"Good eye." Tang Yu adjusted his breathing. "Keep going."
In the second round, Tang Yu got serious and evened the score with an unexpected thrust to the throat. Horikita's eyes widened in surprise, then the corners of her mouth lifted slightly. "Now that's more like it."
In the deciding round, the two of them traded blows, their bamboo swords clashing in a rapid, rainlike succession. In the end, Tang Yu deliberately left a tiny opening, and Horikita seized the chance to score a hit to his abdomen.
"2–1. I win." Horikita lowered her bamboo sword, breathing a little hard.
Tang Yu pretended to be dissatisfied. "I won't let you get me next time."
"I'll be ready whenever you are." Horikita turned to leave, then paused. "By the way... about the Student Council election..."
Tang Yu raised an eyebrow. "Your brother is stepping down?"
"Yeah." Horikita rarely volunteered information, but now she did. "Miyabi Nagumo is the frontrunner to succeed him, but he... can't be trusted."
This was the first time Horikita Suzune had so plainly expressed her wariness of someone, and the first time she had hinted at seeking an ally. Tang Yu nodded solemnly. "Understood. Thanks for the warning."
[Respect from Horikita Suzune +300]
[Affection increased to 80/100]
[Current Emotion Points: 63,500/∞]
At 2:30 p.m., in a café near the school, Tang Yu chose a booth in the far corner. With his back to the wall, he could see both the entrance and the emergency exit. His meeting with Karuizawa Kei required absolute caution, especially after learning that Kushida was digging into her past.
Karuizawa arrived on time, her blonde hair tied in a neat ponytail. She had swapped her school blazer for a stylish cardigan, looking more relaxed than she did at school. But as soon as she sat down, she got 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 trace of fear flashed in Karuizawa's eyes. "How much does she know?"
"I'm not sure, but she's definitely found some clues." Tang Yu activated Emotion Field, creating a sense of safety around them. "What about Ryuen?"
"Worse." Karuizawa bit down on her straw. "He tracked down some of my middle school classmates and threatened to expose those photos... unless I helped him take down Horikita Suzune."
Tang Yu's gaze turned cold. "What's his plan?"
"I don't know the details, but I heard he's going to make his move during the whole-school assembly." Karuizawa's hand 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 as soon as you can."
He activated Emotional Link, sending her a steady sense of support. "I'll take care of this, including those photos."
Karuizawa's Emotion Cloud gradually shifted from dark gray fear to pale blue hope. "Why... why are you helping me so much?"
"Because we're allies." Tang Yu smiled. "And Class D needs a fighter like you."
Karuizawa suddenly reached out and took hold of Tang Yu's wrist. The unexpected contact left them both stunned for a moment. "Thank you," she said softly, then quickly pulled her hand back, her cheeks turning pink.
[Dependence from Karuizawa Kei +400]
[Affection increased to 80/100]
[Current Emotion Points: 64,500/∞]
At 5:40 p.m., on Cherry Blossom Path, Tang Yu arrived early at the meeting spot, sorting through the fragments of information he had gathered that day. Ryuen had joined forces with Miyabi Nagumo and planned to use Karuizawa's past to target Horikita Suzune and split up Class D. It was still unclear what role Kushida Kikyo was playing, but she certainly meant no good.
"Tang Yu!" Honami Ichinose's voice rang out behind him, clear as a wind chime. She jogged over, her light brown hair gleaming gold in the setting sun. "Sorry, the Student Council business ran late."
"No problem. I just got here too." Tang Yu activated Emotion Perception. Ichinose's Emotion Cloud was a warm orange, but at its core lay a faint, hard-to-detect blue sadness, unlike her usual self.
The two of them strolled along Cherry Blossom Path. Ichinose talked about her plans for the new term and team-building for Class B, her tone as upbeat as ever. But Tang Yu noticed that she several times seemed on the verge of saying something, then stopped herself.
"Is something bothering you?" Tang Yu asked directly.
Ichinose's steps faltered. "Is it that obvious?" She gave a wry smile. "Actually... the Student Council election is coming up, and someone anonymously revealed that I... did something disgraceful in middle school."
Tang Yu immediately thought of Karuizawa's situation. "Was it Ryuen?"
"How did you know?" Ichinose's eyes widened in surprise.
"Just a hunch." Tang Yu brushed the question aside. "What exactly was it?"
"They said I cheated on an exam." Ichinose's voice dropped. "It's true, actually. In my first year of middle school, I passed the answers to my best friend, and we were both disciplined."
The confession took Tang Yu by surprise. Ichinose's honesty prompted him to activate Emotional Link, letting him feel the remorse and tendency toward self-punishment deep within her. The sunny girl had been overcompensating for her past mistake by giving too much of herself.
"Everyone has a past they'd rather keep hidden," Tang Yu said gently. "What matters is who you are now."
Ichinose stopped, tears glimmering in her eyes. "Do you really think so?"
"Of course." Tang Yu looked her straight in the eyes. "The leader of Class B is Honami Ichinose, not the girl you were in your first year of middle school."
Ichinose suddenly stepped forward and gave Tang Yu a tight hug, then quickly stepped back, her cheeks flushed. "Sorry, I got carried away... I just... thank you."
[Gratitude from Honami Ichinose +500]
[Affection increased to 80/100]
[Emotion Points exceeded 70,000!]
[Unlocked "Emotion Resonance" ability]
[Can now establish deep Emotional Links with multiple people at the same time]
The sun sank below the horizon, stretching their shadows long across Cherry Blossom Path. After escorting Ichinose back to her dorm, Tang Yu headed to the boys' dorm alone.
He had exceeded his goals for the day: not only had he gathered a large amount of Emotion Points and unlocked a new ability, he had also strengthened his relationships with five key girls.
But just as he was about to enter the dormitory, Emotion Perception suddenly picked up a familiar presence—cold and calculating.
Tang Yu spun around. In the distance, beneath the shadows of a tree, stood Student Council Vice President Kiriyama Ikiteru, recording something with some kind of device.
Their gazes met in the dusk. A cold smile tugged at Kiriyama's lips, and then he turned and disappeared into the darkness.
[Special Alert: High-threat surveillance detected]
[Kiriyama Ikiteru's Hostility: 70%]
[Recommendation: Strengthen defensive measures]
The system prompt flickered in the night as Tang Yu stood at the dorm entrance, staring in the direction Kiriyama had disappeared. The new term was about to begin, and the undercurrents were already surging.
It seemed a lot of people were obsessed with this position. But it wasn't yours to claim.
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