The two of them came down from the hill behind campus and walked toward the south gate. Jiang Shiyu kept her hand tucked inside his coat pocket the whole way.
"What do you want for dinner tonight?"
"Anything."
"What's 'anything'?"
"You choose."
"Then Mala Tang. The place by the campus gate, with beef tallow in the broth."
"Sure."
"You're not afraid of spicy food?"
"No."
"Liar. Last time we had hot pot, you secretly drank three glasses of water."
Kannazuki let that one pass.
Jiang Shiyu lowered her head and smiled, giving his hand another squeeze inside his pocket.
His phone vibrated in his other pocket. He took it out with one hand and glanced at it.
A message from his student advisor.
[Light Yagami, we held a second review meeting this afternoon. The decision is pretty much settled. Come to Room 302 at ten tomorrow morning. Don't worry, it's not bad news.]
Kannazuki handed the phone to Jiang Shiyu.
After reading it, she bounced on her feet.
"It's not bad news! Did you see that? It's not bad news!"
"I saw."
"Then that means no public reprimand, right? Right?"
"Probably not."
"That's great, that's great, that's great-" She spun in place, her canvas bag flapping noisily.
"I told you they wouldn't dare! That video spread so far. If they punish you, they'll get roasted alive!"
Kannazuki took his phone back without a word.
He was thinking about something else.
His advisor had said it was "not bad news," but could the decision at the second meeting have changed so quickly just because of public pressure?
Or was it because of L?
L had said he spoke at the first meeting and shot down the proposal to expel him.
If even the public reprimand had been dropped at the second