Classroom of the Mediocre Supremacist

"Even though Arisu is right here, why does my boyfriend have to go looking at other women?"

She [demanded] loudly, putting on a frail expression like a pitiful abandoned woman, which, combined with her sickly body, made her look utterly delicate and pitiable.

But only Hoshino En, sitting across from her, caught the hint of laughter hidden in her eyes.

And the moment she said that, the girls at the other tables who had been watching this way started whispering among themselves.

"He's got such a cute girlfriend, and he's still checking out other women? What a jerk!"

"You can't say that—we're pretty charming too, so it's only natural he'd get distracted, right? Honestly, it'd be weirder if he didn't look at all."

"You're clearly just fawning over him. He's not even that handsome... well, the second half of what you said isn't wrong."

"..."

First Semester of First Year:

Chapter 8: The Eavesdropping Girls Assemble, Karuizawa Kei's Turn

Meanwhile, in a booth to Sakayanagi Arisu's right rear and Hoshino En's left front, a girl with a high blonde ponytail and loose socks, dressed like a gyaru, lowered her head with a somewhat dejected expression.

So he already has a girlfriend...

Karuizawa Kei felt her love, which hadn't even sprouted four buds yet, turn as sour as a lemon drenched in vinegar—very~ very~~ very~~~ bitter.

"That's Hoshino En from our class, right?"

Sitting beside her was Mori Nene, who, like Karuizawa Kei, had a direct view of Hoshino En sitting across from Sakayanagi Arisu.

"I remember he didn't seem to have any friends in class. After the homeroom meeting ended, he left alone too. Didn't expect he was going to meet his girlfriend."

"Huh? That's someone from our class? He doesn't seem to stand out much."

Across from Mori Nene sat Sato Maya, who, to avoid being noticed by the people at the center of the commotion, could only lean sideways and sneak a peek from behind the booth's cover.

"And he looks pretty plain too, not that handsome."

Yeah, and she was a total looks snob—Hoshino En, who wasn't exceptionally handsome, wasn't her type.

"Looks are secondary; it's his actions that matter."

Sitting beside Sato Maya, across from Karuizawa Kei, was Matsushita Chiaki. Unlike her friend beside her, she didn't bother hiding—she simply turned her head and openly observed.

"The way he pulled out the chair for the girl across from him and helped her sit was textbook gentlemanly etiquette. And throughout the whole process, he didn't act deliberately—his movements were natural and graceful, which shows he has good upbringing."

"To be raised with such refined manners, his family background can't be bad—at least middle class or above."

Her explanation made her three companions all look at her, even Karuizawa Kei, who had been sulking with her head down earlier, now stared at this newly made close friend with surprise.

Seeing them suddenly fall silent, Matsushita Chiaki realized the flaw in her words and quickly tried to cover for herself.

"Um... I was really into gentlemen with elegant manners for a while before, so I crammed up on related knowledge. This is actually the first time I've seen someone like that in real life."

Her explanation fooled Sato Maya and Mori Nene, but it didn't ease Karuizawa Kei's doubts.

But the way you explained it just now didn't sound like someone seeing it for the first time with surprise—it felt more like the ease of someone used to seeing it.

Matsushita, could you be...

"Rather than my situation, I think Karuizawa's matter is more important."

Seeing Karuizawa Kei's gaze across from her growing more suspicious, Matsushita Chiaki quickly changed the subject.

"I remember during the self-introductions in class earlier, Karuizawa, you looked really surprised when you saw Hoshino En, right? What was that about?"

Once Matsushita Chiaki brought it up, Mori Nene and Sato Maya both got interested.

For girls, nothing gets them more excited than a friend's love gossip.

"Could it be... you fell for him at first sight?"

Karuizawa Kei: "..."

Surrounded by their expectant gazes, Karuizawa Kei had no choice but to reveal part of her past to explain.

"Hoshino En—he went to the same middle school as me. I know him. He... he helped me a lot back then."

Her hands were on the table, her ten fingers intertwined, looking very shaken.

"But he probably doesn't remember me. That's just the kind of person he is—he helps others without them noticing, but never remembers who he helped, not even giving them a chance to thank him."

Matsushita Chiaki & Mori Nene & Sato Maya: "..."

Although Karuizawa Kei explained it as wanting to repay his past kindness, seeing her like this now, they all had the same thought—Karuizawa, you've already fallen in love!

Then they looked at Hoshino En sitting across from Sakayanagi Arisu, sighed regretfully for their good friend's sake, and shook their heads in unison.

Too bad—her love was strangled in the cradle before it even began. How pitiful.

Though there was a way to help Karuizawa Kei by playing wingman, getting her favored by Hoshino En, and eventually having her squeeze out the original girlfriend [the mistress rises], their relationship wasn't close enough to incite her to break up a couple—if something went wrong, they couldn't bear the responsibility.

"By the way, isn't that Kushida-san at the table next to theirs?"

Seeing the atmosphere turn a bit heavy, Mori Nene suddenly pointed at the four-seater table made up of two tables pushed together next to Hoshino En's table and asked.

The four of them looked over again. The customers who had been sitting next to Hoshino En and Sakayanagi Arisu's table had already left, and now sitting there were Kushida Kikyo from their class and her close friend Wang Meiyu.

Although the two seemed to be chatting, from the perspective of Karuizawa's group, their attention was all on Hoshino En—except Wang Meiyu was curious like someone eating popcorn, while Kushida Kikyo was looking for an opportunity to cut into the conversation between Hoshino En and his girlfriend, probably planning to befriend him.

After all, she had said she wanted to be friends with everyone, and she acted that way in class too. But Hoshino En disappeared the moment class ended, so she never had the chance back then—now that she'd finally run into him, she probably wouldn't let this golden opportunity slip by.

Hmm, wait... make friends? At a time like this, in a place like this? Kushida-san, are you sure you've got that right?

"I'm going to go say hi to Kushida-san. You two keep chatting."

Imagining what Kushida Kikyo might do, Karuizawa Kei quickly walked over and naturally inserted herself into their conversation.

The three left behind: "..."

They didn't feel any disrespect; if anything, they were even more eager to watch the drama unfold.

"Karuizawa's amazing, huh."

"Yeah, yeah. I always thought she was the type to forget an ex the moment a relationship ended and jump straight into a new life."

"But the way she's moving... it doesn't look like she's going to confront that silver-haired girl. More like she's trying to stop Kushida Kikyo from butting into Hoshino En's date with his girlfriend."

"Huh? So she's actually looking out for Hoshino En's date? That's, that's way too..."

"Shh—keep it down, or we won't be able to hear anything."

Just as Sato Maya and Mori Nene were getting excited about their gossip, Matsushita Chiaki cut them off, reminding them there were more important things to focus on.

Sato Maya & Mori Nene: "..."

"Right, right. The drama comes first."

The three reached a consensus. Pretending to nibble on the desserts in front of them, they fixed their gazes on Hoshino En's table and strained to catch any sound from over there.

Unfortunately, aside from Sakayanagi Arisu's deliberately loud "accusation," they couldn't make out anything else.

The distance was still too far. For now, they could only rely on whatever intel Karuizawa might bring back.

"Kushida-san, Wang-san, good afternoon."

At the same time, Karuizawa Kei reached Kushida Kikyo's table and sat down beside Wang Meiyu, who was across from Kushida Kikyo—from this angle, she could use the pretext of chatting with Kushida to get a good look at Hoshino En—and slipped into their conversation without a hitch.

Both being old foxes, Kushida Kikyo quickly caught on to Karuizawa Kei's intent—she was probably here for the same reason they were: to get a closer look at Hoshino-kun's big drama.

In that case, no need to worry.

So, with Kushida Kikyo's deliberate help, Wang Meiyu, who had been nervous from the sudden approach of a gal, soon calmed down and successfully warmed up to Karuizawa Kei.

The three quickly fell into easy conversation, but all their attention was fixed on Hoshino En at the next table.

First Semester of First Year:

Chapter 9: The Eavesdropping Girls Assemble, Ichinose Honami's Turn

A little earlier in time. When Sakayanagi Arisu loudly "accused" Hoshino En, at a two-person table to his right and slightly behind him, a girl with smooth rose-gold hair was staring at him in a daze.

"Honami-chan? Honami-chan? What's wrong?"

"Huh? I... I'm fine... fine."

Snapping back to reality at her companion's question, Ichinose Honami looked at her and forced a weak smile.

"You're not fine at all. You look terrible. Did something bad come to mind?"

Shiranami Chihiro, the brown-haired girl keeping Ichinose company to kill time, looked at her with concern.

"If Honami-chan isn't feeling well, maybe we should postpone tonight's gathering. I think everyone would understand."

"No, no, it's okay. Chihiro-chan, don't worry about me."

"Besides, it's rare for everyone to meet at this school. We should definitely celebrate properly. How could I let my issues delay the party everyone's looking forward to?"

Even as Ichinose Honami said this, Shiranami Chihiro could still see the hesitation on her face.

Honami-chan ended up like this... I remember it started after that couple showed up!!

And now, after answering my question, she's just staring blankly at that guy again.

What's going on? Does Honami-chan know him? Then why doesn't she just go say hi?

Following Ichinose Honami's gaze, Shiranami Chihiro finally looked at the boy for the first time—she'd rather watch over Ichinose, who was like an older sister to her, than gossip about someone else's couple.

But for Honami's sake, she couldn't look away now.

Yet, staring at Hoshino En sitting across from Sakayanagi Arisu, Shiranami Chihiro suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, like she'd seen him somewhere before.

Since the memory wasn't too old, she recalled it quickly.

"Honami-chan, I remember that guy showed up outside our classroom earlier. Do you know him?"

At this school, each class occupies its own floor of the teaching building, so it's rare to run into students from other classes on the same floor. That's why Shiranami Chihiro had noticed him passing by their classroom door that morning without coming in.

"Huh? He came by? So I wasn't seeing things back then (murmur)..."

Shiranami Chihiro: "..."

"Honami-chan, you really do know him. No wonder you've been staring at him in a daze since he walked in."

She deliberately made her tone ambiguous to test Ichinose Honami's reaction.

If Honami-chan flatly denied it, she could breathe easy. But if she stammered and blushed without answering... then she'd have to go home and have a good cry.

"Why don't you go say hi?"

She deliberately said that.

Ichinose Honami: "..."

However, contrary to Shiranami Chihiro's expectations, Ichinose Honami didn't react in any of the ways she had imagined. Instead, she opened up a third option.

Her face twisted into a bitter expression, her smile forced and terribly ugly.

This stunned Shiranami Chihiro, who had been testing her. It was the first time she had seen Honami-chan like this.

The moment she realized her deliberate mischief had made Honami-chan think of something unpleasant, a wave of guilt surged up inside her.

"Um... Honami-chan, I'm sorry, I..."

"It's okay, Chihiro-chan, don't worry about it."

Ichinose Honami looked at the girl before her, who seemed about to cry, and gently reached out to stroke her head.

"I think I made a pretty embarrassing scene earlier. I must have worried you, sorry."

Looking at the petite girl, Ichinose Honami felt as if she were seeing her own little sister. The "big sister" attribute all over her body was gradually taking the upper hand.

She explained to her worried companion.

"He and I only met once. I don't know him. And he... well, he once helped me with a huge favor, and in the end, he didn't leave any message at all, so I've never been able to repay him."

"Earlier, when I heard Hoshinomiya-sensei say we couldn't contact the outside world for three years here, I was a bit troubled. I never expected to run into him here so coincidentally. To be honest, I'm really grateful."

Perhaps because she had already started with Shiranami Chihiro, Ichinose Honami no longer hesitated and poured out all her worries in one go.

"I was just troubled about how to start a conversation with him. Right now, he seems to be with his girlfriend. If I abruptly interrupt, would it affect their relationship?"

"And I really don't know him. I only remember his face—nothing else. Would it be strange to just barge in like that? Maybe he doesn't even remember me at all."

Shiranami Chihiro: "..."

So that's it. Honami-chan was just troubled about how to repay a favor. I thought... no, no, I can't think about that anymore.

She shook her head, shaking out all the dirty thoughts inside, then looked toward Hoshino En's table, thinking about how to solve Honami-chan's problem.