The Weight of the Truth

The silence in the classroom was suffocating. Kaoru had stepped back, letting go of Meiyu’s hand with a calculated grace. She collapsed to the floor, her hand immediately flying to her swollen cheek.

"Meiyu-chan!" Yueko and Shiori rushed to her side, their voices trembling with concern.

Reikou stood frozen, his fist still vibrating from the impact. ‘I... I hit her.’ The realization hit him harder than any punch could. "Meiyu-san! I—"

He lunged forward to help her, his heart screaming in panic, but he never reached her. Kaoru’s leg lashed out in a precise, powerful kick. Because Reikou was already off-balance, the strike sent him sprawling across the floor.

"YOU BASTARD!" Reikou roared, scrambling to his feet, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

He charged again, but a pair of strong arms locked around his chest. Kiyoshi had intervened. As a defender, Kiyoshi had seen the "attack" coming the moment Reikou entered the room. He knew Reikou’s temper would be his downfall.

"Reikou-san! Stop! Control yourself!" Kiyoshi shouted, straining against Reikou's desperate struggle.

"Just look at this failure," Kaoru whispered.

The room went cold. Kaoru stood with his hands in his pockets, his head tilted back with an antagonist’s smirk. "What are you trying to prove? Trying to be the hero for Meiyu? Too bad you’re the one who bruised her. Typical failure."

Reikou stopped struggling. He went limp in Kiyoshi’s arms, his gaze fixed on Kaoru.

"The guy who can't even pass a basic test... trying to chase a girl from a Royal Family?" Kaoru continued, his voice dripping with venom. "People like you don't have goals. You just chase girls to feel important. But unfortunately for you, her family has protocols. An audition for her marriage has already happened."

Kaoru spread his arms in a wide 'T' shape, laughing like a man who had already won the world. "And I am the one. I am the winner. I am Meiyu’s future husband."

The revelation struck the room like a lightning bolt. Kaoru Renzhi the sole heir to the owner of LINEAR, the world’s most powerful social media app. He had the money, the fame, and now, the girl.

From the corner of the room, Sayomi watched in silence, her heart aching for both of them. Shiori noticed Ryuuto was missing and slipped out of the room to find him, leaving Yueko to tend to Meiyu.

Meiyu looked up, her face throbbing. She looked at Reikou, her eyes searching for something. ‘Reikou-kun... just say something! Fight back!’ she thought. But she knew the truth. Her parents had chosen Kaoru. The "punishment" on her face was proof of their absolute power.

"Stop chasing her, failure," Kaoru whispered one last time.

Reikou felt something inside him collapse. Around him, the whispers of his classmates began to grow.

"Look at him... he really was stalking her."

"That video was right. He’s just a creep."

‘Am I?’ Reikou thought, his mind clouding. ‘Is that why I’m here? Just chasing a girl I can never have?’

"Reikou!"

Yinglan-sensei appeared at the door, his face grim. "I received a report that you struck Sazanami-san."

The room fell silent. Everyone expected Reikou to scream that it was an accident, to point at Kaoru, to fight the injustice.

But Reikou just stared at the floor. "Yeah," he whispered. "I hit her."

"What?!" Yueko and Kiyoshi gasped. "Reikou-san, it was an accident! Tell him!"

"It doesn't matter," Reikou whispered, looking up. His eyes met Meiyu’s, and for a brief second, the "Donkey" mask fell away, leaving only raw, crushing regret. I'm sorry. "My punch hit her. That's the truth. Sorry... once again."

Meiyu stood up, her eyes softening. For the first time, the "Ice Queen" didn't look at him with annoyance. She looked at him with care. She saw the boy who was willing to take the blame for the whole world just because he couldn't forgive himself for hurting her.

" 'Sorry' isn't enough," Sensei said, handing Reikou a paper. "You are suspended for two days. Effective immediately."

Reikou took the notice. He didn't argue. He didn't look at Kaoru. He simply grabbed his bag, walked to the front of Meiyu, and lowered his head in a deep, respectful bow.

Without another word, the "failure" walked out of the classroom, leaving a heavy, broken silence behind him.

[End of Chapter 23]