Scheming in the real world? I can also do a little.

"Hey, are you heading back to the dorms?"

As school let out, Ryuen Shoko grabbed the back of Hoya Chukai's collar. She definitely seemed a bit off today.

"Nope, I'm going to scout for some intel."

"Bullshit. What kind of intel could you possibly need to scout?"

"Stuff about Class B. Since Class B is a crucial part of the plan this time, how could I not go and have a nice chat with them?"

"Then... go ahead. I get it."

Releasing Hoya Chukai, Ryuen Shoko kept her head down and toyed with her phone.

This woman is really strange.

Scratching his head, Hoya Chukai couldn't figure out what was wrong with Ryuen Shoko. He looked at her wilted appearance and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"None of your business."

"So... I'm going to go hang out?"

"Get lost."

Yeah, there's definitely something wrong.

Well, Hoya Chukai still walked away, glancing back every few steps, completely forgetting that just a few minutes ago he had said he wouldn't care about that crazy woman even if he were beaten to death.

Maybe this is what they call... being a masochist?

Although he said he was going out to hang out, Hoya Chukai naturally couldn't go wearing his school uniform. He returned to his dorm to change into casual clothes before heading to the meeting spot.

Heh, there are quite a few people here.

Let's see who's here: Ichinose Honami and Shibata Sou from Class B, plus a girl he didn't recognize. Aside from himself, Albert was there from Class C, likely to make him more approachable. From Class D, there was Kushida Kikyo, Ayanokoji Kiyohime, Karuizawa Kei, Sato Maya, and Matsushita Chiaki.

"So many people."

Hoya Chukai greeted them, and he could clearly see the expression on Sato Maya's face turn somewhat... disgusted?

Maybe some strange rumors about him had reached her ears.

He was aware of the weird rumors about himself: the man who keeps eight boats, the one who usurps his superiors, the "seductive fox," and so on.

Wait, he couldn't understand that last one at all. How was he seductive? Where was he seductive!

"Yeah, what's wrong, not used to it?"

Since Ichinose was the one who invited him, she was naturally the first to greet him. "Let's go. I specifically booked a KTV room so we can sing to our hearts' content."

"Sure, nice work. But wait a second, it's fine if I bring another friend, right?"

"No problem. Who are you bringing?"

"Someone from Class A."

Hoya Chukai shoved one hand into his pocket and used the other to call someone.

Beep, beep, beep. Beep, beep, beep.

Hmm, no answer.

Hoya Chukai helplessly looked back toward the distance and shouted, "Hey, stop pretending you aren't answering. I know you're there. Come out, stop hiding."

"How... how did you spot me?"

From behind a tree, Kamuro Masumi emerged, wearing large toad-eye sunglasses, holding a newspaper, and sporting a wide-brimmed hat.

"With an outfit like that, who wouldn't notice you're tailing me?"

Hoya Chukai scoffed. His instincts had been telling him someone was following him, so he had pretended to go buy water and taken a detour. It turned out the stalker had actually followed him the whole way. He even felt that if he had circled the island, she might have followed him the whole time.

Sakayanagi Arisu is something else; she trains her dogs well. Her technique is much better than Ryuen Shoko's.

Pfft, why am I comparing her to Ryuen Shoko? If she's training a dog, then what does that make me?

Having inexplicably insulted himself, Hoya Chukai clicked his tongue and walked over as if he didn't care. "Alright, everyone's here, so let's head to the KTV?"

"Uh... that's fine, but Chukai-kun, could you explain what's going on with her?"

Ichinose was a bit confused. Why did he drag along someone who looked so ill-intentioned?

"Oh, let me introduce her. This is Kamuro Masumi, a subordinate of Sakayanagi Arisu, one of the two pillars of Class A. I assume she was ordered by Sakayanagi Arisu to spy on us. I figured that instead of us having fun inside while she squats at the door, it'd be better to just bring her along."

"Chukai-kun, you're so kind."

Thanks, but that's the one person I don't want to be called "kind" by.

Watching Ichinose look so moved, Hoya Chukai couldn't help but sigh.

You're one of the two kindest people here, so stop being so modest.

Besides, pay attention to the distance—that stranger is already starting to click her tongue.

Looking at the girl's situation, Hoya Chukai finally remembered who she was.

The girl who loves girls, Shiranami Chihiro.

A girl who has a crush on Ichinose.

"So, can we go sing now? I see everyone's getting all eager."

"Ah, if you hadn't dragged things out, we'd probably already be at the KTV by now."

Sato Maya didn't hold back with her words. After she said that, Matsushita lightly patted her back and whispered beside her, "Maya, that's a bit rude."

"Ah, well, she's not wrong. After we go in, I'll treat everyone to a drink. Let's go, let's go, head out!"

Hoya Chukai wasn't the petty type at all. He knew Class D's future fate, so he'd let these women have their fun for a month. After that, they'd have hell to pay.

This month might just be the most carefree time they'd have in these three years.

"Welcome, how many?"

Stepping into the KTV, Hoya Chukai couldn't help but feel this school was loaded with cash.

Good, all the money's going right to the blade, huh? I won't buy that you didn't skim some or dodge taxes on the side.

"Ten... eleven, get us a big room please."

"Got it, follow me."

Ichinose almost said ten out of habit, but since Kamuro was extra, she quickly corrected to eleven. Everyone followed the server into the room. Looked like happy singing time was next.

"Come on, sing a couple songs, a couple songs."

In the room, snacks and drinks were laid out as everyone sang and goofed around.

The most eye-catching one was undoubtedly Albert, the burly giant.

But to everyone's surprise, this big black dude was unusually pure-hearted. Surrounded by girls now, he was so shy he couldn't even speak.

He probably never imagined he'd be this popular.

Of course, the girls swarming him weren't after anything else—just saw an amusing classmate and wanted to tease for fun.

Sato Maya and Matsushita Chiaki flanked him, each holding a mic urging him to sing. Surrounded by the girls, he looked downright bashful instead: "I can't sing, really can't."

"Hey, Albert, you're already here—just sing a bit. Off-key's fine, we're all friends, no one'll laugh."

Hoya Chukai dropped one of the classic lines, "you're already here." He was teasing Albert too, getting him to belt it out.

The room had screens at both ends, seats in the middle, a long table right in the center, positions on either side.

Hoya Chukai sat on one side, Kamuro and Kushida to his left and right. Next to Kushida was Karuizawa, next to Kamuro was Shibata. The big black guy had Matsushita and Sato on his sides, and next to Matsushita were Baibo and Ichinose.

As for Ayanokoji? She was calmly sitting on Shibata's other side, observing humans. She just loved watching humans now, looking all pleased.

"B-but, I only know military songs."

"Hey, military songs are so boring. Sing some pop. I remember that milk tea shop near school's been playing a song lately? Play that one."

"Yeah, heh heh."

With Hoya Chukai egging them on, Matsushita grinned and grabbed the remote to queue it up. Soon, the intro to a super popular song in Japan lately started playing.

Sato handed her mic straight to Albert, and Hoya Chukai passed his to Shibata: "Come on, Shibata, you can sing, right? Lead him, no problem?"

"Huh? Me? Alright, I'll give it a shot."

Shibata wasn't as confident as Ichinose—he was just the youthful version, after all. A bit green was natural.

With Matsushita and Shibata leading, Albert sang along for a couple lines, but the result was predictable—not just off-key, but totally tuneless.

Everyone burst out laughing, and Matsushita even said she'd take him singing sometime.

In Japan, discrimination against big black guys wasn't as bad as in China. Plus, Albert wasn't full black—he was mixed. With his burly build giving a sense of security and his shy personality, he was bound to draw girls' attention.

A guy like this was top-tier whether as a bodyguard or a simp. Might sound off, but from how Sato was interacting with Albert, she seemed to have more ideas.

Karuizawa didn't feel any security from Albert. Compared to the hulking Albert, Hoya Chukai—this scrawny guy—actually gave her a bit of reassurance.

It was weird, really. Hoya Chukai wasn't particularly handsome, just cleanly featured. His build wasn't muscular at all, even kinda skinny. But this guy had a strange confidence that showed his strength.

Karuizawa never believed buff guys really brought security. Otherwise, in the original story, she wouldn't have picked Hirata when Sudo was way bulkier.

This gal kept sneaking peeks at Hoya Chukai now and then, making Kushida beside her look a bit odd.

She just felt like Karuizawa had some weird feelings for Hoya Chukai. It sparked a twinge of jealousy in her.

Huh? Jealousy? What the hell.

Realizing this weird emotion in her heart, she couldn't help slapping her own face.

Kushida ah Kushida, you've only known him a few days—how'd you turn into this?

"What're you doing? Why slap your own face outta nowhere?"

Hoya Chukai, lounging there with legs crossed sipping a drink, naturally noticed Kushida's odd move. He reached out and felt her forehead: "No fever."

"Hey, don't do that!"

Suddenly getting such an intimate move from Hoya Chukai, Kushida's face flushed red. She hurriedly swatted his hand away, but her words carried an undeniable coyness.

"He really is a player." "More like a sea king, right."

Beside Albert, Sato and Matsushita whispered, looking like they'd pegged Hoya Chukai's personality.

It seems the rumors were true.

"Chukai-kun is a good guy."

Caught between the two, Albert naturally heard their hushed murmurs and couldn't help but set the record straight for Hoya Chukai: "He treats all of us in the class very well."

"We aren't saying he's a bad person, don't worry."

Watching Albert's earnest expression, Matsushita laughed and patted him on the shoulder.

This guy really is quite interesting.

There was amusement to be found on both sides, but over at Ichinose's spot, things felt a bit awkward.

After all, with a classmate beside her staring with such burning intensity, Ichinose was starting to find it hard to handle.

She had no choice but to shift her attention to Ayanokoji, who had been sitting there silently observing while cradling a cup of hot cocoa: "Ayanokoji-san, would you like to sing a song?"

"Eh, that's right, Ayanokoji, why don't you sing one? I want to hear you sing too."

You have to admit, hearing Brother Ayanokoji... or rather, Sister Ayanokoji sing really piqued Hoya Chukai's curiosity. Her voice was incredibly pleasant after becoming a girl, and the prospect of hearing her sing—someone labeled as cold and aloof but actually just pure-hearted—was definitely drawing everyone's attention.

"Yeah, Ayanokoji should know how to sing, right?"

"Ah... I suppose so."

Rubbing the back of her head, Ayanokoji wasn't even sure if she could.

She had studied music in the White Room, but she had only learned to play elegant instruments; she didn't really know much about pop music.

Still, it wasn't a big problem. She had been listening to everyone else sing for a while now, so she should be able to sing a little... right?

Watching Ayanokoji singing a love song with a completely expressionless face, Hoya Chukai covered her mouth and lowered her head, struggling to keep from laughing out loud.

I can't take it, this is too funny. Why is Ayanokoji so interesting?

Singing a frivolous song with such a serious, straight-faced demeanor was just too hilarious. Plus, she was trying so hard to find the melody, even though the tune of this song was completely different from the others, my dear.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you, Kushida."