Chapter 5:

Why Didn’t You Trust Me?!

The Pride of A Banchou [Short]


Finally Sakuya turned her attention to me, who was still being tied up, and started untying the ropes bounding me.

“Sorry for the wait, Ryuu. It seems they really didn’t beat you up, huh?” Sakuya said, looking disappointed.

I simply glared at her, saying nothing even though she had taken off my gag.

“Huh? Why are you silent? I thought you’re going to retort ‘why did you look so disappointed’ as usual?” Sakuya tilted her head with a perplexed look.

I remained silent, not saying a single word even as Sakuya untied my hands and feet.

“H-Huh? Ryuu, could it be…” Sakuya started to look flustered from my eerie silence. “A-Are you angry? Well, anyone would be angry at being called useless or a sacrificial pawn, and for being sent as a bait into an obvious trap, but you see, I have the perfect explanation for all of that…”

“It’s not that.” I cut Sakuya’s sentence short.

“E-Eh…?” Sakuya stared at me in confusion.

It felt refreshing to see her blank look, even though she usually acted so high and mighty.

“Even someone useless like me can see that it was a trap. But that’s not the reason why I’m angry at you.” I stood up from my chair, and Sakuya followed suit.

“Then, why…?”

“Why didn’t you trust me?!”

At those words, Sakuya flinched and fell silent.

“I always knew from the very start that I’m a useless guy whose only use is to go fetch you a drink or play chess with you when you’re bored. So when you gave me the messenger role, I was really happy. I thought you finally trust me to do something that only I can do. I thought you saw something in me that no one else could see.”

I clenched my fists tightly.

“But I was wrong. You chose me simply because I just happened to be there. This role wasn’t something that only I could do—it was something that anyone could do. Even if you hadn’t taken me in as your subordinate that day, you would’ve chosen someone else to be the messenger.”

Sakuya shook her head. “Ryuu, listen, that’s not…”

“Then, why didn’t you tell me that it was a trap?! Why didn’t you honestly say that I was supposed to be the bait?! If you had really trusted me, you would’ve at least told me the truth, right?! And if you had told me, I would’ve done my job better! I could’ve done a lot more to help you!” I shouted all of my anger and resentment at Sakuya.

Anger because I knew I was too powerless.

Resentment because I knew she wasn’t able to trust me.

“Ryuu…you’ve done enough…” Sakuya squeezed out her words, but I paid her no mind.

“I believed that Sakuya-san would definitely come to save me no matter what happened! So why can’t you believe in me and tell me the truth?!”

I glared at her, fully realizing that I was being selfish and dumped all of my frustrations on Sakuya, but I just couldn’t help getting angry at her.

*****

Ryuu glared at me, his eyes spoke volumes of his anger and frustration of being kept in the dark. I felt my chest tighten when I met his eyes.

I always thought that not being able to trust other people is already painful enough. But…not being trusted by the one you trust…is even more painful.

I lowered my gaze. To properly convey my sincerity, there was only one thing I could say to Ryuu.

“…sorry.”

I could hear a wave of gasps as I muttered that word and I took mental note to beat up those who gasped.

“I’m sorry, Ryuu.”

I forced myself to meet Ryuu’s widened eyes.

“Next time…I’ll rely more on you.” I promised. “I…will try to trust you.”

Ryuu’s lips formed a wry smile.

“I’ll have to decline being caught up in another war like this, but…I’ll accept your apology, Sakuya-san.” Ryuu said with relief in his voice. “And I haven’t said thank…”

"DIE, KAGURA!!!"

Before Ryuu could finish his sentence, a bloodcurdling scream coming from behind me cut him off. I tried to turn around, but Ryuu lunged at me first. At once, I felt like everything slowed down around me. I saw the panic in Ryuu's eyes and how hard his hands gripped my shoulders when he tried to push me aside.

As my body tilted sideway, I finally saw the rebel who charged straight at me. He was one of the delinquents that ambushed Ryuu on his first day. In his hand was the knife thrown away by Takashi earlier.

My mind instantly calculated this situation and decided that if I did nothing, it would be Ryuu who got stabbed by this scum instead of me.

However, I cannot accept that.

No one could mess with my pawns—my subordinates and get away with it.

No one but me, of course.

With one swift movement, I hooked Ryuu’s leg with my own and caused him to lose his balance. As the two of us started falling toward the ground, I twisted my body to switch our positions and pushed Ryuu to the ground.

“Gakh—!”

Ignoring Ryuu’s shout of pain as his face hit the ground first, I used his body as the base and did a front flip. I perfectly landed on my feet and easily dodged the delinquent’s knife. Then I lunged straight at him, burying my fist into his solar plexus.

“GUOH—!!!”

The delinquent screamed when his body was blown far across the vacant lot, tumbling and bouncing harshly on the ground until he hit a tree. The whole place was deathly silent as everyone stared fearfully at me.

“Haa…” I let out a sigh and faced the rest of the rebels.

I took a step forward and they instantly took a step back.

“So? Who’s next?” I flashed a ferocious grin and they visibly cowered. “To think that you dare to touch my toy…I’ll make sure you all go to hell—

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!”

A familiar, yet annoying voice that was the textbook definition of discipline rang out.

“…ah.” I snapped back into my senses.

*****

Before Sakuya could beat up the rest of the rebels, the Student Council President—Yuuki—and his Student Council officers came and put a stop to things. They captured everyone who was present—including me—and lectured us endlessly before finally turning us in to the school principal.

Supposedly, those fighting within the school grounds would be punished, but up until now Sakuya had been able to get away with it thanks to her good relations with the principal. However, since this time it was an unprecedently large-scale fighting that involved twenty percent of the whole student body, the principal couldn’t overlook it—coupled with the Student Council’s fierce demand, it resulted in…

“Therefore, from now on, anyone found out to be fighting inside the school grounds will be instantly suspended.” Yuuki begrudgingly informed the new rule to all of the delinquents gathering at the school yard.

I was among those delinquents, even though I wasn’t fighting at all—to be exact, I was a victim here, but no one listened to my complaints.

“The principal has…agreed to overlook this incident, but there will be no second time.” Yuuki had a sour face like he’d bitten a bug since he couldn’t get the principal to punish us thanks to Sakuya’s interference. “And also! We from the Student Council will keep an eye on you all! If we ever find any of you involved in a fight…”

Yuuki’s eyes had fierce glimmers within them.

“We’ll apprehend you and send you home instantly! Listen, this kind of incident will only lower our school’s evaluation in public! If outsiders found out that the students here weren’t punished for fighting, then more of troublemakers will enroll in here! Sakurasaki Academy will be known as a wild, undisciplined school! Do you understand?!”

“Yeeesss……”

Everyone answered half-heartedly.

Rather, it’s already infamous as a school of delinquents.” I recalled my former classmates’ reaction at the mention of Sakurasaki's name. “I’m sorry, but it’s already too late for us, President…

Yuuki let out a big sigh. “In other words, there will be fewer cute girls coming to study here if you all keep fighting inside the school! Do you get it?!” He rephrased his words.

“YES!!!!!!! WE’LL BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!”

A passionate cry instantly answered Yuuki’s question.

“This is why you guys are so hopelessly stupid…”

Next to me, Sakuya muttered in displeasure.

“Ahaha…” I laughed emptily. “Well, that’s just how boys are.”

“Speaking of which, Ryuu.” Sakuya said while averting her face.

“Hm?” I looked at her.

“I…haven’t thanked you for trying to save me earlier.” She muttered in a small voice. “Well, it’s not like I need your help. I can definitely dodge that attack on my own, and your action is actually uncalled for, but still you did help me out, even if it’s just a little bit—a tiny little bit—so…thank you.”

I stared wordlessly at Sakuya, who desperately tried to hide her embarrassed face by looking away from me. Before today, I would never think to describe Sakuya with the word ‘cute’, but looking at her now, I could only think of her as a normal, cute girl.

“Don’t mind it.” I laughed, feeling happy that I could see this rare side of Sakuya. “I’ll forgive you for pushing me to the ground as well.”

“Wha—?!” Sakuya turned to me in shock. “I didn’t push you! I was just using your body to do a front flip!”

“Isn’t that just the same thing?!” I instantly retorted.

Both of us fell silent as we stared at each other. Then Sakuya cracked a smile and I started snickering. The next second, both of us laughed together, as if coming to the conclusion that it no longer mattered—what mattered was that the two of us had overcome the crisis.

Together.

“Kagura, Shiba, shut up and pay attention to what I said!”

We finally stopped laughing when Yuuki scolded us for being too loud.

“Well, at least with this we can get some peace, right?” I said as I rubbed the tears from my eyes.

Little did I know that those words weren’t supposed to be said out loud, for the said peace didn’t last long enough.

*****

“…hmm, so these rumours are true.”

A man leaned back on his seat, his blood-red eyes were fixated on the documents in his hand.

“Yes, there’s no mistaking it. She is a student in that school.”

The other person in that office, his collaborator, affirmed it.

“Hmph…to think that she’s hiding in plain sight, as expected of the heiress.” The man’s lips formed a smirk. “Good job finding her. I’ll go there and confirm this information.”

“Y-You’re going to enter the school personally, sir?!” His collaborator was clearly flustered.

“What are you talking about? I have many identities to use—as a matter of fact, there’s one that suits this school. For caution’s sake, do not contact me until I’m sure that she is the one we’re looking for.” The man commanded.

“…yes, sir.” His collaborator said in a resigned tone.

“I will definitely enjoy cornering you…”

The man’s smirk warped into an evil smile.

“…Kagura Sakuya.”

Koyomi
icon-reaction-3
Taylor Victoria
icon-reaction-1
Ochroleucous
icon-reaction-1