Never Underestimate a Human Observer's Insight!

[The Class C collision incident yielded no results, and it's impossible to confirm whether Hashimoto has someone behind him. However, he himself acted quite impressively, so he could be considered a minor leader.]

This is probably what the students in Class C were thinking.

But all of these ideas were stopped by Ichinose.

She didn't want to see her classmates go to such lengths for her sake, so she stopped them from finding out the source.

Then she adopted a fighting style that only she could use.

Remain silent.

She is quite popular, so she remains silent and doesn't interfere, and her friends generally don't believe such rumors.

If the person who spread the rumor finds that it has not achieved the desired effect, then continuing to spread the rumor is meaningless.

This is a fairly calm approach.

But this method only further confirms that there is indeed something in her heart.

Because.

When she was first accused of spreading a whistleblower letter, she was able to report it to the Student Council and seek redress. But now, when she is being smeared with even more outrageous rumors, she can only apologize to other classes.

Such a show of weakness will only embolden people to take advantage of you even more.

So.

On the third day.

Someone mailed a separate letter to Ichinose's shoe locker.

There is only one line of text above.

[Ichiya Haho is a criminal]

This time, however, no name was signed.

Upon receiving this news, Hachiman knew that the plans of various factions to defeat and win over Ichinose were about to begin.

Chapter 016 Don't underestimate the insight of human observers!

[Ichiya Haho is a criminal]

This is the note that each first-grade student finds when they come to their shoe locker.

There is only this one line of text above.

This time, however, no name was signed.

"This is really... too much!"

However, the impact it has had is enormous.

That is, all the students in Class A, regardless of whether they are boys or girls, were completely blown up.

Almost everyone, regardless of gender, lost their minds.

No one in their class could accept being Archangel like this.

"Everyone--"

Ichinose had already arrived at the shoe cabinet, and this was the third time this week. She carefully read the words printed on the note several times, but in the end, she still chose not to blame anyone.

"I'm fine," Ichinose said.

Only.

However, everyone's attitude was different.

If the previous rumors were minor, this slander is simply outrageous!

That's absolutely outrageous!

Only.

Ichinose is a very good person.

Even after being wrongly accused to this extent, he still chose not to lose his temper, but continued to respond with silence.

She maintains a strong smile on ordinary days, and her composure and strength are admired by those who know her.

But.

This option is invalid.

If someone spreads rumors, it's because they have malicious intent. Logically, if you ignore them, they'll get bored and stop.

But this is the third time this rumor has been spread.

This shows that this method is ineffective. Moreover, this kind of rumor is utterly disgusting.

So, after borrowing books from the library that evening, Hachiman received a message from Kushida.

I need to have a meeting tonight.

She couldn't hold back any longer.

Yes.

Previously, when Hachiman saw Kushida staring at him and Horikita while they were talking, he said that Kushida would treat her friends equally and would help them if they were in trouble.

Especially when you can increase Ichinose's affection level.

He wasn't lying about this.

Kushida really does meddle in all sorts of his friends' messy affairs every day. But these are also things that can increase his favorability towards them, so he can't ignore them.

Otherwise, she wouldn't be in so much pain, experiencing so many emotions.

Hachiman felt that with the letter out, things were pretty much settled. So he took the initiative to contact Honami Ichinose and arranged to meet at Horikita's room.

It can be kept sufficiently confidential.

"Ah... this... I'm so sorry to have worried you all this time," Ichinose said apologetically upon arrival.

She seemed to be in good spirits.

Despite suffering such unfair treatment, she remains so strong, which is truly admirable.

"I just lent out the room." Because it was Horikita's room, Horikita would be there.

But.

"..."

Speaking of which, I have to say, Horikita, you really don't have many friends.

How can you start talking so calculatingly the moment someone walks in? It seems so heartless.

However, this is also a virtue of her straightforward personality. So Hachiman simply watched them.

Meanwhile, the other person who wanted to contact Ichinose has already taken the initiative to speak.

"Well then, I'll interject. Aren't you going to change your approach to this incident? Ichinose, I don't think things are going to continue like this," Kushida asked very directly.

As someone experienced in spreading rumors, she knew very well how much they could mutate and even have an impact if left unchecked.

When she was in junior high school, one of her classmates dropped out of school because of a rumor.

She had a vague feeling that Ichinose might also choose to drop out of school.

She now needs to change Ichinose's mind. "Although this attack is only targeting you, I don't think we can stand idly by, whether from a personal emotional standpoint or from the perspective of the common class interest. So my suggestion is to let the school intervene, just like with your huge points incident last time."

"...Oh--"

As if she had already guessed that Kushida would say that, Ichinose she could see was a wry smile.

The enemy is Sakayanagi from Class C.

She didn't want to believe it before, but now, judging from Hashimoto's deliberate release of rumors, it's beyond doubt.

This incident can be seen as an attack between classes. As an excellent leader, Ichinose should at least have made a statement, instead of choosing to remain silent as she has done.

At least, based on Kushida's experience in handling matters, Ichinose's current approach is clearly not the best, and he needs to lend a hand.

"I think so too." Suzune Horikita then shared her opinion. "I was also slandered during the last pairing exam, and not responding is not a good solution."

After experiencing the false angel Kushida, Horikita actually harbored feelings of affection for the real little angel Ichinose. She didn't want to see someone like that maliciously slandered.

Ichinose's popularity allows her to do things that no one else can.

For example, Ichinose can directly refute rumors.

Yes.

She denied all these accusations! Why remain silent? She's so popular; if she just denied them, many people would automatically stop believing them. It's like helping herself—helping others by helping herself!

Therefore...

What is her reason for not denying it now?

Horikita was quite confused, so for now she could only try to get Ichinose through conversation.

"I'm sorry." But Ichinose gently shook her head. "I made you worry."

"..." It seems I won't get any answers from you. Horikita sighed. "I want to know why you insist on the current plan, but I don't intend to force you to find out. There's just Ichinose I hope you understand: silence can easily be interpreted as acquiescence, and I think that's why the rumors haven't cooled down at all these past few days."

Ichinose certainly understood this.

But.

"What you think after hearing the rumors is your own business. This is Classmate Sakayanagi's strategy to disrupt Class A, and I think the only way to break it right now is to remain silent. This is also the only way I can think of Ichinose said, looking tired.

However, at the end of the conversation, she returned to her usual ordinary smile and politely took her leave from Horikita's room.

"..." Thump.

Ichinose closed all the doors, Horikita remained seated, looking puzzled. Kushida, meanwhile, stood with his arms crossed.

"I still can't understand why Ichinose did that."

"A simple rejection would have been a better solution."

"Completely confused."

Horikita said that she originally wanted to get information from Ichinose and then provide assistance, but Ichinose almost firmly refused to let her join the incident, so Horikita found this whole thing very strange.

"You've already done your best, so relax a bit and go read a book," Hachiman tried to reassure her. "Mathematics, oh no, Japanese Language and Literature is fine too. You can look at either."

"..."

Horikita remained silent.

She was used to reading, but she also knew that ordinary people didn't like reading so many books, so what was this guy talking about? Was he bullying her?

"I have a feeling that Ichinose ... is hiding something," Kushida said, arms crossed.

"What she cannot do now, or rather, what she can do at most."

"But if you resist, something bad will happen," Kushida said.

This is Kushida, who is adept at understanding people's hearts.

They are also very good at getting closer to others.

In this way, they can obtain a large number of other people's secrets.

So if what she said is true, then it might be true that Ichinose really has some kind of hardship that prevents her from resisting.

However, Hachiman already knew this.

And.

"Then you should think of a solution first," Hachiman said. "For example, go to the Student Council and report the harassment of the first-year Vice President of the Student Council. Hope he can improve the school's atmosphere."

"Horikita is not here, so Vice President Kiriyama is on duty. Although he doesn't have as much of a deterrent effect, he is still the Vice President of the Student Council."

"Therefore, I suggest that you make a report."

"Otherwise, who knows what even more outrageous rumors slandering Ichinose will be thrown into the shoe cabinet next time."

"That's fine," Kushida immediately accepted.

"Can I go too?" Horikita asked, offering to accompany her.