The Turning Point of the Incident

Night fell, and the time quickly reached 19:12 pm.

Zhuge Linghao was playing a game inside Ayanokoji's room.

Ayanokoji spoke softly, "You aren't nervous at all. Aren't you afraid of receiving a severe punishment?"

Zhuge Linghao stared intensely at the game screen, not even lifting his head as he said, "Because you and the others are reliable, Ayanokoji. I believe in you guys!"

There wasn't a ripple of emotion in Ayanokoji's eyes. "I don't know what to say, your personality... never mind. By the way, do you have any impression of Sakura Airi?"

Zhuge Linghao continued playing the game, saying, "No impression at all! Is there someone like that in our class?"

"Ding-dong..."

The doorbell rang throughout the room.

Ayanokoji opened the door to find Kushida Kikyo standing outside. She asked with a look of unease, "There's something I'm really concerned about. Do you know what Horikita meant by what she said earlier?"

Ayanokoji looked toward Zhuge Linghao and asked, "Why don't you explain it?"

Zhuge Linghao had just lost a life.

Veins popped out on his forehead as his fingers operated the controller at high speed. His mouth twitched as he said, "I don't have time! I have to fight this guy to the death!"

Kushida Kikyo leaned her head inside. "Eh? Zhuge-kun hasn't left yet? What game is he playing?"

Ayanokoji watched the passionately fighting Zhuge Linghao, then turned to answer Kushida, "Street Fighter. I heard it's a fighting game that can connect to the school network to battle others. Let's not disturb him for now; let's go downstairs to talk."

Rows of streetlights flickered on simultaneously as Ayanokoji and Kushida Kikyo strolled along the cobblestone path by the river.

Ayanokoji took the initiative to speak, "As Horikita said, regardless of whether this incident was self-defense, the root of the problem doesn't lie there."

Kushida Kikyo asked in confusion, "Eh?"

Ayanokoji spoke at an even tempo, "Sudo often speaks ill of others and has an arrogant attitude."

"Zhuge, even more so, doesn't play by the rules. He often does high-profile things. There might be people who like him, but I think more people are probably grinding their teeth in hatred toward him."

"Looking at their usual words and actions, it's not strange at all that they are resented."

"Let me ask you, if a murder case occurred and there were two suspects—one a criminal with a prior record, and the other an honest person living a serious life—who would you believe?"

Kushida Kikyo walked with her head down. "I would believe the honest person living a serious life."

"But the reality might be the exact opposite. There is very little evidence to judge by right now. Without sufficient proof, it's very likely that everyone has already made a preconceived judgment that is unfavorable to Sudo and the others."

Kushida Kikyo looked at a dead silkmoth on the ground. "Are you saying that people's prejudices against certain groups are hard to change?"

Ayanokoji neither confirmed nor denied this, but continued to speak about Sudo.

"Sudo's attitude and behavior have never improved; he is still just as impulsive and hot-headed, which is why Horikita is reluctant to help him."

Kushida Kikyo began to act in a way that fit her current persona.

She said earnestly, "Then we should at least give Sudo and the others a hint. That's what friends should do, right!"

Ayanokoji, walking in front, glanced back and said, "Kushida, just act according to your own thoughts. After all, helping them isn't wrong in itself..."

"But, Ayanokoji, you really understand Horikita well, and you're also very smart."

Ayanokoji denied it, "I don't think so."

Under the dim streetlights, an unreadable expression was hidden within Kushida Kikyo's short orange hair.

If Zhuge Linghao had seen this scene, he would have definitely grabbed Ayanokoji and run away immediately, making sure not to be targeted by her!

Because he knew the black-hearted little devil Kushida was about to come online, and in this state, her jealousy was extremely intense.

The more Ayanokoji and Horikita displayed their powerful intellect in front of her, the more she would want to get them all expelled!

Kushida Kikyo tried her best to control her facial expression as she said sweetly, "It's very late, I should head back. Regarding Sakura, I'll go talk to her alone. If a group of us goes to find her, she might become guarded!"

Ayanokoji looked down to see a group of ants dismembering and carrying away the dead moth.

In a dark room, Sakura Airi was constantly building up her mental defenses in front of her computer, or perhaps she was just struggling with herself?

[I don't want to be involved in a violent incident.

I don't want anyone to know my true self.

But I also don't want Zhuge and the others to get hurt.

I'm not good at interacting with others.

I'm even worse at looking into people's eyes when I speak.

It's fine if I'm alone.

It's fine even if I'm lonely.]

Just then, the doorbell to Sakura Airi's room rang!

"Who is it? Who's outside?"

"It's me. I know your true self, you know~"

The next day, at noon after school.

In the classroom corridor, Ayanokoji said to Horikita, "I made an arrangement with Kushida yesterday; she's going to go talk to Sakura alone today."

Zhuge Linghao chimed in from the side, "I know! You two didn't come back until late last night, were you out on a date..."

Horikita didn't believe a single word, including the punctuation, of what Zhuge Linghao—who was always spouting nonsense—had to say.

Her attention was fixed on two curvaceous figures not far away.

"Hello there, Sakura-san." Kushida Kikyo summoned all of her natural charm.

"W-what is it?" Sakura Airi responded in a small voice, like a cute little animal.

Kushida Kikyo said gently, "There's something I'd like to ask you, if that's alright? It's about Sudo and Zhuge."

Upon hearing this, a flicker of unmistakable fear flashed in Sakura Airi's eyes. She gripped her camera tightly with her right hand, turned around, and said, "I-I'm sorry, I have something urgent to attend to!"

A dark glint flashed in Kushida Kikyo's eyes. She grabbed Sakura Airi's left hand and said, "It won't take long. This is really important, could you please just listen to me?"

Like a startled rabbit, Sakura Airi struggled desperately, saying, "I... I don't know, I don't know anything..."

Watching the scene, Horikita Suzune crossed her arms and said, "Things don't seem to be going very smoothly."

Ayanokoji agreed, "It's not that simple."

In Zhuge Linghao's field of vision, one person was trying to run, and the other was holding on.

Then, one let go, the other tumbled, and a camera shattered.

Zhuge Linghao was dumbfounded: Holy crap! It was on purpose! This Kushida Kikyo definitely did that on purpose!

Following that, Kushida Kikyo performed a theatrical crouch and asked with 'cautious concern', "I'm so sorry, are you alright?"

Sakura Airi had eyes only for her camera; she knelt on the ground to pick it up and checked it repeatedly.

"It's broken, it won't turn on..."

Kushida Kikyo apologized, "I'm sorry, it's all my fault for letting go so suddenly..."

With her back to Kushida Kikyo, Sakura Airi said, "No, it was my own carelessness..."

After saying that, the red-haired, twin-tailed Sakura Airi fled in a panic.