A Recap

"No, I won't let this go!!"

Sakura Airi immediately went on high alert, looking left and right nonstop.

She was like a groundhog standing watch.

It was obvious she was nervous.

"Don't worry. The school's security isn't that bad." Dongfang Yi stood up and dusted off his pants. He gently took her hand and reassured her, "Besides, now that we know who he is, we have the upper hand."

Perhaps it was the warmth of Dongfang Yi's palm, or the calm confidence in his words that gave her strength. Maybe it was the experience they'd just shared that made her trust him completely. Whatever the reason, Sakura Airi's heartbeat gradually settled.

Even so, she still held the boy's hand tightly and unconsciously edged closer to him, as if hoping to draw courage and strength from his presence.

Dongfang Yi patted her head again and led her slowly onward.

Next, he planned to stop by the convenience store.

After all, there was still some time left today. If he bought his daily necessities in advance, tomorrow would be a little easier.

As they walked side by side along a campus path, Dongfang Yi continued to explain the situation to Sakura Airi. "Since I recorded him following us, we can first report him to someone at the school or to our homeroom teacher and ask the school to restrict his behavior. Ideally, they'll expel him."

Although Chabashira, Class D's homeroom teacher, was a useless slacker who never did anything but lie around, Dongfang Yi thought she'd probably do something about this sort of thing... right?

"Mm-hmm." Sakura Airi answered seriously, "I'll remember that."

"But don't get your hopes up just yet. This evidence might not be enough to convince the school completely." Dongfang Yi took the hidden camera off his clothes. "It's my first time using it, after all, so it might not have recorded things clearly."

"I see." Sakura Airi looked a little disappointed. "But regardless, I'm grateful to you, Dongfang."

You weren't stuttering anymore?

Dongfang Yi glanced at her in surprise, but when he saw how downcast she looked, he couldn't help flicking her on the forehead first.

I was just being modest. How did you actually start thinking I couldn't handle it?

He pouted. "Don't worry just yet. With me, Dongfang Yi, and my Calculated Strategy, I definitely won't let anything happen to you."

"Mm!" Sakura Airi nodded firmly and edged even closer. She even seemed to want to lean against him.

She suddenly felt happy, and even felt that coming to this school—and everything that had happened today—was a stroke of luck.

The handsome guy before her seemed to have an indescribable charm. He was confident and sunny, as though none of the difficulties she faced could pose a problem for him.

He'd already been very handsome, but now he seemed even more so!

Dongfang Yi glanced at the silly girl and continued his reminders with a helpless look. "If the school doesn't punish him or take appropriate action—or if they don't act right away—then you'll need to be extra careful in your day-to-day activities, Sakura."

"For example, don't go to deserted places after class. When you're walking around campus, try to have a friend with you."

"..." Sakura Airi lowered her head, feeling a little awkward.

She'd actually been hoping to find some different scenery to take pictures of...

Besides, the students in Class D didn't seem very easy to get along with...

"So you still haven't made any friends?"

Dongfang Yi blinked and asked as if he were puzzled.

Of course he knew that all those defective products in Class D were selfish and unreliable. If even one of them could be relied on, they wouldn't have let her get expelled during the Class Vote exam—a vote by the entire class on whether to expel one person in exchange for 100 Class Points.

He also knew that Sakura Airi was actually a social phobic and was very reluctant to interact with people right now.

But he said it anyway,

because everything he did was for the sake of—

Putting himself forward.

Ahem. Don't get the wrong idea. He didn't mean offering himself as a pillow.

Sakura Airi held his hand and gently shook her head.

"What a coincidence. I haven't made any friends either," Dongfang Yi said with a smile. "Then again, it is only the first day of school. Who makes friends that quickly? Until you find someone to hang out with, Sakura, you can come to me if you need anything, if you don't mind."

"R-really? Is that okay? W-wouldn't I be bothering you too much?"

Sakura Airi looked up in surprise, and it felt as if a little deer were stirring in her heart.

"Of course. Though I might not be able to keep you company on weekday afternoons over the next month. On days off, though, I'll be there whenever you need me." Dongfang Yi spread his hands helplessly. "I have a part-time job, after all."

"A part-time job?"

Sakura Airi tilted her head, puzzled by the phrase.

"I'm working as a server at Palette for a month, four hours every weekday afternoon. I earn some points." Dongfang Yi shrugged.

"But don't they give us 100,000 points every month?"

"I'd like to explain, but this involves where I stand, so I can't tell you why just yet."

Dongfang Yi looked into her eyes, his expression tinged with helplessness and regret.

He certainly wasn't going to explain the school's rules to her. He'd been itching to grind those lucky, selfish idiots in Class D into the dirt, so there was no reason for him to do anything unnecessary.

Sakura Airi was Sakura Airi, and Class D was Class D. He kept them separate.

"Mm, I trust that you have your reasons, Dongfang."

Though they'd known each other for only a short time, she had an inexplicable feeling that the person in front of her would never hurt her.

"You really do trust me, Sakura."

Dongfang Yi gave a slightly self-deprecating smile.

"B-because you're a kind, good person, Dongfang." Sakura Airi turned her head shyly, her voice growing softer and softer.

Dongfang Yi wanted to tell her, "You're mistaken, Sakura. I'm just a villain who can't stand the sight of injustice."

But what he actually said was, "You're absolutely right, Sakura. That's what I think, too."

He playfully raised his eyebrows at her. "Could you praise me a little more?"

"...D-Dongfang, you really don't seem Japanese at all," Sakura Airi remarked subtly.

"You're praising me so nicely. Can you say a little more?"

Dongfang Yi felt that this silly girl was surprisingly perceptive. She'd hit the nail on the head.

His eyes grew brighter, and he admired the girl in front of him even more.

Sakura Airi found herself backed into a corner. Her face flushed, and she felt as if shame had wrapped around her whole body. She could only force herself to keep praising him. "Um... Dongfang... you're r-really handsome."

Then, as if possessed, she added, "And—and you have really thick skin."

"Sakura, I'd have been even happier if you'd left off that last part."

Dongfang Yi gave her a meaningful look and left her to figure out what he meant.

Sakura Airi stuck out her tongue. The last part had helped ease her embarrassment a little.

Otherwise, she really would have wanted to find somewhere to hide.

It was all just too embarrassing.

"By the way, Sakura, have you bought all your daily necessities?"

Seeing that they were nearly at the convenience store, Dongfang Yi asked her.

"I-I went to buy a camera first thing, so I haven't..."

"Then it's perfect. I haven't bought mine either. There's a convenience store up ahead. Let's go together."

"Eh? E-eh!"