What kind of life did Nishikado Makoto want to live after gaining his golden finger?
Become the strongest Go player?
Win the favor of countless beautiful women?
Perhaps he'd thought about both, but what he wanted most was to live with a clear conscience.
"Um, who are you?"
Seeing Nishikado Makoto's unfamiliar face, the Class D students asked curiously.
Horikita Suzune had just started to rise when Kushida Kikyo beat her to it.
Horikita Suzune's fingertips had only just touched the edge of the desk, and she hadn't even stood up straight when a lively figure had already darted forward.
Kushida Kikyo wore her trademark sweet smile as she took a few steps toward Nishikado Makoto.
"Nishikado, did you come to see me?"
They were so close that Nishikado Makoto could even smell the girl's delicate fragrance.
"Kushida, I've arranged a time for the favor you asked me to do."
With other people around, Nishikado Makoto was quite polite to Kushida Kikyo.
Seeing that Nishikado Makoto didn't seem intent on exposing her, Kushida Kikyo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Damn it, who's that guy?"
Kanji Ike clenched his fists, grinding his teeth.
The other boys around him wore much the same expression, their eyes fixed on Nishikado Makoto with hostility.
In Class D, Kushida Kikyo was the one true love of many boys.
Others had their own favorites, but liked Kushida Kikyo just as much.
"All right. Are we leaving now?"
Kushida Kikyo gave Nishikado Makoto an encouraging look.
She really didn't want to stay and listen to Kanji Ike and the others carrying on.
Unfortunately, Nishikado Makoto wasn't going to take her away just yet.
"Kushida, I remember you telling me that Class D was a friendly, harmonious group."
"Now that I'm here and have seen it for myself, why does it feel like this place reeks?"
Nishikado Makoto's gaze swept over the group who had been making a scene, sharp as a tangible blade and heavy with pressure.
The few who had just been spitting and shouting fell silent at once, panic showing on their faces as if an invisible hand had clamped around their throats.
Nishikado Makoto strode toward them.
Suddenly, someone stepped in front of him.
"Hey, this isn't your class. Get out of here."
Though Ken Sudō spoke with force, he didn't dare meet Nishikado Makoto's eyes.
"I'm Airi Sakura's friend. I'm here to stand up for her. Are you really going to help these scumbags?"
Nishikado Makoto stared straight into Ken Sudō's eyes.
[Provoked Ken Sudō's emotions, gained 1,829 emotion points.]
"She's your friend? They were just running their mouths."
Ken Sudō didn't dare meet Nishikado Makoto's eyes. He didn't even ask whether Nishikado Makoto was telling the truth.
Ken Sudō hadn't changed yet. He was usually hot-tempered and quick to anger.
Aside from Kanji Ike and Yamauchi Haruki, hardly anyone in Class D went near him.
But that didn't mean Ken Sudō couldn't see what was happening.
He knew he was in the wrong here.
"I just have a few things to say to them, too."
Nishikado Makoto's voice was calm. He showed no intention of throwing the first punch.
He really had come to talk things out.
"..."
After getting Nishikado Makoto's assurance, Ken Sudō silently returned to his seat and lay his head on the desk, pretending to sleep.
Not far away, Hirata Yosuke had also been hesitating, unsure whether to step in and stop Nishikado Makoto.
Now that he'd heard Nishikado Makoto's promise, he returned to his seat as well.
With no one left to stop him, Nishikado Makoto walked straight up to Yamauchi Haruki.
"D-don't come any closer!"
Yamauchi Haruki knew he was in the wrong, but he still put on a tough front as he backed away, using Kanji Ike as a shield.
Kanji Ike hadn't even figured out what was going on before he noticed Nishikado Makoto staring at him. He jolted, then hurriedly wriggled out of Yamauchi Haruki's arms and dodged aside.
"Kanji, are you abandoning me too?"
"Haruki, don't drag me into this!"
After exchanging those words, Kanji Ike fled to a distant corner.
A big, imposing guy like Nishikado Makoto was clearly not someone to mess with.
Even if he and Yamauchi Haruki were friends, they still had to keep their own troubles separate!
If you caused a mess, you had to clean it up yourself!
"You, y-you..."
Yamauchi Haruki was completely panicked, his forehead beaded with sweat.
How could he have known that one boastful remark would lead to this?
"I'm Airi's friend. I heard you say outside that she confessed to you?"
"Now that I'm standing right in front of you, can you say it again?"
Nishikado Makoto cornered Yamauchi Haruki, leaving him nowhere to escape.
"E-even if you're friends, would she really tell you about something like a confession? S-she..."
Yamauchi Haruki's eyes darted around as he stubbornly kept up the lie.
At this point, even the Class D students couldn't help looking at him with contempt.
Ever since the first self-introductions after enrollment, everyone in Class D had known Yamauchi Haruki was a liar.
The guy had actually claimed he used to be the ace pitcher on a baseball team, then got injured in a high school tournament and retired to recover.
But that raised a question: if this was his first time in high school, how had he played in a high school tournament before?
Someone who lied through his teeth wasn't worth helping, even if he was a classmate.
Nishikado Makoto drew a deep breath, his chest rising and falling sharply. His suppressed anger was like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
"Yamauchi! Haruki!"
Nishikado Makoto called out his name one word at a time, each one landing on Yamauchi Haruki's heart like a heavy hammer.
He raised a finger and lightly tapped the air in front of Yamauchi Haruki's forehead.
"If I find out you're bullying my friend again, I'll make you pay!"
His voice boomed, carrying a force that seemed to pierce the soul.
Yamauchi Haruki trembled, his lips quivering. He couldn't get a single word out.
He had the nerve to spread rumors behind someone's back, but no courage to face Nishikado Makoto.
Nishikado Makoto turned around. Kanji Ike and Sotomura Hideo suddenly felt that Class D's classroom was far too small, with nowhere to hide.
Before Nishikado Makoto could say a word, the two of them hurried out through the back door.
As if staying one second longer would mean being swallowed by some invisible force.
Nishikado Makoto didn't chase after them. His gaze returned to Yamauchi Haruki.
Looking at that face, pale as paper, Nishikado Makoto suddenly felt it was all rather pointless.
In the end, he merely stepped forward and patted Yamauchi Haruki on the shoulder.
"You'd better remember what I said."
Nishikado Makoto turned to the Class D students around him and bowed in apology.
"I'm deeply sorry for interrupting everyone's break today."
Regardless of how the others reacted, Nishikado Makoto straightened his back and left the classroom.
Amid the silence, Koenji Rokusuke lowered the mirror in his hand and smiled with evident pleasure.
"What a beautiful man."
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