"Oh, don't be such a stranger. You know what we are to each other. You just want to get even with Class C, right? How about this: we go to Class C together. You get your revenge, I take care of my own business, and we all go home happy."
Horikita Suzune stared at Uesugi Gen for a long while.
There wasn't a better solution at the moment.
"If you ever lie to me again, I'll make you experience the full force of regretting it while you're suffering, and regretting it while you're in despair."
"Yes, yes."
"Is this the place?"
Uesugi Gen looked at the sign for Class 1-C in front of them. An overwhelming aura of chuunibyou seemed to seep out from inside.
Uesugi Gen turned to Horikita Suzune and said,
"When things get rough, make sure you protect me first, okay?"
"Huh? What are you planning to—"
While Horikita Suzune was speaking, Uesugi Gen had already pushed open the door. With his eyes closed, he shouted into Class C,
"Shaw-chan!!!"
His booming voice echoed through Class C, leaving the room in stunned silence.
Everyone in Class C stared blankly at the student who had barged in.
They heard all kinds of complicated emotions in that cry: an elderly father yelling at his hopeless son, a boss lamenting an employee who'd given up, a teacher sighing as a promising young flower of the nation grew crooked...
Horikita Suzune, who had come in behind him, also opened her mouth slightly.
Was this guy really that bold...
Ryuen Kakeru had his legs propped up on a desk. For a moment, he looked just as stunned, but he quickly came to his senses, veins bulging on his forehead.
Without saying a word, he launched a flying kick at Uesugi Gen, clearly intending to do serious damage.
Uesugi Gen quickly pulled Horikita Suzune in front of him for protection, then poked his head out and added,
"Oh, I forgot to tell you: I'm wearing a hidden camera. The footage is being sent to the Student Council in real time."
Ryuen Kakeru's expression changed instantly while he was still in midair. He tried to pull back at once.
But it wasn't that easy to stop. With no other choice, Ryuen Kakeru forcibly twisted his body and redirected his momentum to the other side.
Crack!
A crisp sound came from inside Ryuen Kakeru's body.
He... seemed to have twisted something.
Yikes. It sounded painful.
Uesugi Gen stepped forward with a concerned look.
"Are you okay? Does it hurt? Want me to go get the nurse? I know her pretty well."
Ryuen Kakeru stood in a strange pose. He gritted his teeth and glared at Uesugi Gen as he approached.
"Get lost, damn it. Next time, I won't just be saying hello."
Weren't you just trying to seriously hurt him?
Uesugi Gen took two steps back and said with a disgusted look,
"I try to help, and you treat me like dirt. Go find somewhere to spit on yourself."
"..."
And whose fault was it that I ended up like this?!
Damn it, I can't take it anymore. I'm going to beat the hell out of him!
Ryuen Kakeru endured the pain and limped over to Uesugi Gen, apparently about to punch him in the face.
But he clearly remembered something and reluctantly lowered his fist. He still spoke defiantly.
"Hey, what are you here for?"
Huh. He swallowed his anger for the sake of his class? What a complicated guy.
"I heard you sent three idiots to play with Class D, and while they were at it, they pulled a real number on them. The lady beside me, Horikita, wants to settle the score with you."
Uesugi Gen pointed at Horikita Suzune.
"I asked what you're here for."
Ryuen Kakeru repeated himself. Clearly, he didn't take Horikita Suzune seriously.
"Of course I'm here to help Miss Horikita get even. She's my valued partner now. And while I'm at it, I thought I'd share something I just came across with you."
Horikita Suzune narrowed her eyes at Uesugi Gen.
You were reluctant to bring me here just a moment ago, and now that you've run into an enemy, you're pushing me forward to take the heat?
"Hey, if you're looking for trouble, don't drag me into it."
Ignoring Horikita Suzune, Uesugi Gen glanced around and lowered his voice.
"Want to take a look? It's something good I went through a lot of trouble to get."
Uesugi Gen held out his phone in front of Ryuen Kakeru, his voice full of temptation, like a brother eager to share something good.
Ryuen Kakeru's expression turned ugly the moment he saw the image on the screen. He said,
"Fine. What are your terms?"
The photo showed one of the three shoving Yamauchi. It wasn't just one photo, either; it was a whole series. That alone was enough to overturn all of Class C's testimony so far.
And if the school found out that he'd framed a classmate, Class C would lose at least 100 points.
Since Uesugi Gen hadn't reported him to the school right away, he must have wanted something else.
"Straight to the point. Class C pays me 800,000 points every month until graduation. I even left you 20 points. See? I'm pretty generous."
So that was his real aim. He'd used the Class D incident to extort another class, all while pretending he was helping her get even.
Miss Horikita's fists were clenched tight.
"Then I suppose I should thank you."
Ryuen Kakeru was nearly laughing with anger.
But in the end, Ryuen Kakeru agreed to the terms.
As far as he was concerned, as long as he wasn't expelled, he hadn't lost. He would keep making moves, again and again, until he defeated his target.
"So, Miss Horikita, I got your revenge for you. Aren't you going to thank me?" Uesugi Gen teased.
"Your goal was clearly the points from the start. You even planned to bring me here as part of your scheme."
"Don't put it like that. Didn't you accomplish what you wanted in the first place?"
"That's true... But I absolutely won't let you trick me again."
"Then we'll see about that next time. See you, Miss Horikita."
"Hey!"
Horikita Suzune called out to Uesugi Gen, who was about to leave.
"Should we... add each other as friends?"
For the first time, Miss Horikita had asked someone to be her friend...
Uesugi-gumi's Big Operation
"You guys..."
Uesugi Gen looked around at the members of the Uesugi-gumi in the club room and let out a long sigh.
"You've fallen into depravity!"
He remembered how they'd once been full of ambition and united in purpose, vowing to bear Class B's darkness together and lead Class B to the top.
But look at them now. Only a few weeks had passed, and some were watching dramas while others played board games. Worst of all was Shibata, that guy, who'd taken over Uesugi Gen's exclusive computer seat. What a complete reversal of the natural order.
"But Uesugi, there hasn't been much for us to do lately."
Hamaguchi Tetsuya was sprawled on the sofa, casually speaking as he stared at the handheld console in his hands.
Thinking back on the Uesugi-gumi's recent operations:
They'd kept an eye on Ichinose and reported on her movements, only for her to slip away right under their noses.
They'd investigated the Class C and D conflict, only to discover it was bait Uesugi Gen had planted to distract the enemy.
And then... nothing.
These operations just didn't get the blood pumping.
"Can't you use this time to work on your own abilities? This is a school where strength is everything," Uesugi Gen said, frustrated that they weren't living up to their potential.
"But aren't you the one who comes here the most? We haven't spent even half as much time here as you have."
Shibata, who was sitting in front of the computer, suddenly chimed in.
Uesugi Gen was left speechless.
He had a point. I can't even argue with that.
Faced with a group of companions like these,
Kanzaki Ryuji, the only dependable man in the Uesugi-gumi, pressed a hand to his forehead in frustration.
They said you could tell what the members of a group were like by looking at their leader. If the Uesugi-gumi had become this lazy, Uesugi Gen was at least half to blame.
Now that he thought about it, it was lucky Uesugi Gen hadn't been there when they chose the class representative. Given how soft Ichinose was toward him, there was a chance she would've made him the representative.
Class B's representative—Uesugi Gen...
No, just thinking about it gave him a headache.
Kanzaki Ryuji shook his head hard, trying to banish Uesugi Gen's image from his mind.
Looking at his lazy teammates, Uesugi Gen also wondered,
Could it be that I have the same kind of aura as Ichinose, one that makes people lazy without them even realizing it?
Never mind. Let's get down to today's business first.
Uesugi Gen cleared his throat.
"Get up. We have a mission."
Hearing that there was something to do, the Uesugi-gumi members reluctantly perked up. They straightened their postures and asked earnestly,
"Go on, what are we doing this time?"
"Following Ichinose."
"Ugh!"
The Uesugi-gumi members immediately scattered, then went back to whatever they'd been doing.
"Uesugi, aren't you tired of this? You keep watching Ichinose every day."
"Uesugi, if you want to be class representative, you just have to ask Ichinose. She'd probably let you."
"Uesugi, Ichinose may not mind you doing this, but constantly intruding on someone's private life is rude."
Faced with the Uesugi-gumi members' collective laziness, Uesugi Gen expressionlessly replied,
"Someone confessed to Ichinose."
"..."(⊙_⊙)
???(゜ー゜)
Before you continue