No words left the reticent boy's mouth. From one perspective, people may infer that he was formulating a proper response to his peer's outburst. Another would be that his peer's outburst didn't warrant a response, as Chunji must have concluded it to be incredibly childish. The answer was simple.

Chunji froze at the unexpected outburst that Rio leveled onto him. How did such animosity build up over the course of two days? Any actions that may have involved Rio were purely inconsequential. If Rio wasn't going to attend the first important ceremony, what was the point of attending the academy in the first place? Furthermore, what was with this random accusation of being a teacher's pet? Knowing more about your surroundings and ethos was crucial for future reference, but even then, Chunji stood with an adamant demeanor when dealing with things that didn't interest him.

Now for the fight on the bridge? It was simple. Rio and Chloe were in the way, so Chunji remove them from his path. If anything stood to obstruct his goal, Chunji would find the proper procedure to excise that obstacle.

These reasonings would sound like excuses to Rio, so Chunji didn't bother to explain himself to his classmate. His well-meaning concern only stoked the indiscernible fumes that had rested within Rio. It would be best to address Rio's statement before explaining why he had followed in the first place.  

"I was not aware that I had aggrieved you so, Rio. Though I won't apologize as it comes off as insincere." Chunji emphasized. A frown broke out on his face as he continued his dialogue. "Honestly, I wouldn't have cared that much about your activities. What you do does not pertain to me, but on this occasion, I found it warranted my intervention." Dayin popped up beside them, and with a snap of Chunji's fingers, the pages started to turn.

A list of messages from Chunji's contacts appeared.

"Otis had sent me a message regarding Ms.Steeler and Ms. Nachtenbel's whereabouts. I only told him I remembered Nachtenbel following Steeler out of the classrooms after class. Now..." Hildegrunde's latest message glowed to signify the importance of its contents. "Surely, you can connect the dots yourself, can you not?"

Whatever bridge that Chunji had been hoping to build was put into jeopardy. How Rio would respond to this could vary in two extreme ways. Either he attacks, or he runs towards the forest. Any result was fine.

Chunji had given up the idea of forging a rapport with Rio. Having friends was not a long-term goal Chunji envisioned for himself.