Several boys from Class D huddled together in a corner of the classroom, their heads pressed close.
Their faces were full of excitement and leering enthusiasm, and they spoke loudly enough for the whole classroom to hear.
The boys each had their own opinion about which girl had the biggest dreams.
"Yeah, it's gotta be Kikyo-chan!"
Kanji Ike shouted, getting his answer in first.
Kushida Kikyo was his one true love. In his heart, she had to come first on every ranking, no matter what it was.
He would cast every vote for her without the slightest hesitation.
His devotion was enough to move heaven and earth—and certainly enough to move Kanji Ike himself.
Unfortunately, Kushida Kikyo was sitting not far away and heard every word he said.
Who did he think he was calling Kikyo-chan?!
Kushida's chest ached with anger. She barely managed to suppress her rage and keep her true nature from showing.
When Makoto Nishikado messaged her, he called her by a nickname too.
Not because they were close, but because that bastard was deliberately trying to gross her out.
Kushida had been furious at the time and secretly swore she would make Nishikado pay.
But now, by comparison, she realized that Nishikado was a truly honest and decent guy.
"We're talking about breasts—cough, I mean, the size of their dreams. It's obviously Hasebe!"
Sotomura Hideo pushed up his glasses, dismissing Ike's conclusion.
If they were discussing who was more popular, then Kushida Kikyo was unquestionably Class D's number one. No one could deny that.
But they were discussing something much more serious and grounded in reality. They couldn't ignore the facts just because they liked someone.
In pursuit of objective truth, Sotomura firmly backed Hasebe Haruka.
Nearby, Hasebe Haruka heard Sotomura's words and shot him a look of disgust.
She looked at him as if he were something filthy. Just one more glance was enough to make her suffer.
In front of all the girls in the classroom, these boys were loudly discussing such a vulgar topic. Were they serious?
"No, no, you're all wrong. The clear number one is Airi Sakura. She confessed to me, and I've observed her carefully. There's no way I'm wrong. Class D's biggest dream—the champion's trophy belongs to Airi Sakura!"
Yamauchi Haruki planted his hands on his hips, looking down on everyone else's conclusions.
He had complete, baseless confidence in his own judgment.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood beside them with his hands in his pockets, listening in silence.
As the greatest masterpiece in human relations, he naturally had no interest in such a vulgar topic.
Still, he was learning how to make friends, and when faced with a subject he wasn't good at handling, he chose to stay quiet.
The greatest masterpiece in human relations didn't realize that even though he hadn't said a word, simply standing beside those boys had already made everyone group him with them.
Outside the Class D classroom, Makoto Nishikado had been about to ask Yuki Himeno to go in and call Horikita Suzune and Kushida Kikyo out.
After hearing Ike's shout, he stopped.
The boys continued their discussion as if no one else were around, and Nishikado's face darkened.
"Are you okay? The people in there are being awful."
Yuki Himeno had already noticed Airi Sakura hesitating outside, afraid to go in. She stepped forward and quietly comforted the plainly dressed girl.
From Sakura's reaction, she was probably one of the girls those boys had just been talking about.
Otherwise, even if she was timid, she wouldn't be afraid to open the door and enter her own classroom.
"Y-yes. I never confessed to him."
Airi Sakura explained in a small voice.
Unless Yuki Himeno was standing close, she could barely hear Sakura.
If she had been facing classmates from Class D, the pressure of the situation would have kept her from speaking up.
In front of two students she didn't know, she could find just a little courage to prove her "innocence."
"Even that part was made up? Well, I guess so. Who'd ever like a guy like that?"
"So he made the whole thing up? How could that bastard do something like this?"
Yuki Himeno was furious, but she still tried to keep her voice down so the people in the classroom wouldn't hear.
She really hadn't expected anyone in Class D to spread such a disgusting rumor.
Claiming the girl had confessed to him and saying he knew the size of her breasts—it could already count as sexual harassment!
"Boss, can you teach them a lesson?"
"If nobody teaches them a lesson, they'll keep bullying people."
Yuki Himeno didn't know how to deal with this. She wasn't even in Class D, and she wasn't good at handling this kind of situation.
So she could only look to Makoto Nishikado for help.
If it was Nishikado, he would definitely have a way.
"Boss? What kind of weird thing is that to call me?"
"Is it bad? I think it's pretty good."
"Fine, have it your way. Leave this to me."
Makoto Nishikado gave Yuki Himeno a reassuring look, then stepped in front of Airi Sakura and spoke as gently as he could.
"Excuse me. I want to go in and teach a few boys in your class a lesson, especially the one who slandered you."
"But I'm not in Class D, so I need a reason to step in."
"Could you give me your contact information so I can pretend to be your friend?"
Makoto Nishikado took out his Personal Terminal.
Airi Sakura looked up and timidly glanced at Nishikado.
Nishikado quietly gazed into Airi Sakura's eyes. His gaze was clear, without a hint of ill intent or lecherousness.
Meeting his eyes, Sakura's fear and hurt began to fade.
Because her breasts were so large, she attracted the attention of boys wherever she went.
She naturally trusted boys with such a straightforward gaze a little more.
"Please don't do anything too extreme."
Airi Sakura obediently took out her Personal Terminal and added Nishikado as a friend.
Though the boy in front of her seemed reliable, she didn't want things between them to get out of hand.
Nishikado was alone, after all. If they ended up fighting, he'd be at a disadvantage.
"You're way too nice. People are going to bully you like this," Yuki Himeno couldn't help saying.
She really couldn't stand watching this. Airi Sakura's weakness would only encourage those boys to go even further.
Seeing that Sakura still had her head lowered, Yuki Himeno suddenly realized how wonderful Amikura Asako was.
She was a real handful in Class B too, and Amikura Asako had always looked after her. She must have put a lot of effort into it.
Yuki Himeno made up her mind: when she got back, she would be sure to thank Amikura properly.
"Both of you can relax. Leave the rest to me."
"I won't lay a hand on anyone. Sakura, could you find somewhere to hide and come back in ten minutes?"
"Himeno, please look after her."
Makoto Nishikado put away his Personal Terminal and walked to the door of the Class D classroom.
After Yuki Himeno led Airi Sakura away and they disappeared around the corner, Nishikado's expression immediately turned cold.
He wasn't rude. He gently pushed the door open and entered Class D.
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