Partners in Crime

The day unfolded in its habitual rhythm, Yasushi's footsteps marking the path to his daily destination — the school. Overhead, the sky released a gentle cascade of snowflakes, each one a miniature masterpiece swirling in its descent. "Here it comes again, the endless winter," he murmured, a resigned acceptance coloring his words as he brushed a snowflake off his finger, its transient beauty a fleeting reminder of the season's grip.

With a faint smile, he watched it dissolve upon his skin, a delicate union of warmth and cold. Yasushi stood by the familiar crosswalk, the world around him a blur of muted colors and subdued sounds. It was there, among the mundane backdrop of everyday life, that he noticed her — a figure from yesterday, an echo of a shared history.

She appeared beside him, her presence initially unnoticed until the subtle passage of seconds brought awareness. Their eyes met in a silent exchange, a scene frozen in time as the world carried on its indifferent course around them. There was a familiarity in that gaze, a silent dialogue of memories unspoken yet palpably present.

As the pedestrian light shifted to green, breaking the silence of their silent reverie, they turned away from each other, their footsteps synchronized in unison as they traversed the familiar path across the road.

"Did you get any messages about yesterday?" Yasushi inquired as they stepped onto the pedestrian crossing.

"No," Jingliu replied, her voice carrying a blend of nonchalance and detachment. "I'm still new, haven't added many people. I anticipated the persistent requests, so I accepted them. But I didn't expect it to spread so wildly in such a short time."

"That's how things are around here. By the way, I think I know who's behind all this."

"I do too," Jingliu interjected, her tone tinged with a hint of disdain. "It's not hard to figure out. I rejected him, and he couldn't handle it. So, he decided to use some goons to intimidate me. Pathetic. If he's willing to sink that low, I might as well reciprocate."

Her words carried an unsettling edge, a mix of defiance and a willingness to engage in the same game of manipulation and power-play. It was a glimpse into a darker side of Jingliu.

"I wouldn't advise it," Yasushi cautioned, his tone carrying a note of concern. "Jishiha has a powerful background and significant wealth. Challenging him legally, especially after the altercation involving those three delinquents, could prove to be quite challenging."

A subtle smirk danced on Jingliu's lips in response to Yasushi's warning. "I have resources too, you know. If they want to play the legal game, I'm prepared. My parents have their own successful ventures, and I've been running my own business since I was nine, earning passive income. My aunt oversees it now since I'm still young, but I've built it from the ground up," she said, a mixture of pride and determination coloring her words.

"By the way," Jingliu interjected, her gaze shifting towards Yasushi, "you still have that recording, right? It's evidence of my self-defense."

"Some might interpret it differently, considering how far things escalated," Yasushi responded thoughtfully, weighing the implications. "But if you handle it well, you could certainly sway opinion in your favor."

Their conversation continued as they walked, circling back to the events of the previous day. It struck them both as peculiar yet strangely comfortable that they conversed so naturally, as if the tensions and uncertainties of the past had dissipated into the wintry air. As they neared the school grounds, Jingliu subtly quickened her pace, a silent indication that their discussion should pause until they were in a more private setting.

Yasushi acquiesced to her unspoken request, walking in silence for a few moments until a sudden arm slung over his shoulder, accompanied by an exclamation. "Dude! You were hanging out with the Ice Princess?"

Confusion flickered across Yasushi's face as he processed the unexpected comment. "Ice princess?" he echoed, his tone a mixture of bemusement and curiosity. "What are you talking about?"

"It's the nickname everyone's adopted for Jingliu since last night," Furuya explained with a grin, relaying the gossip with an air of amusement. "Someone tossed it out as a joke, and now it's stuck. After what went down at school and afterward, it really made an impression on everyone."

Arriving at their lockers, Furuya shifted the conversation, his tone playful. "So, you and Jingliu getting chummy, huh?"

Yasushi shook his head wearily, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. "We just happened to walk to school together today and had a chat. That doesn't make us best pals. And seriously, isn't that nickname a bit... insensitive?"

"You're taking it too seriously," Furuya dismissed lightly, though a touch of melancholy seeped into his words. "Everyone's got a nickname. Me? I'm... I'm the King of Simps," he muttered, his tone tinged with self-deprecation.

Yasushi couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Well, considering what went down, it's not entirely unexpected."

After swapping their shoes for indoor slippers, they made their way swiftly to their classroom. Upon entering, their eyes were drawn to Jingliu, seated serenely with closed eyes, lost in her own world. Yet, the attention of many in the room remained fixated on her, a mix of curiosity and admiration palpable in the air.

Furuya leaned in, whispering as they reached Yasushi's desk, "She's still quite the sight, isn't she?"

"One might say so," Yasushi replied, retrieving his books and settling into his seat with a sigh. "But is everyone just going to stare at her all day?"

Furuya's simple answer was, "Yes."

Yasushi shook his head in mild disbelief. "It's rather shameful," he murmured, his gaze drifting across the room as more students trickled in, their attention invariably drawn to Jingliu. However, before the silence could stretch into further contemplation, an announcement crackled over the intercom, interrupting the quietude of the classroom.

The intercom's sudden crackle broke the classroom's subdued atmosphere.

"Jingliu Yang from 2-B, please report to the principal's office. I repeat, Jingliu Yang—"

The announcement's abruptness drew every eye to Jingliu, who opened her eyes briefly, exchanging a quick glance with Yasushi before rising from her seat and exiting the room, leaving a palpable tension in her wake.

"Dude, what's going on?" Furuya's voice betrayed his confusion as he turned to Yasushi for answers, but before Yasushi could reply, another announcement pierced the air.

"Yasushi Futakao from 2-B, please come to the principal's office. I repeat, Yasushi Futakao—"

Furuya's shock mirrored that of the other students, their gaze now fixated on Yasushi as he let out a resigned sigh. Rising from his desk, he muttered, "Guess it's my turn."

"Dude, hold on! What's happening?" Furuya's urgent question echoed through the room as Yasushi exited, his silence leaving the mystery hanging heavily in the air. It wasn't the time for impromptu explanations, not when the gravity of the principal's summons hung over them like an unspoken threat.

+-+

Yasushi entered the principal's office, where an air of tension hung palpably, like a storm gathering on the horizon. A teacher stood by, wordlessly ushering him in, and Yasushi found himself in the company of Jingliu, Jishiha, and the trio of delinquents from the previous day, all gathered in front of the principal's desk.

"Now that everyone is present, let's commence," the principal announced, his tone measured as he arranged papers on his desk. "We've been approached by these young men regarding an incident involving the new student, Jingliu Yang."

He turned his gaze toward Jingliu, who stood with her eyes closed, an unreadable expression on her face.

"They claim they were innocently passing time near a bakery when Jingliu allegedly assaulted them," the principal continued, his words laden with implication. "Jingliu, do you have anything to say in response to these accusations?"

"They're lies, plain and simple," Jingliu retorted coolly, her voice carrying a hint of defiance.

The principal leaned forward, his demeanor subtly indicating his inclination to believe her, given the dubious reputation of the three delinquents. "Do you possess any evidence to substantiate your claim of their falsehood?" he inquired, his tone carrying a touch of skepticism mingled with curiosity.

With a sardonic smirk, Jingliu retorted, "Consider the context here — three troublemakers with a track record, and me, the new kid. Doesn't this scenario feel like a worn-out plot from an anime or TV series?"

A faint smirk played on the principal's lips, acknowledging the irony. "Indeed, it does have that clichéd ring to it," he conceded, his eyes meeting hers with a hint of amusement. "However, we deal with reality here, not fiction. Do you have concrete evidence to support your claim?"

Jingliu's gaze sharpened as she responded, "The surveillance cameras in the store and on the street. I noticed several of them in the vicinity. One of them must have captured the truth of what transpired."

"We've already reached out to the store and street cameras, but unfortunately, their footage from that day was corrupted, a rather peculiar coincidence," the principal explained with a furrowed brow. "They assured us it's not uncommon, so we're unable to obtain additional evidence from them."

Meanwhile, Jishiha observed Jingliu with a knowing smile, sensing an opportunity to undermine her burgeoning reputation and potentially stir legal complications.

With a calculated pause, Jingliu declared, "...I do possess one final piece of evidence." All eyes turned towards Yasushi, who sighed inwardly, realizing it was now his turn to step in and support her cause. He understood the weight of the moment and the importance of aiding Jingliu in this crucial juncture.