I Reincarnated As Yamauchi in COTE

"Didn't expect you to be studying in a library, Ishizaki."

I was eager to see what kind of reaction he would give.

He and Sudo were in a similar kind of situation in the first year too.

Except in that case, Sudo was falsely accused of assault by Ishizaki.

In the end, he backed off, due to Horikita's trap.

But, in my case, Ishizaki and Ryuen one sidedly beat me up.

Ishizaki is smart enough to deduce that if I report this case, they would definitely receive severe punishment, considering my injury.

Even if the current student council president, Nagumo Miyabi is a bit lenient towards such violence, he would be forced to take action considering the clear evidence.

And, I am sure that Ishizaki is aware of that too.

Still, he went along with Ryuen's plan, which implies that something is going on, which I am overlooking.

At my sarcastic remark, he didn't reply and continued focussing on the book.

Shiina made a forced smile, and we all continued reading our respective books till launch break ended.

***

As I entered the classroom, the number of eyes on me decreased.

It's natural for humans to lose interest in something, if enough time passes.

My position in the class is a bit ambiguous, for sure.

While a few students may have favorable opinion of me, most of them still, despise me.

I have made temporary truce with Sakayanagi.

Ryuen is plotting something against me.

But, I don't think there is any immediate crisis I have to overcome.

That's why I have decided to lay low for the time being, and simply watch over this special exam.

However, there is something that has been bothering me for a while.

"There are minimum 4 students from white room mixed in with the first years. ", is what Sakayanagi said.

As I have no idea how this special exam went in the original novel, there is no clear conclusion coming out of this piece of info.

In the first place, if it's true, then this must be the work of Tsukishiro.

Then again, I don't think Sakayanagi is lying, considering her nature.

And if it's true, then the only reason of taking such an action is to expel Ayanokouji, since that's Tsukishiro's motive.

For that reason, this special exam is the perfect ground.

If a student from white room manages to pair up with Ayanokouji, then even if he scores 500 out of 500,he would still be expelled, if the other student scores 0.

However, something doesn't add up.

First of all, I have always visualized students from white room similar to Ayanokouji.

Even if they try to mix in among normal students, you can differentiate them from the normal ones through deep observation of their expressions and attitude, which would be a price of cake for Ayanokouji.

Secondly, such drastic resuts would surely come to the notice of higher authorities, which might invite troubles for Tsukishiro.

Well, he might already have taken care of things on his end, if he is going to follow the plan as I have imagined.

Unless, he has something else in mind.

But, the thing I don't understand is why did Sakayanagi say this to me.

It's not like Tsukishiro is after Yamauchi Haruki, a completely normal high school student.

In any case, I have to stay alert and observe the situation as planned before.

***

The special building was silent, devoid of life except for the faint echo of footsteps.

Two figures walked side by side, their shadows stretching across the dimly lit corridor.

Ryuen led the way, his hands stuffed casually into his pockets, exuding his usual air of arrogance.

Beside him walked a girl, her posture relaxed, but her sharp eyes betrayed a calculating nature.

She was taller than most girls, her long hair tied back neatly.

"So, about the plan involving Yamauchi," Ryuen said, breaking the silence.

His tone was casual, but there was a sly edge to it. "You sure it'll go as smoothly as you think?"

The girl didn't stop walking, her voice calm yet firm.

"That depends on how well you follow instructions."

She turned her head slightly, her sharp gaze locking onto his. "Don't forget, Ryuen—you're working for me, not the other way around. First year or not, I'm the one in control here."

Ryuen chuckled, brushing off her words like they meant nothing. "First year or not, huh? You've got guts talking to a senior like that. But don't let it go to your head, kid."

His smirk deepened as he leaned slightly closer. "At the end of the day, I'm the one who gets things done."

She stopped and turned fully toward him, her expression completely neutral.

"Arrogance will only take you so far. Don't mistake my patience for tolerance." Her voice was steady, devoid of anger or emotion, and yet the weight of her words hung heavily in the air.

Ryuen leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms. "Alright, boss," he said with a mocking grin.

"No need to get so serious. But tell me this—what happens to Ayanokouji after all this? You must have something planned for him."

The girl didn't reply.

Instead, she turned and began walking away, her calm footsteps echoing down the corridor.

Ryuen's smirk wavered slightly as he watched her go.

"What's with the silence?" he muttered, more to himself than her.

He decided to push his luck.

Without warning, he lunged toward her, aiming to grab her shoulder.

His movements were swift, the kind meant to catch someone off guard.

But she was faster.

Before his hand could reach her, she spun around, her movements fluid and precise.

In an instant, she sidestepped his strike, her reflexes so sharp they reminded him of someone he knew all too well.

For a moment, their eyes met, and Ryuen felt an uneasy familiarity.

Her calm expression hadn't changed, but there was something in her stance, her precision, that unsettled him.

"Don't try that again," she said softly, her tone as even as ever.

Ryuen laughed, stepping back. "You're something else, you know that?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, his smirk returning but lacking its usual confidence.

The girl didn't answer.

She turned and walked away, her figure disappearing into the shadows of the corridor.

As Ryuen stood alone in the silence, he felt a rare sense of anticipation.

For the first time in a long while, he wasn't sure what to expect.

And that made things all the more interesting.

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A/N:

No words.

Whatever you think, drop it in the comments.

Next chapter : Auction Of The Toppers;

would be published today, for sure.

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