On Campus

"Call..."

A suppressed sigh of relief filled the carriage, and the atmosphere visibly relaxed.

Miyajima Hayata secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although he thought one million yen a day was outrageously expensive, at least he managed to keep the man.

Just then, a voice, tinged with a touch of naivety and eagerness, suddenly rang out, breaking the brief silence.

"Um... Hashimoto, Coach Takeuchi!"

Nakai Hiroshi, sitting next to Miyajima Hayata, watched as Tanaka Yukishin "successfully negotiated."

His eyes lit up, and he suddenly raised his hand, his face filled with the excitement of imitation.

"I want to too..."

"Want to?! What are you talking about?!"

Before he could finish speaking, Miyajima Hayata.

With lightning speed, they covered Nakai Hiroshi's mouth tightly!

The enormous hand almost covered the lower half of Nakai Hiroshi's face, and the arm tightened around him like an iron hoop, preventing him from breaking free.

Miyajima Hayata's movements were swift and precise, completely the instinctive reaction of a master swordsman.

"Ugh! Let the instrument dam pass away VI"I privately cover up and slink away ugh ugh ugh!"

Nakai Hiroshi was caught off guard by the sudden covering, his eyes wide open, filled with immense bewilderment and grievance.

I just want to learn.

Club President! Why did you hit me?

"Nakai-kun, what are you thinking about too?"

Hashimoto pushed up his glasses, his gaze sharp as he looked at her, his tone carrying a hint of danger.

Coach Takeuchi also gave a cold look.

Miyajima Hayata. He tightened his grip on his mouth while forcing a smile and loudly explaining at breakneck speed.

"Teacher! He's dizzy! He just woke up and is talking nonsense! Everything he says is wrong! It doesn't count! It doesn't count!"

As he spoke, he glared fiercely at Nakai Hiroshi, who was still struggling in his arms—you little brat, shut up!

"Oh..."

Coach Takeuchi let out a soft, ambiguous chuckle, his gaze sweeping over Miyajima Hayata and Nakai Hiroshi, his tone slightly sarcastic.

"Looks like he still needs some education. After two years at this school, his brain is still so... um, naive? Could it be that during regular training and Special Exam, he's just mindlessly following your orders, Miyajima?"

Miyajima Hayata blushed at the remark and quickly assured him.

"Absolutely not! Coach! It's because I haven't been disciplining him properly! I'll go and give him a good talking-to right now! I'll make him realize what's going on!"

After saying that, he gritted his teeth and almost dragged and carried Nakai Hiroshi, who was still struggling and looking bewildered, away from his seat.

Under the watchful, barely suppressed laughter of the other passengers, he was hastily and quickly dragged to an empty seat in the last row of the bus.

"Bang!"

Miyajima Hayata shoved Nakai Hiroshi heavily into the last row of seats.

Only then did she release her hand from his mouth, letting out a breath of exhaustion.

He glared at the clueless teammate with a look of utter disappointment.

Nakai Hiroshi, panting heavily, rubbed his sore cheek and asked with a wronged and confused expression, "Club President! What are you doing! I just wanted to do what Tanaka- kun did... (4) Tokuhachi..."

"Study?! I'm saving you! Saving you, don't you understand?!"

Miyajima Hayata lowered his voice, jabbing Nakai Hiroshi's chest with his finger, "Do you even remember what the school's core values are?!"

"Strength is paramount..." Nakai Hiroshi answered softly.

"That's right! Strength is everything!" Miyajima Hayata practically roared, then abruptly lowered his voice, "Then tell me, what's your strength? What's Tanaka Yukishin's strength? He's someone who can crush the whole group! What's your attitude? He genuinely doesn't care about dropping out, he's not pretending to be some kind of strategic retreat! And you? You're proud of the school, but what are you without it? And him? The school might be proud of him in the future! What level are you? You want the same treatment as him?! One million a day! You couldn't even scrape together a fraction of that if you sold yourself! And you dare say I want that too? You're dreaming!"

Miyajima Hayata gave him a severe dressing-down, his spittle almost landing on Nakai Hiroshi's face.

Nakai Hiroshi was stunned by the shout.

Looking at the Club President's flushed face, and then thinking about the astronomical figure of one million a day and the pitiful balance in his own account.

I finally realized, belatedly, the insurmountable gap between us.

He shrank back, his aggrieved and confused expression quickly replaced by a sense of lingering fear and shame at having almost caused a major disaster, and his voice became barely audible.

"Ah... I... I understand, Club President... I'm sorry..."

Miyajima Hayata annoyed and amused by his appearance.

In the end, he could only sigh heavily, plop down next to him, and vigorously rub his head.

"Good thing you know! Stay put and learn something good! Don't try this kind of dangerous stunt!"

In the corner of the last row, only Nakai Hiroshi nodded like a chick pecking at rice and Miyajima Hayata sighed helplessly.

At the front of the carriage, Tanaka Yukishin leaned against the window.

Watching the scenery rushing past the window, a barely perceptible smile appeared on the corner of his lips.

Chapter 135, Section 134 (within the school)

The July morning sun, with its blinding heat, generously poured down on the entrance of the Advanced Nurturing High School.

The incessant chirping of cicadas added a touch of restlessness to the farewell.

Karuizawa Kei stood under the shade of a tree in front of the school gate, squinting as she watched the bus carrying the elite members of the school's Kendo Club slowly drive away.

She instinctively gripped the parasol in her hand, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

She didn't want to taste the bitterness of parting, if she could.

But in the end, she could only watch as the bus's exhaust fumes twisted and distorted in the heat, eventually disappearing around the corner at the end of the road.

"Honestly, you promised you wouldn't look back at me..."

She muttered to herself, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up in a smile.

Just now, when she was saying goodbye, she clearly saw Xuexin watching her from the car window.

That hesitant expression stirred a sweet ripple in her heart, soothing the sorrow of parting.

A few soft sighs came from beside me.

Karuizawa Kei then realized that she wasn't the only one who came to see her off.

Four girls with distinct personalities stood in the same spot, the air thick with a subtle atmosphere that mingled with farewell, curiosity, and their own individual calculations.

Karuizawa Kei was the first to turn around.

She rubbed her still slightly sore lower back, her delicate features showing obvious fatigue.

My legs felt noticeably weak when I took a step, and my white socks felt like I was walking on cotton on the asphalt.

This action was immediately noticed by the other three women.

However, Karuizawa Kei did not make eye contact with the three people beside her. Instead, she turned around decisively and walked towards the dormitory building with a blank expression.

At that moment, she had only one thought in her mind: go back, lie down, and immediately take a nap.

Last night... Thinking of last night, a faint blush appeared on Karuizawa Kei's fair cheeks.

Knowing that Tanaka Yukishin was going to participate in the Gyokuryuki competition and that they wouldn't see each other for several days, the impending separation made her exceptionally "enthusiastic" and "proactive."

The result was... I got a little too "exhausted" by that incredibly energetic lover.

Although my body has been nourished by the lovingly prepared meal by Xuexin, my fatigue and soreness have been mostly relieved.

But the weariness following excessive excitement washed over her consciousness like a tide, and she desperately needed a deep sleep to recover.

As for why the other girls were here?

Ichinose Honami from Class A, Shiina Hiyori from Class C, and that second-year Kiryuin Fuuka...

Karuizawa Kei wasn't uninterested.

But at this moment, intense sleepiness and an instinctive sense of distance from "outsiders" overwhelmed everything.

She was too lazy to investigate further, and too lazy to exchange pleasantries with them.

Anyway, I'll just ask Xuexin when she gets back.

Xuexin... would never lie to her.

Watching Karuizawa Kei's back, which showed no sign of lingering and was even a little unsteady, Kamuro Masumi narrowed her eyes slightly.

As Sakayanagi Arisu's most trusted informant, collecting and analyzing information had almost become her instinct.

She keenly noticed Karuizawa Kei's overly obvious signs of fatigue.

It wasn't entirely the sadness of parting; it was more like the languor that came after physical exhaustion.

Several thoughts flashed through her mind.

What happened last night?

Between the older brother and Karuizawa...?

But she quickly suppressed that thought; there were more pressing goals to focus on now.

"Both of you are girls, and you've both had some contact with the older brother,"

Kamuro Masumi's gaze swept over Ichinose Honami and Shiina Hiyori's faces, with a formulaic, inquisitive tone. "How about we go to Palette together? Have a drink, chat casually. It's still early."

Unlike the already established and almost universally known relationship between Karuizawa Kei and Tanaka Yukishin.

The reasons and purposes behind the appearance of these two individuals in the farewell procession are more worthy of attention.

Especially Shiina Hiyori from Class C, who seems harmless and as if she only lives in a book, her very existence is intriguing.

As the core leader of Class A, Ichinose Honami's movements themselves involve certain information.

Ichinose Honami reacted extremely quickly and decisively.

She wore her usual warm, sunny yet aloof smile, and gave a slight bow.

"Ah, I'm so sorry, Kamuro. I'm busy with something and really can't find the time. Let's talk another time."

Her tone was gentle and polite, but the refusal was unmistakable.

She's incredibly busy preparing for the Uninhabited Island Special Exam during the upcoming summer vacation.

There was absolutely no extra energy or time to get involved in this kind of tentative tea party.

After saying that, without waiting for Kamuro Masumi to speak again, she turned and left with light and efficient steps.

Her pink hair traced a clean arc in the morning light, and she quickly merged into the flow of people heading towards the teaching building.

Shiina Hiyori nodded to herself.

Ichinose is so busy; no wonder she's the center of Class A.

Her refusal was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

That's really... efficient.

A small group of students from Class A happened to be passing by in the distance and witnessed this scene.

"Huh? Isn't that Ichinose? Coming back from the direction of the school gate so early?"

"I think there was also Kamuro Masumi from Class B and a gray-haired girl nearby just now. What were they doing together?"

"Who knows? Maybe it was just a coincidence. Ichinose is always busy."

Kamuro Masumi watched Ichinose Honami's departing figure, a knowing glint in her eyes, but she wasn't surprised.

Angels always act with method, so her refusal was perfectly reasonable.

She turned her gaze to the only remaining girl from Class C — Shiina Hiyori.

Shiina Hiyori stood quietly to the side, a gentle smile on her face.

When Kamuro Masumi's gaze fell upon her, she showed no discomfort at being scrutinized; instead, she proactively met his gaze, a gentler smile blooming on her delicate face.

"I'm actually quite happy, Kamuro." Shiina Hiyori's voice was soft and gentle, like a feather brushing against the heart. "It would be very pleasant to have a drink and chat with you."

She took a step forward, her posture natural and relaxed, as if the two were longtime friends.