NOVEL WEB Chapter 9: Blackmails Day
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The moment all of the study group members gathered, Horikita wasted no time and started the session. She adjusted her sitting posture and looked around at the group.
"I'll say this now—if you're expecting me to go easy on you, leave. I'm not here to babysit."
She glanced at Sudo, Ike, Yamauchi and in particular Kumagawa, before continuing.
"Our goal is simple: to make sure none of you fail. I don't care how bad your grades are or how much you hate studying. You will learn. If you don't, you'll be expelled, and that's that."
She tapped the stack of textbooks in front of her.
"We'll start with the fundamentals. Since most of you have issues with math, we'll begin there. Pay attention. If you have questions, ask. If you don't understand something, say so immediately. I'm not going to repeat myself just because you were too distracted to listen."
Her sharp gaze swept over the group, making it clear she wasn't going to tolerate any nonsense.
"Any questions?"
"The score threshold is thirty-two points, right? Do you fail if you get exactly thirty-two points?" Sudo asked.
"No, you're safe if you score at least thirty-two points. Sudo, you can manage that, right?" Ike said.
"It doesn't really matter. My goal is for everyone to score at least fifty points," Horikita said.
『Fifty points, huh...? That's a lot. I was hoping for something easier, like, say, single digits.』
All eyes turned toward Kumagawa, who, up until this point, had been lazily spinning his pen between his fingers.
"Kumagawa....What's your current score in math?" Horikita exhaled, already regretting acknowledging him.
『Oh, my last test? A solid three points.』
Sudo and the others nearly choked.
"You're screwing around, right?" Yamauchi laughed nervously.
『Nope. It was a hard-earned three points, you know? I even had to guess on one of them.』
"...This is worse than I thought," Horikita muttered under her breath, rubbing her temple.
Even Ayanokouji wasn't sure how someone could achieve such an abysmal score. The only reasonable explanation was that Kumagawa hadn't answered the questions seriously.
But then again, this was Kumagawa. There was a very real possibility that he was just that academically incompetent—or, alternatively, that he had deliberately tanked his scores for reasons beyond human comprehension.
Horikita, unwilling to accept this level of idiocy without proof, asked for his scores in all five subjects.
What she saw left her utterly speechless.
It felt like she had just opened a beautifully wrapped gift, only to find a dead cockroach inside. A part of her wanted to laugh at the absurdity. Another part of her wanted to cry. But most of all, she wanted to throw the entire test result into the trash and pretend she never saw it.
Just how did a person achieve a consistent single-digit score across five different subjects? Did he have some kind of talent for failure? A sixth sense that guided him toward the worst possible answers? No, this was beyond human incompetence. It was as if his very existence rejected the concept of academic success.
She looked at him again, her expression unreadable. Then, after a brief moment of silence, she made a decision.
"Kumagawa, sit next to me."
『Ehh, why? 』
"Because out of everyone here, you need the most help. And I refuse to have a single-digit-scoring idiot drag this group down."
『Oh, how harsh. It's almost like you don't believe in me.』
"I don't."
『Ouch. 』
Despite her words, Kumagawa didn't seem particularly bothered. With a light shrug, he got up and moved his seat closer to Horikita.
"Alright, let's begin," she said, as if bracing herself for impact.
Horikita wasted no time diving into the lesson. She flipped open a math textbook and pointed to a problem on the page.
"We'll start with algebra. Solve for x: 3x + 7 = 19."
Sudo, Yamauchi, and Ike stared at the equation like it had just insulted their mothers.
"Uh... so you, uh... move the seven?" Ike hesitantly muttered.
"Move it where?" Horikita asked.
"...Away?"
"Ike-kun, you subtract seven from both sides. That cancels it out, leaving you with 3x = 12. Then you divide by three, so x equals four." Kushida, ever the helpful one, stepped in.
[Note : Time to learn math boys]
"Ohhh," Yamauchi nodded, pretending he had understood from the start.
"Easy," Sudo scoffed. "I was just about to say that."
Ayanokouji, watching from the sidelines, decided to give them a simpler example.
"Think of it like this: If you have three times as many basketballs as Ike, and you know the total is twelve, how many basketballs does Ike have?"
Sudo's eyes narrowed in thought. "...Four?"
"Exactly."
Horikita, seeing at least some progress, continued on. But while Kushida and Ayanokouji helped Sudo and the others, she mostly focused on Kumagawa.
As expected, it was a disaster.
『Sensei, I don't get it. Can I just write 'x = help me' and hope for partial credit?』
"No."
『But isn't math about creativity? I'm just expressing myself.』
"It's about logic. Something you seem to lack entirely."
Horikita ignored him and pressed on, but the more she explained, the more she regretted her decision. Teaching Kumagawa was like trying to fill a broken bucket with water—it just leaked out immediately.
Eventually, she leaned back and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Honestly, first and second-year junior high school students could easily solve this problem. If you stumble here, it'll be impossible for you to continue."
"So what, we're like elementary school kids?" Sudo growled.
『That's insulting. Elementary school kids are way smarter than us. 』 Kumagawa said, completely straight-faced.
"And you're no better, so don't act like you're above them." Horikita sighed. "Listen up. This can be easily solved using a system of simultaneous equations."
Without hesitation, she picked up her mechanical pencil and began writing on a blank sheet of paper, breaking down the solution step by step.
Unfortunately, it looked like only Ayanokouji and Kushida understood. The rest of the group stared at the numbers like they were ancient runes written in an unknown language causing their brain to got short circuited.
"What even are simultaneous equations?" Ike squinted at the page.
"Are you seriously asking me that?" Said Horikita.
Sudo let out an annoyed grunt and threw his mechanical pencil onto the desk.
"That's it, stop. I'm done. This isn't going to work."
Ike and Yamauchi immediately followed suit, pushing away their papers and standing up. Only Kumagawa remained seated, still in his own world, absently twirling his pen between his fingers.
"W-wait, everyone. Let's just give it a shot, okay? If you learn how to solve these problems now, you can apply what you've learned on the test." Kushida quickly interjected.
"Well, if Kushida-chan says so... I guess I can try. But if Kushida-chan were teaching, I'd probably try even harder."
"U-um..."
Kushida hesitated, throwing a glance at Horikita, as if silently asking permission to take over. But Horikita remained completely silent. Her lack of reaction is troubling. The longer she stayed quiet, the clearer it became that this study group was on the verge of collapse. Shortly after, Kushida seemed to make up her mind and picked up the mechanical pencil herself.
"Like Horikita-san said, you can solve this problem using a system of simultaneous equations. So let's try writing them out."
Quickly, she wrote down three equations on the paper.
The others were trying their best, but it still seemed hopeless. This felt less like a study session and more like a detention. Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi struggled to follow along with Kushida's instructions, their brows furrowed in deep concentration.
Meanwhile, Kumagawa was in a one-on-one session with Horikita.
Rather than a tutoring session, it was more like a personal form of suffering for Horikita. The cracks on her mechanical pencil were getting worse with each passing second, her grip tightening in frustration. In contrast, Kumagawa remained as carefree as ever, like an idiot completely unaware of the storm brewing next to him.
"Ah, so the answer I got is 710 yen. What did you get?" Kushida asked, her voice filled with encouragement.
"Um... so you used this to get the answer? How?" Sudo frowned at his paper.
"...Um..."
Kushida immediately froze. That was when she realized—none of them understood a thing.
She turned to Horikita in search of help, only to see her in no better condition. If looks could kill, Horikita would have already turned to ash.
Horikita noticed Kushida staring at her and scoffed.
"I'm sorry if you're far too incompetent and ignorant. If you can't even solve this, I seriously shiver at the thought of what your future will bring."
She said it to no one in particular, but it was clear who her words were aimed at. Her eyes just so happened to land on Sudo at the same time.
Sudo, being the hothead that he was, couldn't take that lying down.
"Say whatever you want, academics will be useless in the future anyway."
"Useless, you say? That's an interesting argument. How do you justify that?"
Right now, her full attention was on Sudo rather than Kumagawa.
"I don't care if I can't solve this problem. Studying's useless. Aiming to become a pro basketball player will help me a lot more."
"Incorrect. Once you learn to solve these kinds of problems, your entire life will change. In other words, studying increases the possibility that you'll solve the problems you face. It's the same principle as basketball. I wonder if, so far, you've been playing basketball by your own set of rules."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sudo's eye twitched
"When you run into difficulties in basketball, do you run from your troubles the way you do with academics? I doubt you take basketball practice seriously. You're a natural-born troublemaker—someone who brings disruption wherever you go."
『Eh? Did someone talk about me?』
Kumagawa, who had been mostly quiet, suddenly chimed in, tilting his head.
"Don't lump yourself in with this," Horikita snapped at him.
『Oh, but you were looking straight at me. I thought you were praising me for my consistent record of failure.』
"Do you want to be kicked out?" Horikita shot back.
『Well, not particularly. But it's nice to be acknowledged for once.』 Kumagawa smiled. 『You're pretty amazing, Horikita-san. You think studying will change someone's whole life? That's so optimistic. I envy you.』
"...Just get back to work."
Kumagawa hummed as he tapped his pencil against the desk as he look at both of them.
『You know, you two aren't so different. 』
Both Horikita and Sudo turned to him at the same time.
"Excuse me?"
『Sudo-kun says studying is useless because he has basketball. Horikita-san says studying changes lives. But aren't both of you just using that to feel better about yourselves?』
He twirled his pencil absentmindedly.
『Sudo-kun thinks he doesn't need school because he has basketball, but let's be honest—what are the chances he'll actually go pro? And Horikita-san, you believe studying is the answer to everything, but do you really think everyone here has the same chances as you? If they study hard, will they really become successful? What if they still fail?』
He wasn't even trying to pick a fight, but his words naturally had a way of irritating people.
"Tch, what's your point?" Sudo scowled.
Horikita, meanwhile, merely narrowed her eyes. "...Are you trying to say effort is pointless?"
『Not at all. I'm just saying you're both stubborn in different ways. But don't mind me. I'm just an idiot who barely knows his multiplication tables. Please, continue.』
"Tch, you act all high and mighty just because you can solve some math problems," Ike muttered, "Not everyone's like you, you know? Some of us aren't born smart."
"Yeah, yeah! Not all of us had time to sit around reading textbooks, some people actually have lives." Yamauchi added.
Horikita let out a slow exhale, as if she had expected this.
"Do you seriously believe intelligence is something you're born with?"
"...What?"
"I wasn't born smart. I studied. I put in the effort to understand these things. If you didn't take the time to study, then of course you won't understand anything. Complaining that I'm 'naturally smart' just because you were too lazy to learn is nothing more than an excuse."
Ike and Yamauchi flinched.
"And another thing. You claim you 'actually have lives'—doing what, exactly? Playing video games? Wasting time? How exactly has that improved your situation?"
"Guh—" Ike gritted his teeth, unable to respond.
"W-well, it's not like studying is everything," Yamauchi weakly argued.
『She's right, you know. 』
Everyone turned to Kumagawa, who had been leisurely spinning his pencil the entire time.
『If you spend all your time messing around, you won't get anywhere in life. But at the same time, it's not like studying will guarantee success either. ou could study day and night and still end up jobless. You could pour your heart into basketball and still never go pro. You could dedicate yourself to something completely, only to get screwed over by bad luck, bad timing, or just the fact that someone better than you exists.
『But hey, if even an idiot like me can see it, doesn't that mean you guys are all just arguing over nothing?』
At this point, both sides looked more irritated than before.
"A-alright, let's calm down, everyone!" Kushida clapped her hands together with an awkward smile.
"Yeah, the goal is to pass the test, not to win an argument." Ayanokouji added, stepping in before things got worse.
But it seems, the other three person think differently.
"Tch, I've had enough of this." Sudo stood up, grabbing his bag. "I'd rather get expelled than sit here listening to her lecture me."
"Same here."
"Yeah, I can't stand it anymore."
Both Ike and yamauchi followed suit. Both of the grabbed their bag and decided to leave. Ayanokouji thought this was a rather disastrous study group. He look at Kumagawa, and thought if things would have ended differenty if he's not here.
Horikita remained unfazed and scoffed at them, letting them leaves. She also already give up on those idiots.
"Fine. If you're so eager to throw away your future, go ahead. The class doesn't need people who refuse to put in the effort."
Kushida hesitated, glancing between them and Horikita.
"W-wait, guys! Let's at least try to talk this out!" She quickly got up and ran after them, leaving only three people behind.
Or rather, two.
『Ah, look at the time. I actually have somewhere to be. 』
Without another word, he cheerfully walked out of the library, leaving Ayanokouji and Horikita alone in the library.
A short silence followed.
『』『』『』『』『』
『Now then, what should I do? 』
Kumagawa had no particular destination in mind, of course. That much should've been obvious. But leaving with confidence made it seem like he had somewhere important to be. It was a little trick—pretending to be busy so people wouldn't question his lack of direction in life.
While aimless, he still walked with purpose, his steps carrying him upward. He climbed the stairs—second floor, third floor, fourth—until he finally arrived at the rooftop.
This was one of the few places in the school without surveillance cameras. A rare blind spot in a school that monitored nearly everything.
He headed toward the rooftop's maintenance shed where a metal ladder led up to a smaller, elevated section of the roof—the highest point in the entire school. Most students didn't bother coming up here. It wasn't exactly off-limits, but it also wasn't meant to be a place for students to lounge around.
Kumagawa jumped up effortlessly and without care in the world, he flopped onto the ground, spread out like a starfish. Then, with a lazy motion, he pulled out a slightly crumpled copy of Shounen Jump from his pocket.
『Alright, time to catch up. 』
And just like that, Kumagawa's grand plan for the evening began—lying on the rooftop, reading manga, and avoiding his problems for as long as possible.
Then, he heard the creak of a door.
『Hmm? 』
Someone else was here.
He lazily turned his head to peek over the edge.
—Kushida.
"Ahhh, so annoying!"
Her voice was low, filled with venom.
"She's seriously annoying! God, how irritating. It'd be better if she just died..."
She grumbled to herself, the words spilling out like some kind of dark incantation.
"Ugh, I hate stuck-up, snobby girls who think they're so cute. Why is she such a bitch? A rotten girl like her couldn't possibly tutor me. Ah, she's the worst! She's just the worst, the worst, the worst! Horikita, you're so annoying! You're so damn annoying!"
Kumagawa blinked.
Then, as naturally as breathing, he pulled out his phone and started recording.
It was like collecting useless trinkets from a vending machine, hoarding things that held no real value but might possibly be useful one day. Maybe he'd never use it. Maybe he'd forget about it entirely.
As he casually recorded, Kumagawa observed Kushida from above. She kind of reminded him of Takarabe Ima from his world. A cheerful, friendly girl on the surface. But that was all it was—surface-level.
Her smile was shallow. She spoke in public opinions, not personal ones. And when she did speak her mind, it was never anything kind. Just insults and attacks, directed at those she didn't like.
『But I think, Takarabe-chan is cuter. 』
Then—
Thump!
Someone pushed the door open a little too hard.
Kushida flinched, her whole body tensing up. A brief silence followed before she slowly turned toward the entrance.
"...What are you doing here?" she asked coldly.
Kumagawa tilted his head. Who was the unlucky person who had just walked into this mess?
""I got a little lost. Sorry. My bad, my bad. I'll be going now."
It was Ayanokouji's voice.
Kushida's gaze locked onto him. For a brief moment, Kumagawa almost felt bad for him. Almost. He had never seen that kind of intensity from her before. Not toward anyone.
"Did you hear?" she asked.
"Would you believe me if I said I didn't?" Ayanokouji replied.
"I see..."
Kushida briskly stepped toward him. Without hesitation, she placed her left forearm against the base of his throat and pushed him up against the wall. Her tone, her actions—everything about her was completely unlike the Kushida everyone knew.
And all the while, she was being recorded in 4K Ultra HD.
"If you tell anyone what you just heard, I won't forgive you." Her words were ice, and Ayanokouji didn't seem to think they were an idle threat.
"And if I did tell?"
"In that case, I would tell everyone that you raped me."
Kumagawa blinked.
Then, he let out a small laugh.
『Wow, that escalated fast. 』
Well, this was certainly something. A false accusation as a threat? That was a classic move. He had seen it before. He had experienced it before. And probably in the worst way possible.
...But honestly, he wasn't even mad. It was kind of nostalgic.
Kushida wasn't special. She was just another normal person, doing normal things in the worst possible way. A liar, a manipulator, a coward pretending to be something she wasn't. She probably thought she was unique. That she was different. That her situation was special.
—But at the end of the day, she was nothing more than an ordinary, everyday villain.
『Hahh... Humans really are the worst, huh? 』
After everything ended, Kumagawa stopped the recording and slipped his phone back into his pocket. He stayed put for a little while longer, waiting until both of them had left. Neither Kushida nor Ayanokouji had any idea he had been there the whole time.
Soon, Kumagawa climbed down from the rooftop and casually made his way back to the dorm.
And as fate would have it, on his way home, he just so happened to run into Kushida.
"Ah, Kumagawa-kun! Heading back to the dorms?" Kushida greeted him with her usual bright smile, as if nothing had happened.
『Yeah. Just taking a nice, peaceful stroll after a long day of absolutely nothing. 』
『By the way, how was your meeting with Ayanokouji-kun? Must've been quite the conversation. 』
For the briefest moment, the light in her eyes flickered.
But only for a moment.
Kushida giggled, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Oh, nothing special! Just a friendly little chat."
『Huh. A friendly little chat, huh? That's nice. That's real nice.』
He gave her an approving nod, as if she had just told him she helped an old lady cross the street.
『Well, I won't pry. Everyone's got their secrets, right? 』
Kushida blinked, tilting her head with an innocent, confused expression.
"Hmm? What do you mean, Kumagawa-kun?"
Her voice was sweet, perfectly crafted, like she genuinely had no idea what he was talking about.
『Oh, nothing, nothing. Just making small talk. You know how it is. You bump into someone at the right time, the right place, and suddenly, you just know things. 』
"Hehe, you're so weird, Kumagawa-kun. You're saying such strange things."
『I guess I must be. After all, I was just lying down, minding my own business, and then—bam!—I hear the cutest little voice in the world, wishing death on someone. It was adorable, really.』
Kushida's fingers twitched. For the first time, there was a visible crack in her act. But she recovered quickly.
"You must've misheard something, Kumagawa-kun. I was just venting a little. Nothing unusual, right?"
『Oh, of course. Nothing unusual at all. People say all sorts of things when they think no one's listening. 』
"...What exactly are you trying to say, Kumagawa-kun?"
『Nothing, nothing at all. I mean, why would I? You're such a good person, aren't you? You'd never lie, you'd never manipulate, you'd never—what was it again?—oh right, threaten to accuse someone of rape.』
Her face stiffened. This time, there was no playing dumb. The person in front of her—Kumagawa Misogi knew. This was a bad day for Kushida. Not only had she failed to keep Ayanokouji in check, now there was a second person who knew her secret.
"...What do you want?"
Her voice was lower now. The cheerful class idol was gone. Usually, she could handle situations like this, just like she had with Ayanokouji earlier.
But something was off.
For some reason, Kushida's heartbeat quickened. Her instincts screamed at her—this wasn't normal.
Kumagawa Misogi wasn't normal.
His smile hadn't changed. His voice remained light, casual, as if he were just chatting about the weather. But the way he spoke, the way his words curled around her, sent a chill down her spine.
It was disgusting.
『You know, Kushida-chan, I really respect you. You're so talented. Most people can only wear one face, but you? You have so many. It must be exhausting, switching between them all. The good girl, the cute class idol, the other you...』
Her hands clenched into fists. "Kumagawa-kun—"
『—Ah, but I shouldn't say too much, right? That would be rude. After all, people have secrets for a reason. I get it. I really do. It's tough pretending all the time, isn't it? It must be so hard, keeping everyone fooled, making sure no one peeks behind the curtain. Living a life where even the slightest mistake could—poof—make it all come crashing down.』
Kushida swallowed.
"Kumagawa-kun, I don't know what you think you know, but you really shouldn't get involved in things that don't concern you."
『Oh? But doesn't it concern me now? I mean, we're classmates. And I really care about my classmates.』
Kushida took a step forward, voice low.
"Listen, I don't know what your deal is, but let me give you a warning—if you cross me, I'll ruin you."
She smiled sweetly, but her words dripped with venom.
"I'll make your life so miserable, you'll wish you never enrolled in this school."
Kumagawa blinked. Then he tilted his head.
『What are you talking about? My life is already miserable.』
"H-huh?"
Kumagawa took a step forward.
Instinctively, Kushida took a step back.
It was strange. They were near the dorms, yet it felt like the whole area had gone silent. There was no one else around. Or at least, that's how it felt. The air was thick—wrong somehow.
『You talk about making my life miserable like it's some sort of threat, but you don't get it, do you? My life is miserable. It always has been. It always will be. It doesn't matter where I go, what I do, or who I meet—I will always be the worst. I am, after all, a minus.』
His voice remained light, almost cheerful, but there was something unsettling about it—something that made Kushida's stomach twist.
『Getting ostracized? Been there. Having no friends? Done that. Being hated by everyone? It's practically my default state. Bad reputation? Ahaha, you wouldn't believe how many times I've been called a failure, a loser, a waste of space. If I hadn't enrolled here, my life would still be miserable. If I left tomorrow, it would still be miserable. If I died today, my final thought would probably be, "Ah, what a miserable way to go." 』
Kushida could feel a cold sweat forming on her back.
『Misfortune, failure, loss, rejection, disappointment, despair, ruin, hopelessness, misery, suffering, agony, defeat, betrayal, isolation, loneliness, abandonment, humiliation, regret, shame, guilt, disaster, ruin, downfall, destruction, collapse, weakness, inadequacy, emptiness, uselessness, worthlessness, futility, distress, sorrow, pain, grief, torment, turmoil, decay, erosion, damnation, doom, affliction, curse, catastrophe, tragedy, I could go on forever. But you get it, right? 』
Her fingers twitched. She hated this. She hated this.
Kumagawa took another step forward.
Kushida stepped back again.
『Well! That's enough chatting for one day.』
Kumagawa clapped his hands together.
As if nothing had happened. As if he hadn't just peeled her open like a fruit, examined every part of her, and laughed at what he found.
『I had fun, Kushida-chan! Let's talk again sometime, okay?』
And just like that, he walked past her. Cheerful. Carefree. Like a completely normal person.
Kushida didn't move.
She couldn't move.
Only when his footsteps finally faded into the distance did she finally exhale.
Her hands were shaking.
『』『』『』『』『』
Kumagawa's dorm room was exactly what you'd expect from someone like him—plain, unremarkable, and utterly lifeless. The bed was barely used, the desk was empty aside from a few scattered manga, and the only sign of actual habitation was the pile of convenience store wrappers in the trash.
His daily life was simple. He woke up, went to class, got ignored, failed at something, then went back to his room. If he felt like it, he might study. If he didn't, he'd just waste time lying around.
Right now, he was lying on his bed, flipping through a manga he'd already read a dozen times.
『Man, I'm hungry. 』
He sighed and got up, stretching lazily before making his way to the fridge.
When he opened it, he was greeted with nothing but an empty shelf and a half-drunk bottle of water.
『Ahhh... That's right, I was supposed to go grocery shopping today, huh?』
He closed the fridge with a dull thud. The mall was already closed, so his only option was the convenience store.
『Well, whatever. Guess I'll take a walk.』
With that, Kumagawa threw on a hoodie, slipped into his shoes, and headed out into the night.
The night air was cool, carrying the faint scent of the sea. The campus was quiet, with only the occasional student wandering around. Kumagawa walked at his usual sluggish pace, hands tucked into the pockets of his hoodie.
That's when he spotted her—Ichinose Honami.
She was standing near a vending machine, staring at the selection as if debating a life-or-death decision. Even at this hour, she still had that warm, friendly aura, like a person who never had a single dark thought in their life.
Kumagawa stopped a few steps away and tilted his head.
『You planning to fight that thing, Ichinose-chan? 』
She turned around, blinking in surprise before smiling
"Ah, Kumagawa-kun! You suprised me. I was just trying to pick something to drink, but there are too many choices."
Kumagawa took a step closer, glancing at the selection.
『You could always close your eyes, press a random button, and accept your fate. That's what I'd do. 』
She paused for a moment, as if thinking about his words, then smiled
"I guess that's true."
『So, what's a good girl like you doing out here so late? 』
"I just felt like taking a walk. And what about you? You don't seem like the type to be out this late either."
『Oh, you'd be surprised. But if you must know, I was on a noble quest to get some food. My fridge is so empty, even cockroaches wouldn't bother with it.』
"Ahaha, that's bad. You should take better care of yourself, you know."
『That sounds like a lot of work. 』
Ichinose just smiled again, as if she wasn't sure whether he was joking or not.
After that, she finally chose her drink—a simple can of tea—before turning back to him. "Well, I'll be heading back now. Don't stay up too late, okay? Good night, Kumagawa-kun"
And with that, she walked off, her presence fading into the quiet night.
Kumagawa stretched lazily before continuing his quest for food. The convenience store was mostly empty at this hour, just a few tired students grabbing late-night snacks. He grabbed whatever seemed edible—bread, instant ramen, and some cheap yogurt—before heading back to the dorm.
On his way home, he passed by the vending machine near the dorm.
That's when he heard something interesting.
—The sound of fists cutting through the air. The impact of swift movements. A fight.
『Oh? Now, what do we have here?』
Under the glow of the vending machine's light, two figures were locked in combat. Ayanokouji stood calmly, avoiding each attack easily, while the student council president, Horikita Manabu, was the one launching the strikes. Horikita the younger stood nearby, watching the exchange.
"Good reflexes. I didn't imagine you could evade all of my blows so quickly. Also, you seemed to understand quite well what I was trying to do. Have you been taught?"
Manabu said, stepping back after a failed strike.
"Yes, I was taught piano and calligraphy. Also, when I was in elementary school, I won a national music competition."
Kumagawa almost laughed out loud.
『Wow, what a unique combination. Oops.』
—His voice slipped out.
Immediately, Manabu sharp gaze turned toward him. "Who's there?"
『Ah, caught already? Well, I was just passing by, you see. Just a lost little lamb, wandering through the night. A curious bystander. A shadow in the dark. A humble observer of—』
Manabu moved.
There was no warning, no hesitation. The moment Kumagawa stepped forward, the student council president closed the distance and launched a straight punch.
Both Ayanokouji and Horikita were caught off guard by the sudden action. It's not like Kumagawa had done anything. He was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
『What's with the sudden violence, Student Council President?』
Instead of being surprised, Kumagawa casually ducked, evading the punch as if it were a light breeze passing by. However, just as he was about to straighten himself, his foot slipped against the pavement. His balance wavered—
『Huh? 』
—and he fell forward, crashing directly into Horikita.
Crash!
『Hmmm? 』
Kumagawa felt something soft in his hand. Out of curiosity, he gave it a slight squeeze.
"Kyaa!"
Horikita immediately shoved him away, her face a mix of shock and fury.
A brief silence followed.
『Ah, this was what they called a lucky pervert event, wasn't it? The kind of scenario where an individual, through sheer unfortunate timing, stumbled into perverted situations with no ill intent. 』
Then—
Smack!
Manabu's fist struck Kumagawa in the temple with full force. The impact sent him flying, his body crashing into the nearby wall with enough force to crack the concrete.
"Kumagawa!" Horikita screamed.
Both she and Ayanokouji were stunned by the sudden act of violence. It wasn't just an ordinary punch—Manabu's brotherly instincts had completely taken over. He hadn't thought, only acted. Seeing his younger sister caught in such an embarrassing situation, he instinctively lashed out at the culprit with everything he had.
And yet—
『That kinda hurt, you know? 』
He absentmindedly rubbed the side of his head where Manabu had struck him. Blood trickled down his temple, but Kumagawa barely seemed to care.
The three of them stared, their shock deepening.
That punch should have been enough to crack a skull. It should have caused internal bleeding, maybe even a concussion severe enough to knock someone unconscious. A normal person wouldn't have just walked away from that.
And yet, Kumagawa simply stood up, dusted himself off, and smiled.
Horikita rushed over without hesitation.
"Kumagawa, are you okay?"
She crouched down beside him, eyes scanning his face for any signs of serious injury. Blood was still trickling from his temple, staining his cheek red. Despite having just been punched hard enough to send him flying, Kumagawa still managed to smile like nothing had happened.
"You're bleeding. Let me see—"
Meanwhile, Manabu remained silent. He wasn't the type to hesitate, but for once, he wasn't sure what to say.
He had struck Kumagawa with the intent to incapacitate, yet the boy was acting as if it was nothing more than a minor inconvenience. It didn't make sense. No normal person should be able to shake off that kind of hit.
Ayanokouji, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally spoke.
"You sure you're okay?"
『Mmm... I wonder? I mean, physically speaking, I should probably be in a lot of pain right now. Maybe I should be rolling on the ground, groaning dramatically? But, well... too bad, I guess? 』
"That doesn't answer anything." He narrowed his eyes slightly.
Ayanokouji stood still for a moment; his gaze fixed on Kumagawa.
He understood human anatomy better than most. The human skull, though durable, had its limits. A direct punch from someone of Manabu's caliber—precise, powerful, and backed by years of martial arts training—wasn't something an average person could just shake off.
At best, the force should have left Kumagawa with a severe concussion. At worst, a fractured skull, cerebral hemorrhaging, and possible brain damage. The fact that Kumagawa was still standing, speaking, and even joking as if nothing had happened defied all logic.
For the first time in a while, Ayanokouji felt something close to unease.
—Just what kind of person was Kumagawa Misogi?
On the other hand, Manabu exhaled quietly before speaking.
"...That was careless of me. I let my emotions dictate my actions. I apologize, Kumagawa."
『Oh? That's surprising. I didn't think you were the type to apologize. 』
He grinned, his usual carefree tone making it impossible to tell whether he was being sincere or just messing around.
Manabu, however, remained composed.
"Regardless of your intent, my actions were excessive. That strike wasn't meant for a classmate."
Kumagawa rubbed his temple absentmindedly, still smeared with blood.
『Hmm, but I did do something inappropriate. I can't really blame you for getting mad. I mean, if I had a little sister and some guy—who I don't even respect—suddenly groped her, I'd probably react the same way. I'll do some nasty thing to him. Whether he like it or not. 』
Manabu narrowed his eyes at his phrasing but didn't comment on it. Instead, he simply asked, "Are you alright?"
『Eh, more or less. 』 Kumagawa shrugged. 『I mean, I'm not dead, so that's something. Though I'd feel a lot better if you bought me dinner as an apology.』
"I'll take you to the clinic first."
Horikita looked like she wanted to say something, but before she could, he waved at her and Ayanokouji.
『Well then, Horikita-chan, Ayanokouji-kun, it's been fun. 』
『』『』『』『』『』
As they walked through toward the clinic, Kumagawa strolled along as if nothing was wrong. Blood still trickled down the side of his head, staining hoodie, yet he doesn't seem bothered by it.
Manabu glanced at him.
"...Are you certain you're alright?"
He had asked once before, but it was difficult to accept Kumagawa's casual attitude given the severity of the injury.
From what Manabu could see, the impact had torn the skin at Kumagawa's temple, causing a steady flow of blood down his face. It wasn't just a surface wound—based on the force he had used; it was highly likely there was internal damage. A normal person would be on the ground, groaning in pain, or at worst, unconscious.
It was unnatural.
No, rather than unnatural—it was simply wrong.
『Ahh, what a terrible night. I just wanted to grab some food, you know? But then—bam!—a surprise punch right to the skull.』
Kumagawa sighed, wiping some of the blood off his face with his sleeve. His tone was light, almost playful, as if he were just complaining about bad weather.
『I mean, it's not like I blame you, Student Council President. You just got a little carried away, right? I totally get it. Who wouldn't want to punch a guy like me? I probably deserved it.』
He laughed, but Manabu wasn't amused. There was something strange about the way Kumagawa spoke—like he was joking, yet not joking at all.
『Still, it's kinda crazy, huh? If I were a normal student, this might have turned into a huge problem. Imagine the headlines: Student Council President Assaults Classmate in Blind Rage! Oof, that'd be bad. Real bad. What would the school do, I wonder?』
Kumagawa tilted his head, as if genuinely pondering the question.
『Expulsion? Resignation? A formal apology in front of the whole school? Who knows! But hey, no need to worry. Like I said, I'm not the type to hold grudges. I'd never do something so cruel.』
His eyes met Manabu's, and his smile stretched just a little wider.
The way he spoke, the way he smiled—it wasn't aggressive, but it wasn't harmless either. There were no threats, no accusations. Just a casual conversation. And yet, the meaning was clear.
Manabu didn't react. He simply walked in silence, leading the way to the clinic.
Even so, he understood.
『But don't worry, Student Council President. Like I said, I don't hold grudges. So let's just call it even. No need for an apology, no need for a scandal. Just a friendly little understanding between students. 』
Manabu finally stopped walking.
He turned to face Kumagawa, looking at him carefully, as if seeing him in a different light.
"...Is that blackmail?"
『Blackmail? Me? Come on, President. I'd never do something so underhanded. I'm just pointing out a simple truth. What happens next is entirely up to you.』
Manabu held his gaze for a few seconds longer. Then, without another word, he resumed walking toward the clinic.
Kumagawa followed, humming a quiet tune.
The moment they arrived and stepped inside, the doctor's eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell happened to you?"
Kumagawa, still covered in dried blood, simply tilted his head and smiled.
『I tripped. 』
The doctor clearly didn't buy it, but he sighed and gestured for him to sit down. As he carefully examined Kumagawa's head, his expression slowly shifted from surprise to outright disbelief.
"...This is severe. There are crack in your skull and some internal bleeding in your brain."
Manabu, who had been standing silently near the door, tensed ever so slightly. The doctor glanced at him briefly before turning back to Kumagawa.
"It's honestly a miracle you're still conscious. If the impact had been just a little worse, you could've been permanently disabled. Maybe even—"
『Dead? 』 Kumagawa finished cheerfully.
"Yes. This kind of injury isn't something to take lightly. We need to get you proper treatment immediately."
Manabu remained quiet, but his shoulders had stiffened.
The doctor's gaze flickered between the two of them, his curiosity growing. There was no mistaking it—Manabu was the cause of this. And judging by his guilty expression, he knew it all too well.
"...What exactly happened here?" The doctor asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
『Ahh, it's nothing, nothing at all. Just a little accident between friends. Right, Student Council President?』
Manabu closed his eyes briefly before answering.
"...Yes. An accident."
The doctor didn't seem convinced. But Kumagawa just smiled.
Kumagawa leaned back slightly, swinging his legs as if he were just casually chatting. Then, as if remembering something important, he turned to the doctor.
『By the way, how much would it cost if something worse happend? If I had to be taken to a hospital outside the school? You know, for surgery and all that.』
The doctor hesitated for a moment before answering.
"...With an injury of this severity? At least several million yen. The cost of surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation—it all adds up."
『Ohh, several million yen, huh? 』
Kumagawa repeated, dragging out the words as if he were tasting them. Then, ever so slowly, he turned to look at Manabu. The student council president said nothing. He didn't move, didn't even blink. But in that moment, he knew exactly what Kumagawa wanted.
Manabu exhaled quietly.
"...I understand."
The doctor, still somewhat tense from the atmosphere, cleared his throat.
"Well, putting that aside, I'll give you some instructions for your condition. Normally, with an injury like this, I'd say absolute bed rest is necessary. But since you're still walking around like this, I'll just advise you to be extremely careful."
『Oh? So, I can still go to school? 』 Kumagawa asked.
"...Technically, yes, but you should avoid any strenuous activity. No running, no lifting heavy objects, no sudden movements. And if you start experiencing nausea, dizziness, or severe headaches, report to me immediately."
『So basically, don't die. Got it.』
"That's not—well, fine. Just be careful."
With that, Kumagawa hopped off the examination table, still as casual as ever, despite having internal bleeding on bis brain
After finishing up at the clinic, the two of them stepped back out into the quiet night. The air was cool, and aside from a few scattered students heading back to the dorms, the campus was nearly empty.
Manabu walked a few steps ahead before stopping. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and turned the screen toward Kumagawa.
Displayed on the screen was his current balance.
[3,895,990 points.]
『Whoa, that's a lot. You're basically a rich guy, huh? So, with that much... Let's say, half?』
Manabu remained expressionless. He had expected this.
"...1,947,995 points. Are you certain that will be enough?"
『Oh, more than enough. I mean, I was thinking about asking for a little extra, but I'm a reasonable guy. So let's keep it fair.』
Fair.
There was nothing fair about this. And yet, Manabu didn't argue. He simply took out his phone, tapped a few times, and confirmed the transaction. After all, no matter how you looked at it, he was in the wrong this time.
After completing the transfer, Manabu slipped his phone back into his pocket. He turned to Kumagawa, his expression calm but firm.
"...Once again, I apologize. I acted recklessly. My position as student council president does not excuse my actions. Regardless of your own conduct, my response was unjustified."
『Ahh, man, you're so serious. You really are Horikita-senpai's brother.』
Manabu said nothing.
For a moment, Kumagawa simply stared at him. His usual smile remained, but his eyes carried an odd sort of amusement—like he was looking at something peculiar.
『Well, apology accepted. Let's just say we both learned something from this, yeah?』 He gave Manabu a lazy wave before turning around. 『Anyway, thanks for the points, prez. I'll be sure to spend them wisely.』
With that, Kumagawa walked off into the night as if nothing had ever happened.
『』『』『』『』『』
As he walked back to his dorm, Kumagawa lazily pulled out his phone and checked his balance.
[2.090.185 points]
『Man, what a profitable night. 』
He grinned, amused by how things had turned out. A little recording here, a little guilt-tripping there, and suddenly, he was swimming in points.
『This day's been full of blackmail, huh? 』
He muttered to himself, pocketing his phone.
With that thought, he strolled back toward his dorm, humming softly, as if today had been nothing more than a perfectly ordinary day.
『END』
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