Bai Lan was even more confused.
He set aside the matters of "noon" and "manipulation" for the moment.
What was Hirata making you hide from me?
No wonder he had thought everyone in class was acting so strangely!
So there really was something going on!
Judging by what Kushida had said, was that guy Hirata somehow targeting him?
Hirata looked like an honest person, yet he had actually fooled the entire class into putting on an act for him?
What on earth was going on?
No! He had to figure it out today!
With that thought, Bai Lan asked anxiously, "Kushida, tell me everything you know about what Hirata had you hide from me!"
Seeing that Bai Lan seemed completely unaware of everything, Kushida was somewhat puzzled.
Could it be that Hirata wasn't part of Bai Lan's schemes?
Bai Lan always left himself something he could use to clear his name, and Hirata could always step forward and find those points to whitewash Bai Lan. Was this merely a coincidence?
That couldn't be right!
Just then, Kushida suddenly thought of something and showed an expression of sudden realization.
She understood!
Bai Lan was asking her for a token of allegiance!
Although Bai Lan knew everything,
he still wanted her to personally reveal what Hirata had made the class keep secret from Bai Lan. Through this seeming "betrayal of the class," she could show that she stood on Bai Lan's side and demonstrate the sincerity of her surrender!
42, Once she came to her senses, she unknowingly found herself shackled
After considering Bai Lan's possible intentions, Kushida said nothing more.
She obediently played the role of a tool. Whatever Bai Lan asked, she answered, without doing anything unnecessary.
Soon, Kushida finished telling Bai Lan about the two "whitewashing meetings" Hirata had held with them that morning and after school.
The more Bai Lan listened, the tighter his brows drew together.
What did he mean by "communication difficulties"?
What was this about being sharp-tongued but kind-hearted?
What did "personally demonstrating a counterexample" mean?
That could be whitewashed too?
No wonder his attempt to make everyone hate him had failed!
So the girls from Class D who had shown him goodwill weren't lovestruck fools who liked "overbearing CEOs" at all. They had merely been fooled by Hirata.
He had actually become a tsundere man with a sharp tongue but a soft heart?
What a disgrace!
Furthermore, according to Kushida, after Hirata's second meeting following school, the situation in class had become even more serious than it had been that morning.
It wasn't just the girls. Many of the boys had also begun shamelessly expressing their goodwill toward Bai Lan, praising him to others everywhere behind his back.
Had praising Bai Lan even become some kind of class culture? A custom? The accepted norm?
If you didn't praise him a couple of times when meeting someone, you were being antisocial and wrong.
At this thought, Bai Lan completely lost his composure, and a look of agony instantly appeared on his face.
Bai Lan really wanted to curse someone. The first person who came to mind was Hirata, who had ruined his plan to make everyone hate him.
"Hirata Yosuke! I f—"
But when the words reached his lips, Bai Lan suddenly found that he couldn't bring himself to curse.
Although Hirata had ruined Bai Lan's plans, Bai Lan simply couldn't bring himself to hate him, much less treat him as an enemy.
If anything, Bai Lan even felt somewhat moved.
After all, no matter how he looked at it, what Hirata had done was helping Bai Lan!
Moreover, Bai Lan could tell that although Hirata's two attempts to whitewash him appeared perfect and ended with everyone happy, they actually concealed enormous risks!
The reason Hirata had managed to fool the entire class twice in a row was mainly that the school term had only just begun and everyone still knew little about Bai Lan.
Because everyone's understanding of Bai Lan was practically a blank slate, Hirata had been able to explain that nearly blank sheet however he wished and shape it into whatever form he wanted.
But as time passed and more and more information about Bai Lan came to light,
the others in class would eventually discover that much of the information Bai Lan displayed conflicted with Hirata's analysis and could not be reconciled.
One day, Hirata would no longer be able to conceal the truth and would then face the reproaches of those who realized they had been deceived.
The reputation Hirata had built up over time would collapse completely.
Bai Lan never would have imagined that, in order to resolve the conflicts between Bai Lan and the rest of Class D and save him from the "perilous situation" of having the entire class as enemies, Hirata would be willing to expend so much effort and take such a huge risk!
Hirata had fooled the class into believing that Bai Lan was a good man who "sacrificed himself"?
Bai Lan wanted to say to Hirata, "You're talking about yourself, aren't you?"
Although Bai Lan had no idea what Hirata had been thinking or what kind of logic had led him there,
there was no denying that Hirata had given Bai Lan an enormous favor—so enormous that Bai Lan even found it unbearably heavy.
Even if Bai Lan didn't want it, he had to accept this favor.
Bai Lan disliked owing others.
Once he accepted someone else's kindness, he had to find a way to repay it. Otherwise, he would feel extremely uncomfortable; the more he owed, the more distressed he became.
Debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay. If he didn't handle this properly, he wouldn't even be able to withdraw from school in peace.
"At the very least, I have to defuse this 'bomb' that was buried because of me for Hirata."
Bai Lan made this decision silently. At the same time, he couldn't help sighing inwardly. Even after taking all kinds of precautions, the moment I came to my senses, I still found myself unknowingly shackled, tied to the people here by something I couldn't casually sever—and it was caused by my own precautions... How ironic.
Coming back to himself, Bai Lan shifted his attention back to Kushida, only to discover that she was currently looking at him with an excited expression.
She looked like a puppy that had just brought back a frisbee, raising its head and begging to be petted and praised.
Seeing Bai Lan look at her, Kushida hurriedly said, "Bai, what else would you like to know? As long as I know it, I can tell you. Then can you consider teaching me?"
What else did Bai Lan want to know?
Bai Lan wanted to know why Kushida, who had still been planning to threaten him at noon, had suddenly abandoned that plan and become so obedient.
Was there some concern that had made her afraid to threaten him?
Was it because of the so-called "ultimate technique for making friends"?
Or was there some other reason?
If possible, Bai Lan planned to clear up her misunderstanding and resolve her concerns, so that she could keep going and continue threatening him with expulsion.
With the aim of extracting information from her, Bai Lan said, "You want to learn? It's not impossible."
Kushida's eyes lit up.
Then Bai Lan said, "But are you qualified? Even if I'm willing to teach you, you might not be able to learn!"
The light in Kushida's eyes dimmed slightly.
"However, the fact that you were able to see the 'way out' I left in the game means you have some aptitude."
At this, Kushida smiled.
"But that still isn't enough to prove that you meet the standard."
Kushida's expression turned serious. "Then what do I have to do to prove that I meet the standard?"
Bai Lan said, "Let me test you. First, tell me how much of my plan today you understood. Don't lie. If you lie even once, you won't get another chance in the future!"
Kushida thought, That means as long as I don't lie, I'll still have another chance even if I fail this time?!
The advantage is mine!
Kushida grew excited.
"Yes!"
Soon, Kushida recounted in detail the entire process of realizing Bai Lan's "scheme" and being won over by Bai Lan's "teachings."
Bai Lan summed it up. In reality, Kushida had simply mistaken the evidence and then lost it. Although it had been her own mistake, she didn't want to admit that she had been "stupid," so she imagined Bai Lan as incredibly capable and blamed him for everything.
It was a coincidence, a misunderstanding.
Since it was a misunderstanding, clearing it up should have been enough.
Although the crucial evidence was already gone...
Fortunately, Bai Lan still had what Kushida wanted to keep secret. After the misunderstanding was cleared up, perhaps she could keep trying and find a way to obtain another piece of evidence with which to threaten him.
Bai Lan would never take the initiative to do such a thing, of course, but he could cooperate when he was falsely accused.
What a shame. If he hadn't instinctively held back when pulling Kushida up just now, wouldn't she have had evidence again?
Now that the evidence was gone and Kushida could no longer expel him, that meant—
Kushida, you're useless now!
43, Kushida Reveals Her Dark Past
Kushida, you're useless now!
With this thought, Bai Lan instantly turned cold and got straight to the point.
"Actually, I have no idea about the so-called technique for making friends you mentioned. I only said that just now to fish for information from you."
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