Better to Be There in Person Than Watch the Broadcast

The suffocating silence in the Class D classroom continued to ferment.

Ken Sudo slumped in his seat like a plaster statue that had been drained of its soul.

His face was deathly pale, his lips trembling slightly as he repeatedly muttered words of despair that no one could clearly hear:

"How is this possible... 39 points... I studied so hard..."

Yosuke Hirata stood by the podium, his hands clenched into fists and his brows locked in a tight knot, yet he was utterly helpless.

He scanned his surroundings, his gaze sweeping over faces that were either lowered in avoidance or furtively exchanging glances.

No one dared to break this heavy atmosphere, as if whoever spoke first would have to shoulder this unbearable responsibility.

In the middle row at the back of the classroom, Lin Mu rested his chin on one hand.

He held the last bit of a lollipop's white plastic stick in his mouth, idly using the tip of his tongue to roll it around.

His gaze swept across the classroom with indifference, finally landing on Kiyotaka Ayanokoji not far away, who remained expressionless, sitting as upright as a mannequin.

Quite composed, aren't you.

Lin Mu muttered to himself, his fingertips tapping unconsciously against the desk.

Although his precognition had already told him the ending of this scene, witnessing the absurdity of this collective silence still made him feel a bit... bored.

It was too boring, like a mystery drama where you already knew the solution; watching the characters rack their brains only made one want to fast-forward.

Ayanokoji, sitting to the side, seemed to notice Lin Mu's gaze, or perhaps he simply decided at that exact moment that it was time to act—Kiyotaka Ayanokoji slowly turned his head.

Their gazes met briefly in the air.

There was no emotional fluctuation in Ayanokoji's eyes; they were like two bottomless ancient wells.

Lin Mu offered him a faint smile, one that carried a touch of laziness from seeing through everything, as well as a hint of playfulness that said, "I know what you're about to do."

Ayanokoji paused and blinked.

Then, he returned a standard, mechanical smile; the curve of his lips was as precise as if measured by a ruler, yet his eyes remained dead and hollow.

There was no verbal exchange between the two, not even a nod of acknowledgment, yet it was as if they had completed a tacit understanding: You also think it's time for this scene to move to the next act, right?

The next second, Ayanokoji stood up calmly.

His movements were unhurried; he first straightened the hem of his uniform shirt, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles.

Then he stepped toward the classroom door, and judging by the direction, he was clearly intending to follow Sae Chabashira, who had just left.

Kikyo Kushida, who had been keeping a close eye on the class's movements, immediately caught this anomaly.

She had been anxiously biting her lower lip, her hands tightly twisted together, but the moment she saw Ayanokoji stand up.

Sparks of hope ignited in her eyes; could it be that he had thought of a way to save Sudo?

"Ayanokoji-kun, are you..."

Before she could finish her sentence.

Ayanokoji didn't stop his pace, and without looking back, he simply said in a flat tone:

"Sorry, I'm going to the restroom."

As his words fell, he had already pulled open the classroom door, slipped out sideways, and then gently closed it behind him.

With a soft "click," the sound completely cut off the question Kushida had yet to ask.

Kikyo Kushida stood frozen in place, the urgency on her face solidifying into a state of blank confusion.

She frowned, her gaze still fixed on the closed door, her mind racing:

Is he really going to the restroom? At a time like this? But... the restroom doesn't seem to be in that direction...

She pondered for a few seconds, her lips moving, but she ultimately said nothing more.

She merely sighed softly and cast her worried gaze back toward the still-despondent Ken Sudo.

Just as Ayanokoji left, Suzune Horikita, sitting beside him, closed the notebook spread out on her desk with a sharp "snap."

The sound was exceptionally crisp in the deathly silent classroom, causing several nearby students to look over instinctively.

She stood up expressionlessly, her uniform skirt tracing a sharp arc with the movement, and spoke in a cold tone:

"I'm going to the restroom too."

Having said that, she didn't look at anyone, walking straight toward the classroom door with a crisp, decisive gait, her back straight and aloof.

Oh? The show is starting!

(Quick question, whose line is this in the League?)

Lin Mu took all of this in, the corner of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly.

Interesting. Both of them choosing this moment to go to the "restroom," and both heading in the direction Chabashira left—that's a bit too deliberate.

Forget it, rather than sitting here using precognition to watch how it unfolds (even though he had already seen it), it was better to go join the fun in person.

Sitting idly in the classroom in a daze was just too boring, and besides...

Thinking this, Lin Mu also stood up slowly.

His movements appeared far more sluggish than the previous two, and he even casually fished a grape-flavored lollipop out of his pocket.

Signaling that this was the last one for the day, he peeled off the wrapper, popped it into his mouth, and only then began to walk.

Kikyo Kushida's gaze drifted toward the back row once again.

This time, besides confusion, her eyes held a hint of helplessness: How could there be another one?

Lin Mu met her gaze, raised a hand in a "stay calm" gesture, and tossed out a casual remark:

"I'm going to the restroom, too."

His tone was matter-of-fact, as if this were truly the perfect moment for a group bathroom break.

(A team-building exercise at the restroom, then.)

Kushida looked at the three empty seats in the back row: Ayanokoji, Suzune Horikita, and Lin Mu.

The corner of her mouth twitched, and she silently grumbled to herself: Just how much of a coincidence is this? Three people wanting to go to the restroom at the same time, and all heading in the same direction... it's hard not to overthink it.

She shook her head, cast the thought from her mind, and refocused her attention on the classroom situation before her.

Lin Mu's steps were light, and he sauntered out of the classroom slowly with the lollipop in his mouth, soon catching up to Suzune Horikita at the corner of the hallway.

She was following Ayanokoji from a distance, but her eyes, fixed intently on his back, betrayed the fact that she wasn't really going to "relieve herself."

Lin Mu quickened his pace, raised his hand, and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

Suzune Horikita tensed up instantly, like a startled cat, and spun around sharply.

Her gaze was as sharp as ice, filled with intense vigilance and aggression, as if she were ready to deal with any sudden situation at a moment's notice.

But upon seeing that the person was Lin Mu, her edge softened slightly, though her tone remained cold and distant, perfectly in line with her usual personality:

"Lin Mu, is there something you need?"

Her voice carried clear displeasure; she obviously didn't like being approached suddenly from behind.

Lin Mu tilted his chin toward the other side of the hallway and spoke in a flat tone:

"Horikita, this isn't the way to the restroom."

He paused, looked at her slightly furrowed brows, and continued slowly:

"The restroom is clearly over there. You and Ayanokoji, I'm afraid your intentions aren't exactly focused on the 'bar,' are they?"

He deliberately drew out the end of his sentence, shifting the lollipop to the other cheek and creating a small bulge:

"You're both working hard to keep Sudo from getting expelled, right?"

Suzune Horikita's brows furrowed even tighter.

She didn't offer a defense, nor did she admit it; she simply shot him a cold glance, her eyes filled with a sense of detachment that screamed "none of your business."

Clearly, she didn't want her intentions exposed, nor did she want any complications at a time like this.

Lin Mu shrugged, shoved his hands back into his uniform pockets, and kept his tone lazy:

"I don't mean anything by it; I'm just bored and wanted to join in on the fun."

He gestured with his chin toward the front, where Ayanokoji's back had already disappeared around the stairwell corner: "I won't interfere with your business; I'm just following along to watch. Shall we?"

Suzune Horikita remained silent for a few seconds.

Her gaze lingered on Lin Mu's face for a moment, as if evaluating his intentions.

In the end, she said nothing, simply turned around, and continued walking forward—this served as her tacit consent.

The two moved one after the other, maintaining a distance, like two taciturn trackers quietly following behind Ayanokoji and the even further ahead Sae Chabashira.

They passed through the quiet hallways of the school building, climbed the stairs, and finally arrived at the entrance leading to the rooftop.

(Activity period: May 1st to May 5th)