giving my own information to such individuals.
However, this was the first time I was voluntarily talking about myself to someone else. It was a strange sensation. Although I have no desire for approval, I sensed a slight change occurring within myself due to this first-time experience.
"First, I guess I'll ask about your secret~. Honestly, I really want to hear about that hairpin. Is it your hobby? Or did you receive it from someone… something like that."
Kushida-san grinned. It seemed she believed the hairpin had been given to me by someone.
I don't believe in women's intuition. I simply conclude that she got lucky.
"It's not really something I'd call a secret, but do you want to hear about it that badly?"
"Even if it's not a big deal, that's fine. The important thing is that it's a 'past you've never told anyone.' Just knowing that is enough to satisfy me."
This was troublesome right from the start.
"First… let's see, maybe I'll start with your abilities. That ability you dismiss as 'talent'—what's the actual truth? Is it really talent? Or something you gained through effort?"
"It's talent. Right after I was born, I was made to do all kinds of things to confirm what talents I possessed. There was nothing I couldn't do at that time, and once I learned something, I have never forgotten it to this day."
"…I see. Well, it's you we're talking about… so it's probably the truth."
Kushida-san said, sounding bored. It appeared she had been hoping for the impossible answer that it was the result of effort.
"Seriously, it's a story I don't want to believe."
A gaze mixed with resignation and jealousy struck me.
They say the eyes speak as much as the mouth, and indeed it was easy to understand.
However...
"Your jealousy is thinner than I expected."
"Well, yeah. After being bullied by you, I kind of became enlightened about it. Even now, I still have moments of wanting what I don't have, but it's mostly settled down."
Her emotion-laden gaze slowly danced through the air. But she quickly refocused on me and resumed speaking with a light laugh.
"Then, next question. That terrifying aura of yours—what is it? I'm sure that's also one of your talents, but what kind of talent is it?"
"One of the talents for intimidating others."
I answered casually.
This would be troublesome to explain in detail. Moreover, if she asked about the greatest and most terrible despair event in human history, coming up with an excuse would be quite a chore.
"You have no intention of answering seriously, huh. Well, whatever. I don't know how you can emit such pressure or sense of despair, but it's something you've had from the beginning as part of your talents, right? In other words, is it okay to recognize that there aren't many others besides you who can produce that?"
"For the first answer, it can be said to be both correct and incorrect. Because this talent can be said to be something I originally possessed, but it can also be said to be a talent I gained by analyzing the owners of this talent and making it usable. And for the second answer, you can understand it that way. Including myself, I only know three people who possess this talent, so I think there aren't many."
"…Can that really be called a talent?"
"If abilities one possesses from birth are called talents, then since I had the aptitude from the start and could realize it immediately, it can be called talent."
My catchphrase is "the omnipotent genius possessing every possible talent." In other words, it means I am a human with the foundation to embody all talents. Izuru Kamukura is an existence born after being infused with all existing knowledge.
However, that also corresponds to knowledge that continues to increase infinitely. In other words, I was created to be able to realize even unknown things.
"That talent is really unfair. If you told me you came from a secret agent training organization, I'd believe it."
"Yes, that understanding is correct."
"It was a joke. There's been an anime trending about that lately… Eh?"
Kushida-san froze as if her thoughts had stopped.
Since she was frozen with her true face showing, it was an expression she could never show in public.
After a few seconds, she resumed speaking with a grin.
"…It's really true, isn't it?"
"Yes. I am exactly the kind of resident you imagine from comics."
"…Is this information you haven't told other people? Information that's better off not spreading?"
When I nodded, Kushida-san's expression brightened.
It seemed this was information that could satisfy her desire for approval.
Information about my special birth could spread without issue, but if it fulfilled her desires, then so be it.
"Ahaha, ahahahaha… Then the third one~, what's your relationship with the owner of that hairpin?"
Kushida-san moved on to the third question in high spirits.
Honestly, I didn't want to answer this question... However, to obtain the information she held, I had no choice. I slowly began to speak, cutting out a portion of the past.
"That hairpin is… yes, 'memento' would be the most appropriate word."
Upon hearing the word memento, Kushida-san's expression turned awkward.
"I asked anyway, but the owner of that hairpin…"
"As you guessed, she has already passed away."
Silence spread. Even Kushida-san apparently hadn't expected the conversation to become this heavy.
"I was friends with the owner of that hairpin. The previous me often played games with her after school. That's all our relationship was; it wasn't anything special."
I stated it concisely. I had no intention of giving unnecessary information.
"…Heh~, so you also have memories with a girl. That's a bit surprising. What kind of girl was she?"
"…She had a straightforward personality and was someone who could give her all for the sake of others."
What came to mind was the final moment.
The Ultimate Gamer who tried to move for someone's sake until the very end.
The sight of her collapsing as if sinking into a pool of blood yet never giving up on living will never leave my memory.
"You don't seem down about it."
"My facial muscles aren't moving."
"I've received consultations from many people, you know… so I'm quite good at reading the atmosphere and what the other person is thinking. Though I thought I couldn't read anything from you… you actually have surprisingly human sides."
"That's a baseless statement."
A worthless observation. The experience she had cultivated was, in the end, nothing more than a con artist applying her talent to imitate a counselor.
"Really? It's not something you can just brush off. For example… you regret what happened to that girl, don't you?"
She spoke with serious eyes, without smiling. I had assumed she would ask about lingering attachments, so this statement was somewhat unexpected.
"…Regret? This me, feeling regret?"
I lightly stroked my right cheek as if checking the condition of the scar there.
At that time, I had encountered an event that exceeded my predictions for the first time.
The name of that unknown was Despair.
I had lent my strength to that woman solely for the purpose of observing it.
The result was excellent. Despair had indeed brought me an unexpected outcome.
However, through her—Chiaki Nanami—I came to know an even greater unknown called Hope.
From the perspective of my current self, would this event be one filled with regret?
...Ah, it was most likely exactly that.
Otherwise, the malfunction of emotion I felt at that time could not be explained.
"…That's right. I failed to save a life that I could have saved. I threw it away simply to learn about my own unknown."
"…A past of failure. So you also carry a past far heavier than someone like me."
Kushida-san listened with genuine sympathy.
She was certainly skilled at listening, but,
"Hey, I'm stepping in a bit, but the reason that girl died…"
If this was an action to satisfy her own desire for approval, then her mind must be twisted.
"She was murdered by a certain woman."
"…That's, that's seriously too heavy. Your secret."
"But you wanted to know, didn't you?"
"…Well, yes, but still…"
Her words faltered as Kushida-san showed a dissatisfied expression.
She drew a firm line when it came to matters of life and death.
It seemed she wouldn't press any further.
"…How about it? Talking to someone about your regrets and pent-up feelings feels pretty refreshing, right?"
She changed the subject to clear the heavy air.
She puffed up proudly like a child wanting to show it was thanks to her.
"It doesn't feel refreshing at all. However, there is no doubt that it became an opportunity for me to reexamine my current self."
"…You could at least say thank you honestly."
Ignoring her grumbling, I continued the conversation.
"Now then, you must be satisfied after learning about my past, right? Honestly, I'd like to hear about your past as well, but right now there is something else I want to ask more."
"Hmm, I'm not completely satisfied yet… but oh well. I'll ask again next time."
"I have no intention of answering any more than this."
"Come on, we'll have tons of chances to talk from now on anyway, so please."
"I have no intention of talking with you that much."
"No way. You're one of the very few people who knows my true nature and still interacts with me without any disgust. In other words, you're someone I can talk to normally without feeling stressed. Talking with you is perfect for my stress relief."
She placed her elbows on the table, rested her face on her hand, and told me this in a calm atmosphere.
I was impressed.
Indeed, I had advised her many times on how to relieve her stress.
The answer was to create a person who would accept her even after seeing everything about her, but I hadn't given her the answer directly and had instead guided her to discover it through her own will.
At the same time, I had steered things so that that person would become Suzune Horikita.
Why had the target become me?
The very fact that this question arose was unknown in itself.
"…If it's a person who knows your true nature, wouldn't Horikita-san be there? Why me instead of her? Since I'm the opposite sex, wouldn't the same-sex Horikita be more likely to help resolve your troubles and provide empathy?"
"Why, you ask… it's because I still can't fully accept it yet."
Kushida-san hesitated as she stroked her neck with her index finger.
Her fidgety behavior was also unknown.
"Horikita does know about my past. Even after knowing, I think she would treat me as an equal without showing disgust. But it's still a little embarrassing, and I can't suddenly step in so boldly… I suppose."
She made a surprisingly rational decision.
She wanted to build an equal relationship with Suzune Horikita. She didn't want to be too aggressive and risk cutting the connection.
I found this somewhat unexpected result interesting as well.
It was like the cautious maneuvering of someone hoping to make their first love come true.
It wasn't the kind of emotion one would direct at a person they had once wanted expelled.
"Then what about Kiyotaka Ayanokouji? It seems he also knows about your past. Were you in the same middle school?"
"…Ayanokouji-kun, huh. No, we weren't in the same middle school. As for why he knows about my past… well, um, various things happened."
Kushida-san's cheeks flushed slightly.
As if shaking off the memory, she suddenly asked.
"Hey, how long does it take for fingerprints left on clothes to disappear? If properly preserved, do they never disappear?"
The question seemed completely out of context, but Kushida-san's expression was serious.
I prioritized answering.
"If properly managed, they should last for half a year. Conversely, if not properly managed, they disappear in a few weeks. Especially with clothing, the weave creates significant irregularities, so unless you check the fingerprint ridges immediately and detect the prints, they probably can't be used as evidence."
"…Half a year. And if not properly managed, they can't be used as evidence."
It appeared she was holding onto clothes with fingerprints as some form of evidence.
To her, her past was something she absolutely did not want known. Why did Ayanokouji-kun, who wasn't even from the same middle school, know about it?
The possibility that she held affection for Ayanokouji-kun and had told him herself was low. Her attitude made that clear.
Therefore, it must have been either forcibly discovered or accidentally found out.
Adding the keyword of clothes with fingerprints, I re-evaluated the situation.
"Did you let him touch your body to keep him quiet after he saw your true nature?"
"…I didn't do anything like that."
She glared at me, her cheeks still lightly red.
It seemed I was correct.
Since there were fingerprints on the clothes, there was no doubt physical contact had occurred between Ayanokouji-kun and Kushida.
There was also the possibility she had been assaulted by Ayanokouji-kun, but that would contradict the fact that she was able to move freely.
Therefore, it made more sense that she had allowed him to touch her body.
"Just so you know, I don't have a hobby of letting people touch my body!"
There were several points I wanted to retort to, but her intense glare forced me to abandon further questioning.
It seemed this memory was a dark history for her.
"…Anyway. I think Ayanokouji-kun wouldn't show me disgust either, but… how should I put it? Lately he's been a bit scary."
Kushida-san changed the subject.
However, she then shared an interesting impression.
"Scary?"
"Like I said before, I'm good at reading what other people are thinking, but with Ayanokouji-kun alone I can't analyze what's going on inside his head. He always seems to wear a surface-level attitude, or rather, it's like he's wearing a mask just like I do?"
"Then you two are similar. I think you could get along well."
"Maybe. But one wrong step and it might lead to the complete opposite development. I have that kind of feeling. That's why I'm observing Ayanokouji-kun for now. I don't know too much about him."
I evaluated it as a calm analysis.
Just by the absence of runaway approval-seeking and excessive stress accumulation, the difference was this large.
"Speaking of which, Ayanokouji-kun is X, the one Ryuuen is desperately searching for, right? To me, he's the only possible candidate."
"Yes, he is X. The fear you feel toward him is by no means mistaken."
It should be fine to tell the current her.
She wouldn't do anything foolish like carelessly spreading the information.
"As expected… By the way, if you know who X is, shouldn't you just tell Ryuuen?"
"Do you think he would be satisfied simply by knowing the answer?"
At that she clicked her tongue in understanding.
In reality, Ryuuen-kun was approaching the answer himself, but I kept that a secret.
"…Anyway, I'm going to slowly repair my relationship with Horikita. Ayanokouji-kun too, while I'm at it. I don't plan on becoming best friends or anything, but since I'm going to use him as my stress relief tool, I have to treat him with the appropriate attitude."
"…So until then, I'm your stress relief tool. You really are a luxurious woman."
"Shut up. In that regard, I can say whatever I want to you, and even if you end up hating me it doesn't matter, so it's just right."
It was quite a harsh way to be spoken to, but her reaction was interesting nonetheless.
Although the essence of Kikyou Kushida as a monster driven by approval-seeking had not changed, by finding a person with whom she felt no need to maintain any facade, the accumulated stress disappeared, and a side of her remained that still held a trace of girlish innocence.
That was the current Kikyou Kushida. My analysis was complete, yet this change was still unexpected.
The idea of using the Super High School Level Hope as a receptacle for her complaints was truly splendid.
That's why...
...Understood. I'll occasionally keep you company with your complaints.
An unexpected reply. And with it, a small atonement.
The girl, who had shed one layer thanks to my response, looked stunned. She widened her eyes as if trying to stare straight through my face, surprised to an almost amusing degree.
Fundamentally, the reason she had been cornered was my fault. I had learned from Ibuki-san the importance of considering other people's feelings.
And when making a mistake, to apologize with sincerity.
...Ah, come to think of it, I still hadn't apologized to her.
"…Isn't that expression of yours a little unfair?"
The faint red blush spread across Kushida-san's cheeks.
After averting her eyes, she looked at my face once more and let out a sigh.
"…Let's hurry up and get this over with. You want the information I have, right?"
After readjusting her cross-legged position, she began speaking briskly.
Without waiting for me to prepare to listen, she quickly pushed the conversation forward, trying to finish as fast as possible.
"I met the janitor who looked like you on the deadline day for submitting problems for the Paper Shuffle. The place was the hallway near the library."
I burned that information into my mind.
Having grasped the time and location, I moved on to ask about the more crucial details.
"What was his appearance like? Even if his face resembled mine, there must have been differences, correct? For example, please tell me detailed information such as hair color, eye color, atmosphere, and so on."
"He was wearing the same uniform as the school janitors here and had a cap on. His height felt similar to yours. His hair was pure white and short, the complete opposite of yours. But his eye color was red like yours—his was a brighter red, I think~. His atmosphere was imposing… or should I say it had a kind of warmth to it?"
Pure white short hair. Bright red eyes.
And a face similar to mine.
From that information, I instantly saw through the identity of the person who had made contact.
...Hajime Hinata. Moreover, in the awakened state he reached after defeating Junko Enoshima.
My earlier hypothesis had been correct without a doubt—Hajime Hinata had inherited my talents.
"I see. Was there anything else that concerned you?"
"Anything that concerned me? Not really~. Oh, but he did try to win me over by saying he was my ally or something."
"My ally, huh."
Deriving an answer from that information would be difficult at this stage.
However, it was clear that Hajime Hinata had approached Kikyou Kushida with some kind of purpose.
"That's valuable information. Is there anything else you forgot to mention?"
"I don't have any more information left. Nothing I forgot either. More importantly, who is that guy?"
"That is…"
My words got stuck.
I couldn't immediately come up with a good response.
"Heh~. So even you can be troubled by something. Well, that's fine. It's probably safer for me not to pry any further. With that, I'm going home for today. That's okay, right?"
Kushida-san was being thoughtful.
She looked satisfied by the fact that even I couldn't answer right away.
"…Yes, thank you for today."
Kushida-san stood up and headed toward the entrance.
I also stood to see her off.
"It's okay, no need to see me off. A girl leaving a boy's room in the middle of the night is already enough of a problem."
Even if she called it the middle of the night, it was only around 9 PM—far too early for it to count as a secret rendezvous.
"…Hey, can you listen to just a little more of my story at the very end?"
The moment she reached the entrance and put her hand on the doorknob, Kushida-san turned around and said that.
She made no attempt to hide her true face, speaking from the heart. It wasn't the Kikyou Kushida that everyone knew, but she looked like a very endearing existence.
"I don't mind, but unlike you, I don't have any duty of confidentiality, you know?"
"I know that you're not the type to recklessly spread secrets. That's why I can talk without reservation. Maybe you guided me to feel that way about you, but even so, I feel comfortable talking to you."
"I didn't guide you like that at all. After all, what I desire is the unknown. Reaching an answer by simply following a logical path would be boring, wouldn't it?"
"So that's the kind of person you are."
After smiling faintly, she began to speak.
"…When I was bullied by that terrifying aura of yours, I was so scared I couldn't stand it. But once I told myself that as long as I could satisfy my desires in the end it would be fine, the fear faded surprisingly quickly. No matter how many times I was humiliated."
A confession of her inner thoughts.
Yet she didn't have the air of someone who had completely given up on everything like a person wishing for death.
"You were scary back then. I really hated you. It wasn't just the fear—I also hated how you made me realize that what you were saying was completely logical…You know, even before I started fearing you, I already loathed you intensely."
"I figured."
"I hate people who possess so many talents and use them only for themselves, but what I hate even more is that despite flaunting those talents, you still have a 'self.' That's why I despised you… But honestly, I knew the real reason I hated you so much."
"You were irritating and I hated you, but... I was envious. I resented you for having everything I wanted, and I was truly, deeply envious."
The conclusion she reached after looking back at herself was a simple truth.
Nothing more than jealousy, but her runaway desire for approval had kept that answer out of sight.
"Do you still desire this talent even now?"
"…I don't need it. I'm fine staying as I am. There's no need to change this distorted desire of mine."
A refreshingly beautiful smile, unbound by anything.
Her emotions rose clearly to the surface—it was genuinely human.
"...Thank you. I was able to find 'myself.' You put me through a lot of things… but right now, I'm grateful."
"Is an apology needed for what happened during the Cruise Ship Special Test?"
"No need. Instead of that, just keep accompanying me for my stress relief from now on. Ah, but since you hurt a girl, you could pay a bit more in compensation, you know?"
"I'll keep it somewhere in the corner of my mind."
With those final words, she turned back to the door once more and pushed the doorknob down in one swift motion.
Her short blonde hair swayed smoothly, and her dignified, straight figure crossed beyond the door.
I watched her small yet distinctly feminine back as she left, then locked the door.
The unknown of the eclosed Kushida-san greatly satisfied me.
***
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