The Discovery

She's on to me.

That whole fiasco in the library made things even worse. My head suddenly felt light and I almost lost my balance right in front of Kujo. As much as I need to rest, the clock is still ticking. I'll just have to power through this.

I could feel the exhaustion piling up, with every moment spent inside the konbini feeling like it came from a fever dream. The hum of the refrigerators was making my head spin, and the shine of the fluorescent lights burning into my retinas made everything worse.

"Kaito, seriously," Haruna said, stepping in front of me as I made my way to change. "You’re gray. Not 'tired' gray, but 'call an ambulance' gray. Whatever you’re chasing, it’s not worth it."

"It is worth it, Haruna," I muttered, my voice cracking. "It's for... everything."

"Then 'everything' is going to have to wait ten minutes. Go to the back. Drink some water. Now."

I didn't argue. I couldn't. I stumbled into the tiny break room and slumped into the plastic chair and pulled the crumpled debt notice from my pocket. ¥11,400,000 remaining. I had made a dent, but it was a needle prick in a mountain...  I sighed and closed my eyes for what felt like only sixty seconds.

...

"Kaito. Kaito! Kaito!!! Wake up already!!!"

I jolted awake; it was Haruna shaking me awake violently. "Sorry Kaito, I would've let you rest, but there's this customer," Haruna called out, her voice sounding strange. "And... uh... I think she knows you."

I wiped a streak of drool from my chin, straightened my polyester vest, and marched out to the counter, bracing myself for the worst. If the customer were to be a faculty member from the academy, then everything that I’ve sacrificed would be for nothing.

Standing at the register, holding a single pack of gum was Reina Kujo; she was looking at me dead in the eyes, her expression a terrifying mixture of triumph and absolute, icy fury.

I stood paralyzed behind the counter, the cheap polyester of my vest itching against my skin, a mocking contrast to the girl standing across from me.

Haruna looked between us, her eyes wide, sensing the atmospheric pressure of a world she wasn't part of.

"Haruna," I said, my voice sounding like it was coming from the bottom of a well. "I’ve got this. Can you... check the inventory in the back?"

Haruna hesitated, her eyes darting between my face and Kujo’s, then she nodded slowly, sliding into the storage room and leaving us in a heavy, neon-lit silence.

Kujo’s lips curved into a slow, amused smile as she leaned on the counter. “Well, if it isn't Kaito Akizuki, the 'Star Crest Scholar'. Who knew I would find you here? Should I applaud your… versatility?” she said, sliding the bottle of gum forward.

I slowly scanned the gum trying to hide the slight the slight tremor in my hands. “That will be 80 yen.” 

“How professional,” she purred, her eyes gleaming with what seemed to be joy. “Tell me Akizuki, what would happen if I spread the word that the great scholar boy is working part-time in violation of school rules? How scandalous.” 

I stayed silent, not giving her the satisfaction of my reaction.

"Oh? The Silent treatment, I see." She pulled out her phone. "Would you still be able to hold your silence if I took a photo and exposed you to the whole academy?"

My composure shattered instantly. My eyes widened,  and breath caught. “No—don’t. Kujo, I’m serious. Put the phone away.” 

She chuckled a bit, savoring my panic while still pointing her phone at me. Then the camera clicked. The sound echoed in the store; everything felt slower.

“Delete it,” I silently choked out, my voice cracking under the weight of desperation. “Please… I’ll do anything—just delete it!” 

"Aw, how cute. Where did all that pride go? Merit this, merit that. Now you're here begging."

“...”

”Don't worry, Scholar boy.” She dropped the coins onto the counter, her smile sharpening. “I won’t sell you out… yet. After all, what fun is a rivalry if my opponent disappears before I’ve properly beaten him?” She slowly turned toward the door, her laughter echoing faintly.

As the door chimed behind her. I stayed frozen like a statue, my eyes still locked on the coins on the counter. How did she find out? Did she follow me?

"Kaito... Are you okay? Did the customer leave?" Haruna whispered, peeking out from the staff room door.

"I–I'm fine Haruna." trying to regain my composure.

"Who was that?" She stepped out and placed her hand on my shoulder. "It sounded like you two were arguing..." 

"Just a classmate... Anyways, I have to stock the shelves before the morning rush." I said trying to scoot past Haruna.

"Hold it right there, Kaito." Haruna suddenly grabbed my arm, anchoring me in place. "You're not going anywhere; you can barely walk."

"I need the hours, so please just let me–" 

"Ugh, you're so stubborn, Kaito,” she sighed, her expression softening into a mix of pity and frustration. “Don't worry; I'll cover for you." She then handed me my things and started pushing me towards the exit.

"A—are you sure? I don't want to be a bother to you."

"It's fine. Seriously, I’d rather you be a burden than a corpse on my store floor."

I mumbled another thanks to Haruna before taking my leave. Although despite her wishes for me to rest and my bone-deep exhaustion, I couldn't catch a wink of sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, that shutter sound repeated over and over, and before I could realize, my alarm blared signaling the start of a new day to prepare for another round of the same routine.

Only this time things were different. She took a picture. She knows everything.

She said that she wouldn't release it... yet. If she does release it, my picture would become a public spectacle, dragging my parents' names through the mud.

"I’ll do anything—just delete it!"

The memory of my own voice muttering out those desperate words made my stomach churn. I had begged my rival, the person I hated most, to spare me.

I opened the door to the classroom; the atmosphere was completely different. I could feel her staring down at me, a slight predatory smirk forming on her face. I kept the my hood up as I sat down next to her, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

She ignored me the whole day. She allowed me to simmer in my own anxiety. But as the final bell rang, she leaned in, her voice a low, intimate vibration against my ear. "Meet me at the Central Fountain, 17:00. Do not be late."

She didn't have to threaten me or anything; she already had enough leverage, and we both knew it.

By the time I got to the fountain, the campus had gone quiet, bathed in the soft light of the late afternoon. She was already there, standing perfectly still, her back straight, looking out over the water. She turned as I approached. "You look terrible, Akizuki," she stated, eyeing me up. "Did you manage to sleep at all?"

"Let's cut to the chase. What do you want, Kujo?" gripping my bag strap until my knuckles were white. "The picture. Delete it. Name your price. I'll—"

She scoffed, "Price? Don't amuse me, Akizuki; I don't need your pocket change. And even if I did want your money, you wouldn't be able to afford my mercy."

"Then I'll do anything," the desperation breaking through my voice. “Whatever you say. Just... delete the photo."

She stepped closer, the scent of her jasmine perfume suffocatingly sweet. "Then let's talk about compliance, Akizuki. I will keep this little secret of yours to myself under certain... private terms."

She held up a finger. "Term Number one,” her eyes locking onto mine. "You, Kaito Akizuki, must continue to pursue the highest academic results, engaging in the intellectual rivalry with me without yielding. If I beat a tired, broken version of you, it’s not a victory; it’s a chore."

"Are you insane?" I looked up at her, rage mixing with my fear. "You want me to continue our rivalry? While I'm working countless hours every night?”

"I'm not finished. One more interruption and I'll share the picture all over social media," she countered, her eyes piercing mine.

“Term number two, you must answer any questions posed by me truthfully, either regarding finances or personal matters.”

She stepped even closer, trapping me against the stone railing. "And term number three, you will perform whatever tasks I deem necessary, academic, personal, or clerical. You will be my private asset."

"You want to monitor my misery?"

"I want to manage my rival," she corrected with a sharp, condescending smile. "Think of it as a sponsorship. I keep your secret, and in return, you provide me with the only entertainment this school has to offer. But the moment you drop below my curve, the moment you become a 'nobody,' I hit upload. And you go back to the dirt you came from."

"And how am I supposed to balance everything? I’m not a machine, Kujo."

"The 'Scholar Boy' is supposed to be a genius, right? Prove it. Prove your so-called merit can stand against legacy." She reached out, her gloved hand adjusting my collar with a possessiveness that made my skin crawl. "Do we have an agreement, Scholar Boy? Or should I see how many likes this photo gets on the student forum before the sun goes down?"

I looked at the fountain, the water churning endlessly. There’s no other choice; I had no leverage.

"We have an agreement," I whispered, my voice sounding like a surrender.

"Good," she purred, leaning in until her lips were inches from my ear. "Don't look so miserable. You should be flattered. Not many people get to be this useful to me."