Kamaguchi Estate – Evening
The sliding doors shut with a soft click, sealing the quiet inside the tatami room.
Sora Kamaguchi knelt formally, posture straight, hands resting on his thighs. Across from him, seated in dignified stillness, was Masaki Kamaguchi—head of the Kamaguchi-gumi.
He looked more like a high-ranking diplomat than a crime lord.
Sharp-featured, effortlessly handsome, and composed to the point of stillness, Masaki wore a perfectly pressed navy kimono. His dark hair was slicked back, and his narrow glasses reflected the soft lamplight. Every movement he made was deliberate, graceful. Controlled.
He held a porcelain cup of tea, fingers light but precise.
"I've been watching your moves closely," Masaki said, voice smooth and calm. "Efficient. Calculated. Just as I raised you to be."
"Thank you, Father."
Masaki's lips curled slightly in something that almost resembled a smile—but his eyes behind the glasses were cold and analytical.
"Still…" he continued, placing the cup down with a gentle clink, "your next steps must be taken with precision."
Sora didn't move.
"Ryuji Tatsugami is no threat—yet. But even a dormant weapon is still a weapon. That boy carries the blood of the Tatsugami."
There was a subtle emphasis on the name, as if it meant something ancient and dangerous.
"He may be undisciplined. Reckless. But that bloodline has burned entire syndicates to the ground before. Don't forget that."
"I haven't," Sora said quietly.
Masaki's expression sharpened.
"Then don't play into his chaos. Set the board. Let him move. And when the time comes…"
He raised his cup again, sipping.
"Checkmate."
Sora bowed his head slightly, eyes glinting with unspoken resolve.
---
Student Council Room – The Next Morning
The air inside the student council room was colder than usual.
Sora Kamaguchi stood at the head of the long table, sunlight filtering through the blinds behind him, casting sharp lines across his uniform. His blazer was buttoned perfectly, his expression unreadable—like a chessmaster before the final phase.
The other council members sat silently, waiting.
Before them were printed documents, stapled in crisp stacks. Some pages had student names. Others had outlined behavioral reports, rumors, and incident summaries.
Sora adjusted his cuff, then looked up.
"We begin phase two," he said plainly.
One of the members—nervous—leaned forward. "Are we sure this will work? If we push too hard, there could be backlash—"
Sora cut in, voice calm but final.
"Let the system judge them. We don't raise weapons—just mirrors."
Another member nodded slowly, catching on. "We don't fight them directly…"
"Correct," Sora said. "We simply reflect who they are… until the school rejects them."
There were no more questions.
Orders had been given.
---
Sakuragi High – Courtyard Bulletin Board
By third period, a new notice had been pinned to the school board.
The paper was clean. Official. Almost surgical in its phrasing.
---
ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
Sakuragi High School Administration
As part of our continuing effort to maintain a safe and respectful environment, the Disciplinary Committee will begin conducting thorough reviews of students involved in:
Repeated altercations or violence
Consistent behavioral misconduct
Reputational damage due to widespread rumors or past incidents
Students currently under evaluation:
1. Ryuji Tatsugami
2. Kazuma Mori
3. Takuya Endo
4. Daichi Seno
5. Renji Kagawa
Further names may be added as needed. Action may include formal warnings, suspensions, or permanent expulsion.
We thank you for your cooperation.
— Sakuragi High Disciplinary Committee
---
Students began crowding around the board.
Gasps. Whispers. Phones out. Names shared like gossip.
But all eyes eventually landed on the same line:
#1: Ryuji Tatsugami
Some stepped back. Others just stared.
And somewhere in the distance, walking past the hallway with headphones on, Ryuji didn't even glance at the board.
---