After closing the bento box, Takamine Rinji packed up his things, ready to leave the student council office.
"President, I'm heading out. The discipline committee needs for patrol. I'll wash and return your bento box later."
"Got it."
Under Kaguya's disappointed gaze, Takamine left the office. She never got a single bite of Shirogane's bento.
"Takamine-kun sure is busy—he's both the student council accountant and a mber of the discipline committee."
Chika comnted as she looked at the door he'd exited through.
"Well, that's just the kind of person he is. He's handled all the budget work seriously too," Shirogane said with a smile.
"Speaking of which, Kaguya."
Chika suddenly leaned toward her.
"Takamine said he had so past issues with your family. What was that about?"
"Well…"
Kaguya only vaguely rembered what happened four years ago. But just Chika bringing it up sent chills down her spine.
That night—bodyguards lying unconscious, Takamine Rinji covered in blood, and those crimson eyes. That mory still haunted her like a nightmare.
Kaguya's eyes were also red, and for years after the incident, she couldn't even look in the mirror without rembering it. She didn't know much, only that sothing related to business escalated into violence.
And of course, there was also the matter of Ai Hayasaka.
"I don't know the details… You can ask him yourself if you want."
"Okay, I will!"
But knowing Chika, she'd probably forget about this in no ti.
---
After washing the bento box in the sink, Takamine stepped out of the bathroom, planning to head back to class.
As a discipline committee mber, he still had to patrol the school to check for couples and find ways to split them up.
Though there were school rules, many students blatantly ignored them. According to Iino Miko, the original Shuchiin Academy had extrely strict rules due to its status as an elite school. But in this era, with more indulgent parents, the rules had gotten more lenient.
Outsiders mostly described Shuchiin as "a high-deviation-value school for second-generation rich kids."
A very accurate description.
Takamine didn't join the discipline committee out of a desire to reform the school. He just wanted to deal with all those clingy couples who annoyed him.
"Now then, how many lovebirds do I get to split up today…"
Clang!
Just as he mumbled that while walking to the classroom door, a loud thud caught his attention.
Curious, he opened the door to find the room nearly empty—only two people were still there.
Ishigami Yu, and Ogino Ko—the guy Takamine had asked soone to investigate.
Ogino had stabbed a pair of scissors into the desk, and a shattered mory card lay beside them.
"I thought I'd hidden it well. How did you find out?" Ogino glared at Ishigami with venom. "Did you ask soone to dig into ?"
"What's going on here?"
Takamine stepped in and walked over to them.
"Oh, it's Takamine-kun. Nothing serious, just chatting with Ishigami."
Ogino quickly changed his tone upon seeing him.
He knew this guy—an unhinged discipline committee mber.
"Okay, keep chatting. I'll watch."
"Uh…"
"Is there a problem?"
"No…"
"Takamine, can I talk to Ogino alone for a bit?" Ishigami asked.
Seeing his request, Takamine nodded. "Sure. Just don't lose your cool."
"Got it."
After Takamine moved to the side of the classroom, Ishigami continued, "I'm not going to report you. But I hope you stop doing this kind of thing. I don't want it to blow up."
Ogino paused and glanced at Takamine out of the corner of his eye.
Seeing him not paying attention, Ogino grinned.
"This is a bit tricky. I'm already dating Kyoko. Would be a waste to quit now… How about a compromise?"
He slung an arm over Ishigami's shoulder and whispered:
"You like Kyoko, right? Co to my place tonight. I'll let you have her for a couple of days."
"!"
That sentence snapped the last thread of Ishigami's sanity.
Still unaware of the storm coming, Ogino turned away casually and added, "I'll convince her. Worst case, we can get rough…"
Boom!
Before he could finish, Ishigami's fist smashed into his face!
"You bastard! What do you take Kyoko for!?"
Blow after blow, Ishigami punched Ogino in the face, as if nothing else in the world existed.
"Hey! I told you to calm down!"
Takamine Rinji, who had been standing on the side, saw Ishigami go straight for the punches and imdiately realized he had lost control. He stepped forward, wanting to pull him away.
"Rinji! Leave alone! Today I'm going to smash his face until no girl would ever like him again!!"
"I have no problem with that, but you can't fight on school grounds. If soone sees—"
Before Takamine Rinji could finish, he saw students beginning to enter the classroom. What they saw as they walked in was Takamine Rinji, Ko Ogino, and Yu Ishigami all entangled in a brawl.
Tch, of course you all show up now. Great timing.
Ogino, who had been taking the brunt of Ishigami's beating, suddenly revealed a sinister expression. He lowered his voice and whispered to Ishigami, "Back off. I won't do anything to Kyoko from now on, but if this continues, she'll be the one to suffer."
Those words successfully froze Ishigami's raised fist mid-air.
But at the sa ti, it ignited a new fire in Takamine Rinji.
Seeing Ishigami stop, Ogino—having waited for the perfect audience—suddenly looked pitiful and said with a weak voice, "Please stop fighting! I still have rehearsal for the drama club."
Ishigami's eyes widened as he noticed the disapproving stares from classmates around them. He realized he'd fallen into Ogino's trap.
"You..."
"I'm truly in love with Kyoko. Even if you beat , I'll never break up with her—"
Thud!!
Before he could finish, Takamine Rinji delivered a flying kick straight to Ogino's face, sending him crashing into the wall unconscious.
"Fine, I'll help you with that."
He then stomped on Ogino's stomach.
"What happened!?"
"Who's beating Ogino? Rinji? Or Ishigami?"
"It's Rinji..."
Just as Ishigami was about to say sothing, Takamine Rinji turned around and punched him in the face.
Bam!
With utter confusion, Ishigami was sent flying into the crowd.
Why... why did you hit ...?
"Ishigami! You bastard, you took sides!!"
Took sides? I didn't...
Ishigami, who had regained a bit of clarity, stood frozen.
Looking at the frightened and disgusted stares classmates cast toward Takamine Rinji, and seeing others gently help him up, he understood Rinji's true intention.
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