SCIAW: Chapter 156/157

Chapter 156: He is a Teitan Student

Several makeup artists didn't quite understand what was going on, but Kazumi, who was aware of the situation, had already figured it out.

Even so, she still found it hard to believe.

She couldn't believe that Toshihiko would actually go through with this.

But she also understood that this was an inevitable outcome. As long as Toshihiko didn't take any action, nothing would happen. Today's wedding would remain just a wedding.

However, the moment Toshihiko did anything extra, he would be plunging himself into a desperate situation—into the abyss.

Yet, Kazumi didn't stop it.

She supported Sayuri's decision.

If Toshihiko really went through with it, he would have to pay the price.

Thinking this, Kazumi simply watched from the sidelines.

The two who had been drinking lemon tea set their cans down on the table, Sayuri's was placed inside, while Suzuki Sonoko's was on the outside.

"Ah, Matsumoto-Sensei, could you lend me your straw?"

"Sure, no problem."

Sonoko took the straw from Sayuri's can and placed it into her own.

All preparations were complete.

At that moment, the two makeup artists also finished their work.

"Ms. Matsumoto, we'll be heading out now."

"Yes, thank you for your help."

After the two makeup artists left, Sayuri turned her attention to the students she was meeting for the first time.

"Ran, Sonoko, are they really in the same class as you?"

Sayuri's gaze landed on Nagi and Isumi.

Judging by their age, the two of them looked, at most, like junior high school students.

"Well… their situation is a bit complicated."

Ran glanced at Nagi, finding it a bit troublesome to explain.

"Matsumoto-sensei, they skipped grades."

"Skipped grades?"

Sayuri looked at the two girls in slight surprise. Given their appearance, they must have skipped several grades.

However, does Teitan High School even allow grade skipping?

"Teitan High School actually has a policy for skipping grades? That's surprising."

"Uh… they were originally students at Hakuo Academy, but they recently transferred to Teitan High."

"???"

This answer stunned Sayuri even more.

"From the most prestigious of aristocratic schools… to a public school? Someone actually chose to downgrade?"

She suddenly felt that something wasn't quite right.

Teitan High School had no such grade-skipping policy, but Hakuo did.

After all, Hakuo was an elite academy with an incredibly strong faculty.

Having a few super-genius students there wasn't all that surprising.

However, Hakuo had a strict rule, only nobles could enroll.

That meant the two girls standing before her were undoubtedly from noble families.

Beyond her initial surprise, she now understood why these students could so easily take the afternoon off.

Then, Sayuri's gaze shifted to the girl with black hair and red eyes.

If she remembered correctly, the blonde girl with the side ponytail had been standing next to her earlier.

"Then, the others… were they also transferred from Hakuo?"

Noticing Matsumoto-sensei's gaze, Sonoko smiled and shook her head.

"Ah, these two weren't. And the one who just stepped out wasn't either."

"The three of them transferred from Shuchiin Academy to Teitan."

"Shuchiin???"

One from Hakuo, and now another from Shuchiin?

Sayuri felt like her head was about to explode.

"What's going on here? Why are students from Hakuou and Shuchiin transferring to Teitan High?"

"Has Teitan suddenly become an aristocratic school?"

How was it that Teitan, an ordinary high school, was attracting so many upper-class students?

"Hey, Matsumoto-sensei, you don't have to overthink it."

"Let me introduce them properly."

"This walking ice block over here is Shinomiya Kaguya."

Ice block?

That term was a little… impolite.

Moreover—

Sayuri observed Kaguya carefully. Though she did have a cold demeanor, it wasn't to the point of being unapproachable. Calling her a "walking ice block" seemed excessive.

"She's not cold at all."

Sayuri blurted out without thinking.

Kaguya's eyes shifted slightly, and a faint smile appeared on her previously expressionless face.

"Matsumoto-sensei, nice to meet you."

"Ah, hello."

"Please ignore what Suzuki just said. I'm just an ordinary young lady raised in a sheltered environment, not very good at socializing."

"My coldness is simply a protective shell."

That explanation made a lot more sense to Sayuri.

But Sonoko felt her eyelids twitch.

This woman… she wasn't like this before.

And calling it a "protective shell"?

That wasn't what she said back when she was freezing people with her gaze.

Still, Sonoko chose not to argue at the moment.

"Next, this girl beside me—I knew her even before she transferred here."

"Fujiwara Chika, a good friend of mine."

"Hello, Matsumoto-sensei."

Chika's smile was so bright that it immediately lifted the mood.

Sayuri could feel the positive energy radiating from her—it was the pure, youthful vitality of a high school girl.

"Hello."

Sonoko continued.

"And those two students you thought looked too young for high school?"

"The blonde twin-tailed girl is Sanzenin Nagi."

"The one with the elegant, princess-like hairstyle is Saginomiya Isumi."

"Anyway, just don't treat them like kids—their thinking is actually quite mature."

"As for the blonde girl with the side ponytail who left earlier, she's Kaguya's personal maid, Hayasaka Ai."

"And this one, the more mature-looking one, is Nagi's exclusive maid, Maria."

Both a noble lady and a personal maid.

Even without digging deeper, it was clear that none of them had simple backgrounds.

So, Sayuri decided not to overthink it.

Finally, her gaze landed on the bespectacled boy standing quietly to the side.

"So, he also transferred to Teitan?"

"He didn't."

Sonoko smiled and shook her head.

"He's actually a student of Teitan High School, just like us. He's just not in the same class as Ran and me."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 157: Isn’t This What You Want?

Sayuri was slightly surprised, but she quickly masked her reaction.

She had some impression of this boy.

He was polite, but his voice was somewhat weak, lacking presence or confidence.

He also didn't speak much.

His presence wasn't particularly strong.

Just now, after speaking, she hadn't even noticed when he quietly moved to the side.

Yet, this seemingly unremarkable boy, with such a low sense of presence, was surrounded by a group of girls.

And not just any girls—these were young ladies from prestigious families, girls with status and influence.

Obviously, Sayuri wasn't a fool. She could tell at a glance that this boy was anything but ordinary.

Moreover, earlier, when Ran and Sonoko were speaking, he had stopped them with just a single sentence.

If this boy was the center of this group, it would be a far more accurate assessment of what Matsumoto Sayuri was witnessing.

Knock, knock!

Click!

The door was knocked on, then immediately opened.

A towering man, standing 1.9 meters tall, stepped inside. He had a well-groomed mustache and a five-centimeter scar over his left eye.

His build was as solid as a fortress, and his fierce appearance made it clear, he wasn't someone to be messed with.

Just standing there, his presence alone was enough to create immense pressure.

"Dad."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga, a man like an iron tower, looked at his daughter dressed in a pure white wedding gown. He couldn't help but feel how quickly time had passed.

Not long ago, she had been just a little girl. But now, she had reached the age where she was about to get married.

This realization filled Matsumoto Kiyonaga with deep emotion.

The only thing that troubled him was the man his daughter was about to marry.

Thinking back to what had happened 20 years ago, Matsumoto Kiyonaga felt more and more certain—Toshihiko hadn't come for Sayuri. He had come for him.

"Sayuri, it's not too late to change your mind."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga was secretly hoping that his daughter would refuse, just like she always did in the past. But this time, something was different.

"Well… Dad, let's talk about this later."

"!?"

Matsumoto Kiyonaga was stunned.

In the past, Sayuri had always rejected the idea outright, her attitude firm and unwavering.

But today… why was she responding differently?

"Dad, are the other police officers here as well?"

"Some of my subordinates came as extra security."

"Good."

"???"

Matsumoto Kiyonaga was even more confused by his daughter's response.

Something about Sayuri today felt… off.

"The wedding—"

"We'll discuss that later."

This time, Matsumoto Kiyonaga saw it clearly, the look in his daughter's eyes.

It was the exact same look her mother had when she was angry.

…Anger?

Matsumoto Kiyonaga suddenly felt like he had grasped the key to something.

"Dad, for now, please step outside."

"There's something important coming up."

"Uh… Ah, alright. I'll head out."

Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming pressure from his daughter, one that reminded him of her mother.

Even though Sayuri was much smaller than him, at this moment, she exuded an aura far beyond his imagination, completely suppressing his own.

After Matsumoto Kiyonaga left, Ren's calm voice rang out.

"Miss Bridesmaid, I'll have to trouble you to stand watch outside."

"When the groom enters, ensure that no one else follows."

Kazumi glanced at Amamiya Ren before nodding slightly.

"I understand. Once Toshihiko enters, I won't let anyone else in."

With that, she turned around and embraced Sayuri.

"Don't be angry. Don't be sad. If that man actually dares to do something like that… he's not worthy of you."

"Don't worry. I won't be shaken, no matter what happens."

Sayuri gently patted her friend's back.

"Don't concern yourself with what happens in this room. I won't be so foolish this time."

Kazumi nodded slightly before letting Sayuri go.

"I'll be outside."

After Kazumi left, Sayuri let out a small breath.

"Ms. Matsumoto, please treat what happens next as a game."

Hearing that voice, Sayuri was momentarily distracted.

When she turned back around, the group of students that had been standing there just a moment ago was gone.

Looking down, her pupils shrank in shock.

She saw herself—lying in a pool of blood, dressed in a pure white wedding gown.

Lemon juice and empty cans were scattered across the floor.

"What… What is this?"

Click!

Just as she was processing the sight, the door burst open violently.

The groom, Takasugi Toshihiko, dressed in his white wedding suit, stormed in, sweat dripping down his forehead.

His eyes locked onto the scene on the floor, and he immediately let out a horrified scream.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"

"Ambulance! Call an ambulance!"

He screamed frantically, his voice raw with panic.

But to Sayuri's shock—on his face, beneath all that supposed distress, there was… a smile.

The look of someone crying and smiling at the same time was eerie, unnatural.

What's more, Toshihiko didn't seem to see her at all.

He could only see the "Sayuri Matsumoto" lying lifeless on the ground.

The door burst open again.

Toshihiko whipped his head around.

"Ambulance! Someone, call an ambulance!"

But the person who had entered paid no attention to his frantic cries.

Instead, they approached Toshihiko without a word.

"Drop the act."

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted?"

Like a conman whose lies had just been exposed, a flicker of panic flashed across Toshihiko's face.

"Who… Who are you!?"

He shook his head violently.

"I don't know who you are, but what you're saying is slander! I could sue you for this!"

Sayuri sighed softly.

Then, she turned to look at the person who had just entered.

Now that she was seeing his face up close, she realized.

It was that same boy from earlier.

She hadn't even asked his name yet.

But she could feel it—this boy was out of place, in every possible way.

"Takasugi Toshihiko, wasn't this all your doing?"

"Isn't this your revenge against Matsumoto Kiyonaga?"

"Using his daughter as a tool to get back at him. Forcing her to ingest the sodium hydroxide you prepared. Making him watch as his daughter's life slowly fades away."

"Isn't this exactly what you wanted to see?"

Each word sent cold sweat dripping down Toshihiko's back.

"I… I didn't do this!"

"You have no proof at all…"

His eyes flickered toward Sayuri, who was still breathing.

For a brief moment, a dark glint flashed in his eyes.

Instead of continuing to shout, he stood up and glared at the high school student in front of him.

"Sayuri is my bride! Why would I ever want to harm her?"

That self-righteous declaration made Sayuri lose all hope in him.

She had caught the vicious glint in Toshihiko's eyes.

Even now, as he spoke, he looked more like a cornered beast than a man.

He had stopped screaming for an ambulance.

Instead, he was standing there, deliberately stalling for time.

(To be continued.)