Classroom of the elite: The Four elites

Lelouch's POV:

The evening roll call had concluded, and we made our way back to camp. On our route, we scanned two spots an added benefit, as they could be claimed both on the way there and back. 

The day had been uneventful, a welcome contrast to the tension that had filled the previous ones. Not to long ago, Class C had been the focus of our attention, with a three-way discussion between myself, Kanzaki, and Ichinose. Ichinose, ever the idealist, was adamant about maintaining a neutral relationship with Class D. She refused to exploit the situation that had unfolded, despite the clear advantage it presented. 

Kanzaki and I, however, had a different perspective. Class D had little left to lose, making them an easy target. Tomorrow would be ideal for further reconnaissance as ideally, I wanted eyes on all three remaining camps to see how things were going. There was a chance that Class C had already abandoned the island as they said, making them a particularly interesting subject to investigate. And aside from the small incident at their camp, I had yet to see much movement from the other classes. 

With that in mind, I made my way over to Kanzaki. 

"I think we should do some more reconnaissance," I said. 

Kanzaki glanced up from where he was sitting, nodding without hesitation. "That's fine with me. How should we divide the task?" 

I took a moment to consider before replying. "You and Ichinose will check out Class D. Let's send Watanabe and Ando to scout Class C. I'll take Class A myself." 

Kanzaki seemed satisfied with the plan, though he raised an eyebrow slightly. "That works, but I'd suggest you take someone with you." 

I was about to refuse but quickly reconsidered. There was no point in arguing over something so minor. Instead, I scanned the camp before settling on a name. 

"I'll take Hamaguchi with me," I said simply, turning to head back to my tent. 

The night passed without incident. After the next roll call, we returned to camp and rested for about an hour before setting out. 

I had chosen Hamaguchi for the simple reason he seemed to be competent. At the very least, he could think for himself, which was more than could be said for some of our peers. The two of us made the journey in relative silence, the path still fresh in my mind from my previous exploration with Kanzaki. 

Upon arrival, Hamaguchi peered ahead, scanning the terrain. 

"So, they're inside the cave," he asked. 

I nodded. "Kanzaki had a quick look before and confirmed it. I doubt they'd just let us in, but it's worth a try as there is only one entrance."

Stepping out from behind a tree, I deliberately made myself visible. Hamaguchi followed my lead, matching my pace. 

It wasn't long before two figures emerged from the cave, Katsuragi and another boy who I knew to be Yahiko. My gaze flicked downward as I caught a subtle motion from Yahiko. He was slipping something into his pocket, it looked to be a card.

Katsuragi's eyes met mine. "Lelouch and Hamaguchi from Class B. Is there something you need?" 

Hamaguchi spoke first. "We're just here to check out Class A's base." 

Katsuragi nodded slowly, expression unreadable. "I see. Well, I'm afraid this is all you'll be able to see for now." 

His meaning was clear, he wasn't letting us in. Forcing our way through wasn't an option, so I opted for a different approach. 

"Will you be exploiting what happened with Horikita?" I asked, watching his reaction carefully. 

A flicker of confusion crossed Katsuragi's face. "What do you mean by 'exploiting Horikita'?" 

I studied him closely. He genuinely seemed unaware. Did Ryuzaki keep this information from him? If so, this might mean he had aligned himself with Arisu and was deliberately withholding crucial information. 

"I just assumed the leader of Class A would know by now," I replied with a slight shrug. 

Katsuragi let out a quiet sigh of irritation. "I'm not here to play your games. Is that all?" 

"One more thing," I said. "Is Ryuzaki here?" 

Katsuragi hesitated only briefly. "Yes. Do you have a message you'd like me to pass along?" 

"I'd rather speak to him directly. Mind bringing him out?" 

He shook his head immediately. "I would if I could, but he's been out cold for the past twelve hours. Completely unresponsive. I even had to carry him to roll call earlier." 

That wasn't ideal. Still, there was really nothing else more to gain here. 

"I see," I said, taking a step back. "Until next time." 

Without another word, I turned away, Hamaguchi following suit. 

By the time we returned to camp, Watanabe and Ando had already arrived. 

"How did Class C treat you?" I asked Watanabe. 

He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "When we arrived, there was no one there. At first, I thought we might've gone to the wrong location, but there were signs of recent activity such as leftover items, scattered supplies. Someone had been there not long before." 

I nodded. It seemed Class C had, in fact, left, just as they had claimed. Yet knowing what I did about Ryuen, I doubt that would be the last at him.

I leaned against a nearby tree, letting my thoughts settle. This test was proving to be far easier than expected. 

Not long after, Kanzaki and Ichinose returned. They separated upon arrival, Kanzaki making his way over to me. 

"Class D is divided," he said simply. 

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?" 

He glanced around briefly before lowering his voice. "One of the boys stole a girl's underwear. You can imagine how the girls took it." 

I smirked slightly. "Fascinating. Tell me what happened." 

Kanzaki nodded. "From what Ichinose gathered from the girls, the boy took it during the night and hid it in his own bag." 

I listened carefully, noting how careless the culprit had been. 

"The boys are largely defending him," Kanzaki continued. "Though Horikita seems to suspect it was a setup." 

"I see. And who were the victim and perpetrator?" 

"The victim was Kei Karuizawa." 

I hummed in thought. Kei Karuizawa she was Hirata's girlfriend. Well publicly, at least. Given Hirata's reputation, one would expect him to defend her without question. Yet Kanzaki's tone suggested otherwise. 

"And the accused?" I prompted. 

"Kiyotaka Ayanokoji." 

I stilled for a moment. 

"Ayanokoji, huh?" I repeated, rolling the name over in my mind. 

"You know him?" Kanzaki asked. 

"Not particularly," I admitted. "Though we've had a few interactions." 

Ayanokoji, so he was the so-called underwear thief. From the way Ichinose spoke of him, he had been instrumental in Class D's victory over Class C in the Sudo case. And then there was the subtle warning I had received from Hoshinomiya. My thoughts drifted back to that moment of that little interaction.

————

In the midst of a conversation, speakers interrupted my conversation with Ryuji Kanzaki. We were deep in discussion about the latest intel on class and private points when the sudden buzz signaled a summons from Hoshinomiya. She had requested both Ichinose and me to come to the faculty office.

Ichinose and I exchanged a quick glance, one that held more curiosity than concern. I didn't feel any immediate threat, confident in the knowledge that i hadn't done anything wrong. But Ichinose's expression was different, something like a faint worry did worry her features.

"Are we in trouble?" she asked lightly as we met up. though in her words there seemed to be a slight edge of real anxiety in her voice. "Could we be expelled?"

I raised an eyebrow, trying to ease her tension. "It's probably just Hoshinomiya wanting to discuss our roles as leader and vice-leader of Class B," I said, though I knew her mind might be wandering to other possibilities. Ichinose gave a small nod but her eyes suggested she was still pondering it over.

We walked in silence towards the faculty office, and my gaze shifted to Ichinose's face, as she did seem to be lost in thought. As we passed through the hallway, a student glanced at us curiously before entering another office.

Arriving at the faculty office, I was still pondering that look when, without warning, I was enveloped in an unexpected embrace. Hoshinomiya's arms wrapped around both Ichinose and me, and I stumbled back slightly, instinctively trying to push her away. Softness pressed against my face.

She pulled back with a playful grin. "Why aren't you giving your teacher a hug?" she teased, her tone light and carefree.

I stood there, caught off guard, unsure how to respond. I was used to her playful, childish antics, but this one had me momentarily thrown off balance.

Ichinose, the more composed one in this situation, broke the silence. "Why did you summon us?"

Hoshinomiya winked at us, clearly enjoying herself. "I was just curious about how my favorite couple is doing."

Ichinose quickly denied it though she seemed to be matching her playfulness. "That's not true!" Hoshinomiya laughed, clearly entertained, and kept on insisting we'd make a perfect match.

I sighed, growing tired of her games. "Listen, I'm not interested in playing along right now. Could we just get to the point? What's the real reason for our summons?"

Hoshinomiya pouted, her expression exaggerated in mock disappointment, but she eventually relented and motioned for us to enter the office.

"You really can be no fun, Lelouch," she said, placing a hand to her cheek. "But fine, let's get serious."

We sat across from her at the table, the mood shifting as she settled into a more serious demeanor.

"So, don't keep us waiting," I said, my voice cutting through the lingering tension. "I'm sure you have a reason for calling us here."

Hoshinomiya paused, considering her words, her usual cheerfulness fading for a moment. "Well, you see," she began, her eyes narrowing slightly, "I've been keeping an eye on my fellow teacher, Sae-chan, recently." She trailed off, her gaze searching for the right words.

It took me a moment to recall who she meant, but then it clicked, Sae must be the teacher of Class D.

"Do you both want to move up to Class A?" she asked, her tone turning even more serious as she studied us.

Before I could respond, Ichinose spoke with determination, her voice filled with conviction. "Of course we do. I want everyone in my class to succeed!"

"I'm inclined to agree with Ichinose here," I added, my voice steady. "I plan to move up to Class A eventually."

"Well then, that's all I needed to know," Hoshinomiya said, her cheerfulness returning as if her seriousness had never existed. "I'm sure Sae-chan is planning something this year. She's been acting differently lately. With that I think I see potential in your class, too get Class B to surpass Class A." She gave us an encouraging nod, her confidence palpable.

Her words were flattering, but I could sense there was more beneath the surface. She wasn't just making idle conversation as she was clearly curious about class D.

"I know it may have been overwhelming today," Hoshinomiya continued, her tone shifting to something more measured, "but I want you to know, if you plan to move up to Class A, you can't afford to wait. Go all out from the start. Normally, I wouldn't encourage or even hint at something like this, but I see something exceptional in this year's class, especially in you, Lelouch." Her voice softened, but there was no mistaking the sincerity behind it.

Her words were unexpected, and I felt a slight ego boost, though I kept my expression neutral.

After a moment of silence hit and noticing that seemed to be all, we rose to leave. Ichinose and I were both quiet, her mind especially seemed to be processing the conversation.

Though as Ichinose stepped out and before I fully left let the room, she spoke up to the point only id be able to hear, "keep an eye on class D, especially that boy I'm sure you saw earlier. It would be in your best interest to do so"

With that I left the room letting out a small yawn, stretching my arms behind me as I'd have to keep her words in mind.

As we started to walk back toward the dorms, the faint sound of someone speaking caught my attention. I turned to see Ichinose staring ahead, her expression softening.

"Oh, it's Horikita from Class D," she said, her voice carrying a note of surprise.

I followed her gaze. Horikita stood before us, her long black hair cascading down her back. But it wasn't just her appearance that caught my attention, it was the fact that she was most likely about to enter the same office as the person I'd seemed to be warned about.

As our eyes met, I noticed the subtle shift in Horikita's expression. There was a sense of disdain or perhaps disgust, but I couldn't pinpoint the actual reason.

"Ichinose from Class B," she said coolly, her tone measured, eyes flicking between us. "And I presume you must be Lelouch."

"That's right," I responded, trying to keep the conversation polite. "So, what brings you here?"

Horikita didn't answer immediately. She merely glanced at us before pushing open the door, her face unreadable. "I don't know. I guess I'll find out once I step inside," she muttered, her voice strangely uncertain.

As the door closed behind her, I sighed softly. Ichinose glanced at me, raising an eyebrow.

"It seems she's the kind of woman who attracts a lot of attention," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Ichinose nudged me playfully, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "From what I've gathered, she's very ambitious, a bit like you in a way. She seems to be aiming for Class A," she said, her voice laced with admiration.

I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Class D had zero class points, it would take a miracle for them to ever reach Class A. Still, there was something admirable about Horikita's determination, even if the odds were overwhelmingly against her the fact she still planned on reaching class A was something.

————

Ayanokoji's POV:

Only a few hours had passed since Kanzaki and Ichinose had visited our camp. Their initial purpose had seemed like simple reconnaissance, but curiosity about the ongoing drama had inevitably drawn them in. 

This morning had only worsened the situation. The divide between the boys and girls had solidified, with the latter now entirely against us. Horikita had managed to keep a fragile balance, preventing the girls from acting too irrationally, for now that is. But that wouldn't last forever. 

The only silver lining was that this exam was reaching its peak. Soon, I wouldn't have to endure the constant looks of disdain. Even now, though they largely ignored me, they made sure one of them was always watching. No matter what I did, at least one girl had her eyes on me, as if expecting me to steal from them again. 

I had just closed my eyes when a voice abruptly cut through the air. 

"Hey." 

I opened them to find Horikita standing over me, her tone laced with irritation. 

"We just love guests," she said dryly, stepping aside to reveal the figure standing slightly behind her. "Here's your fellow weirdo from Class A." 

I sat up, my gaze falling on the familiar figure. "Ryuzaki. You look like you haven't slept in days." 

He did, in fact, look exhausted. His disheveled appearance only reinforced the observation. 

"Actually," Ryuzaki replied, raising a hand to chew absentmindedly on his thumb, "I had a very good and very long nap last night." 

His eyes drifted across the camp before stopping at the makeshift line dividing the boys' and girls' areas. He gestured toward it. 

"So... what's with this?" 

Horikita let out a sharp sigh, folding her arms. "It's mainly his fault," she said, pointing directly at me. 

That piqued Ryuzaki's interest. "What did he do?" 

Horikita hesitated, as if debating whether to say it outright. Before she could decide, I answered for her. 

"To summarize Karuizawa's underwear was stolen, and when bags were searched, they were found in mine." I met Ryuzaki's gaze, my tone flat. "I didn't steal them." 

He studied me for a moment, expression unreadable. Then he gave a slow nod. 

"So that's why I felt so much hostility aimed this way." His voice lacked any real surprise, as if the answer had already been clear to him. "If it wasn't you, then who did it?" 

I merely shrugged. Silence settled between us until Ryuzaki suddenly straightened, his voice carrying an air of determination. 

"I've decided, we're going to find out who planted them in your bag." 

I arched an eyebrow as he gestured between himself and Horikita. 

Horikita, on the other hand, looked at him as if he had just said something utterly ridiculous. "We?" she repeated, unimpressed. 

Ryuzaki didn't falter. He glanced at me, as if assuming I'd naturally be on board. "I would have ideally liked you to be there too," he added. "But if we bring you into this, you'll be more of a hindrance than anything." 

I nodded slightly. "I understand. It wouldn't get anywhere with them eyeing me down constantly." 

"No," Horikita interrupted, her tone final. "I'm not doing this." 

Ryuzaki blinked at her, then responded as if her refusal was irrelevant. "I've decided you are." 

"I am not."

"You are." 

"Nope." 

"Yep." 

Horikita's POV:

And just like that, I found myself alongside Ryuzaki against my will, helping to uncover whether there was a snake within Class D. 

"Just so you know, I'd rather be doing this alone," I muttered, already feeling like Ryuzaki would be more of a burden than a help. 

He didn't acknowledge my words. Instead, he focused on the stick in his hand, carefully writing a list on the dirt. "We should start by interviewing Karuizawa first." 

I sighed but went ahead and called Karuizawa over. The excuse was simple: we told her we were preparing a report against Ayanokoji once the exam was over and needed her statement. 

She hesitated at first but eventually sat across from us on a log, her expression guarded. I took the lead. 

"Can you tell us exactly what you were doing when the incident happened?" 

Karuizawa paused, her brows furrowing as she tried to recall. When she finally spoke, there was a slight tremor in her voice. 

"All I remember is talking and hanging out with the girls and Hirata before going to bed. Then when I woke up, I was about to change, I realized my underwear was missing... I—I couldn't hold back my tears. I told the girls, and then... well, everything else happened." 

I nodded, acknowledging her response. Just as I was about to continue, Ryuzaki cut in. 

"That's a little too convenient, don't you think?" 

Karuizawa blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?" 

"You're not telling us everything," he said, his eyes locking onto hers. "I'm almost certain you're lying." 

Her expression stiffened, and despite her best efforts, her eyes started to water again. "W-What are you trying to say? That i made all this up?" 

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," Ryuzaki replied bluntly. "You created this whole situation to make people feel sorry for you. Maybe everyone's attention was elsewhere, or maybe even Hirata's eyes weren't on you the way you wanted. So, you made yourself the center of attention, the victim." 

Karuizawa's body tensed as she gripped the edge of the log. Tears had started to roll down her cheeks now. 

"You're a manipulative leech," he continued, undeterred. "Using your looks, your social status, anything at your disposal to turn the situation in your favor. But the real question is why frame Ayanokoji? Did he do something to annoy you? Or was he just an easy target? Someone who wouldn't fight back?" 

Karuizawa's eyes widened in shock. She turned to me, silently pleading for me to stop him. I had to admit, even I thought he was going too far. I cleared my throat, cutting in. 

"Maybe give her a moment to process it," I suggested. 

"Give her time to come up with an excuse, you mean," he shot back. 

Before I could respond, Karuizawa, her voice now barely stable, spoke again. "My underwear was in his bag. What more proof do you need?" Her head hung low, as if she had completely given up. 

Ryuzaki didn't hesitate. "The only fact here is that it was found in his bag. That doesn't mean he stole it. Did you ever consider that this might've been a setup?" He leaned forward slightly. "Think about it, if someone wanted to avoid suspicion, the last person you'd suspect would be the victim. So tell me, Karuizawa... was this really about being in the spotlight, or was there another reason?" 

She didn't respond. Her face had turned red, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Then, without warning, she stood up and ran off. 

Neither of us moved to stop her. Instead, Ryuzaki simply picked up his stick and drew an "X" beside her name. 

"I'm one hundred percent certain she's innocent," he said, tapping the next name on his list. 

I stared at him, still processing what I had just witnessed. "Then why did you act like you were so sure she was guilty?" 

"Simple." He rested his chin on his hand. "If I didn't push her, she'd still be a suspect. But when someone's innocent, pressure forces their real emotions to come out. If I hadn't pressured her, she might've been able to fake it." 

It was sound logic, but I wasn't sure how I felt about his methods as I didn't hate them, but they weren't exactly how I'd go about it.

"Before we get to Hirata," I said, narrowing my eyes slightly, "why are you even helping Class D? And Ayanokoji, of all people?" 

Ryuzaki hummed in thought before answering. "After I graduate, I want to become a detective. This is a good way to start cause this is like a case in a way." 

I couldn't exactly argue with that reasoning. Though, judging by how skilled he already seemed, I had to wonder if he had previous experience, maybe working on cases with his father or something like that. 

Setting that aside, I stood up and went to fetch Hirata. He agreed to the questioning without much resistance and sat down across from us. 

"So, Hirata," I began, "how is your relationship with Karuizawa right now?" 

He hesitated, looking away for a brief moment before answering. 

"I thought it was going fine," he admitted. "At least... before all this happened. I want to help Karuizawa, but—" He let out a conflicted sigh. "I just can't believe Ayanokoji would do something like that." 

"You truly believe he's innocent, then?" I asked. 

He nodded firmly. "Yes." 

The moment he finished, Ryuzaki leaned forward slightly. "You're so sure of his innocence because you're the one who actually stole it." 

I barely held back a sigh. Here we go again.

Hirata froze, clearly caught off guard. He didn't even attempt to deny it right away. Ryuzaki seized the moment. 

"You're her boyfriend, aren't you?" he continued. "Here's my theory if you care to hear it, you made a move on Karuizawa, she rejected you, and in retaliation, you stole her underwear. Then, when you realized how stupid that was and saw that people were waking up, you panicked and shoved it into Ayanokoji's bag." 

Hirata's expression shifted from shock to anger. His fists clenched. "I would never do something like that," he snapped. "I've never forced Karuizawa into anything she didn't want." 

Ryuzaki studied him for a long moment before nodding. "I believe him." 

Hirata blinked, his anger giving way to confusion. After a few seconds of silence, he stood up and walked off, still processing what had just happened. Ryuzaki marked another "X" on his list. 

I glanced at the names remaining. There were still plenty of people left to question, but for now, something else was bothering me. 

I eyed Ryuzaki's posture. "Why do you sit like that?" 

He ignored me for a moment before finally answering. 

"When I sit like this, my deductive ability increases by forty percent." His voice was completely serious. 

"...I see," I muttered, though I had my doubts. 

Deciding not to press further, I went to fetch the next set of suspects. 

"Here they are," I announced, leading over the three biggest idiots in our class. While they weren't technically one person, their combined IQ certainly seemed to be. 

Sudo was the first to speak, irritation clear in his tone. "Oh, it's you." 

"It is me," Ryuzaki replied almost mockingly. 

Sudo's annoyance flared, but he managed to hold it back. 

Before I could even set the tone for the conversation, Ike spoke up, feigning confidence. "Can we wrap this up quickly? I've got things to do." 

I shot him a deadpan look. "Like what?" 

He hesitated, then coughed awkwardly. "...Stuff." 

I rolled my eyes as Ryuzaki didn't waste any more time. "Let's get straight to it, I believe the three of you worked together to steal Karuizawa's underwear." 

Ike immediately shot back. "If that's the case, then why was it found in Ayanokoji's bag?" 

"You framed him. I believe you stole it, and when you heard the girls shouting, you panicked and planted it in Ayanokōji's bag to shift all the blame onto him. If I'm not mistaken, you're at least on speaking terms with him, if not outright friends," Ryuzaki stated firmly. 

Ike faltered, struggling to come up with a response, while Sudo took a deep breath, visibly trying to keep his temper in check. "I'm not here to entertain baseless accusations. We haven't done anything wrong at least, not this time." 

"This time?" Ryuzaki raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't exactly make you sound innocent." 

Sudo's frustration was evident, but before things escalated, I stepped between them. "Alright, that's enough," I said, turning to Ryuzaki for his assessment. After a brief pause, he shook his head, signaling that they weren't the culprits.

After marking off Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi, I didn't waste any time calling over the next person, Sato. 

She took a seat across from us, her expression neutral, though a hint of unease flickered in her eyes. 

"Sato," Ryuzaki started, his voice as even as ever. "You're close friends with Karuizawa, correct?" 

She nodded. "Yeah, that's right." 

Leaning forward slightly though still maintaining that strange posture, Ryuzaki continued. "Then tell me, as her friend, why would you do something like this to her?" 

Sato's expression twisted in confusion. "Huh?" 

"You heard me," he said plainly. "Why did you steal Karuizawa's underwear?" 

Her mouth fell open slightly as if she hadn't processed the accusation at first. Then, after a brief delay, she scoffed. "Are you serious? You think I would do that to a friend?" 

Ryuzaki nodded. "It's not just a random assumption. I believe jealousy was a factor." 

Her brows furrowed. "Jealousy?" 

He continued without hesitation. "Karuizawa is more popular than you. Whether you want to admit it or not, she's more sought after, more noticed. I suspect that either Hirata or another guy you've had an interest in has shown more attention to her over you. That kind of thing can be frustrating, can't it? So, in retaliation, you decided to humiliate her, to bring her down a notch in front of everyone." 

Sato's expression shifted. Her lips pressed together tightly as her fists clenched slightly on her lap. 

"I would never do something like that," she snapped, her voice carrying a slight tremor. "It was him, Ayanokōji! He's the one who did it!" She pointed across the camp where Ayanokōji sat alone, as if simply being in sight was enough to pin the blame on him. 

Ryuzaki stared at her for a few moments before calmly drawing an 'X' next to her name. "You're clear." 

Sato blinked, startled by how quickly he had dismissed her as a suspect. Without another word, she stood up and walked away. 

"That was fast," I muttered. 

"She cracked too easily," Ryuzaki replied, tapping his chin with the stick he had been using. "If she were guilty, she would've tried harder to justify her innocence." 

I couldn't argue with that. Sato was a lot of things, but she wasn't particularly good at lying under pressure. 

Next up was Kushida. 

As she approached, Ryuzaki did something unusual, he gave her a small wave. 

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Ryuzaki?" Kushida greeted him with her usual cheerful tone as she took a seat. 

He nodded, but I cut in, already irritated. "Clearly, there's something I haven't been informed about." 

Kushida smiled, tilting her head. "Oh, it's nothing major. I was just exploring earlier and ended up finding Class A's base. I had brought Sudo along with me for safety." 

Ryuzaki gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, confirming her story. That also explained why Sudo had seemed particularly annoyed with him earlier. 

"Well, whatever," Ryuzaki said, waving off the topic. Then, without hesitation, he pointed his stick at her. "Be honest. Why did you do it?" 

Kushida blinked, her expression unreadable. "Do what?" 

"Place the underwear in Ayanokōji's bag." 

Her reaction was subtle, just a brief flicker of something behind her eyes, but it didn't escape me. Still, she recovered quickly, shaking her head with a light laugh. "And what makes you think I would do something like that?" 

Ryuzaki leaned in ever so slightly. "Because of her." He pointed at me. 

I tensed slightly. "What do I have to do with this?" 

"To my understanding, Kushida wants to be friends with everyone," he explained, his tone casual. "Yet, despite all her efforts, she can't seem to get close to you, Horikita. But she's noticed that you seem to have an unusual connection with Ayanokōji. Now, let's assume she planted the underwear in your bag instead of his. The reaction wouldn't have been as extreme. But if it were placed in Ayanokōji's bag..." 

"...It would completely isolate him," I finished, realizing where he was going with this. "Meaning I'd have no one left to talk to." 

"Exactly," Ryuzaki confirmed. "She could use that to her advantage, convince you that she's your only option, the only person you can trust." 

I let out a small scoff as I only just fully processed what that implied. "Me and him? Friends? Not a chance." 

But as I glanced at Kushida, I caught something, just for a moment. A flicker of something behind her perfect smile. It was almost imperceptible, but Ryuzaki must have seen it too. 

And yet, after a few seconds, he simply drew another 'X' next to her name. 

Kushida let out a small giggle. "Well, I hope that proves my innocence." 

I didn't say anything, and neither did Ryuzaki. She was dismissed without further discussion. 

The rest of the interviews followed a similar pattern. Ryuzaki's tactics shifted slightly as people caught on, but in the end, no new suspects emerged. 

"It feels like a waste of time," I muttered, stretching my arms as I looked up at the darkening sky. Hours had passed, and we still had no concrete answers. 

Ryuzaki shook his head. "Not at all. It proves one thing." 

"And that is?" 

"That class D is innocent." 

I let out a sigh. "I suppose that's something." But it also meant proving the guilt of someone outside of Class D would be much more difficult. 

And then, just as I was about to call it a night, Ryuzaki leaned forward, staring directly at me with an almost unsettling intensity. 

"That does leave one last suspect from class D." 

I narrowed my eyes. "...Who?" 

He smirked. "You." 

I stared at him for a moment before exhaling in exasperation. "Are you seriously accusing me?" 

"No." He shook his head. Then, with a small, almost eerie grin, he added, "But it'd be fun if you were guilty, wouldn't it?" 

I rolled my eyes, about to dismiss him entirely, but then my gaze landed on someone in the distance, it was Ibuki. 

She had returned to camp very later on after the whole thing with light, and while she wasn't acting overtly suspicious, there was something off about her. More importantly, Ryuzaki hadn't asked to question her. 

"Why haven't you called in Ibuki?" I asked, crossing my arms. 

Ryuzaki followed my gaze, his eyes settling on her before trailing toward where she was looking. 

"You've already figured it out, haven't you?" he murmured, almost as if talking to himself. Then, with a small sigh, he leaned back. "I think it's obvious Ibuki was the one who originally stole Karuizawa's underwear. But..." 

"But?" I pressed. 

He tapped his chin with his thumb. "I don't think she meant to frame Ayanokōji." 

That made me pause. "Then how did it end up in his bag?" 

He pondered slightly before continuing. "Simple. Someone else moved it." 

I stiffened at his words.

"If I had to guess, it was most likely someone from Class B," he continued. "The question is how did they know what Ibuki was supposed to do?" 

I clenched my fists slightly, realizing how deep this had gone. Though before I could think it over he spoke again

"Look at the time, well I'll be taking my leave," Ryuzaki said, standing up. "Report back to Ayanokoji what happened." And with that, he walked off, leaving the way he had initially came in.

As I approached Ayanokōji, he seemed to barely acknowledged my presence, his expression unreadable as always. I took a seat beside him, exhaling slightly as I tried to organize everything in my mind. 

"So?" he asked, his voice as indifferent as ever. 

I leaned forward, rubbing my temples. "We went through everyone. Ryuzaki ruled out every suspect from our class, he was thorough. A bit too thorough, honestly." I paused, replaying the last interaction in my head. "His conclusion was ibuki had been the one to initially plant it . But he doesn't think she originally meant for you to take the fall." 

Ayanokōji remained silent, as if processing the information without the need for any outward reaction. His lack of response almost irritated me. Though I let it go for now telling him the important information as we only had two days and class D seemed to be in a very bad predicament.

***

Island exam will be wrapped up in the next two chapters. How did we feel about this chapter? tried something a little different and I'm unsure on how I feel about it.