Airi Sakura was an extremely introverted girl. Almost no one in the classroom actively spoke to her, and during lunch break, she would always sit alone in a corner, quietly eating her lunch with her head down. Because Kiyomizu sat to her left, he would occasionally have simple exchanges with her, but that was the extent of it—her responses were barely audible, let alone her initiating a conversation.
Would a girl like that suddenly confess to Haruki Yamauchi? It wasn't that he looked down on Yamauchi, but the guy was... hard to describe. He was always talking about "girls" and "romance," with nine out of ten sentences revolving around lewd topics. He boasted about how popular he was, but in reality, most of the girls in the class couldn't even be bothered to look at him. Average looks, average grades, average athletic ability—he didn't even have any likable qualities, because no one would bother to remember anything about him.
Kiyomizu gave Yamauchi a cold glance. Considering the baseless bragging he usually engaged in, combined with Airi Sakura's almost invisible personality, the answer was obvious. Yamauchi was just picking on Sakura because he thought she was an easy target who wouldn't fight back, so he dared to use her to spin such a boring lie.
It was normal for guys to brag among themselves, but there should be a line. Bragging about getting a high score or being popular in middle school, no matter how exaggerated, at least only involved oneself. But what about Yamauchi? To make himself look good, he didn't hesitate to use a girl who barely dared to speak up as a stepping stone. This wasn't just vanity; it was a problem with his brain.
Kiyomizu was already bottling up a lot of anger from the news of Class D's zero points, so he didn't hold back in confronting him. The result was exactly as he had expected. Yamauchi's expression instantly froze. His lips moved, but he couldn't squeeze out a single decent retort. In the end, he could only flush red and mutter something about "...mistaking her for someone else..." before slinking back to his seat.
(Can students be expelled from this school...)
Watching Yamauchi's retreating back, a subtle thought flashed through Kiyomizu's mind. Haruki Yamauchi was like a walking burden—bottom-of-the-class grades, no special talents, and always causing trouble. Even in Class D, which was known for its "problem children," he managed to be at the very bottom. One could imagine just how pathetic he was.
But in the end, since the opening ceremony, Yamauchi hadn't directly provoked him. This time, although he had been talking nonsense, he had at least backed down and admitted his mistake when confronted. Kiyomizu noticed Yosuke Hirata's concerned gaze and raised an eyebrow.
(Does Hirata-kun... think I was going to hit him?)
The thought made him chuckle. Although he was in a bad mood, he wouldn't resort to violence over something so trivial. Besides, he actually had a lot of respect for Hirata as the class representative. The cheerful boy was always helping the introverted students integrate, patiently tutoring those with poor grades, and even organizing class gatherings out of his own pocket. Although he could never be such a "saint" himself, as a JoJo fan in his past life, he always had a certain respect for people who radiated the "Golden Spirit."
Kiyomizu took out his phone and typed a few lines in the chat. Hirata had proactively exchanged contact information with him during a casual chat last week. He hadn't expected to use it so soon.
Kiyomizu Akira: Don't worry, Hirata-kun. No matter how angry I get, I wouldn't resort to violence in the classroom. This is a place for learning.
Kiyomizu Akira: Violence solves nothing. I've always advocated for reasoning with people.
After sending the message, Kiyomizu habitually glanced in Hirata's direction. Surprisingly, the usually composed student was staring at his phone screen, a rare look of astonishment on his face.
(Hmm?... Did I say something out of line?)
Kiyomizu frowned in confusion. He thought he had just said some perfectly normal, polite things—stating his position without making things awkward for Hirata. Logically, with Hirata's emotional intelligence, he should have been able to handle it with ease. But his reaction was as if he had received some worldview-shattering statement. This made Kiyomizu wonder if he had unintentionally hit a nerve.
...
His phone suddenly vibrated, interrupting his thoughts. He looked down. A message from his homeroom teacher, Sae Chabashira, was on the screen:
[Sae Chabashira: Come to my office after school. We need to talk.]
Kiyomizu's brow furrowed unconsciously. Why would this homeroom teacher, who usually let her students run wild, suddenly want to see him?
(Could it be because... I didn't share that key information with the whole class?)
But on second thought, that seemed unlikely. Teacher Chabashira had never been the type to worry about the class. She was more like a detached bystander, watching the students struggle within the rules. On the first day of school, she had acted like a hands-off manager, not even bothering with the most basic class guidance. If he hadn't actively sought her out, she probably wouldn't have even bothered to say an extra word. And yet, during the bet with Arisu Sakayanagi, she had unexpectedly helped him out and had even reminded him to save his personal points afterward.
(What a contradictory person...)
Kiyomizu's fingertip tapped the screen, sending a short "Got it" in reply. Although he was puzzled by this meeting, he couldn't exactly refuse a summons from his homeroom teacher. He then remembered the scene from last Friday's dinner—his deskmate, Suzune Horikita, had probably gone to see Chabashira.
(I wonder how that went?)
The thought flashed through his mind. He looked thoughtfully at Horikita's seat. The black-haired girl, who always sat with a straight back, now had a low-pressure aura around her so thick it was almost tangible. If before it was a "keep away" vibe, now it had escalated to a terrifying "approach and die" domain.
Kiyomizu casually asked, "What did Teacher Chabashira say to you?"
"Hah," Horikita sneered. "When I went to see her, she actually said—'I'm off the clock.'" She repeated the words one by one, each syllable squeezed out from between her teeth. "She told me to come back before 5 PM today."
"A homeroom teacher," her voice dropped an octave, carrying a dangerous calm, "who is more punctual about her working hours than a civil servant."
"Teacher Chabashira asked me to see her after school. Let's go together," Kiyomizu replied calmly.
Horikita was taken aback, looking thoughtfully at the boy before her.
(This way, I might be able to get more useful information.)
She had to admit, with Kiyomizu's insight and ability to handle things, going with him would indeed be more efficient. He had been summoned, so it wasn't a matter of one helping the other. This perfectly aligned with her principle of "not relying on others."
Horikita pressed her lips together. After a brief silence, she ultimately did not refuse. "Let me know when the time is set," she said, then added coolly, "I'll contact you in advance."
Kiyomizu nodded in understanding. A subtle默契had formed between them.
(Exchanging contact info has really improved efficiency...)
Horikita didn't see it as a compromise, but simply choosing the optimal solution.
-------
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