"A witness? Someone who saw the Sudo Incident?"
"That's right. Sakura saw the whole thing from beginning to end."
Kushida beckoned to Sakura, who had been standing quietly behind her. Looking a little uneasy, Sakura cautiously took a step forward.
"Kushida says you personally witnessed the entire clash between Sudo and Class C?"
"Yes, I saw it."
Sakura's answer was hesitant. It wasn't so much that she lacked confidence as that Teacher Chabashira's sharp gaze made her feel uncomfortable all over.
But thinking of Takahashi, she slowly began to speak, recounting the entire truth of what had happened.
Throughout her account, Teacher Chabashira listened intently without interrupting her once.
"I've noted your account. However, I can't accept it at face value."
Kushida had expected that, as Class D's homeroom teacher, Teacher Chabashira would at least look relieved to see a key witness come forward. But the reality was the complete opposite. She hurriedly asked, "P-please, may I ask why?"
Teacher Chabashira ignored Kushida and addressed Sakura directly. "Sakura, why are you coming forward to testify only now? You were there when the class meeting called for information. Why didn't you say anything then?"
"Because... I'm not very good at dealing with people..."
"If you're not good at socializing, isn't it contradictory to come forward of your own accord now?"
Teacher Chabashira's question was perfectly reasonable. If Sakura had come forward from the beginning, the teacher would surely have welcomed such an important witness.
"Teacher, Sakura is actually..."
"I'm asking Sakura. Don't interrupt." Teacher Chabashira's stern voice cut Kushida's defense short without mercy.
"Um... because everyone in class... cares about this, so... I thought that if I testified, I might be able to help them..."
Sakura's voice grew quieter and quieter.
As Class D's homeroom teacher, Teacher Chabashira knew all too well how introverted and timid Sakura was. She understood that for a girl who got nervous even making eye contact with her classmates, recounting the whole incident was already a huge breakthrough.
"So you finally decided to come forward after overcoming your fears with great difficulty?" Teacher Chabashira softened her tone.
"Yes..." Sakura clutched the hem of her uniform, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"I understand. Since you're a witness, I'll report your account to the school truthfully. But this testimony alone probably won't be enough to prove Sudo's innocence."
"Why...?" Sakura abruptly looked up, unease rippling in her eyes.
"Who can prove you really witnessed the whole thing?" Teacher Chabashira tapped the desk with her fingertips, making a crisp sound. "A Class D student suddenly giving testimony on the eve of the hearing is bound to raise suspicions that she made it up to help the class avoid punishment."
"Teacher, that's too harsh!" Kushida's eyes reddened with distress. "Sakura is shy, and it was already so hard for her to summon the courage to testify!"
"Too harsh?" Chabashira gave a cold laugh. "If she really witnessed it, why didn't she speak up at the class meeting? Anyone would be suspicious of someone who comes forward only when the hearing is imminent. What's more, she's a Class D student who just happened to witness a violent incident between a classmate and students from another class in a remote, monitor-free classroom. Don't you find that coincidence suspicious?"
The questions were like sharp blades, exposing the most fatal flaw in the testimony. Even an onlooker had to admit that the belated account was indeed full of suspicious points.
"Still, since there's no proof that it's a lie, I'll accept it through the proper channels." Teacher Chabashira adjusted her glasses, her gaze settling like a hawk's on Sakura's pale face. "But the school may require you to testify at the hearing. You're used to hiding behind the crowd. Are you sure you want to put yourself in the spotlight? You can still back out now, before you embarrass yourself in public."
The color drained from Sakura's face, leaving it as white as paper. Her fingers gripped her skirt tightly. She would have to speak in front of the school administrators and face scrutiny from Sudo and the other classes. Just imagining it was enough to make her start trembling.
"Are you really sure you can do this?" Kushida asked, worriedly steadying Sakura's trembling shoulders.
"I... I can..." Her voice cracked with a tremor, but she stubbornly held her ground.
Seeing this, even Teacher Chabashira felt a flicker of sympathy. But she quickly turned away and added in a strictly professional tone, "If you need someone to accompany you, I can consider allowing two classmates to come along."
When Sakura and Kushida walked into the classroom, the three boys immediately surrounded them.
"Little Kushida, how did it go? Is this all settled?" Ike asked first.
"Sakura, are you dating Takahashi? Are you the popular idol Shizuku? I'm a huge fan! That bracelet you're wearing looks so ugly. Want me to get you a new one?" Yamauchi launched into a long string of questions as soon as he approached Sakura.
Sakura didn't respond to Yamauchi. Instead, she held the bracelet protectively against her chest.
"Kamiya..." Avoiding the three boys, Sakura went over to Takahashi and softly murmured his name.
Meanwhile, Kushida explained to Horikita and the others what Teacher Chabashira had said in the office.
"You've already done enough," Takahashi said, ruffling Sakura's hair.
"If only I'd come forward sooner..."
"Even with a witness, it wouldn't have completely turned things around. And the witness just had to be one of us from Class D. We've had terrible luck." Horikita walked over, her voice tinged with helplessness. She was always blunt, but this time her words almost sounded like she was standing up for Sakura.
The facts were plain. Even if the camera had been fixed ahead of time, a few photos of the fight wouldn't be enough to convince everyone, not with just one heavily doubted witness from the same class. Unless they found irrefutable evidence, clearing Sudo's name would be next to impossible.
"Takahashi, can you attend the hearing tomorrow?" Horikita wanted him there. First, he was capable. Second, he and Sakura were close, and having him by Sakura's side might give her some emotional support.
"Horikita, do you know why I don't want to get involved in Sudo's case?"
"Why?"
"Because I believe you can handle it."
Horikita: "..."
Sakura didn't blame Takahashi for not attending the hearing. She knew he had a secret he couldn't talk about, just as her own secret was being a popular idol on her blog. She wouldn't ask him about it, and she didn't care what his secret was. She only knew that whenever she was in trouble, Takahashi would be there for her.
"It seems there really is someone remarkable in your class," Ryuuen said.
"Oh, don't bother trying to get information out of me. I kept my promise and stayed out of this," Takahashi said, taking a sip of his drink.
"Hmph, Takahashi, interested in making another deal?"
"Go on. If I'm interested, I'd be happy to make a deal."
"About the Study Trip this summer—haven't you figured anything out?"
"I'm sure we'll spend a wonderful, dreamlike time there. That's what they say, anyway."
"Haha, I hope that when the time comes, we'll be able to work together as pleasantly as we did today."
"I doubt you found it pleasant. After all, your class lost."
"I'll deal with those three idiots later. They didn't even realize they'd been made fools of."
That's right. The hearing ended with Class C withdrawing its complaint. The reason was simple: Ayanokouji and Horikita had outmaneuvered the three Class C students who'd clashed with Sudo, getting them to admit that they had provoked Sudo first, among other things. But that no longer mattered. The upcoming Study Trip was the most important thing now. It seemed Ryuuen had already begun planning for it.
When Takahashi returned to his dorm, he saw someone sitting on his bed and asked helplessly, "How did you get in?"
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