The More You Endure, the Angrier You Get; The More You Back Down, the More It Feels Like a Loss

After wandering around outside for a while longer, Uesugi Hara returned to the classroom.

Sakayanagi Arisu had already begun assigning tasks—or rather, assigning the events for the sports festival exam.

Although he had slipped in quietly through the back door, Sakayanagi Arisu, who had been keeping an eye out, still caught him red-handed.

"Oh? Uesugi is here."

Her tone was deliberately drawn out.

Who taught you to talk like that?

A mischievous smile hid in her eyes as the corners of her lips curled up slightly. "Perfect timing. We were just discussing you! Which events do you think you're capable of handling?"

"Just sign me up for whatever you think fits."

"But I think all these events would work. After all, Uesugi is so amazing. Still, I'm worried you might get tired."

Sakayanagi Arisu put on a mildly troubled expression, but her unblinking gaze remained fixed on Uesugi Hara, trying to catch some emotional reaction from him.

Uesugi Hara rolled his eyes at her. "If the others have objections, I can enter fewer events."

"Of course they won't object. In that case, Uesugi, you'll participate in everything."

Sakayanagi Arisu was somewhat disappointed. Given Uesugi Hara's personality, he should have found it troublesome, yet she did not see the expressions she wanted to see—annoyance, dissatisfaction...

That disappointed look gave Uesugi Hara a headache. It was not that big of a deal anyway, and besides, did he even have the right to refuse?

Class A's current situation was pretty similar to Class C's.

Both were essentially under one person's dictatorship.

The only difference was that Ryuen Kakeru relied on force, while Sakayanagi Arisu relied on... well... prestige?

Probably.

Her successive victories in several exams had made her position in Class A unshakable. Basically, whatever she said went.

Even if Uesugi Hara refused,