Another Like Me - Part I (CoTE x OC) ?

Chapter 19 - Deserted Island Special Test, Part 6

"Stop jerking around. Like we'd do something like that!"

"Everyone, please calm down!" Hirata cried out. "We must douse the fire first. It takes higher priority." Hirata and Takeyama continued to pour water onto the fire.

"I can't believe it. First an underwear thief, and now an arsonist," Karuizawa continued her hate speech.

"I'm telling you, we didn't do it! Why would we do it!?" Ike started shouting.

"Hey, Ibuki isn't here," Yamauchi noticed this anomaly and pointed it out.

"She isn't here? Wait, could she be..." And with that, both girls and boys were finally reunited with a common enemy to consider.

"Now that I think about it, Ibuki could have been the one to start the fire," Shinohara said. "It's highly probable that she wants to mess with out class unity."

I stared up at the sky. A few drops of rain had already started to fall onto the earth. "Rain, uh?"

"Oh shit! We need to take all the food and luggage inside the tents, or it's gonna get wet!" Ike screamed. "Hey, Hirata, tell us what to do!"

But Hirata continued to stand motionless, staring at the ground, with a lifeless look in his eyes. I had never seen him this way. Hirata continued to stare into space, his head swimming with thoughts and fears of not being able to control the class.

"Why does it always have to turn out like this? What did I do wrong this time? It's just like back then..."

"Hey, they need your help, Hirata," I softly placed my hand on his shoulder, making sure not to startle him.

"H-Huh? Yeah, yeah right. They need my help," Hirata slowly regained his composure and looked at me. "Thank you, Ayanokoji-kun."

Saying so, Hirata managed to get everyone else on track again.

It didn't surprise me that Ibuki had disappeared, but Horikita and Takeyama had disappeared as well. I had enticed this situation, and I stepped out onto the path into the woods.

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(Day 6; 5:43pm; Horikita, Suzune POV)

I dragged my body across the muddy road, pushing myself to run through the ever-increasing rain. Ibuki must have gone ahead. She had started the fire to give herself an opportunity to escape. I did not know where she had gone off to, but if I continued to follow the muddy footprints on the ground, I'm sure I'll catch up to her.

I walked for almost 100m before coming down to a slow trot, once I spotted Ibuki a bit ahead of me. I instinctively jumped behind the nearest tree to hide my presence, but I don't think that did any good.

"Why are you following me, Horikita?"

I realized there was no point in masking my presence anymore. I slowly came out my hiding spot, and I turned to face her.

"What are you doing here, Horikita?"

"You know very well why I'm here."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The underwear theft and the arson. You were behind all of it, weren't you?"

"I don't understand why you're suspecting me. Given, I'm a student from another class. But can you prove that I was the one who initiated all these events?"

"I cannot. I do not have a shred of evidence pointing to the fact that you were behind all of these misfortunes. But I think it was you."

"That's a very terrible thing to say, Horikita-san."