When Kaoru arrived at the classroom, Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi Kohei were already discussing strategies.
Since he came later than usual, he only caught a sentence or two, just enough to see Katsuragi Kohei preparing to compromise while Totsuka Yahiko glared resentfully at Sakayanagi Arisu, ultimately saying nothing.
"Aren't you planning to do something?"
Kamuro Masumi asked as if making conversation, though in reality Sakayanagi Arisu had begun acting since last night.
Using her position as Command Tower as pretext, Sakayanagi Arisu was attempting to seize command of the entire class.
Because the landmine of democratic discussion had been planted earlier, Katsuragi Kohei couldn't outright refuse her.
Thus, the situation had turned into a debate and before Kaoru's arrival, Sakayanagi Arisu had successfully persuaded most classmates.
"I feel like you're always inquiring about my affairs. Are you working for Sakayanagi?"
Kaoru sat beside her, stealing glances at her thighs.
"Couldn't it just be that I've gotten used to asking?"
Kamuro Masumi sounded somewhat exasperated, "Or do you want me to ask what you were doing last night?"
"You've been checking my location?"
Kaoru felt unsettled.
He'd always disliked the school-issued phone, probably because it allowed easy tracking of students.
But why would they make this location function available to students?
"Such inflated self-importance is disgusting. Who would look at your location?" Kamuro Masumi nudged his chair with her calf.
"You know exactly what you did last night, without even bothering to put up a superficial pretense."
Showing up at Keyaki Mall with two beautiful girls, holding hands no less—it was practically a Harem scenario with one arm around each, drawing far too much attention.
"Really? I thought hardly anyone saw us. Why are you and others so fixated on me and Kei?"
Kaoru was thoroughly exasperated.
He'd never understood this issue from the start.
"If they don't want people using love hotels, they should just shut down the facility. Making such a fuss..."
He trailed off as Kamuro Masumi's expression suddenly turned terrifying, forcing him to shut his mouth.
"Love hotel?" Kamuro Masumi whispered, "You went to a love hotel with them?"
'So this hadn't gotten out yet.'
Kaoru could only change the subject.
"Why don't you wear knee-high socks? I think they'd suit you quite well."
Kamuro Masumi's gaze was icy. "What I wear is none of your business, you perverted foot fetishist."
Kaoru closed his mouth and said nothing more.
Kamuro Masumi turned her pretty face away as if disgusted, and a heavy silence spread between them.
Kaoru glanced at her, wondering what he could say to fix the situation.
After a while, her voice suddenly broke the quiet.
"High school students can't get pregnant."
Kaoru swallowed hard.
This was arguably the girl's final boundary.
In the past, he could have answered without changing expression, but now he felt a moment of hesitation.
Kamuro Masumi noticed his hesitation and turned back, looking bewildered. "Wait, you can't even guarantee that?"
"No, of course I can guarantee it," Kaoru said tactfully. "It's just... I feel like only you and I seem to be aware of this common sense."
"Huh?" Kamuro Masumi nearly lost her composure.
This was basic knowledge—what did he mean only she and he were aware of it?
Kaoru found it hard to explain.
Though Karuizawa Kei and the others hadn't said anything, he had a vague sense that these girls might not share this common sense.
"If you have urges you can't control, suppress them!" Kamuro Masumi glared at him, then suddenly lowered her voice.
"If it's absolutely unbearable... then direct them at me. I'll just consider it a dog bite!"
Kaoru was startled, almost suspecting she'd been drinking again.
"Wait, you say we can't get pregnant, but then you want to..."
"What do you mean? I never said we could do that kind of thing. Like last time, I specifically allowed you to do certain things to me. After all, you're just a perverted foot fetishist."
"..."
True, that definitely wouldn't lead to pregnancy. Kaoru almost wanted to give her a thumbs-up.
Seeing Kaoru's expression, Kamuro Masumi's agitated mood cooled slightly.
She immediately averted her gaze—what had she just said?
Noticing this, Kaoru instead smiled.
So today she'd finally revealed her own progress bar!
"Masumi."
"Spit it out."
"About the question you asked me earlier—I can give you an answer."
Hearing this, Kamuro Masumi breathed a sigh of relief.
As long as he didn't press her about her own slip-up...
"Actually, I wasn't planning to do anything from the start. I don't need to lift a finger—she'll have to rack her brains to come up with a perfect countermeasure on her own." Kaoru said, "To win the bet, she must hit a home run without any mistakes in the process. I don't think she can do it."
Kamuro Masumi listened attentively, seemingly aware of the bet between the two, and spoke up.
"So, you think if Ichinose wins even one round against her, you win?"
"That's exactly how it is."
Kaoru smiled, "But I don't think Honami sees it that way."
"What?" Kamuro Masumi was puzzled.
Wasn't this exam a pas de deux between him and Ichinose Honami?
"She might genuinely want to defeat Class A." Kaoru replied expressionlessly.
At first, Kamuro Masumi thought she had misheard, but she quickly reached the same conclusion herself.
"What a strange person."
Kamuro Masumi looked at him with a peculiar expression, "You probably want to help her, right?"
Ichinose Honami wasn't just Kaoru's girlfriend or the first-year's "Great Angel"—she was also the leader of Class B.
Her desire to lead her class to advance was unquestionable.
The key issue was their relationship: whether they would betray their respective classes for each other, which had become one of the hot topics among students.
"I don't know." Kaoru answered honestly, "Even if I wanted to help her, she probably wouldn't agree."
Kamuro Masumi's eyes widened in surprise, "You're actually considering helping her?"
'Wait, why are you focusing on that?'
"Thinking about it carefully, if Sakayanagi loses, you'd gain a slave. That would be a huge benefit for you."
Kamuro Masumi began pondering seriously, "In that case, I have a reason to help Sakayanagi too."
Kaoru found it amusing, "You need a reason to help Sakayanagi?"
Normally, if Sakayanagi Arisu crooked her finger, Masumi would come running without hesitation.
Did she really need a reason?
Kamuro Masumi kicked his desk with a blank expression.
Since she couldn't kick him directly, the girl had switched to kicking his desk and chair instead.
Kaoru gritted his teeth and swallowed his frustration.
Since class was about to start, he had no choice but to let it go.
...
Soon, noon arrived.
"Wait, Mitoma-kun."
Sakayanagi Arisu stopped Kaoru, who had been heading to the cafeteria.
Carrying two lunch boxes, she slowly approached his seat and showed a faint smile.
"I accidentally made an extra lunch today. Would you like to try it?"
Kaoru looked at her lunch box, and Kamuro Masumi beside him couldn't help but speak up, "Isn't that from the conve—"
"Hmm?"
Sakayanagi Arisu turned to Kamuro Masumi with an apologetic expression.
"Sorry, I can't accompany you today, Masumi-san. Next time, I'll bring you lunch as compensation, so don't worry."
Kamuro Masumi obediently closed her mouth, gave Kaoru a "you're on your own" look, and nonchalantly left the classroom to eat at the cafeteria.
Facing the stares of many classmates, Kaoru smiled.
"That's great. I've always wanted to taste my Arisu's cooking."
As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding gazes grew even more peculiar and suggestive.
Some couldn't stand the atmosphere and quickly left the classroom.
As for Sakayanagi Arisu, she seemed completely unfazed by Kaoru's teasing and instead sat in Kamuro Masumi's seat.
"I'll take that as your agreement, Kaoru-kun." She smiled faintly, "Since I'm a girl and not as strong as you, a boy, could you move the desks together?"
Kaoru didn't quite grasp her intention at first, but he cautiously pushed the desks closer anyway.
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