Chapter 5: The Truth
The morning halls buzzed with ugly whispers. A cluster of girls stood together, their voices sharp and loud enough for the whole school to hear.
"Ryo the pervert stole our clothes!"
"He has to be punished!"
Students laughed, some holding up their phones to record. The scene felt like a storm swallowing the hallway.
Iris stepped forward, her voice trembling but firm.
"Stop it! You don't have any proof… you're accusing him unfairly."
The girls sneered.
"Oh? You're defending him? Don't tell me… you've fallen for him?"
Laughter rippled through the crowd. The tension grew heavy as more students gathered, circling like spectators at an execution.
---
Suddenly, silence fell.
Ryo appeared, walking through the crowd with his usual calm. Every eye turned toward him, and for a moment, even the whispers died.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, lifting it high.
"Enough with your lies," he said coldly. "It's time you saw the truth."
With a few taps, a video lit up the screen. Gasps echoed across the hallway. The footage was clear: one of the very same girls from the group was caught sneaking something out of the changing room.
The guilty girl's face drained of color.
"T-That's not what it looks like!" she stammered desperately.
But it was too late. All eyes had already turned on her.
---
Whispers spread like wildfire:
"So… Ryo was innocent all along?"
"We really accused him for nothing…"
Some students lowered their heads, ashamed.
Ryo's gaze swept over them, sharp and cold.
"I don't care what you think of me," he said flatly. "But don't you dare try to smear me with lies again."
Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving behind a stunned silence.
---
Later, Iris caught up to him outside. Her voice was soft, almost hurt.
"You could've shown that video from the very beginning… Why did you let everyone treat you like that?"
Ryo stopped, his eyes locking on hers with unusual seriousness.
"I wanted to see… who would stand against me, and who would stand beside me."
He walked away once more, leaving Iris rooted to the spot.
But this time, she smiled faintly to herself.
"The more I try to hate him… the more he surprises me."