A Twisted Expression

"Ryuuen, are you so shaken that you've started talking nonsense?"

Ryuuen, of course, wouldn't be intimidated by a few words. In fact, seeing that Horikita still had the energy to throw out bold statements only heightened his amusement.

"Don't forget, all the evidence is stacked against you. I'm curious—where does your confidence come from?"

"Then, let me show you."

Horikita's gaze suddenly shifted to Kinoshita.

"Kinoshita, the accident involving us happened during the obstacle course race, correct? Why didn't you immediately go to the infirmary for treatment? Why wait until the lunch break, several hours later?"

"Tch, and here I thought you were going to ask something interesting." Ryuuen scoffed, cutting in before Kinoshita could answer. "Obviously, she endured the pain so she wouldn't trouble the class. Too bad she couldn't hold out in the end—someone is to blame for that, after all."

Ignoring his provocation, Horikita remained calm. "I was going to tell you to stay out of this, but since you're so eager to speak, I'll let you continue... But first, let me confirm—Kinoshita, do Ryuuen's words represent your stance? Can I take them as your own?"

"A-Ah..."

Kinoshita hesitated, glancing cautiously at Ryuuen.

Something felt off. Horikita didn't seem to be bluffing—there was a quiet certainty in her demeanor. Yet, despite her instincts warning her, she didn't dare go against Ryuuen.

"Alright then. I hope you won't regret it."

Horikita let out a soft sigh, as if pitying Kinoshita. The subtle gesture only deepened her unease.

"Ryuuen, you just said Kinoshita endured the pain and didn't seek treatment to avoid burdening the class. But then, why didn't she participate in the following events?"

"Tch, are you deaf or just dense?" Ryuuen's impatience flared. "We've already been over this. Her injuries were too severe, so she had to withdraw. Otherwise, with her ability, she would've easily placed in the top three. If she had competed normally, you wouldn't have stood a chance."

"Unfortunately for you, there's a glaring flaw in your logic."

Horikita brushed aside his taunts, cutting straight to the core of the issue.

"Kinoshita, why did you endure the pain? Was it because—even if it meant finishing last—you wanted to earn points for the class? After all, even last place still contributes some points, whereas forfeiting earns nothing."

That much was true. Even finishing at the bottom had value, while withdrawing meant a total loss.

"But in reality, Kinoshita never even attempted to compete. She withdrew without trying, and during that time, she never went to the infirmary either. I was there the entire time after the accident, and I can confidently say—I never saw her."

She neither pushed through the race nor sought medical attention. That contradiction was the flaw in her story.

"Heh, and how exactly do you know she never competed?" Ryuuen sneered. "Were you staring at her the whole time? Didn't you say you withdrew early? Your own words don't add up. Not surprising, though—you're a compulsive liar. I'd love to know what kind of parents raised such a deceitful woman."

"There's no need for pointless chatter. Let's go ask the referees right now. They'll confirm everything I've said."

"…!"

The smirk on Ryuuen's face slowly faded.

There was no way he could agree to that. If they went to the referees, everything would come to light—it would be the same as admitting defeat.

What annoyed him even more was Horikita's complete immunity to his provocations. She wasn't just ignoring them—she was treating him like a fool.

Tch. This woman...

"Fine, let's say you're right. So what?" Ryuuen shrugged, deciding to switch tactics. "Kinoshita stayed in class and did nothing. She didn't go for treatment right away. Is that such a big deal? She probably thought it was just a minor injury, but turns out you were more ruthless than she expected."

"You mean to say she simply underestimated her injury?"

"Of course. What else? You think she did it on purpose? No one is that stupid."

"You have a point—on the surface, at least."

What Ryuuen hadn't expected was that Horikita didn't refute him. Instead, she followed his logic.

However, in the next moment, she shifted the conversation.

"But that generally only applies when someone lacks the relevant knowledge, right? Kinoshita is a member of the track and field club. Yet not only did she fail to pay attention to her own foot injury, she even allowed it to worsen? That simply doesn't make sense."

With that, Horikita seized the momentum and fixed her sharp gaze on Kinoshita.

"Kinoshita, you keep insisting that you're just as fast as anyone else. But as a fellow track club member, Yajima refused to accept Ryuuen's plan because she knew that even a slight mistake could leave a lasting injury. Just based on that alone, you're already inferior to her."

"You... What do you know about me?! I've always been trying—"

"Shut up, Kinoshita!"

Just as Kinoshita was about to lose her temper, Ryuuen barked at her.

Perhaps it was the authority he had built up over time, but no matter how angry Kinoshita was, she didn't dare to say another word.

"I have to say, Suzune, you're quite the audacious perpetrator," Ryuuen sneered, as if he had just encountered some alien creature. "Not only do you refuse to admit your fault, but you even shamelessly attack the victim. Are you trying to say that Kinoshita deliberately delayed things? She had no reason to do that."

"Oh, but she did."

Horikita shook the phone in her hand.

"Your own words are the biggest reason. The only time Kinoshita could delay long enough was because there was no chance to act before lunch. The tightly scheduled matches and the presence of others restricted your movements. Only when everyone went to eat at noon did the opportunity arise. That conveniently explains everything."

"Hey, you can't just throw around baseless accusations like that. Be careful, or I might sue you for defamation."

Although Horikita had completely nailed the truth, Ryuuen remained unfazed.

After all, this was still just her speculation.

"I can only say your paranoia is getting worse," Ryuuen chuckled. "You're simply interpreting everything with malicious intent. Even if you bring this forward, no one will believe you."

"Ah, unless I have concrete evidence, right?"

Horikita spoke while giving Kinoshita a meaningful look.

"Kinoshita, you do have it, don't you?"

"Huh? H-Have what? I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about those who came to check on you," Horikita delivered her final blow. "After our incident, a strange rumor spread among the Red Team. People were saying you got hit so badly you were bleeding but didn't dare see the doctor because you were afraid of Ryuuen."

"What nonsense. And besides, wouldn't making a big deal out of this be bad for you too?" Ryuuen frowned.

He finally realized that things were getting out of control.

This whole situation was only viable because Horikita had initially wanted to settle it quietly. Otherwise, he wouldn't have pushed for such an outrageous settlement.

"Sure, it's just a baseless rumor… but the school won't see it that way. Whether out of concern for the students' well-being or simply to avoid trouble, they would definitely send someone to check on Kinoshita's condition."

Even though Horikita hadn't witnessed it firsthand, she spoke as if she had already confirmed it.

"So what?" Ryuuen's tone carried an edge of irritation. "Kinoshita didn't think her injury was serious at the time, so she refused their meddling. That's all there is to it."

"Exactly. If ensuring the plan's success was the priority, of course Kinoshita would refuse the staff's help. But on the flip side, this also means that at the time, her injury wasn't actually severe. Otherwise, the staff would never have let it slide."

"After all that talk, it's still just your assumption. What if they simply misjudged the situation?"

Faced with Ryuuen's unreasonable argument, Horikita merely shook her head.

Then, she smirked. "Oh? But earlier in the infirmary, didn't you say you had just heard about this incident? Yet from what I'm seeing now, you seem to know the details better than anyone. So, you finally dropped the act?"

"Tch. Don't think you've won."

Ryuuen scoffed. The thrill of playing his opponents had long faded.

However, this wasn't the end.

"No matter how much you ramble, none of this is decisive proof. You think this alone is enough to overturn the verdict? You're too naive."

"No, I never thought I would definitely win."

Horikita didn't refute Ryuuen. Instead, she openly admitted it.

"But this is enough. Kinoshita's suspicious behavior, the staff's observations, and most importantly, your own testimony… These are enough for me to keep fighting."

"What an absurd woman." Ryuuen's expression was filled with contempt. Then, he let out a mocking sigh. "Fine. If you refuse to repent and instead want to falsely accuse us, then there's nothing more to discuss. Let's see who the student council believes. Let's see who wins this trial."

"You're mistaken. The result actually doesn't matter."

"...Huh?"

Ryuuen, who had been attempting to corner Horikita, was momentarily thrown off by her nonchalant attitude.

Was she giving up? No—if that were the case, she wouldn't have argued so much.

Just as Ryuuen was about to remind himself not to fall for a trick, Horikita spoke again. "Think about it. Even if I lose, so what? This was an accident during a match. Even if Kinoshita's injury is worse than mine, it doesn't completely prove I did it on purpose. At most, I'll lose some points, but the fine definitely won't exceed the settlement amount, let alone require me to kneel."

"Ugh..."

Ryuuen fell silent.

If Horikita truly didn't mind escalating this to the student council, that was exactly what he wanted to avoid.

Even if the ruling was in his favor, there was no way the school would enforce a million-point fine. At worst, Horikita might just get suspended for a few weeks.

As for Class D's overall points, they wouldn't be affected at all.

"Also, I just realized something—Ryuuen, you actually want a settlement more than anyone else, don't you?" Horikita exposed his intentions. "Otherwise, when I played the recording, you wouldn't have debunked it. Wouldn't it have been better to let me walk into a trap during the hearing?"

She smiled slightly.

"But thanks to your arrogance, I must thank you. Your vigilance is usually strong, and you made sure to clarify that your statement was just playing along with my 'delusions.' However, when combined with the existing evidence, it's no longer just a delusion. The school won't completely believe your side anymore."

"...Heh. Not bad."

Ryuuen let out a low chuckle, as if amused.

"Alright, let's see how this plays out. Let's see who wins."

"You still don't get it." Horikita sighed. "Now, it's not about you accusing me. It's about me accusing you... Kinoshita."

She suddenly turned to Kinoshita.

"You conspired with Ryuuen to frame me and extorted me in front of Chabashira-sensei. Did you commit these actions knowing they could get you expelled?"

"W-What?! Expelled?!"

As Kinoshita's panicked eyes darted around, Horikita's words cornered her completely.

She couldn't understand.

If Horikita wanted revenge, shouldn't she be targeting Ryuuen?

"Of course it's you who gets expelled. You were the one who hit me, framed me, and accepted the money. You're the mastermind."

Horikita's cold gaze never wavered.

"Tch. Suzune, this is low, even for you."

Ryuuen felt that things were starting to take a turn for the worse.

Not that he was worried about being targeted—he was confident that Horikita couldn't do anything to him.

But if it involved the simple-minded Kinoshita...

"Too scared to go after me, so you decide to bully my classmate instead? When did you become such a despicable woman?"

"Thank you for the compliment."

Unfortunately, Ryuuen's taunt had no effect. If anything, it only strengthened Horikita's resolve.

"If you want to report me to the school for intentional harm, go ahead. That's your right. But no matter what, I will be reporting Kinoshita for extortion—after all, she dared to blackmail me right in front of a teacher."

She was blatantly shifting Ryuuen's actions onto Kinoshita. However, since she had previously stated that she would entrust everything to Ryuuen, it didn't really matter.

"Fine, then. Let's see if you really have what it takes." Ryuuen provoked her with unwavering composure.

He understood well—now was not the time to panic.

However, Kinoshita didn't possess the same mental fortitude. The anxiety on her face was impossible to conceal.

After all, saying such things was easy, but actually following through was far more difficult than one might imagine.

Especially since the one facing expulsion wasn't Ryuuen. To Kinoshita, his words felt like nothing more than detached indifference.

"Then watch closely." Horikita shot back, her tone sharp. "If I do succeed, I look forward to seeing your face when you lose a classmate due to your own foolishness."

"Heh, you think I care?"

"Don't worry. When the time comes, I'll make sure the entire school knows. Free of charge."

"Ugh..." In reality, just as Horikita had pointed out, the existing evidence wasn't enough to guarantee an outright victory—at most, it would sway the ruling in her favor.

Her confidence stemmed entirely from the fact that the consequences for each party were worlds apart.

Even if Horikita were found guilty of intentional harm, she would at worst lose some points. If not for the Sports Festival, an incident where both parties suffered injuries wouldn't have escalated at all.

But Kinoshita's case was different. Setting someone up and then attempting extortion?

That was something that warranted severe punishment anywhere.

And since it happened during the Sports Festival, if the school determined that Ryuuen had deliberately worsened Kinoshita's injury, then—even if there wasn't absolute proof—the school would likely take decisive action to prevent others from copying such behavior.

For this reason, Horikita's threat of expulsion wasn't mere bluster—it was a real possibility.

The worst part? Ryuuen had extorted her right in front of Chabashira-sensei. There was no way to deny it now.

"Hah, please. Watching you act so serious, I almost believed you for a second."

Ryuuen suddenly burst into laughter, looking at Horikita with amusement.

"Are you really sure you want to take this to trial? The student council president's little sister interfering with other competitors and causing injuries—if that gets out, you're finished."

This was Ryuuen's ace in the hole—the most valuable piece of information he had obtained from Kushida.

"Yes... I don't want to trouble my brother."

As expected, at the mere mention of her brother, Horikita's gaze lowered, and her tone softened.

"Heh, it's good that you understand."

Though Ryuuen felt triumphant, he also realized that pushing her too far might backfire.

Perhaps it was precisely because he had pressured her too much before that she had lashed out so aggressively... Maybe he should ease up on his demands a little?

Just as Ryuuen was about to waive the kneeling condition entirely, Horikita suddenly lifted her head.

"But!"

She took a deep breath and shouted with all her strength.

"If I back down now and lose to someone as vile as you, that would be the real disgrace to my brother!"

Her voice grew louder, echoing through the hallway.

For the first time, Ryuuen's expression twisted.

"But I'm not unreasonable."

Suddenly, Horikita composed herself and added in a measured tone.

"Unlike you, Ryuuen-kun, I don't enjoy forcing people into a corner. How about this? Show some sincerity, and I can pretend this never happened."

"Ha! Are you joking?!" Ryuuen growled through clenched teeth. "You're the one who should be paying the price! Don't think a few words can make me bow!"

"You have until the end of the Sports Festival. Bring your sincerity after school. Otherwise, I'll take this fight with Kinoshita to the very end."

Horikita ignored his outburst, delivering her ultimatum before turning to leave.

"If you still don't get it, then use that brain of yours and think it through. To take down a 'zero-point' Class D, you're now facing the risk of expulsion. And yet, your classmate is the one shouldering that burden. Don't you think that's a little pathetic for a leader?"

"And who the hell do you think you are to lecture me?!"

"I'm nobody."

Horikita admitted readily. "Which is why if I fail, I'll bear the consequences myself. Unlike you, I won't cower in the shadows. And let's be honest—your strategy this time was childish. Almost identical to the one you used against Sudou-kun. Did you really think anyone would fall for it twice?"

Ryuuen felt a surge of frustration, a pent-up fury swelling inside his chest.

"Ryuuen-kun, to be blunt, you're not that smart. In the future, you should—"

That was the final straw.

The moment those words reached his ears, something inside Ryuuen snapped.

He couldn't hear anything else.

Dead eyes... That bastard! It has to be him!