Chapter Summaries

Plot points and events

• Student Council President Horikita Manabu enters Class 1-D with secretary Akane Tachibana to investigate Ken Sudō’s alleged assault on three Class 1-C students.
• Sudō insists he was invited to discuss club activities and acted in self-defense, but he has no witnesses or other evidence. Manabu emphasizes that the Council must rely on verifiable facts rather than impressions.
• The Council plans to question the complainants again and schedules a formal hearing for the following day, leaving Class 1-D little time to prepare.
• After Manabu leaves, Sudō vents his anger. Kouenji provokes him, and Sudō moves to attack. Hirata intervenes, warns that another assault could get Sudō expelled, and unexpectedly restrains him with ease.

Character developments and interactions

• Manabu comes across as imposing, disciplined, and impartial. His presence silences the class, and his strict approach leaves Sudō without reassurance.
• Suzune watches her brother but cannot bring herself to speak to him, revealing how intimidated she remains by him.
• Sudō is angry and frustrated, with his impulsiveness threatening to worsen his situation.
• Hirata first tries to defend Sudō by suggesting there may have been a misunderstanding, but accepts Manabu’s insistence on objective evidence. Later, he shows a forceful, capable side by physically stopping Sudō.
• Kouenji needles Sudō with an insult, seemingly confident that Sudō cannot intimidate him.
• Kushida rushes to prevent the confrontation, while Ike and Yamauchi panic over the short deadline.

Significant themes

• Evidence versus personal judgment: The Student Council prioritizes provable facts over classmates’ beliefs about Sudō’s character.
• Authority and intimidation: Manabu’s authority affects the entire class, especially Suzune.
• Hidden sides of people: Hirata’s calm, friendly image contrasts with his unexpected strength and decisiveness.
• Self-control and consequences: Sudō’s temper may turn a difficult case into a worse one if he acts violently again.

Plot points and events

• Class 1-D discusses how to defend Ken Sudō against the accusation that he started a fight with students from Class 1-C. Hirata calms Sudō, while Ayanokōji urges the class to focus on finding witnesses or checking for camera footage.
• Ike suggests offering points for information, but Yamauchi points out that the class has no points to spare and the location is rarely visited.
• Horikita Suzune commits to attending the Student Council meeting with Hirata. Kushida and Hirata will ask other students for clues. Horikita also presses Tatsuya Sakuya to help, reminding him that Sudō’s expulsion would cost the class 300 points.
• Sakuya reasons that Class 1-C likely checked the area for cameras before arranging the fight. He privately hopes the dispute will give him leverage to extract points from Ryuuen.
• After school, Sakuya confirms there are no cameras at the Special Teaching Building. He meets Airi Sakura, who feels guilty for not revealing that she recorded Sudō. She agrees to give Sakuya the recording the next day so she can avoid testifying in person.
• On their way back to the dorm, they encounter Ichinose Honami rehearsing nervously for her Student Council interview. Sakuya jokes that she should introduce herself as someone who “never causes trouble,” since Horikita has had a difficult day.

Character development and interactions

• Horikita recovers her composure after being unsettled earlier and takes charge, focused on protecting Sudō and advancing toward Class 1-A.
• Hirata remains a calming, supportive presence, helping Sudō and volunteering to assist Horikita.
• Sudō is still anxious, though he is no longer openly angry.
• Sakuya appears casual and helpful, but is strategically looking for ways to use the incident to gain points from Ryuuen. He reassures Airi and offers to handle the recording discreetly.
• Airi shows compassion and courage despite her shyness, choosing to help Sudō even though she barely knows him.
• Ichinose is revealed in a private, nervous moment that contrasts with her polished reputation. Sakuya’s teasing creates a light, friendly exchange.

Significant themes

• Collective responsibility: Sudō’s fate could affect the entire class, prompting students to cooperate.
• Compassion and personal risk: Airi is willing to help despite the discomfort and attention testimony could bring.
• Strategy beneath appearances: Sakuya’s reassuring manner coexists with his plans to exploit the situation for points.
• Public confidence versus private insecurity: Ichinose’s anxious rehearsal contrasts with her admired image.

Key events

• Tatsuya Sakuya meets Ichinose Honami, who is preparing to interview for the Student Council. He advises her to present Class 1-B’s unity as her strongest qualification rather than rely on generic answers.
• Ichinose offers to investigate the injuries to three Class 1-C students and help Tatsuya if needed. He accepts her kindness, while privately suspecting Ryuen may have made the injuries worse.
• Airi Sakura slips away during the conversation because she feels shy and unsure what to say. She explains herself to Tatsuya by message, and he lightly teases her.
• The next day, Class 1-D anxiously anticipates the Student Council hearing about Ken Sudō’s violent incident. Secretary Akane Tachibana arrives with unexpected news: President Horikita has postponed it until Friday.

Character developments and interactions

• Ichinose’s nervousness about her interview eases after Tatsuya reminds her that her class’s solidarity could distinguish her. She remains generous and offers help despite the trouble surrounding Class 1-D.
• Tatsuya comes across as calm and encouraging, even while his class faces a serious disciplinary hearing.
• Sakura’s social anxiety is highlighted by her quiet greeting and sudden departure. Her playful, embarrassed message suggests she is comfortable communicating with Tatsuya privately.
• Ichinose and Tatsuya share an easy, teasing rapport; Ichinose also warmly acknowledges Sakura.

Significant themes

• Unity as strength: Class 1-B’s cohesion may be a valuable qualification for Student Council service.
• Kindness across class lines: Ichinose offers aid to Tatsuya despite their different classes and the conflict surrounding Class 1-D.
• Anxiety and composure: Ichinose and Sakura both reveal nervousness, while Tatsuya maintains his composure.
• Suspense and uncertainty: The hearing’s postponement delays Class 1-D’s reckoning, leaving the outcome unresolved.

Key plot points and events

• The Student Council hearing concerning Ken Sudō is postponed until Friday. Class 1-D initially celebrates the reprieve, but Chabashira Sae warns that without convincing evidence, the delay will only postpone an unfavorable verdict.
• Horikita Suzune suspects her older brother, Student Council President Manabu, has a deliberate reason for granting extra time. She tries to ask Tatsuya Sakuya what he thinks, but he has already left.
• Back in his dorm room, Tatsuya worries that Airi Sakura has not attended school or sent him the video she promised.
• Airi arrives at Tatsuya’s room in tears and apologizes. She explains that she dropped her camera while trying to transfer the video, damaging it so badly that she cannot retrieve the footage or afford repairs.

Character developments and interactions

• Tatsuya Sakuya remains calm and observant amid the class crisis. His immediate concern is Airi’s absence and the missing video, and he responds gently when she comes to him.
• Ken Sudō remains anxious despite the postponement, which gives him time but does not clear him of blame.
• Horikita Suzune is tense and distrustful of the delay, believing her brother’s decision must have a strategic purpose. She is also frustrated that Tatsuya is difficult to read and hard to catch.
• Airi Sakura is overwhelmed by guilt and shame. Thinking she has let Sudō and Tatsuya down, she skips school and comes to confess that the camera—and seemingly the crucial video—is lost.
• Hirata Yousuke continues supporting Sudō, while the class’s relief fades after Chabashira reminds them of the stakes.

Significant themes

• A reprieve is not a solution: The delayed hearing offers time, not safety; the class still needs evidence.
• Trust and responsibility: Airi’s distress comes from believing she has failed people who trusted her.
• Uncertainty and hidden motives: Suzune questions why Manabu postponed the hearing, while Tatsuya’s own intentions remain difficult for her to discern.

Key events

• Tatsuya tells Airi that Sudo’s expulsion hearing has been postponed until Friday because the Student Council president was unavailable. He assures her that Sudo is safe and that the delay is not her fault.
• Airi remains worried because she dropped and broke the camera containing the video evidence needed for Sudo’s case.
• Tatsuya suggests checking the camera’s warranty. At the electronics store, the clerk confirms that the warranty does not cover accidental damage and estimates repairs at 22,000 Private Points.
• Tatsuya shifts focus from repairing the camera to retrieving its contents. The memory card is undamaged, and the clerk agrees to transfer the recordings for free. The card contains several videos, including one filmed the previous Saturday.

Character developments and interactions

• Airi moves from panic and self-blame to hope when she learns the hearing is delayed, then is discouraged by the repair cost. Tatsuya’s reminder that the video matters more than the camera helps her regain focus.
• Tatsuya stays calm and practical throughout: he reassures Airi, proposes checking the warranty, and finds a way to recover the evidence without paying for repairs.
• The clerk is helpful and professional, explaining the damage and repair cost before assisting with the data transfer.

Significant themes

• Evidence over appearances: The camera itself is expensive, but the recordings are what matter.
• Practical problem-solving: Tatsuya finds a useful next step even after the apparent setback of the broken camera.
• Guilt and reassurance: Airi blames herself for potentially harming Sudo’s case, while Tatsuya reminds her not to take responsibility for events beyond her control.

Chapter summary: “A classmate who didn’t play by the rules”

Key plot points and events

• Tatsuya Sakuya and Airi Sakura visit the school repair counter to recover the footage from Sakura’s broken camera. The video is intact and clearly shows Ishizaki throwing the first punch at Sudo.
• Sakuya has copies sent to both their phones and backs up another copy to cloud storage, securing the evidence as protection against losing it.
• Sakura is upset about the camera, but learns she can leave it for repair and pay the cost later with school points. Relieved, she signs the repair form.
• Hirata Yousuke continues searching for evidence to help Sudo, while Sakuya waits for the right moment to use the footage.
• Kushida Kikyou approaches Sakuya after class but stops speaking when Horikita Suzune returns. She later messages him to meet at the Palette Cafe.
• Sakuya assumes Kushida wants to discuss Sudo’s case or a lead involving Class 1-C. At the café, she surprises him by saying the matter is personal.

Character developments and interactions

• Sakuya acts pragmatically, securing multiple backups of the video and helping Sakura arrange a delayed repair payment. He stays composed when Kushida’s invitation—and her actual reason for meeting—doesn’t match his expectations.
• Sakura moves from anxiety about the evidence and distress over her camera to relief once both problems seem manageable.
• Hirata remains determined to find evidence for Sudo, even as Sakuya already possesses crucial proof.
• Kushida appears hesitant and uneasy, deliberately seeking Sakuya privately. Her explanation that the meeting is personal leaves her motives unclear.
• Horikita questions why Kushida singled Sakuya out and watches their exchange with suspicion. Her arrival interrupts Kushida’s attempt to speak, prompting Kushida to contact Sakuya secretly afterward.

Significant themes

• Evidence and preparation: Sakuya’s careful backups make the video a reliable safeguard in Sudo’s case.
• Trust and secrecy: Kushida’s private invitation, Horikita’s suspicion, and Sakuya’s undisclosed evidence create uncertainty about whom to trust and what is really happening.
• Practical support and solidarity: Sakuya helps Sakura not only preserve the footage but also manage the cost of repairing her camera.

Key events

• Kushida tells Tatsuya Sakuya that a boy in their class confessed to her and she rejected him. His awkwardness and avoidance afterward leave her worried the rejection might damage class relations, especially while the class is already tense over Sudo’s situation.
• Sakuya advises her not to make a special effort to comfort the boy: treating him normally without pity or extra attention should let the awkwardness fade within a few days.
• Reassured, Kushida agrees to help Sakuya contact Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo from Class 1-C. She asks why, but he gives no explanation.

Character developments and interactions

• Kushida reveals her concern for maintaining harmony in the class and seeks Sakuya’s practical judgment. His calm, direct advice eases her anxiety.
• Sakuya would rather avoid being drawn into romantic complications, but helps Kushida before asking her for a favor. He trusts she will follow through, partly because she values her image and dislikes owing others.
• Kushida accepts his request despite the strained relations between Classes 1-D and 1-C, while respecting his reluctance to explain himself.

Significant themes

• Rejection and boundaries: Trying too hard to soften a rejection can come across as pity or create false hope; ordinary, respectful behavior is preferable.
• Social harmony and image: Kushida’s concern reflects how personal awkwardness can feel like a threat to class unity—and how much she cares about being seen as agreeable.
• Trust and strategic cooperation: Sakuya’s request establishes a practical alliance across class lines, though his motives remain undisclosed.

Plot points and events

• After leaving the café, Tatsuya Sakuya reviews footage of the Special Teaching Building incident and Airi Sakura’s photos, then focuses on the points he hopes to gain.
• Kushida Kikyou messages him: she has arranged a meeting with Ishizaki Daichi and his group at the Special Teaching Building after school the next day. She offers to accompany him, but Tatsuya declines so she won’t see what he intends to do.
• His anticipation of gaining points keeps him awake, leaving him exhausted through the next day’s lessons.
• Tatsuya arrives early at the meeting place. Karuizawa Kei appears, curious about why he left class, just as Ishizaki and three others arrive.
• The group reveals that Kushida’s contact prompted them to come, while Mio Ibuki warns Ishizaki that Ryuuen Kakeru never authorized the meeting and may punish them for acting independently.
• Tatsuya asks Karuizawa to record what happens, then approaches the group and tells them their expected contact isn’t coming. They stare at him, confused, and ask who he is.

Character developments

• Tatsuya is driven by the prospect of points and is confident enough to confront the group, but he also takes precautions by arranging a recording.
• Kushida shows her usual considerate, helpful persona, offering to attend because she worries the meeting could turn violent.
• Karuizawa is initially puzzled but follows Tatsuya’s request and records the encounter.
• Ishizaki and his companions seem to have come expecting Kushida; Ibuki is wary of the consequences of acting without Ryuuen’s permission.

Significant themes

• Points and self-interest: Tatsuya’s excitement over points dominates his thoughts and even costs him sleep.
• Public image and hidden motives: Tatsuya avoids letting Kushida witness his intended conduct, while his calm approach masks an ulterior purpose.
• Caution amid potential violence: Recording the encounter reflects the characters’ awareness that confrontations can be dangerous and disputed.

Character interactions

• Kushida offers help and protection, but Tatsuya politely refuses.
• Karuizawa questions Tatsuya’s sudden departure; he gives her little explanation but asks her to document events.
• Ibuki challenges Ishizaki for arranging the meeting without Ryuuen’s approval.
• Tatsuya confronts the group, creating an awkward opening when they realize Kushida is absent and do not recognize him.

Tatsuya Sakuya confronted Ishizaki Daichi, Komiya, Kondo, and Mio Ibuki with video evidence that could clear Ken Sudō and expose their attack. After stopping Mio’s attempt to seize his phone, he offered to settle the matter for Class 1-C in exchange for points, then Karuizawa Kei revealed that she had recorded the encounter.

• Tatsuya Sakuya stopped Ishizaki Daichi and the others from leaving and challenged them about their injuries and the attack on Ken Sudō.
• Tatsuya Sakuya showed them a video of Ishizaki attacking Ken Sudō first, leaving the three boys facing possible expulsion.
• Mio Ibuki lunged for Tatsuya Sakuya’s phone, but he dodged her kick and caught her wrist before releasing her.
• Tatsuya Sakuya offered to handle the video in exchange for Class 1-C’s points, and Mio Ibuki said she needed to consult Ryuuen Kakeru.
• Karuizawa Kei approached Tatsuya Sakuya and said she had recorded the whole encounter.

Tatsuya Sakuya waited for Ryuuen Kakeru to respond while the class worried about Ken Sudō’s hearing. Shiina Hiyori came to Class 1-D to see Tatsuya, leaving Karuizawa Kei inexplicably irritated.

• Tatsuya Sakuya watched the fight video on Karuizawa Kei’s phone, then invited her to dinner.
• During English class, Kushida Kikyou told Tatsuya Sakuya that Ishizaki had asked about his personality and martial arts experience.
• Karuizawa Kei met Shiina Hiyori by the vending machine, and Shiina asked her to call Tatsuya Sakuya.
• Karuizawa Kei told Tatsuya Sakuya that someone was waiting for him, then felt irritated when she realized a girl had come looking for him.

Tatsuya Sakuya discovered Shiina Hiyori had come to Class 1-D to give him a book and relay Ryuuen Kakeru’s invitation. After school, he went to the rooftop to meet Ryuuen and found Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi there as well.

• Tatsuya Sakuya realized Shiina Hiyori was waiting for him after she waved and beckoned him from the classroom door.
• Shiina Hiyori gave Tatsuya Sakuya a copy of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and asked him to discuss it with her after reading it.
• Tatsuya Sakuya and Shiina Hiyori exchanged Line contact details, and she told him Ryuuen Kakeru wanted to meet him on the rooftop after school.
• Tatsuya Sakuya went to the rooftop and found Ryuuen Kakeru, Albert, Mio Ibuki, and Ishizaki waiting there.
• Tatsuya Sakuya was surprised to find Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi from Class 1-A on the rooftop, where Sakayanagi said she had come to clear her head.