I'll Wait for You in the Classroom

However, the very next day, he began to regret the decision he'd made yesterday.

Lunchtime.

As he watched Karuizawa Kei take his hand, brimming with enthusiasm as she tried to lead him off to lunch, his brow furrowed into a deep frown.

"Hey, come on. What are you dawdling for?" Karuizawa said impatiently.

She seemed oblivious to the stunned looks from everyone around them.

Horikita, who had been about to go eat with her classmates, also turned to look.

After watching for just two seconds, she strode over without hesitation and grabbed Karuizawa's wrist.

"Let go."

Horikita's words blew across Karuizawa's heart like a cold September wind, making the girl shiver.

But Karuizawa met Horikita's gaze without backing down.

"Why are you grabbing my hand? Let go already!"

"I should be asking what you're doing. Are you trying to provoke me?" Horikita said coldly.

By then, the surrounding students had also reacted, and they began whispering among themselves.

"Damn, what's going on?"

"How could Karuizawa...? Am I seeing things?"

"Fight, fight!"

In the distance, Hasebe watched the three of them with interest, her eyes full of gossip.

If this country had sunflower seeds, she would probably have already pulled some out to snack on.

Beside her, Sakura Airi tugged at her clothes and asked cautiously,

"Jiajia, what are they doing?"

Hasebe shook her head and glanced at her. "You wouldn't understand. Don't ask."

"How could I not understand..." Sakura muttered softly.

Her beautiful eyes turned toward the figure at the center of the storm, and she fell into a daze.

She still remembered how Bai Ye had tricked her into going to the rooftop with a love letter. Afterward, she'd dismissed it as a prank.

But from watching him in everyday life, she felt that he wasn't the sort of person who would do something like that.

And Hasebe's praise had made her think it was all a misunderstanding.

She felt she ought to thank him properly. He was the reason she'd made a friend.

Back with Bai Ye.

He looked at Karuizawa helplessly. "You can go eat by yourself. It's not like you don't have friends. Why are you dragging me along?"

Karuizawa raised an eyebrow.

"You're my best friend. Why can't I come to you?"

"Best friend?" Horikita's eyes were as strange as everyone else's. She looked down at the hands they were still holding. "Is this what you mean by 'best friend'?"

"What's wrong with holding hands between best friends? Why do you care so much?"

Karuizawa showed no fear, speaking with complete confidence. "Go away. Go eat with your friends."

"I'm not going." Horikita looked at Bai Ye. "Is everything she said true?"

"...More or less. But good friends don't need to hold hands, so... sorry."

He pulled his hand free. Karuizawa glared at him in annoyance.

Horikita said, "Come on. I'm coming with you two."

She took one of them by each hand and led them out of the classroom.

If they stayed any longer, she was afraid she'd be stabbed to death by everyone's stares.

Under the disappointed gazes of their classmates, the three of them walked far away from the classroom.

Of course, no one dared to follow. Nobody in the class dared to mess with either of the girls, and with Bai Ye there too, they were even less inclined to try.

Once they were a short distance from the classroom, Karuizawa immediately shook off Horikita's hand and furrowed her brows.

"Horikita, what are you doing?"

"And you have the nerve to ask me... Tell me, what are you after?"

"After? I don't know what you're talking about..." Karuizawa's eyes darted aside before she looked at Bai Ye. "Help me say something to her! Are you still my best friend or not?"

"Uh... Actually, I'm curious about your motives too."

"..."

With both of them staring at her, even Karuizawa's thick skin couldn't keep her from blushing a little. She stamped her foot in frustration.

"Fine, fine, I'll tell you! I just want to get closer to Jingu. What am I supposed to do if I get bullied in class, as a girl?"

Horikita said, "Who would dare bully you? Are you joking?"

"For example, you... And that red-haired punk."

The redhead she meant was Sudo. She wasn't afraid of Sudo, and he wouldn't dare openly pick a fight with her. But she knew that if he really did get physical, she wouldn't stand a chance against him. Judging by how reckless Sudo was, he might actually do it.

Horikita studied her with a sharp gaze. "Are you sure that's all? You're not trying to... make Jingu and me break up?"

"..." Karuizawa lowered her head guiltily and scratched her cheek. "As if... Don't joke around... Hehe."

Anyone could tell from her expression. Horikita let out a quiet sigh.

"You can go. I'll let you eat with him again next time."

"Huh? You're being this nice to me?" Karuizawa asked suspiciously.

"I trust him... Anyway, you've got nothing to do with this now, so hurry up and go."

"Okay."

Karuizawa glanced at the two of them, then hurried off.

After she was gone, Horikita stepped forward and took his hand. "Let's go eat too. I'm a little hungry."

As she led him along, Bai Ye hesitated for a moment before asking,

"Aren't you going to ask me anything? About Karuizawa, for example?"

"No need. I trust you," Horikita said. "If there's something you really want to tell me, tell me when you're ready. I'll listen."

"..."

For some reason, he suddenly felt a strange stirring in his heart.

Horikita's words seemed simple, but they gave him an immense sense of trust.

Warmth spread through him.

After they'd walked a little farther, Horikita spoke again.

"Are you free this afternoon?"

"I still have some Student Council work today, so I'll be a bit late... Why don't you head off first..."

"I'll wait for you," Horikita replied decisively, not giving him a chance to continue.

"All right."

He nodded helplessly.

She chose this moment to be so firm and domineering. If he were a girl, his eyes would probably be sparkling right now.

Afterward, they went to the cafeteria and ordered food.

It had been a while since they'd eaten together, and Bai Ye missed the feeling.

So as they ate, he picked up a bite of food, blew on it to cool it, and held it out to Horikita.

"Here, Horikita. Say ah~"

The girl blushed slightly. She put down her chopsticks, tucked the hair by her ear, then leaned forward and took the food neatly from his chopsticks.

She half-covered her mouth with one hand and chewed elegantly.

The sight stirred something in Bai Ye. After she swallowed, he repeated the gesture.

Horikita didn't refuse. She obediently accepted the food again.

Before long, the food on his plate had dwindled, all of it ending up in Horikita's stomach.

Looking at his empty plate, Horikita furrowed her brows and moved her own plate in front of him.

"Eat mine."

"Okay."

He ate the delicious food Horikita had left, finding it somehow tastier than usual.

Once he'd finished, the two of them tidied up and left the cafeteria.

Before they parted, Horikita said coolly, "I'll wait for you in the classroom after school."

"Mm."

He nodded and let go of the hand they'd been holding.

As he watched the girl walk away, the tenderness in his eyes grew a little deeper.