Around the corner of the corridor, the atmosphere was somewhat solidified.
Three Class C girls stood in a triangular formation, completely cornering Karuizawa Kei in the middle.
"I'm asking you a question, Karuizawa." Manabe pressed forward a step. "Do you know Rika or not?"
Karuizawa Kei subconsciously took half a step back, her back hitting the cold wall.
Her heart pounded violently in her chest, as if trying to break through her ribs. A familiar, sickening sense of dread crawled up her spine.
'Don't come closer... Don't look at me with those eyes...'
She screamed internally, but her instinct for pretense made her reflexively raise all her defenses at that moment.
"Huh? I already told you I don't know that Rika or apricot flower or whatever."
Karuizawa Kei forced her chin up and retorted with an even more arrogant tone than theirs. "Are Class C people really this bored? Blocking my way for something so ridiculous. It's so annoying."
She reached out, attempting to push Manabe aside. "Move, I'm going back."
"Don't know her?"
Manabe didn't budge. Instead, she grabbed Karuizawa's wrist with her backhand, pushing her against the wall.
"Stop playing dumb. Just a few days before summer break, while queuing at the school café. Rika said a Class D girl cut in line and even pushed her down."
"Rika said that girl had blonde hair, dressed flashily, and spoke arrogantly. No matter how you look at it, she sounds just like you."
"I told you it wasn't me!"
Karuizawa Kei violently shook off her hand, her voice becoming sharp due to extreme tension. "I'm not the only blonde in this school! Are you just looking for trouble?"
"Since you refuse to admit it..." Manabe Shiho pulled out her terminal from her pocket, opened the camera, and aimed it at Karuizawa's face. "Then we'll just take a photo and send it to Rika for confirmation. If it really is you, don't think you can deny it."
The phone lens was shoved right into Karuizawa's face without warning.
In that instant, time seemed to freeze.
In Karuizawa Kei's eyes, the lens seemed to transform into a bottomless black hole, instantly dragging her back to that dark, miserable past.
'Look at the camera, smile.'
'That expression is great. If we take a picture and post it online, lots of people will definitely like it.'
'Beg, grovel like a dog and we'll delete it.'
Countless malicious jeers exploded in her ears, the afterimage of the flash stung her retina, and the ugly scar on her abdomen seemed to start throbbing faintly again.
The despair of having her dignity ruthlessly trampled upon overwhelmed her like a tide.
"No... Don't!"
The moment her sanity snapped, her body reacted before her mind did.
"Smack!"
A crisp sound rang out.
Karuizawa Kei violently swung her hand, hitting the terminal Manabe was holding hard. The terminal flew out of her grasp and crashed heavily onto the carpet.
Dead silence.
The corridor fell into a deathly stillness.
Karuizawa Kei maintained her swinging posture, her chest heaving violently, and her pupils contracting sharply in fear.
Manabe Shiho froze for a moment, looking at the phone on the floor, then at the girl in front of her who dared to strike back. A surge of fury instantly rushed to her head.
"You bastard... you dared to smash my phone?!"
Manabe's voice was frighteningly low. She lunged forward, grabbed Karuizawa's collar, and slammed her against the wall.
"We just wanted to ask you a few questions, but since you're so uncooperative, don't blame us for getting rough!"
The other two girls immediately closed in, blocking Karuizawa's escape route. The relatively restrained expressions they had earlier vanished completely, replaced by excitement.
"Nami, help me hold her. We're going to make her apologize to Rika today!"
"There are important photos in that phone! What if it's broken?"
"We have to teach her a lesson!"
"N-no... that's not it... I..."
Karuizawa Kei's face was as pale as paper, and her body trembled uncontrollably. The defenses she had raised instantly crumbled in the face of real violence, leaving only helpless whimpers.
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... P-please, stop..."
Her voice was tearful, and she crossed her arms in front of her, trying to prevent them from photographing her face. "Please... don't..."
(Somebody save me... Anyone... Please...)
"Huh? Now you're begging for mercy? Weren't you tough just now?"
Just at this critical moment, a voice cut in.
"What are you doing?"
The voice was like music to Karuizawa's ears, causing the desperate girl to suddenly look up.
It was Machida Koji, a Class A student who had just come out of the meeting room, standing a few meters away with a frown.
"A Class A student?" Manabe paused her actions. "This is a private matter between us and Class D. It has nothing to do with Class A, right?"
"She already said stop. If you keep going, this won't be a simple private matter anymore."
"We were just taking a picture."
"Then should I call a teacher over?"
Manabe gritted her teeth, unwilling to give up. "Tch... you got lucky."
After glaring fiercely at Karuizawa, she took the other two girls and left, muttering curses.
The crisis was averted.
Karuizawa looked up at the figure who had saved her.
In her eyes, Machida Koji was currently bathed in a Mary Sue filter.
The fear on her face vanished without a trace, replaced by a sweet, charming smile.
"Machida-kun!"
She quickly straightened her clothes, jogged over to Machida, clasped her hands together, and gazed up at him with an adoring look.
"Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, I truly don't know what I would have done!"
"Those Class C girls were so barbaric. Thank goodness you showed up, Machida-kun. That was really cool!"
Karuizawa Kei's instincts compelled her to search for the next host. Since Hirata wasn't around, this Class A boy right in front of her was clearly an excellent substitute during the exam period.
Machida Koji blushed slightly at Karuizawa's overtures, nodded softly, and said, "Be careful next time."
After speaking, he turned and left with the Class A members.
At the other end of the corridor, Natsukawa and Ayanokoji leaned against the corner, watching the entire scene unfold.
Seeing the show was over, Natsukawa patted Ayanokoji on the shoulder and said, "The show's done, time to go."
"Aren't you going to help her?"
"Of course I'd help if I saw a girl from our class in trouble. It's just that now wasn't the right time for me to step in."
...After finishing dinner that afternoon, Natsukawa Sosuke strolled leisurely down the corridor back to the dorms, contemplating his plans for the evening.
Not far ahead, two familiar figures were standing by the vending machine.
"What a coincidence, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji."
Kushida Kikyo held a can of soda, her face wreathed in smiles, as she greeted Ayanokoji Kiyotaka standing before her.
Today, she had specifically changed into an elegant dress, clearly indicating she had an appointment.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood there, still with his usual dead-fish eyes. "Ah, Kushida. Dressed like that, do you have something going on?"
"Yes, I do." Kushida tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes flickering. "I arranged to meet a few Class C girls for tea, just to deepen our friendship."
While thinking about something else entirely, she habitually offered a polite invitation:
"Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, if you're free, why don't you join us? It might be a little boring since it's all girls, but we can chat together."
This was the most standard "Japanese way of politely dismissing someone."
However.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka thought for exactly 0.1 seconds.
'Is this what they call socializing with classmates? Since I want to integrate into the group, refusing the invitation might make me seem unsociable.'
Thus, he looked at Kushida and nodded with extreme seriousness.
"Alright. If it's not too much trouble."
"..."
The air suddenly froze.
The smile on Kushida Kikyo's face instantly froze, and the corner of her mouth twitched uncontrollably.
(Huh?!)
(Adachi Baka?!)
Kushida Kikyo was roaring furiously inside, but for the sake of her persona, she couldn't just lose her temper. She could only stand there stiffly, making the scene extremely awkward.
"Pfft—"
A burst of uncontrolled laughter came from around the corner.
Natsukawa Sosuke couldn't stand it anymore. He walked out, laughing as he did so.
Hearing Natsukawa's laughter, Ayanokoji also realized his mistake and quickly stated that he was joking and had something else to do.
Hearing Ayanokoji's words, Kushida Kikyo felt a wave of relief.
"Ahaha... Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, you're so humorous." She laughed dryly twice. "Since you're busy, I won't bother you. I'll invite you next time we have a chance!"
With that, she immediately turned around.
As she passed Natsukawa, she deliberately ignored him, only letting out a slight huff, turning her face away so as not to look at Natsukawa, and quickly walking off.