NOVEL WEB Chapter 23: The Ghost.
It was finally the day of the of the results.
Kasturagi wore a girm expression while walking towards the final roll call. His classmates matched his expression. As all the classes assembled, Yuto watched from a distance, briefly reflecting light from a mirror on Sae, before going back to a laid back posture on a tree.
Ryuen's sudden appearance shocked the crowd, but the murmuring died down just as quickly. Everyone listened intently for the results.
"I will now reveal the results of the exam" Tomonari Mashima announced in a megaphone. Everyone looked on with anticipiation in thier eyes. "coming in last.."
"Class C with zero points." Mashima said as Ryuen's eyes widened, "What?" Ryuen mummered in disbelif. Mashima continued, "Next..In third, Class A with 5 points." Kasturagi looked shocked. Mashima didn't wait, "In second, Class B, with 90 points."
"And finally, in first place. Class D with 305 points!"
The shock rippled through the crowd, but none felt it more profoundly than Class D themselves.
"I don't know how we won, but we did it!" Ike exclaimed, pulling Yamauchi into a hug.
'Yuto really did destroy the competition...' Ayanokoji remarked inwardly, observing the joyous chaos erupting within Class D.
Yuto meanwhile, looked on at his class and smiled. "Guess I should head to the cruise before they come to 'meet me'." he muttered to himself, while rising from his spot.
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"Can you believe it? We won!"Sudo exclaimed with a huge smile.
Yuto nodded his head energetically and smiled at him before replying, "Yes! I was so surprised!" Hirata smiled but frowned instantly as his gaze fell upon Yuto's bandaged leg and the stick he was taking support from. "I am sorry for your leg, Kazuki-kun." he said solemley.
The cheerful mood of the crowd faded away except Yuto seemed to be happy? "What are you guys talking about?" The class looked at him, visibly confused". This is a clean fracture! I will heal completely within two weeks," Yuto exclaimed with peace sign on his face and a smirk. The mass was silent! Yuto looked at them with confusion, 'I thought it was a believable lie..' He thought. All of the sudden, the class shouted in overjoy. Horikita was right when she said that Yuto was a nessesary cog...' Ayanokoji mused as he silently left the mass.
"Wait!" Ayanokoji turned around to she Horikita, panting due to sprinting to Ayanokoji. "He's a great actor, isn't he?" Ayanokoji commented, his gaze drifting toward a chuckling Yuto, who was now chatting happily with his classmates. Ayanokoji rubbed his forearm, which still felt a bit numb.
Meanwhile, Horikita looked puzzled. Ayanokoji sighed with his characteristic deadpan expression as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Seems you don't remember what happened before you passed out," he remarked.
Horikita furrowed her brow, deep in thought. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization. "He was on the island the entire time, wasn't he?" she exclaimed.
Ayanokoji looked at the sky, the wind gently moving his hair as he said, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world, that he didn't exist."
Horikita's was visibly perplexed. "You aren't our leader Horikita." Horikita's eyes widened. "Eh? But the card-" Ayanokoji pulled a card out of his pocket and gave it to Horikita. Her mouth widened slightly. "You and that idiot arranged all of this didn't you." Ayanokoji leaned on a pole as he replied, "No. I made my own plan, he made his. We told each other's plan so that we don't get in the way."
"What was Yuto's plan then?" Horikita asked. Ayanokoji slowly turned to Horikita as he said, "You saw what happen to the other classes points didn't you." Horikita's eyes widened completey. "Impossible.." she muttered but a question popped up in her head, "Wait! Then why did he pretend to leave the Island?"
Ayanokoji sighed, "The same reason as me. He wants to hide behind your shadow. I don't know why, but it seems Yuto has suddenly found a reason to hold back drastically. Unlike me, he's already shown his excellence, so it would be difficult to hide his involvement-"
"unless he removes himself from the picture..." Horikita finished for him, her eyes still widened. Ayanokoji nodded. Horikita slowly turned her gaze to Yuto and smiled, "He is still such a Idiot." she mumbled to herself.
'But wait? Where are our classmates?!' she tought but shrills broke through.
"Horikita-san! How did you do it?"
"You're amazing! Total genius!"
Horikita looked confused, she glanced at Ayanokoji who shurgged and then to Yuto, who grinned at her with a thumbs up. She gritted her teeth, "Sly bastards..."
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Yuto limped his way to the theater, muttering curses under his breath. "Damn it! Pretending to limp for 2 weeks is going to be so annoying!"
Suddenly, he heard someone calling his name from behind. "Kazuki-kun!"
Yuto turned around to see Ichinose waving at him. Yuto smilied as he saw Ichinose's figure aproaching him, "Kazuki-kun, I heard what happen to you. Are you alright?" Yuto nodded. Ichinose looked at Yuto and tried cheering him up, "You look like Sakayanagi-san right now!" Yuto furrowed his brows as he frowned at Ichinose, "Don't compare me with that lolli!"
Ichinose started laughing as she patted Yuto's back, "That was meant to be a complement! You look smart and cute! Just like her." Yuto still had a frowned look, causing Ichinose to change the topic.
"I was so shocked at the point difference between Class B and D. Horikita-san really is something else."
"Agreed." Yuto said near instantly, causing Ichinose to chuckle. Her face went solem. "What happen?" Yuto asked. "My classmates are questioning the alliance with Class D, I don't know what to do." Yuto chuckled, "but wasn't Class D the reason the other classes including Class A got so low?"
Ichinose pouted, "You are saying that because you are in Class D!"
"Why, Of course!" Yuto said in a smug tone. Ichinose was about to pout again but smiled as she said, "Your Class didn't do anything to Class A. It was 'The Ghost'."
Yuto wore a confused grimace, "The who?" making Ichinose chuckle, "Oh wait! I forgot you left the Island so you don't know!"
Yuto raised his brows, "Basically, Class A was repeatedly sabatoged by someone, causing them lose their points. Here is the creepy part though! The person responsible for the subversion wasn't even caught in the act once! So, people just started calling him/her 'The Ghost.' "
Ichinose elaborated. Yuto nodded in acknowledgment, and the walk fell into silence.
Suddenly, Yuto looked Ichinose dead in the eye. "Ichinose, what are you going to do now about the alliance?"
Ichinose was taken aback by the sudden question, she looked down and figited with her fingers. "I suppose that still putting it up would be the most advantagous to do but the few people might be unhappy about it... I still want to have Class D as my friends.."
Yuto patted her on the head as he said, "If you want to make everyone happy, I'm afriad that's impossible." Ichinose was baffled by Yuto comment as she tried to retort, "No it's not. I -"
"It is." Yuto cut in. Ichinose was absolutly shocked that the kind and friendly Yuto could spout such hurtful comments. Yuto stopped in front of the theater as he watched Icarus' wings burn burn with a deadpan expression, as he plummeted to his death. "Ichinose. I don't mean to hurt to but rathar, I'm giving you an advice in retun of what Class D did. So remember this. If you are not willing to let go of anything, you are destined to lose everything."
Ichinose did not want to litsen to Yuto, Before she could respond, Yuto put front a warm smile, melting any anger built up in her. "This is where I need to go, see you later!" he said and walked off with saying anything else, leaving a muddled Ichinose staring at his back.
"What..."