_____________________________

Airi Sakura Monolgue

' I have a hard time interacting with people. I can't make myself look at them in the eye when I talk to them. That's why I use a mask to hide my true self. I'm okay being myself. I'm okay being lonely. '

Sakura sat on an unwell-lit cubicle as she scrolls through her phone while reading blog comments.

[Post # 13: No Subject

"You're as cute as ever! This one's more mature, which I think makes you even prettier. Shizuku-chan, your smile keeps me going every day! Please keep it up.]

[Post # 12: Hello

It's been so lonely lately without your updates! I'm still cheering for you! Looking forward to the next update!]

[Post # 11: No Subject

At last, an update! The pictures are so cute! Shizuku-chan, you're a goddess.]

Airi smiles a little bit to show satisfaction. But then she changed her emotion when she read a series of surprising comments.

[Post # 29: I'll always be with you.

It's too bad we couldn't be alone before. You wanted to be with me, right? We'll see each other again soon. You'll come to see me all by yourself this time, right? Then it'll finally just be you and me.]

[Post # 25: I'll always be with you.

We're destined to be together. That's why you feel so close to me.]

[Post # 24: I'll always be with you.

I'm not just some fan. You love me too, right?]

[Post # 23: I'll always be with you.

Shizuku-chan, you saw me, right? It really feels like destiny, huh?]

[Post # 19: I'll always be with you.

Do you believe in destiny? I believe I'm breathing the same air as you, Shizuku-chan. Part of the air I breathe out is breathe in by you.]

Airi Sakura dropped her phone as she became more terrified from what she has read. The sound of her phone notifying of her new blog comments is in sync with her sobbing of tears.

____________________________________

Sakura Airi, alone, standing in front of her locker filled in with heaps of some sort of love letters. She looks around to see whether there's anyone who would witness what she'll do. She took one envelope and scans through the name of the sender.

However, she dropped on her knees when she opened the envelope as it contained pictures taken from scenes where she visited the SIVCAMERA together with Kikyō Kushida, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji and Akabane Karma.

_____________________________________

Special Annex Corridor

" It's hot here.. " Kiyotaka muttered as he use his shirt to fan himself.

Suzune add with an exhausted tone. " Heat like this makes it hard to think rationally. "

" Yeah, no kidding! " Karma whined. " Which makes it the perfect location to set a trap for an idiot like Sudo, I guess. "

Even though Karma trained together with his classmates from the 3-E in the mountains under the heat of the sun, even such training will not help to withstand such heat.

Kiyotaka turn to Suzune. " Well? Think you can come up with a good plan? "

" I'm thinking about it. " Suzune replied placing her hand to her hip. " Sakura-san's testimony allowed us to delay the hearing. If we could only find something more decisive ... "

" Speaking of which, I notice there aren't security cameras here. " Kiyotaka said as he raise his head to face the ceiling.

Karma nod his head. " That's true. If there had been a camera, that would provide definitive proof. "

" Yeah ... "

" Of course, if there had been cameras here, things never would have come to this in the first place ... " Suzune spoke up.

After saying such a statement, Suzune Horikita gasped as she immediately arrived at a logical plan which will help to support her series of evidence. Kiyotaka Ayanokōji glances at her, while Karma smirks.

Kiyotaka tilt his head. " What's wrong? "

" Did you come up with something, Suzu-chan? " Karma ask as lean his body with interest showing his full cooperation.

" Yes. There's something I want to try. " Suzune answered firmly.

_________________________

1st Year D-Class Room

Airi Sakura is sitting on her chair while glancing at the direction of Kiyotaka Ayanokōji's and Karma's classroom chair positions.

" Sakura? "

Sakura jolted in shock to hear Kiyotaka Ayanokōji's voice. She immediately looks at him and notices that he is standing with Karma.

" Y-Yes? "

" Morning. " Kiyotaka plainly greeted.

" Ohayo, Sakura-chan~! " Karma smiled as he wave at her.

" Oh, um.. Morning. " Sakura said in a squeaky voice, she is curious on what the two boys want from her.

Airi Sakura looked away and sighed out of ease to which Karma and Kiyotaka caught her behavior.

Kiyotaka spoke. " What's wrong, Sakura-chan? "

" Huh? "

" You won't have to testify today. There's no reason to be so tense is there? "

" R-Right ... " Sakura stuttered out

Airi Sakura puts her clenched fist onto her chest.

" We might be able to save Sudo and everyone in the class. You're the one who made that possible. " Kiyotaka continued.

" Eh? " Airi Sakura looked at Kiyotaka Ayanokōji and Akabane Karma once again.

" We trust you. So if you ever need help, we'll be there for you. " Karma pipe up.

Airi Sakura slightly blushed as a sign of gratitude. " Thank you.. "

They pass by behind Airi Sakura's seat to proceed to their seats. " It's not just us. I'm sure Horikita, Kushida, Sudō and everyone in the class trusts you, too. "

Sakura can feel her mouth curve in a smile. " Yeah ... Um, there's been something on my mind. It might not be something I should talk to you about, but ... "

* Ding~

A phone notification at Kiyotaka Ayanokōji's phone interrupted their dialogue. Karma goes behind Ayanokoji to see what the message is about.

The message came from Kikyō Kushida telling him and Karma that something is already and she has sent the email.

" Gomen, Sakura-chan. We'd be happy to hear you out later if that's okay. " Karma apologize.

" Sure. " Sakura nods in agreement.

The two boys didn't miss the forced smile in her face.

____________________________

" So damn hot ... " Ichizaki whine as him, Komiya and Konda walk up the stairs.

" Why the special annex? " Komiya ask.

Konda add as he lean his head on his arms. " I wonder what Kushida-chan wants to talk to us about. "

" Think she wants to ask me out? " Komiya suggest.

" Yeah, right! You punk! " konda playfully nab Komiya's neck in a choke hold.

" Ow! Not so hard! Damn it, let me go! "

Daichi Ishizaki sighs as he looks at them doing silly actions. However, when he looked up the staircase, he noticed that Kiyotaka Ayanokōji was there standing high infront of him.

" Huh? What are you doing here? "

" Kushida won't be coming. " Kiyotaka said.

Ishizaki scowled. " Huh? "

Kiyotaka answered. " The email you recieved from Kushida is fake, I ask her to send that fake email. "

" Why would you do that? "

" It was the only way I could get your attention, right? I wanted to talk with you. " The male infront of them replied.

" Listen up. Sudō called us out here and beat us up. That's the truth. He should accept his punishment like a man. So long. " The three Class C students looked irritated.

Ishizaki then turn around and is about to walk out of the staircase until he notice Suzune shows up behind them.

" Is that what you want? If you leave here now, you'll regret it for the rest of your lives. " Suzune said as she turn to the three students.

Komiya grit his teeth. " Tsk. What the hell is your deal? "

" Let's go. " Ishizaki nudge them.

Karma who was near Suzune looked at the direction close to where Kiyotaka Ayanokōji is standing, and smirks.

" Oya? What's that over there~? "

The three boys turn behind them as Konda murmured. " What are you talking about- "

It was revealed that there's an installed camera in the special annex on the wall not so high.

Karma walk closely towards the shocked students and decide to tease them. " What's the matter? You seem a bit shaken. "

" A security camera? " Ishizaki stuttered.

" The special annex contains a science lab. There are many hazardous chemicals there. Why wouldn't there be cameras? " Suzune explained.

Daichi Ishizaki looked at another corner and found another security camera.

" How ... Wait a minute. If there's footage of us on those security cameras, they'd know you were innocent, either way. You'd have no reason to tell us about it. " Ishizaki said.

Kiyotaka speaks up making Ishizaki turn his head to him. " The moment the incident occurred, both parties were doomed to suffer for it. Regardless of why he did it, Sudō did hit you. That's an immutable fact. "

Ishizaki can feel himself twitch. " So you'd be hurt by the camera footage, too. "

Karma gave a shrug. " Of course, that idiot Sudō will be punished, as well. But you three might be expelled. You told a malicious lie and got the whole school involved. "

" Well, then ... Why hasn't the school said anything to us? " Kondo challenged.

Kiyotaka then explain. " The school is testing us. They want to see if we can resolve the problem ourselves. So they're testing us to see what conclusion we reach after being granted extra time. When you think back on the hearing from yesterday, don't you think it felt like they already knew everything? "

" Now way.. I can't be expelled. " Kondo slumped to the floor.

" Ishizaki, let's go tell them it was a lie. If we admit it, the school might let us off the hook! " Komiya is too worried about his fate.

" What're we gonna do, Ishizaki?! "

Ishizaki grit his teeth. " Shut up! "

Kiyotaka's eyes glint as it pierced towards the squirming boys. " Your conclusion seems a little too hasty. There's still a way to save both Class C and Class D. "

" Like hell there i-- "

" Just take the incident off the table. It's simple. If you just withdraw your complaint, it'll be like it never happened. " Suzune cut in.

" No one can be punished for an incident that never took place. If we both tell the same story, the school can't pursue it any further. " Karma add.

Ishizaki didn't look convinced in the slightest. " Hold on a minute. L-Let me just make one call ... hey! "

" Plop~! " Karma steals his phone as he check to see who Ishizaki is going to text to. He then smirk. ' As I thought. '

He swings the phone with his finger. " Can't you sheep solve anything without your master~? "

Ishizaki race towards Karma. " Give it back! "

Daichi Ishizaki tries to get his phone back but Karma swiftly dodges away and casually waves the phone still having the smirk on his face.

" Come on, is that all you got~? " Karma ask in an english accent.

" Why, you --- " Ishizaki grabs Karma by the collar.

Karma chuckles. " Resorting to violence, huh? "

Daichi Ishizaki then realizes that there are cameras around him. He turn to Karma who lean towards him with a malicious glint in his eyes.

" Well then, go ahead.. "

Daichi Ishizaki turns to look at Karma, but instantly starts sweating bullets. Karma's eyes were like those of a snake that was ready to eat its prey. He began to move the phone towards his neck. Normally this action would have seemed strange to Ishizaki, but not now. Instead of his phone, he saw a knife that Karma was moving toward his neck slowly, like a predator creeping toward its prey cautiously before attacking and... Killing him.

This is what Ishizaki was feeling right now. He felt fear, and not a simple fear, but a fear of death, which he did not feel even in front of Ryuen, Class C leader, who resorted to violence. Finally moving the knife right up to his neck, Karma smiles a bloodthirsty smile.

" ... and try it. " Karma finishes.

After those words left Karma's mouth, Ishizaki instantly releases him and steps back, trying to regain his breathing. Ishizaki's friends also felt Karma's bloodlust and also started to breathe in and out uncontrollably. After witnessing that, Ayanokoji and Suzune started to have their own thoughts about their classmate.

Suzune furrowed her eyebrows at the scene. ' After Ishizaki grabbed Karma-kun by his collar, he started sweating and when Karma-kun started bringing his phone to his neck, his eyes started to feel up with despair and fear. Why is that? He only brought a simple phone to his neck, right? '

Remembering her brother's words: "Your killing intent is so suffocating it almost compares to an assassin" . After remembering that moment and comparing it to now, Suzune widens her eyes.

' No way! It can't be that... '

Kiyotaka glance at Karma with an unreadable expression. ' ... He used his own bloodlust to scare him and his friends off. When the student council president mentioned his bloodlust, I knew that he was right, because I also felt some part of it, but it didn't mean anything that day.

However, after feeling his bloodlust again, I understood that... Karma Akabane can easily activate and deactivate his own bloodlust at any moment, just like me with my darkness. But to acquire such skill he must have been trained, because it can't be developed just by fighting. So that brings up a question: Akabane Karma... '

Kiyotaka narrows his eyes with a little bit of his darkness. ' ... Who are you really? '

After another minute of complete silence, Karma laughs, while using his hand to hide his face, and then again faces class C students, hiding half of his expression and only showing his piercing golden eyes.

" So, what will it be fellas? Will you withdraw your complaint like Suzu-chan said or... "

Komiya shivered. " I-Ishizaki san... w-we l-lost. "

" L-let's a-accept H-horikita's o-offer. W-we c-can't a-afford to be e-expelled. " Kondo stutter.

Ishizaki grip his palms as he look down in defeat. " O-okay. W-we'll t-take it b-back. "

______________________

Airi Sakura is walking alone through the shopping halls. However, she noticed that someone was following her so she decided to walk faster.

' Someone.. '

______________________

Ichinose, Karma and Kiyotaka rest on the bench by the park. There, a set of uninstalled cameras is inside the paper bag sitting beside Ichinose.

" We promise we'll pay back the points we borrowed yesterday. Let's discuss the terms. " Karma spoke up.

Ichinose took a peek before looking up. " An eye for an eye, a lie for a lie, huh? Oh, boy ... I totally wasn't expecting kids like you to be in Class D. "

" It was Horikita who thought up the plan. I just did what I was ordered to. " Kiyotaka replied as Karma nod in agreement.

" Oh ... Well, okay. " She smiles at them, as Ayanokoji looks solemn. Another convenient phone notification interrupted their moment.

It is Airi Sakura's call.

" Sakura-chan? What do you think she wants? " Karma ask.

Ayanokoji accepts the call, as Karma leans in to hear more clearly.

" Hello – " " Ayanokōji-kun, Karma-kun ... "

Her phone call abruptly ends. Karma then furrows his eyebrows. ' By her tone of voice and sobbing it's clear that she was terrified. Something is wrong. '

Ayanokoji and Karma then look and nod to each other.

_____________________

Airi Sakura dropped her phone, Kiyotaka tried calling her back but it wasn't answered as she was being assaulted by Yukitsu Kusuda, the Service Support Agent from before.

Yukitsu Kusuda covered her mouth using his left hand while his other hand, together with his left hips, pinned Airi Sakura against the wall behind her.

" Shh! Keep it down. " He scolded. Airi nervously nod making the man smile creepily.

" D-Did you ... Did you read my letters? Y-You see how I feel now, right? Right? Wh-Why'd you keep avoiding me? Y-You're so precious to me ... You know that, don't you? " Yukitsu Kusuda unpins Airi Sakura. She dropped to her knees immediately.

" Help me ... " Sakura quietly sobs.

She notices her phone is still on the ground.

" We might be able to save Sudo and everyone in the class. You're the one who made that possible. "

Kiyotaka's voice rang through Sakura's ears.

" If you ever need help, we'll be there for you. " Karma's voice add.

Airi Sakura tries to get away from Yukitsu Kusuda and get her phone back but she felt another force puts her phone down.

" Let me go! " Sakura yelled.

" Cut it out! Damn it! "

Kusuda is successful in taking Airi Sakura's phone from her, thus she was forcefully thrown to the ground with a thud.

Seeing Sakura helpless lying there made Kusuda grin.

Kusuda is now on top of Airi Sakura and is completely pinning her down.

" Now, listen well. If you don't do what I say, I'll put the real you on the net for all to see. "

Kusuda didn't hide the blush but as he looks down at her scared face, he starts to sweat.

" What's wrong? Why're you looking at me like that? D-Don't look at me like that! "

Sakura struggles to get free but Yukitsu Kusuda holds her down.

" No! Let me go! "

" I'm gonna show you how much I love you. " Kusuda unbuttons the outer coat that covers her breasts.

" Th-Then you'll u-u-understand me, Shizuku-chan ... "

As Kusuda moves to touch her body. A camera flash goes off stopping Yukitsu Kusuda, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji is now standing behind him. He took a photo of what Kusuda is doing.

Kusuda stopped moving. " Eh? "

Kusuda looks up at Kiyotaka holding his phone.

" An electronics store employee assaulting a female student. You'll be a celebrity on TV tomorrow. " Kiyotaka spoke up from the silence.

Kusuda quickly gets off Sakura as he nervously decline. " Th-That's not it! I-I'm ... "

" What is it, then? The security cameras caught everything. Even if it's only "attempted," you still assaulted an underage girl. With a criminal complaint lodged against you, you'll lose your job. The press might even go after your family. " Kiyotaka pointed behind Kusuda.

Kusuda looks around realizing the situation was recorded and is nervous as Kiyotaka approaches him and taps him on the shoulders.

" Your life is over. "