The Mountain Wind Foretells the Storm

Natsukawa Sosuke packed up his books and was just about to stand up when a cold, slender figure walked up to his desk.

It was Horikita Suzune.

Her expression was as icy as ever, and those sharp eyes were currently fixed on the direction Sudo had left in, filled with a hint of deep contemplation. Her gaze then shifted to Natsukawa, and to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who remained silent beside him.

"Don't you think things are a bit suspicious?" Horikita Suzune asked, getting straight to the point. Her voice was very soft, yet clear enough for the two nearby to hear perfectly.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained expressionless, offering no response.

Natsukawa Sosuke calmly raised his eyelids and looked at her: "For example?"

"The points weren't distributed on time." Horikita's gaze swept across both their faces. "The school's system has been running for this long; I don't believe what happened is on the school's end."

She paused slightly, connecting two seemingly unrelated events with an invisible thread.

"And then, on the very day they announced the delay, Chabashira-sensei specifically called Sudo-kun out alone."

"Don't you think... that's too much of a coincidence?"

Horikita Suzune didn't offer a conclusion, but the suspicion contained in her words was self-evident.

The so-called minor issue from the school might not be a system glitch or an administrative problem at all.

The source was very likely a specific student.

And Sudo Ken, who had been called away at such a critical juncture, was undoubtedly the prime suspect.

In the air, a sense of an impending storm seemed to be brewing.

The next day, early morning.

In the Class D classroom, students sat listlessly at their desks; even the preparatory bell for the morning meeting failed to dispel the low pressure permeating the air.

That was until the figure of Chabashira Sae appeared at the classroom door like a walking gust of cold air.

She still wore that unchanging, icy expression, scanning the students below—some irritable, some numb—before stepping onto the podium and dropping a bombshell in a flat, emotionless tone.

"Regarding the delay in point distribution yesterday, a conclusion has been reached."

The entire class's spirits were instantly jolted awake.

"Because our student, Sudo Ken, committed an act of violence against three members of the Basketball Club from Class C and their classmate near the Special Building after school on the 28th, the nature of the offense is severe."

"According to school regulations, this behavior has caused a serious negative impact on the Class D evaluation. Therefore, 100 points will be deducted from Class D's monthly total as a penalty."

--100 points.

These two words exploded in everyone's minds like a thunderclap.

The classroom fell into a deathly silence that lasted for several seconds.

Immediately after, this silence was instantly shattered.

"Huh?! Are you kidding me!"

"100 points? Doesn't that mean our hard work last month was for nothing?!"

"What the hell! It's that guy Sudo again!"

Anger, shock, and undisguised resentment instantly transformed into a tangible wave of sound, converging from all directions like invisible arrows, all aimed squarely at the red-haired figure.

"Shut up!"

Sudo Ken slammed his hand on the desk and stood up abruptly. His already fierce face was flushed deep red with anger and the feeling of being wronged. He glared fixedly at Chabashira Sae on the podium, veins bulging on his neck like a provoked beast.

"Those guys were the ones who started it! They didn't like that I became a regular player, so they came to provoke me on purpose! I barely even fought back!"

His defense was frantic, yet it sounded incredibly pale and weak.

Chabashira Sae looked at him coldly, not a hint of emotion in her eyes: "That is your one-sided account. The three students from Class C unanimously claim that you provoked them without cause and were the first to initiate the violence. They have witnesses and physical evidence of their injuries."

Her words were like a bucket of ice water, nearly extinguishing Sudo Ken's rage.

"Th-that's a lie!" Sudo Ken's voice weakened. He looked around, trying to seek a shred of trust from his classmates' faces, but all he saw was indifference, suspicion, and blame.

"However," Chabashira Sae's voice didn't falter, "you have no evidence to prove your innocence. If you can find a witness to prove it was 'self-defense' as you claim, there is still room for maneuver."

"A witness..." Sudo Ken's eyes dimmed. In such a remote place, after school, how could there possibly be a witness?

Just then, a gentle yet firm voice broke the suffocating stalemate.

"Um... excuse me!"

Kushida Kikyo raised her hand and stood up from her seat. Her face wore just the right amount of concern, and her clear, large eyes were filled with worry for her classmate.

"May I ask, is there anyone here who happened to be passing by the Special Building at that time and saw Sudo-kun and the others? Or, does anyone have any relevant clues?"

Her angelic voice echoed through the silent classroom. However, the only response was silence.

No one spoke; although most students looked at her, not a single person could provide any useful information.

A flash of disappointment crossed Kushida Kikyo's face. Subconsciously, she stole a glance at the corner in the back of the classroom.

Natsukawa Sosuke was resting his chin on one hand, calmly watching out the window. There was no expression on his face, as if this turmoil concerning the entire class's interests was nothing more than a boring farce to him.

Noticing Natsukawa's detached and seemingly indifferent attitude, Kushida Kikyo bit her lower lip, and eventually, with a hint of apology, slowly sat back down.

Chabashira Sae took in everything before her, adjusted her glasses, and delivered her final declaration.

"Since there are no eyewitnesses, the Student Council will intervene to adjudicate this matter. One week from now, the involved parties from Class D and Class C will hold a final negotiation at the Student Council. At that time, the final punishment will be decided based on the outcome of the negotiation. Whether class points will be deducted or if there will be additional penalties depends entirely on you."

"Morning assembly is dismissed."

After the stifling morning assembly, the break began.

The atmosphere inside the classroom did not improve in the slightest despite the teacher's departure. Sudo Ken stood like an isolated island, excluded from every social circle. Whispers gathered into an undercurrent of malice, surging silently around him.

"What rotten luck, how did we end up in the same class as a violent thug like this..."

"Exactly, the class points we worked so hard to earn are all going to be ruined by him alone."

"I see him as a ticking time bomb; he's going to get our whole class killed sooner or later."

These complaints and accusations, neither too loud nor too soft but clear enough to pierce his ears, finally pushed Sudo Ken's patience to its limit.

"What are you lot yapping about over there!" He spun around abruptly, roaring at the students who were gossiping about him. "I already told you, they were the ones who started it! I was acting in self-defense! And I barely even fought back!"

However, his roar was met only with more eye-rolls and disdainful snorts. In this situation, no one was going to believe a violent delinquent with a "long rap sheet."

Just as the hostility within the class was about to erupt completely, a gentle yet firm voice stepped forward.

"Everyone, please calm down for a moment."