Chapter 70: Hidden Things

The meeting with Kirihana Suou had ended.
Slowly, Sensei walked out from the underground area.

"……"

At first glance, Suou’s behavior hadn’t seemed strange.
If anything, there’d even been a trace of charm in her attitude.
But… was it really as Mika said?
Would she truly have intended to do something like that?

Still, there was something to take away.
Small hints—barely noticeable, but there all the same. Her expression had changed.
That cheerful, calm, gentle-looking smile she always wore…
It was gone.

It had disappeared around the time she said:

───"All the children here are… precious students to me."

Why?
Why had that statement been so intolerable to Suou?

That unanswered question kept circling endlessly in Sensei’s mind.

"Ah…"

Before he realized it, he had arrived at Trinity’s annex building.
He scratched his head with a complicated smile—an unconscious habit he’d developed over the past month.

A small attempt to distract himself from the regret of not being able to stop Azusa from leaving.

"……"

With no real reason to stop, he slid open the classroom door.

Inside were Hifumi, Koharu, Hanako, Asuri, and Azusa.
This was the place where they’d spent irreplaceable moments together—laughing, growing, supporting one another.

As if tracing the remnants of those days, he stepped inside.

"Ah… eh?"

"…Koharu?"

The voice belonged to Koharu, wearing an oversized Justice Realization Committee uniform.
Their eyes met.

"S-Sensei!? Why are you here…!?"

"No real reason, honestly. But what about you, Koharu? Why are you here?"

"W-wait! Don’t come any closer!"

She thrust out her hands, motioning for him to stop.
He couldn’t help but smile softly—some things never changed.

"Alright."

"What do you mean, ‘alright’!?"

Naturally, with no reason to stop, he stepped further inside.

"H-hey! I-I said stop! Seriously, stop right there!"

"…Okay, sorry."

Her defiance gradually faded, replaced by hesitation—almost timidity.
When it looked like she might start crying, he decided not to tease her anymore and stopped.

"Honestly, you’re still… such a pervy freak…"

"…?"

He tilted his head, not sure what she meant. Maybe she was thinking of Hanako again.
His gaze wandered until it landed on a school bag stuffed with study materials.

"Ah… you came to pick up your things, didn’t you?"

"Y-yeah…"

Her eyes then fell into shadow as she looked toward a certain stuffed toy.

"That girl’s stuff… it’s just been sitting there forever. It’s such a pain."

Her voice trembled, overflowing with emotion—just like that overfilled bag.

"Koharu…"

"A-anyway!!"

As if to drown out her feelings—or maybe that was her intent—she suddenly shouted.

"I can’t believe it!! She pointed a gun at Hifumi!! Why didn’t you tell us sooner!?"

"…"

Sensei had talked with Koharu several times before.
Every time, she’d put on a brave face, pretending everything was fine.
Now, the truth had finally spilled out.

"She’s always been suspicious! Too close for comfort, too smart or too dumb—I couldn’t even tell! Ugh, good riddance!!"

Once it started, the words wouldn’t stop.

"That’s right!! From the very beginning, I’ve always, always, always…!"

───I doubted her.

That was what she wanted to say.
What she meant to say.

"…But I trusted her…!"

She couldn’t hold it in anymore.

"Uu… uuuh…!!"

"Koharu…"

Sensei knew Shimoe Koharu wasn’t good at communicating with others.
Back then, her cold attitude toward Azusa had probably been a way to keep people at a distance.

But over time—through shared struggles and laughter—she’d learned to connect.
She’d finally found something precious: a friend she could truly trust.

And that friend had hidden something from her.
Had kept a secret that ended in betrayal.

It was unforgivable.
Unforgivable, but—more than that—it was heartbreaking.

That Azusa hadn’t confided in her.
That she herself hadn’t noticed.
It hurt. It frustrated her. It tore her apart.

"Stop it…! I told you not to come near me…!"

Unable to hide her tears any longer, she wiped her face with the oversized sleeve of her uniform, trying to sound composed.

"Don’t rub too hard. You’ll hurt your eyes."

Her hand was gently stopped by him.

"…!"

For once, she couldn’t escape into her usual daydreams.
She only turned her gaze away awkwardly, trying to hide her tears.

"I understand how you feel, Koharu. You just wish she’d talked to you, even once."

He spoke softly, meeting her reddened eyes—though she still refused to look back.

"But maybe Azusa had her reasons. Or maybe she didn’t. I can’t say. And what’s already happened… can’t be changed."

"Then…"

Finally, she looked up—her eyes sharp, defensive.

"So what now? What do you want to do?"

"Eh…?"

But his gentle tone made her expression soften again.

"I… I just… that girl…"

"Do you want to make up with Azusa?"

"…"

"Do you want to talk to her again?"

At those words, for some reason, her tears welled up even more.

"…Yeah…!"

"Alright. Then wait here for a bit."

Her voice trembled through the tears as she nodded hard.

"B-but how? The Arius Branch… Asuri said it’s—"

"Leave it to us, Koharu-chan!"

"Eh…?"

A voice called out—from outside the window.

"We feel the same way!"

"Wha—!? Whaaaat!?"

Something small and yellow flew inside—a bird-shaped machine.
Koharu let out a strangled gasp.
Of course she did—after all, the thing looked like a bird, yet spoke like an old friend.

"Hifumi."

"Eh… Hifumi? H-Hifumi, is that you!? You mean—you love Peropero-sama so much that you—!?"

"N-no, that’s not it!! And it’s Peroro-sama, not Peropero-sama! Where did that even come from!?"

Ignoring that meaningless correction, Koharu took a cautious step back—yet she understood it really was Hifumi.

"A-ah! Wait! My hand! When are you going to let go!?"

"Oh—sorry."

He said it just to hide his embarrassment, but he let go right away.

"……"

That somehow annoyed her even more. Maybe she wouldn’t have minded if he’d held on a little longer.
Trying to shake the thought away, she focused on the bizarre situation instead.

So this bird… what exactly was it?

"T-this is a mechanical bird I borrowed from Asuri-san! I’m controlling it from the clubroom… I think its name was… what was it again?"

"Mayumi-chan said you don’t need to remember that!"

"O-oh, really…?"

"Sorry, that made even less sense."

"Haha…"

Asuri’s unusually blunt tone made Sensei chuckle—Mayumi must’ve flipped one of her switches again.

"A-anyway, it’s some kind of machine, right? So where are you now? Or rather, why are you here?"

"We’re in the clubroom. You wandered into the annex, Sensei, so we decided to follow you."

"Ah, Hanako’s there too…"

So he’d gone to the annex… that figures.
As the thought clicked in his mind, another realization followed.

"Wait a second. How long have you guys been watching…?"

"Uh… w-well, um…"

"From the beginning."

"Eh…!?"

Hifumi tried to dodge the question, but Hanako cut in flatly.

"Koharu-chan… so that’s how you really felt."

For once, Hanako didn’t tease her.
Instead, she spoke gently, sincerely trying to reach out.

『We feel the same way. We want to talk to Azusa-chan again. So...』

"Whoa—!"

『…Huh?』

"Forget it!! Right now!! Immediately!!"

Koharu, her face bright red, swung her fist at the bird.

『W-wait, Koharu-chan!? Stop, please!? You’ll break it if you hit it!!』

"Shut up! I’ll smash you into scrap metal!!"

『Wh-why is it always like this!?』

Something metallic clattered to the floor beside Sensei, who had ducked under the desk to avoid getting caught in the gunfire. If one of those stray shots hit, it’d be a serious injury.

『I-it’s a communicator! Sensei, please try to calm Koharu-chan down…!』

“…Sorry, I can’t.”

『N-no way…』

When it came to Koharu, there were emotions she’d been holding back for a long time. Maybe it was better to let her blow off some steam now.
It wasn’t that talking to her was impossible right now—at least, that’s what Sensei told himself as he picked up the communicator.

“But I guess it’s actually good timing that I ran into you, Hifumi.”

『Eh? M-me?』

“There’s somewhere I’d like you to come with me.”

---

“U-um… I came prepared, but… this place…”

“Yeah. This is the Tea Party’s building.”

Hifumi’s legs trembled as her face drained of color. Still, there was a trace of determination behind her nervous expression.

“Don’t tell me, the reason we’re here is…!”

“…It’s about Azusa and Arius. I have to tell Nagisa.”

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason he’d brought Hifumi along. Maybe she had something she wanted to say to Nagisa herself—but this was as much for Nagisa’s sake as for hers.

“Sensei, the scheduled time has arrived. This way, please.”

Following behind Sensei, Hifumi hurried through the corridors, still uncertain of her footing. She’d been summoned here by Nagisa several times before, but the place never stopped making her nervous.
She vaguely remembered being served tea once or twice, but she’d been too tense to taste any of it. She still didn’t understand why someone as ordinary as her had caught Nagisa’s favor—or how it had started in the first place.
Her thoughts spun aimlessly until—

“Oof!”

“Hifumi…?”

“S-sorry!”

She’d bumped nose-first into Sensei’s back. It didn’t hurt—she was still a Kivotos student, after all—but the embarrassment stung far worse.

“…Ahem.”

“Ah—L-Lady Nagisa…”

Nagisa gave a small cough, gesturing for them to sit. Her tone carried the faintest air of irritation—or at least, it felt that way. The look behind her eyes practically said, Sit down already, what are you two doing?

In truth, she’d meant nothing of the sort. It was simply a small gesture to ease the awkward tension she sensed from Hifumi.

“Now then, Sensei. What was it you wanted to discuss?”

“…”

Following Sensei’s lead, Hifumi also pulled out her chair and sat down. Around them stood two or three students—likely Nagisa’s personal guards. There were probably more stationed outside.
The atmosphere was heavy, the security strict.

“My apologies,” Nagisa said softly, flashing a dry, almost cynical smile. “Things have been a little tense lately…”

With just that small smile, the wary stares of her guards instantly vanished. That was the kind of person Nagisa was—her cold, perfect composure made her seem almost like a woman wearing an iron mask.

Ever since Sensei had first met her, she’d always been like that. The only time that mask had ever come off… was that night.

“…I came here today for one reason—Arius Branch School.”

“…I see.”

With a snap of her fingers, Nagisa dismissed the guards from the room. Only Sensei, Nagisa, and Hifumi remained.

“It seems like a difficult topic to discuss openly,” she said. “Now we can speak freely, can’t we?”

“…Yeah.”

Sensei rubbed at his face, realizing he might’ve let something show, then awkwardly picked up his cup of tea and took a sip.

“Now then… about the Arius Branch School, was it?”

Nagisa set her cup down with quiet grace, exhaled softly, and fixed a sharp, composed gaze on him.

“Yesterday, you obtained some new information… Am I right to assume you’re here to share it?”

Sensei gave a small nod. That was the first step—he needed to earn her trust.

“For now, please tell me everything. We can discuss how to handle it afterward.”

“…That’s fine with me.”

With that, Sensei began his explanation.

Meanwhile, Hifumi sat beside him, stiff as a statue, sipping her tea in tiny gulps.
She was like a borrowed cat, after all… though maybe she was sipping carefully because cats hate hot drinks.
He shook the silly thought from his head.

“First, about the Arius Branch School…”

---

“…That’s pretty much how it is.”

Sensei spoke, sharing nearly everything he’d learned from Suou.

“So, in summary…”

Nagisa let out a long, deliberate sigh, her face a portrait of pure exasperation.

“In other words, the Arius Branch School had no intention of opposing us. They only used the signing ceremony as an opportunity to escape their so‑called ‘ruler.’”

“That’s right.”

“…”

—This man really is hopeless.

It wasn’t anger so much as disbelief—an exhaustion bordering on incredulity. After being deceived and betrayed so thoroughly, he still dared to believe in them?

“Sensei, have you already forgotten? Shirasu Azusa pointed a gun at Hifumi‑san.”

“T‑that’s not true!!!”

Hifumi, who had sat frozen until now, sprang to her feet and shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Ah—s‑sorry…! B‑but still!!”

She faltered under the surrounding stares but forced herself on.

“Azusa‑chan is a really good girl! She’s always studying so hard, and… and she’s kind!”

“Hifumi‑san…”

Nagisa’s expression was pity.

“…I understand how you feel. But facts are facts. Shirasu Azusa infiltrated Trinity. She betrayed us—and she even aimed a gun at you.”

“T‑that’s…!”

“If, hypothetically speaking—”

Her voice cut through the room, sharp as a teacher scolding an unruly student, or a parent lecturing a child.

“If, hypothetically, what Sensei says is true—and Arius truly had no intention of opposing Trinity…”

She laid out each point, methodical and unflinching.

“Even so, the moment she pointed that gun at Hifumi‑san, Arius Branch proved they would harm Trinity to protect themselves. That is an undeniable fact.”

Her words were cold. Precise. Ruthlessly correct.

“And at the same time… it means Shirasu Azusa chose Arius over Trinity.”

“Ah…!”

Her logic was flawless—and therefore cruel. Her words cut straight into Hifumi’s heart.

“…Whatever her reasons, to hurt us and then ask for reconciliation—don’t you think that’s a bit selfish?”

“Nagisa…”

Whatever the circumstances—even if the girls of Arius had been forced into violence—the fact remained: they had opposed Trinity. That was Nagisa’s point.

“I have no intention of trusting people like that.”

As if to close the matter, Nagisa shut her eyes.

“Lady Nagisa…”

“…?”

“Lady Nagisa… why did you tell me to look for the traitor?”

Her voice trembled, clinging to something.

“You suspected me too, didn’t you? You thought I might be the traitor… so then why…?”

“…That’s…”

Nagisa could not answer; any reply would expose her own contradiction.

“I’m not trying to sound arrogant. I don’t even understand why you’ve always been kind to someone like me. Maybe you had some hidden reason for it.”

“…!”

That isn’t true, Nagisa wanted to protest. It’s not like that. That misunderstanding was the one thing she couldn’t bear.

To Nagisa, Hifumi was salvation itself—so painfully ordinary, so warm, so genuine.

Hifumi treated her as an equal—not as Trinity’s Tea Party President, Kirifuji Nagisa, but simply as Nagisa.
She never tried to use her, never treated her like something untouchable. She was straightforward, gentle, and kind.

Nagisa had admired that. Nagisa had been saved by it. And because of that—

“But…! The reason you chose me to search for the traitor…! I hated it, sure, but somewhere deep down—I thought maybe it was because you trusted me, even a little!”

“…”

Hifumi then fumbled inside her bag and pulled out a paper bag.

“I guess the reason I was suspected… is because I’m the leader of a criminal group, right?”

“Y‑yes, but that’s—?”

“Take this!”

With a sudden motion she shoved the paper bag over her own head.

“I’m the leader of the Masked Swimsuit Gang… Faust!”

“…HUUUUH!?”

Nagisa was so shocked she dropped her teacup.

“W‑wait—what!? The what gang!? You mean that rumor was true!? That’s ridiculous—!”

“It’s the same!!”

Hifumi shouted, trying to break Nagisa out of her panic.

“I have my own circumstances! They’re really, really complicated!!”

“...!”

“But I never once thought about betraying you, Lady Nagisa! Or destroying Trinity! Not even once!!”

The paper bag grew damp; the hastily drawn number “5” smeared and faded.

“I believe in Azusa‑chan! I know she must have had a reason! I just want to understand what that reason was!”

She ripped off the ruined bag and looked Nagisa straight in the eyes.

“I’m not asking you to believe her too! Just… give her a chance! Please!”

“...!”

“Just like you did with me—just once! That’s enough! If you can’t… if you really can’t—then expel me instead! I’m Faust, after all!”

In the end it was pure emotion—no logic, no calculus—only a heartfelt plea.

It made no sense. If you trust me, then try to understand Arius too? What was she even saying?

“S‑such nonsense… that’s…”

Nagisa couldn’t meet her eyes. Hifumi’s pure, blinding sincerity was too dazzling.

That light had once saved her. That same light now stripped away her mask.

“…That’s not fair…”

In the end, all Nagisa could do was accept it—that raw, irrational emotion.