But Aragaki Shun only furrowed his brows slightly before pulling his arm out of Hoshinomiya's embrace.
He didn't care about people saying one thing to your face and another behind your back. He simply had no trust in Hoshinomiya when she made such a flirtatious gesture so casually.
Who knew how many people she'd said the same thing to?
He preferred tangible help to empty promises like that.
"I understand your resolve, Teacher. Going forward, if Class B needs anything, I hope you'll help us as much as you can within the rules."
"For now, could I trouble you to put together all the exam materials from the founding of Advanced Nurturing High School to the present? It'd be even better if you could include the best test-taking methods used by the different classes and students."
The corner of Chie Hoshinomiya's mouth twitched. "Little Aragaki, do you take me for the Board Chairman or something? The school places strict restrictions on us homeroom teachers. They don't give us exam materials from before we became teachers."
"All I can do is write down the exams I've encountered while teaching over the past few years. I can also organize the exams I remember particularly well from my three years in high school."
"But don't expect to get too much out of them, Little Aragaki. The school's rules keep changing with every graduating class, and the exams each new class encounters are different, too. Aside from fixed exams like midterms and finals, the Special Exams that truly affect competition between classes are designed by the school specifically for the circumstances of that year."
According to Chie Hoshinomiya, the homeroom teachers were also part of the competition between classes.
Just as the students were divided into four ranks—A, B, C, and D—the teachers' treatment was also ranked from A to D.
To prevent homeroom teachers from helping their own students cheat, the school restricted them in all sorts of ways. This included having a dedicated Exam Question Committee design the tests, so the homeroom teachers couldn't learn the contents too far in advance and leak them to their respective classes.
Aragaki Shun didn't mind. It couldn't hurt to try. Even if the exams he encountered in the future were different, studying the school's past approach to setting questions and the ways students from previous classes had solved them would still be worthwhile.
Seeing that Chie Hoshinomiya had nothing else to discuss, Aragaki Shun said goodbye and headed to Class D.
But as he approached the classroom, he saw a group of girls surrounding Shiranami Chihiro by the door and making a commotion. Not far away, a group of boys were loudly clamoring for attention.
Shiranami Chihiro looked pale and flustered as she stood surrounded by Class D. Aragaki Shun couldn't help frowning.
His expression turned cold as he strode toward the group. His presence drew everyone's attention at once, and the girls surrounding Shiranami instinctively parted to make way for him.
He stopped in front of Shiranami. Under the short-haired girl's bright gaze, Aragaki Shun swept his indifferent eyes over the crowd, and the noisy atmosphere fell silent.
"I'm Aragaki Shun, Class B's class leader. May I ask what you all want with my classmate, Shiranami?"
33. Aragaki Shun's Embarrassing Nicknames
Perhaps Aragaki Shun's reputation had already grown to a certain extent. As soon as he arrived, the lively Class D fell quiet.
Under the weight of the tense atmosphere, Aragaki Shun ignored the gazes coming at him from every direction and spoke again. "Does anyone in Class D have the authority to speak for everyone? Could you step forward and tell me why you're crowding around my classmate, Shiranami?"
Behind Aragaki Shun, Shiranami Chihiro's eyes grew watery, and her earlier nervousness vanished. Her cheeks flushed as she shifted her feet a little. While no one was looking, she quietly and gently pinched the boy's shirt hem, as if instinctively seeking comfort from someone she trusted after being frightened.
No one noticed Shiranami Chihiro's little gesture. The Class D students looking over at them glanced at one another, but no one dared to answer Aragaki Shun's question.
Before long, though, the commotion at the door reached the classroom. A handsome boy with short green hair walked out.
He was Yosuke Hirata, a central figure in Class D. Aragaki Shun had heard of him back in Class B.
Apparently, he was like a little sun in Class D, treating all his classmates fairly and equally. Whenever someone in the class ran into trouble, he was willing to lend a hand, whether they were a boy or a girl, and expected nothing in return.
All in all, he was a genuine good guy—handsome like Shibata Sou, helpful, and responsible.
What was puzzling was that if he really was so flawless, why had the school assigned him to Class D, that garbage heap?
"Aragaki, I'm sorry. Everyone in our class meant no harm to Shiranami. They just saw her carrying a chair and standing by the Class D door, so they came over out of curiosity to ask about it."
After asking the students nearby what had happened, Yosuke Hirata came over and explained with an apologetic smile.
He had no choice but to step in and explain. This was the guy who hadn't hesitated to snub the Student Council President at the club information session. Afterward, the whole school had been abuzz with stories of how he challenged one club after another and raked in the Private Points of numerous second- and third-year students.
Just his reputation as a lone wolf was enough to make people break into a cold sweat. And he was said to be the unquestioned leader of Class 1-B. Most of the other students in his class didn't have the courage to face him directly.
Even Yosuke Hirata felt a little pressure when Aragaki Shun's gaze passed over him. He couldn't help thinking about everything Aragaki had accomplished in the past week.
Still, he'd rather bear that pressure and explain things to Aragaki than let a conflict break out within the class or between classes, let alone escalate into bullying.
So even though it had nothing to do with him, Yosuke Hirata had still stepped forward.
"Is that how it happened?"
Aragaki Shun wasn't sure what to make of Hirata's explanation yet. Instead, he turned and asked Shiranami Chihiro, who, for some reason, was blushing.
Only after Shiranami gave a small nod did he turn back to the Class D students. "I understand. Shiranami's rather mild-mannered and probably isn't used to talking to so many people she doesn't know. Could I ask everyone in Class D not to crowd around here?"
Under the inexplicable pressure, the girls he looked at laughed awkwardly and hurried back into the classroom.
Yosuke Hirata watched helplessly. Even the class's teacher couldn't have kept the Class D students in line as well as Aragaki Shun was doing at that moment.
Still, he could understand it.
First, the school year had been underway for a week, and the teachers at this school hardly did anything about the students. Class D had already settled into this relaxed, comfortable environment and lost the usual respect students had for their teachers.
Second, the social hierarchy in Sakurajima was deeply entrenched. At school, that meant older students could easily order their juniors around.
It was common knowledge on campus.
As for someone like Aragaki Shun, who had taken on a whole host of clubs, he was the kind of stronger person who could break the rules of the hierarchy and still command respect.
There was no doubt that his standing was above that of the older students. He naturally occupied the top of the entire school, and ordinary Class D students without the nerve to challenge him wouldn't dare offend him.
"Classes are about to start. Shiranami, you should head back."
"Huh? Oh, okay. Got it."
The short-haired girl at the front of the line reluctantly let go of the boy's shirt hem. Then she abruptly realized how obvious she'd been, and her ears turned bright red. She ducked her head and hurried straight toward the Class B classroom.
Aragaki Shun watched her go, the corner of his eye twitching. He could only marvel at how fast a rabbit-like girl could run.
He quickly put Shiranami out of his mind and looked at Yosuke Hirata. "I applied to the school to sit in on Class 1-D today. I'll be in your care."
"Huh? Sit in?"
The central figure of Class D was a little surprised, but quickly recovered. "You must have your reasons for doing this, Aragaki. If the school approved, I'm sure everyone in Class D will welcome you with open arms. I've heard you're very popular with the girls, after all."
Yosuke Hirata joked as he took the initiative to help Aragaki Shun move his chair to a suitable spot. Then, under the puzzled gazes of the Class D students, he went up to the podium and introduced him to the class.
"Could I have everyone's attention for a moment? This is Aragaki from Class B. I'm sure you've all heard about him."
"According to the school's arrangements, Aragaki will be sitting in on our class today. Let's give him a round of applause!"
As soon as Hirata finished speaking, the Class D classroom fell silent. Then vigorous applause and cheers broke out.
Aragaki Shun glanced over. A group of girls were excitedly shouting things like "number one on the handsome guy rankings," "number one on the rich guy rankings," "the guy I'd most like to date," and "the most dependable guy."
Aragaki Shun had no idea he'd topped so many rankings. The girls in his class hadn't mentioned anything like that. Could the Class D girls have made the rankings themselves?
Among the Class D boys, several familiar-looking guys were shouting things like "the super high school-level duelist," "the ultimate demon lord with godlike talent," "the most brutal club destroyer in history," and "the nightmare looming over Advanced Nurturing."
Who came up with all these ridiculous nicknames? Step forward and let me see you!
This was the first time since enrolling that Aragaki Shun had been this speechless.
And didn't this class have anyone responsible for keeping order?
It'd been almost a minute. Why hadn't they quieted down on their own? What if they disturbed the other classes?
All he could say was, his first impression of Class D was especially unforgettable.
34. Kushida Kikyo's Sudden Malice
Of course, even Aragaki Shun's charm couldn't win over the entire class.
So amid all the adulation, he paid more attention to those who were completely unmoved and even looked at him with hostility.
The first was Koenji Rokusuke, the most noticeable of the lot. He gave Aragaki a playful smile, but could be ignored for now.
Then came a familiar feeling of resentment. Aragaki Shun glanced over and, sure enough, saw the long-haired girl he'd noticed at the club information session.
The Student Council President's younger sister. He didn't know why she'd been assigned to Class D, but he'd keep her in mind for now.
His instinct warned him again. Aragaki Shun used [Danger Sense] to find the target, only to discover that the girl across from him was wearing a sweet smile.
The brown-haired girl had delicate features and a white headband. Beneath her neat bangs, her eyes looked pitifully soft, and she radiated an understated, charming innocence.
Kushida Kikyo—Aragaki Shun knew her. They'd bumped into each other in the cafeteria once and exchanged contact information.
By all appearances, she was the sort of girl who could easily strike up a conversation with a stranger and become friends with them.
If she'd been assigned to Class B, Aragaki Shun had no doubt she could have become just as popular as Ichinose Honami.
So why had she been assigned to Class D?
And hadn't things been fine the last time they met? Why had she suddenly become hostile toward him?
Aragaki Shun: "..."
He couldn't help thinking of Chie Hoshinomiya earlier. Had he really uncovered two people of the same sort in a single day?
Aside from those three, he also noticed a few boys muttering among themselves. He'd seen plenty of people who got jealous when someone else stole the spotlight, so they weren't particularly interesting.
By the time he'd quickly surveyed everyone's reactions, the commotion in the classroom had finally begun to die down.
Aragaki Shun paused his observation, met the gazes of the Class D students, and walked up to the podium. He simply said, "I look forward to learning from all of you today," then went to wait by the chair at the back of the classroom, acting like an exceptionally well-behaved student.
After all, the bell would ring in two minutes. The Class D students didn't know about the Behavioral Standards Exam, but as Class B's leader, he couldn't let his class down by failing such a basic requirement.
Soon, the bell rang for the first period, and the teacher walked into the classroom.
But these Class D students seemed to have no common sense at all. The teacher stood at the podium and taught the lesson as usual, while a large number of students below played on their phones, slept, or looked in the mirror and put on makeup. Had none of them noticed anything unusual about the school?
Surely they didn't actually think that they could just laze around every day, study nothing, and have the school give them 100,000 Private Points a month to support them for three years?
More importantly, if Advanced Nurturing High School recommended these weirdos to prestigious universities like University of Tokyo after three years, wouldn't it ruin the school's reputation?
Aragaki Shun fell into thought, wondering what he'd come to Class D to investigate in the first place.
As Aragaki Shun was left in shock by the overall quality of Class D, time continued to pass. Before long, the first period of the morning came to an end.
When the bell rang, the Class D students, who'd held back their curiosity for the entire lesson, finally couldn't contain themselves. They started trying to strike up a conversation with Aragaki Shun.
"Aragaki, fancy seeing you again. I didn't expect you to come to Class D for a lesson. Did you have something specific in mind?"
The first to approach was Kushida Kikyo, looking lively and cheerful. She clasped her hands in front of her chest and gazed at Aragaki Shun with shining eyes, seeming utterly sincere and sweet.
Aragaki Shun's brows twitched slightly. This time, he couldn't sense any particularly obvious hostility from the girl.
If he hadn't trusted his instincts, he might have wondered whether he'd imagined it earlier.
"This is only our second time meeting, right, Kushida? My classmates in Class B have a pretty good impression of you."
He studied the girl, whose true feelings were difficult to discern, then replied in a measured tone.
He wasn't an actress like her. He couldn't smile warmly at someone he knew disliked him.
Of course, there was no need to. This was how he normally treated people he didn't know well: politely but with some distance. If someone felt offended and wanted to teach him a lesson, they were welcome to try.
"Huh? The students in Class B talk about me with you? I didn't expect that. I thought you were the aloof type, Aragaki. I had to work up quite a bit of courage to ask for your contact information back then."
Kushida Kikyo patted her chest adorably. Though she was teasing him about his personality, she didn't make it sound annoying at all. Instead, she gave the impression of a close friend being playfully familiar.
Having a sweet face was a huge advantage in social situations.
But if she knew Aragaki Shun had warned his classmates to stay cautious around her and not get too close, would she still be able to keep that sweet expression?
After all, the students in Class D had all been verified by the school to have flaws. The more polished and flawless someone seemed on the surface, the more frightening the shortcomings they hid within were likely to be.
If someone as sociable as Ichinose Honami had been assigned to Class D, who knew what startling things she might have done in the past, according to the school's investigation?
For that reason, Class B was especially wary of not only Kushida Kikyo but also Yosuke Hirata.
That was partly because Class D had so many oddballs. Thanks to the efforts of Yamauchi Haruki, Kanji Ikegami, and Ken Sudō, the students in Class B had quickly realized just how terrible people with flaws could be.
Against the backdrop of those weirdos, Kushida Kikyo and Yosuke Hirata—two seemingly perfect people who appeared untouched by the mud—were all the more unsettling.
Kushida Kikyo naturally had no idea what Aragaki Shun was thinking. Still, she had a vague sense that her friendship with the Class B students never seemed to progress.
In her past experience, people who truly regarded her as a close friend would often let slip all sorts of secrets they held in their hearts.
But Class B's students weren't like that. Whenever she expressed interest in becoming friends, they responded warmly. But as soon as the conversation touched on more private matters or the class's internal affairs, they naturally changed the subject.
It gave her the impression that they were happy to be friends, but if she wanted them to share everything with her, then forget it.
It left Kushida Kikyo feeling frustrated every time.
She simply assumed it was because they hadn't known each other long and everyone was still getting used to the new environment. She didn't think much of it.
But now that one of Class B's central figures had suddenly come to Class D, Kushida Kikyo naturally wanted to approach and befriend him.
Come on, everything for the creation of the Kushida Empire!
35. Wang Meiyu, Prone to Overthinking
As he casually humored Kushida Kikyo, Aragaki Shun suddenly noticed a petite figure beside her who seemed hesitant. Surprised, he greeted the girl he'd met by chance.
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