At noon, in the school cafeteria.
"There really are a lot of people."
Sakayanagi Arisu looked at the bustling cafeteria and sighed.
Tatsuya Sakuya said, "If you're not proactive about eating, there's something wrong with your brain. Besides, it's peak dining time. Go save us some seats first. Tell Kamuro Masumi what you want to eat."
Since Sakayanagi Arisu had limited mobility, only Tatsuya Sakuya and Kamuro Masumi stood in line at the ticket machines by the cafeteria entrance to buy meal tickets.
"I want the deluxe thick-cut black pork cutlet rice bowl, with double pork cutlets."
Standing beside the ticket machine, Tatsuya Sakuya unceremoniously pointed at the expensive signature dish on the screen.
Kamuro Masumi rubbed her eyes in disbelief.
Not only had this guy traded trash talk with Sakayanagi in the gym earlier, but now he was actually ordering such an expensive meal without the slightest psychological burden. She had never seen anyone so shameless.
"You're really this comfortable letting a girl treat you?"
Kamuro Masumi swiped Sakayanagi's student card to buy the meal tickets, glaring at Tatsuya Sakuya irritably.
"When a beautiful girl is treating, of course I have to eat something good. Besides, isn't it Sakayanagi's student card being swiped? Why are you worrying about it?"
Tatsuya Sakuya took the heavy tray from the serving counter and retorted with perfect righteousness.
Kamuro Masumi: "..."
The set meals Kamuro had brought over were laid out on the table.
Sakayanagi had a delicately plated sashimi set with a tiny portion, Sakuya had a steaming bowl of thick-cut black pork cutlet rice, while Kamuro herself only had the cheapest sandwich.
"Mm, come to think of it, that game of chess just now left my mouth dry."
After sitting down, Tatsuya Sakuya sighed and glanced at Kamuro Masumi.
"Kamuro, could I trouble you to buy me a canned drink from the vending machine outside?"
"Huh? Why should I run errands for you?"
Like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, Kamuro Masumi instantly bristled.
"Isn't it a joy to have friends come from afar? As a guest invited by Sakayanagi Arisu, and after Sakayanagi Arisu has treated you to a meal, shouldn't you show some appreciation?"
Tatsuya Sakuya slowly took his phone from his pocket and pointed at it.
"I think the canned beer in that vending machine outside looks pretty good, don't you, Kamuro? Especially the kind you haven't paid for."
Tatsuya Sakuya deliberately emphasized the words "haven't paid for."
What a rotten bastard.
What did he mean by pointing at his phone?
Could he have a backup of that earlier video?
He had stressed the words "haven't paid for" just now, hadn't he? Was that intentional, or an accident?
It was definitely an intentional accident.
Seeing Tatsuya Sakuya's smug expression, Kamuro Masumi felt her anger rising.
"Ah... I suddenly feel thirsty."
Kamuro abruptly stood up. Her movement was so forceful that she nearly knocked over the water cup on the table.
She glared at Sakuya through gritted teeth, forcing out several words:
"Shiba, I'll go buy it for you. You. Just. Wait."
Sakayanagi Arisu said, "Bring one back for me too."
There was no canned beer in the vending machine at all.
Had it sold out, or had there never been any?
That guy had definitely done it on purpose, hadn't he?
Kamuro muttered to herself in front of the vending machine and casually grabbed three bottles of Coca-Cola.
On her way back, Kamuro Masumi suddenly came up with an idea.
I'll make you drink it.
I'll make you drink it.
I'll make you drink it.
Kamuro Masumi shook the Coke meant for Tatsuya Sakuya like crazy. Thinking about his expression later, her mood began to brighten.
"Sorry for the wait, Sakayanagi."
Kamuro Masumi returned to her seat.
"Did I miss anything while I was buying drinks?"
Did she just ignore me?
Am I even a person?
Am I really even a person?
Three enormous question marks filled Tatsuya Sakuya's mind.
Sakayanagi Arisu said, "No. We were just talking about you two. So you already knew each other."
"We got to know each other through a fight."
Tatsuya Sakuya casually brushed it off.
"There wasn't any beer in the vending machine. Here, your Coke."
No, no, I can't laugh yet. I need to hold it in. Once he opens the cap—once he opens the cap, victory will be mine.
Kamuro handed the bottle of Coke, shaken eighty-one times, to Tatsuya Sakuya. The corners of her lips curled into a faint smile.
Hey, she smiled just now, didn't she?
Something had to be wrong.
She hadn't poisoned the Coke, had she?
But the bottle cap hadn't been opened.
Was I overthinking it? Maybe there really wasn't a problem?
But she definitely smiled. I absolutely saw it.
Was I supposed to surrender?
Taking the Coke Kamuro Masumi offered him, Tatsuya Sakuya's mind went into a frenzy.
Drink it already.
Weren't you thirsty?
"Shiba, Coke tastes best while it's cold. It won't be as good once it reaches room temperature."
Kamuro Masumi grew a little anxious when she saw that he still wasn't drinking it.
"Sakayanagi, help me open this Coke. I'm a little tied up."
Kamuro Masumi, how would you deal with that?
Tatsuya Sakuya suddenly came up with an excellent idea.
"No, no, no, Sakayanagi can't open it for you."
Kamuro Masumi replied with a slight stutter.
"Why not?" × 2
The two spoke at the same time.
"Because this bottle of Coke accidentally fell earlier. If you open it recklessly, it might spray everywhere."
Seeing that her plan had failed, Kamuro Masumi had no choice but to confess.
So there really was something wrong.
Now he could finally relax.
Tatsuya Sakuya picked up a juicy piece of pork cutlet and put it into his mouth.
"Mmm... free pork cutlet rice really is the most delicious food in the world."
Across from him, Sakayanagi elegantly picked up a small piece of salmon with her chopsticks and smiled.
"Shiba, you seem to have adapted very well to your current life."
"However... I'm curious."
"With your ability and intelligence, why did you end up in Class 1-D, known as the Defective Product Depot?"
"Defective products?"
Kamuro Masumi seemed to have heard something interesting.
Tatsuya Sakuya swallowed the rice in his mouth, pulled out a tissue, and wiped his lips.
I am Tatsuya Sakuya. Time to start lying.
"My preliminary judgment is that, by the school's standards, I don't meet the requirements for Class 1-C and could only enter Class 1-D. But Class 1-D is pretty good too. Everyone talks so nicely, and every one of them is a genius. I absolutely love it there."
Sakayanagi Arisu burst out laughing at his ridiculous excuse.
"Is that so? But as far as I know, Class 1-D's current situation doesn't seem particularly optimistic."
She took a sip of Coke, her gaze turning meaningful.
"It's only been a little over half a month since school started, yet your class's discipline has already become unbearable. Tardiness, leaving early, playing with phones, sleeping in class..."
Tatsuya Sakuya did not argue. He merely picked up another piece of pork cutlet in silence.
"Now, look at our Class 1-A."
Sakayanagi Arisu slowed her speech, yet her voice carried the calm composure of someone in full control.
"Under the overall management of Katsuragi and myself, everyone has consistently maintained strict self-discipline and order. It may be somewhat rigid, but at least no mistakes will occur."
She was implying that she had not yet completely taken over Class 1-A, but the situation remained under her control.
"As for Class 1-B, Ichinose Honami is promoting her warmhearted system built on trust."
"That false utopia, maintained through personal charisma, may appear to preserve good order on the surface, but in my eyes, it is so fragile that it could collapse at a touch."
"As for Class 1-C..."
"That fellow named Ryuen Kakeru is carrying out a dictatorship through violence and intimidation, but it is nothing more than something unfit for the public stage."
In just a few simple remarks,
she had laid out the current situations of the four first-year classes with absolute clarity.
Sakayanagi already knew the conditions of the other three classes inside out.
Listening from the side, Kamuro Masumi was secretly alarmed.
Tatsuya Sakuya said, "It seems Sakayanagi is very concerned about the situation across the school."
Sakayanagi Arisu launched her most important probe of the day.
"Shiba, have you never considered... leading Class 1-D to the position of Class 1-A?"
"With your intelligence, if you got serious, it should be a very interesting challenge."
Lead that bunch of freaks from Class 1-D to Class 1-A?
Wouldn't that just let them have it easy?
They should at least get a taste of hell first.
For the time being, there was no need for that.
Tatsuya Sakuya answered cleanly and decisively.
"Too troublesome. For now, I only intend to stay out of it. As long as it doesn't affect my life, that's enough."
Before you continue