Horikita Suzune

Two days passed swiftly, the "Sudo Incident" quietly fermenting in the background. Through their respective channels, Shimiya Kuki and Ichinose Honami managed to piece together the core outline of the incident:

The Class C student's claim was clear and "weak": He stated that after club activities, Sudo Ken from Class D had proactively asked to speak with him about internal club matters (the specifics were vague). Claiming to be afraid due to rumors of Sudo's "violent temper," he invited two close classmates along for self-protection to the agreed-upon gym back warehouse. As a result, they were met with Sudo's unprovoked violent assault, and all three suffered varying degrees of injury.

Class D's Sudo Ken, however, gave a completely opposite testimony: It was Ishizaki who proactively invited him to that remote warehouse. When he arrived, Ishizaki and the other two attacked and beat him without any explanation. He only fought back under threat to his life, purely in self-defense.

Both sides stuck to their stories. There was no surveillance footage at the scene, nor any other credible third-party witnesses. The situation was at a stalemate. The school administration clearly leaned toward the surface-level evidence of "three against one victim," leaving Sudo's position precarious.

Just after lunch break that day, Shimiya Kuki and Ichinose Honami decided to personally scout out the Class D area, hoping to get in touch with the key figures of the incident and obtain more direct information. They crossed the skywalk connecting the two school buildings and, as soon as they stepped onto the floor where Class D was located, they spotted two familiar yet unfamiliar figures near the stairwell.

One of them was the boy from Class D with a faint presence and eyes as calm as a deep pool—Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Standing before him was a tall, well-proportioned girl.

She had straight, smooth black hair, with a few strands gently falling beside her delicate cheeks. Her skin was pale to the point of near-transparency, her facial features clear and cold. Her phoenix eyes, with slightly upturned outer corners, were narrowed at the moment, revealing undisguised scrutiny and impatience. She wore the crimson school uniform immaculately, standing straight with her hands seemingly resting casually at her sides, yet she gave off a tense, coiled-spring vibe, like a solitary, proud snow pine exuding an aura of "keep away." She was saying something to Ayanokoji, her tone carrying a hint of suppressed irritation.

Ichinose Honami's eyes lit up. She immediately broke into a warm smile, pulled Shimiya Kuki along, and walked over, her clear voice shattering the slightly stagnant atmosphere between the two:

"Hey, what are you two doing here?"

The black-haired girl turned her head sharply, her icy phoenix eyes instantly locking onto the approaching pair. Her gaze was sharp as a blade, filled with displeasure and wariness at being interrupted. She pressed her pale lips together tightly, not responding immediately. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, as always, wore an expressionless face, his gaze calmly settling on the two Class B students.

Seeing that the other party didn't respond, Ichinose's smile didn't fade in the slightest. Instead, she added a playful note of apology: "Sorry for suddenly calling out to you. Could we take up a bit of your time?" She deliberately paused, her gaze flickering between the black-haired girl and Ayanokoji, then winked mischievously. "If you two are in the middle of a sweet, sour date, we'll take the hint and leave right away."

"There's no such thing!" The black-haired girl retorted almost immediately, her voice clear and crisp, carrying an undeniable denial. She even subconsciously took half a step away from Ayanokoji, simultaneously shooting him an extremely obvious look mixed with disgust and a clear "don't drag me into this," as if desperately trying to dispel some unpleasant misunderstanding.

"Ahaha, I suppose so," Ichinose said, covering her mouth with a light laugh, as if she had anticipated this reaction. "And as a date spot, this place is crowded and lacks cover—it's a bit too 'hot,' isn't it?" She deftly diffused the awkwardness.

The black-haired girl's brow furrowed even deeper. She clearly wasn't fond of Ichinose's overly familiar, slightly teasing attitude. She asked coldly, "What do you want with us?" Her wariness was palpable, as if questioning a stranger who had trespassed onto her territory.

Ichinose dropped her playful expression, her face turning serious. "We just wanted to ask you about the Sudo incident. The one that happened two days ago at the gym back warehouse."

"You're Class B students, aren't you?" The black-haired girl's gaze swept sharply over the class badges on Ichinose and Shimiya's chests. "This incident doesn't seem to have anything to do with Class B, does it?" Her tone carried strong skepticism and exclusion, as if saying, "Mind your own business."

"We're just 'relatively interested,'" Ichinose admitted frankly, but then shifted her tone, her eyes growing firm. "And besides, we think there might be more to this incident, so we want to learn as much as we can about the specifics. For example..." She leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice with an investigative edge. "Don't you find it strange? Why choose a place without surveillance? No matter who invited whom, choosing that location itself is... quite telling, isn't it? This doesn't feel like a simple conflict. It's more like someone deliberately guided a certain outcome."

The black-haired girl's eyes suddenly sharpened, like a crack forming on an icy surface. She stared intently at Ichinose, her voice carrying a sharp edge, as if struck by a sensitive point: "So, you're saying... you suspect someone from Class D or Class C deliberately set a trap?" She emphasized the words "set a trap."

Ichinose quickly waved her hand, her smile still warm but now soothing. "There's no need to be so defensive, is there? We really just want to understand the situation. After all, both sides' accounts are completely contradictory. If..." She paused, her gaze meeting the black-haired girl's directly. "I mean, if, by any chance, Sudo really did lie, what does Class D plan to do? Just accept his expulsion?"

The black-haired girl—Horikita Suzune—fell silent. Her delicate chin lifted slightly, as if she were engaged in a fierce internal debate. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood nearby, still like a silent backdrop, though his gaze briefly lingered on Shimiya and Ichinose.

After a few seconds, Horikita spoke coldly, her tone carrying a stubborn, aloof pride: "That's an internal Class D issue. We'll naturally find evidence to prove Sudo's innocence, or... bear the corresponding consequences." Her answer aligned with Horikita's stance in the original story—core principle being "Class D's problems are solved by Class D," unwilling to rely on others, let alone show weakness in front of other classes.

"I see..." Ichinose wasn't discouraged. Instead, she revealed a bright, kind smile. "Then, what if Class B also helps you? After all, many hands make light work! Working together to find the truth—wouldn't that be better for Sudo, for Class D, and even for the fairness of the whole incident?"

"Help?" Horikita looked as if she had heard something unbelievable, her brow furrowing deeply. "This incident clearly has nothing to do with Class B. Why would you meddle? What's your motive?" Her wariness hadn't diminished; if anything, it had grown stronger.

Ichinose Honami's smile faded, her expression turning utterly serious. Her clear eyes shone with a commitment to justice and a disgust for underhanded tactics: "The motive is simple. First, I personally—very, very much—detest this kind of unfair competition that exploits loopholes in the rules, frames others, and might even involve violence! Today, Class C can use this method against Class D," her voice carried a hint of coldness. "Who can guarantee that tomorrow they won't use even more insidious tricks against Class B? Letting this behavior succeed will only corrupt the rules and make the entire competitive environment filthy."

She paused, her tone softening but remaining firm: "Second, seeking the truth itself is a worthwhile endeavor. If Sudo was wronged, isn't helping clear his name the right thing to do? This has nothing to do with class standing."

Horikita Suzune stared fixedly at Ichinose, her sharp gaze as if trying to pierce through her, scrutinizing the truth in her words. Ichinose met her gaze openly, her eyes clear and sincere. The hallway fell into a brief silence, broken only by faint noises from afar.

Finally, Horikita's tightly pressed lips seemed to relax by an imperceptible fraction. She appeared to acknowledge part of Ichinose's logic, especially the wariness toward Class C's methods. She took a deep breath, as if making a decision. Her tone remained cold, but the icy barrier keeping others at a distance seemed to melt just a little:

"I'm Horikita Suzune from Class D." She stated her name, a form of recognition and initial acceptance.

"Ah, hello, Horikita! I'm Ichinose Honami from Class B, and this is Shimiya Kuki." Ichinose immediately responded with a smile, the atmosphere finally easing.

Horikita nodded. Her gaze lingered briefly on Shimiya's calm face before returning to Ichinose. She spoke in a low voice: "Since you insist... then, there is indeed one key piece of information."

She lowered her voice even further: "We've found a possible witness."

Ichinose's eyes lit up. "Really? That's great! Who is it?"

Horikita's expression, however, didn't lighten. Instead, it carried a hint of gravity and helplessness: "It's Sakura Airi from our class."

"Sakura?" Ichinose seemed unfamiliar with the name, unable to recall the specifics.

"Yeah." Horikita nodded, her tone low. "She claims... she happened to be nearby that day and might have seen the start of the conflict. But..."

"But?" Ichinose's heart tightened.

"But," Horikita's voice carried a note of powerlessness, "Sakura's personality... is very introverted, even extremely shy and prone to nervousness. In front of strangers, especially teachers or school investigators, she probably won't be able to clearly, completely, or convincingly state what she saw. And since she's a Class D student, her testimony... as the only human witness, the likelihood of it being accepted by the school administration... is probably very low." She laid out Class D's biggest current dilemma—they had found the key, but might not be able to use it to open the door to the truth.

This news landed like a heavy stone, instantly pressing down on the fragile, newly formed cooperative atmosphere. The existence of a witness brought hope, but that glimmer of hope was so faint, as if it might be swallowed at any moment by the shadow of "Sakura Airi's personality."