Bullying the Honest

"This senior's words have a serious problem." Shi Cheng's words immediately caught her attention.

"Oh? What problem?" Tachibana Akane asked curiously.

"Why does Sudo have to attend the meeting?"

Tachibana Akane's mouth twitched. What a waste of her feelings—she had thought he was going to say something worthwhile.

"He's one of the people involved. How could he not go?"

Shi Cheng chuckled. "Do you have any evidence?"

His words caught her off guard.

Tachibana Akane wanted to say yes.

But she couldn't.

If there really were evidence, the Student Council would not need to handle it.

But if Sudo Ken did not go, how could the meeting proceed?

Tachibana Akane softened her tone, sounding somewhat pleading. "It's just one trip. It won't take much time."

Who was she trying to fool here?

Shi Cheng was not buying it. "Going would amount to admitting it. Looks like you're not very smart, Senior."

Tachibana Akane instantly flushed red with anger.

If she was not smart,

could she have become the secretary?

But now was not the time to argue.

And she represented the Student Council, so she could not embarrass herself even more.

Tachibana Akane's eyes brimmed with tears. She could see it clearly now.

Sudo Ken was absolutely determined not to go unless she could persuade Shi Cheng.

But was that possible?

Obviously not.

But this was a task President Horikita had assigned her.

She had to complete it.

Tachibana Akane racked her little brain and quietly tried to bluff him. "You should know very well, shouldn't you?"

She did not believe Sudo Ken had not exposed himself in class.

It was just that this matter was deeply embarrassing to her.

Because she had always followed President Horikita in learning how to act with integrity.

Shi Cheng had long prepared for this and easily brushed it aside.

"Is bragging against the law?"

Shi Cheng calmly gave an example right there.

"Yamauchi said he was an ace pitcher in middle school and even competed in the national tournament. Would anyone believe that?"

Yamauchi Haruki, who had been happily watching the show, had not expected the subject to suddenly turn to him.

He blanked out for a moment.

When had he ever bragged about that?

No.

It was true to begin with.

Yamauchi Haruki emphasized with great dissatisfaction, "I wasn't bragging."

Shi Cheng replied perfunctorily, "I know. It was just an example."

Yamauchi Haruki wanted to say more, but then he felt Sudo Ken's fiery glare.

He wisely shut his mouth at once.

Tachibana Akane stared with anguish.

She had already abandoned her principles, and it still did not work.

What was she supposed to do?

Unable to think of a better method, Tachibana Akane could only resort to force. "What if I say you have to go?!"

Since gentle methods did not work, she could only get tough.

"So the Student Council is this unreasonable?" Shi Cheng met her gaze without the slightest panic.

Waaah!

The moment she met Shi Cheng's eyes, Tachibana Akane's fragile resolve collapsed under the pressure.

It was over. She had completely messed this up.

That was the only thought in her mind.

"Of course not." A warm voice, like a spring breeze, instantly saved Tachibana Akane from falling into the abyss.

Upon hearing the voice, Tachibana Akane knew who it was even without seeing him.

She immediately felt moved enough to cry.

But with so many people watching,

she could not disgrace President Horikita.

Tachibana Akane lowered her head slightly, hiding her wretched state as she retreated behind President Horikita.

She yielded the stage to him.

"It's President Horikita," someone muttered.

"If Horikita Senior says so, then I'm relieved."

Seeing someone he had met once before appear, Shi Cheng nodded. "Then there's no problem with not going, right?"

"Of course there's no problem." President Horikita quickly glanced at Horikita Suzune, who had shrunk into herself like a quail, his eyes devoid of joy or sorrow.

He resumed speaking to Shi Cheng. "This farce ends here. I'll warn Class C afterward."

President Horikita left after saying that.

He did not put any pressure on Horikita Suzune.

Tachibana Akane turned back and glared fiercely at Shi Cheng, then hurried after the departing President Horikita.

"President Horikita has such an overwhelming presence. He's so handsome!" someone swooned.

"Then why didn't you seize the chance just now?" someone teased.

"I didn't have time, okay?"

"I think you just didn't dare."

As the chatter and laughter resumed, Sudo Ken came over to Shi Cheng with a visibly relaxed expression.

"Shi Cheng, thank you so much this time. I owe you another favor!"

"It's nothing. Just a small matter." Shi Cheng genuinely did not take it to heart.

"Just what I'd expect from my good bro."

Sudo Ken found Shi Cheng even more agreeable now.

A person who could truly help when something happened was a real brother.

Unlike those guys.

What the hell were they even good for?

With the matter temporarily settled, dismissal was not far off either.

Looking at Horikita Suzune, who still had not recovered,

Shi Cheng had no intention of comforting her.

Mainly because there really was nothing to comfort her about.

Other than wasting his breath, there was no benefit at all.

This was her family matter to begin with.

Only Horikita Suzune herself could figure it out.

Silently watching Shi Cheng's departing back, Horikita Suzune's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

She wanted to be able to speak calmly with her brother like that too.

Unaware of Horikita Suzune's inner turmoil,

Shi Cheng was busy keeping his appointment.

If he made good use of this incident,

his relationship with Shiina Hiyori would undergo a major change.

He had long been dissatisfied with how things were.

He had just never found an opportunity.

Because Shiina Hiyori was exceptionally soft and gentle.

His advances had been difficult to make effective.

But this time was different.

Shi Cheng firmly believed it.

"Shi Cheng, you're here." Sure enough, everything unfolded exactly as he had expected.

Shiina Hiyori did not look at him as naturally as usual this time.

There was a little more avoidance in her gaze.

It seemed she knew what had happened too.

Shi Cheng calmly sat beside her and flipped through the books on the table. "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"

Shiina Hiyori pressed her lovely lips together.

From time to time, she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

Finally making up her mind, she said, "Shi Cheng, I hope what happened between our classes won't affect our relationship. What do you think?"

After saying that, Shiina Hiyori looked at him anxiously.

When she had just learned what had happened between the two classes, she had felt awful.

But even if she had known beforehand, she would not have stopped it.

Because this was the long-cherished wish of everyone who was not in Class A.

Although choosing neither to participate nor refuse was rather sly,

that was simply the kind of person she was.

"Of course." Shi Cheng immediately took her hand, gazing at her affectionately as his grip gradually tightened.

Shiina Hiyori's face flushed crimson, but she showed no intention of pulling her hand away.

She merely lowered her head.

This was the Library.

It was rather embarrassing.

Reading the meaning in her eyes,

Shi Cheng immediately leaned close to her crystal-clear ear. Watching her earlobe redden, he breathed hotly against it. "So it would be fine if we weren't in the Library?"

Shiina Hiyori said nothing.

She merely puffed out her cheeks.

Her violet eyes, misted over with moisture, looked especially enticing.

Seeing that he was still just a little short of success, Shi Cheng stopped there and lightly scraped her cute little nose. "What are you thinking? What do you think I would do?"

Hearing that,

steam practically burst from Shiina Hiyori's head.

She felt ashamed and angry at her own impure thoughts.

But the true culprit was not getting away with it either.

"Chomp!" In extreme embarrassment and irritation, Shiina Hiyori bit the troublesome hand.

Her eyes were full of dissatisfaction.

Wasn't he deliberately bullying her?

"Ah! Let go!" Shi Cheng cried out dramatically in cooperation.