Sakayanagi Arisu Couldn't Speak / So You're a Lesbian?

With Sakayanagi Arisu deliberately letting things slide and Ryuen's calculated attacks, the result had naturally turned out this way.

The reason the three classes hadn't built up much of a gap was simple.

Yamauchi was too much of a coward.

The Behavioral Norms Exam recorded every little detail caught on camera. If they wanted to attack Class A by harassing and provoking its students and lowering its evaluation, it would inevitably affect their own class's evaluation to some extent.

It wasn't as if they couldn't use petty tricks to make themselves look like the victims. This sort of third-rate tactic was exactly what Ryuen was good at.

But during the first month of school, everyone was still figuring out where the school drew the line. They needed to find out what kinds of harassment the school would allow and how far students could go in attacking one another.

Since he wasn't yet confident in how firmly he controlled his class, Ryuen Kakeru hadn't taken any overly aggressive, direct action.

Instead, he'd gone around the long way and approached Yamauchi Haruki.

He'd gotten closer to him, thrown an arm around his shoulder, and promised him a substantial reward.

He wanted to make Yamauchi the pawn who would attack Class A, forcing Class D's points as low as possible—the lower, the better.

Unfortunately, even after taking the money, Yamauchi was still Yamauchi. He'd only skipped class and done a little petty, childish harassment.

If Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't let things slide, the former Class A could never have fallen.

As for why the former Class B hadn't been harassed but still hadn't pulled far ahead of the classes below it, ending up with "only" 890 points...

Asakusa Toru had skipped class on the first day, which cost them points. For the two days after the information was announced, the class had also needed time to settle down after the excitement of starting school. They couldn't possibly go a whole month without losing a single point. All those little deductions had added up, and the final result was already enough to satisfy their classmates.

Class C went without saying. Even if they hadn't covered the cameras on the first day, their conduct was what it was. The only reason they'd managed to get 750 points was the pressure Ryuen had put on them.

But in the month after the Special Exam ended, they'd started to let their guard down.

...Of course, none of that mattered to Asakusa Toru.

Class Points, Class A—none of it affected him in the slightest. If he weren't trying to act like a normal student, he wouldn't bother wasting his time here.

But wasting time was one thing. Joining the other students in cheering and celebrating at the top of his lungs was another. That would be difficult.

He genuinely couldn't empathize with them.

All he could do was pretend to join in with the small number of classmates who weren't particularly sociable, clapping along with the group before finding an excuse to slip out of the classroom once the excitement had died down a little.

Officially, he'd gone out to settle down.

But, in the end, it seemed he'd only gone to chew out Horikita Suzune.

After chewing her out, he'd given her a task and then hurried back to class.

He had no idea whether Horikita Suzune would take on the task, but Asakusa Toru couldn't be bothered to worry about it. He'd gotten to vent, and that was enough.

After he'd "settled down," most of the class had done the same. The Behavioral Norms Exam was over, but that didn't mean the school wouldn't keep an eye on their attitude in class.

It just wouldn't use cameras and a magnifying glass to hunt for every possible reason to deduct points.

The excitement over moving up a class would die down after a while. But for the vast majority of students, the biggest worry was still the upcoming "midterm exams."

Fail, and you'd be expelled.

Their class wasn't in as much danger as Class D. Most of them were still above the average, with only a few barely scraping by.

So only a handful of them had reason to worry.

For example, Shiranami Chihiro had spent the entire month pretending to listen attentively in class, thanks to Ichinose's early warning, even though her mind had long since wandered off to all sorts of other things. Only today had she suddenly realized that failing meant expulsion, and that she might already be in serious trouble...

"You can tell from the average on the quizzes that the passing score is half the class average, right?" Kanzaki Ryuji asked casually, frowning as he stuffed another dessert into his mouth. "If that's the case, wouldn't it be fine as long as everyone keeps their scores down and lowers the average?"

"No, everyone's grades are the result of their own efforts," Ichinose Honami said, shaking her head. "Besides, Hoshinomiya-sensei said this exam's results would also affect our Class Points. She said everyone would get a reward just for making it through the midterms, but our scores will still have some effect."

"Mm-hmm. So Shiranami needs to work hard," Shibata Hayate said with repeated nods.

"You're the one who needs to work hard too!"

They'd gathered here this afternoon to rescue Shiranami Chihiro.

But although Asakusa Toru was supposed to be part of their discussion, he hadn't said a word.

His gaze had settled on the fragile silver-haired girl sitting not far away.

What a coincidence.

Chapter 63: Sakayanagi Arisu Couldn't Speak

Sakayanagi Arisu, Kamuro Masumi, and... Wang Meiyu, the classmate she'd called over.

White over-the-knee socks, black knee-high socks, and a pair of clean, smooth calves.

He'd only accepted the invitation to kill some time, joining Ichinose's private, friendly get-together at the Palette. He hadn't expected to stumble across this scene.

Asakusa Toru could tell at a glance that Sakayanagi Arisu still hadn't changed her mind. She was unwaveringly convinced that she herself was "Wang Meiyu."

She'd probably come because of what he'd written in his diary yesterday: "Civil War Phantom God."

Unfortunately, she'd picked the wrong person.

After a little thought, shielded by the Cognition Filter, Asakusa Toru brazenly took out his diary and the pen he carried with him.

He was going to write today's entry ahead of time.

That's right—right now, while Sakayanagi Arisu was putting pressure on Wang Meiyu.

"Um..."

Although Wang Meiyu had come because she'd been invited, she was under a lot of pressure now.

Sakayanagi Arisu sat across from her in silence, calmly adding sugar to her coffee and gently stirring it with a spoon.

She'd invited Wang Meiyu here, but she'd been sitting right in front of her for several minutes without saying a word.

S-say something already...

"Hehe..." Perhaps sensing how nervous she was, Sakayanagi Arisu finally stopped putting pressure on her and let out a soft chuckle. "So you do get nervous?"

Of course I get nervous!

You suddenly showed up in my class last time and made my classmates chase me around asking about my relationship with you. And now you've suddenly asked me to come here...

Did I do something wrong?

Wang Meiyu lowered her head and desperately searched through her memories, trying to find some clue that might explain the situation.

Did I do something to Classmate Sakayanagi? Did I forget to greet her when we ran into each other? Is that why she's got it in for me? Or did I accidentally step on her shadow in P.E. and offend her?

She tried hard to come up with a reason, but Wang Meiyu still couldn't find anything.

After all, she and Sakayanagi Arisu had no connection whatsoever!

All she knew was that Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to be in Class A—oh, Class B now—and was that class's popular Little Princess. She knew absolutely nothing else about her!

"Um, well..." Wang Meiyu lowered her head and asked quietly, "Did I... do something?"

"If I did, I can apologize..."

To be fair, if she really had done something wrong, then she should apologize.

But could someone at least tell her what she'd done?!

"...You're usually very good at pretending, Classmate Wang," Sakayanagi Arisu sighed softly. Her slender fingertips intertwined, and a trace of disappointment appeared in her eyes. "But there's no need to keep pretending in front of me, is there?"

"Are you worried about the people around us? Don't worry. No one's watching, and no one will hear a thing."

"Ah, the only person who could hear or see anything is Masumi." She suddenly smiled, then turned to look at Kamuro Masumi beside her.

Standing behind her like a dutiful guard, the girl met her gaze without expression.

"...So can I sit down now?" Kamuro Masumi asked listlessly.

"Mm-hmm, go ahead." Sakayanagi Arisu nodded lightly. "I've already put you through so much trouble, Masumi. It would be a little embarrassing to keep making you stand here and guard me."

"Order whatever you like. It's on me."

"...I don't need you to pay for me." Kamuro Masumi pulled out a chair and sat down, raising her hand high.

She wanted to order.

The server came over, then left. Sakayanagi Arisu turned her gaze back to Wang Meiyu.

A flawless disguise.

Her lowered head and hunched shoulders, and the way she seemed to have been bullied, made her look just like a delicate, timid girl.

But who would have guessed that she'd written such brazen things in her diary?

"Besides, even if you stopped pretending, everyone would still know nothing as long as you mentioned the diary, right?" Sakayanagi Arisu raised an eyebrow.

She'd tried it. The diary blocked all discussion related to it. Anything she said would be twisted into something different in other people's minds, and no matter how she tried to reveal the truth, the words would be altered.

So even if she let her true nature show, as long as she worked something about the diary into what she said, everyone else would remain oblivious.

Just like now.

Kamuro Masumi hadn't heard a thing, and Wang Meiyu...

"Why are you still pretending you didn't hear anything?" Sakayanagi Arisu furrowed her brow, an ominous feeling suddenly welling up inside her.

No... It can't be, can it?

An intensely uncomfortable, awkward feeling rose in Sakayanagi Arisu before she could stop it.

She finally realized there was a tiny but unmistakable flaw in the conclusion she'd reached.

"...Did Classmate Sakayanagi say something just now?" Wang Meiyu asked in confusion, turning to Kamuro Masumi, who was holding the iced coffee the server had just brought her.

Kamuro Masumi shrugged. "Don't worry about it. It happens all the time."

"Oh..." Wang Meiyu murmured. After hesitating for a moment, she finally worked up the courage to say what she'd wanted to say all along. "Um, Classmate Sakayanagi, if you really don't need anything from me, I'll head back now. My friends are waiting..."

It might not have been accurate to say her friends were waiting for her. It was more that her friends needed her.

Ever since Kushida Kikyo had been absent that morning, Wang Meiyu had been worried. Kushida hadn't asked for leave, and she wasn't answering her messages. Wang Meiyu had even gone to her dorm during lunch, but got no response.

So instead of continuing to wonder what she'd done wrong, it would be better to get Sakayanagi Arisu to just say what she wanted.

"I said I'd apologize, so please stop teasing me..." Wang Meiyu clenched her fists and raised her head.

"..." Sakayanagi Arisu fell silent.

It was perfect.

Her expression, her movements, her manner—every part of her disguise was flawless. Even after Sakayanagi had put pressure on her again and again, she hadn't shown the slightest crack.

If this had happened a month ago, Sakayanagi would probably have admired Wang Meiyu's acting.

But now, when she'd finally started doubting her conclusion...

She found herself unable to speak.

Chapter 64: So You're a Lesbian?

"...Masumi, could you help me stand up?" Sakayanagi Arisu suddenly asked softly.

Her cane was right beside her, but having someone help her was still more convenient than walking on her own.

"?" Kamuro Masumi had just taken a sip of coffee and looked a little confused. Fortunately, she was already used to Sakayanagi Arisu's ways. She set down her coffee, stood up, and expertly helped Sakayanagi to her feet. In just two steps, she brought her over to Wang Meiyu.

She then casually picked up the cane and placed it in Sakayanagi's hand.

"..." Sakayanagi Arisu glanced at Kamuro Masumi, who had already gone back to her seat and resumed sipping her coffee without permission. This time, she didn't say anything. Instead, she leaned on the cane with one hand and took Wang Meiyu's hand with the other.

"Has your heart started beating faster?" She pressed her fingertips against Wang Meiyu's pulse. "Do you feel your heart fluttering?"

"Or should I get a little closer?"

Wang Meiyu might be a lesbian.

That had been the conclusion Sakayanagi had reached before.

And although she was a little smaller than the other girls, her appearance seemed to fit Wang Meiyu's tastes, judging from the diary's previous entries.

The diary had even devoted a whole page to calling out her name.

So Wang Meiyu should have been smitten.

"..." Wang Meiyu's heart really had started racing. Sakayanagi had suddenly moved close and taken her hand, then said something like that. She wasn't merely smitten.