Disappointment

AYANOKOJI  POV

Monday evening when Horikita called me to come over to her room.

It seemed like she finally wanted to continue the unfinished discussion that we had last friday about the 20 million bounty exam. No, that wasn't even a discussion. In fact, we only argued.

Unlike last time when she welcomed me with a scary expression, it seems like the one that I will be talking to tonight is the usual Horikita.

"First, I would like to apologize for my attitude last time. I know that I should not-....... I mean..... it was wrong for me to suspect you with something that you did not do."

No, it's not the usual Horikita. 

She never once looked at my face ever since I entered her room, even now that she's speaking.

Horikita then cleared her throat. It's as if she was preparing herself for what she was about to say.

"And.... it was also true that it was all because I was pretending that I fully knew you."

I see. So out of everything that I said before, that was what she was most dissatisfied with.

For almost two years of being classmates, I knew that Horikita already had a bit of understanding of me. Considering how we worked together several times during exams and how she knew some of the incidents that involved me and some strategies that I made to help our class. In fact, all her suspicions that she said last time were all true.

"But.... I would like to ask and be stubborn one last time."

Horikita then made eye contact with me for the first time.

"All my suspicions, was all of it really wrong?"

Her eyes were pleading with the right answers. 

Answers that she wanted to hear and will satisfy her. No, there's something even deeper than that.

Trust.

That's what she wants.

The truth is, I actually felt that Horikita trusted me more than before, just like what Utomiya thought.

Now, I suddenly remembered when Utomiya brought up my trust issues with Horikita when I talked with him the other day. The look of his eyes that time was also telling me that I should trust her.

Until now, I still don't know what was his real intention for that.

Does he care for her feelings? Or was it just part of his plans?

But.....

"Yeah. It was all wrong."

Sorry Horikita. It's not like I don't have any trust in you. It's just, it's something that you shouldn't get involved with.

"I see."

As soon as she heard my answer, I already expected that look on her face. Disappointment. It's as if she knew that I was lying.

Horikita then became quiet, her eyes looking down. She was probably trying to understand me and my reasons.

Shortly after, she raised her head and looked me in the eyes.

But now, no single trace of disappointment was seen on her face. The look of her eyes made me feel that she found a new, stronger resolve.

"Since I made you confused last time and did not tell you every information I gathered from Utomiya-kun, I will tell you everything I know now."

Horikita proceeded to tell everything from the start and all the names involved in that secret special exam.

She even said that Utomiya did not give her time to investigate him as he already revealed and answered her first question without any hesitation cause he believed that he already proved to her that he was not interested in it anymore.

"Utomiya-kun told me that though the deadline of that bounty exam was at the start of second semester, they did not actually receive a signal that the exam ended already and so, he believed that some first year students were still trying to expel you. But he said that the most suspicious one is Housen-kun. Well, aside from Housen-kun, I did not notice anyone else trying to gain more information about you. But that's only from my perspective. How about you? Were there any students who were still approaching you?"

"Well, I actually heard from Sudo that Housen was actually asking about me when he approached you at the training camp..... Aside from him, Amasawa made contact with me quite often also. I don't know what's her intention but I'm sure that she's not doing anything against me. And all those first year students that you mentioned aside Utomiya, I don't remember them approaching me."

I have to include Amasawa as there might be a chance that Horikita will see us talking.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. For Housen, I feel like it's no longer about the reward but he's just frustrated that he wasn't able to expel me and just keeps on challenging me."

"Are you saying that the exam ended already?"

"Probably. That was more than two semesters ago. Former president Nagumo is about to graduate also. I don't think there's a reason for them to continue that special exam."

"Then how about the acting director Tsukishiro? Do you think he doesn't have any reason to continue that exam?"

Somehow, Horikita's expression became serious. 

I was about to answer her, but she stopped me as she talked once again.

"Before you left, you told me that you're gonna tell me what you know. If it's okay with you, can you share it with me?"

If it's okay with me huh.

She's really holding on to her belief that Tsukishiro has something to do with me. Well, she's not wrong.

"I actually suspected the acting director as one who was behind that exam."

And there you go. She was trying to hide it but I could tell that she was being suspicious of me again.

"I did not tell you last time cause you were suspecting me the whole time. If I mentioned it, you're just gonna pressed even harder that I really manipulated you and all your suspicions were true."

I expected her to refute but surprisingly, she was just listening.

"I understand. So when did it start?"

She understands? I don't think so.

But I have to finish what I have started.

"Didn't you notice that in every exam, especially in all year level exams since we became second year, the number of expelled students became higher?"

Upon hearing my question, her suspicious eyes were replaced by curiosity.

"It does."

"Like for example in that recent island exam where there were five groups that were expelled. Almost 30 students were expelled in just one exam. Though I thought that it was too much, I just let it slide. Thinking that it's just part of us advancing to another year level. Though they had a lower penalty than us, it did not change the fact that the new first year students had harder exams than us last year. And it did not change after that. The number of students at risk of expulsion in every all year level exam was still too big."

"Are you saying that the acting director was just being cruel to us?"

"That's what I think. I did a little investigation about him just a while ago. I don't know if you know it but he took the office somewhere late in February. And you know what happened when March started right?"

Horikita gasped.

"The class vote."

The exam that almost broke our class.

"Exactly. And you also know the reason why the school made that exam."

"Because the school thought that it was odd that no one was expelled yet in our year level."

"The school made that exam just to force a student to get expelled."

"And that was because of the acting director?"

"There's no one else I could think of but him. The student council has limited power in regards to exams. And the faculty was definitely against it considering Chabashira sensei's behavior when she announced the Class Vote exam to us last year. But they did not have a choice as they were powerless against him."

"..... Then... you were really chosen randomly?"

"Of course. It just so happened that I became part of those students who were cruelly played by the acting director Tsukishiro's game of expulsion."

Horikita became silent. She was probably trying to process everything that I said on her mind and me who was randomly chosen was possible.

Somehow, I managed to erase her suspicions of my relationship with Tsukishiro. 

Hopefully.

But that's not enough.

"Aren't you gonna ask why I decided not to say this to you?"

Horikita did not answer. I guess she knew it already.

"Though you're the student council president now, you're still a student and your power is not enough against him Horikita. If I did tell you about this, I'm afraid you're going to take unnecessary measures just to know his intentions. And if you get caught, you might become his new target of expulsion. All because of my bounty exam. Do you think the class would be happy if our leader got expelled just because of me."

"Do you mean we just have to sit back and watch more students get expelled like this?"

Yeah. This personality of her.

"Don't be naive. Facing the risk of expulsion is not new to us. All we have to do is to fight harder in every exam in order for us to avoid it. You still want to reach class A right? That's what you should think now."

I made her remember her goal since she entered this school.

"I know that you deduced everything on your own but where did you get the information about him taking office here?"

I was about to answer but because there was a small pause before it, Horikita suddenly said.

"No, it's okay. You don't have to answer."

She must be thinking that it's an information that I want to hide.

"No, it's okay. I got it from Chabashira sensei."

".....I see."

She may look like she was fully convinced but somehow I could feel that there were still remnants of suspicions left in her mind.

"Don't be reckless, Horikita."

And so, I gave her a warning just in case.

"..... Yeah..... I will."

Please do.

"..... As expected of you."

Though what she said wasn't complete, I already knew what she meant by that. That my explanation was more convincing than she thought.

Hopefully, she wouldn't make unnecessary interactions with Tsukishiro and wouldn't start investigating him now.

UTOMIYA POV

It's Tuesday afternoon and the girl who wasn't being her usual self yesterday somehow was acting normal today.

No, Horikita was trying to act normal but I could feel that there's something that bothers her.

It seems that Ayanokoji and Horikita weren't able to understand each other back when they talked for the first time. I bet they only had an argument, considering Horikita's scary expression and how Ayanokoji was trying to hide his identity to her.

Since she was trying to act normal today, they probably talked once again yesterday.

Horikita stood up, so I averted my gaze and went back to my work.

She was holding some papers and went to my side.

"Can you please do this work for me."

"Yes. Senpai."

"Thank you."

Though I already took the paper, she was still standing in front of my desk and was looking at me.

"Is there something wrong, senpai?"

Though it looked like she really wanted to ask, it seemed like she was hesitating.

"...... Is there something that you hide Utomiya-kun?"

"Huh?"

"There are things that I'm hiding too."

I thought that she was asking me out of suspicion but it seems like she just wants to say what she felt.

"But it has always been for the sake of that one person."

Was she talking about Ayanokoji?

"No, that was for the class."

She suddenly murmured that to herself.

"Sorry. Please don't mind what I said a while ago."

She's definitely not herself today.

"It's okay. But if there's really something that you want to ask, just ask me senpai. I might know the answer."

As I said that, I felt that she became more comfortable and calm.

"..... Where do you think the acting director Tsukishiro came from?"

But then she asked me something unexpected and now I'm the one being uncomfortable.

I know the answer but this was something that I couldn't say to her..... now.

"I-.."

"It's okay. I know that you don't know the answer."

Thankfully, she interrupted me.

"I just want to get those words out of my mouth cause it was running through my mind this whole time. Aside from Ayanokoji-kun, you're the only one who would understand why I would suddenly ask about the acting director. That's enough for me. Thank you."

Horikita then turned around and went back to her seat.

Though I'm glad that she thought that I was able to help her mind be at peace, somehow her behavior now gave me a problem.

And then, that question. 

I thought that her suspicions with Ayanokoji was only about him knowing already that I was a participant of that bounty exam but it seems like she was able to guess that Tsukishiro had a some sort of relationship with Ayanokoji.

That was probably because of her past interactions with Ayanokoji that she was able to guess it right.

I believed Ayanokoji already talked to her and I knew his explanation would be able to convince her completely but despite that, she was still suspicious of their real relationship.

I already had a glimpse of this certain personality of hers before, but I think I just saw the whole picture now.

Everything to her will only be suspicions. Though she has a little trust in her suspicions, she will only fully believe it if she saw and experienced it herself.

I wonder if she's gonna believe what I'm gonna tell her in the future. After all, it was something that not anyone would believe that easily.

I looked at her from my seat.

Horikita, do I have to show you some evidence just for you to believe me?

Do I have to add a more cruel thing to my plan? Cause if I had to, it would be much harder for you.

But still, Ayanokoji decided not to help me huh. Well, he might be thinking that I was only scheming with something considering that he knew that I'm a white room student

Authors Note:I might release 1 or 2 chapters before I jump to them advancing to 3rd year.

Since it will only be about Ayanokoji vs Yagami. No, I won't be making a fight for them, but only the outcome. Since I know that I couldn't make any white room like strategies. It would only turned out to be funny.

This is a RikuxSuzune fanfic after all.

I hope you're still reading this fanfic and still enjoys it. Thank you😊😊