Chapter 2224: Our Game of Wits (1)

Chapter 2224: Our Game of Wits (1)



As Minami Shouko stepped into the room, her grin never quite left her face, though it flickered with uncertainty.

I caught that and made a mental note in my head that said 'Not hopeless yet.'

She walked confidently with her rigid posture yet purposeful in every step. I closed the door behind her and watched as she moved to the center of the room, taking in her surroundings with careful, calculating eyes.

She turned to face me, pulling back her hood to reveal long, jet-black hair, now slightly disheveled.

If I could compare her air to any of my girls, I'd say she's a mix of Akane, Aoi, and Haruko.

Akane with her dedication.

Aoi with her unruliness.

And Haruko with her lack of fear for authority.

Ah. I'll add Hana with her influence. She was a recent transfer but she was already as popular as Maaya and the other girls. Her angelic smile was a timeless weapon.

"So," Minami Shouko began, her voice smooth but with an underlying sharpness as if she wanted to cut me open and see my innards, "... you've finally noticed me, Onoda-kun. Congratulations! Took you long enough, don't you think?"

Her sarcastic smirk was a little irritating but somehow, it fitted perfectly with the exquisite frame of her face.

I stopped a few steps behind her, crossing my arms as I met her gaze head-on. "You've been trying hard to get my attention, haven't you, Minami Shouko? I thought I should finally say hi to you."

Her smirk widened. "Was that what happened? Or have you gotten hit by a series of coincidences that eventually pointed at me?"

My lips twitched but I maintained my calm, not letting her get ahead of me.

Nonetheless, she was right. She probably arranged everything. Even the timing of Ryouko- san's visit to inform me about her.

That's how scary this girl's maneuvers are if you studied it closely.

"Quite the confidence you're showing there. I noticed the coincidence but I've known all along. Here... take the key back to where you picked it up." I matched the air around her as I pulled out that item that I had never truly used.

"Nah. I'd rather not say and let you guess."

"Aww... You're full of tricks, Onoda-kun. I like that. I won't guess but I think I'm certain about your reason. I'll help you out and I'll keep it to myself."

At this point, Minami Shouko pulled away and turned around.

"Okay. I'll indulge you. You see, I set this all up because I had to make sure you were worth it. And I have to say, you didn't disappoint." She glanced toward the empty chair across from the one I was sitting at earlier, "Mind if I sit? Or is this going to be a standing confrontation?"

I gestured casually to the chair before taking my seat as well. "Be my guest." With a smile that's not a smile, Shouko slid into the seat, still maintaining that overly confident posture as though the chair was a throne and she was the queen of the game she'd been playing.

"So, Onoda-kun, what now? You've figured out my little game. Are you here to punish me? Lecture me? Or are you here to join me?" Her eyes gleamed with challenge.

"Join you?" I raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smirk. "You really think I'd be interested in what you've been doing? Using others, manipulating them like pieces on a chessboard just for your amusement?"

I couldn't help but snicker inwardly at how ironic my questions were. I mean, if you looked at it from an outsider's perspective, it perfectly encapsulated what I was doing.

Minami Shouko leaned forward, her grin now morphing into something different. "It wasn't just amusement. It was about finding someone on my level. Most of these people are predictable. Easy to push around. Easy to read. But you, Onoda-kun..." Her voice dropped as her eyes narrowed slightly. "You're different. I couldn't read you. I couldn't push you around. And more importantly, you caught on. That's why I wanted you involved."

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, I simply watched her.

There was a flicker of sincerity beneath her bravado. If I could put it into words, it was a strange desire for validation.

However, it was twisted. Or maybe it got twisted at some point. Warped by whatever games she'd been playing with everyone around her.

"I see," I said finally, my tone measured. "So, all this trouble, dragging people like Maeda into your schemes, was to test me? To see if I was 'worthy' of your attention?"

"Exactly," She replied without hesitation as if it all made perfect sense in her mind.

Instead of responding, I stared at her without faltering picked up the teapot, and poured a cup

for both of us before taking a sip on it as I crossed my legs.

With her eyes following my every movement, I waited for the right moment when her

anticipation peaked before opening my mouth.

"Sorry. I'm not interested at all."