"Huh?"
At that moment, Yamauchi Haruki's face was filled with confusion.
From the start, he hadn't understood a word of what these two were talking about.
Expulsion? Something from the past? Were Kushida Kikyō and Horikita Suzune putting on some kind of play?
"This is a battle between the two of us. Yamauchi is completely unrelated, so I don't get why you're so concerned about him."
Horikita Suzune looked at Kushida Kikyō, puzzled.
"I don't know if you're pretending to be clueless or if you really are. From the recording incident to the sports festival, Yamauchi was behind it all, wasn't he?"
Kushida narrowed her eyes, still staring at Yamauchi.
"Huh?"
Yamauchi's small eyes widened in confusion, having no idea what Kushida was talking about.
"Are you still playing dumb? I know what you've done. You're behind all this, aren't you? How did you even get such private recordings? Did you plant recording devices in the rooms beforehand?"
Kushida pressed on.
"Huh?"
Yamauchi's face remained a picture of confusion.
"What's going on? Recordings? What recordings?"
Yamauchi felt Kushida's words were more confusing than any school lesson. From her expression, neither she nor Horikita seemed to be joking.
And with former student council president Horikita Manabu present, Yamauchi felt the pressure mounting.
"I… I don't know what you're talking about, Kushida…"
"Yamauchi, stop pretending you know nothing. If you're innocent, hand over your phone and prove it."
Kushida's tone was stern.
"O-okay!"
Yamauchi quickly handed over his phone. Kushida took it, opened the messaging app, checked the chat history, and then browsed his shopping records.
Her eyes suddenly focused on a few purchases:
Pinhole cameras, remote-controlled cars…
"So, you used these? I see now!"
Kushida's eyes snapped back to Yamauchi. His willingness to hand over his phone, revealing the purchases, felt like a challenge to her.
"Huh?"
Yamauchi was even more baffled.
"Pinhole cameras and remote-controlled cars… You used the cars to plant the cameras in the right spots? No wonder no one noticed."
"Pinhole cameras?"
Yamauchi froze, then suddenly recalled what they were for.
During summer break, they'd planned to invite girls to the pool and secretly install cameras in the changing room. Thanks to Saiki Kusuo's interference, their plan failed, and Yamauchi had forgotten about it.
---
Meanwhile, in another classroom, Saiki Kusuo and Ayanokōji Kiyotaka listened via Ayanokōji's phone.
Horikita Suzune had messaged them to come nearby and called, letting them hear her conversation with Kushida.
Saiki didn't need a phone to know what was happening, but he hadn't expected things to escalate like this.
Yamauchi's past purchases had sealed his fate as the 'mastermind'…
There was no way Yamauchi could clear his name now.
"I remember during summer break, Yamauchi, Sudō, and Ike bought surveillance stuff…"
Ayanokōji thought back. Yamauchi had tried to involve him then, so he knew about it.
"Maybe Saiki planned this all along, framing Yamauchi… Did Saiki foresee this?"
*"I didn't think that far ahead!"*
Saiki groaned inwardly. He'd only wanted to teach Yamauchi a lesson, not cause this mess. Now, even if he explained, Kushida wouldn't believe Yamauchi.
Saiki sighed, deciding to stay silent and see how things unfolded.
---
"Huh?!"
Yamauchi remembered buying the cameras. They'd split the cost, but he'd made the purchase.
He didn't understand Kushida's accusations, but it wasn't what she thought.
"What?"
Horikita Suzune was equally stunned. Since Saiki had foiled their plan, no one else knew about it.
"This was supposed to be for…'
Yamauchi stopped himself. He couldn't admit to planning to spy on girls in the changing room.
With Horikita Manabu present, if the school found out, he'd face punishment. His reputation would suffer, and finding a girlfriend would become even harder.
"I can't say anything! If the teachers find out, I might get suspended… And finding a girlfriend will be even tougher!"
*"Seriously? That's all you're thinking about now?"*
Saiki was exasperated.
"Maybe I'll blame Sudō and Ike for wanting to spy on the girls… No, that won't work. They'd probably rat me out too. Can't trust them."
*"You were going to sell them out first!"*
To Kushida, Yamauchi's silence confirmed his guilt.
"Looks like you're not hiding anymore."
Kushida smirked.
"Ready to face us head-on?"
"Yamauchi?"
Horikita Suzune looked confused.
"Is he really the one? No, he doesn't seem capable… Maybe Saiki forced him to take the fall?"
Horikita Manabu studied Yamauchi thoughtfully.
"Since you've admitted it, the bet is on. I'm excited to see how this plays out."
With that, Horikita Manabu left.
"Wait! I never agreed to anything!"
Yamauchi realized he was trapped. Too late—only the three of them remained.
"I don't know what's going on, but I'm in!"
Yamauchi grabbed his bag, ready to leave.
"Yamauchi, if you tell anyone about today, I won't let you off!"
Kushida's smile was chilling as she glared at him.
Swallowing hard, Yamauchi fled.
"Kushida's terrifying…"
*"You're finally seeing her true colors."*
Saiki thought, *"This is settled, and it's got nothing to do with me…"*
But as he prepared to leave, Kushida's voice came through the phone again.
"Ayanokōji must've heard everything too."
"What?"
Horikita Suzune was surprised Kushida knew about the call.
"I've been trying to call you, but it said you were on another call. The only person close to you in this class is Ayanokōji, right?"
Kushida pulled out her phone.
"Your observation skills are impressive… This is what we need to reach Class A."
Horikita Suzune nodded seriously.
*"She wants to expel me too?"*
"Since you know, Ayanokōji, Saiki, come here."
Horikita Suzune, no longer hiding, spoke into the phone.
"Saiki's involved too?"
Kushida's eyebrows twitched. She hadn't expected him.
*"Don't drag me into this!"*
Saiki groaned, but it was too late. He and Ayanokōji headed to the classroom.
"Ayanokōji… Saiki…"
Kushida's gaze fixed on them.
Ayanokōji's involvement made sense, but Saiki's presence surprised her.
"Is Saiki on Horikita's side? If he's here, he knows I'm the traitor… Horikita must've told him."
*"I knew last semester…"*
"Why call Ayanokōji and Saiki? I thought we were done. If you're upset I involved them, just say so."
Horikita Suzune asked.
*"You're the one who called me!"*
Saiki was annoyed. He could've stayed out of it.
"I'm not upset. I just want to tell you both directly. Since others know, maybe we can add another condition to the bet."
"What?"
"If I beat you in grades, I want Ayanokōji and Saiki expelled too."
*"Figures…"*
Saiki wasn't surprised, but—
*"This really has nothing to do with me!"*
"That's not fair. This doesn't involve them."
Horikita Suzune objected.
*"You're the one who outed me!"*
"Anyone who knows about me, I want gone. Even if Horikita's not here, if Ayanokōji stays, my problem remains—and Saiki too."
"Fine, I'll join the bet. I'm on Horikita's side."
Ayanokōji spoke up.
"For Horikita to grow, Kushida needs to be removed."
"What are you saying, Ayanokōji? This is between her and me."
"It started that way, but now I'm involved. And since I'm here, Kushida won't let me go."
"True."
*"This has nothing to do with me, right?"*
Saiki knew explaining was pointless.