Chapter 24

"Of course, he did! Who else would do it? Me?"

Jill didn't hide his hate towards Chess.

Out of all the students of Section 0, Jill was the most free-spirited. But at the same time, Jill had the worst temper.

In all the days that Chess had spent in this classroom, Jill talked and chatted with him like they were friends. He also walked beside him from the entrance of the forest until their classroom. But Chess remembered something very important.

The last time, when Aoi's condition was revealed to him, as well as the class's position in the university, Jill was the first one to look at him with doubt.

Jill was the first to show strong disapproval about him being involved further into their class.

So, it's not really that surprising to see his reaction right now. He had 0% trust in Chess in the first place. He just found him entertaining and nothing more.

Now that something like this happened, Chess's position in Jill's eyes was no better than a trespasser. He is just like a stranger who caused them problem now.

"Let him speak."

It was Prof.

Chess turned to look at their faces. All of them had the same expressions.

Distrust.

Even Aoi, who seemed to be the closest to him, was cautiously eyeing him.

'What's with this day?' Chess asked himself.

He can't help but remember Angela who had ignored him just earlier. And now, these people are not talking to him at all. Just staring at him with their intent gazes.

But, first of all, he had to clear his name first.

"I didn't do it."

And then it's up to them if they believe or not.

"Liar. This never happened on the previous years! We perfectly hid ourselves, and then now, suddenly, this happens? What, a coincidence? Right when you arrive? Are you f*cking kidding me?"

Chess stared straight into the fuming mad Jill. He showed no expression on his eyes as his face remained calm. Jill found that face especially annoying.

How can he act so calm? How can he show no interest in defending himself at all? Jill found it ridiculous. That's why he can't get rid of the idea that Chess is a spy.

Yes.

A spy. Or a mole to exact.

Right from the start, Jill thought that the university sent Chess to them to screw them up.

It is their last year this year. Jill knew of the wickedness of the university. For the past three years, they did nothing to breach their deal. They hid themselves well, away from the other student's eyes, and they followed their orders diligently.

He knew what those old geezers wanted to do now.

And it's not only him who knew. The others knew as well, making them doubt Chess completely.

The university wants to get rid of them. Not just in their university, but to the whole world. They want to get rid of their whole existence.

They, the Pawns, knows of the deepest and darkest secrets of the University. They, themselves, are one of those secrets. And knowing the university, they wouldn't just let them go with their secrets at risk. They would want to completely erase that secret from the face of the earth.

"Believe it or not, I didn't do it." Chess still sounded so calm after receiving such hostility from Jill.

Jill was about to retaliate even more, but Kane intercepted and pulled his collar away from Chess. Jill had no choice but to scoff and walk towards a couch. He dropped his body on the seat while still glaring at Chess.

"Let's talk."

At least, Kane was still rational.

He motioned for Chess to sit down, and sit, he did.

The others followed and surrounded him like he was a criminal under interrogation. The atmosphere inside the room seemed more dense than usual. And even Cale, who was normally sitting in the corner in front of his computer, was now standing on a wall near his right.

Chess waited for them to talk. In the first place, he had no intentions of convincing them that he was innocent.

What's the point if they weren't going to listen anyway? Might as well save his energy from talking.

"Then, first. Did you know about the rumor?" Prof stepped closer.

He had a serious look on his face as he looked down on the sitting Chess. In Chess's eyes, he looked like an angry parent waiting for an explanation from his naughty child.

That feeling made Chess lift the corners of his lips, remembering the priest back on his orphan. But that smile of his didn't look too good for the people around him.

"You think this is just a laughing matter? Huh?" it was, once again, Jill.

This time, he didn't hold back. He stood from his seat and grabbed Chess's collar once again. He then leaned his face forward, inching closer to Chess.

He stared deeply into Chess's eyes before saying his words.

"If I find out that you're the one behind this… I'll skin you alive. Remember that."

After that statement, Jill freed him with force before settling back on his previous seat.

Chess just followed him with a glance before turning to look at the others.

"Yes. I heard the rumors. It's spreading in the university."

He didn't say that he just heard about it earlier. He didn't even reveal that he was trying to look for trails of the person who started the rumor. He had no intentions of telling them. Because telling them that would only make him look guiltier.

It would seem that he's trying to defend himself. It would look like he's just making excuses.

In short, it would just make the situation troublesome, so he didn't tell.

"And? What were the rumors?" Prof asked once again.

The others just sat there, quietly listening, while their gazes are all focused on Chess.

"There's plenty of rumors. Different kind of stories. But all of them had mentioned Section 0, although not the word 'Pawns'." Chess answered casually.

Jill scoffed at his reaction but didn't do anything. Aoi, on the other hand, was the first to approach him.

Aoi stood up from his seat and changed beside Chess. His big round eyes was looking at Chess together with his cheeky smile.

He then pulled out something from his pocket and offered it to Chess.

"Here. It's a gum." Aoi said.

Chess felt something was weird, but he still accepted it. He was about to pocket it, but Aoi was still staring at him with anticipating eyes. Chess questioningly looked at him, silently asking what he wanted.

Aoi then pointed towards the gum that he gave. Then he gestured like he's eating something. Chess immediately received the message, making him look towards the gum wrapper.

'Yuckee'

The name itself sounds yucky.

He once again looked at Aoi. His eyes were urging him to eat it, and so, he did.

He opened the wrapper and then pulled the round red gum out. Then he placed it on his mouth.

"Ack?" the taste was so bad that Chess almost spit it right back out.

But Aoi was one step faster, lifting his hands and placing it around Chess lips, sealing it completely.

Chess widened his eyes as he looked at Aoi. Aoi, in return, just smiled widely.

"If you spit it out, I won't believe any word you say."

'How can I spit it out with your hands on my lips?' Chess wanted to say that, but he can't with Aoi's hands covering his mouth.

Aoi smiled happily before turning to look at everyone.

"Now that he ate my Yuckee, it means he's saying the truth!" he said gleefully.

Jill reacted almost instantly, stomping his feet on the ground.

"What is this bullsh*t?!" he roared.

But right after he roared, a lazy but dangerous voice floated over.

"Are you shouting? At Aoi?" Reis was looking at Jill so intensely.

With Reis's eyes on him, Jill had nothing to do but mumble, 'tsk! Obsessed sh*t!', at Reis. Reis immediately glared at him, making Jill shut his mouth completely.

Chess just watched that whole scene while preventing himself from choking on the round gum. It was a gum, but he didn't want to chew. How he wish that he could just swallow it whole, but he can't. That would disturb his peaceful stomach.

Aoi glanced at him again, urging him to chew. Chess looked so pathetic while conversing with Aoi with his eyes. But Aoi was merciless.

He just smiled and tightened his hand on Chess's mouth. With no other choice in hand, Chess forcefully moved his jaw, chewing on the red gum.

His face turned completely warped, making Aoi laugh out loud. Even Kane, who was watching by the side, chuckled. Cale just shook his head and returned to his corner, in front of the computer.

There is no need to gather around anymore. Aoi already broke the tension. There's nothing he could do.

That's how their class works.

When one says a thing, everyone would follow. Now that Aoi said Chess was saying the truth, then so be it. But that doesn't mean that their doubts are gone. Just that, they loosened up a bit. They would hear Chess out. It's up to them to individually investigate him themselves if they please.

"Then, let's go back to topic." It was Prof. He was just watching them silently, once again witnessing the bonds of these forsaken children of the university.

He looked at them like how parents look at their children. And he looked at Chess like how a scolding parent would.

"Tell us about the rumor."