CotE: The Butterfly Effect

Chapter 3: Check, Check and Mate

The summer sun raged on even further. Looking around, there wasn't a single cloud anywhere. The shadows each day kept on shrinking smaller and smaller as the sun climbed higher and higher into the sky. 

With classes over and the time reaching 3:40, the sun's wrath wasn't as bad as it was but was still increasingly hot and humid. Even inside the buildings and the air conditioning at full blast, the thick uniforms still trapped heat. The plan I made yesterday, however, had been put into motion.

A minute passed and three boys, grumbling about the heat, showed up. Although, it is to be noted they all had a happy look on their face. Class D's 'sweetheart' had emailed them all to come here. The boys were probably having the time of their lives dreaming about fantasies. Yet, here I am, the crusher of their fantasies.

"Who are you? Why are you here? Where's Kushida-chan?"

Ah, right. They don't know me.

Ishizaki, the group's leader, stepped forward as if to intimidate me.

"This... Kushida won't be here. I asked her to email you lot to come here. If you must know, I'm from Class B."

Ishizaki stepped forward once more, closing the distance, with his fist shaking.

"This ain't funny. What'd you do this for, huh?!"

"If it was anyone else, you would've just ignored the call. I just want to have a talk to you."

"Talk to us? What does some random Class B fella' want from us? Has the heat fried your brain?"

Ishizaki grabbed his shirt and flapped it to cool himself down.

"I just want the truth out of you lot. You know, about Sudō."

"What does Class B want? You probably know about the truth already! Sudō called us over an' beat us up. Now 'e needs to accept his punishment. Quietly at that."

"I don't want to argue with you. I appreciate neither Class C or D will retract their claims."

"So what? Are you some sort of negotiator? Are you going to abduct us so we miss the trial? Are a bunch'a people suddenly gonna surround us? It'll be just like with Sudō."

I ran through that scenario already. 

"I don't feel like doing that. Instead, you'd guys would probably welcome the idea and use it as another attempt to make yourselves innocent. Instead, you've bored me."

I then proceeded to move away from the scene.

"You there! Hey, I said you--!"

"I think you guys might want to calm down, actually."

Ichinose, who had been lying in wait for this drama to happen, walked towards my side.

"I-Ichinose?! What're you doing here?!"

Well, that is to be expected. Given the appearance of a class leader, their shock is to be expected. Now, this poses a question. Would they go for Ichinose or Kushida?

"What do you mean?" Ichinose asked innocently, with a smile. "I'm here because I'm involved in this case obviously."

"Ichinose, you're a celebrity!"

"Ha ha. Well, I guess I am well known."

And now the tension rises with the introduction of a wild card. Clearly, the heat and new situation started to affect their composure.

"This incident has nothing to do with Class B! Why the hell are you two getting involved in this situation?!"

Now, the threats were weak.