Words are easy to twist

Yama.

Ike heard the name a couple of times, and each time, he couldn't deny his intrigue about the president of the student council. So somehow, it wasn't strange for Ike to imagine what this guy looked like. Yama didn't look like the face Ike had in his mind; he didn't look intimidating or imposing. If anything, he looked like someone whose future was bleak.

"Looks can be deceiving," remarked Ike, ignoring the hand in between them. "So this case reminds you of my accident? Why is that?"

"That's right. Why is that?" Yama awkwardly retrieved his hand and chuckled. "At first sight, it seemed it looks like a normal, tragic accident. But for some reason, it was… interesting."

His lips were curled up into a smirk, shrugging. "Why is that? Because it somehow affected the student organization in one way or another. Fortunately, I resolved it even before it spread out."

"You resolved… it?"

"Curious?"

"Is this a tactic to make me join the organization?"

"No." Yama shook his head. "Don't misunderstand. Ley had been talking about you nonstop, but upon meeting her, I rejected her proposal to recruit you."

He advanced slowly, planting a hand on Ike's shoulder as he stood beside him. "I didn't come here to recruit you, but to see if you will be useful to me. I got my answer."

Ike snickered, snapping his brows up as he slowly slid his eyes to the corner.

"Whoever you are, I don't think you will be a good addition to our organization. Your views… will never align with ours." Yama squeezed Ike's shoulder, patting him mildly with his fingers before resuming his steps. "I'll see you around, Lobo."

Yama waved dismissively as he walked away, while Ike looked back at him. The latter narrowed his eyes as he stared at the President of the Studen Council's back.

"Whoever you are…?" whispered Ike. "What a strange addition to a sentence."

As Ike stared at Yama's back from the same spot, the corner of his lips curled up into a sneer.

"This change of approach the student council is doing… is too obvious. However, he did manage to catch my interest." He ran his tongue across his inner cheek, laughing. "How did he know that accident smells fishy?"

******** BREAK ********

[ STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICE ]

BAM!

"Are you out of your mind?!" Ashley's voice echoed like a clap of thunder after she slammed her hands against the table. "What did you tell him?! He's not useful? Yama, what the hell are you thinking?"

Yama, the president of the student organization, had his pinky inside his ear. Half of his face was scrunched up while Ashley abused her vocal cords.

"Is this what they call reverse psychology?" Basty sat closest to the head seat, leaning his arms on the edge, eyes on the person sitting at the end of the table. "That's what you're doing, right?"

"Err… no." Yama took his pinky out of his ear and blew away the dirt on the tip. "I don't like him. I think he's dangerous."

"This guy had lost it!" Ashley's nose flared as her eyes burned with rage. Sliding her hand on her other sleeve, she added, "No one stops me. I will teach this guy a lesson."

"Please sit down," Kiara spoke before Ashley could take this meeting into something else. She tipped her eyeglasses up, keeping her unchanging countenance. "Sinclair, we have more pressing matters to resolve. Recruiting someone unwilling to join the organization should be the least of your concerns."

"Heh." Lala snickered, warranting a glare from Ashley. "What? I didn't say anything yet!"

"I've been thinking about it all morning." Basty sighed, tapping his fingers simultaneously. "This could be an attack toward Mav or the student council. Although the chances that whoever killed this guy wanted to tarnish the student organization's reputation, we cannot rule out their real target was Mav. That guy offended tons of people from his previous school. It wouldn't be impossible if they heard about the recent duel and visited Michael Sullivan."

"Tch." Ashley clicked her tongue in irritation, tugging the hem of her uniform before she sat down. "What's the big deal? The student organization's reputation is already at rock bottom, and we wouldn't be held accountable for this incident. It is not like we cannot prove our innocence. Even without the video clips of them bullying Mav, the death certificate was enough proof."

"Words are easy to twist." Kiara chimed in monotonously. "People can just think that after the duel, Mav sneaked inside the ward to kill Sullivan."

"Come on." Ashley threw her hands. "Who wouldn't find that ridiculous?"

"Tsk tsk tsk. I can't believe I am sitting at the same table as this dimwit." Lala shook her head, looking at Ashley in dismay.

"What did you say?"

"Even if we cleared up our name and we're proven innocent, do you think our fellow students will believe that?" Lala sneered in ridicule. "No one cares about the truth, just in case you haven't heard. Someone killed a person, and they were trying to frame the student organization. Do you know what that means?"

"It means if something bad happens, everyone can simply point their fingers at the student organization," Bernis answered Lala sternly, lifting his eyes from his hands to the President.

"That's right." Kiara nodded in agreement. "And it will be easier to frame us next time. However, next time will be even more concerning because we might inflict actual damage."

"Is that the reason you do not want Ike Lobo to enter the student organization?" Basty furrowed his brows as he listened to this exchange, casting Yama a look of disbelief. "It's not because you don't think he will be useful, but because we won't be welcoming any member for now?"

Everyone turned silent at Basty's conclusion and then cast Yama a look. Yama had his arm stretched with his palm on the edge.

"Yes, and no." Yama offered everyone a smile. "We will indeed put the recruitment on hold, but Ike Lobo is a different case."

"How is he different?" Basty blurted out, watching Yama veer his gaze at him.

"How is he different?" repeated Yama while cocking his head to the side. "You were with him for some time yesterday. You should've known the answer, Vice."

Basty pressed his lips into a thin line, lowering his eyes, brows furrowed. The rest of the student council also remained silent while Yama observed them quietly.

"You all saw him one way or another, which means you had also noticed." Yama broke the prolonged silence. "Ike Lobo… is a man you will always be wary of. Am I right, Parker? You can smell people; I wonder what sort of smell he gives off?"

Parker, who was sitting beside Kiara, stopped flipping the page of the book he was reading. He slowly raised his eyes, catching Kiara looking at him emotionlessly before he shifted his attention to the president.

"Death."

Yama smiled. "So my nose isn't deceiving me, huh?"