"I have plans with a friend later."
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka replied immediately.
"Friend? Don't make me laugh. You'd never make friends."
Ayanokōji Tokishige scoffed.
"Whether I talk to you here or not won't affect my future at all."
"Then, can I assume you'll give me the answer I want? No need to waste time. I'm busy, and I've already prepared the withdrawal papers. I just spoke with the principal. All you need to do is say 'yes,' and this will be over."
Ayanokōji Tokishige spoke directly, maintaining his usual arrogant tone, as if he were a superior.
*'Hmm, I've heard about this guy from Ayanokōji before. Turns out it's his father. But he seems like a troublemaker too.'*
Saiki Kusuo observed the scene, muttering to himself.
"I have no reason to withdraw."
"Maybe not for you, but for me, you do."
Ayanokōji Tokishige glared sharply at Ayanokōji Kiyotaka. In his heart, there was no fatherly affection.
*'Kiyotaka, you're just a tool for my comeback. Don't act against my wishes.'*
Ayanokōji Tokishige thought.
"You're his father. How can you distort his hopes for your convenience?"
"Father? Have you ever seen me as one?"
"No, I haven't."
*'Wow, they're really father and son.'*
Saiki Kusuo thought, mocking the situation.
"To begin with, you acted on your own. I should've ordered you to stand by."
Ayanokōji Tokishige's brow twitched, his gaze intensifying.
"You defied that order and enrolled here. It's only natural I order you to withdraw immediately."
"Your orders only hold weight in the White Room. I'm no longer there, so I don't have to obey."
"You've become so talkative since I last saw you. This boring school must be rubbing off on you."
Ayanokōji Tokishige's gaze seemed tinged with disdain.
*'Kiyotaka wasn't like this before. This school has changed him.'*
*'Really?'*
Saiki Kusuo tried to recall his first impression of Ayanokōji Kiyotaka.
*'He doesn't seem that different…'*
"Answer my question."
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka's face remained expressionless, even as his father grew more aggressive.
"You mean the question about not obeying orders? You're my possession. The owner has all the rights. Whether you live or die is my decision."
Ayanokōji Tokishige replied coldly.
*'Wow, this guy's worse than Ayanokōji.'*
Saiki Kusuo muttered.
Their pointless conversation continued, until Ayanokōji Tokishige suddenly smirked:
"Aren't you curious about Matsuo, the man who told you about this school and urged you to enroll? How he's doing now?"
"No."
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka replied, but in his mind, he began recalling Matsuo's appearance and past events.
*'Matsuo, my former butler, was nearly sixty. He was kind, caring, and loved by all children. He married young, but his wife struggled to conceive. They had a child in their forties, but she died in childbirth. Matsuo raised his son alone, always saying he was his proudest achievement.'*
*'I never met his son, but Matsuo said he vowed to succeed and repay his father. His smile back then is still etched in my memory…'*
*'Hmm?'*
Saiki Kusuo could clearly hear Ayanokōji Kiyotaka's thoughts. Matsuo seemed to have treated Kiyotaka well and helped him escape the White Room.
Though Ayanokōji Kiyotaka showed no emotion, Saiki Kusuo noticed that Kiyotaka didn't view Matsuo as a tool, unlike everyone else. This surprised him.
Through telepathy, Saiki Kusuo knew Ayanokōji Kiyotaka had escaped the White Room. Seeing Ayanokōji Tokishige only worsened his impression of the place.
*'With a father like that, escaping was the right choice.'*
'He was my butler for a year, but in the end, he defied me."
Ayanokōji Tokishige paused, then continued slowly.
*'I paused to make sure he remembers my words and understands their importance.'*
*'Politicians are something else.'*
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka thought.
*'He wants me to remember and realize the gravity of what's coming. His serious tone and gaze make me wonder what's happening. I'll assume the worst, but it doesn't affect me.'*
*'They're definitely related.'*
Saiki Kusuo thought as Ayanokōji Tokishige began explaining what he did to Matsuo.
He fired Matsuo and used his connections to ensure he couldn't find work. Matsuo's son, once a promising student, was also ruined by Tokishige's actions.
"…But Matsuo couldn't accept it. He was a responsible, kind man. Losing his wife and raising his son alone, he was devastated by his son's ruined future. To save his son, he begged me to stop. Last month, he set himself on fire—"
Ayanokōji Tokishige spoke slowly, a faint smile on his face, as if Matsuo's life meant nothing.
"And his son—"
Before Tokishige could finish, the teacup on the table suddenly shattered. Hot water splashed onto his expensive pants, tearing them and scalding his skin.
"Ahh!"
Ayanokōji Tokishige screamed, jumping up in pain, frantically patting his pants. His earlier authority vanished instantly.
*'That was harsh.'*
Saiki Kusuo frowned, his dislike for Tokishige growing.
"What a mess."
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka said expressionlessly.
"Maybe the cup was poor quality. It happens."
"Damn it!"
Tokishige cursed, turning to Kiyotaka.
"Sign the withdrawal papers now."
"No."
"The man who helped you is dead, and you don't care. Matsuo sacrificed himself for you. If he saw your attitude, he'd regret it!"
"Even if he's dead, I won't leave. I'll honor Matsuo's wish for me to enroll here, even if it meant your punishment."
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka said, though he didn't truly feel that way.
"You've changed, Kiyotaka. What happened during that year? Why are you so determined to stay here?"
"Your education was excellent, and I won't deny the White Room's value. I won't reveal the past or get you arrested. But your idealism went too far, and this is the result."
Kiyotaka said slowly.
"You taught us everything—knowledge, martial arts, survival skills. Because of that, I wanted to learn the worldly things you dismissed as trivial."
"So that's why you ran away? Nonsense! You're my masterpiece, my possession. Nothing compares to the White Room…"
'There is."
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka interrupted.
"I've met someone stronger than me."
*'Wait, you don't mean me, right?'*
Saiki Kusuo thought, alarmed.
*'His abilities rival or surpass mine.'*
*'Oh no.'*
Saiki Kusuo had a bad feeling. If Tokishige learned about him, it could lead to trouble.
"Impossible! What are you talking about?"
Ayanokōji Tokishige glared, trying to read Kiyotaka's expression, but Kiyotaka remained unreadable.
"Don't forget, I can force you to withdraw."
"This school is backed by the government. You can't interfere."
"Why are you so sure?"
"First, your bodyguards aren't here. You're hated by many, so you should never be without them. But they're not in the room or hallway. A man who takes guards to the bathroom wouldn't leave them behind. You wanted to bring them but couldn't. In other words, you can't do as you please here. If you could force me to withdraw, you would've done it already. Instead, you're trying to convince me through conversation. That's odd."
*'The White Room trained him too well.'*
Tokishige's brow twitched.
"Excuse me."
Just then, the reception room door opened, and a man in his forties entered.
"Long time no see, Tokishige-sensei."
"…Sakayanagi, it's been years. Seven or eight, I think."
Tokishige narrowed his eyes.
*'Sakayanagi… The chairman? I heard about him from Chabashira-sensei.'*
Saiki Kusuo thought.
"It's been so long since I inherited the chairman position from my father. Time flies."
Sakayanagi turned to Kiyotaka, smiling warmly.
"You must be Tokishige-sensei's… Kiyotaka, right? Nice to meet you."
"Sakayanagi, is there anyone special in this boring school?"
Though Tokishige didn't fully believe Kiyotaka, he asked cautiously.
"Apologies, Tokishige-sensei. Student lists are confidential. I can't share them with outsiders."
Sakayanagi smiled.
"But I should tell you this: Some students here are truly exceptional. The forces that sent them here are beyond our reach."
"What do you mean?"
"For a nation, technological advancement is key. Those with vital knowledge are irreplaceable. People like us are easily replaced."
"I don't understand. I just want him to withdraw. It's simple."
"Apologies, but the student must agree."
Sakayanagi kept smiling.