He moved slightly at the sound of whizzing air that tickled his skin. Letting out a grunt, he gradually opened his weary eyes.

“Yo,” I said to the assassin when he finally woke up. He was tied from the tree that he used to hid from us.

“You...YOU DAMN BRAT LET ME OUT!” That was the first thing he said after recovering.

I stuck my pinky to my ear, clicking my tongue in annoyance. “Shut up before I cut yer tongue and feed it to ya.”

In all seriousness, I intended to do that, and he picked up that I wasn't kidding. He gulped in fear as he stared at me wide-eyes.

“J-just so you know, my companion will be here anytime soon, and we will destroy this academy.” He attempted to terrify me. It wasn't working, not with that shaky voice of his.

“Yeah, that's a big doubt for me man,” I said in apathy. I was facing him as I sat on the grass, using the shade to avoid the sun.

A sigh broke out from me, I am not really used to dealing with this kind of people. “I don't really care if your companion shows up right now, I have plenty of calories to spare. Judging from our fight earlier, you lot ain't that much.”

“Guh! Don't insult me you—!”

“So cutting tongue it is.”

“...”

I didn't have to be a detective to know that this guy was bad, and I wouldn't force myself to act respectfully to the likes of this.

This is boring... I wonder what happened to those two? I thought as I gazed up to the wide blue sky of the academy.

_

We were currently making our way to the Student Council room. It might sound unbelievable, but the Student Council has more power than teachers in terms of political power, and sometimes, even battle prowess.

It was because of the hell-like initiation of the Student Council that the school had full trust in them.

Trudging to the wide hall of the building, Rito and I walked beside each other.

I looked at him from the corner of my eyes, my head stayed still. Strange. I thought.

Something bizarre was happening to me lately. I myself couldn't explain it through words. Right now, I am feeling complicated.

“So one of the Student Council members said to me that they spotted a mysterious man inside the school ground.” Rito was now talking about the moment that built up the current event.

“I decided to help her to search for this mysterious man. Thankfully I ran into you guys.” He said, smiling at me.

Strange... Really... Strange... “I'm glad that's the case,” I replied to him, I have to force myself just to sound interested

.

“Typically, after talking to Rito, you'll let out a smile.” I suddenly remembered the words of Elric, on about how I would grin like an idiot.

Thinking back now, what he said was true, I was indeed doing that. Used to...

The talks with him that I always dreamed of was occurring right before my eyes, but now, what I wanted was to go back... But why?

Various emotions that I hadn't feel before swell inside my chest. His chat and my growing discomfort continued until we reached the brown wooden door. It was enormous, so much so that Rito needed to push it with both of his hand, grunting involuntarily.

When it opened, we were met by the three familiar students. Mildred, Brandis, and Rosalie. There was also another one, it was the new President.

“Welcome.” His hair was black just like Rito, the same eye color, too. Hmm?

“Aniki...” Rito's expression changed into a serious one, practically glaring at this “Aniki” of his. What did that mean, though?

“Ah, Rito... That girl, you're the former Student Council president, right? If I'm not wrong, you're Lisa.” The man was good looking, you couldn't even compare Rito to him.

“I am. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. You are Kazuhero right?”

“Hahaha! It's Kazuhiro. I'm used to getting my name wrong so it's fine.” Kazuhiro said, waving his hand nonchalantly.

“Anyway, would you like some tea?” He offered us. He was sitting from a chair that looked like a throne, his table was piled with papers.

Mildred was signing some sheets dutifully while Brandis was copying her, he was grumbling from time to time.

Rosalie stood beside Kazuhiro, eyes closed and mouth shut.

“I will decline from now.” I respectfully told the President then I narrowly bent my head. “One of the suspicious people that you're looking for is caught.”

He let out an interested hoo before drinking from his cup of tea. “So who defeated the guy?”

“It's Elric,” I said, and when I did, each of them varied reaction.

Brandis turned his mood for the worse, Rosalie nodded as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Mildred... “Oh...! Sir Elric...” She blushed in happiness that befitted her childish appearance.

My heart ached a little seeing that cute reaction. I touched my chest confused, peeking at the girl. What's that feeling...? I had felt this emotion before, Elric even named this one. Jealousy...?

No... That shouldn't be the case. Why would I feel that in the first place? There was no reason for me experiencing that.

Kazuhiro noticed the small jolt of Mildred and laughed to himself. “So he's the lucky man that our youngest likes. Interesting.”

Threatened. I feel that those friendly jests to make Mildred flush furthermore were a threat that I couldn't just ignore...

“President!” Mildred exclaimed rather shyly, different from the scowling she had done to Brandis.

Was I making an unsightly face that Rito had to ask me “what's wrong?”

“Nothing.” Of course, I would lie. Hiding the sense of tingling sensation inside my chest, I fanned myself

.

With all the commotion calmed down, Kazuhiro clapped sharply and rose from his seat. “Looks like we have job to do. I think I'll go see the suspicion person, personally! Get it?”

““...”” He was confronted with silence.

“I said person then I followed with personally!? Get it? Come on, why aren't you laughing.” He slumped back to the table, complaining something incomprehensible.

I think, that his joke was pretty funny, and that rendered my heart a little ease.

But I am in no position to show even the slightest of smile right now.

“Prez isn't cut to be a comedian.” He straightened the paper from his hand, then Brandis soaked the quill into the black grinded ink.

“There's more to life than comedy, President.” Mildred came after with a snort.

“Shall we see the person now?”

“You're just ignoring my joke!” It was Rosalie who dealt the most damage when she didn't even comment on Kazuhiro's joke, causing him to crumble his face.

“N-no! I, I didn't mean that, President! I-I think its comical, ha-ha-ha...!” She tried to alleviate Kazuhiro as she faked her laugh and actions, but that only resulted in the opposite of what she yearned for.

“Stop it, please! I won't do any jokes from now on! I learn my lesson already!” He begged the ever so serious girl.

“It's not my intention, President!” Rosalie said, provoking laughter from the room.

It was only me—whose complicated feelings still lingered—and Rito, who kept looking at Kazuhiro were the ones that were not participating in the merrymaking of the group.

Soon after, Kazuhiro regained his steadiness and turned his attention to Mildred. “Because of Rosalie, my hopes of becoming the greatest comedian is shuttered. Mildred should be the one taking care of the suspicious person.”

Rosalie repeatedly saying “I'm sorry!” at his statement while Brandis muttered, “You're seriously aiming to be a comedian?”

Mildred went red, shaking her adorable hands in the air. “I-I-I can't! I've already seen Sir Elric two times today! I can't handle it if I see him again!”

“You can't be saying that right now, I know that you're stalking him—”

“President!” Her eyes became moist as it was impending to cry.

I didn't realize until it was late that, I actually gripped my fan quite roughly that it started to shiver. Pain surged inside my body.

Kazuhiro only cackled at her. “Fine fine, I'll do it.” He then declined his shoulder dramatically. “I'm interested in this Elric guy too.”

_

I think that it had been ten minutes since the departure of the two. I bet that they were heading back to this place anytime soon.

“You want a drink?” I asked the assassin beside me.

“No... Anyway, back to what I'm saying. When I returned home, I found my bitch of a wife kissing some damn man! I really f*cking hate that bitch!” He glared and shouted as if his wife was in front of him.

We were attacked by boredom, and as we didn't know how should we spend our time, he talked a little. Though I'm not sure as to why it ended up about his life.

“You know what she said when I asked that f*cking whore!? She said, “it's because you're spending all your money on prostitute that blah blah blah!” He spitted on the ground. “It's my money so I'll decide how to spend it! I'm not wrong, right!?”

“Yep,” I answered, not particularly listening to him.

“But the bitch didn't hear any of it, and she fled the house taking all my money with her man! I swear that if I f*cking see that whore again I'll kill her!” If he wasn't currently tied to the tree, he would move his arm violently just to express how angry he was.

“But like, you also snatch and take the money of others right?” I was currently drawing a stick figure on the ground using a twig, out of boredom. I scratched the surface, engraving two eyes and one smiling mouth inside the circle.

“It's only wrong when it's done to me! Hey, whose side are you on!? To that bitch or me!?”

“I'm on your side, man.” Then, I added a lot of coins to the stick figure, creating a pool of money that I had once seen in my dreams.

“That's right! No one cares about that bitch, even that man is just using her for money! What a pathetic whore.” He chortled at the thought of his wife.

Aren't you the same with the prostitutes? Putting in the giant house as the final touch, I finished my art for today, and then proceeding to think of another ambition that I would like to achieve later in my life.

At that time, four shadows from the horizon emerged. My eyes went half-close just to get a better view of the silhouettes.

It was Lisa and Rito, along with the other two. The armored girl from earlier and a man whose face resembled Rito, though he was exceptionally handsome.

It's the Student Council. I thought. Stepping on my drawing, I moved my feet back and forth to erase the traces of the stick figure, smokes arising from below.

“Greetings.” That was what the man had said after arriving here. I replied with a silent nod, conveying that I am not in the mood

to return his welcome.

“From the behalf of the Student Council, I thank you.” He respectfully bowed his head, like that of a noble.

“Nah. I didn't do anything remarkable.” I stuck my index finger to the assassin. “That man, he's the assassin.”

“Why is he grumbling?” The man inquired, placing his hand to his chin thoughtfully.

“Nothing important. Oi, your service is here!” With a shout, I alarmed the assassin. “Shut your mouth already!” I tugged the hilt of my sword.

He knew what that meant and gasped for air.

“Wow! Amazing! He's really obedient! Just what did you do?” It seemed that he was really impressed—

“What do you think of it, you like to join the Student Council as a member?”—and out of nowhere, he gave an offer that none of us anticipated.