Going Solo

The uproar by the pool gradually died down after Horikita Manabu delivered his verdict and left. A heavy, awkward atmosphere settled over Class D. Ken Sudō, Kanji Ike, and Yamauchi Haruki sat slumped on the ground like wilted eggplants, heads hanging low as they endured the angry, contemptuous, and disappointed stares of their classmates.

"This is just... awful!" Karuizawa Kei folded her arms, making no effort to hide her disgust.

"To do something like this... It's hard to believe you're even our classmates!" Hirata Yosuke had rarely been so stern, but now his gentle manner was gone.

"Disgusting!" Kushida Kikyo's voice was still sweet, but cold contempt lurked beneath that sweetness. She looked at the three of them as if they were garbage.

Sakura Airi hid behind Horikita Suzune, her little face deathly pale. She looked at Sudō and the others with lingering fear and a trace of relief.

The chill had yet to leave Horikita Suzune's cool face, but more than anything, she was worried about the class's unity. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, meanwhile, was like part of the background, silently observing everything.

Amid the accusations and disappointment, Ichinose Honami let out a soft sigh and walked over to Kazama In. Rather than join in the criticism, she turned to the three dejected boys and spoke in a gentle yet resolute voice:

"Sudō, Ike, Yamauchi... What you did was truly, truly wrong and completely unacceptable..." She paused, sincere counsel in her clear blue eyes. "But fortunately, thanks to Ryuen's... intervention"—she carefully chose her words—"and the Student Council's timely response, the worst didn't happen. No girl suffered any physical harm. That's a blessing in the midst of misfortune."

Her gaze swept over everyone, and her voice rang clear. "What matters is that you truly understand how serious your mistake was and how much harm it caused. Having points deducted, receiving demerits, and being publicly reprimanded... those are all severe punishments. I hope you'll learn from this, reflect on what you've done, and never make the same mistake again! What Class D needs is unity and a positive spirit, not behavior that brings shame on us."

Ichinose's words were like a clear spring, washing away some of the hostility at the scene. Her compassion and understanding helped calm some of the classmates who had been angry. The three boys still felt utterly ashamed, but Ichinose's refusal to kick them while they were down eased their taut nerves a little. They lowered their heads even further, their shoulders trembling slightly, as if they truly felt ashamed—at least on the surface.

In the days that followed, Sudō, Ike, and Yamauchi did rein themselves in. Their nature hadn't changed, and they still occasionally said something stupid, but nothing as vile as taking secret photos—nothing that crossed the line—ever happened again. They seemed to have been frightened by the harsh punishment: being exposed in front of everyone, publicly disgraced, and stripped of all their points. They had also learned something from the experience. Kazama In's "punishment plan" had come at a huge cost, but it seemed to have worked to some extent.

With Ichinose mediating, the atmosphere at the scene eased a little. Someone suggested playing volleyball or going swimming to take their minds off things. Hirata Yosuke took the opportunity to usher everyone away and let the three boys cool off on their own. The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only Kazama In and Ichinose Honami by the pool.

Ichinose looked at Kazama In's calm profile, and the embarrassment she'd felt after their unexpected collision on the court seemed to rise up again. Her cheeks turned pink as she asked softly, "Kazama... aren't you going to join in?"

Kazama In was about to answer when a voice with a distinctive lilt, sweet yet edged with a hint of coldness, cut in out of nowhere:

"Oh my, it seems I've come at the wrong time. Am I interrupting the two of you as you enjoy some 'intimate' time alone?"

They both turned toward the voice.

Sakayanagi Arisu was approaching slowly, leaning on her ivory-white, intricately carved cane, while Kamuro Sumire carefully supported her. She wore an exquisitely made white lace one-piece swimsuit, vintage and elegant in style, with tiny pearls decorating its neckline and hem. It made her already fair skin look like fine porcelain. A light beige shawl draped over the swimsuit, but did nothing to conceal her carefully sculpted beauty and air of nobility. Sunlight fell on her pale-gold curls, as if they were haloed in holy light. Yet her gaze shifted between Ichinose and Kazama In with a knowing smile, and when she noticed Ichinose's flushed cheeks and how close they stood, a barely perceptible chill crept into her smile.

Looking at his childhood friend, who resembled a finely crafted doll, Kazama In couldn't help remembering a faded scene from long ago: little Sakayanagi Arisu in a puffy princess dress, unable to run fast because of her frail health. She would always follow behind him, leaning on a small decorative cane and calling in her soft, childish voice, "In-nii, wait for me." Back then, her eyes had been clear and her smile pure. She hadn't yet had so many complicated thoughts.

A faint, tender smile appeared at the corner of Kazama In's mouth, unnoticed even by himself. Almost unconsciously, he reached out and gently ruffled the soft silver hair on Sakayanagi Arisu's crown, as he used to when comforting the frail little girl.

"..." Sakayanagi Arisu clearly hadn't expected the gesture. Her body stiffened for an instant. Surprise flashed across her clear blue eyes, quickly replaced by a pure, almost contented warmth. She half closed her eyes like a cat being petted, her face showing genuine, almost childlike enjoyment. She even nuzzled Kazama In's palm. "Hmph. At least you have a bit of a conscience. You still remember how things were when we were little," she muttered.

But to Ichinose Honami, standing beside them, the sight felt like a needle prick! She watched Kazama In ruffle Sakayanagi's hair with such easy familiarity, saw the brief tenderness in his eyes, then thought of how calm and polite he always was with her... A bitter, aching disappointment surged through her! A sheen of tears instantly clouded her blue eyes. She bit her lower lip and bowed her head slightly, fingers unconsciously twisting the ties of her swimsuit. Her wounded, jealous expression was impossible to miss.

Standing behind Sakayanagi, Kamuro Sumire's usually flawless poker face also showed a rare crack. Her gaze wandered as she tried to focus on the distant pool, while her mind raced: The young mistress being cute... Lord Kazama's head pat... The angel of Class B looking jealous... A full-blown love triangle... Who am I? Where am I? Can I just vanish into thin air?

How could Sakayanagi Arisu miss something so obvious? Ichinose's feelings were an open book to her. She enjoyed Kazama In's touch, but her eyes precisely caught Ichinose's jealous expression. A playful curve appeared at her lips, like a cat that had discovered a new toy.

She tilted her head toward Ichinose and spoke in a saccharine voice that carried an air of superiority. "Ichinose, you don't have to look at me so nervously~ My relationship with In-nii is much closer than you can imagine." She paused deliberately, savoring the color draining from Ichinose's face, then continued at her leisure. "After all... we've been childhood friends since we were little. And besides..."

A mischievous glint appeared in Sakayanagi's eyes as she dropped her bombshell:

"Uncle Kazama"—meaning Kazama In's father—"said a long time ago that he hoped I'd marry In-nii, so our families could become even closer~" She watched Ichinose's eyes widen in disbelief, then added with evident delight, "But since you seem so 'concerned' about In-nii, Ichinose, I suppose I could make an exception and give you a 'spot' too. After all, good things are meant to be shared~" Her words floated lightly, yet exploded like a bomb in the ears of Ichinose and Kazama In!

"!!!" Ichinose Honami's face turned red and then pale with embarrassment and indignation! Shared? A spot? What did Sakayanagi take her for?! She whipped around to look at Kazama In, her eyes full of hurt and accusation.

Kamuro Sumire's poker face completely crumbled, and the corner of her mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. Young mistress... that was an outrageous thing to say! Lord Kazama's going to kill me, isn't he?!

Kazama In: "..."

His hand was still resting on Sakayanagi's head, but the tenderness had vanished from his face, replaced by a near-paralyzed stiffness. His dark eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at his outrageous childhood friend, then glanced at Ichinose, who looked ready to cry. His temples throbbed.

He'd heard about Sakayanagi's "engagement," but it was mostly a joke among their elders, and he'd never taken it seriously. As for a "shared spot"... that was sheer fantasy! Utter nonsense!

An intense thought shot through his mind, so strong that he couldn't help muttering it under his breath, breaking the eerie silence:

"...Why does this feel exactly like the 'love-triangle mess' in my copy of Love Song of Green Seasons?" He pushed up his glasses, trying to analyze the chaos rationally. But then he remembered an even more terrifying book, and his brows drew tightly together. His voice carried a rare, genuine note of worry.

"...Wait. With things going this way... are we really going to end up with a School Days kind of ending?" The image of a gleaming cleaver flashed through his mind...

Kazama In's heartfelt complaint, with its weary reference to light-novel tropes and its disbelief at how absurd reality had become, poured cold water over the jealousy and declarations surrounding them. The tension, already stretched to its limit, instantly turned... even more bizarre and ridiculous. Sunshine, a pool, beautiful girls, and an arbiter trapped in a "light-novel scenario" and thoroughly exasperated by it... The end of this summer was destined to be anything but peaceful.