Classroom of the Elite, Starting with a Zero, I'm Just Going to Lay Flat Since I Know the Plot

Meow!

Hmm.

Kushida instantly felt that this underclassman was rotten to the core, but she didn't dislike that thought.

Thinking this, the tension in Kushida's heart instantly eased, and even the expression on her face became pleasant.

She cast a glance in the direction of Nakano Yuu and Horikita.

Unfortunately, neither of them was looking at her.

"..."

Kushida.

Forget it.

She was used to it.

On the other side.

Nakano, unaware that he had already been targeted by Kushida, put his phone into his pocket.

While he was talking with Horikita, Nagumo had sent a few more messages, but Nakano Yuu didn't respond at all, choosing to wait patiently instead.

Finally.

The morning classes ended, and the students finally welcomed their lunch break.

"Um..."

Horikita hadn't prepared a bento today.

Horikita's brother's advice had been effective; Horikita was no longer as frugal as she had been at the start, and she had learned to be lazy and skip cooking sometimes.

Naturally.

As her seatmate, Nakano Yuu caught a faint scent of mint wafting from Horikita today.

This was a completely different scent from the natural, girlish fragrance Horikita Suzune usually carried.

Of course, some girls used perfume or similar things to add a scent to themselves.

But based on Nakano Yuu's understanding of Horikita Suzune, she wouldn't do such a thing. Horikita never used cosmetics, and she only had a single bottle of moisturizer for skincare.

The reason he knew this so well was mainly thanks to the time he had visited her dorm and observed.

Her sink area only had a bottle of moisturizer and a bottle of hand soap. It was very simple.

Furthermore, the tea in the thermos Horikita brought today was also quite special. Usually, it was that relatively cheap jasmine green tea, but today it was ginger brown sugar tea.

For keeping warm.

In other words, that was likely the case; Horikita was going through a girl's special time of the month.

Because it was a special time, she didn't want to overexert herself, so naturally, she wouldn't get up early to make a bento.

"It's about time to close the net. I'm heading to the cafeteria to eat."

Nakano Yuu said gentlemanly.

"Are you coming along?"

"Yeah, I'm going to the cafeteria today too."

Horikita didn't refuse.

After arriving at the cafeteria, while Horikita went to get his food, Nakano Yuu quickly opened his phone and, in one smooth motion, blocked and deleted Nagumo's contact information.

"Ara, what a coincidence."

However, while he was waiting for Horikita to return from the queue, he noticed that Sakayanagi Arisu had arrived at the second-floor cafeteria at some point.

Her left hand gripped her cane, but Kamuro was not by her side.

He didn't know if she had taken the elevator after noticing he was here, or if she had simply had a whim to come to the second-floor cafeteria to dine today.

It had to be said, every time he saw Sakayanagi Arisu, even knowing she was just an ex-girlfriend and silently reminding himself that she was a woman of the past, Nakano Yuu still had to admit that it was easy for him to be moved by this person.

After all, she was the cutest girl in this school.

Although Nakano Yuu had secretly taken photos of Karuizawa before, and Karuizawa was also very cute, Karuizawa's cuteness was still below that of Sakayanagi.

Thud.

At this moment, Horikita Suzune had returned with two meals.

One for herself, and one pushed toward Nakano Yuu. Both of their meals were simple—udon noodles—but the toppings on them were dazzling.

Naturally, the price wasn't cheap either.

Seeing this, one had to criticize Horikita.

There were three types of udon noodles at the school; the cheapest cost only 400 private points, the ones with some toppings cost 800 points, but the ones with deluxe toppings cost 2,000 points. Right now, both her and Nakano's udon noodles were the top-tier 2,000-point variety.

This was buying the most expensive option directly.

Of course.

Nakano Yuu wouldn't be stingy about treating a girl to a bowl of noodles.

Besides, this could be considered payment for asking her to go get the food.

Analyzing Horikita Suzune's personality from this perspective, one would find that as long as a price is paid and a reward is given, she might actually work honestly, and she would also honestly accept the compensation she deserved; it was truly somewhat surprising.

"Who is this?"

Arisu Sakayanagi had no intention of leaving after greeting him, seemingly focused on Horikita Suzune.

Even though Horikita Suzune knew someone was watching her, she sat down without changing her expression.

Then, she started eating directly.

"Could it be that you've found a new pet?"

Sakayanagi said.

"Not at all."

Nakano Yuu shook his head.

"The way you put that is a bit dehumanizing to our classmate."

Hmm.

No one could deny this point.

Arisu Sakayanagi was indeed very arrogant, even treating Kamuro like a puppy; it was truly inhumane.

However.

"This is my girlfriend."

Nakano Yuu said.

"..."

Sakayanagi.

Clearly, introducing his current girlfriend in front of his ex-girlfriend, Nakano Yuu wasn't exactly acting like a decent person either.

"That's not true."

However, Horikita Suzune, who hadn't spoken until now, chimed in.

"Don't keep telling people things that will cause me trouble."

"Sorry."

Nakano Yuu said honestly.

"I'll keep that in mind."

"..."

Horikita.

Nakano Yuu being so honest actually made Horikita unable to help but glance up at him.

The reason she inserted herself into the conversation between Nakano Yuu and his ex-girlfriend, Sakayanagi, was simple: although she didn't care about other people's gazes, she didn't like the way Arisu Sakayanagi had looked at her just now, and based on her understanding of such gazes, it was likely that she had suddenly been treated as some sort of romantic rival.

In other words.

Nakano Yuu, you are bringing all sorts of messy, love-related trouble upon her.

"Hehe."

Arisu Sakayanagi smiled politely, as if to save face for herself.

"It seems Nakano-kun is still single."

"After all, I only just went through a breakup not long ago; it's impossible to move on from a heartbreak that easily."

Nakano Yuu continued to say honestly.

"Hehe."

But Sakayanagi's smile didn't reach her eyes.

Because the nonsense about a breakup he was spouting—it was clearly him who initiated the breakup, wasn't it?

Arisu Sakayanagi felt dissatisfied, gripped her cane, and turned to leave.

Just then, a blonde upperclassman from the second year appeared at the entrance of the cafeteria.

As Sakayanagi was leaving, the person walked quickly toward this direction.

That was Nagumo Miyabi from Class A of the second year. Sakayanagi had met him once, but she had a very poor impression of him, and now, finding him here, she naturally had to leave even faster.

Thinking this, Sakayanagi got back onto the elevator.

While on the elevator, her gaze caught the fact that the target of the Nagumo Miyabi she had just encountered wasn't her, but rather he was heading straight toward Nakano Yuu.

Hmm?

Sakayanagi seemed to have noticed something wrong. But the elevator had already started, carrying her directly upward.

Chapter 49: Thank you for your generosity, Senior Nagumo! It's a good thing you're in charge of the second years!

Sakayanagi Arisu seemed to have noticed something amiss, but the elevator had already started, carrying her directly upward.

Meanwhile, Nakano Yuu and Horikita noticed Nagumo Miyabi rushing over.

"Nakano Yuu!"

Compared to the elegant demeanor he displayed when they first met, Nagumo Miyabi's expression was far less gentle now.

Horikita Suzune remained unmoved.

She knew that Senior Nagumo's appearance here had been orchestrated by Nakano Yuu; Nakano Yuu had deleted Nagumo's contact information and blocked him, and upon discovering this, Nagumo would surely come after him.

These were the things Nakano told her while he was tricking her into waiting in line.

She also knew that Nakano Yuu's strategy was to ignore everything Senior Nagumo said, pay him no mind at all, and then force him to confront them in person, which would mean half the plan was already a success.

This was psychological warfare.

After all, if they wanted to get the points the other party had collected, they had to break through his psychological defenses.

This was a field Horikita had never stepped into, so all she had to do was follow Nakano Yuu's lead.

And for now, at least, Nakano hadn't asked her to speak.

So, Horikita just sat there and continued eating.

The junior, Nakano, also continued eating, though out of some modicum of politeness toward a second-year senior, he wiped his mouth with a napkin after a couple of bites.

"Senior Nagumo, you seem so anxious—has something happened?"

He said.