The battle was over before it even began. Defeat was certain, and it was absolute.
After deciding to withdraw the lawsuit, the students of Class D left the meeting room in silence, their faces grim with disappointment.
"That's great! This means Sudou-san won't be punished!"
Kushida Kikyo's voice carried a warmth that could soothe even the most wounded hearts. She gently pushed a chair under the table, her smile as bright as ever.
Kouenji, standing nearby, said nothing. But the way the corners of his lips curled upward and how he twisted his golden hair spoke volumes—he was enjoying the spectacle.
Even Chabashira Sae, usually composed, had a rare trace of amusement in her voice.
"Well, that settles it. We should probably—"
"What the hell!"
The sudden outburst came from Kure Ragna, who had been leaning against the wall, quietly stroking his chin. His sharp inhale, like someone realizing they had just lost a winning lottery ticket, made everyone turn toward him.
"Something's off," he muttered. "I forgot something important."
Kushida blinked, tilting her head. "What is it?"
Kure Ragna straightened up, raising a finger as if making a grand declaration. "Listen. Class D just withdrew their lawsuit. Right now, they're exhausted—mentally and emotionally drained. If I strike now, if I push forward and report Ryuen Kakeru's violence against his own classmates, wouldn't that completely shatter them?"
"But… what about the evidence?" Kushida pointed out the flaw immediately.
"The evidence is their injuries." Kure shrugged. "They couldn't prove Sudou's wounds came from him, so where did theirs come from? If they can't explain it, that means they're hiding something—or someone. And if they try to prove Ryuen's innocence, they'll still have to justify their injuries, which will inevitably expose their lies."
"In the end, no matter how they spin it, it all leads back to one conclusion—they tried to slander another student in the same grade."
"And you benefit from this… how?" Kushida asked, eyes narrowing.
"Simple. I could use this as leverage to milk some money out of Ryuen." Kure grinned—then suddenly froze, his expression twisting in horror.
"Wait… Damn it! I missed my chance! My money!"
His pained groan echoed in the room, as if he had just lost a fortune at the stock market.
Kouenji, watching the scene unfold, let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha! It seems even Kure Ragna is capable of making mistakes." He flicked back his hair with effortless grace. "Though, in my opinion, this may have been for the best."
"Oh?" Kure arched a brow.
Kouenji crossed his arms. "If my assumptions are correct, you have a deal with Ryuen where you collect 80,000 yen from Class D each month—likely in exchange for class points. That means your income is tied to their stability."
"Right now, Class D has 490 points. Your 80,000 is already taking a large chunk of their earnings. If you push them too hard, they might just retaliate out of desperation, even if it means driving their class points to zero. That would leave everyone with nothing."
"But wouldn't that mean they'd never make it to Class A?" Kushida asked, puzzled.
"Perhaps," Kouenji mused, "but if the rumors are true, Ryuen has no intention of using his points to reach Class A in the first place. That means those points might not be as valuable to them as you think."
Kure sighed, his frustration still evident. "Damn. I should've capitalized on it sooner."
Kouenji smirked. "Speaking of deals, how about this, Kure? Transfer half of your monthly income to me, and after graduation, I'll return triple the amount in cash. Sounds tempting, doesn't it?"
Kure shot him a deadpan look. "You must be dreaming. Not happening. Besides, I already have plenty of money—if I gave you half, I wouldn't have enough to spend on myself."
"Ah, then so be it." Kouenji chuckled, unbothered by the rejection. With a carefree wave, he turned his back to the group and made his way toward the door.
"I'll be off, then. I have a lovely date planned with a senior from another class."
"…Huh?"
Kure's eyes widened, a look of shock spreading across his face. He glanced at the others, then back at Kouenji, his voice low with suspicion.
"Wait a second… Is this guy turning into a scumbag?"
Kushida hesitated before answering. "Um… I don't think that's the case?"
Chabashira, seemingly uninterested in their banter, sighed and waved them off. "Alright, if you're done, get moving. The Student Council President has a busy schedule."
"Got it, got it," Kure muttered as he turned toward the door.
Just as he was about to leave, Horikita Manabu's voice stopped him.
"Wait a moment."
Kure glanced over his shoulder. "What now?"
Manabu met his gaze with his usual calm demeanor. "Have you given any thought to my previous proposal?"
Kure paused, then clicked his tongue. "Oh, that." He smirked. "I already told you—once I collect all seven Dragon Balls, I'll give you an answer."
Manabu raised an eyebrow, silent.
"But here's the thing," Kure continued, shrugging. "I thought I had four of them, but it turns out one was a fake. So, I'm back to three. Gotta find four more. Guess you'll just have to wait a little longer."
Manabu studied him for a moment, then gave a slight nod. "I see." Without another word, he turned and left with Tachibana Akane.
With that, the last of Class B exited the room, leaving only Chabashira, Kure, and Kushida behind.
Once the door clicked shut, Chabashira finally spoke. "I'll admit, you two handled that well."
"Hehehe, it's just what classmates should do," Kushida responded, her usual angelic smile in place.
Kure, however, simply gazed at the ceiling, silent.
…Sudou?
The moment his earplugs had been removed, the basketball idiot had bolted straight to the gym, probably to let off steam.
"Ah, before I forget."
Chabashira turned back toward them, a subtle smirk on her lips. "Here's something interesting—if you make it through this semester, you'll be taken on a little 'trip' over the summer."
She emphasized the word trip in a way that made it clear it wouldn't be a vacation.
Before they could press for details, she strutted off in her high heels.
"Travel, huh…" Kure murmured, rubbing his chin. He had a feeling this wouldn't be as simple as Chabashira made it sound.
"Hey," Kushida called out, tugging at his sleeve.
"Hm?"
She looked up at him with an innocent smile—but her tone carried something more. "Let's go on a date this weekend."
Kure frowned. "Not happening."
"Why not?"
"One, I don't have time. Two, I'm supposed to be Kei's public boyfriend. Going out with another girl right now would be way too obvious."
Kushida pouted. "That sounds like a you problem."
"Wake up. I literally brought you lunch last Sunday."
"I don't care. A date is a date." She remained stubborn.
Kure sighed in defeat. "Fine. But we do it Friday."
Her face lit up. "Deal!"
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