Bribing

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[-Continuation-]

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[Hachiman's POV]

Welcome to RRM(:Rumi Rescue Mission) - strategic meeting that is currently being held in this humble abode.

Yukinoshita spoke up, her voice breaking through the silence like a cold winter wind. "So then, what shall be done?"

What shall be done obviously has nothing to do with the test of courage. She asked how we were going to save Tsurumi Rumi from her fate.

Yukinoshita received no answer from the others, who had been quite happy to share their opinions until now while changing into their outfits.

""....."" A hush fell over the room.

Lastly, Hayama spoke up slowly and deliberately. "How about we create an opportunity for Rumi to talk with everyone? I believe that could be effective."

Negotiations- was he really still banking on mere conversation to do the job?

Sure, that might work with 'mature' adults.

Not kids. Kids required a different tactic altogether, a more delicate manipulation(:education)

"But if you do that, the others might be horrible to Rumi…" Yuigahama spoke with downcast eyes.

Hayama still clung to his belief. "What if she talks to them individually?"

"It is the same thing." Ebina chimed in, shivering at the thought. "They'll be all nice to her in person, but behind her back? They'll go right back to being mean. Girls can be way scarier than you think, Hayato."

That definitely got Hayama to shut up. "..."

"What, seriously? That's freaky!" For some reason, Miura had jitters.

Then, as a cue, Hayama turned to Ryota, his tone hopeful and desperate for solutions. "Got any ideas, Ryota?"

Wait, did I see that right? Something about that caught me off guard.

I swear, there's a flicker of real trust in his eyes now. When did that happen?

I mean, there is a person right in front of him who just happened to have already helped you resolve an issue, but he chose to go for an individual who he just got acquainted with.

The weight of the moment was obvious as all eyes focused upon Ryota, the collective gaze of the group betraying their fervent desire for a solution – any solution – that might unravel this tangled predicament.

Ryota, for his part, seemed unfazed by the sudden spotlight.

At length, he spoke, his voice quiet yet carrying an undeniable gravity.

"Perhaps we have been approaching this from the wrong angle." His gaze swept across the assembled faces, assessing each of us in turn.

"Instead of trying to manipulate or reason with them directly, maybe we should focus on creating an environment that fosters empathy and understanding." A murmur of curiosity rippled through the group, and Ryota pressed on, emboldened by our attentiveness.

Empathy and understanding – these were the crucial elements that needed to be at the forefront of our efforts, as I noted in my mind.

These were not mere abstract concepts, but fundamental human emotions that we all possessed innately.

However, possessing these feelings and actively demonstrating them were two entirely different propositions.

"Children may not operate solely on reason, but they're not immune to emotional resonance." He explained, his words measured and deliberate.

"If we can find a way to tap into their capacity for compassion, to help them truly understand what Rumi is going through, then perhaps we can create a lasting change from within."

So, that's it – allow the children to experience a taste of their own medicine so that they can have a direct understanding of the suffering and the isolation that they had caused Rumi. In order to cultivate empathy through the use of emotional resonance

"And how might we go about fostering this 'empathy and understanding'?" Yukinoshita's voice cut through the stillness, her tone betraying neither approval nor dismissal – merely a keen interest in exploring the idea further.

Ryota met her gaze unflinchingly, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "That's where we will need to get creative..."

"...go on." I pressed, sensing there was more he wished to say.

"…*sigh." Ryota let out a heavy sigh, dashing their hopes without saying a word. "It's not that I don't want to continue, but let's just say my expertise lies elsewhere."

"Creative isn't really my thing." He offered a half-hearted shrug.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration at his words. After hyping up his potential solution, he is backpedaling now.

Just say you don't want to help, dude. Why are you talking in circles?

Ryota continued despite the disappointment in the room. "But if you insist, then I do have an idea… though I must warn you, it might not be what you're expecting."

Yukinoshita interjected. "Let's hear it."

"...well, do remember that I warned you." Ryota shrugged before saying. "Listen, at the end of the day, they are still innocent kids... they are easily swayed by gifts. So, bribing them should produce the desired outcome."

I am not surprised. His suggestion was something you would expect from a rich Young Master like him.

"...tsk…" Hearing Ryota already claimed 'terrible plan', the group expressed their doubt.

While 'bribing' isn't half bad and seems reasonable, as he said, they are simply kids. But it is also exactly why that doesn't work here.

Think about it. Bribing is an act that is committed when you want to get work done by someone who is certainly capable of doing it but isn't willing to do it, or at least not for free.

However, here the problem isn't something as worthless as 'willingness', which, as I may say, can either be bought or forced anytime.

The real problem is something much deeper and darker than that - Hate.

They say people see what they want to see.

I only see Hatred here.

Feelings of pure hate between kids are always negligible and silly for outsiders- meaning us adults, but it is not always the same for them.

Not for those that are facing it, nor for those expressing it.

True. Kids are simple. Especially, when all you want to do is deal with them and get over them. But not when you openly want to understand them, because they can't either.

Their emotions are most unpredictable yet naive at the same time.

Basically, it's a transition that only works among elders. So it's better for Ryota to restrict its usage there, and I hope he will shut up now.

Only an idiot will find this plan feasible, and I hope there isn't one among us.

"Totally, it isn't half bad." Tobi remarked with a self-satisfied air.

I was mistaken. It seems there is one right here among us. …no, scratch that, there are actually two.

I think Yuigahama was also planning to speak there. She was delayed by just a moment of hesitation before retreating, watching the results that Tobi yielded that were not favourable.

Um-hmm, she at least has her [Read-the-Room] Skill.

"…heHe." Meanwhile, Tobi, realising the situation he was in, made an awkward smile.

Ryota simply stepped back, redirecting the attention back to him with a resigned smile that said, I told ya it wasn't a good one.

"…" Once again, everyone turned silent.

Okay, it is my turn now.

"Hey, I have an idea that just might work." I announced stepping in, seeing no one had anything else.

Yukinoshita commented. "I was just getting impatient, seeing you not speak after all your bragging…"

"Yeah... Sorry for the delay." I replied, trying not to sound too smug.

But how should I approach this..?

"How efficient is it? Your plan." Ryota, with his business-minded approach, asked for validation.

Not sure about the parameters, but it is, for sure, far better and more cost-effective than yours.

I responded honestly. "We can't find and will not find an efficient method to solve this problem."

"So, that means there is an inefficient path." Ryota caught on quickly. "Why don't you spit that out first?"

Ignoring his words, I continued on with my own train of thought. "Since we can't solve the problem anyway, why don't we just annihilate the problem itself? In our case, the issue lies within human relationships... So, I say, we just destroy that relationship itself, and simply, the problem will be gone."

This situation was nothing new to me, and neither was the tactic I proposed.

It was a tactic I had employed before and would continue to do so in the future. I used it when assisting Yuigahama, and it had been successful with Hayama as well.

Instead of directly confronting problems, I found that indirect methods were often more effective and yielded speedier results.

I said, going into details. "Remember, this is the test of courage and how well we may make use of it."

"How will we make use of it?" Totsuka tilted his head.

To the final part, outlining the 'less-than-ideal' but still 'viable aspects' of my plan.

I paused to gather my thoughts before responding. "Let's say four people are in a boat, and the boat is sinking due to excess weight. But here's the catch-only three people can survive. That means one of them needs to... well, 'cease to exist'."

??...?? Tensions rose as everyone contemplated the gravity of my words.

Then I questioned. "So now the question is, what are they going to do?"

"Obviously, they would all work together to find a solution and ensure everyone's safety." Hayama offered optimistically.

Initially, I couldn't help but roll my eyes internally.

Choosing to ignore his idealistic comment, I replied. "Sure, that's the ideal scenario."

My words were laced with sarcasm as I humoured his optimism.

I proceed. "But in reality, fear can bring out the worst in people. They prioritise self-preservation over the well-being of others."

"Is this what you meant when you said to be a little selfish, and to shake things up instead?" Yukinoshita said, bringing up the words I shared with Rumi.

"...to some extent." I confirmed.

"But, Hachiman, I don't think it is going to be as easy as you said, I can see a lot of loopholes in between." Ryota reminded us with caution.

"Of course it's not perfect." I acknowledged. "Even though I said all these things, in the end, humans are complex beings. Meaning, their actions can be unpredictable until they act upon them."

I explained. "But, since we are only dealing with a bunch of children, this might work. Especially considering the size of the group. I mean, the larger the group is, the easier it is to cause chaos."

"And I say a group of five is inherently flawed and inefficient. There are bound to be gaps and factions within them."

Well, at least for the most part.

Especially when there is a hierarchy system in 'friend groups' it is bound to fall one way or another.

I concluded while my plan was coming together in my mind. "Let's exploit those things and use them to our advantage. All we need to do is sow the seeds of doubt. Create a situation where fingers point in every direction."

As I discussed the details with an indifferent tone, the others' reactions were varied.

"....." Everyone frowned and fell silent.

"If everyone becomes a loner, no one will ever fight."

That's when I landed those last words with deliberate care.

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[To be continued….]

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