"You wish."
Chihaya Rei refused without hesitation and said with a laugh:
"Your name sounds like Princess Alice, so calling you Arisu is basically the same as calling you a princess. I'm not going to let you get the better of me."
"You really don't know how to be romantic."
Sakayanagi Arisu smiled as if she had expected that answer. With a regretful sigh, she said:
"Using someone's first name is a chance to grow closer."
Chihaya Rei paused, but didn't argue. He smiled too and said:
"I heard the chairman of this school is also named Sakayanagi. That made me think of Classmate Sakayanagi in Class A. Are you and the chairman father and daughter?"
"I'm curious."
Chihaya Rei met Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze, a glint in his eyes. "Could you satisfy my curiosity, Classmate Sakayanagi of Class A?"
He emphasized "Class A" twice.
Even Horikita Suzune could tell there was more to Chihaya Rei's words than met the eye, let alone Sakayanagi Arisu herself.
Sakayanagi Arisu's smile suddenly faded. After a moment of silence, her voice turned serious.
"The chairman is indeed my father."
Sakayanagi Arisu understood perfectly what Chihaya Rei meant.
Wasn't he implying that she'd been placed in Class A only because her father was the chairman?
The way Chihaya Rei put it really put her in a foul mood!
"But since coming to this school, I haven't seen him. He's a fair and principled man who would never overstep the rules."
Sakayanagi Arisu narrowed her eyes and stressed, "So please don't worry."
In other words, I made it into Class A on my own. I didn't get special treatment.
And I won't use my father's position as chairman to go after you.
"I also respect Chairman Sakayanagi. I'm sure he's a good chairman who cares about the students and follows the rules."
Chihaya Rei nodded with a calm smile, deciding to leave it there before he really upset Sakayanagi.
If Sakayanagi fainted and tried to pin it on him, he really wouldn't know what to do.
"Don't read too much into it, Sakayanagi. I didn't mean anything by it."
Even after saying that, Chihaya Rei kept a faint smile on his face as he looked at her.
Whether I'm reading too much into it is for you to figure out.
"Of course not."
Sakayanagi Arisu bit the soft flesh inside her lip, practically forcing the words out.
"So, Sakayanagi, what brings you here?"
Chihaya Rei asked.
Sakayanagi Arisu let out a long breath, and some of her irritation finally eased. That was more like it.
"I'm here to tell you some good news."
Sakayanagi Arisu spoke at once, once again looking composed.
Chihaya Rei showed a flicker of interest. "What good news? Let's hear it."
Sakayanagi Arisu stared at Chihaya Rei's face with her pale violet eyes, then parted her lips and said slowly:
"Just now, I gave Kushida the answers to the midterm exam."
"I'm sure that means your entire Class D will pass the midterms."
"No one will be expelled."
Sakayanagi Arisu lifted her chin, her smile turning increasingly playful. Her voice held an unmistakable note of delight.
It was as if she were telling Chihaya Rei:
Since you want to expel the useless members of Class D, I'll make sure every one of them stays.
There was no way anyone in Class D would fail when they had the answers, was there?
Normally, she wouldn't have been so smug, but today she had to get even.
After all, Chihaya Rei had dared to mock her for getting into Class A through connections.
Sakayanagi Arisu would never believe that she'd made it into Class A through special treatment. Never!
Chihaya Rei blinked twice in quick succession. He was genuinely a little surprised by Sakayanagi Arisu's move.
Wasn't this supposed to be Ayanokoji's job?
Now Sakayanagi Arisu had beaten him to it.
Taking her words into account, Chihaya Rei pieced things together.
He realized he was the trigger. Sakayanagi had misjudged what he was thinking and assumed she'd ruined his plan, which was why she was so pleased with herself.
But what Sakayanagi had done didn't affect him in the slightest.
In fact, he hadn't wanted to hand the answers to Kanji Ike and the others for nothing. He'd been hoping someone would step in and help them.
"Then I'll thank you in advance, Sakayanagi. You're such a good person."
Chihaya Rei sighed with a touch of genuine feeling.
This time, Sakayanagi Arisu had meant to do him harm and ended up doing him a favor.
He could almost see a red nose on Sakayanagi Arisu's face.
Chihaya Rei's reaction was far too ordinary. Beside him, Horikita Suzune frowned in confusion and couldn't help asking Sakayanagi Arisu:
"Why would you do that?"
"And how did you get the midterm answers?"
"..."
Sakayanagi Arisu looked confused for a moment. This wasn't quite how she'd imagined things going...
Why was Horikita Suzune so surprised?
What she wanted to see was Chihaya Rei's startled, irritated expression when he realized his plan had been ruined. She wanted him to threaten her and admit he'd underestimated her—not to look so calm.
Could it be that he hadn't planned to expel those useless members of Class D? The thought had barely occurred to Sakayanagi Arisu before she dismissed it.
Still, she eyed Chihaya Rei suspiciously for a while.
Before long, Sakayanagi Arisu decided that Chihaya Rei, like her, must be good at keeping his composure and wouldn't easily reveal his true feelings.
His thanks had to be sarcastic, too.
After all, how many times had Chihaya Rei made sarcastic remarks at her?
So Sakayanagi Arisu smiled again, reassured. "There's no need to thank me. This is my gift in return."
"Then I'll give you another gift sometime."
Chihaya Rei smiled as he spoke. Even though Sakayanagi Arisu's effort had been pointless, that wouldn't stop him from continuing to get under her skin.
The two of them spoke in riddles, leaving Horikita Suzune completely baffled.
"Good afternoon, Chihaya and Horikita."
Just then, Kushida Kikyo came over to check on things.
She'd seen Sakayanagi approach Chihaya Rei and Horikita, and had grown wary, thinking Sakayanagi might give the two of them the exam answers as well.
Afraid someone else might take credit for it, Kushida Kikyo had quickly sent a message to the Class D group chat, saying she'd gotten a copy of the midterm answers from Sakayanagi Arisu.
That way, she would get the most credit.
After they exchanged a few words, Kushida Kikyo answered Horikita Suzune's questions.
Before you continue