Two Simps

A night passed, and the excitement surrounding the start of the new school year gradually began to subside.

When he arrived at the classroom in the morning, Kushida Kikyou seemed to have been waiting for him in the front row, flashing a sweet smile as she saw him:

"Jingu-kun, you're really late. Did it take that long to use the restroom?"

"..."

Bai Ye knew at a glance that she was angry because he hadn't returned yesterday.

But he couldn't expose the fact that he had left on purpose.

Because that would mean going against the girls in the class, and acting too aloof would only make people dislike him, just like Horikita Suzune.

"Kushida-san, I forgot. I'm very sorry."

Kushida pouted slightly: "As I thought, you don't take my words to heart. I suppose Horikita-san's words are more pleasant to listen to."

"..."

He didn't know how Kushida had found out about him and Horikita, but before he could think further, two guys who had held a grudge against him for a while rushed forward impatiently:

"Hey, Jingu, how are you talking to my little Kushida? Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you're handsome!"

Yamauchi Haruki's angry voice came through, "Apologize to little Kushida right now, baka!"

"Exactly, exactly!" Ike Kanji chimed in, "You need to put little Kushida's words first, understand?"

Bai Ye looked at the two sycophants inexplicably trying to curry favor and said, "Didn't I already apologize?"

"Not sincere enough! Do you know how to do a dogeza?"

"No."

"Then I'll teach you, hmph!"

Yamauchi rolled up his sleeves, intending to step forward and teach him a lesson.

Bai Ye was a bit puzzled; logically, someone like Yamauchi shouldn't have the courage to do this.

However, seeing the jealousy in those bloodshot eyes, he immediately understood.

He must be holding a grudge because Bai Ye received enthusiastic attention from the girls in the class as soon as school started, and Kushida had just expressed her dissatisfaction with him in a coquettish manner. How could the self-important Yamauchi endure that?

And he only had the courage to make a move because he thought Bai Ye didn't look sturdy and would be easy to bully.

If he could suppress him with force here, Kushida would surely look at him, Yamauchi, with more interest.

Ah, how annoying.

He didn't really want to fight with Yamauchi; even if he beat Yamauchi to the ground, no one would think he was impressive, and they would just think he had violent tendencies.

Fortunately, Kushida cleared up the misunderstanding in time: "Yamauchi-kun, don't misunderstand. I'm not angry; I was just curious about his relationship with Horikita-san. I saw them eating together in the cafeteria yesterday."

"Oh, is that so?" Yamauchi scratched his head and gave a silly laugh, "Little Kushida, you really do like me, don't you? Otherwise, why would you explain it to me?"

"Nonsense, she was clearly explaining it to me!" Ike Kanji poked him in the chest.

"Get lost!"

"You're the one who should get lost, idiot!"

Kushida looked at the two of them awkwardly, smiling helplessly.

Bai Ye suddenly felt a bit of sympathy for Kushida. Being pestered by guys like this, she couldn't even flip out because she had to maintain her image, silently enduring this kind of verbal harassment every day.

He could imagine that tonight, on the rooftop, those two railings belonging to Yamauchi and Ike Kanji would be kicked to pieces by Kushida.

However, thinking about it from another perspective, this path was Kushida's own choice.

Thinking of that, he no longer felt any sympathy for her.

Kushida stopped paying attention to the two of them and looked at him earnestly:

"So, what exactly is the relationship between Jingu-kun and Horikita-san?"

This was what she really wanted to ask, Bai Ye thought.

"Above strangers, below friends."

It was just a relationship between acquaintances who were somewhat familiar with each other; he wasn't lying.

"Does that mean Jingu-kun is pursuing her?"

You guessed it!

He really wanted to retort directly like that, but he knew that if he admitted it, the game would be over.

He would become just another one of Horikita Suzune's sycophants.

"If Kushida-san thinks that any act of closeness between the opposite sex is caused by romance, then I have nothing to say to that."

Of course, he didn't like Horikita; at most, he liked her appearance.

Everything was just a task from the system.

As for whether he would like her in the future, that was a matter for later.

Kushida Kikyou maintained her sweet smile and said with a hint of pleading: "Actually, I also want to become friends with Horikita-san. Could Jingu-kun help me out?"

He knew the reason for this, so he didn't waste his breath asking again.

"No way. I have enough trouble building a good relationship with her myself; how could I possibly help you?"

"I see, that can't be helped then." Kushida tapped her vibrant red lips. "Then I'll have to ask Jingu-kun to keep an eye out. If you find a way... or even if you don't, you can talk to me, and we can think about it together."

"Mm."

Kushida watched him for a moment, a look of pity appearing on her face. "Although I trust Jingu-kun's character, I still want to ask: you weren't lying to me just now, were you?"

"No, I promise."

His eyes, which had been looking at the desk, shifted to meet Kushida's slightly scrutinizing gaze. He smiled faintly and winked.

"..."

He immediately saw Kushida freeze for a second, a bright crimson flush creeping up her delicate neck.

As if trying to vent the heat from her body, Kushida parted her lips slightly, shot him a look filled with inexplicable emotions, and then turned and walked away.

He didn't actually intend to seduce Kushida; he was just thinking that she would likely end up on his task list in the future, and for the sake of his future plans, he couldn't afford to offend her too much.

The reason he was able to temporarily dispel her suspicions was that his words just now were true—he hadn't been playing with Kushida's feelings.

It was precisely because his attitude was sincere enough that he could move people.

Sincerity was his greatest weapon.

Their conversation hadn't aroused anyone else's suspicion either; what they said was perfectly normal, nothing more than the topic of how to get along with Horikita.

Except for the slightly unusual look in Kushida's eyes at the very end.

However, that didn't count for much; compared to yesterday's misunderstanding involving a confession, today's events were trivial.

After the morning classes ended, he glanced in Horikita's direction.

Seeing her take out her bento box and prepare to eat at her desk, he stood up and walked over step by step.

During lunch, most people in the classroom had run off, leaving only a few behind, and Horikita was one of them.

To her left, in the seat by the window, Ayanokouji sat upright, taking a sandwich out from under his desk to eat.

He sat down in the empty seat to the right of Horikita Suzune.

This seat belonged to a girl; if he hadn't misremembered, it was a girl named Matsushita Chiaki.

Watching him sit down just like that and stare straight at the lunch box in her hands, Horikita frowned, pushed her bento box a little further away, and looked at him with a wary expression.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing, just a bit hungry..."

"Can't you go buy your own food?"

"I'm too embarrassed to go alone."

"Then you can go with the person to my left." Horikita pointed to Ayanokouji, who was munching on his sandwich to her left. "He doesn't have any friends either; you two can make do."

Bai Ye followed the direction of Horikita's finger. Ayanokouji was focused entirely on his sandwich, his face still devoid of any expression.

He was suddenly curious: if he put a pile of wasabi in Ayanokouji's lunch, would he still be able to maintain that cool, poker-faced look?

Such an interesting idea was better left for another time.

Bai Ye shook his head. "Maybe next time."