"Airi calling… Takamura, what happened? He's not answering my calls, and he didn't come to school either!" Airi muttered, gripping her phone tightly. "The voting has started…"
Students lined up, one by one, casting their votes. The air in the school was thick with tension. Soon, the teacher would announce the final result: would Airi stay… or be expelled?
Airi's heart raced. "Only two more hours… Takamura, where are you? You have to hurry…"
She bit her lip, trying to calm her nerves.
The voting box was sealed inside the Student Council Office. No one could enter. No one could tamper with it.
---
Meanwhile, at Takamura's house…
Takamura stood by the window, holding his phone tightly to his ear. His voice was desperate.
"You're at school? Tell me everything—what's happening?! Soon… soon, Airi will be mine. Do it already! Make Airi get expelled!"
The call cut off.
"What, she cut my phone? Hah… I don't care anymore." Takamura laughed with an edge of madness. "Airi is going to be mine. Mine, mine, MINE! Yuuta Kanzaki… you're going to lose. I'm the winner. I'm the one who gets Airi."
He smiled darkly.
---
Scene shifts — Kaito and Yuuta talking nearby.
"Okay, big brother. Thanks for the help," Yuuta said with a grateful smile.
"Okay, okay, don't get all sentimental now. I'm just helping because you're my brother," Kaito replied, pretending to be nonchalant.
"I know, big bro." Yuuta nodded, the two of them sharing a quiet smile.
---
Back at school…
"The results will be announced in 2 minutes!" the teacher declared.
Airi's whole body was trembling. "Takamura… what's going on? Why are you not picking up your phone?"
Suddenly, Ryuu walked past her, a smug expression on his face.
"Hah, Airi. Now you're going to be expelled. Even your friends don't trust you."
Airi froze.
Why? Why is this happening? Yuuta… Takamura… all the people I trusted… they said they'd be on my side… they said they'd help me. But they lied.
Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone again. "Hikari… I have to find her. She'll believe me…"
She tried calling.
No answer.
She typed a message—blocked.
Tears welled up in Airi's eyes.
"Why, Hikari? Even you… betrayed me. I trusted every one of you…"
---
Elsewhere — a call between Takamura and the mysterious girl.
"Put the call on speaker. I want to listen," Takamura demanded.
"The results are about to be announced," said the girl on the other side. "Everyone is watching… and gossiping."
"She's going to be expelled," she added with a chuckle.
"That makes me laugh," Takamura grinned.
---
Airi stood still, eyes downcast.
It's over…
"I hate all of them…"
The principal stepped forward, holding the results in hand.
He cleared his throat and announced:
"Airi Kuragami… is NOT going to be expelled."
Silence.
Everyone froze.
The stranger gasped.
Takamura screamed through the phone, "What?! What the hell is happening?!"
The stranger quickly ended the call. "B–ep–"
---
Airi fell to her knees in shock, tears spilling freely from her eyes.
The four girls who had bullied her stared in disbelief.
"What just happened?! How did that girl get saved?! She's got some kind of insane luck!"
Ryuu sighed in frustration. "Tch… I can't even look at her pathetic crying face. All of it… was in vain."
Off to the side, Hikari and Renji smiled.
Hikari wiped her eyes. "It's a relief… You're safe, Airi."
Airi collapsed to the floor, sobbing.
"Thank you… Thank you, God…"
---
Suddenly, the room darkened.
A projector clicked on.
The entire auditorium turned toward the screen—
And gasped.
On screen was Yuzuki, the girl who had originally accused Airi.
In the video, Yuzuki spoke nervously.
"I want to tell you all something… I couldn't say it face-to-face because I was too nervous. I didn't know how people would react…"
She took a deep breath.
"First, Airi… I'm sorry. I falsely accused you."
The room erupted in murmurs. Even the stranger gasped.
"The one who assaulted me… wasn't Airi. It was the four girls Airi had reported for bullying. They were suspended for a week, and they wanted revenge. They told me to falsely accuse her…"
"I didn't have the courage to speak up at first. But someone told me he'd be by my side. So please, Airi… forgive me. And make those four pay for what they did."
The four girls panicked. One of them whispered, "That Yuzuki… we'll get her for this…"
---
The video ended.
The principal's expression turned cold. "You four… come to my office. Now. Airi, you too."
The stranger clenched her fists. "That… Yuzuki! How… how could she betray me?!"
"Airi got saved again…" Sakura muttered.
"Huh…" Renji smirked. So it was you, Yuuta… You did all of this to save her. You bastard… You didn't even tell me.
---
At the Principal's Office
"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Airi," the principal said. "Please forgive us… for not believing you. You're free now. You won't receive any punishment."
"It's okay, sir," Airi replied softly, and walked out.
The principal turned to the four girls, his voice harsh.
"And you four are going to be expelled. You assaulted a girl and manipulated her into falsely accusing Airi."
The four girls burst into tears. "We're sorry, sir! We assaulted her, yes… but we weren't the ones who made her lie about Airi! It was another girl! She told us we could get our revenge that way—"
"Don't lie to me!" the principal snapped. "You're being expelled!"
"Sorry, sir!"
---
Outside, Yuuta stood silently, having heard everything.
"So… my assumption was right," he muttered. "It was a girl behind it all. Now it's time…"
Time to crush Takamura… and that stranger girl completely.
---
End of Chapters
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