The Plan

Hoshino Kanade stood on the upper floor corridor of the teaching building, his gaze passing through the window to take in the scene unfolding at the bulletin board below.

His fingertips rested on the windowpane, his thoughts drifting.

He didn't have the passionate urge to "lead Class D to challenge Class A"; such a goal was too distant and unrealistic.

If he were to follow his earlier intentions, it would be enough to simply look after himself, efficiently accumulating Personal Points from class struggles and exam paper information.

This cold pragmatism had once been his guiding principle.

However, Kiyona... the name flashed through his mind.

She was already someone he considered his own.

The change in status brought with it the subtle stirring of responsibility.

His past strategy of self-preservation needed adjustment.

For instance, there might be assassins from the White Room among the next year's freshmen.

Although he believed Kiyona's abilities were sufficient to handle them, as a companion, he also needed to be prepared, to build defenses for her, and for anything that might disrupt their current peaceful life.

Even though he had no doubt that Kiyona's capabilities were enough for self-preservation, even to defeat future attackers, pushing all the pressure onto a young girl, letting her bear the risk alone...

That would be too selfish and heartless, not in line with his current feelings.

On this matter, Hoshinomiya Chie was an Assistance.

The last time he was called to the Office by Chabashira Sae, he "coincidentally" met the lively former Class B homeroom teacher. That evening, she proactively added him on her contact list.

At the time, it was a casual move, and Hoshino Kanade wasn't very confident Hoshinomiya would take the bait.

After accepting her friend request and engaging in several subtly probing conversations, they tacitly reached a Cooperation.

He had become Hoshinomiya's hidden pawn within Class D.

Of course, the core message he conveyed to Hoshinomiya was clear: Class D, or rather Chabashira Sae, could never truly Ascend to Class A. In return, Teacher Hoshinomiya always showed satisfactory promptness and Cooperation on his "not excessive" requests.

Recalling his drifting thoughts, Hoshino Kanade's gaze refocused on the scene below.

Now, Sudo Ken had been Expelled due to failing his Midterm Exam, which had altered a crucial node.

The intense conflict between Class D and Class C that would have occurred had thus dissipated into nothingness.

Following the logical chain, Sakura Airi, who would have been caught up in the subsequent trouble, had lost her trigger point.

Her Digital Camera would not have been damaged at that time, and naturally, she wouldn't have walked into that Electronics Store for repairs.

But Hoshino Kanade knew that the Perverted Clerk lurking in the Electronics Store had long since fixed his dirty gaze on the introverted and attractive Sakura Airi.

More precisely, his entering this school was for Sakura Airi.

The absence of the "camera repair" fuse did not mean his malice would disappear.

To completely eliminate the tragedy that might befall Sakura at some point in the future, the simplest and most effective method was to remove the hidden danger from its source.

Although it wasn't impossible to expose the clerk's previous voyeuristic misdeeds by utilizing the dense surveillance system spread across the campus for targeted retrospective investigations, it wasn't direct or devastating enough.

He needed irrefutable evidence that could instantly ignite public opinion and leave the man with no room to maneuver.

This was the perfect time for his collaborator, Teacher Hoshinomiya, to demonstrate her value.

A few days later, the opportunity ripened.

Hoshinomiya Chie, the Psychology Teacher with a Sweet Smile, widely popular among students, walked into the Electronics Store with an old Digital Camera she had deliberately damaged, requesting repairs.

The surveillance would clearly record the entire process of her handing the camera to the clerk with a hint of complaint.

Not long after, a deliberately raised voice filled with anger and accusation could be heard from inside the store: "What?! What are you doing?! I think I saw you taking pictures! You were definitely taking pictures of me, weren't you?!"

Her voice had excellent penetration, immediately drawing the attention of the sparse customers and passing students.

The clerk was caught off guard by the sudden sharp accusation. His face instantly flushed red, then pale, his eyes darting around in panic as his mouth made futile attempts to explain.

"You, you've misunderstood! I didn't! Absolutely not!" He instinctively flinched backward.

"Misunderstood? Then prove it to me!" Hoshinomiya put her hands on her hips, full of imposing presence, showing none of her usual gentleness from the Office, her voice growing even sterner.

"Take out your phone and let me check! Immediately!" The clerk was clearly flustered, his fingers tightly gripping his phone in his pocket, stammering, sweat beading on his forehead, refusing to take it out. This abnormal reaction undoubtedly heightened his suspicion, and whispers began to spread around, with some already taking out their phones to record.

At the same time, Hoshino Kanade happened to be passing by the store entrance as if on a stroll.

The commotion caught his "attention."

Through the glass, he saw the familiar teacher arguing with a middle-aged male clerk with a somewhat greasy appearance and shifty eyes, pulling at the camera strap, her face flushed red, looking like an agitated victim.

The timing was perfect.

He didn't hesitate, pushed the door open, and quickly walked forward. "Teacher Hoshinomiya? What's going on?"

Hoshino Kanade's voice was calm yet carried concern, naturally positioning himself slightly in front of the teacher, forming a protective stance.

"Student Hoshino!" Seeing him, Hoshinomiya acted as if she had found a strong ally, immediately pointing at the clerk and accusing, "This guy! When he was fixing my camera just now, his eyes and actions were all wrong! I suspect he was taking pictures of me, and when I asked to check his phone, he made excuses and refused to take it out!"

Hoshino Kanade's scrutinizing gaze locked onto the clerk. "Sir, since Teacher has doubts, please cooperate and let Teacher check your phone. If it's a misunderstanding, we apologize."

Her tone was polite, yet carried an irresistible pressure.

The surrounding students began to quietly gather.

The clerk's eyes darted around, and he subconsciously hid his hand towards his back pocket. Beads of sweat broke out on his forehead as he stammered in defense:

"N-no such thing... Why should you check my phone... You're slandering me..." This overly panicked reaction undoubtedly deepened his suspicion.

"My apologies." Hoshino Kanade seized the moment of the clerk's fluster and precisely reached into his tightly clutched pocket, pulling out the phone.

The not-so-agile clerk cried out and tried to snatch it back, but Hoshino Kanade easily dodged him by sidestepping.