My Answer

The KKFC was like a natural disaster. Reporting them did nothing since there was never enough proof, and you never knew who beside you could be one of their members. There was little you could do to prepare for them either since there was no sign before they appeared. Additionally, once they appeared, it was already considered checkmate. You might think you were lucky if you were able to escape the officer sent to capture you, but then you would be chased by every member hidden throughout the school. According to some, once it reached this point, even staying home from school would only delay the inevitable.

Therefore, I was quick to surrender when I was targeted, but as soon as I spotted Hiroki I was certain that he was the one who pushed the KKFC to go after me. I could barely accept getting caught by the KKFC, but if he was the one who set this up then that was a different matter. Especially since he entered the first years' building.

'Whatever he's up to in there, definitely can't be good.'

With my drive re-ignited in an instant, I stood my ground against the tall, masked, KKFC member.

"You need to listen to me. This is a trap!" 

"Sure, you can talk after we bring you to the interrogation room."

'Ugh!'

I saw a glimmer of hope in the possibility that Hiroki caused this to happen, but from this big guy's firm stance, I knew it would be hard to prove my innocence without falling into their hands. 

'Should I surrender? Maybe they aren't as bad as the rumours say.'

The thought to stop my futile resistance was becoming increasingly tempting, but for now, catching Hiroki took the priority. 

'Wait, why did he enter the first years' building? It couldn't just be to watch from afar since he didn't mind showing himself, which means he has an objective inside it.

...That's it!'

Like a clap of thunder, a brilliant plan swiftly came together in my mind, a plan that I immediately implemented.

As I wasn't moving, the tall second year eventually reached to grab me, but this time he was the one who stopped moving.

"Wait, before I go let me ask something. With you guys coming after me, how many are left to watch Kirisaki?"

"Hmph, don't speak of us like stalkers. Though there's always at least one member of us coincidentally in her vicinity, when it's time for a trial all official members are required to give their opinion, so we suspend all other activities during the meeting."

Not a single thing he said was tearing through the stalker label, but I wasn't trying to agitate him. I just needed to implant a certain worry inside him.

"I see, so there's no one to protect Kirisaki from any unwanted bugs?" I asked with a suggestive tone.

I wanted to be more cryptic about it, but it was enough since he was able to decipher what I was trying to imply.

I couldn't see behind his glasses, but from his trembling body I knew that he had also realized that possibility. The possibility that someone was taking advantage of their lack of surveillance to approach Kirisaki. If he thought that the one who tipped them off was the culprit, then that would be an added bonus. 

Now that we were on the same page, I planned to continue negotiations, but I had underestimated what it meant to be an official member of the Kanami Kirisaki Fan Club.

He turned around and shouted, "My angel!" before rushing inside the first years' building. 

After he rushed in, several others hidden in the crowd shouted, "Our angel!" and followed him.

Thinking that this was my chance, I discreetly followed behind them thinking that I might find Hiroki along the way. What I told the second year student was just a possibility, but it was one that I also feared. 

Along the way, as I witnessed the charging horde of boys and girls, I started to wonder how Kirisaki felt about this. Having fans didn't sound too bad, but when they were this zealous it looked like a future case for the police. 

'Maybe I should buy pepper spray for her. Or would a taser be better? But where would you get that?'

I was able to fill my head with trivial thoughts as we went up the stairs, but once I reached the second floor, the vanguard was hit by horrible news.

"What do you mean a handsome second year came for her? Why did you let that plebeian touch our angel?!" One KKFC masked vanguard shouted.

"Well, that's-"

"And to make it worse, you don't even know where they are! Are you stupid?!" the vanguard continued.

"I just..."

Before the harsh words and the imposing gathering of KKFC members, the girl's face went pale and so did the faces of the ones behind her. And when I said 'behind', I meant they were so far back that if they weren't in the same classroom I would have thought that they were completely uninvolved.

Even so, the most I could give her was pity, as like the KKFC, I was also freaking out over Kirisaki's disappearance. 

'Where the hell did that scumbag take her?!'

I had finally apologized to her, and yet he might be starting trouble again. When I thought of her giving me an awkward glance, or even worse, walking right past me, all of the hypothetical sadness transformed into anger.

I hated that it was in this situation, but now, the bit of indecision that was left was broken by rage. However, the problem still remained, where would I find Kirisaki?

While my pondering failed to produce results, I noticed a change in the atmosphere of class 1-C. A new girl had stepped in front of the one who had been shivering in place, saving her like a white knight.

With a steady glare unflustered by their numbers, she then spoke, "Unless you want me to report this incident to your 'angel', scram."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am!"

Without hesitation, the KKFC quickly dispersed despite the fact that the main question still remained. I spat on them in my mind, but still didn't dare to make eye contact with the woman who scared them off.

'Damn it! How am I going to find her?'

I clicked my tongue and messed up my hair in frustration when suddenly, I felt something going into my pants pocket. When I turned around to look, I spotted a familiar, dignified figure walking away. 

Unsure of what it was, I then looked at the note that entered my pocket. 

(Gym.)

I gasped once I read it and again looked in the direction of that fading back. Without a doubt, this was a golden play by our silent fifth member.

"Thanks," I knew she couldn't hear me, but I said it anyway before dashing out the building. 

There were no teachers to admonish me for running in the hall, so I quickly escaped the building and went to the gymnasium, which was in between the first year and second & third year buildings. However, when I reached it, I didn't barge in on whatever sports team I heard practicing, I went towards the back of the gym. And just like I thought, I spotted a boy and a girl here.

"Akishiro?"

"Tch, you're quicker than I thought you would be."

Kirisaki acknowledged me first, then Hiroki. Once I saw that Kirisaki was alright, I breathed a sigh of relief before looking around for any witnesses. Although this wasn't a lucky spot, I had to be on the lookout for both artificial and natural eyes.

Once I confirmed that the coast was clear, I went in front of Kirisaki and glared at Hiroki. 

"What did you want with Kirisaki?" I asked with a threatening tone.

Hiroki chuckled in response, "Don't be so serious, I was just seeking her advice on how to get close with Arisugawa. Right?" 

"That's right. But like I said, I don't really know much about Hina's preferences."

Even after Kirisaki supported his statement, I still held suspicion. There was surely a scheme at work here, but I didn't know what it was. As I kept my guard up while trying to deduce his intentions, Hiroki asked a very inconvenient question.

"Still though, I really didn't expect you to get here so fast. I thought that the one you had a crush on was Arisugawa, but could it be Kanami instead?"

I felt a change in the gaze behind me but there was too much on my plate so I ignored it. On the bright side, he was wrong so I could deny it, but if I wasn't careful I might end up offending Kirisaki with my answer. 

'And before that, why the hell is he calling her name so familiarly?'

Thankfully, my anger made it easier for me to suppress my awkwardness so I could snort in reply.

"Hmph, and why do I think I would answer you of all people?"

Since I was able to deflect that question, he then went straight for the main event, "Aw~, that's too bad. But there is one answer you have for me, isn't there?" 

"Hmm? What is he talking about, Akishiro?" asked Kirisaki.

Before I could say anything, Hiroki responded, "The last question I asked him on Saturday."

"Saturday...? Wait, that was you?!"

Sensing genuine surprise from her, I turned around to see Kirisaki pointing at Hiroki with a hand over her mouth. And it was only at this point that I noticed, she came out here without knowing that he was the one who called me out on Saturday.