capitulo 5

Chapter 5

The day after the second endurance competition, Yoge Hagame walked through the hallways of Kurohime High School with his usual calm. His expressionless face revealed no signs of his inner thoughts, where the pieces of his game continued moving in his mind. The school, filled with both new and returning students, buzzed with the anticipation of the new academic year and the tests to come. But for Yoge, everything seemed as predictable as always.

However, there was something that broke the monotony of his day. In a corner of the hallway, Ayano Kazami was surrounded by a group of boys and girls, all admiring her as if she were the brightest star in a dark sky. Kazami was known for her beauty and her ability to manipulate others with her facade of kindness. Her charming appearance led many students to consider her the "perfect girl," the role model, the one who seemed to have everything under control.

What others didn't see was that Kazami was nothing more than an arrogant manipulator who used her attractiveness to control those around her, always knowing how to win the support of those around her without ever showing her true nature. Yoge, as always, observed everything with the same distant, calculating gaze. His attention soon focused on her.

Kazami noticed Yoge at the end of the hall, his expression as unreadable as ever, but what surprised her was how he seemed so oblivious to the attention she was receiving. "How is it possible that someone like him stays so distant?" Kazami thought, before smiling to herself. She had a plan in mind, and she believed she could trap him just like anyone else.

"Maybe if I approach him the right way..." Kazami thought, realizing that this boy was different from the others. She wanted to know what made him so special, and she would make him hers in the way she knew best: by using her charms.

---

The next day, during lunch, Kazami approached Yoge, who was sitting alone at a table at the back of the cafeteria, as always. There was something in his behavior that intrigued her, something she couldn't control, and that drove her to take the initiative.

"Is this where you like to sit?" Kazami asked, with a smile that seemed so sincere, as if she had no ill intentions. She sat in the chair across from him without waiting for an invitation.

Yoge looked up, glanced at her for a moment, and then returned his gaze to his tray of food. He didn't respond immediately, which mildly irritated Kazami, but she didn't show any signs of discomfort.

"Well, it seems you're not much of a talker, are you?" she said, her words soft but carrying a tone of superiority that only the most perceptive could detect.

"I have nothing to say," Yoge replied without changing his expression.

Kazami furrowed her brow but quickly regained her composure. She knew that Yoge's distant attitude wasn't something she could handle with simple courtesy. She decided to change tactics.

"You know, I've always wondered why someone like you keeps to themselves so much," she added, with a tone that sounded more like a challenge disguised as curiosity. "Don't you care about fitting in at this school? The students who excel here have a great future."

Yoge didn't answer immediately, which seemed to irritate Kazami a little. "This boy is not easy to manipulate," she thought, but soon a clever idea crossed her mind. "Maybe if I flatter him enough, he'll do what I want."

"You have good academic performance, don't you? You could surely be one of the top stars here if you just put a little more effort into socializing…" Kazami commented, smiling as she crossed her arms on the table.

However, Haruka Shimizu, who was at a nearby table, observed everything from a distance. Her gaze wasn't as calm as Yoge's, but was full of suspicion. There was something about the way Kazami was trying to approach him that she didn't like. "Why now, of all times, is Kazami interested in Yoge?" Haruka wondered, noticing that her attitude had become suspiciously kind.

Haruka watched how Kazami tried to manipulate Yoge, her words carefully chosen to appeal to his ego, but Yoge remained silent and completely indifferent. "She's trying to trap Yoge in her scheme," Haruka thought with a serious expression. "He won't fall for it so easily… but she won't stop."

Meanwhile, Kazami continued throwing little compliments at Yoge, but he didn't seem to react. The girl, however, kept her composure, observing her companion's reaction. She knew she had control of the situation, but she also sensed that Yoge was not someone easy to dominate. What Kazami didn't know was that she had made a mistake: she had underestimated someone who wasn't as easily manipulated as the others.

---

Haruka didn't stop watching the conversation. While Kazami tried to trap Yoge, she couldn't help but feel even more intrigued by him. "Yoge is not like the others. He doesn't fall for manipulations, not even from someone like Kazami."

Haruka stood up from her table and walked slowly toward where Yoge and Kazami were, her expression determined. Kazami seemed about to throw another compliment when Haruka interrupted.

"Kazami," Haruka said in a cold voice that immediately stopped the conversation. "If you're going to talk to Yoge, don't waste your time with cheap tricks. He's not like the others."

Kazami, surprised by the interruption, looked at Haruka with a tense smile.

"Don't interfere, Haruka. I know how to handle guys like him."

"I doubt it," Haruka replied curtly, not giving an inch. "Not everyone falls for your charms, Kazami."

Kazami clenched her jaw, but didn't say anything. It was clear that Haruka's words had struck a nerve. "What's going on here?" she thought, as her perfect facade began to show cracks.

Yoge, for his part, continued to say nothing. "What a nuisance," he thought, looking at the two girls. "Here begins another battle."

---

The Kurohime High School campus was filled with hurried students, all in their daily routines, between classes and extracurricular activities. The hallways resonated with laughter and conversations from classmates, but in the midst of the crowd, there was a tense atmosphere that only a few could perceive. Yoge Hagame walked calmly down the hallway, his face expressionless as always, while his mind analyzed the pieces of his game.

There was something he was thinking about: Ayano Kazami. Her facade of perfection and kindness wasn't unfamiliar to Yoge. Although many students seemed to fall for her charms, Yoge knew that appearances could be deceiving. But he had a hunch that Kazami was a cunning manipulator, and although only a sweet smile showed on her face, Yoge could sense the arrogance hiding behind that image.

"It's only a matter of time before someone realizes her true nature," Yoge thought as he walked toward his next class. But as he thought about it, he realized that the fact that someone like Kazami was so close could be dangerous to his plans. The situation was getting complicated, and Yoge was not one to let things get out of control.

It was then that Haruka Shimizu, who had also noticed Kazami's manipulations, appeared in front of him in the hallway. Her serious and confident face reflected that she hadn't come to exchange trivial words.

"Hagame-san…" Haruka said with a fixed, determined gaze.

Yoge looked at her without flinching, his face expressionless, but his eyes showed a slight flicker of interest.

"What's up?" he responded directly, without losing his composure.

Haruka didn't hesitate for a second. She already knew that Yoge Hagame wasn't the type to be influenced by the manipulations of others, but she also understood that Kazami was a threat that needed to be eliminated if they wanted peace in the class.

"Have you noticed what Kazami is doing?" Haruka asked, looking around to make sure no one could hear them. "I know you're not the type to get involved in other people's dramas, but her manipulations have gone too far."

Yoge calmly observed Haruka. He knew what she meant. Haruka had never been one for many words, but her perception of people was sharp. Kazami had been playing with the students, and even though no one else saw it, both of them knew that behind her kindness hid dangerous arrogance. Yoge had his own reasons for wanting to deal with her, but he wasn't willing to do it alone. After all, a single player cannot win a game without the proper strategy.

"Yes. I've noticed," Yoge replied calmly, almost with disdain. "But if what you want is to confront her directly, all you'll achieve is becoming just another piece on her board."

Haruka looked at him, her eyes slightly confused. She still didn't understand what his next move would be.

"And what do you propose then?" Haruka asked, crossing her arms.

Yoge stopped for a moment, as if he were meditating on the words he was about to say. His face remained impassive, but in his mind, he had already devised a plan. He had a feeling that Haruka had the intelligence and the character to keep up with him, but she would need more than a simple observation to join him in what he was about to propose.

"I'll propose this," Yoge began, finally looking at Haruka with an expression that resembled a faint smile, something very rare for him. "Let's team up. Let's work together to expose Kazami's farce. But we won't do it the traditional