On a certain day in June, Kitagawa Ryo was lounging alone in his room, watching television while holding Hotaru. He had just finished bathing the kitten, and although he had already blow-dried her fur, Hotaru seemed displeased by the tufts that curled around her body. She wouldn't settle down until Ryo carefully smoothed them out.
As Ryo savored this rare moment of leisure during his break, his phone suddenly rang. He placed Hotaru on the sofa and pulled out his phone. The name displayed on the screen was: Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Hello, Arisu?"
"You picked up fast. Looks like you're alone in your room."
"Are you sick?"
Ryo frowned slightly. Though Sakayanagi's tone remained teasing as usual, her voice was noticeably weaker, and her breathing irregular. Given her already fragile health, Ryo instinctively voiced his concern.
"Oh, I'm okay. Just caught a little cold a few days ago."
Arisu let out a light yawn over the phone. She didn't seem too bothered by it, and sounded rather spirited.
"I probably won't be participating in this summer's special exam."
"I see. So the school really won't let us off that easily. You must be talking about the so-called 'deserted island vacation' the teachers mentioned, right?"
"Yes, that's the one."
Although Ryo had already suspected the school might be planning something like that, Arisu's confirmation gave clarity to the exam's general structure. The location being a deserted island and Arisu's inability to participate due to her health painted a clear picture.
"A special exam... It's likely to be a pivotal one, something that could drastically shift the inter-class rankings, maybe even overturn the entire landscape, right?"
"Exactly."
Perhaps hearing the ambition in his voice, Arisu chuckled lightly.
"With Class D and Class B no longer a threat to Class C, I suppose your next target is Class A."
"That was the plan. But if you're not going to be there, it might not be as fun."
"If Class A students hear that, they'll feel insulted. There's still a gap between us and Class C, isn't there?"
"Just a few hundred points."
Ryo replied fearlessly.
After the midterm exams in June, each class's point totals had been updated:
Class A remained at the top with 1004 points. Class B followed with 683 points. Class C had 656 points, and Class D was left with a miserable 87.
The school had indeed rewarded each class with 100 points for passing the midterms, but only if no students were expelled. If it weren't for Sudou Ken being officially selected for the basketball team and receiving a 100-point reward from the school, Class D's score might still be zero.
It was thanks to this bonus that Karuizawa Kei successfully used Sudou to solidify her position within Class D. After all, had she not spent her points to save Sudou after the midterms, the situation would have been even worse for the class.
This was their first point increase since the school year began.
With Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji gone, Class D seemed to be hitting a rebound under immense pressure. Still, Ryo didn't take them seriously.
"I bet you'd actually prefer if I hit Class A harder this time, wouldn't you, Arisu?"
Ryo had no illusion that Sakayanagi would offer him insider info for free. He had never let down his guard around her, even now as she sounded weak and breathless on the phone.
Sakayanagi had taken longer than he expected to fully control Class A. Katsuragi Kohei had gathered a faction of supporters, and if Sakayanagi couldn't join the exam, Class A would likely be led by him. The more damage Ryo did to Class A, the easier it would be for Sakayanagi to consolidate her control after the summer.
"Come now, don't always assume I'm so calculating."
From the rustling sounds, Ryo guessed she was lying in bed under the covers. He even heard a few soft coughs.
"...Are you really okay?"
Though his logic told him Arisu wasn't the type to show weakness on purpose, Ryo couldn't help but ask with concern.
"Now you're worried about me?"
Her words silenced him again. In fact, throughout the entire semester, aside from brief interactions at the start and during the B-class scheme, Ryo had been deliberately avoiding her. While this matched his strategy of tackling Class D and B before targeting A, perhaps he also genuinely didn't want to get too entangled with her.
Unlike Ichinose Honami, Karuizawa Kei, Shiina Hiyori, or even Horikita Suzune, Sakayanagi Arisu was the one girl Ryo couldn't read. Beneath her frail exterior lay a calculating mind that rivaled his own. Dealing with someone equally cunning was simply exhausting.
"Then I'll stop worrying. Get well soon."
Since she wouldn't be participating in the exam, it meant more chances for Class C. Just as Ryo was about to hang up:
"Don't you still owe me two favors?"
"Wasn't it just one?"
Ryo was surprised.
"You're not counting the Kamuro incident too, are you?"
"Of course I am. Kamuro Masumi is my subordinate now. If you got her help, that favor goes to me."
"Fine, fine. You win. I remember we agreed you'd get 20% of the points we got from B-class."
"But I think it's more interesting to have you owe me a favor than to receive some points."
"Right, right. A-class has deep pockets. Of course you wouldn't care about the points."
Ryo shrugged. After all, getting Ichinose to reveal her past required a strong push—and it had to come from someone outside of B or C-class. With D-class lacking viable options, Sakayanagi had offered Kamuro Masumi for the job.
That favor was a steep price. And knowing Sakayanagi, she would cash it in when it mattered most.
"One favor is enough. I just want a promise from you."
"...You haven't given up on that idea yet?"
"Nope. When the time comes and you lose to me and face expulsion, I'll spend 20 million to buy you back and then transfer you into Class A. How's that sound?"
"You're ridiculous."
Ryo reached over and stroked Hotaru's head, then asked:
"By the way, did you know Hotaru's with me now?"
"Huh?"
It was the first time Arisu sounded surprised.
"That cat?"
"Yeah. I remember you took care of her for a year."
"And I gave her the name Hotaru, remember?"
"I'm not the one who forgets the past. That's Kei."
"You say it so fondly. You two are getting along well now, huh?"
Arisu's tone suddenly cooled.
"Bring her here. Now."
"...This is my first time entering a girl's room. Anything I should watch out for?"
"What, you don't consider Shiina, Karuizawa, and the others girls?"
She was back to her usual half-teasing, half-serious tone.
"Should I feel honored then?"
"You sure are well-informed."
So he was right. Even though they hadn't interacted much this semester, they had been keeping tabs on each other.
"You have one minute, Ryo. Want me to count down for you?"
"No need. I'm already in the elevator."
Ryo placed the confused Hotaru in a cardboard box, checked the hallway, and slipped into the elevator.
"You're really something. If someone sees Hotaru, it'll be a hassle."
"Shut it. If you say one more word today, I'll consider that favor unpaid."
"Alright, alright, my lady. Could you behave? You're sick, remember? If you weren't—"
Before he could finish, Ryo saw Sakayanagi leaning against her doorframe, smiling at him.
"If I weren't, what?"
"If you weren't sick, you'd be even prettier."
Not wanting anyone to see him entering her room, Ryo pulled her gently inside. Her weight felt lighter than usual—likely from her poor condition. He barely tugged her arm and she stumbled into his chest.
"Hey now, this kind of move makes me wonder if you've got hidden cameras in here."
He quickly placed the box on the shoe cabinet and helped her stand up. Strangely, even after two years, she still hadn't grown taller. She barely reached his shoulder now.
They stared at each other awkwardly. Ryo confirmed her pale complexion and the dull strands of hair by her ears. She looked utterly exhausted—it was hard to believe she still had the strength to argue with him on the phone.
Fortunately, Hotaru broke the silence by jumping out of the box and into Arisu's arms. Whether due to strength or weakness, Arisu wobbled under the impact. Ryo had to catch her again.
"I'm hungry."
Arisu recovered her poise and strode inside holding the white cat.
"Go make something."
"You're hopeless."
Ryo shook his head and, familiar with the layout, easily located the kitchen. He wasn't new to cooking for girls.
Yet instead of resting, Arisu sat quietly on the sofa, holding Hotaru, her violet eyes blinking at Ryo as he moved about.
She stroked Hotaru's head. The kitten snuggled obediently against her fingers. During the year Ryo had vanished, Arisu had personally raised Hotaru. Back then, everything Ryo did was for her alone.
What frustrated Arisu was that even after two years, Hotaru remembered her and leapt into her arms. Yet Ryo never looked back.
Just like his sharp, calculating style in chess—always pressing forward, always several steps ahead.
So talented. So heartless.
But unlike the emotionally void Ayanokoji Kiyotaka from the White Room, Ryo wasn't entirely devoid of warmth. Sometimes, he...
Arisu scratched Hotaru's chin. The kitten closed its eyes in bliss.
Perhaps that was the part of him she'd always cared about.
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Perhaps in Kitagawa Ryo's understanding, someone who's sick must drink a bowl of steaming hot soup. So after working busily for quite a while, what he finally brought to Sakayanagi Arisu was a pot of hot mushroom consommé. Though it looked plain, the assortment of vegetables was actually quite generous. Worried she might not be full, he even made a small bamboo steamer of shrimp dumplings—just three or four pieces, glistening and delicate in appearance.
At some point, Sakayanagi Arisu had fallen asleep on the sofa, breathing evenly.
It was an expression of perfect peace, like the serenity of an angel.
A moment when all her masks were removed.
No matter how much Sakayanagi Arisu portrayed herself as omnipotent and calculating, at this moment, the girl asleep before Kitagawa Ryo was still only sixteen years old.
In the past, he might have drawn "Big Dummy" on her face with a permanent marker and taken a photo for keepsake. But now, Kitagawa Ryo had no such inclination. Instead, he respectfully stood half a meter away and gently called out with a smile:
"Time to wake up, Arisu."
Her long lashes fluttered for a moment before she slowly rubbed her sleepy eyes and woke up. She didn't seem the least bit embarrassed about falling asleep in front of him. Slipping into her slippers, she went to wash her face. By the time she sat down at the table to eat, her gaze had returned to its usual clear and vibrant state.
What surprised Kitagawa Ryo was that throughout the entire lunch, Sakayanagi Arisu didn't say a single word. She only focused intently on tasting the meal he'd made. Yet, she didn't comment, just ate everything quietly, one bite at a time. Only after finishing did she let out a satisfied sigh.
By the time Kitagawa Ryo cleared the table and washed the dishes, Sakayanagi Arisu had already returned to bed. The white duvet covered her from neck to toes, leaving only her small face exposed, eyes gazing longingly at him.
"Sleeping right after eating will make you gain weight," Kitagawa Ryo warned seriously, but then added:
"Though I suppose it's fine if you put on a bit. You're too frail anyway."
"...Come here."
Sakayanagi Arisu acted as if she hadn't heard his teasing. She extended a small hand from under the blanket and beckoned him.
"Am I supposed to provide a bedtime story too?"
Kitagawa Ryo sighed and sat down at the edge of her bed. He was just about to tuck her hand back under the covers when she unexpectedly grabbed his right hand.
But with her eyes closed, face expressionless, she acted as though nothing had happened. Kitagawa Ryo had no choice but to let her hold onto his hand. Her palm was a bit sweaty, slightly slick, and warmer than his.
Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't chosen tens of thousands of personal points, nor the opportunity to sabotage Kitagawa Ryo in a future class battle.
Kitagawa Ryo quietly looked at her sleeping face.
And until she fell asleep, he stayed right there, holding her hand the entire time.
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