Hand Seal Changes to Fist Seal

That afternoon, the students of Class D gathered in the classroom to discuss the answers to the midterm exam.

Most of them were puzzled as to why Sakayanagi Arisu would provide the answers to Class D for free.

However, some cheered out loud.

They finally didn't have to study.

Moreover, someone mentioned, "Perhaps Classmate Sakayanagi gave us the answers for Chihaya's sake?"

"After all, Classmate Sakayanagi was chatting happily with Chihaya in the hallway the other day..."

This actually received the approval of more than half of Class D.

Thus, the students of Class D mistakenly believed that Chihaya Rei was very close to Sakayanagi Arisu.

The credit for these answers was attributed to him as well.

Chihaya Rei himself was quite surprised.

He neither admitted nor denied it.

He only chuckled inwardly, thinking that once Sakayanagi Arisu found out, she would likely be furious.

Furthermore, if Sakayanagi Arisu's act of providing exam answers to Class D reached Class A, she would be accused of betraying the class if she didn't provide a good explanation...

Some students in Class D also worried about whether Sakayanagi might have tampered with the answers.

At this point, Kushida Kikyo volunteered to find upperclassmen to verify their authenticity.

This was unanimously praised by the students of Class D.

That evening.

Chihaya Rei went out to buy cola as usual.

On his way back, he usually wandered around the area to see if there was a chance to torture some god-like person.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

"..."

As he passed by the school's Artificial Lake, the crisp sound of kicks hitting the railing echoed one after another.

Chihaya Rei's pupils gleamed slightly.

He had actually stumbled upon Kushida Kikyo venting her stress!

Suppressing a little excitement in his heart, Chihaya Rei followed the sound, lightening his footsteps as he gradually approached.

Soon, under a streetlamp emitting white light by the Artificial Lake railing, Chihaya Rei spotted that flaxen-colored figure.

He skillfully took out his digital camera, hung it around his neck, and then quietly began to enjoy Kushida Kikyo's performance.

It was a pity that he could only see the side of Kushida Kikyo's face.

"Ah, so annoying, so annoying!"

"Do you know how long I've been putting up with you..."

"Horikita Suzune, you bitch, every time you open your mouth to speak, it makes me sick. What are you putting on airs for? Acting so arrogant, who the hell do you think you are!"

"I've sent you so many friend requests and you still haven't accepted them. You really don't know when you're well off. Go to hell, go to hell, go to hell!"

Kushida Kikyo opened her mouth wide, cursing loudly without stopping for a moment.

"And you, you bastard band boy Chihaya Rei, you're no better than Horikita Suzune!"

"Acting like you know my true nature so well, what right do you have to know my past? Huh?! Answer me!"

"I don't believe you actually know my secret."

As if treating the railing as Chihaya Rei, Kushida Kikyo raised her leg again and kicked it fiercely twice.

"Step on you, hmph! I know your type best—good-looking men who play in bands."

"Are you playing in a band and playing instruments? You're definitely playing with band girls! Ugh, scumbag! Filthy band player."

Chihaya Rei had been listening quite intently, but he didn't expect to be the next one to be scolded.

Although he wasn't entirely surprised that Kushida Kikyo would curse him, he was still speechless.

Chihaya Rei wondered what he had done to Kushida Kikyo that was so excessive; he had only said a few mean-spirited things, so this was definitely her taking her anger out on him.

Sigh, it's hard to be a good person.

Besides, he had to set the record straight: what Kushida Kikyo said about the band was pure slander and defamation.

He did both; he played in a band and played with band girls.

Kushida Kikyo, I hope you'll still be this defiant in a moment.

"And Yamauchi Haruki, Ike Koji, you two get lost! Can't you just drop out already?"

"The two of you are brainless, faceless, and say such stupid things that it makes me sick to look at you. And you want to call me 'Kikyo-chan'? Disgusting!"

"And all you idiots in class who borrowed points from me, pay me back already, ahhhhh!"

After Kushida Kikyo finished shouting, she kicked the railing heavily several times, then leaned over slightly with her hands on the fence and let out a long sigh.

"That's enough... for today."

When she lifted her head again, Kushida Kikyo wore that innocent, lively smile once more.

"I feel so much better. Now, I'm everyone's beloved little Kikyo again~"

What a master of changing faces.

"Clap, clap, clap!"

Chihaya Rei applauded, his rhythm steady and deliberate.

By the quiet Artificial Lake, Kushida Kikyo heard him immediately.

She whipped her head around.

Chihaya Rei stood there with a kind, amiable smile, offering the cola in his hand as he asked:

"Kushida-san, it seems you've finally finished venting. Would you like a sip of cola to soothe your throat? It's ice-cold."

In that instant, Kushida Kikyo's pupils contracted and her face turned terrifyingly dark, yet Chihaya Rei continued to smile calmly as if he hadn't noticed a thing.

"Grrr..."

The sound of grinding teeth came from Kushida Kikyo's mouth, and her tone turned colder than it had ever been.

"You saw everything, didn't you?"

"I saw every single bit of it."

Chihaya Rei said with a hint of admiration, "Your voice sounds much more comfortable like this."

The affected, cutesy voice reminded him of an old acquaintance from a band, so he preferred hearing Kushida Kikyo's real tone.

To Kushida Kikyo, however, Chihaya Rei's words sounded like nothing but pure provocation.

She strode forward, closing the distance to Chihaya Rei in a few short seconds. With a ferocious expression, she threatened:

"I want you to promise that you won't tell anyone what you just saw, otherwise..."

"I can't make that promise. Otherwise, what?"

Chihaya Rei smiled indifferently, unbothered.

"Then I'll go to the school..."

As Kushida Kikyo spoke slowly, she quickly grabbed Chihaya Rei's right hand.

Her palm covered the back of his hand, and with a clear objective, she forced his hand toward her chest.

The movement was swift.

But Chihaya Rei's hand stopped abruptly just a few centimeters from Kushida Kikyo's chest.

Chihaya Rei showed a faint smile, his eyes mocking.

If he didn't want his hand to move, there was no way the mere strength of a girl like Kushida could budge it.

Kushida Kikyo was taken aback for a moment, but she reacted quickly.

Since she couldn't force his hand, she immediately thought to throw her body into it!

Chihaya Rei's eyes narrowed slightly as he realized what Kushida Kikyo was planning.

He reacted even faster, clenching his palm into a fist.

A muffled thud came from Kushida Kikyo's body, and she let out a soft groan.

The force of the impact was quite significant.

His fist was now buried deep into the softness of Kushida Kikyo's chest.

[Tortured Kushida Kikyo, obtained 3666 Torture Points]

For a moment, the air fell into silence.

The evening breeze blew across the Artificial Lake and over the two of them, causing their hair to flutter slightly.

Kushida Kikyo's expression was first one of shock, but soon, feeling the pain from her chest, she visibly furrowed her brows and winced in agony.

Chihaya Rei's gaze also became somewhat subtle.

This punch was a bit beyond his expectations.

But the sensation was beyond compare—softer than any pillow he had ever slept on.

Besides, he had only intended to stop his palm in front of Kushida Kikyo and watch her break down as she tried in vain to push it away.

He hadn't expected Kushida Kikyo to react so quickly and throw herself into it.

Fortunately, he wasn't slow either.

"Kushida-san, your plan has failed."

Seeing that Kushida Kikyo had yet to recover her senses, Chihaya Rei pulled his hand back on his own.

Feeling the strange sensation on her chest vanish, Kushida Kikyo instinctively pressed against it, only to instantly snap her gaze up to glare at Chihaya Rei in a fit of rage, her face flushed a burning, embarrassed red.

"Shameless, taking advantage of me, you bastard!"

"Isn't this what you asked for?"

Chihaya Rei raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone carrying a playful edge:

"You wanted to collect my fingerprints to blackmail me, and if I didn't keep your secret, you were going to falsely accuse me of assaulting you, right?"

"How did you know?!"

Kushida Kikyo's eyes froze, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

She hadn't even mentioned that thought of hers just now.

"You admitted it, then. Admitting it is enough."

Chihaya Rei curled his lips into a smile while pulling a digital camera from his pocket.

Under Kushida Kikyo's look of utter terror, Chihaya Rei tapped his fingers a few times, playing back the footage he had just recorded for her to see.

"By the way, your plan to falsely accuse me was recorded too."