Becoming Famous

"Hey, have you heard? A student from Class D joined the Student Council, and he was personally handpicked by President Horikita."

"Class D can join the Student Council? He didn't pull some strings to get in, did he?"

"Are you questioning President Horikita's integrity? How could that be possible!"

"Fair point. It seems this guy really has some talent, but why is he in Class D?"

In just two days, the news of Bai Ye joining the Student Council had spread throughout the school.

The combination of Class D and a personal selection by the president was enough to spark intense curiosity, leading to the matter becoming common knowledge.

Meanwhile, in the Class B group chat.

(I didn't realize Jingu-kun was so amazing. Not only is he handsome, but he's also so capable... What do I do? I think I'm starting to fall for him.)

(I specifically went to wait in the Student Council hallway yesterday. The news seems to be true; he was even chatting with Tachibana-senpai.)

(Do you think he has a girlfriend? Should I try confessing to him?)

(Forget it, you guys. Even if someone were to confess, Ichinose-san would have the best chance. It wouldn't be your turn.)

(No way! Ichinose belongs to our Class B. Even if it's Jingu, we won't allow it!)

When Ichinose Honami opened the group chat, she saw a flood of miscellaneous messages popping up.

It wasn't until someone sent a photo that she stopped.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Because it was a rather scandalous image.

In the photo, a man and a woman were kissing "passionately," with the woman's hand resting on the man's shoulder, giving off a sense of coy resistance.

Although the photo was a bit blurry, Ichinose could still distinguish that the boy was indeed Bai Ye, and the girl...

She wasn't the same girl she had seen by Bai Ye's side last time.

Could this be his real girlfriend?

As she pondered, another wave of messages drifted through the chat.

(So he has a girlfriend? Who is this girl? She looks really pretty.)

(Let's go check out their class next time; maybe we can investigate.)

(Ahhh! My Jingu-kun has been snatched away by a bad woman!)

With her thoughts drifting, she turned off her phone and looked up, only to see a small face observing her intently.

She smiled. "Chihiro, what's wrong?"

"Honami, you don't like this guy Jingu, do you?" Shironami Chihiro asked with a resentful expression.

"How could that be? I'm quite happy for him. Being valued by the president is much better than someone like me..."

"How can you think that? Honami is definitely much better than him; our whole class knows it!"

"Thanks... I'm really happy. Oh, right, can I see that hair clip you bought yesterday?"

Watching Ichinose awkwardly change the subject, Shironami Chihiro couldn't help but pout, but she still replied:

"I'll show it to you when we get back to the dorms later."

"Mm, thanks."

Meanwhile, the Class D group chat was just as lively.

The girls were surprised that Bai Ye was actually so capable, while the boys were saying he just got lucky.

Karuizawa Kei scrolled through her phone out of boredom, sneering at the comments.

Looking at the worshipful words of these people, she could already imagine that in the future, Bai Ye's popularity in the class would crush Hirata's.

She would have even less reason to keep up the fake relationship with Hirata.

"How unlucky!"

She had chosen Hirata not only for his popularity but also because of his gentle personality; she figured that if she asked him for help, he would definitely agree.

But now.

"Don't tell me I have to go beg that guy."

Without a doubt, dating Bai Ye now would be the most correct choice.

However, she still didn't know what kind of person Bai Ye was. If he made some excessive demands...

That aside, the key issue was that he already had a girlfriend. How was she supposed to wedge herself in?

Should she go and steal him away now?

That would be too embarrassing.

Maybe she should just wait for them to break up first...

After all, in her opinion, besides Horikita, she was the cutest one in the class, and Kushida had already said she wouldn't date anyone.

Therefore, it was highly likely that Bai Ye would choose her.

"..."

After thinking about it all night, she decided to take action.

She no longer wanted to endure that kind of life; she had to give it her all.

For that, even if she had to pay any price... she wouldn't mind.

Early in the morning, looking at the pile of love letters that had spilled out of his shoe locker, Bai Ye instinctively glanced at Horikita beside him.

"What, are you feeling very smug right now?" Horikita said coldly.

"How could I be? I just think these people are too opportunistic. They didn't confess before, but chose to do so only after I joined the Student Council."

He scanned the love letters casually; most were from second and third-year upperclassmen.

First-years accounted for only a very small minority.

He picked up all the love letters from the floor and put them into a bag.

Horikita teased him again: "Are you planning to take them back to the dormitory to enjoy them properly?"

"No, if you like them, I can give them to you."

"What would I want with these things? To make myself uncomfortable? Hurry up and throw them away. Are you trying to cheat on me?"

"Uh... I think it's better to take them back. I just bought a potted plant, and it's lacking fertilizer."

Horikita's expression finally softened a little.

Just then.

"Jingu-kun is really gentle, isn't he~" A sweet, cute voice came from behind. Bai Ye didn't even need to guess who it was.

"How do you figure?" Horikita looked at the cute girl skipping toward them with a puzzled expression.

Kushida pointed at the bag of love letters:

"Think about it, Horikita-san. If the letters were just thrown away and someone else found them, how embarrassed the people who wrote them would be? Jingu-kun chose to dispose of them secretly so that no one would see them. If he weren't a gentle person, he wouldn't do that."

"I see." Only then did Horikita shift her gaze to Bai Ye. "I didn't think that far just now. I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"Eh?? So Horikita-san actually knows how to apologize." Kushida covered her small mouth in an exaggerated manner. "I thought..."

"Shut up!" Horikita said coldly. "If you don't understand, don't judge others so casually."

"Ah, I'm terribly sorry!"

Kushida bowed slightly.

After changing her shoes, Kushida said: "Jingu-kun, there's one from me among those letters too. I suggest you take a good look at it."

"Hm?" Horikita looked at Kushida with suspicion. The latter smiled at her slightly before walking away from the shoe lockers in high spirits.

Horikita's gaze returned to Bai Ye.

He said: "Don't believe her. She's probably just trying to annoy you, since you keep rejecting her."

Horikita's doubts were finally dispelled.

The two walked toward the classroom side by side.

That night, while browsing through the love letters, Bai Ye actually found one from Kushida.

Written in cute handwriting, it said:

Bai Ye-kun, can I become your wife? I can warm your bed for you every day~

He was covered in black lines.

He opened his phone and coldly sent a message to Kushida:

I agree. Come over.

Kushida: Eh--?