Manabu Horikita's Reputation Takes a Hit

Faced with the B Class students, each wearing a different expression, Ichinose smiled warmly.

"Everyone, what are you doing here?"

They exchanged glances, and thirty-odd different answers burst out.

"Playing games!"

"Working out!"

"Club activities!"

Ichinose's smile grew even brighter as she followed up with another question.

"Then... who organized this activity?"

At once, more than thirty fingers pointed at Uesugi Gen in their midst. In perfect unison, they cried,

"Him!"

The B Class students betrayed Uesugi without hesitation, choosing to offer him up to appease Ichinose's anger.

Hey, you guys gave up way too fast! You were just saying I was B Class's hope, and now you've abandoned your hope in the blink of an eye?

Uesugi cursed them in his heart, then quietly lowered the finger he'd been pointing off to the side.

"Uesugi-kun~"

Ichinose took a light step forward, tilted her head, and looked at Uesugi with a smile that wasn't quite a smile.

Uesugi took a quiet breath to steel himself. Then he made up his mind and said loudly,

"That's right!"

"I, Uesugi Gen, came up with the plan to follow Ichinose."

He glanced at Shiranami Chihiro, who was so embarrassed she could barely look at anyone, then added,

"But I didn't expect things to get this far, either. I didn't know Shiranami was the one who wrote you the love letter. This was all just a huge coincidence."

At Uesugi's words, Shiranami lifted her head in embarrassed anger, looking as if to say, Do you seriously expect me to believe that nonsense?

"All right."

Kanzaki Ryuji, who had been watching the strange scene for a while, spoke up to put a stop to it.

If he let Uesugi, that unreliable guy, keep talking, Shiranami might as well move to Mars tomorrow.

Still, Kanzaki couldn't be sure... Had Uesugi really not done this to get back at Shiranami for writing Ichinose a love letter?

Looking at the outcome, Uesugi had come out on top in every way. So maybe the way he acted so carelessly was just an act.

Could it be... that this guy was actually a schemer?

The thought sent a shiver down Kanzaki's spine. He quickly steered the conversation back on track.

"We came here because Uesugi saw that Ichinose had received a love letter. He was worried it might be a scheme by another class, so he asked us to come and check things out."

After explaining, Kanzaki glanced at Shiranami, looking a little awkward himself.

"We didn't expect it to turn out that this wasn't a scheme at all. Instead..."

Faced with Kanzaki's explanation, Shiranami still looked as though she wasn't listening, and was convinced the whole thing had been Uesugi's scheme.

Meanwhile, Ichinose, who had been a little angry just moments earlier, lit up as she heard Kanzaki's explanation and turned to Uesugi in delight.

"Really, Uesugi-kun? Did you come all the way here because you were worried about me?"

Uesugi hesitated. Should he tell her?

This is actually a misunderstanding. I just thought it would be fun, so I impulsively brought the whole class along...

No!

Uesugi quickly rejected the idea.

If he did that, the authority he'd worked so hard to establish with the class through this activity would collapse in an instant.

So, under Ichinose's expectant gaze, Uesugi reluctantly managed to squeeze out a few words.

"If you say so."

After hearing his answer, Ichinose's anger vanished in an instant.

"Honestly, you could've just asked me. I would've told you."

Looking at the boy in front of her, who had gone to all that trouble to follow her for so long, Ichinose didn't know whether to laugh or be annoyed.

"How was I supposed to know what you were up to? You stopped me that day looking all mysterious, so I thought it was something important. Turns out it was all a misunderstanding."

Uesugi retorted in exasperation.

The two of them went back and forth, bickering.

Meanwhile, Shiranami watched them interact with gritted teeth.

What do you mean, it was a misunderstanding? What do you mean, it wasn't anything important?

I was first. I was the first to meet Ichinose, and the first to become friends with her...

After settling things with Uesugi, Ichinose turned to the B Class students and spoke in a serious tone.

"I'm still a little upset about what happened. I'm fine, but next time, don't go prying into other people's private lives. It's rude."

"Yes!"

The B Class students lowered their heads in weary acknowledgment.

"But,"

Ichinose changed her tone, speaking sincerely and from the heart.

"Whatever the case, thank you all. You went against your own wishes for someone like me... That must have been hard for you."

"Not at all. I feel like I got a lot out of this, too."

"This was a pretty novel experience for me."

"Trying something new every once in a while is nice."

The B Class students looked at Ichinose in surprise and assured her that it was no big deal.

Ichinose shook her head to show she was fine.

She quickly composed herself, then turned and smiled at the whole class.

"It's not often we're all together like this. Let's go out for a meal."

Then she grabbed Uesugi's hand.

"You can't turn me down this time."

"Got it," Uesugi replied helplessly.

Finally, Ichinose held out her other hand and invited Shiranami.

"Come with us, too, Chihiro-chan."

The whole group left the area behind the gym.

Just then, Uesugi scratched his head, puzzled.

Why did he feel like he'd forgotten something?

Never mind.

Uesugi waved the thought away, deciding not to worry about it for now.

If he couldn't remember, it probably wasn't important...

My goodness, I'm stuck. Every time I write a romance scene, I don't know what to do. Any advice from my dear readers?

Horikita Manabu's Reputation Takes a Hit

As the end of term drew near, in the B Class classroom.

"The school never gives us something for nothing. Just like the 100% employment rate before enrollment and the 100,000 points we got at the start of the year, I think Hoshinomiya-sensei's announcement about a vacation on a southern island has some deeper meaning. It might even lead to a major change in Class Points."

At the front of the classroom, Ichinose spoke confidently as she explained her deduction.

"I see!"

"As expected of Ichinose."

"An exam that could cause a major change in Class Points..."

The B Class students chimed in from their seats.

Uesugi clapped along with a blank expression.

Oh, really? You're amazing. You even figured out the school was going to hold a Special Exam.

As if!

And now that you've thought this far, shouldn't you use your information advantage to extend that lead?

For example, investigate the details of this exam more thoroughly.

Uesugi looked at Ichinose with exasperation.

But then again,

Ichinose wasn't the only one who'd noticed something. Ryuen had probably picked up on it, too.

Ever since taking such a big loss last time, Ryuen Kakeru had kept sending Class C students to harass Class B. While Ichinose looked on in confusion, he'd also repeatedly reported the entire B Class to the school.

But after Uesugi had performed his little act in front of Ryuen—"Who down there dares accuse me?"—and sent the disgruntled Ryuen packing, Ryuen had completely given up on that approach and started targeting B Class in other ways.

Lately, he'd been harassing B Class far less often.

The only explanation was that something more important was keeping him busy than getting back at Uesugi.

After all, Ryuen Kakeru might look like he thought the world revolved around him and didn't care what happened to Class C, but in reality, he was the kind of loyal leader who'd charge into danger first and tell everyone else to stay back. Even if someone beat him up outside, he'd act as if nothing had happened.

He'd probably sensed the Special Exam coming and gathered his class's forces back together, preparing to go all out.

As for Class A...

Uesugi rubbed his chin.

They'd been sitting back and watching the fight for so long, yet still hadn't made a move. Was it because they hadn't chosen a leader and couldn't make effective decisions?

Given Kamuro's physical condition, it was highly unlikely she'd be able to participate in this Special Exam. So the leader of Class A this time would probably be the cautious Katsuragi Kohei.

And then there was Horikita from Class D, along with the inscrutable Ayanokoji...

Little by little, the general shape of the Special Exam took form in Uesugi's mind.

There was no need to worry about Classes C and D for now. Even in a Special Exam, the school couldn't possibly reward a lower-ranked class with enough Class Points to overturn its position against an upper-ranked class all at once.

Class A was the main opponent B Class would face in this Special Exam.

Given the current gap in Class Points between the two classes, this Special Exam would be a fight to the bitter end.

But the problem was that, for better or worse, this year's Class A had somehow ended up with two leaders. And unlike him and Ichinose, who could work together, these two were genuinely incompatible. One of them would have to fall.

That left plenty of room to maneuver.

Considering that Sakayanagi Arisu kept leaking information about Katsuragi Kohei to Uesugi through the Thief Lady,

it seemed her own intentions mattered far more to her than Class A's interests.

When you looked at it that way, things were getting interesting.

You want to take down Katsuragi Kohei, and I want to take down the Class A he leads. What are the odds...