Third Person's Point of View

TWO HOURS PAST MIDNIGHT, The two boys decided to get off to bed. Hirata on the other hand, notices the two boys and goes to the corridor and smiles at the two boys.

"Did I wake you or were you already awake, which one is it?" Hirata asked the two.

"Mhmm." Axel hummed as he yawned.

"I thought you'd leave the room tonight." Kiyotaka said.

"Why did you think that? Tonight's the first night I actually left the room at night."

"Isn't it just that Karuizawa contacted you tonight? Yosuke?" Axel asked Hirata as he leaned on the wall.

"Do you know something?" Hirata asked, and he looked at both Kiyotaka and Axel.

"We're in the same group as Karuizawa after all. We don't know to what extent, but more or less we understand the situation. You once told us you wanted us to act as the bridge between you and Horikita, right?" Kiyotaka said and shrugged his shoulders.

"I see, so you're here because Horikita-san ordered you to, is that it?" Hirata said, making Kiyotaka nod his head.

"Yes. She ordered us to report everything from (Rabbit) group to her, including Karuizawa's situation. So once we heard about Karuizawa's situation and reported back to her, she ordered us to watch you as well."

"Of course she ordered us to eavesdrop on you, but since you told us to be the bridge between you and her, we thought we'd rather not sneak up on you. This is a chance for us to hear it from you as well." Axel said.

"What information does she want?" Hirata asked.

"Everything that Hirata knows about Karuizawa and the contents of your talk with her."

"I'm not sure how much I can tell you, I still need to consider Karuizawa-san's feelings." Hirata scratches the back of his head.

"I'm sure Ayanokouji-kun and Arison-kun won't say anything unnecessary, but what I'm about to tell you is extremely sensitive information. And there's the possibility Karuizawa-san will simply refuse to talk and go back. I'd just like you to keep those facts in mind."

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

THE MEETING PLACE WAS IN FRONT of a vending machine on the second floor. Karuizawa was already there. At first when she saw him she smiled for a moment, but when she saw them behind Hirata she quickly lost the smile and it was replaced with an unsure expression, but it was most likely because of Kiyotaka.

She didn't particularly hate Kiyotaka, she was just slightly wary of him. He was mysterious and....looks like a robot. With Karuizawa expression, Axel can't help but to chuckle.

"I can understand why Arison-kun is here, but why is Ayanokouji-kun together with Hirata-kun?"

"It's ok I called them and we came together." Hirata assured her, Karuizawa just crossed her arm and talked again.

"Hirata-kun did? Why? I told you I wanted to talk to you alone."

"I know, but I was worried about what Karuizawa-san told me on the phone. So I brought along Ayanokouji-kun and Arison-kun, who seemed to understand the situation. Sorry for acting alone like this." Hirata said.

"But, I still want to talk to you alone." she respond.

"If need be, but you never told me we'd be talking alone on the phone though. You were telling me about the quarrel you had with Manabe and her friends from Class C. Is that true? Do Ayanokouji-kun and Arison-kun already know about your quarrel with Manabe-san and the others?"

"Well...A little bit." Axel said and whistle a bit.

"From what Karuizawa-san told me, it seems they accused her first. And then dragged her off to an isolated place and were on the verge of attacking her violently." Hirata explained.

"Yes. That's true. We witnessed it. Yukimura also witnessed it." Kiyotaka said while nodding his head.

"I see... If Manabe-san and the others indeed used violence, then we definitely need to do something about it. I cannot allow friends to use violence against each other."

"Karuizawa-san, you were bullied to the point of not being able to fight back right?" Hirata asked her with curiosity.

"No..." she said and averted her gaze. She clearly is not comfortable with the topic of bullying.

"I see that's why you told me something like that." Hirata nodded in understanding but it didn't wash away the worry from his face.

"Why are you telling them all this?" she said.

"She's being bullied right?" Kiyotaka stepped in the conversation.

"If you really are her boyfriend, then you have an obligation to save her." Kiyotaka continued, making Hirata answer immediately.

"Yes, I know that's the case. But I don't believe in that eye-for-an-eye talk. You know don't you? Let's think about it together then, how to get along with Manabe-san and her group!"

"That's impossible. I was one-sidedly attacked by them. Please understand." Karuizawa said, almost begging.

"One-sided? Wasn't it because you bullied Morofuji-san first, Karuizawa-san?"

"But that's.I had no other choice. Shinohara-san and the others were watching me." she said as she lowered her head. Kiyotaka just raised his brow.

"So basically because Shinohara was there, you had no other choice, is that what you mean?" With that Karuizawa glared at Kiyotaka.

"You shut your mouth! I beg you, please save me. Hirata-kun you'll protect me right?"

"Of course I intend to protect you, but I won't do anything to Manabe-san and the others as well. I'll try and find a way for you to talk with each other and get along together." Hirata said and his voice seemed troubled also.

"I'm telling you that's impossible! If things were that easy I wouldn't even ask you to help me in the first place." Karuizawa said.

"It doesn't matter what the reason is, I cannot do what you expect me to do. For me, Karuizawa-san is indeed a precious classmate. If there's something troubling you I'll protect you. But whatever the reason, I won't hurt someone else either. Even if it's a student of Class C." Hirata argued at her.

"You liar! You told me you'd protect me!" Karuizawa trembled as she tightened her fist.

"Liar?....I told you from the start I would take this stance. I told you from the start, didn't I? That we are not boyfriend and girlfriend. Not for real. I don't mind pretending to date you, but I won't help you like this and you won't be able to depend on me."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"I thought to save you, a new approach was required." Hirata said then slowly approached Karuizawa.

"Are you saying...I need to use violence myself?"

"I didn't say that. I will do my best to save you. In the morning, I intend to have a chat with Manabe-san and the others. To ask her to stop bothering Karuizawa-san. You might not like it, but I intend to tell them you wanted to apologize to them." Hirata said with a serious face.

"That's not what I want!" Karuizawa yelled.

'Hmm I need popcorn , I think? I am almost watching a drama and it's live.' Axel's thoughts while listening to their conversation.

"I see. If that's the case then there's nothing I can do for you. Sorry about that. Arison-kun, Ayanokouji-kun, if you have any ideas please tell us." Hirata said and looked at the two boys.

"No need! If you're not going to listen to my request, then I don't need someone like you! Our relationship ends here today. It's over!" Karuizawa yelled and ran away from the three boys.

Hirata sighed and looked at the two boys. "Ayanokouji-kun and Arison-kun. There are certain things that I cannot do. That is why you're here right now, I'd like you to understand that."

"You seem to want to be more than a bridge that connects everyone? I'm right Yosuke?" Hirata's hearts jump outside, he clearly is not used to hearing his first name coming from Axel.

"Ahem Y-Yes. I'm on Karuizawa-san's side and everyone's side. But depending on who I'm talking to, I also end up changing my attitude. You're far more capable than what everyone else thinks."

"You're praising us too much." Kiyotaka said.

"Kiyo is right, we're just normal students." Axel said while smiling. Hirata can't help himself but just to smile.

'You're clearly not a normal student, Arison-kun..and same to you Ayanokouji-kun.' in Hirata's thoughts.

"Really, I'm quite confident in reading the feelings of other people. That's why I can tell." Hirata confidently stated.

"So now, we'd like to ask about your relationship with Karuizawa. It looks like your relationship with her is just a front, and not real." Kiyotaka commented.

"That turn of phrase, it seems you two already suspected this?"

"It's been almost four months since you started going out with Karuizawa. But I haven't seen any signs of your relationship having progressed since then." Kiyotaka explained.

"Of course, you could consider the option that you are maintaining a pure and platonic relationship with her. But you've always been keeping your distance from her, and you're still calling each other by your last names." Kiyotaka continued making Axel nod his head.

"That's right. We weren't really dating. We only went out with each other because we felt it was necessary. Do you understand the contradiction here?"

"The rumors started roughly three weeks after the start of semester, and from that point onwards Karuizawa's popularity soared." Kiyotaka replied.

"So you pretended to be Karuizawa's boyfriend to help raise her status." Axel said, making Hirata smile at the two boys.

'So what exactly was the trigger that caused her to approach Machida? Now I finally feel like I understand the girl named Karuizawa Kei. To protect herself?' In Kiyotaka's mind.

"You understand now don't you? To be honest when I heard this answer from you, I had goosebumps." Hirata said.

"Ohh Ayanokouji-kun if I had to tell you honestly...it might sound rude but I find you creepy. Like an ominous existence. If I've offended you I apologize." Hirata continues making the two boys confuse.

"So, I've been looking at you ever since the school year started. Ayanokouji-kun then somehow quiet and reserved? And the Ayanokouji-kun now are like different people. The presence you emit, and the words you use. Almost like you're a different person than usual." Hirata said.

'He noticed Kiyo's behaviour..Well can't help it..He really looked weird hehe.' Axel's thoughts as he chuckles.

"But I do think you're still amazing, Ayanokouji-kun. You're different from Ike-kun or Yamauchi-kun." Hirata complimented him. Kiyotaka replied immediately.

"I'm inferior to both of them." Kiyotaka said, when he said that Axel and Hirata laugh slightly. Axel looked at Hirata and Hirata noticed that their eyes met and Axel pointed his finger at himself.

"Hmm then how about your impression on me, Yosuke?" Axel said, making Hirata stutter. He is not ready for these! But this is his opportunity to impress Axel.

"You're perfect."

When Hirata said that, Axel just smiled at him and waved his hands. Kiyotaka on the other hand just raised his brow on the sight.

"I'm not perfect, why did you say that?" Axels said while laughing. Well this is his first time encountering someone who tells him that he is perfect.

"You're really humble Arison-kun." Hirata chuckle.

"Hirata-kun." Hirata and Axel looked at Kiyotaka who was raising his hand.

"What is Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Do you perhaps know Karuizawa's past?" When Kiyotaka said that, Hirata nodded his head and crossed his arms and sighed.

"I accepted Karuizawa-san's request to be her boyfriend to help her 'protect herself'. That's what she requested. That she wants me to save her. It might be hard for you to believe but, throughout her elementary and middle school years, for 9 whole years. She received a horrifying amount of bullying."

'Bingo.' The two boys on their thoughts.

"Of course I only met Karuizawa-san after she entered this school, but I do understand. I know the look and smell and presence of a person who's been a victim of bullying. That's why I agreed to go out with her. By using her position as my girlfriend, Karuizawa-san would be able to escape her past of being bullied. I think right now, the attitude she has isn't the real Karuizawa-san. She's desperately trying to act tough isn't she?"

"We can understand that now more or less, but wait, what are the benefits of doing this for you?" Axel asked with his soft voice.

"Benefit? That would be Karuizawa-san living her high school life without being bullied. That's all. Won't you believe me? If that's my only reason."

"It's not that we distrust you, but there's a deeper meaning behind that isn't there?." Axel assured him making Hirata sighed in relief.

"Until my second year of middle school, if I have to honestly say I was an average guy who didn't stand out much." Hirata said making the two boys looked at him with unsure look.

'We imagine that.' the two boys's thoughts.

Hirata scratched the back of his head and sighed.

"I didn't stand out too much, but I also wasn't invisible. I had a friend I got along with really well ever since I was a kid named Sugimura-kun. For six years in elementary school we were together in the same class. When we entered middle school, for the first time, we were separated into different classes. I began playing with boys from my new class. It's a normal story you could've heard anywhere. But you see...even though I was busy playing with my friends. In the back, Sugimura-kun was actually being bullied. Sugimura-kun sent me an SOS many, many times. But I instead prioritized playing with my new friends and never took him seriously. When we both became 2nd year students, we reunited with each other. And by that time, Sugimura-kun's had become heartbroken. He was not even allowed to go to the toilet and forced to leak in the middle of class. That sort of thing became routine. I didn't do anything. I was too afraid that I would become the new target. I was afraid that my enjoyable life would then be destroyed and towards Sugimura-kun who'd always been together with me, I continued to pretend to not see him. I believed that one day the bullies would get bored of him."

"And that Sugimura-kun person, what happened to him in the end?" Axel asked, kinda curious about what happened to Hirata's friend.

"Even now the memory of that day is burned into my head. After morning soccer practice, I returned to my classroom. And there, I saw Sugimura-kun and decided to wait until going in. Honestly, at the time, I felt uncomfortable. I could not help but think cruel thoughts like I would be bullied along with him. Perhaps Sugimura-kun also saw my ugly heart, but he didn't say anything. But almost like a plea for help that day in the middle of class, he jumped out the window."

"Jumped out?" Kiyotaka repeats. Axel just looked down and didn't say anything but the two boys knew how sad he was hearing the story.

"It seems he was declared brain dead. But even now, his parents are still waiting for Sugimura-kun's recovery and believe in it. But whether he's still alive or dead now, I don't know. I still wonder if it was merely a dream or a hallucination. Because the moment Sugimura-kun jumped, I became acutely aware. By treasuring myself, I pushed my precious friend to his death. I want to repent. And to do that, I thought the only way was to save someone else like him."

"It's not like I don't know how you feel but, the world isn't that simple is it? Even right now, someone somewhere is getting bullied. And like Sugimura you talked about, they're trying to take their own lives. You cannot stop those people can you?" Kiyotaka commended.

"Of course I understand that. I'm not a hero of justice. But, I'd like to save the people in front of me. I have to save them. That is the responsibility of me who bears that sin." Hirata said and sighed.

"Then how will you decide on this case? You want to save both Karuizawa and Manabe. But that is an impossible task." Kiyotaka asked.

"I know it's a contradictory task, that's why you're here right now. I never expected the day would come that I'd tell this story to someone else. Nobody knows about this, that is part of why I chose this school. Can I entrust this to Horikita-san?"

"We don't know about Horikita, but you can entrust that to us." Axel said with a smile. Hirata can't help himself to not to smile.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───

ON THE DAY OF THE EXAM'S INTERVAL, the two boys with Sakura and they are currently having a conversation. Kiyotaka checked the mail on his phone that was sent to Sakura with Axel.

"The test for the (Cow) group has ended. Members of the (Cow) group are no longer required to participate in the exam. Please make sure to not disturb the other students."

"Have I done something wrong?" Sakura asked the two boys, Axel , who immediately shook his head reassuringly that Sakura didn;t do anything wrong.

"No that's not it. It just means that someone in the (Cow) group reported the VIP to the school."

"By the way, Sakura, were you the "target" of your group or was it someone else?" Kiyotaka asked and Sakura shook her head from side to side to deny it.

"I'm not the "target". But, I'm not sure about Sudo-kun and the others."

"Don't overthink it; even we still don't know the "target" of our group after all." Kiyotaka tries to assure her. Sakura looks down.

"Thank you Ayanokouji-kun, Arison-kun. I'm happy that both of you told me that."

"How was the situation with Class A? From the rumors it seems like they didn't participate in the discussions."

"They didn't talk at all."

With that, having bid farewell to Sakura, they now headed down towards the basement. Then they descended into the lower levels of the ship where people don't usually go.

When they arrived Axel looked around, he shiever. The place where they currently are was kinda creepy and scary.

'All that's left is to execute the plan step by step. First I'll have to contact Hirata, and then have him call Karuizawa to this place. We'd have to call Karuizawa here at least an hour early.' Kiyotaka thought, he looked up and saw the upper floor.

He gently grabbed the wrist of Axel and they both went up to the upper floors to make the call. When Kiyotaka sees his phone he receives a message from Hirata.

MESSAGE

From: Hirata Yosuke

Content: I've already asked Karuizawa-san to be there at 4PM. I'll send Manabe-san's address to you now. But I cannot help you any more than this. Don't make Karuizawa-san sad please.

Axel put his chin on Kiyotaka's shoulder and saw what he was doing on his phone. Kiyotaka on the other hand sent a message to Manabe-san.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Hey, do you have a moment?

Manabe Shiho: Who are you?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Is there anyone around you right now?

Manabe Shiho: No. I'm alone...who are you?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Don't show this chat to anyone. This is for your sake.

Manabe Shiho: Like I said, who are you?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: I'm the same as you. We hate the same person. Let's just leave it at that.

Manabe Shiho: Have you mistaken me for someone?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: I'm not making a mistake, Manabe-san. I'm contacting you to inform you about the Karuizawa-san you hate so much. I thought I could consult you on the situation, Manabe-san.

Manabe Shiho: I don't know what you're talking about. Please stop sending me messages.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: The truth is, as her fellow classmate, I've been harboring a grudge against Karuizawa-san for a while now. That's why I thought we could cooperate and have our revenge on her. Since I'm her classmate it's hard for me to exact my vengeance on Karuizawa-san directly, but that's why I would like to cooperate with you.

Manabe Shiho: I don't know what you're talking about. I'm going to ignore you then.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Rika is still scared of Karuizawa-san. Don't you want to help her as a friend? Your face has revenge written all over it you know? But the truth is, you can't do it even if you want to. After yesterday's events, Karuizawa-san is on her guard. I'm sure she won't leave Hirata-kun or Machida-kun's side for a while. And she'll always be together with her female friends so she won't be alone either.

Manabe Shiho: I don't need your help. I just need to bring Rika into contact with Karuizawa-san. The truth will be out then.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: I wonder if it'll be that easy. I don't think she would easily admit to her wrongdoing. On the contrary, it would just trouble Rika. If Karuizawa-san uses heartless words she'll only just end up wounding Rika further. No, that's not all. If she harbors a grudge, she might even bully Rika further.

Manabe Shiho: Then what should I do? Are you saying there's a way?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: There is. We can cooperate to make sure we can exact our revenge on her in a secure location.

Manabe Shiho: And the guarantee? It looks like you're just planning on selling me out to the school. This smells like a sub account anyways.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: If I am indeed selling you out, please feel free to show this chat log to the teachers, Manabe-san. This account has been registered with the school's phone. In other words, I'm risking my identity to take revenge on Karuizawa-san. That way, I'm the one bearing the most responsibility. Isn't that right?

Manabe Shiho: Then if I show this chat to the school now what would you do, it's over for you.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Because I believe Manabe-san is not the type of person to do that. I must trust in order to be trusted after all.

Manabe Shiho: I understand what you're trying to say, more or less. I'll hear you out at least

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Once we return to land, contact with Karuizawa would surely become difficult. Since the school dorms are littered with surveillance cameras, even if you tried to bring her into a private area, there would be eyes watching you. This place, a battlefield with no escape, would be the perfect place for you.

Manabe Shiho: So what are you proposing you can do?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: I can call Karuizawa-san. After that, you can take your time talking with her and settling the problem.

And with that, through the chat, Kiyotaka sent her a map of the lower levels of the ship. On the other hand, Axel who is smirking and smiling while watching Kiyotaka.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: Since phones don't get reception down there. She can't call for help either. And no one normally goes down there anyways.

Manabe Shiho: I see. So you can call Karuizawa-san down there as a classmate?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka: I would like you to decide now whether to cooperate with my plan or not. After I call her, you can decide whether or not you'd like to have your revenge. There would be no problems that way, no?

Once the reply came, Kiyotaka put his phone back in his pocket. He looked at Axel who was looking at him. He sighed.

"Don't sleep."

"I'm not!"

"Now, let me see what you can do, Manabe-san."