Ibuki Mio, the Human Plaster

Ibuki Mio ignored the three boys standing nearby and caught up with Makoto.

"Aren't you worried they'll threaten you over the fight? Those injuries are real, after all."

Hearing the concern in Ibuki Mio's words, Makoto looked helpless.

"I have a recording."

He pulled the phone from his clothes and waved it around. It would prove he was innocent.

And even if Ryuen Kakeru really had lost his mind and tried to frame him—

Hoshinomiya-sensei was on his side.

Who would dare accuse me in my own court?

He wasn't Ken Sudō, acting without considering the consequences.

"If you chased after me just to say that, you can leave now."

Makoto was trying to get rid of her. He still had to go running with Honami and Kei later!

"Do you have somewhere to be?"

With her hands behind her back, Ibuki Mio watched Makoto suspiciously.

She didn't know much about the man in front of her.

"Yeah."

Makoto stopped and casually blocked Ibuki Mio's sudden attack. He glanced at her.

"Please stop testing my patience."

"Tch."

"No guy is ever going to like a girl like you."

"None of your business!"

Ibuki Mio curled her lip. She had no interest in being popular with guys.

She only cared about people stronger than herself.

Although she couldn't beat Ryuen Kakeru, she hadn't given up, and she still disliked him.

In fact, most of the people in Class C disliked Ryuen Kakeru at this point.

"Fine. Do you want to come along, then?"

Makoto decided to turn the tables and try to make Ibuki Mio leave on her own.

"Sure, sure!"

Ibuki Mio seized the opportunity and stuck to him like a plaster.

"Fine, come if you want. But you'll probably find it boring."

Makoto brought Ibuki Mio to the track, where Honami and Kei were warming up while they waited for him.

"Isn't that Ibuki from yesterday...?"

Honami tilted her head, puzzled, and unconsciously stopped moving.

"Yep. She insisted on following me, so I had no choice but to bring her along."

"You're... going running?"

Ibuki Mio could tell at a glance that the two of them had been warming up before a run. And they were beside the track. If they weren't going to run, were they planning to practice the long jump? That would be strange.

"I told you it'd be boring for you. It's not too late to leave now~"

Makoto didn't want Ibuki Mio running with them. He was afraid she'd launch a surprise attack on the way.

Even he would have a hard time dealing with that.

"I was planning to get some exercise anyway. What's the big deal if I join you?"

Ibuki Mio sounded thoroughly annoyed.

Makoto had no idea what he'd done to offend her. He shook his head and stopped engaging with her.

Fine! Whatever!

The pace that required Honami and Kei to warm up was practically a warm-up for Makoto.

Ibuki Mio really did follow them. She kept pace behind the three of them without falling behind.

She had impressive stamina. He wondered if she'd kept up her training at this school.

"Come to think of it, I don't think I've introduced you to them."

As they ran, Makoto introduced the other two to Ibuki Mio.

"The one with golden-pink hair is my girlfriend, Ichinose Honami. The one with honey-colored hair is Karuizawa Kei. They're from Class A and Class D, respectively. I'm from Class B, and Ibuki's from Class C. That makes all four classes in the first year."

"So you really do live up to your 'womanizer' nickname. You only go after girls from other classes."

Ibuki Mio sneered as she ran, not caring whether Makoto could see the expression on her face.

"Is this what they mean by 'a rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow'?"

"That's slander! Slander!"

Makoto yelled. Behind him, Honami couldn't help laughing, and it threw off her breathing rhythm.

Seeing that, Makoto stopped talking. The group quietly ran five laps counterclockwise, then another five clockwise.

"Good. Honami and Kei can keep this up now. Nice work."

Makoto nodded in satisfaction, pointedly ignoring the murderous look from the blue-green-haired girl.

"Because of the time, we'll pick up the pace starting tomorrow. We can't really increase the distance any further."

"Okay."

Honami and Kei nodded gently.

"I'm coming tomorrow, too."

Ibuki Mio's strategy was to cling stubbornly to him. She was determined to find Makoto's weakness.

"I'd be delighted if you joined us, Ibuki."

Honami let down the hair she'd tied up for the run. Her golden-pink locks spilled down like a waterfall, and the scent of sweat mingled with shampoo filled the air.

"I don't mind."

Kei was brief. Her position was actually much like Ibuki Mio's. Sometimes, she couldn't help feeling guilty toward Honami.

But there was nothing she could do about it.

"Looks like the rumors are true. You really are hopeless."

Ibuki Mio mocked him. Was that supposed to be a weakness?

She couldn't admit that she was the weakness herself.

"Ahem. Anyway, aren't you worried about the midterms? I don't think I've seen you in the library."

Makoto cleared his throat, trying to change the subject. In his heart, he vowed that once he'd dealt with Sakura Airi's situation, he'd stop attracting women's attention.

"At least passing shouldn't be a problem."

Her academic ability was a C, after all. It wasn't as if she couldn't pass the first midterm of the first semester.

"Even so, you should still study hard."

Honami took on the role of a mother. Makoto could almost see maternal love shining from her.

"..."

Faced with Honami's kindness, Ibuki Mio fell silent.

Were they all such goody-goodies? As someone from Class C, she found it hard to get used to.

"...Fine."

I'm only doing this because the situation forced me to, Ibuki Mio thought.

Back in the classroom, everyone was fooling around as usual. Their horseplay outside class wouldn't affect the Class Points at all.

They already had plenty of extra lessons during lunch and after school. Mornings had become a rare chance to relax, and those who wanted to study usually chose to review in their dorms first.

"Is it today?"

Kanzaki Ryuji turned his head to ask.

"...Up to you. You can decide that yourself."

After a brief pause, Makoto realized Kanzaki Ryuji meant the past exam papers. Honestly, he hadn't given it much thought. Once he'd handed them over, he'd pretty much forgotten about the whole thing.

"Hmm... I think I should try to score as high as possible."

Kanzaki Ryuji had been thinking about it since the night before. After turning it over in his mind, he'd realized he was trapped in a no-win situation.

Never mind Class D, but Class A had those exam papers, too. If he didn't use them, he'd inevitably be at a disadvantage against Class A in the coming exams.

That was a man's competitive spirit!

I'm done writing with my head down. Time to train a bit.