Time passed quickly. Isshiki Makoto, having lost his dream, simply discussed the love letter with Nibutani, and for this, everyone went home together.
While waiting for the train, Isshiki, Yuta, Fang Wuwei, and Fang Wuwei gathered to read the pink paper letter, with Nibutani leading the charge, engrossed in it. Finally, she came to a conclusion.
"This should really be a letter written by a girl."
Isshiki Makoto was so excited; he was finally popular with girls, and getting a girlfriend was within reach!!
But Nibutani couldn't identify who wrote the letter by the handwriting, but that wasn't important.
To Isshiki Makoto, who it was no longer mattered much, as long as it was a real girl, then... he could embrace youth!!
"Is it possible it's love at first sight?!" Isshiki Makoto asked with a hopeful expression, still holding onto some fantasy.
"Do you think that's possible?" This was Nibutani.
"Absolutely not possible." This was Yuta.
"Yeah, how could that be possible?" This was Fang Wuwei.
"Why is everyone like this?!"
Seeing her train arrive, Nibutani stood up and handed the love letter back to Isshiki Makoto. "In other words, whether you can develop a relationship with her depends on your future performance." Isshiki Makoto reached out to take the letter, but Nibutani grabbed his wrist and pulled him over, making him flinch in pain. Nibutani's grip was so strong it made cold sweat break out on Isshiki Makoto's face.
Nibutani pulled Isshiki Makoto closer with a gloomy expression, ignoring his extremely painful face, and said, "Oh, right, you've already forgotten what you saw today, haven't you?"
"Yes... yes..." Isshiki Makoto dared not disagree. He hadn't planned on telling anyone anyway, let alone with Nibutani threatening him like this.
Upon hearing this reply, Nibutani immediately reverted to her cute and pure persona from class, placing her hands on her chest and saying sweetly, "That's great! Goodbye!"
Watching Nibutani run off, Isshiki Makoto, Yuta, and Fang Wuwei were all speechless. What kind of Sichuan Heroine was that?
"So, what are you going to do now?" Finally, Yuta spoke up, bringing Isshiki Makoto's soul back. He still remembered that Isshiki Makoto had sought him out for advice.
..."It seems I can only give it my all." Isshiki Makoto sighed softly. After a day, besides knowing it wasn't a prank, he had no other information. So, he had an idea...
"Yuta, give me some advice!"
"Huh?"
Yuta's face darkened. He had never been in a relationship, so how could he give any advice?
Seeing Yuta's 'I'm not good at this' expression, Isshiki Makoto knew Yuta couldn't help, so he turned his gaze to Fang Wuwei...
"Hmm? Are you sure?"
Isshiki Makoto hadn't even asked, just looked over, and Fang Wuwei raised an eyebrow, speaking first, his tone full of amusement. If he really dared to ask, the class would have one more scumbag in two days.
Isshiki Makoto remembered Fang Wuwei's current reputation, where his reputation came from, and all his glorious deeds. Isshiki Makoto fell silent...
"Anyway... I need to work hard and practice with all the girls before Saturday, so I can handle anyone with ease!"
Isshiki Makoto was sweating profusely, stiffly changing the topic. He pulled out a small notebook from his pants pocket and flipped through it. This was the record book from the Cute Girl Contest.
"Hmph, I've already gathered information on all the girls from the boys in class through the Cute Girl Contest... Starting now, if I work hard, it's definitely not too late!"
Yuta and Fang Wuwei were both speechless by Isshiki Makoto, and at the same time, they were shocked by his determination, not knowing how to respond to it.
Soon, Isshiki's train arrived. Fang Wuwei also needed to take this train, so the two said goodbye to Yuta and left first.
It's just that... as they walked, a small notebook fell out of Isshiki Makoto's pants pocket. Isshiki didn't notice, and for some reason, Fang Wuwei didn't notice either...
Watching their receding figures, Yuta walked towards Rikka, who was standing by the train barrier. She had been standing there for quite some time.
"What's wrong? It's time to go back."
Even Yuta didn't notice that his tone was now much gentler than when he used to talk to Rikka.
But Rikka didn't directly reply to Yuta's words; her side profile, hidden by her short hair, made it hard for Yuta to see clearly.
"Yuta, give me your hand."
"Hand?"
Despite his confusion, Yuta obediently extended his hand. Without warning, Rikka's hand reached for Yuta's, startling him. Her hand was so small, looking so cute in Yuta's palm.
Ignoring Yuta's confusion and shyness, Rikka placed their hands on the barrier, watching the train with its flashing lights speed by. The light shining from the train windows illuminated their faces, and a ripple inevitably stirred in Yuta's heart.
Something began to sprout in their hearts. Though they had met long ago, their story was only truly beginning to be written now.
After a brief touch, Rikka quickly ran away, with Yuta diligently chasing after her.
At this moment, Rikka's heart was already fluttering with a few stirs...
——This is a cute dividing line——
The next day, the atmosphere in the classroom was extremely heavy. Standing on the podium was no longer Teacher Ninomiya Nanase, but the two class representatives, Nibutani and Yuta.
And on the podium, there was a notebook, which looked incredibly familiar to Isshiki Makoto.
"If what's written in this notebook, found by Inomata-san, is true, it means the boys in this class have arbitrarily ranked the girls."
Nibutani's face on the podium was gloomy, or rather, everyone in the class looked unwell. The girls were resentful, and the boys were panicked.
Especially Isshiki Makoto. He was in charge of this notebook, and he organized the competition. Now that it was exposed, he would definitely...
So he looked at Yuta and initiated an internal voice chat with Yuta, who was standing on the podium.
"Was it dropped then? At the train station bench yesterday?"
"Yes, that should be correct, but the owner's identity hasn't been revealed yet..." Yuta, standing on the podium, nodded, communicating telepathically with Isshiki Makoto. As one of the class representatives, he participated in Nibutani's discussion and had a lot of information.
"Regarding this matter... I'd like to hear the boys' explanation." Nibutani said expressionlessly. She had already somewhat guessed who the notebook belonged to, but the necessary procedures still had to be followed.
As for her being rated first in the Cute Girl Contest, what she thought about it herself was unknown.
But undeniably, she held a high degree of contempt and disgust for this behavior. At this moment, Nibutani's gaze was almost like looking at trash as she looked at the boys in the class.
Fang Wuwei, sitting upright in his seat, was not flustered at all. This matter would only be picked up and then dropped lightly. Even if he were truly severely punished... hey, Isshiki Makoto did this, what does it have to do with me, Fang Wuwei?
But the other boys didn't think so. Every single one of them had their heads down, not daring to look up, fearing being called in for questioning. They had guilty consciences.
But some things can't be escaped. Miliang, the chubby student by the window, was called upon by Nibutani. He was extremely nervous, instantly stood up, and started sweating profusely.
"Miliang, have you participated in this kind of ranking?"
He stammered, not daring to tell the truth, yet not daring to lie. If he were caught later, worse treatment awaited him. He struggled internally, wondering whether to expose Isshiki Makoto to ensure his own safety and that of others. But in the end, he still chose to protect himself and his classmates, choosing to stand united. He believed Isshiki Makoto would definitely find a way to overcome this difficulty.
"Honestly speaking, I really have no impression!!"
The Japanese young man stood at attention.
Miliang's loud exclamation drew the girls' attention to him. No one saw Isshiki Makoto, sitting in the back row, sweating profusely. He understood that if no one stood up, all the boys in the class would be called one by one, and finding him, the mastermind, was only a matter of time...
Isshiki Makoto was worried about his relationship problems. The girl who sent him the love letter was a classmate. If he were exposed...
While Isshiki Makoto was still thinking of a solution, Yuta was already in trouble...
As class representative, the girls in class believed he definitely knew something, so he was directly cornered.
Facing the encirclement of the girls, Yuta panicked. He had thought that as class representative, he would at least be the last one to be questioned, at least giving him time to think of a response.
But, in the current situation, not only Yuta was panicking, but also Isshiki Makoto.
Who was Yuta? He was his dearest friend and relative! Now he was in such danger, all because of himself, how could he...
Seeing the atmosphere grow heavier and heavier, and with Teacher Ninomiya Nanase, who was sitting nearby, already preparing to step in and mediate, Isshiki Makoto suddenly stood up.
It doesn't matter anymore!! It was my fault to begin with!!
"It's me, that notebook was written by me, and the rankings were done by me!"
Isshiki Makoto's self-incrimination caused a huge stir in the class. Isshiki Makoto, who dared not look up, vaguely heard a sigh of disappointment.
"Isshiki, is that true?"
Nibutani on the stage pressed aggressively. She had to give the girls in the class an explanation.
"Yes, but please don't misunderstand! I didn't hold any votes in class! These were all just random things I wrote by myself!"
At these words, the boys who had thought Isshiki Makoto was going to expose all of them instantly looked up in surprise, looking at Isshiki Makoto as if he were a god.
"I'm really sorry, I was just playing around, and it has nothing to do with the other boys! I did it all! I did it all by myself! It's all my fault!!"
Isshiki Makoto's emotions grew more and more agitated, and his tone became more and more impassioned, finally even shouting out, like a hero sacrificing himself.
The class was momentarily struck silent by Isshiki Makoto's righteousness. Finally, from somewhere, a round of applause began.
Shana looked back and saw Fang Wuwei, smiling with his eyes closed, clapping.
With Fang Wuwei leading the way, the other boys stood up and applauded, saluting Isshiki Makoto, which made the girls in the class speechless.
"This isn't something worth applauding, is it?"
"Right."
Nibutani on the stage tapped the notebook. She vaguely understood what was going on but was still willing to conceal it a bit for Isshiki Makoto, only pressing him on whether it was truly his personal doing.
Isshiki Makoto readily admitted to this point.
"It's a fact that it was leaked and caused harm to the girls. Since things have come to this, I...
I will shave my head bald, to atone for my sins!!"
Isshiki Makoto! A true man!
He shocked everyone in the class.
"As a man, this much responsibility... I still have."
"But, a bald head!"
This time, even Teacher Ninomiya Nanase by the podium agreed with Yuta's suggestion, excusing Isshiki Makoto: "This is too hard on yourself, isn't it?"
"No... This is the resolution a man should make!"
Isshiki Makoto seemed to have made up his mind.
And so... Fang Wuwei once again led the applause...