Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 4 [Ryouta Rival]

- Part 11

Our time in Tokyo had come to an end.

I said goodbye to Zeon and everyone else in the orphanage before joining everyone else in the minivan. Straightaway, I noticed that the atmosphere was gloomy and tense.

The drive back to the outdoors school was filled with silence. No one wanted to talk each other. Not even Ikeda, the most lively of us seven, wanted to say a word.

What happened during the period between now and then to cause everyone to look so depressed? I turned to Matsushita, who was in the minivan before me, for an explanation.

However, just as I was about to speak to him, I stopped seeing the look penetrated in his eyes: fear.

Matsushita wouldn't stop shaking. He tried to keep himself composed by squeezing his hands together, but it was no use. You could practically smell the guilt leaking from his body.

I looked behind me, at the rest of the boys. Similarly, Ryouta also looked shaken up, but the rest of them were either frowning or scowling.

The only one who looked even remotely comfortable was Machida, but he also had a look of distain towards the person he directed his piercing glare at.

As my eyes trailed his gaze, as well as everyone else's, it all connected back to the person sitting next to me on the minivan.

Matsushita.

It seems my little message from earlier was more effective than I thought.

We arrived back at the outdoors school and debarked the minivan. While everyone else went inside the school, I stayed behind in the vehicle to quickly talk to Chabashira-sensei.

"Sensei, I have a few questions I'd like to ask."

"And they are?"

"How much money does our group currently have?"

"16,000 yen."

So we were short by 34,000, huh?

"In order, who spent the missing money?"

"Matsushita-san, Machida-san, and Ryouta-san."

"Huh... and how much did Matsushita-san withdraw?"

"47,000 yen."

Considering we ended with 16,000 yen, it was impressive that either Ryouta or Machida managed to make a profit of 13,000 in only a single day.

"I see. Thank you."

I left the minivan and headed inside as well, going to the hall where they'd announce the results. Since everyone had just arrived, there would be a short ten minute waiting period before the announcement.

It was during this interval that Machida punched Matsushita in the face. This act of public violence drew the attention of the boys around us, causing them to watch on curiously as our group began having a meltdown.

"You snake... you filthy, money pinching, unapologetic snake!"

While Matsushita was on the floor, raising his arms up in defence, Machida booted him in the stomach, causing Matsushita to gag and clutch his body from the recoil.

"Machida-san, stop it right now!"

Just as Machida was about to unleash another fierce kick at Matsushita's head, Ryouta grabbed his arm and held him back. Machida clicked his tongue, trying to shake Ryouta off.

"This is none of your business, stay out of this."

"Yes it is, because I'm in the same group as you two. Punching and kicking him won't do anything to solve the problem. What you're doing is straight up out of line. Cut it out!"