CHAPTER 393: CHAPTER 391 IROHA FACES A SHOCKING TRUTH_1

Corpses lay arranged in the splendidly ornate hall. Occasional blood dripped from the tables onto the expensive carpet, but no one seemed to care.

The old man was dressed in a dark blue suit, his graying hair neatly combed. He wore a watch and rings, and every crease in his clothing was pressed flat, as if even the wrinkles on his face had become neatly ordered.

He was the Family Head of the Dupon family, Codis Dupont.

He was the same age as the president but did not suffer from intermittent dementia. His legs, however, were somewhat unsteady, and he needed a cane to walk.

He looked at his son’s body without showing any sign of sorrow on his face. Over the long years, he had experienced too much, and some things had long since numbed him.

"The cause of death?" Codis asked calmly.

The coroner hastened to respond respectfully, "Mr. Cody, Mr. George died from a punch that pierced his heart from behind. Brad’s cause of death was a broken neck, and Peter’s was trauma to his abdomen..."

He began to describe the causes of death and the times of death for these individuals.

"Are you saying their times of death were not far apart?"

"Yes, they died within roughly the same timeframe."

"Has the cause of the helicopter crash been investigated?"

"It was brought down by a steel rebar."

Someone immediately stood up to answer. About a dozen people stood respectfully behind Codis, ready to respond to any of his questions.

Codis did not stop walking, continuing on his way.

For his age, walking had also become a form of exercise.

Thinking while moving was a habit he had preserved from his younger days.

It made his mind especially clear.

"Were there any witnesses to Hill’s death?"

"There was a dancer named Barbie, and a couple from John’s University. According to the three of them, the person who killed Hill and the Hornet was a blond man named Calcalot, bare-chested, wearing orange pants and a blue belt."

The speaker paused, then whispered, "Should we silence the three of them?"

Codis shook his head.

Only hot-headed young men would lash out at others in frustration like that.

By his age, he had long understood that a person only needs to use ruthlessness to intimidate those around them when they are weak, to make them fearful and thus afraid to resist.

He had moved past the stage of displaying harshness and strength; now, what he needed to demonstrate was gentleness.

"Calcalot. A person wouldn’t appear out of thin air. Investigate his name, his identity."

Codis’s voice was soft, yet it carried a tone of firm resolve. "Inform the other five major syndicates about Hill’s and George’s deaths, as well as our business partners. Invite them to the funeral. Let’s see their attitudes."

Codis suspected that someone wanted to make a move against the Dupon family. The incident with the Rockefeller Family had set a bad precedent, possibly tempting some to take risks to strengthen themselves.

...

Tokyo, after the first class in the afternoon.

Bright sunshine poured into the courtyard.

The shadows of the osmanthus trees sheltered the benches, and the constant chirping of cicadas in the trees played a summer serenade.

"What great weather~"

Ayatsuki Ayaka stretched lazily and leaned back in her chair, listening to the cicadas. She took a sip of refreshing orange juice, feeling this was the proper enjoyment for summer.

The wind that blew into the shade felt as warm as Aozawa’s hand, grazing across her cheeks.

Seeing her so relaxed and content, Takahashi Saeko smiled and said, "Iroha, I really envy you. You can still be so relaxed right now."

Ayatsuki Ayaka turned her head, looking puzzled. "Saeko, is something bothering you?"

"It’s not just Saeko; all of us are troubled," Tama Chan added from the side.

Ayatsuki Ayaka’s face showed curiosity. "Are all of your troubles the same thing?"

At her oblivious reaction, Takahashi Saeko and Tama Chan instinctively pulled out their phones, ready to take a picture.

Ayatsuki Ayaka blinked, her confusion deepening, yet she still made a peace sign with her fingers and curled the corners of her mouth to look better in the photo.

Takahashi Saeko spoke languidly, "Iroha, what’s the date today?"

"July 18th."

Ayatsuki Ayaka answered truthfully, still unclear about what was troubling them.

"And when do we start our summer holiday?"

This question made Ayatsuki Ayaka answer without a second thought, "From the 22nd until September 1st! Oh right, summer vacation is coming up. Are you worried about where to go for the holidays?"

Takahashi Saeko reminded her, "Before the summer holidays, can you think of anything we absolutely must do?"

The excitement on Ayatsuki Ayaka’s face froze, and a look of horror spread across her cheeks as she exclaimed in alarm, "Final exams?!"

As Takahashi Saeko took the photo, she nodded. "Iroha, you manage to forget about the final exams every year. I must say, it’s quite an impressive talent."

"Saeko, you all are too much! Why didn’t you remind me?"

Ayatsuki Ayaka suddenly found the orange juice not so tasty. She hadn’t prepared at all; she only found out that finals were tomorrow the day before they started.

"Why did you keep it from me?"

Takahashi Saeko poked her puffed-up cheeks with a finger, speaking with exasperation, "The teacher already told us to brace ourselves for the final exams. But you never pay attention in class, always daydreaming about Aozawa."

"I haven’t reviewed at all! What should I do?"

"Don’t worry. It’s all the same whether you review or not. What’s the use of reviewing for you?"

Takahashi Saeko’s words made the panic on Ayatsuki Ayaka’s face momentarily freeze before relaxing.

She had a point. Whether I review or not, I always fail. In that case, I might as well face the final exams with a relaxed mindset.

...No! If my grades are too bad, I’ll get teased by Sister Ayaka.

Ayatsuki Ayaka recalled that memory she tried to forget. After every final exam, Sister Ayaka would call her demeaning things.

"You, the failure, go buy me water." "You, with the twenty-five, go pick up my package." "You, with the thirty-five, buy me pizza."

Thinking of Sister Ayaka’s smug expression, Ayatsuki Ayaka felt she couldn’t just do nothing; she had to review. I have to at least pass!

"Iroha, cramming at the last minute is useless," Takahashi Saeko commented, then stroked her chin and added, "However, you could use the final exams as an opportunity to ask Aozawa to help you review. Try using the power of love!"

Oh, that’s true!

Ayatsuki Ayaka thought of the phrase "love can create miracles" and was about to send a text message.

Takahashi Saeko and Tama Chan, flanking her, stopped her with smiles. "Just go to the classroom and talk to Aozawa directly."

"Eh, is that really okay?"

Ayatsuki Ayaka looked hesitant, not because she was afraid of Phoenix Academy Maggie, but because she worried that if Phoenix Academy Maggie found out she’d forgotten about the final exams, she would be mocked.

Takahashi Saeko smiled. "Iroha, you don’t understand. This is a strategy to make your enemy complacent. By making Phoenix Academy Maggie look down on you, she’ll underestimate you, creating an opportunity for you to take her by surprise."

Ayatsuki Ayaka thought it over and decided Saeko made sense. She resolved to go to the classroom and explain things to Aozawa in person, asking him to tutor her.

...

In the academic building, inside classroom 2-C.

Ayatsuki Ayaka stood by the back door and looked inside, towards the last row by the window.

Aozawa wasn’t chatting with Phoenix Academy Maggie; the young lady was with Makoto and the others.

Only Hojo Tetsuji and Aozawa were chatting at their seats.

Ayatsuki Ayaka thought for a moment and decided to walk forward.

Aozawa noticed her approaching, ended his chat with Hojo Tetsuji, and smiled. "Iroha, do you need something?"

Unless it was particularly important, Iroha usually wouldn’t seek him out after class. They had an unspoken agreement to wait until after school or to communicate via text messages.

Ayatsuki Ayaka asked, "Aozawa, do you know that the final exams are coming up soon?"

Before Aozawa could answer, Hojo Tetsuji, sitting beside him, his face a mask of shock, exclaimed, "WHAT?! You’re kidding, right?"

"Yes, it’s unbelievable, isn’t it? To have finals without any notice."

Ayatsuki Ayaka’s face lit up with delighted surprise; she had finally found a kindred spirit.

"Is this an alien conspiracy? Damn it, I haven’t reviewed at all!"

Hojo Tetsuji clutched his head with both hands. He had been so preoccupied with drawing manga that he had completely forgotten about the exams.

Aozawa thought for a moment and said skeptically, "Tetsuji, whether you review or not, wouldn’t it be the same result?"

Hojo Tetsuji’s eyes bulged. "What are you talking about? If I studied seriously, I could at least score thirty points! Without reviewing, I’d only get something like ten points!"

"I can score forty-eight points," Ayatsuki Ayaka chimed in.

"You’re amazing!"

The admiration from the lower-ranking slacker uplifted the higher-ranking slacker, Ayatsuki Ayaka. She couldn’t help the corners of her jelly-colored lips from curling up. "Not bad, huh."

Aozawa couldn’t help saying, "So cute."

"I’m not cute!" Hojo Tetsuji instantly fumed.

Aozawa rolled his eyes. "I wasn’t complimenting you. I was talking about Iroha, okay?"

"Oh." Hojo Tetsuji’s anger subsided, and he began to fret about how to deal with the final exams.

"TEE HEE." Ayatsuki Ayaka, flattered, blushed slightly but then suddenly remembered why she had come. She composed her expression, clasped her hands together, and said, "Aozawa, could you please tutor me?"

"No problem." Aozawa nodded, thought for a moment, and asked, "Should I come to your place tonight, or will you stay over at mine?"

Ayatsuki Ayaka’s face instantly turned red, and she quickly waved her hands. "No need for that! Just tutor me after school in the club room. And when we’re home, you can tutor me via video call."

Saying this, she looked at Hojo Tetsuji. "Do you want to review together?"

"No need, I’ll find someone else to help me review." Hojo Tetsuji shook his head. He had realized this was a good opportunity; he could use studying as an excuse to get closer to Little Sayuri for the final exams.

"Oh." Ayatsuki Ayaka didn’t press further. She had only asked out of politeness; deep down, she didn’t want Hojo Tetsuji to join them.

The review time should ideally be just for her and Aozawa. She imagined it: After school, twilight bathing the empty club building, she and Aozawa reviewing lessons, with him patiently guiding her, their voices soft and gentle... Ayatsuki Ayaka couldn’t wait to be showered with knowledge.