Chapter 112 - Ripples

"I'm Homura Ryuu, Koutaishidenka of the Homura House, and Ara's fiancé."

As expected, Ryuu's announcement caused a different excitement among the crowd. Even those who did not belong in their group started to look at them curiously.

And the one who caused the entire ruckus? As expected, he didn't care.

"Are you okay?"Ryuu asked her. Even if he had caused quite a scene, Ara felt a bit touched with the concern he was showing.

"Yeah, I feel okay now."

"Actually, Master Homura, we were just waiting for you so we can bring Lady Ara to the hospital," the teacher said.

Huh? Lady Ara?

She was just Suzuki to them earlier. What's this sudden level up?

But of course, Ryuu had told them she was his fiancée, therefore, the future Lady of the Homura House.

Ara turned to the husky and gave him an assuring smile. "I actually feel it's unnecessary because I'm okay now. But to not make them worry I agreed."

Ryuu studied her face for a while as if searching for something before he nodded. "Let's do that then," he said as he turned his attention back to the teacher and gave another small bow of thanks.

"Thank you for taking good care of Ara. I will be bringing her to the hospital so you don't have to worry about her."

The teachers and the others could only agree as they smiled at him. They were all still starstruck. However, Ryuu was still not finished. He turned to the students who were there and bowed to them as well.

"Please continue to take care of Ara, and treat her the same way as before you found out who she is. She wants to graduate from the school quietly with her friends, and giving her a special treatment from now on would make her sad."

Ara was surprised by his words. She didn't know Ryuu could understand her feelings. The reason why she didn't want to tell others about her and Kou was that she didn't want the others to change around her.

"O-of course," the students answered one by one.

"Well, we will take care of S-Suzuki for sure," the teacher who had called her "Lady Ara" earlier said.

Ara was relieved.

"We'll take our leave then," Ryuu said as he signaled for Koga to take Ara's belongings which the students happily handed over.

They waved at them as Ryuu guided her out of the station.

As soon as they left, the students and teachers suddenly started buzzing excitedly.

"Oh my God – that was Homura Ryuu. He's so hot! Ara's very lucky."

"So that's why we were allowed to visit the Homura House in Hakone, and the servants treated her especially – she's the future lady of the house."

"Who cares about going to the Cedar Palace now? We went to the original Homura House and even saw the prince – and the lady of the house was with us all along!"

They all sounded so happy and proud as if they'd accomplished some great feat that it was funny.

"That Suzuki was sure down to earth!"

"Exactly! If she wasn't she'd have acted like a total snob. She had every right to be one you know?"

"To think that we thought she was bad. In the end, she was just set up by that Okada."

At the mention of Okada Koharu's name, a new wave of gossip started.

"Did you hear about the incident at the Cedar Palace?"

"Oh, you mean that Okada Koharu was a scary stalker and a thief?"

"Yeah, that one!"

"So scary! To think she looked so sweet and gentle. She even set up Rin to make her look like she stole Ichihara's wallet."

"She's so crazy in love with Sonoda before but now her target is the Homura Prince!"

"What? You mean the one who liked Sonoda was Okada and not Suzuki?"

"Are you insane? With Homura Ryuu for a boyfriend, why would Ara like someone else?"

"Yuck!"

"I wonder what she'll do when she finds out Ara-chan's the prince's girlfriend though?" Yashiro asked worriedly, making everyone looked worried as well.

The teachers who had no idea what was going on became so interested in their chitchat that they exchanged looks and nodded.

"Kids, we want to know what you're talking about. Let's go grab some burger before you go home – we will treat!"

Hearing the announcement, the students – all seventy-nine of them cheered as they followed their teachers towards a hamburger joint.

Tonight, all the schemes Okada Koharu thought were all well done would be exposed one by one. Ripples of information and experiences merged into one pool of realization. Each person had a different story to tell, and by discussing everything, they finally realized how they were horribly tricked and manipulated by her, and a new target of great enmity was silently established.

"Oh my God, that bitch!" Yashiro and her group muttered with a scowl on their faces.

Okada Koharu, the sweet protagonist who they thought had been manipulated and pushed by Suzuki Ara for years was actually the real villain.

Meanwhile, inside the luxurious black car, someone was pleading to someone not to be brought to the hospital.

"I'm really, really okay," Ara assured Ryuu for the umpteenth time.

Koutaishidenka on the other hand just looked at her silently, his handsome face devoid of emotions.

"They said it was just a panic attack because I got so tired. I'm really fine now," Ara continued.

When there was no response still, Ara remembered what Yashiro and the others do to their boyfriends to get what they wanted. She mischievously leaned towards Kou, rested her head against his chest and pouted cutely. It was horrifying to imagine what she looked like but she prayed it would work. The girls told her it worked a hundred percent in their cases.

"Please," she cajoled in a sweet voice as she patted his chest.

Several seconds passed, and finally, Kou arched one raven brow, his lips twitched as his eyes glinted as if he recognized what she's trying to do.

"Sure," he said afterwards.

Ara was so elated. But before she clapped in joy, Ryuu continued to speak.

"But you will go directly to your room and stay there to rest until tomorrow. You cannot tour the house or see the husky until we're sure you're well-rested."

Huh? Husky? But wasn't he the husky?

Ara was confused for a while until she remembered the little doggy Ryuu said was at the Cedar Palace.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAh!

"That's unfair," Ara scowled at him, and Ryuu finally smiled.

"Hospital checkup or rest at home the rest of the day – you pick," Ryuu told her, and Ara grudgingly answered.

"Hospital…"