Just in Time

"Are you sure you want to do this? Things probably won't be as simple as you think."

Shi Cheng subtly reminded her to be cautious.

"Mm." Ichinose Honami had already made up her mind.

Looking at her resolute little face, Shi Cheng understood.

She was still indulging in wishful thinking.

She only considered how to reject someone without hurting them, without caring in the slightest about what he thought.

In that case—

It seemed he no longer needed to feel guilty.

Under the sunlight, the shadows of the two walking side by side stretched long.

On their way to the meeting, Shi Cheng asked curiously, "Why did Ichinose ask me for help?"

Perhaps she was too happy, because Ichinose Honami answered with complete honesty.

"I heard about what happened between Class C and Class D. Shi Cheng handled it perfectly."

Ichinose Honami praised him sincerely. "If it were me, I definitely wouldn't have been able to think of a solution."

It had only been a few days.

Had the news already spread that widely?

Shi Cheng could not help marveling at how powerful her information network was.

Though it was probably more because there were too many blabbermouths in class.

Shi Cheng did not believe Class C would voluntarily spread such an embarrassing incident.

After thinking it over, Shi Cheng did not take it to heart.

Let them spread it. It was bound to become known sooner or later anyway.

Looking at Shi Cheng, who did not respond—

Ichinose Honami felt very pleased with her wise decision back then.

Shi Cheng really was an outstanding ally.

If only he did not keep hitting the dark chapters of her past buried in her heart.

After a brief moment of disappointment, Ichinose Honami pulled herself together again.

No one here knew about it anyway.

As long as she did not say anything—

Who would know?

"It's not that exaggerated. You could definitely solve it easily too."

Shi Cheng returned the commercial flattery.

Ichinose Honami shook her head. She could not accept such praise.

"Shi Cheng, you should be a little careful lately. That probably wasn't just an isolated incident."

Gossiping about someone behind their back was certainly not good.

But she had a duty to warn Shi Cheng as an ally.

"It's fine. I'll deal with whatever comes my way."

Seeing how confident he was, Ichinose Honami could not really say anything more.

Besides, she could still provide him with help on her end, couldn't she?

"What you just said isn't enough. I don't think that alone would make Ichinose ask me to do this."

Shi Cheng suddenly changed the subject.

Seriously, why are we talking about this again?

Faced with this unexpected turn, Ichinose Honami's mind raced.

"I just think Shi Cheng is someone I can trust." Left with nothing else to say, Ichinose Honami lowered her head, her pink hair seeming somewhat dim.

Really?

Wouldn't your classmates, the ones you're close with, be a better choice?

Oh! Shi Cheng got it.

The person confessing was also from her class, and she did not want the class to develop a possible rift, right?

Tsk, tsk.

Shi Cheng muttered inwardly.

You don't seem as sunny as you let on.

Either way, it was a well-intentioned lie.

She might as well state her position directly.

Yet she had to use him as a shield and deliberately draw aggro, huh?

Having understood her ultimate intentions—

Shi Cheng completely lost his reservations.

"I'll just take it as that, then." To further deepen Ichinose Honami's guilt, Shi Cheng deliberately said so.

Sure enough, Ichinose Honami felt even more guilty.

It was pretty much as Shi Cheng had thought.

She really did have such thoughts.

It had not been easy to gain such precious friendships in class, and Ichinose Honami did not want even the slightest crack to appear.

So she could only apologize to Shi Cheng.

Though it was not very nice to say this, and she truly did not mean to look down on him—

The truth was—

Shi Cheng really was from Class D.

That would also allow her to establish herself as the victim.

Of course, that was only the deepest thought in her heart.

She would not actually admit it herself.

"Is this the place?"

Having arrived at a picturesque spot perfectly suited for a confession, Shi Cheng stopped.

"Mm." Ichinose Honami looked nervous.

Thinking about what was about to happen, she was not sure whether things could develop as ideally as she hoped.

A hint of unease appeared on her face.

"Leave it to me." Shi Cheng comforted her softly.

"Mm." With her thoughts in a mess, Ichinose Honami raised her bright eyes and waited expectantly for what he would do next.

Since he could easily resolve the trouble in class, this matter must be just as simple for Shi Cheng.

It really was simple. He only needed to take things one step further than she had imagined.

The corners of Shi Cheng's lips curled upward slightly as he waited for the third party to appear.

Just then, a faint sound of footsteps approached.

Ichinose Honami immediately grew tense.

If she was right—

It had to be her.

Shi Cheng did not wait for the figure to appear. Whether it was the intended person or not, he had to act.

After all, opportunities lost would never return.

"Honami, you guys—!" Shiro-nami Chihiro had been very happy to learn that Ichinose Honami had come to the meeting.

She rounded the corner with light steps, then witnessed a shocking, heartbreaking scene.

Ichinose Honami could not greet her.

All she could do was make muffled whimpering sounds.

The three of them stood frozen in tacit understanding.

After a while, Shi Cheng pushed her away and reproached, "Honami, what kind of place did you choose? Outsiders are showing up."

"Sorry, I interrupted you." Hearing Shi Cheng's words, Shiro-nami Chihiro quickly came back to her senses.

Looking at Ichinose Honami, whose cheeks were flushed and whose eyes were shimmering with tears as she said nothing—

Shiro-nami Chihiro instantly understood that she had come at a terribly inappropriate time.

"Sorry!"

Holding back the tears about to spill from her eyes, she bowed rapidly in apology, then fled the place in dejection.

Watching her lonely retreating figure, Shi Cheng patted Ichinose Honami on the head.

"I handled what you asked me to do, and I've received my payment. From now on, neither of us owes the other anything."

After saying that, regardless of whether Ichinose Honami had recovered her senses—

Shi Cheng left without any psychological burden, swaggering away.

Leaving Ichinose Honami alone to bask in the lingering warmth.

Not long after Shi Cheng left—

Ichinose Honami blankly raised a hand and touched her damp lips, not knowing what she was thinking.

But now was not the time to think about that.

She suddenly remembered Shiro-nami Chihiro, who had cried like a wreck when she turned around.

She needed her now!

Ichinose Honami pressed her red lips together and hurried after her.

"Why aren't you in the dorm again?"

Outside the dormitory building, Shi Cheng instinctively took half a step back the moment he saw Horikita Suzune standing in front of him, with the cold wind raging around her.

Taking in his reaction, Horikita Suzune responded with a cold sneer. "So you have things you're afraid of too."

"What? I was just afraid of bumping into you." Shi Cheng stubbornly denied it.

That shouldn't be right.

Why was he feeling guilty?

It wasn't like he couldn't beat her.

"Come with me." Horikita Suzune was not one to waste words. Now that she had found him, she directly grabbed Shi Cheng's hand.

"Where are we going?" Shi Cheng did not resist and followed behind her.

"You'll know when we get there." Horikita Suzune's voice was icy as she walked on without looking back.

Only her flowing black hair remained, filling his vision.

The soft strands did smell nice.

They just made his nose itch.

Shi Cheng curled his lips. "You might as well not have said anything."