As expected of a strict Japanese school, there were also classes that took place on Saturday, though these classes were only half days.
Ren silently worked in the classroom, eyes constantly drifting over to the clock. His hand felt clammy over the pencil in his hand, his nerves pulsing.
'Today… today is supposed to be that party!'
He was getting anxious. He had picked up next to no new leads. It was a problem, because it wasn't as if the beta dorm was easy to comb through. If this party was taking place in one of the rooms then he would need to know which one!
He would rather be investigating than be in class! There was barely any one in today, basically most of the omega dorm was gone when he got up that morning, save for his one roommate Kakeru who never seemed to want to go out.
Ren would spend all his days investigating, if it weren't for the security that still flanked every entrance to the school building.
'I still need to remain undercover… but I need to find a better escape route for the future…'
Finally the last class ended and school cleaning began. Though there were half classes that only meant they were going to spend the other half cleaning up all three major school buildings instead of just the main one.
Ren was out in the hall dragging a large rag across the floor trying to look inconspicuous. He stopped and looked around him, finding no one in sight. He leaped to his feet and took off down the hallway. But as much as he wanted to run to his locker to grab his shoes to leave, he was heading somewhere else.
Ren hid behind a corner as he spied on Fumio in his section of the school.
'I may not know much about what's going on but if I follow this guy he'll show me exactly where the party is taking place!'
But as he moved to follow Fumio, something unexpected happened. One of the security guards approached him, behind was a teacher. They started to talk, but Ren was too far away to hear.
'What are they talking about... if he's working with the teachers and security, he has to be the traitor. I need to get closer to hear what's going on!'
Ren left his hiding spot and glanced up at the cameras, waiting for the right moment to hide behind a pillar to reach the other side of the hall at a slightly closer proximity. But by then, they were already beginning to walk away. Ren tried to follow where they were going, until eventually they entered an office, shutting the door behind them. Ren put an ear up to the door but could barely hear anything.
Ren's expression sagged. He was at another loss. The school was just too clever in hiding the proof he needed.
'Is it seriously going to keep happening like this? Information just out of reach, just not enough... Wait, that's it!' Ren's expression lit up. He clapped his hands together with a crooked grin. 'I... have a great idea!' His face dipped into contemplation as he put a hand on his chin with a frown, and started to walk down the hallway. 'Hm, now where was the broadcasting club room again...'
———
In the disciplinary office, a meeting of student was taking place. The heads of various stern faced students were turned towards the head of the table. Masanori placed down a tablet on the center table.
"... so we're clear on this. The teachers are suggesting there's been an influx of people found out after curfew by the security, so we're getting some new openings for positions in the patrols. Most students don't like the extra work but remind them it grants them study hall immunity. Even if the school is at a reduced capacity, rules still have to be followed. And once again, anyone with information about the missing shipment goes straight to Aruki Sensei and the security staff. It contained both school issued supplies and the belongings of students. Hopefully, we'll find it before we have to enact full room sweeps. That's it for today: Work hard and do your best."
The student patrol rose from their seats and left the room. Masanori was the last one out the room, closing and locking the door to the disciplinary office.
'I wonder what Takeshita is doing… I stopped by the front gate but he wasn't in any group, he must have stuck around. I wonder what he must be doing. Maybe this is all just nothing…'
Masanori recalled the conversation he had with the student from the camera footage. He had talked to him just as he was leaving his club room that evening.
They looked on edge when he approached but Yuki mentioned he was a meek person, and he relaxed when he mentioned it was about Takeshita Akira. He told him that he wasn't the one that made him cry, but someone else he was trying to help find. He then told him to give Takeshita an apology for losing his temper.
'So he got into a fight with someone else… it might be something personal so he doesn't want me to know about it.' He crossed his arms and his browline pressed downward. 'It's not actually a boyfriend, is it? I haven't thought a lot about what he does outside of causing trouble… I know he's in the gender studies club, but I haven't thought about who he's been interacting with. I told him to talk to more people though…' His eyes narrow uneasily. 'I, didn't cause this, did I? But why would he be avoiding me, and why was he at the beta dorn by himself?'
Masanori tapped a nervous foot on the floor. 'His club is closed, and beta dorm's doing early cleaning this weekend so he must be at the omega dorm but I can't be seen-'
Masanori stopped as he realized he was thinking once again about going to track him down. His hand covered up half his face and he scowled. 'No, I've gotta get a grip… his next heat shouldn't be for a few more weeks, and he should be wise enough to not go places he shouldn't be.... right?' His tapping foot continued and eventually he started to walk, wandering with no destination. His eyes sunk to the floor and he held his arms to his chest.
Masanori hadn't been given much confidence to trust him. He's tried to get him to understand multiple times now, but he wondered if this one would finally stick. The one thing that's been bothering him about the silence is that it's been too easy. He couldn't make the same mistake as last time, when he left him to his own devices after telling him to stop then. When he learned of him joining that club he put it off even more thinking it was a sign of him moving on from his delusion, and when he found him in trouble with the student council, he only delayed it even more. There wasn't any more excuse to keep his distance, but...
'But where would he even go? Whatever is going on with him might not have to do with his crazy ideas at all, and the last thing I want to do is bring it up if we're past it.' Masanori thought, his mind continuing to ramble off, 'Yuki will give me the footage soon and then I'll see if this is about what happened with this other person. If it's something I need to get involved with... but damn it, is it right to get involved?'
His face started to darken, 'If he wanted me to know he'd have told me, and if I'm seen anywhere near him too publicly I'll get in trouble. I should keep my distance but why.... last week during his heat, he said I was the only one he trusted! He trusts me… so why would he avoid me!?'
Masanori heard a loud clinking noise in his ear and turned towards it. A student was holding a crate of glass soda bottles. The student was shrinking away and their legs slightly shook. Masanori flinched back and took a deep breath, ebbing out his pheromones and shaking his head. 'How long have I been-? I must seem like a real asshole, letting out this sharp a Alpha scent in the middle of the school…'
He pulled at his collar with an apologetic frown. "Please excuse me…" He began to apologize, when he then noticed the student. On closer inspection looked fidgety, and more than a little nervous. They bowed their head at him silently and tried to move quickly away, seeming eager to leave.
Masanori quickly closed the gap between them and grabbed a hold of their shoulders. "Wait. What are you doing with all this soda?"
The student noticeably began to quiver, his pupils shrinking and avoiding his eye. Masanori's eyes narrowed and his grip tightened.
The student started to speak with a shaky stutter. "O-Oh t-these are just, th-that's, um…"
"Hey!" Naoto Akagi's voice called out and he came bounding over from around a corner. "What's the hold-up, huh?" He looked over to Masanori with a raise of his eyebrow. "Masanori? Hey, get moving already." He gave the trembling student a tap on his back and they tried to leave but Masanori held up a hand to stop him. "Hey, hold on–"
But Naoto cut him off, sliding his hand towards Masanori's arm. He pulled him away, wrapping his arm around Masanori's shoulders. "Oi Masanori – there a problem? He hasn't given you any trouble, has he?"
Masanori shook his head. "No, it's the soda. I haven't seen that kind around the school – I was just asking about it."
Naoto snickered. "Well don't stop him with a question like that when you're putting out that kinda aura. Masa. A little heavy handed for a simple inspection?" His smile shifted and his eyes grew more serious. "And, what are you doing down here – I thought you'd be in the office like usual."
Masanori glanced around, realizing that he had wandered his way down to the first floor.
His eyes unconsciously averted Naoto from a sting of embarrassment and his voice came out stiffly, "Ah. Sorry. I just, got caught up in my head I guess."
"I guess you're still tense about the missing shipment?" Naoto asked with a somber sigh, then with a lowered voice, "Anything new on that yet?"
Masanori lowered his voice in turn. "No, I haven't heard anything. There's more missing than pheromone medicine, so if someone ends up hurt due to this…"
Naoto nodded then regarded him with a small frown and a pat on his shoulder. "Us student council have it rough don't you think? Hey, you should ease up a little this weekend!" His voice was now down to a whisper. "This soda here was just something I got for everyone. Here, what flavor do you like?" Naoto lifted and held up a strawberry flavored soda bottle from the crate, still cold in his hand. "Strawberry? Or you want lemon lime?"
Masanori took the strawberry soda with some hesitation, giving him a small nod. "Sure, thanks."
"Sure thing." Naoto slyly smiled and let Masanori walk away. Naoto then glanced over to the still shaking student, giving him a small glare. He growled. "Don't go and collapse on me now, that was close."
The student quivered. "S-Sorry…"
"Tsk, why did that guy go and pick stuff like this? Thought he'd get something more hardcore when he insisted." Naoto shook his head. "Whatever… you're lucky I was nearby, now get moving, come on!" He waved his arm and hastily motioned for him to move and the student rushed off.
———
Ren after some time and a stop aling the way, made his way over to the beta dorm. But before entering the dorm, he was stopped.
"Hey second year: sorry but you can't be here. It's cleaning day."
Ren crossed his arms skeptically. "Cleaning day? But, Dorm cleaning day is supposed to be on Sundays."
"Maybe for you still, but with so many beta students out on the field trip they decided to start early this weekend. So, you can't come by." The student said in a huff.
Ren tried to look past the student and into the dorm's main lobby but he only got a glance at some beta students holding cleaning supplies before the student shifted their body to block his vision, who had started glaring at him. They sighed. "You have some reason for sticking around? A two day school trip in this school is rare - only people that miss out are locked down or too busy studying… are you waiting for someone? If you are then wait by the gate or something."
Ren tensed. 'They're getting suspicious. If I stick around they'll start interrogating me.'
Ren replied, a tension in his voice. "Uh yeah, I'll do that. You know, wait for my friend… still here because of a friend."
Ren then turned and started to walk away. But, he wasn't going to just stick by the gate. Rather, the moment Ren thought he was far enough Ren suddenly moved off the main path and into the foliage, using the bushes as cover until he managed to sneak his way to a part of the building covered in shadow, hiding behind one of the concrete pillars. He crouched down to avoid the windows as he opened up his notebook.
'I figured they would increase security on the day of, that's why I spent time yesterday to map out the dorm! Well, I couldn't enter a few places like their bath, but I know where the rooms are located from the facilities. Time to work out my ultimate infiltration plan of the beta dorm!'
Ren crept his way around the Beta dorm lawn until he reached what he was certain was the correct way. He took a deep breath before he peeked around the corner. He pumped his fist with a self-satisfied smile when he saw exactly what he was hoping for.
'Ha, just what I was hoping for: a drainage pipe! It's time to get started on my plan!'
Ren opened up his notebook to go over his idealized plan of action.
'If I can climb on that drainage pipe I'll be able to cimb to that small roof ledge, then I can use a radiator to pry open one of the windows and get inside! That window in the center must be the one for their hallway, so if I can get there, I'll be inside! I still don't know how a party is related to the school's scheme to indoctrinate these kids, but there's no way I won't find good evidence by going inside!'
Ren's backup plan was shaky, but he had little doubt he could pull it off: This body he was in was weak, but also small and light – the chances of him accidentally knocking out a radiator was next to zero! And he had the perfect tool to assure that he was going to make it up!
With a low maniacal chuckle, Ren pulled out something from his bag. A hammer. Specifically, a wood-working claw hammer, with an especially long and curved claw end.
'This will help me pry open the window in case it's locked! I hope the wood-working club doesn't notice it's gone, sorry I had to steal it, but this is an urgent situation! I already tried it on my window, so it's bound to work here!'
Ren looked upwards to the side of the building with a wide, confident grin. 'Right! Time to get started!'
Ren grabbed a hold of the drainage pipe running down the side of the building, and began trying to climb, the orange glow of the setting sun hitting his eyes as his legs planted on the beige-brown bricks, with a high-pitched grunt.
"Grhhh…!"
However, he was barely making progress. His arms and even his legs shook from holding himself up, and his power could barely lift his body. His hands, already barely able to grip the only average sized pole, grew clammy and he started to slip.
He gasped. "C-Come on…! Come on, body! You can do it!! I've been lifting for- for days now…!" He heaved a breath in and let a shaky one out, and grimaced with determination.
In a burst of power he reached his hand up. Finally, he managed to move an arm up by a few centimeters, and rose. His face broke out into a prideful grin. Sore arms wouldn't stop him! He was–
Then the sound of shifting leaves and footsteps on gravel startled him. He was taken out of his focus, and all at once he lost his grip. He falls and hits the dirt right on his backside, feeling the sharp blow take the wind out of him. He wheezed and rolled onto his stomach. He groaned and flopped his head into the dirt. "Ugh…"
But when he heard the rustling once again, his head whipped back up in a flash. His eyes widening in a panic he grabbed his bag and rushed back around his corner, just as some students came through. They climbed over a fairly low brick wall, holding small coolers and crates together, snickering and laughing slyly to themselves. They hid under the cover of the thicket of trees until they arrived near the back of the beta dorm and disappeared from view.
Ren watched them move with a tense expression. 'There's a bunch of Alphas in that group. They must be going in the beta dorm. Their behavior is way too suspicious and, of course a party would have snacks! But why are they coming in through the back like that?'
Curious, Ren slowly stealthed his way around the corner of the building side he was. His mouth opened wide in shock, watching as the last of the group of students entered in through a door!
'A-A back door?!' Ren closed his mouth and his lips pursed in contemplation. 'I- guess it makes sense to be through the kitchen, but I never saw that in the omega dorm's. The back of the dorm just leads up to a giant brick wall like the entrance and steep hills. But the beta dorm is the closest to the school compared to the other two dorms, so maybe it's easier?' Ren sighed then pondered out loud. "Should I just… try to use it?" he shook his head to himself. "No, it's bound to be guarded on the inside. I should go with my original plan. I should-"
Ren ear's perked at the clinking of bottles behind him, and turned his head behind him. Another group of students were coming his way, but stuck far closer to the wal, blocking his path back towards the lower roof sanctuary. Stricken with panic Ren hugged the wall behind him. 'Oh no! I'm trapped!' Ren's eyes darted around thinking about sprinting for the trees.
'Crap! If I try to run back to where I was before I'll be spotted! A-Around this corner?' Ren squeezed his eyes shut. 'No! Then I'll be running through the sides with the common room window! I'll be spotted there instead!' He then opened his eyes wide. 'T-The kitchen! I can hide in the kitchen!'
Ren rushed forward towards the back door and, crouching down to keep his head low, pushed the door in and entered the dorm.
The dorm's kitchen was pretty much exactly the same as the omega dorm's. It was small and narrow, with no place to eat, only places to prepare food on top of the counter from a set few appliances, with the food storage limited and only restocked weekly.
And below the counters there was one place to hide. The cabinet closet toe the door was unfortunately the one where the trash can was, with a flap on the outside. He could just about squeeze in by pushing the can back.
Ren held his breath and listened intently, waiting to hear any noise. But the kitchen seemed to be completely silent, not hearing a single sound.
That is until the back door opened, noise breaking out giving him a sudden jolt to his heart.
"Get it moving, come on - this is the last one!"
"Chill out, you're being too uptight!" A different voice hissed. "Acting like this when we already had to clean the school with half the class off, I wanna hurry up and cut loose already! Come on, gotta cool off, let's take a break."
Ren quietly listened in. 'They're talking!' As quietly as he could, Ren moved through his bag.
"Hah, count me in..." A third voice cut in with a grunt, and soon there was the sound of loud popping and fizzling like soda.
The third student spoke again. "It's not the end of the world – Beta curfew is in an hour. We hide this from the patrol, we're in the clear."
The second one grumbled. "Yeah, but who's idea was it to push the outing up a day so they get to skip out on cleaning? It's like we're being punished for sticking around."
"Musta been him." They vaguely answer. "Makes sense, an extra day means less variables, less possible problematic betas…"
The second chuckled. "Yeah, but they won't do anything - its in their best interest to keep their mouths shut and stay in their rooms, don't you think?" The student chuckled darkly. "Unless they might want a soda?"
"You two are morally fucked." The first student scolded sharply. "Keep quiet about that bit, or we'll really get in trouble… leave that here, we gotta bail and wait for the signal."
"Signal? Making it sound like some kinda great escape, haha..."
Ren startled when suddenly the student used the garbage chute, and Ren scrambled to grab the glass bottle before it shatters against the floor in front of him. 'Marble soda?' He briefly thought, and for a moment he thought it did when heard the loud clink of glasses outside the cabinet and a louder slam of whatever goods they had being dropped.
"Be careful. Akagi-senpai bought these, you know?"
"And so what? I could buy ten times this-"
With a shit door cutting them off Ren finally heard them leave. The back of his head hit the wall behind him with a relieved sigh. He closed his eyes with a pondering frown.
'Well, that confirms that they're the reason for the sudden field trip. And that guy, doesn't he know these are recyclable?' He then smiled. 'But wow, already!' He wickedly grinned. 'It's a good thing I have - This!' Ren proudly held up the device he grabbed from the broadcasting room. A cassette recorder!
'Hehehe, I figured a club about recording things might have some audio equipment, but I can't believe I'd discover such a great find! It didn't look all that used, I guess because phones can do the same thing better, but I can't use one so this will be invaluable to get people to realize I'm telling the truth! Though my bag's getting heavy with all this...' Ren frowned but refocused. 'But even more importantly: they left something in here?' Ren shifted his body to go open the cabinet. 'It might be something I can use as evidence-!!'
But then Ren felt resistance. He paused then tried to push again, a little more but felt something heavy blocking his path.
His eyes shrunk and went pale. 'No way…' He tried to push the garbage chute but could only pull it back a little with the space, so he could only see a fraction of the ground underneath, and it was exactly as he feared.
'They left their supplies… right in front of the cabinet!'
Ren tried to push them back, but this time it wasn't his weak strength that failed him, but rather his size. The small cabinet he was in was directly facing the countertop corner, and when he tried to open the door, the two stacked up crates of glass bottled sodas wedge itself between the two, making escape impossible.
Ren, growing frustrated, kicked the cabinet door and fumed. 'What's their deal, the countertop was right there! Now I really AM trapped!'
Ren slumped against the side of the cabinet again in despair. 'Am I gonna be stuck in here until someone comes by to hide them during patrols? Or until the party!? What if... they don't move them at all and I'm stuck in here all night!' Ren grimaced and squeezed his eyes shut, pulling at his hair. 'Gah, I should have used the window! I still don't have enough evidence! If I miss the party, I'd have lied to Ryusei and betrayed Masanori's trust for nothing!'
Ren sat in silence, in the darkness, and tried to find a bright spot.
'At least I got something... and, at least the trash has been emptied...' Ren sighed and closed his eyes. 'Bet the school doesn't know I'm in here... maybe, one day, I can do what I promised and save everyone in this school... if only, Masanori would believe me fully...'
Masanori, walking along the fairly crowded path to the Alpha dorm, suddenly stopped. The students near him walked past and continued on. Masanori held up the soda and ripped off the plastic wrapper. He took the plunger cork and pressed it into the top, and the soda fizzled upwards. He took a sip and his eyes turned to the moon rising in the distance over the hills.
His mouth twitched. "Maybe I should have asked for Grape..."