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Tuesday.
Akira woke up on time, completed his basic exercises as usual, then headed to the track for his long run.
Indeed, as Horikita had said, she didn't appear on the track.
However, the track today wasn't empty save for him.
Ayanokoji, dressed in simple athletic wear, was stretching by the side of the track, his movements fluid and precise.
Ever since Akira invited him to run together last month, this classmate would occasionally appear here, about two or three times a week, no more, no less.
The two rarely conversed, yet they inexplicably formed a tacit understanding. Akira always ran ahead, and Ayanokoji maintained a consistent distance behind him, ten laps every day, without fail.
After their run, they'd each return to their dorms to wash up, then meet promptly at seven-thirty in the cafeteria.
While eating breakfast, Akira suddenly noticed Ayanokoji's gaze passing over his shoulder, directed behind him, an expression of subtle confusion in his eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked casually, turning his head to follow Ayanokoji's gaze. A few Class C classmates were sitting not far away, whispering to each other.
"Nothing... Those people seemed to have looked at you several times." Ayanokoji withdrew his gaze, picked up his milk, and took a sip.
The cafeteria was bustling with people coming and going, students from various classes seated scattered about, so it wasn't unusual to be noticed by classmates from another class. Moreover, Ayanokoji's rare reaction made him pay a little more attention.
After all, they were classmates from Class C.
"Alright, I understand."
Akira walked into the classroom and sat down, and the daily fixed "information refresh" appeared on time.
[1. Hayato Kitou of Class 1-A wants to become a fashion designer.]
[2. Sakura Airi of Class 1-D is the sole witness to the fight involving Sudo Ken, Komiya, Kondo, and Ishizaki Daichi.]
[3. The monitoring screen next to the elevator entrance displays real-time footage from inside the car.]
The first piece of information.
Akira had no impression of Hayato Kitou, so this piece of information naturally didn't stir much in him.
The second piece of information was different. Its weight was clearly much heavier.
Sakura actually witnessed Sudo and them fighting? And she was the only witness?
But the problem was that Sakura was from Class D.
Even if she truly was the only witness, she'd likely be questioned for favoring her own class.
Unless... the evidence she held was crucial enough to make all doubts baseless.
As for the last piece of information, Akira was stunned. He'd never paid attention to it before, but recalling carefully, it seemed to be true.
When waiting for the elevator, people outside could indeed clearly see the movements inside the car, and the picture quality was even as clear as 4K, 60 frames, showing even subtle expressions distinctly.
Sometimes, when waiting for the elevator, this device could easily reveal who was about to ride it.
In his past life, he hadn't seen elevators with such devices installed on the outside of the car.
Such real-time video devices, in his impression, were always placed in the monitoring room.
This morning, just before class, Chabashira appeared at the door of the Class D classroom again.
Just like yesterday, her visit clearly carried important matters.
In a few words, she clearly explained the trouble Sudo had caused. The content was almost identical to what Akira had heard from the student council president last night.
Sudo and the Class C students had an argument. According to the determination of responsibility, Sudo might not only face suspension, but Class D's class points would also be deducted.
But from the consequences alone, the impact of this conflict was far more troublesome than imagined. For Sudo personally, it was the risk of suspension. For the entire class, it was a tangible loss of points, which was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Class D, which was already at the bottom.
"Sudo? What exactly are you doing?!"
"After all this, our class points are delayed because of you?!"
"I didn't have many points last month anyway..."
After all, class points were related to everyone's welfare, and no one could remain indifferent to such an unprovoked loss.
Chabashira didn't pay attention to the complaining crowd, but continued to ask, "Are there any relevant witnesses in this class?"
Akira caught a glimpse of Sakura beside him, her body trembling ever so slightly, but she ultimately showed no intention of stepping forward.
Chabashira on the podium scanned the room, and seeing no one raise a hand, she added, "This matter has already been communicated to the other three classes, mainly to find relevant witnesses."
"Sensei, why do you have to make this public?" A student couldn't help but stand up. "This way, won't all the other classes know that it's because of someone from our Class D that everyone's points were affected?!"
A chorus of whispered agreement immediately sounded in the classroom.
After all, points were related to class ranking, and no one wanted the entire Class D to be ostracized by other classes because of Sudo alone.
Chabashira's tone was flat. "This is the school's processing procedure. If no evidence can be found to prove Sudo's innocence, not only will he be disciplined, but the class points will also be deducted accordingly. Making the news public is also to collect clues to the maximum extent."
"Alright, that's all I wanted to tell you today."
After saying this, Chabashira turned and left the classroom.
The classroom quickly erupted into an uproar, everyone discussing animatedly.
"Everyone, calm down first!" Hirata suddenly stood up. "Class C already knows, so even if we wanted to hide it, we couldn't. The school making the news public might not be giving us a chance to collect evidence—doing so actually has benefits."
However, his words didn't quell the general anger.
"Ultimately, it's all Sudo's fault! Why fight for no reason?!"
"Exactly! Not only will our class's points be delayed, but they'll probably be deducted too—everyone worked so hard for a month, and we finally got 88 class points last month, all because of you, it's all going to be dragged down to nothing!"
"Now it's even worse, we're going to be talked about by people from other classes! The entire class is being implicated by you alone!"
The Class D students were still unable to restrain themselves, accusations raining down on Sudo like dense raindrops, and the air in the classroom began to heat up again.
"I already said it's not my fault!" Sudo clenched his fists tightly, his voice hoarse as he retorted. "Those guys provoked me first! They were jealous that I was about to become a full member and deliberately picked a fight! I had no choice but to fight back, it was self-defense!"
"Sudo, did they provide evidence that you hit them?" Hirata's gaze fell on him, his tone carrying a hint of caution. "After all, with something like this, they can't just report it and do whatever they want without any basis."
"This... when the school found me, I admitted hitting them." Sudo stuck out his neck, adding righteously. "But it was self-defense! I'm not wrong."
Akira's temples throbbed at these words.
He could almost be certain that this guy probably didn't even understand the true meaning of "self-defense." Most likely, he thought that if he was scolded a few times and suffered a little, he had a reason to fight back.
In the eyes of the school, self-defense also meant that you caused the other party's injuries. Sudo probably didn't understand this at all.
Or rather, those few people from Class C deliberately attacked him precisely because they saw this point.
"Then do you have any evidence?" Hirata's brows furrowed even more, patiently pressing. "Evidence that proves they provoked you first. If you have it, there might still be room for maneuver."
"Huh?! Where would I get evidence?!" Sudo's face was full of resentment. "I only found out several days later that those guys actually reported me! I'm the victim!"
As he spoke, he slammed his hands heavily on the desk, making a loud noise.
The surrounding classmates looked at him like this, their faces showing a bit more helplessness. Without evidence, and having admitted to hitting them, what good was it to just shout "self-defense" and "victim"?
"Um... I still really believe in Sudo." At this moment, Kushida also stood up, her voice gentle. "He's not the kind of person who'd use violence to bully others. Actually, he told me about this in our chat yesterday. I originally planned to tell everyone after school, but I didn't expect Chabashira-sensei to have already told everyone this morning."
As she spoke, she slightly turned sideways and meticulously explained the whole story to everyone. "It's roughly like this—Sudo had a strong chance of being selected as a full player in the basketball club, but some classmates from Class C, out of jealousy, called him out and threatened him to withdraw from the club. Later, the two sides clashed and it escalated into a fight... Sudo only had no choice but to knock down those three people in self-defense."
"Actually, last month, Class C also bothered Class B. The controversy over that question in the midterm exam might also have been their doing behind the scenes." Kushida added, her tone carrying just the right amount of indignation. "So this time, Sudo might also have been deliberately framed by Class C!"
As soon as these words came out, the discussions in the classroom clearly changed tone.
The doubts on many students' faces gradually gave way to hesitation. After all, Kushida had always been friendly to people, and her words always carried a convincing power. Moreover, what she said wasn't groundless.
Class C's petty actions against Class B last month were somewhat known to Class D. And the troublesome midterm exam incident was something they experienced firsthand.
Thinking this way, it didn't seem impossible for Class C to resort to any means to suppress other classes.
However, just as the students' doubts gradually subsided, an untimely voice suddenly boomed in the classroom.
"Kushida, I can't believe what Sudo is saying." Yamauchi suddenly stood up, his tone filled with unconcealed suspicion. "I think he's lying. He once told me that he fought every day in middle school, and he even proudly showed me how to hit people 'most effectively'."
"Yamauchi, what're you talking about?! We're friends, aren't we? How can you do this to me?!" Sudo froze, his voice trembling with disbelief, staring intently at Yamauchi. "Are you worthy of all the things I've done for you?"
If it had been anyone else saying such words, he might not have been so angry, but the person in front of him was Yamauchi—one of the "Three Idiots" who often hung out with Ike, arm in arm.
In the first month, under the persistent persuasion of Yamauchi and Ike, he not only voted for Kushida but also gritted his teeth and paid 25,000 in class fees.
In the second month, it was those two again who pestered him to study hard, practically pushing him into Kushida's study group.
As for those so-called "ways to hit people" remarks, they were clearly said jokingly at the time. He wasn't that kind of hot-blooded idiot who liked to resort to violence at all!
He'd poured his heart out, treating Yamauchi as a friend, doing so many things, only to be met with such a betrayal to his face?
What was most infuriating was that Yamauchi had launched a full-frontal attack, mocking him as a violent maniac on the spot.
Sudo's clenched fists creaked, his chest heaving violently, as if a fire was burning within him.
He glared at Yamauchi, the disappointment and anger in his eyes almost overflowing.
The classroom was silent, everyone stunned by the sudden confrontation.
Yamauchi flinched under Sudo's gaze, his eyes flickering, but he stubbornly remained silent.
Hirata quickly stepped forward, trying to hold Sudo back, but his wrist was violently shaken off.
Sudo said nothing. He shot Yamauchi a fierce glare.
But then, as if suddenly remembering something, he abruptly stopped.
He turned, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, directly toward Akira's side—more precisely, toward Ayanokoji beside him.
His face, which had been filled with embarrassment, now showed a few more traces of vexation mixed with regret.
He didn't look at anyone else, and after speaking, he abruptly turned around, almost stumbling as he strode out of the classroom.
"Uh, about that!"
Karuizawa suddenly raised her hand, her clear voice breaking the silence in the classroom.
"Whether Sudo hit someone or not, let's put that aside for a moment!" She looked at Yamauchi, her eyes filled with unconcealed mockery. "Yamauchi, at a time like this, you're not helping your friend, but rather kicking him while he's down. What exactly do you mean by that? I truly can't understand it."
This question clearly didn't stump Yamauchi.
He replied without hesitation. "Can't I think for the class?! Even I, even if it means sacrificing my friends, have a heart dedicated to my classmates!"
"Yamauchi! You think for the class? Ridiculous!" A cold voice rang out. "In the first month, I watched all the surveillance footage and it clearly showed that you were the one who lost the most points for the class, yet you didn't apologize even once. Now you talk about dedicating yourself to the class? Is it through your shamelessness?"
Horikita had raised her eyes at some point, her gaze piercing directly at Yamauchi, showing no mercy.
Just as she said—in the first month, after Class D obtained the surveillance footage, she was the only one in the class who specifically borrowed a computer and meticulously reviewed the lengthy footage frame by frame, replaying it hour by hour, ultimately listing the few individuals who'd caused the most class points to be deducted.
The results were almost identical to her initial predictions: Yamauchi was conspicuously the one who lost the most points, followed closely by Sudo and Ike.
Ike had already sincerely apologized to the class for this matter last month. Sudo, though he hadn't apologized, had never uttered empty words like "thinking for the class."
Only Yamauchi, even when confronted with surveillance evidence by her at the time, still stubbornly refused to admit it.
His current rhetoric of "dedication" was clearly naked sophistry.
Unlike Sudo's current lack of evidence, Yamauchi's actions were backed by solid surveillance footage as irrefutable proof.
These words added more logic than Karuizawa's rebuttal, like a cold, stinging slap, hitting Yamauchi's face hard.
"This..." Yamauchi suddenly looked up, his face turning from flushed to pale, his lips trembling as they opened and closed, ultimately unable to utter a single word of defense.
The facts nailed down by the surveillance made any rebuttal a futile struggle.
'Class D today is truly lively.'
Akira sighed silently in his heart.
Last night, Sudo had still been taking Ayanokoji's efforts for granted, only to be backstabbed by Yamauchi the very next day.
Especially just now, Sudo had specifically glanced at Ayanokoji as he left. The emotions swirling in his eyes, rather than apology, were more like a belated resonance.
Perhaps he'd been so heartbroken by his so-called "friend" that he finally understood how hurtful his taken-for-granted attitude toward Ayanokoji had been yesterday?
Karma truly comes full circle, and no one escapes the heavens.
Finally, Hirata's gaze swept across the entire class, and he slowly said, "...I still hope everyone can try to trust Sudo and give him some time and space. Yamauchi may have also been too eager to compensate the class, which led him to say something inappropriate in the spur of the moment." He paused, his tone becoming sincere. "The most important thing right now is to find witnesses to the incident—if any of you know students from other classes, please ask them to help keep an eye out. I beg all of you."
These words were like a soft cushion, both giving Sudo a way out and leaving room for Yamauchi, while also redirecting everyone's attention to the key to solving the problem.
Yamauchi kept his head down, his fingers picking at the corner of his desk, not daring to respond.
Karuizawa raised an eyebrow, saying nothing more.
Horikita remained her usual aloof self, as if the end of the class meeting had nothing to do with her.
However, Kushida quickly stepped forward, volunteering to handle the matter.
Thus, this morning meeting finally concluded with Hirata's words.
To be able to stabilize the situation at such a tense moment, and to consider everyone's emotions as much as possible, this thoughtfulness was indeed rare.
But Akira always felt that Hirata's remarks were too much like trying to smooth things over.
Or rather, Hirata's personality was simply too much of a "nice guy."
He vaguely remembered that Yamauchi had spoken ill of Hirata more than once in private, his words filled with disdain and jealousy for such a "normie."
Yet, even so, Hirata was still able to return good for evil, giving Yamauchi ample face in public.
It's not to say that this leadership style is bad. After all, maintaining superficial harmony in a chaotic class sometimes does require such tolerance.
But this kind of unprincipled understanding, at times, isn't just a bonding agent for the class. It can also embolden certain individuals to take advantage.