The Mask Slips

The "Calm" Before the Storm

Kiyotaka POV

"I let you see something so embarrassing..."

Sakura, walking next to me, had stopped crying. She now wore a sheepish smile.

"It's been such a long time since I cried in front of someone. I feel a little relieved, actually."

"That's good to hear. It's bad to bottle up those emotions. Crying is a good way to let it all out."

People who cried could grow stronger and move forward. Sakura seemed to be the type who bottled up her feelings. This incident might have been an important step forward for her.

"I was really happy... when you said that you believed me."

"It's not just me. Horikita, Kushida, and Sudou do, too. All of our classmates believe you. Especially Akira."

"Oh... thats good to hear... he's a really nice guy," Sakura said with a small smile.

After she said that, the two of us lapsed into silence. Neither of us was very good at making conversation. However, it didn't feel strange or unpleasant.

"U-um, well... I don't think I should be saying this now, but..."

"Yahoo! You're really late, huh?"

Ichinose and Kanzaki were waiting for us by the entranceway. They must've been eager to hear the result of the trial.

"Were you waiting for us?" I asked.

"We were wondering what happened."

Sakura bid me goodbye and left. 

"I'm sorry. Was this a bad time?" Ichinose asked.

"No, it's fine."

Ichinose's gaze shifted her gaze from me to the school building. She then looked back at me.

"Where's Akira? Did something happen?" Ichinose asked with a worried tone.

"Oh no he's alright. He just needed to go to the bathroom. I'll text him right now."

I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Akira.

~~~~~~~

Kiyotaka: Are u done with ur "bathroom break?" Ichinose and Kanzaki are outside.

Akira: Yeah I'm almost done, I should be out in like 10-15 minutes.

Kiyotaka: Got it. U want me to wait before explaining what happened during the trial?

Akira: Naw you don't need to wait for me, just tell them. Besides, it's gonna take a while to get this one out lol.

Kiyotaka: ... 

~~~~~~

I shook my head in disappointment and put my phone in my pocket.

"He'll be out in like 10-15 minutes. While we wait I'll just fill you in on the details."

I described the events that had transpired in the student council room.

"I see. So, you rejected the compromise, huh? Class D is insisting on Sudou's innocence until the very end?"

"Well, if Sudou even got as little as one day's suspension, Class C would win."

In other words, the compromise had been a trap. A sweet trap set to lure us to our defeat. The two of them didn't seem convinced, though. Kanzaki, in particular, insisted that we'd made the wrong choice.