You... Have You Ever Been Confessed To?

The news Horikita Suzune brought had cast a shadow over the glimmer of hope they'd felt. Sakura Airi's value as an eyewitness was largely undermined by her timid, introverted nature. After a brief silence, a hint of curiosity flickered in Ichinose Honami's bright eyes. She looked at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and asked a gentle but direct question:

"By the way, Ayanokoji-kun," she paused, as if choosing her words carefully, "has Class D seriously considered the option of 'giving up' on Sudo?"

Her gaze was clear, without a hint of probing. It seemed more like a question prompted by practical concerns. After all, Shimiya Kuki had already thoroughly analyzed Sudo's "ticking time bomb" tendencies.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's expression remained as placid as a deep pool, with barely a ripple. Meeting Ichinose's gaze, he answered evenly, "There are certainly some students in our class who disapprove of Sudo's behavior and think he's caused trouble." His tone was impartial, simply stating a fact. "However, the majority of our class has no intention of giving up on Sudo." He paused, then added, "Otherwise, we wouldn't be going to all this trouble to find eyewitnesses." His answer sounded perfectly reasonable and was consistent with the unity Class D had shown so far.

Just then, Ichinose seemed to remember something. A warm, encouraging smile returned to her face as she smoothly changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Ayanokoji-kun, Sudo is your friend, right? I heard he works really hard in the Basketball Club and has a lot of talent. He might even become a regular player in his first year. Isn't that amazing?"

Her words carried sincere praise. "Right now, he may be dragging the class down a little because of this incident, but in the long run, if he shines in the Basketball Club, he might become an important 'asset' to Class D!" She put special emphasis on "asset," guiding them with a playful hint.

"Doesn't the School Administration give positive evaluations for things like Club Activities and charity work, and even award Personal Points as a reward?" Ichinose continued, her eyes shining as if to say, Surely you know that. "If Sudo takes part in interschool tournaments and does well, he'll definitely be awarded a substantial number of Points himself. And," she added emphatically, her gaze sweeping over Horikita and Ayanokoji, "that honor and contribution will also directly 'translate into' an increase in Class Points!"

When she finished, she seemed to notice the confusion in their eyes. Looking surprised and puzzled, she tilted her head at them. "Um... don't tell me... you didn't know?" Her gaze finally settled on Horikita Suzune's ice-cold face, her question plain to see. "Your Class Advisor... Chabashira Sae, didn't tell you?"

Her words were like a stone dropped into a still lake.

Horikita Suzune's pupils contracted sharply! For the first time, a visible crack appeared in the cool, aloof expression she always maintained. She looked up abruptly and fixed her sharp, phoenix-like eyes on Ichinose, shock and disbelief in her gaze, along with a hint of anger at having been deliberately kept in the dark! Her lips pressed into a rigid line, and the knuckles of her clenched fist turned faintly white. Chabashira-sensei hadn't told them about such an important rule? Why?! This information was practically crucial intelligence on a strategic level for Class D! The shock left her speechless for a moment.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's reaction wasn't as pronounced as Horikita's, but his usually unfocused gaze had now settled clearly on Ichinose's face.

Their sudden silence and dramatically changed expressions said everything. Ichinose had gotten the answer she wanted: Class D had indeed been kept in the dark. Her opinion of Chabashira Sae, Class D's Class Advisor, grew even more complicated.

"So... you really didn't know," Ichinose sighed softly, a trace of sympathy in her voice. "That's quite a... significant information gap." She didn't press them for more about Class D's reaction, leaving it at that.

The atmosphere had turned somewhat awkward after the startling revelation. At an opportune moment, Ichinose took out her terminal and smiled amicably. "Ayanokoji-kun, Horikita-san, since we're temporary 'allies' now, would you mind exchanging contact information? It'd be convenient if we need to get in touch about any new developments in the Sudo Incident."

Ichinose turned her terminal's screen toward Horikita Suzune first, her smile expectant. Horikita merely glanced coldly at the lit screen, lifting her delicate chin slightly. Her gaze revealed her undisguised reluctance and annoyance. Rather than take out her own terminal, she naturally turned to the Ayanokoji Kiyotaka beside her. Her gaze was sharp as a knife and carried an unmistakable command, as if silently saying, "I don't want to. You handle it."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka caught the silent "dagger-like glare." His unchanging face remained expressionless; only his brow shifted almost imperceptibly, with a hint of resignation. He silently took out his terminal and worked through the steps with practiced efficiency, preparing to add Ichinose's contact information. He didn't look at Horikita once, as if he were already used to being "volunteered" for things like this.

Just then, Shimiya Kuki, who had been standing quietly beside Ichinose, reached out as well. His movement was calm and silent, and he held out his similarly plain-looking terminal. He didn't look at anyone. Simply showing them the screen, he spoke in a voice as unruffled as he was and clearly stated who he was:

"Class B, Shimiya Kuki."

His introduction was as brief as could be, with no extra embellishment or small talk—just a class and a name.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't pause in his work, as though Shimiya joining in had been expected. He calmly turned his attention to Shimiya's terminal, swiped across his own screen a few times, and added him. At the same time, he replied in the same even, emotionless tone:

"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka."

Without unnecessary pleasantries or eye contact, the two boys with similar demeanors exchanged information through a few simple words and gestures. The whole process was quiet and efficient, with a peculiar sense of understanding between them.

Watching the somewhat "strange" yet inexplicably harmonious exchange, Ichinose glanced at Horikita, who looked completely "unconcerned," and couldn't help covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. She quickly composed herself.

"All set!" Ichinose put away her terminal and smiled as she said goodbye. "Let's leave it here for today. If anything new comes up, we'll get in touch."

"Mm." Horikita merely replied coldly, her thoughts clearly still tangled up in the Class Advisor issue. Ayanokoji remained as impassive as ever and gave a slight nod.

As the two students from Class D turned and walked away, Ichinose and Shimiya also headed back to the dorms. The afternoon sun stretched their shadows long across the hallway. Shimiya Kuki walked in silence, his eyes resting on the empty space ahead as if he were deep in thought. After a while, he spoke evenly. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly to Ichinose:

"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka... and Horikita Suzune. Those two are no ordinary students."

Ichinose turned to look at him, not at all surprised. Instead, her smile seemed to say, So you noticed too. She nodded emphatically, her tone full of excitement and curiosity:

"Right? You think so too, Kuki-kun?" She leaned closer and lowered her voice, as if sharing an interesting secret. "Honestly, from the first time I met Ayanokoji-kun, I thought... how should I put it? He's just like you, as if you were cut from the same cloth! That sense that he doesn't seem to care about anything, yet seems to be watching everything, and that... well, hard-to-describe 'inhuman quality'?" She tried to find the right words, then playfully stuck out her tongue.

"And," she continued, her expression turning serious, "didn't our Class Advisor, Hoshinomiya-sensei, call you to her office for a private 'meeting' before? I heard later that Chabashira-sensei had also spoken with Ayanokoji-kun privately! I don't know what they discussed, but if a Class Advisor is paying someone 'special attention'..." She drew out the words meaningfully. "That's why I've always thought Ayanokoji-kun is definitely not as simple as he seems! There may be more hidden behind his calm, unreadable gaze than we can imagine."

Shimiya Kuki listened quietly to Ichinose's analysis. His expression didn't change, but deep in his eyes there seemed to be the faintest flicker of agreement. He didn't argue, which amounted to confirming her observations.

They returned to the dorm and had a simple dinner. The aroma of food and the faint clink of utensils mingled, filling the room with a homely atmosphere. Ichinose ate small bites, seeming somewhat distracted. She sneaked a few glances at Shimiya, who was eating quietly across from her, then finally set down her chopsticks. Folding her hands on the table, she leaned forward slightly, her face bearing an unusual, complicated mix of earnestness, curiosity, and a hint of nervousness.

"Kuki-kun," she said, her voice softer than usual as she gazed intently at Shimiya, as if trying to see through his calm exterior. "There's something I... want to ask you." She paused, as if steeling herself, then added solemnly, "I hope you... can give me an honest answer."

Shimiya Kuki stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. The warm yellow light fell across his deep eyes, but didn't melt away his usual calm. He set down his chopsticks and replied evenly, "Go ahead."

Ichinose took a deep breath. A faint, almost imperceptible blush seemed to touch her fair cheeks. Her fingers on the table curled slightly without her realizing it. Then, as if she had worked up the courage, she asked the question that had been circling in her mind:

"Have... have you ever been confessed to?"

The question came so abruptly, sharply contrasting with their earlier discussion of class strategy and Class D's predicament. Ichinose's gaze remained fixed on Shimiya, more intent and searching than ever before, as she waited for his answer.