Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, Class Trial.
"What are you laughing at? Have you given up because you can't argue back? Then—"
"Enough, you lot from Class C, stop laughing too. How about this, Horikita? Same deal as before: apologize to me, and I'll forgive you."
Amasawa Reigetsu's voice wasn't loud, but it had a strange power that made people stop whatever they were doing and listen. He mercilessly cut off Horikita Suzune before she could continue her rebuttal.
"Gomen na—no! Why should I apologize to you?! You're the one who did something wrong this time! I've seen through your scheme. Hurry up and declare this trial invalid!"
Horikita Suzune had nearly said "gomen nasai" out of muscle memory. At the same time, her body had reacted strangely. It seemed that every time Amasawa Reigetsu told her to apologize, her heart started racing—
"Too bad~ It's a shame, but what Horikita imagined isn't going to happen in reality... By the way, the student council president personally entrusted me with this."
"Did you hear that, Horikita-chan?"
Amasawa Reigetsu stepped down from the podium and walked straight to the right side of the long table, stopping in front of Horikita Suzune. The distance between them shrank to nothing. Amasawa leaned in slightly and reached out with his index finger. With a teasing air and a force that brooked no resistance, he gently hooked it under Horikita Suzune's fair chin, forcing her to raise her head.
Amasawa Reigetsu looked down at Horikita's face as if admiring a work of art he had just smashed to pieces, savoring the complex expression on Horikita Suzune's face: disbelief, confusion, anger, resentment, and humiliation all tangled together.
"You—!"
Horikita Suzune's pupils contracted sharply. Humiliation surged through her, but at the same time she felt most of the strength leave her body. With no time to process what was happening, Horikita clenched her teeth, ready to curse Amasawa Reigetsu for being shameless.
But before she could even enjoy the fight, a cold palm quietly covered her lips from behind.
Ayanokoji Kiyoko had appeared behind her like a ghost. Her movements held a restraining force that Horikita couldn't break free from.
"Mmph!"
Horikita Suzune's eyes flew wide open, and a muffled protest escaped her throat. She knew Ayanokoji Kiyoko was one of Amasawa Reigetsu's people, but she hadn't expected her to betray the class so brazenly.
Seeing this, Sudo's eyes went bloodshot. A rush of hot blood surged to his head. He was going to protect the best Horikita in the whole world!
He charged over like an enraged lion, loudly cursing the parents of both Ayanokoji and Amasawa as he swung his fist at them.
Amasawa Reigetsu: Bro, can you stop fighting already? I'm just teasing a girl, and you want to get expelled again? I can't work with you, I just can't!
Just as Sudo's wind-slicing fist was about to hit, Amasawa Reigetsu and Ayanokoji Kiyoko released Horikita at the same time, as if they'd planned it. They leisurely stepped back, then started whistling with their hands in their pockets as if nothing had happened.
A look of concern crossed Ryuen Kakeru's face as he watched.
"Amasawa Reigetsu from Class A and Ayanokoji Kiyoko from Class D. Their movements are unusually well-coordinated, and there's clearly something going on between them. This combination needs to be watched closely."
Sudo's punch hit empty air, and his momentum made him stumble forward a couple of steps. He stopped right in front of Horikita Suzune.
Panting heavily, he turned around and awkwardly met the gaze of Horikita Suzune, who had just been freed and was still breathing hard.
"Let's make a deal—a deal concerning you defective products. Have Horikita Suzune apologize to me, and I'll give you another day to look for evidence. Otherwise... say goodbye to your classmate Sudo."
Amasawa Reigetsu returned to the podium. Seeing Secretary, who looked as if she'd never seen anything like this before and was staring in shock, he found her reaction amusing and pinched the hand she hadn't placed on the table.
"Huh!? Oh! The boss is right, Horikita. As your leader, I hope you'll protect your classmates!"
Ichinose Honami knew she'd zoned out, so the boss had startled her... But he really liked pinching her hand. Was the boss a hand fetishist?
Horikita Suzune felt Amasawa Reigetsu's teasing gaze on her. Her chest heaved as she took deep breaths, as if trying to suppress every feeling inside her.
Bide her time and endure the humiliation.
"Gomen nasai... Amasawa-sama."
Her body's reaction seemed a little strange. Her hands wouldn't stop trembling, and she was having trouble breathing. Was this what it felt like to endure humiliation while biding her time?
Horikita Suzune came to a conclusion: she was still wet.
Watching Horikita Suzune apologize to Amasawa Reigetsu, Ken Sudō felt his heart shatter. He felt like a useless husband.
His fists clenched.
Amasawa Reigetsu, just you wait! I'll rip your hood off and leave it lying all over the place!
With Horikita Suzune's apology, the Class Trial was temporarily adjourned. Amasawa Reigetsu kept his word and gave Class D a day to look for evidence. Everyone dispersed.
After leaving the Class Trial, Ryuen Kakeru came out of his amusement at watching the show and realized something was off.
"Wait, what? Amasawa only asked Horikita to apologize, and he gave Class D a whole day to catch their breath!? Damn it, I was misled! Amasawa Reigetsu is siding with Class D, not just looking for a laugh!"
Ryuen Kakeru muttered to himself, then was so startled that he slammed his fist hard against the wall.
"We have to decide the winner tomorrow... preferably before the Class Trial starts!"
Ryuen Kakeru began thinking over his options, but Shiina Hiyori, behind him, was focused on something else.
"Misled...?"
Shiina Hiyori wrote the word on a sticky note.
Things were less quiet for Class D after the trial ended. Sudo blocked Ayanokoji Kiyoko's path and demanded to know why she'd betrayed the class and helped Amasawa Reigetsu.
"Move, red-haired monkey."
"What the hell did you just say? You think I won't hit you just because you're a girl?"
Ken Sudō had a short fuse. He was ready to start killing again.
"Stop, Sudo. Ayanokoji was trying to help me. If you'd kept talking, Amasawa really would have expelled you, given his personality."
Horikita Suzune stopped Ken Sudō.
"The most urgent thing now is to find evidence. We only have one day."
"Wise choice, Horikita."
This was the first time Ayanokoji had praised her.
Horikita Suzune blushed.
Horikita Suzune, what the hell are you blushing for!?
Could it be...?