Chapter 18: Hidden Truth

Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Hidden Truth

Mataguchi’s monologue, POV

--------

I had already decided to help her, but desperation was a much better motivator than gratitude....

"Anything?" I voiced out.

"Anything within my power!" Shion snapped back, her eyes watering even as she tried to maintain her fierce persona. "Just name it, you creepy... weirdo!"

I was the only logical option for help, so I had already known you would do this...

They had a fall out that I wasn’t aware of and she still think I could help?

I stood up, my movements fluid and unnervingly calm. I reached into my bag and pulled out a stack of thick, disorganized notebooks with all having different covers. I set them on the desk between them.

"I’ve fallen behind," i said simply.

"Between my personal projects and my... absences... I haven’t kept up with the class sections or my own book updates. I need someone to transcribe my notes, cross-reference the missed lectures, so I can have time to finalize the drafts for my publisher."

Shion blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering in confusion. She looked at the daunting pile of paperwork and then back at me.

Though I didn’t want to get involved in their relationship problem because of Shiwogata, but now that she has added me as a solution...

"T-That’s it?" she stammered, a bit of her bashful side returning as she realized she wouldn’t have to do something illegal or humiliating, but wait did I just missed my chance to have her do something illegal, nasty or stupid?

"What?..were you expecting me to ask for ’Academic credits’ in exchange?"

"That’s... actually kind of easy. I mean, it’s a lot of work, but I can do it! I’m not a total idiot, you know!"

What was she thinking I was going to make her do exactly?

After the next two days is over we will all be heading to our break, school will be closed at that time. So starting today and tomorrow been the time limits, Well I guess it couldn’t be helped

I actually have a bad feeling about this...

"We’ll see," i murmured, maintaining my netural expression. I began to pack the rest of my things. "If the quality is lacking, my deal with Oota is off. Don’t make me regret choosing you, Shiwogata-san."

Shiwogata isn’t the type to do what I say, even if it will fix the drift between her and Oota...probably because of her personality...

I picked up my bag, i movements slow and clean, while my eyes never meets hers.

I walked past her without a second glance, leaving Shion alone in the golden light of the classroom, clutching the heavy notebooks to her chest and wondering.

I wonder what she’s thinking? Maybe something like ’oh damn I’ve made a deal with the devil’ .

----------

Later that day

​The afternoon sun filtered through the blinds of the empty classroom, casting long, geometric shadows across the pristine desks. It was after class sessions hours, a time when most students of the Karafuguru High school or rather, this highly competitive institution were busy plotting their next move in the hierarchy for the next semester.

A large monitor, as wide and as high as a building wall, was placed outside like a board, a bit above, for any students to see as they walked past.

[Lastest updates]

[....]

International Academic Championship

[Karafuguru - 2nd]

[Aurelius Institute - 1st]

​Inside, the only sounds were the soft rustle of paper and the occasional click of a mechanical pencil.

​Shion Shiwogata slammed a textbook down on Mataguchi’s desk, her acrylic nails making a sharp clack against the wood. Her hair, styled in perfect, effortless beach waves, swayed with the movement.

​"There. That’s the last of the advanced data analytics logs updated," Shion sighed, crossing her arms and leaning back.

"Honestly, Prez, why am I even helping you with this? You’re the one who signed up for the curriculum oversight committee, not me."

I didn’t look up immediately. I was arranging a small stack of reference books to my left, my movements precise, economical, and entirely devoid of wasted energy. I mean it insufficient to do otherwise.

"Well ahh.." i muttered.

​"Your assistance reduces the operational margin of error to near zero," i said. My voice was calm, carrying a faint, melodic cadence that almost sounded polite. "I value your efficiency Shiwogata, truly."

​"Ugh, don’t use that tone to smooth things over," Shion muttered, though a faint, involuntary smirk played on her lips. She picked up the next binder. "Wait. Why are the registration codes on this batch formatted differently? The indexing looks like the standard track, not the advanced committee logs."

Shion’s intellect was a dangerous thing. She didn’t just look at data, she synthesized it instantly. A college-level statistician would take hours to notice a structural anomaly in the filing system. Shion caught it in seconds.

If I remember correctly, Oota was recently established to be advanced to second years making him a year above Shiwogata

The higher ups are still making decisions but we should expect as much as of next semester...Shiwogata would likely have lesser time with Oota then

Her SOAAD metrics shows a lot of promise in her intellect which Oota falls under her with but her constant holding back to be with him seems insufficient now

I smoothly slid a fresh stack of index cards over the binder she was holding, gently breaking her line of sight.

​"The school updated the administrative software template last night," I replied smoothly, my eyes meeting hers with absolute steadfastness.

"They are testing a streamlined layout on select student files. Speaking of updates, I noticed the cafeteria’s weekly inventory report showed an unusual 15% spike in premium strawberry milk orders. I believe a specific student in Class 2B has been monopolizing the supply."

Shion stiffened instantly. The sharp, gaze vanished, replaced by a sudden, intense crimson flush that crept up her neck to her cheeks. She looked away, fiercely biting her lower lip.

​"W-What does that have to do with anything?!" she stammered, her voice jumping an octave. She frantically began sorting the index cards i had placed in front of her, her fingers moving twice as fast to cover her agitation.

"Oota just... he just happens to like strawberry milk, okay? It’s not a big deal! And it’s not like I’m the one buying them for him or tracking his schedule! Why are you even bringing him up, Prez?!"

​"It was merely an observation on resource distribution," I said, my expression entirely deadpan. Honestly was there anything here to react to? She was in the state I wanted her to be.

Now that I think about it again, all thos because of her and if she figure it out she’s going to kill me.

​"Well, keep your observations to yourself!" Shion huffed, her mind completely derailed from the layout anomaly.

​While she was fiercely stamping a serial number onto the card, her focus entirely consumed by the embarrassment of the topic, my left hand moved with practiced fluid grace. I reached into my bag, withdrew a thick, navy-blue vinyl book cover, and slid it over a heavily annotated notebook.

​The notebook belonged to Oota. It contained a comprehensive, simplified breakdown of the previous special exam’s rules tailored specifically to bridge the gaps in Oota’s average academic standing.

I had deliberately placed a standard ’Committee Log Vol. 4’ cover over it. Shion would typically detect the slight difference in paper weight and the faint scent of a different ink brand instantly. To prevent this, i had to control not just her line of sight, but her cognitive bandwidth.

​By introducing a high-emotional-stimulus variable "Oota" i forced her brain to allocate its massive processing power toward emotional defense and self-preservation, temporarily blinding her sensory perception to the physical properties of the book.

Yeah, sounds easy right? At first but it’s just exhausting.

​"If you finish that stack, we can conclude for the day," i murmured, passing the newly disguised notebook directly into her peripheral vision. I placed it at a specific angle, ensuring the light reflected off the vinyl cover exactly the same way as the genuine logs. "Though, if Oota’s academic performance in the next mock exam doesn’t stabilize, my position on the upcoming advance operation might be compromised."

​Shion snatched the notebook directly out of his hand, her defensive walls instantly going back up. "He’s working hard, you know! He’s not stupid, he just... gets distracted."

​She opened the notebook. Her eyes scanned the pages at an incredible speed. Because her mind was racing to find data that could prove Oota’s capability, she unconsciously internalized the simplified analytical breakdowns written inside, correcting a few minor structural errors in the margins with her red pen without even realizing she was doing it.

​If I restructure this formula here,’ Shion thought rapidly, I’m guessing this was what she was thinking.

It makes the logic flow perfectly for a layman to understand. Wait, why is this breakdown so basic? Whatever, I need to make sure this log is perfect so Prez doesn’t have an excuse to look down on...

​She paused for a fraction of a second. A normal person wouldn’t have noticed, but i saw the subtle shift in her pupils. She was on the verge of questioning why a committee log read like a study guide.

"Shion," i spoke, my voice dropping slightly in volume, forcing her to lean in to hear him clearly. "The disciplinary committee is reviewing student behavior near the convenience store after hours. I advised Oota to alter his route, but he seemed stubborn."

​"That idiot!" Shion snapped, completely dropping the train of thought regarding the book’s contents. She furiously scribbled the final notations on the page and slammed the notebook shut, sliding it back to me. "He’s going to get himself penalized before the exam even starts! I swear, if he gets detention, I’m not bailing him out!"

​"Your dedication to the Oota’s stability is noted," i said.

"Ehhh??"

"Hmm? Would you look at the time. " i added ending the conversation.

Her cognitive blind spots had been mapped, exploited, and reset, all through a perfectly natural flow of conversation. She normally don’t have this sort of weaknesses but it became clear to me cause of how close I was with her. Any one else and she would have noticed immediately, how lucky can i be? God tier?

​Shion grabbed her bag, her face still slightly flushed as she headed for the classroom door. "I’m leaving, Prez. If you bring up the strawberry milk thing again, I’m striking from the committee."

​"Have a pleasant evening, Shiwogata" I replied to the empty room.

​The door clicked shut. I sat in the silence for a moment, then pulled Oota’s newly updated notebook from his bag. I looked at the neat, sharp red corrections Shion had left in the margins.

She really is good at this kind of stuff, done in just minutes. Talk about a machine.

​"i should hit the convenient store" I whispered to myself, my face remaining entirely, chillingly blank.

-------

"Man is not what he thinks he is, he is what he hides."

-------