An Xiao: What does this have to do with me?

As An Xiao's words fell, the scene suddenly became quiet.

Even for those who wanted to speak up, they couldn't find any good reason to do so all of a sudden.

"I think An Xiao is quite right," Ayanokoji's familiar, flat tone drifted over. "It really isn't great to just go around asking other classes for help."

"But... we've been looking for ages, and we haven't found a single witness, or even a shred of information."

"How is this any different from when we started? It's like we've been working for nothing!"

Ike rested his hands on the railing, looked up at the sky, and said with great irritation.

Yamauchi was also kicking the railing beside him, producing a rhythmic thumping sound from time to time.

"Then let's call it a day for now. Sorry to trouble everyone."

Noticing that the others' spirits had dampened, Kikyo Kushida quickly stepped forward to soothe them. "After all, there are only so many people in the school. If we keep asking one by one, we'll definitely find someone. Let's keep working hard tomorrow and the day after!"

"We have to keep looking tomorrow and the day after..." Yamauchi muttered, feeling very reluctant. "What if there really isn't anyone who saw it?"

Kikyo Kushida pursed her lips, crossed her arms over her chest, and said in a dejected yet very earnest tone, "Although that is indeed a possibility, what if? I hope that I can spend these three years of high school well with everyone."

"Hehehe, I also really want to spend these wonderful three years with little Kushida. Is this what they call a meeting of minds? Leave it to me, I'll search with all my might." Looking at Kikyo Kushida's delicate and cute appearance, the complaints that had been in Yamauchi's head vanished into thin air, and he patted his chest to assure her.

"Me too, me too! But if we find them, can little Kushida give me a reward?"

"Of course!" Kikyo Kushida smiled at the two in front of her and said, "If you really find them, that is."

"Yosh! I'm fired up! For Kushida-chan's reward! Let's go!" x2

"Um... I think our goal is supposed to be finding witnesses."

Watching the two who were suddenly full of motivation and heading back out to search the campus, Ayanokoji said weakly.

But that was all he said.

Seeing that Ayanokoji hadn't left yet, Kikyo Kushida turned her head and said with a smile, "Ayanokoji-kun, you can head off for today. I still have some things I'd like to discuss with An Xiao."

Ayanokoji nodded, and after his gaze lingered on An Xiao for a moment, he also left.

Seeing that everyone else around them had departed, An Xiao raised an eyebrow and teased, "Do you really hope to spend these three years of high school well with them?"

"What do you think?"

Although there was no one else around, Kikyo Kushida kept the smile on her face, but her hand found its way to An Xiao's waist, and she gave it a forceful twist.

"Hiss! What are you doing?" An Xiao felt the pain radiating from his waist and gasped.

"What do you think?" Kikyo Kushida tilted her head, smiling very cutely. "Do you remember what you gave me earlier?"

"Huh?" An Xiao's mind went blank for a moment. "Did I give you something?"

Hearing this, the smile on Kikyo Kushida's face almost failed to hold. She leaned into An Xiao's ear and whispered.

"It was the Yellow Cake~ Do you know that thing almost choked me to death!!?"

"It just kept expanding the more I chewed, and I couldn't swallow it no matter what."

"I only ate a tiny piece, and I felt like my jaw was going to fall off!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it made An Xiao's skin crawl.

"Uh... well, you have to admit it was effective, right? Didn't you lose the mood to curse at Horikita after eating it?"

"Hmph, yeah, I lost the mood alright. After eating that snack of yours, my mouth was almost numb; I didn't have the strength to curse anymore." Kikyo Kushida said indignantly. She released her hand from An Xiao's waist, then leaned against the railing and asked, "Was what you said earlier true? You really don't plan on helping?"

"Same as before, this is Class D's business." An Xiao shrugged. "Not to mention I never had a good impression of that redhead to begin with, and besides, if you want my help, you have to pay a price."

"This isn't some small-time deal like buying test papers. Can you even afford the points?"

"Or perhaps, are the others in your class willing to pay a large sum of points for that guy Sudo?"

"You should know better than me just how chaotic your class is, Kikyo Kushida. I don't want to be a babysitter for your class."

After listening to An Xiao's string of words, Kikyo Kushida was stunned for a long time before she came back to her senses. She covered her face with her hands and let out an annoyed clicking sound.

"Tsk, so it really is like that. Can those idiots just drop dead? They cause these kinds of troubles every single day. The study session last time, and now this. Every time, I'm the one who has to clean up the mess. If it weren't for maintaining my persona..."

"This is just the worst, the worst, the worst, the worst..."

"Just go die, go die, go die, go die..."

An Xiao watched Kikyo Kushida muttering to herself while covering her face, but he didn't say much, just stood quietly beside her and listened.

After a long while, and after the group in Class D had "died" countless more times, Kikyo Kushida finally lifted her head, her face once again wearing a bright, energetic smile.

"Feeling a bit better now?"

"Barely, I suppose. But you actually didn't leave?"

"I promised you earlier, after all. I still intend to keep my word." An Xiao shrugged.

To be honest, although Kikyo Kushida had been cursing for a long time and her tone was quite nasty, the actual swear words were limited to just a few, and it was far from being truly unbearable.

"Phew~" Kikyo Kushida let out a long sigh. After hearing An Xiao's explanation, her previously frustrated mood improved slightly.

Seeing that Kikyo Kushida's emotions had stabilized, An Xiao continued, "Since there's nothing else, I'll be heading off."

"Consider it a favor for not leaving early just now."

"Then many thanks for your mercy, milady." An Xiao said with a smile, waved his hand, and then turned to leave.

"He actually keeps his word, but how long can that last?"

Watching An Xiao's retreating figure, Kikyo Kushida muttered to herself before she, too, left the area.