Five Dates in One Day (Part 2)

"Good eye." Tang Yu adjusted his breathing. "Continue."

In the second round, Tang Yu got serious, scoring a point with an unexpected thrust to the throat. Horikita opened her eyes wide in surprise, then the corners of her mouth curled up slightly: "Now that's more like it."

In the final round, the two traded blows, the sound of their Bamboo Swords colliding as dense as raindrops. In the end, Tang Yu intentionally revealed a tiny opening, and Horikita seized the opportunity to strike his abdomen for the win.

"2:1, I win." Horikita put away her Bamboo Sword, her breathing slightly rapid.

Tang Yu feigned frustration: "I won't let you get the better of me next time."

"I'm ready whenever you are." Horikita turned to leave, then paused. "By the way... about the Student Council re-election..."

Tang Yu raised an eyebrow: "Your brother is stepping down?"

"Yes." Horikita rarely took the initiative to disclose information. "Nagumo Miyabi is the frontrunner to succeed him, but he... cannot be trusted."

This was the first time Horikita Suzune had expressed such blunt vigilance toward someone, and the first time she had hinted at seeking an alliance. Tang Yu nodded solemnly: "Understood. Thanks for the heads-up."

[Respect from Horikita Suzune +300]

[Affinity increased to 80/100]

[Current Emotion Value: 63500/∞]

2:30 PM, a cafe near the school. Tang Yu chose a booth in the furthest corner, his back to the wall, allowing him to see both the entrance and the emergency exit. Meeting with Karuizawa Kei required absolute caution, especially after just learning that Kushida was digging for information on her.

Karuizawa appeared on time, her blonde hair tied into a neat ponytail, her school blazer replaced by a stylish knit cardigan, looking more relaxed than she did at school. But as soon as she sat down, she went straight to the point: "Kushida is investigating me."

"I know." Tang Yu handed her the menu. "I just had a 'friendly' chat with her."

A flicker of fear flashed in Karuizawa's eyes: "How much does she know?"

"Not sure, but she definitely has some leads." Tang Yu activated "Emotion Field," creating a sense of security around them. "What about Ryuen's side?"

"Even worse." Karuizawa bit her straw. "He found my middle school classmates and is threatening to expose those photos... unless I help him take down Horikita Suzune."

Tang Yu's gaze turned cold instantly: "The specific plan?"

"I don't know the details, but I heard he's going to make his move during the all-school assembly." Karuizawa's hands trembled slightly. "Tang Yu... what should I do?"

Tang Yu thought for a moment: "First, don't panic. Second, I need you to keep pretending to cooperate with Ryuen, but report his movements to me immediately."

He activated "Emotional Link," conveying firm support. "I will resolve this matter, including those photos."

Karuizawa's emotion cloud gradually shifted from the deep gray of fear to the light blue of hope: "Why... why are you helping me so much?"

"Because we are allies." Tang Yu smiled. "Besides, Class D needs a warrior like you."

Karuizawa suddenly reached out and grabbed Tang Yu's wrist; this unexpected physical contact made them both freeze for a moment. "Thank you," she said softly, then quickly pulled her hand back, her cheeks flushing red.

[Reliance from Karuizawa Kei +400]

[Affinity increased to 80/100]

[Current Emotion Value: 64500/∞]

5:40 PM, on the school's Cherry Blossom Path. Tang Yu arrived at the meeting spot early, sorting through the fragments of intelligence gathered today—Ryuen had teamed up with Nagumo Miyabi, planning to use Karuizawa's past to strike at Horikita Suzune and thereby fracture Class D. What role Kushida Kikyo played in this remained unclear, but she was certainly up to no good.

"Tang Yu!" Honami Ichinose's voice came from behind, crisp as a wind chime. She jogged over, her flaxen short hair glowing gold in the sunset. "Sorry, I was held up by Student Council business."

"It's fine, I just got here too." Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception. Ichinose's emotion cloud appeared a warm orange, yet at its core lay a trace of imperceptible blue melancholy, different from usual.

The two walked slowly along the Cherry Blossom Path. Ichinose talked about plans for the new semester and team building for Class B, her tone as positive as ever. But Tang Yu noticed her hesitate to speak several times.

"Is something bothering you?" Tang Yu asked directly.

Ichinose's footsteps faltered. "Is it that obvious?" She gave a wry smile. "Actually... with the Student Council re-election approaching, someone leaked anonymously that I... did something disgraceful in middle school."

Tang Yu immediately associated this with Karuizawa's situation: "Did Ryuen do it?"

"How did you know?" Ichinose widened her eyes in surprise.

"Intuition." Tang Yu glossed over it. "What exactly was it?"

"They said I cheated on an exam." Ichinose's voice dropped. "Actually... it's true. In my first year, I helped my best friend pass the answers, and we both ended up being disciplined."

This confession was unexpected for Tang Yu. Ichinose's honesty made him involuntarily activate "Emotional Link," feeling the deep remorse and tendency toward self-punishment within her—this sunny girl had always been overcompensating to make up for past mistakes.

"Everyone has a past they don't want known." Tang Yu said softly. "What matters is who you are now."

Ichinose stopped in her tracks, tears shimmering in her eyes: "Do you really think so?"

"Of course." Tang Yu looked directly into her eyes. "The leader of Class B is Honami Ichinose, not that girl from the first year of middle school."

Ichinose suddenly stepped forward and gave Tang Yu a tight hug, then quickly backed away, her cheeks burning red: "I'm sorry, I was just too emotional... it's just... thank you."

[Moved from Honami Ichinose +500]

[Affinity increased to 80/100]

[Emotion Value exceeded 70000!]

[Unlocked "Emotion Resonance" ability]

[Can now establish deep emotional links with multiple people simultaneously]

As the sun set, their shadows stretched long across the Cherry Blossom Path. After escorting Ichinose back to her dormitory, Tang Yu walked toward the boys' dormitory alone.

Today's goals were over-achieved; not only had he collected a massive amount of emotion value and unlocked a new ability, but he had also solidified his relationships with five key girls.

However, just as he was about to enter the dormitory building, Emotion Perception suddenly captured a familiar fluctuation—cold and calculating.

Tang Yu whipped his head around and saw Student Council Vice President Kiriyama Ikiteru standing in the shadows of the trees in the distance, recording something with a device.

Their gazes met in the twilight; a cold sneer curled the corners of Kiriyama's mouth before he turned and vanished into the darkness.

[Special Alert: High-threat surveillance detected]

[Kiriyama Ikiteru hostility: 70%]

[Recommendation: Enhance defensive measures]

The system prompts flickered in the night air as Tang Yu stood at the dormitory entrance, gazing in the direction where Kiriyama had disappeared. The bell for the new semester was about to ring, and the undercurrents were already surging.

It seems many people are obsessed with this position, but this position does not belong to any of you.