"President, I think I once told you, for the two of us to become friends was already a miracle."
Though it was midday, the sky was covered in heavy clouds.
Rinji and Shirogane stood face to face at the base of the apartment building, only a single step apart.
"I know you, President. You're a very kind person. You could never forgive selfish, harmful acts, but I carry sins on my back. I don't hesitate to hurt others for my own benefit. By my actions, I have no right to judge the Shinomiya family."
"Yeah… Rinji, you once told me before that you're a cruel person."
Shirogane clearly remembered Rinji's words. He had said it more than once.
"It's good you understand, President. Even though I've hinted to you many times about who I am, you never really took it seriously. Maybe you instinctively rejected the idea that I could be a villain."
"…"
"Our friendship was built on an imbalance of information from the start," Rinji said calmly. "I was never a good person. I'm exactly the type you hate most."
"Absolutely not!"
Shirogane suddenly shouted.
His eyes showed how strongly he felt.
"I would never hate you, Rinji… never!"
"President, back in Japan I killed more than seventy people, and later, as a mercenary abroad, the number who died under my gun wasn't less than a thousand." Rinji continued, "You should understand—the one standing before you is a murderer with blood on his hands."
"…"
"Even if by coincidence we became friends, what about the future? Will we just keep living with this lie?"
"I…"
Shirogane was at a loss for words.
Today, a barrier had finally arisen between him and Rinji.
Just like the great barrier that once existed between him and Kaguya—born of their vastly different family backgrounds. To be worthy of Kaguya, he had to work unimaginably hard to break that wall.
And between him and Rinji, through their efforts, that wall had already been broken.
It should have been a good thing.
But now, another wall revealed itself.
This time it wasn't class. It was good and evil.
Rinji had told him before about who he was, said he was cruel, yet in daily life his actions never made Shirogane feel he was a bad person. Maybe Shirogane instinctively wished he wasn't.
"The conflicts between villains can only be solved in the bloodiest way. I will definitely cause trouble for the Shinomiyas, and many may die."
Looking at Shirogane, who struggled inwardly, Rinji said,
"So now, President, you have to make a choice."
"A choice…"
"As long as you tell me to stop, I won't touch the Shinomiya family."
"…"
Shirogane knew what that meant.
If he stopped Rinji, then the Shinomiyas would be safe. But afterward, he and Rinji would no longer be friends.
If he didn't stop him, they could remain friends, but the Shinomiyas would face disaster.
If it were an ordinary adult, who only cared about gains and losses, they would probably tell Rinji to go ahead. After all, the fall of the Shinomiyas benefitted everyone, and being friends with Rinji was far more profitable. It was a guaranteed win.
But Shirogane wasn't that kind of person.
He clenched his fists. For the first time, he was caught in such torment.
Friendship or kindness—he could only choose one.
Looking at Shirogane's struggling expression, Rinji sighed and said, biting down slightly, "President, let me tell you one more thing."
"What is it?"
"The reason I supported your relationship with Shinomiya Kaguya from the start was because I knew if you two got together, the Shinomiyas would definitely try to stop you. At that time, I'd have a justified reason to deal with them."
"What?"
"From the beginning, I was using you to gain legitimacy."
"…"
Hearing this, Shirogane's eyes widened in shock and pain.
In that instant, the gentle image of Rinji he had carried for so long crumbled.
"So that's it… from the start, you…"
But he suddenly froze.
Looking at Rinji's calm face, he remembered something.
"…Rinji, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
"The reason you're telling me this now… it's because you want me to persuade you to give up revenge against the Shinomiyas, isn't it?"
"…"
"No answer, then let me ask another."
Shirogane suddenly smiled.
"If our friendship ended here, would you be sad?"
"Of course."
"Then my answer is clear."
Shirogane stepped forward, placed a hand on Rinji's shoulder.
"I won't stop you."
"President, you…"
"Remember what I told you when I took you out of Hyakkou Academy?" Shirogane said seriously. "No matter what you were before, I'll set you straight. That's what a friend should do."
"…"
"I won't stop you. But I also believe you won't go through with it. That's my trust in you."
Shirogane's words left Rinji stunned.
His mouth opened slightly, then closed again. A soft, relieved smile spread across his face.
"Trust, huh…"
"That's right."
"You're sly, President."
Rinji lightly tapped Shirogane's chest with his fist, then walked past him toward the apartment.
"I won't touch the Shinomiyas. If you truly believe in me, then I'll respond to that trust."
Watching Rinji walk away with a smile, Shirogane exhaled deeply, nearly collapsing to the ground.
But then a smile also appeared on his face.
He had protected both friendship and kindness.
And that wall between them was finally broken.