Sakayanagi Arisu

The next day, Teacher Chabashira announced in class that the Sudo Incident had ended with Class C dropping the charges.

The Class D students buzzed with excitement that their class points wouldn't be deducted, and the mood carried on until after school.

Qiuyue watched the students walking off in pairs, while beside him stood no one at all, and he suddenly recalled a quote from the Hachiman teacher.

"A solitary soul needs no place for bonds."

"Oh my... what an interesting phrase. It seems Qiuyue-kun's Japanese language scores must be quite good."

Qiuyue glanced back. Perhaps because he was over 1.8 meters tall, his line of sight only caught a rather tall purple-haired girl and a very frivolous-looking blond-haired boy.

Qiuyue: (Who? Purple hair and blond hair? Couldn't be Kamuro and Hashimoto, right? How do they know my name? Have they looked into me?)

Since he'd heard a female voice, Qiuyue asked the purple-haired girl.

"Do we know each other?"

The purple-haired girl didn't answer. Instead, she tilted her head and covered her mouth with a giggle, while the blond-haired boy awkwardly scratched his cheek with his hand, leaving Qiuyue with a face full of question marks.

"Qiuyue-kun, could you lower your head a little?"

Qiuyue looked down.

Qiuyue: (Uh... it's Sakayanagi...)

Qiuyue stared at Sakayanagi Arisu. Though she was still smiling on the surface, even a child could tell she was angry.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't see you. So, is there something you want from me?"

"Qiuyue-kun, let's talk somewhere else."

Sakayanagi Arisu gave him a meaningful look as she spoke, then turned and gestured for him to follow.

"Before you ask someone to talk, shouldn't you introduce yourselves? And I don't remember knowing you."

Sakayanagi Arisu smoothly stepped one foot back, slightly crouching as she shifted her center of gravity to her rear leg, and lightly lifted one side of her skirt with a single hand.

This simple motion revealed her confident grasp of poise and grace. As her movement unfolded, a unique charm radiated from her.

"How rude of me. Qiuyue-kun, allow me to introduce myself. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sakayanagi Arisu, a first-year student in Class A. Please take care of me."

Then Sakayanagi Arisu looked toward the purple-haired girl and the blond-haired boy behind her.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Hashimoto Masayoshi, also first-year Class A. Pleasure."

The blond boy's self-introduction was as frivolous as his appearance. A real little blond punk, through and through.

"Kamuro Masumi, first-year Class A."

After the purple-haired girl stated her name and class, she crossed her arms and turned her head to the side, looking down on everyone.

Qiuyue: (...Trouble...)

"I won't introduce myself. You've already called me by name. So, what do you want with me?"

Sakayanagi Arisu leaned on her cane and chuckled softly.

"Qiuyue-kun, there's no need to be so hasty. Let's move somewhere else to talk. After all, this place isn't really suitable for our conversation."

Qiuyue looked around. It was peak after-school hours, and students were streaming out of the school gate in an endless flow.

Standing nearby with Qiuyue and the four of them, it wasn't that they were inconspicuous—it was that people had already started noticing them.

Qiuyue: (...Of all people... why did it have to be these three idiots? I must have the worst luck. Tomorrow's going to be rough... Sigh... Troublesome times...)

"Fine, Sakayanagi-san. Let's talk somewhere else."

Qiuyue followed Sakayanagi Arisu to the library.

Qiuyue: (Why... of all places, the library again... I hope Shiina isn't here today.)

"Here we are. Qiuyue-kun, please have a seat."

Sakayanagi Arisu gestured for him to sit across from her. She just smiled at him, as if waiting for him to sit first.

Qiuyue didn't sit down right away. Instead, he asked.

"Why choose the library to talk?"

"Because it's quiet and there are few people. Don't you think it's a good place for a conversation, Qiuyue-kun?

If you don't like it here, we can go somewhere else. Where would you like to go?"

"Quiet is good, but it's also easy to be eavesdropped on, isn't it? As for changing places, I think a dorm room would be an excellent choice."

"Oh? Then should I take that to mean Qiuyue-kun is interested in what my room looks like?"

Qiuyue: (...You old bastard, trying to expose me, huh? Then don't blame me for teasing your daughter.)

"If Sakayanagi-san wants to interpret it that way, you're not wrong. As a healthy, single teenage boy, it's only natural for me to be curious about the room of a top-tier loli silver-haired beauty like you.

I wonder if Sakayanagi-san could indulge this little wish of mine.

Even if you don't agree to my little wish, it's fine. Because your figure is already deeply etched into my mind.

Maybe tonight I'll fantasize about you inviting me to your room, having a heart-to-heart talk, and then taking our relationship a step further.

Just imagining it gets me excited. Your room must smell nice, right? Full of a girl's scent, and your bed must be really soft too..."

Qiuyue spoke while circling his hands around his upper body, putting on a look of deep imagination.

"Enough, you irredeemable pervert."

Kamuro Masumi, watching Qiuyue carry on like this, couldn't take it anymore and cut him off.

Qiuyue looked at Kamuro Masumi, seeing her face full of disgust, her eyes as if she were staring at something filthy, and looking like she might throw up her lunch at any moment.

Beside her, Hashimoto Masayoshi was staring at Qiuyue with the gaze of someone looking at a Champion.

Qiuyue: (Yeah, that's right, just like that. Can't stand it? Then leave already. Blame that old geezer for breaking his word—said he wouldn't expose me, then turned around and told his daughter.)

(I don't want to be like this either, but Sakayanagi really is small and cute. As they say, a loli has three virtues: a clear voice, a soft body, and easy to push over.)

(Little Sakayanagi has all three. Even having lived two lives, this is the first time I've seen a loli that fits the standard so perfectly. And she's only two years away from being legal. I have to admit, I can't help but get a little excited.)

Qiuyue pointed directly at Kamuro Masumi and wagged his finger.

"You there, classmate, what was your name again? Ah, right, Kamuro-san. You just don't get it."

"Lolicons aren't perverts; it's a lifestyle. A man is a boy until he dies, got it? Kamuro-san."

Qiuyue: (I hope I didn't go too far, calling Kamuro 'Kamuro' like that. Amitabha...)

(Note: Sakura shrine maiden girls—feel free to Google it. Example: Sayu.)

Kamuro Masumi got angry and charged forward, ready to have a serious discussion with Qiuyue. This discussion wasn't a verbal one—it was a practical, physical one.

Seeing this, Hashimoto Masayoshi quickly stepped in to hold Kamuro Masumi back.

Qiuyue: (If she really charges, I'm bolting, not even looking back.)

Qiuyue immediately pressed his palms together, put on a kind smile, and poured fuel on the fire.

"Dear benefactor, do not act rashly. Rashness is a demon. Lay down your butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot."

"Dear benefactor, remember: doing wrong is not terrible. What matters is knowing your mistake and correcting it. That is the greatest good."

After Hashimoto Masayoshi stopped her, Kamuro Masumi had just calmed down for a moment when Qiuyue's speech reignited her fury, and she prepared to have another physical discussion with him.

"Fine, fine, fine. You ****, don't you run! ***..."

"Qiuyue-san, please just say a few less words. I'm begging you."

Yes, Hashimoto Masayoshi had once again held Kamuro Masumi back for Qiuyue, but it was barely working. At this moment, Hashimoto Masayoshi was cursing Qiuyue out in his mind.

Hashimoto Masayoshi: (You bastard, your mouth is really venomous. Just say a few less words, please, ancestor. You're the one doing the cursing, but I'm the one suffering. I'm so done with you, you sneaky bastard.)

"Let this farce end here. Qiuyue-san, I have to say, you really have a knack for pissing people off."

"But if you think you can use this trick to anger me and end this conversation, you're mistaken. Qiuyue-san, please have a seat. Let's talk a little."

Sakayanagi Arisu tapped her cane on the ground, putting an end to the farce, and calmly invited Qiuyue to sit down.