The Only Way

"We cannot be found innocent during the deliberations. Even if Class C or Class A produce new witnesses, we still won't be able to win. However, as an alternative, I would like to ask you to prepare something. It is the only solution." Beside a bench, Horikita Suzune spoke to Ichinose and Kanzaki across from her.

"Something? What do you mean?" Ichinose asked.

"I mean surveillance cameras." Horikita Suzune stated the item essential to the plan.

Ayanokoji was somewhat shocked. He hadn't expected that after deciding to stop following in her brother's footsteps, Horikita Suzune would be able to come up with such a strategy, and without any hints from him, no less.

Ichinose, usually very calm, had her expression stiffen. She seemed to feel the proposal was reckless and did not immediately agree. Kanzaki also made a contemplative gesture and fell into silence.

"I understand my position well, and I know I have no right to make such a request. However, if you can accept what I am about to say, would you be willing to help?" Horikita Suzune told everyone present the only solution she had conceived.

"That is truly an unexpected idea, and I think the results should be worth looking forward to, but is something like this really okay?" Ichinose said, looking to Kanzaki for his opinion.

"This might violate your rules and moral standards, Ichinose," Kanzaki said.

"Ahaha... that's true, but this might indeed be the only way to solve it." After thinking it over carefully, Ichinose agreed.

For this battle filled with lies, it certainly didn't suit Ichinose, but for the sake of the ultimate truth, she had no choice but to get involved.

"However, are surveillance cameras even sold at Kouiku?" Ichinose asked.

"Yes, they should be..."

"What a lively group, hello everyone." Before Horikita could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the arrival of Ying.

"Byakuya, have you finished your work at the student council?" Ichinose asked upon seeing Ying.

Kanzaki noticed the bag in Ying's hand and asked, "What is this?"

Ying waved his hand and said, "Hey, don't ask. I got scammed by that black-hearted clerk again. He kept talking about a '360-degree blind-spot-free super camera.' I just took these things to the Kouiku market supervision department to report it. Turns out, those people said this thing actually can film 360 degrees without blind spots. I'm speechless. If I'd known that, I wouldn't have sold off those other fake goods I got scammed with earlier..."

As Ying continued his tragic speech, Horikita Suzune spoke up from the side: "Can you lend us that thing?"

"Huh? Do you know what's inside?" Ying looked at Horikita Suzune in confusion, then pulled out a camera from the bag.

Everyone stared at the bag full of surveillance cameras, stunned.

"Byakuya, it's not too late to turn back now," Kanzaki said, patting Ying on the shoulder to persuade him.

"Yes, Byakuya, everyone in Class B will help you."

Ying: ???

"No, did you guys not hear me clearly? Let me say it again, that day I..."

"Whatever, it doesn't matter. Can you lend us this equipment? We'll return it later." Horikita Suzune cut off Ying's rant and held out her hand, signaling for him to give her the bag.

Ying sighed, handed the bag to Horikita Suzune, and said helplessly, "Take it if you want. I don't want it anymore anyway."

"Still, this is quite a coincidence. We just decided to go buy surveillance cameras, and Byakuya shows up with them," Ichinose laughed.

"Yeah, I'm confused myself," Ying replied.

Is such a coincidence really possible? That it happened to be noticed by Horikita, and that he happened to appear at this exact moment... Ayanokoji remained silent, merely watching Ying quietly.

"Now that the equipment is ready, there are two days left until the final deliberation. Let's start preparing the operation now." After Horikita Suzune finished speaking, she began to discuss the battle plan with the others.

"Move a little more that way. Yes, right there. Hold it, that's perfect, indeed." Sotomura, known to Class D as the Professor, was directing Ying, who was acting as the manual laborer, to install the cameras.

"Can you hurry up? I can't hold on much longer...!" Ying was supporting a large amount of surveillance equipment and had been holding it for nearly three hours.

"Byakuya, hang in there," Ayanokoji said, standing to the side.

"Ayanokoji! What have you been doing for these three hours!? You slacker!" Ying glared at Ayanokoji, who was drinking a beverage, and cursed.

"I'm keeping watch."

"Didn't Horikita and the others have someone keeping watch!?"

"They are discussing the battle plan."

"Byakuya-dono, don't move. I am almost finished, indeed," the Professor reminded Ying, who had no choice but to continue straining his arms.

"Um... do you need any help?"

Ying looked toward the source of the voice. "Sakura!? Why are you here?"

"Don't move, indeed!"

"Sumimasen (I'm sorry)!"

"I heard from Kushida that you were preparing for the operation here, so I wanted to come and see if there was anything I could help with. If only I had come forward to testify sooner... I'm sorry, everyone!"

"Sakura, you don't need to blame yourself. Everyone in Class D believes you." After Ying finished speaking, he gave Ayanokoji a wink.

"Yes, not just me and Horikita, everyone in Class D believes Sakura's testimony," Ayanokoji said, looking at Sakura, who was on the verge of tears.

"That's right, I believe in Sakura-dono's testimony very much, indeed."

"Please, let me help!" Sakura said earnestly.

"Yoshi (Good)! Let Sakura keep watch, and Ayanokoji, get over here and do some manual labor!" Ying laughed.

"I agree as well, indeed."

With Ayanokoji's help, the work was finished quickly.

"Ah~, my shoulders are so sore," Ying complained.

"Byakuya-kun, would you like me to help you massage them?" Sakura said.

Ying: !

"Oh my, how could I be so bold~. I'll have to trouble you then!" After saying that, Ying sat down on the stairs with his back to Sakura.

Ying felt a pair of hands press onto his shoulders, and then...

"Crack!"

That sour, refreshing sensation was the real deal!

"Byakuya-kun, does it feel good, hahaha!" Ying turned his head to look, only to find that it was the burly Shibata helping him "massage."

"What the hell!" Ying shouted, unleashing his own eighteen varieties of "massage" techniques on Shibata, who yelped repeatedly in sheer "pleasure."

Hamaguchi and Beppu stood to the side, laughing until they couldn't close their mouths, while Kanzaki and Ichinose couldn't help but smile at the sight.

The group gathered together to begin discussing the specific battle plan. Horikita Suzune, Sudo, and Sakura would go to the Student Council to await the review, while Ayanokoji, Ichinose, and Shibata would execute the trap for Class C, and Ying would continue to serve as the moderator.

"Um, I have something I absolutely must take care of that day, so I might not be able to go," Sakura said apologetically.

"It's fine, Sakura-san. I believe that with Horikita there, even if our operation fails that day, she will surely be able to secure justice for Class D," Ichinose said.

Knowing the original story, Ying already knew what was about to happen, and he felt it was a pity that he couldn't rush to the scene because he had to moderate at the Student Council. However, Ying seemed to realize something and asked Ayanokoji, "Ayanokoji, do you have Sakura's contact info?"

"No, why?"

Ying: ...

"Go add her, you idiot!"