Sosuke had originally prepared these concise review notes to help Airi study. Because the content was both thorough and easy to follow, Yukimura had borrowed them these past few days to analyze Sosuke's teaching approach.
But in Ishizaki's eyes, they looked like Class D's draft questions for the upcoming Paper Shuffle exam.
Boss Ryuuen had made it clear: obtain Class D's intel at any cost.
Oh, come on, don't be stingy. We're just here to read.
Ishizaki casually sidestepped Miyake, walked to the table, and reached for the notebook.
This looks pretty interesting—mind if I take a peek?
That's private property!
Yukimura slapped his hand on the notebook and frowned. "Are all Class C people this rude?"
Looking won't hurt anyone!
Blocked, Ishizaki dropped the act and lunged to snatch it.
Hand it over!
Stop!
A trembling yet piercing shout exploded out of nowhere.
No one expected the girl who always shrank in the corner—Sakura Airi—to find the courage to charge forward.
That notebook had been written specially for her by Sōsuke-kun!
She absolutely, absolutely could not let this thug take it!
Give it back!
Airi clutched the opposite corner of the notebook, her small face flushed, eyes blazing with panic and fury.
It belongs to Sōsuke-kun! Don't you dare touch it!
Hah? A gloomy girl like you dares fight me?
Ishizaki, embarrassed that the easiest target was resisting, tightened his grip.
Let go!
No!
They yanked back and forth.
Ishizaki, a seasoned brawler, held an overwhelming strength advantage. His patience gone, he jerked backward with full force.
Ah!
Airi lurched forward, her foot catching a chair leg; she lost balance completely.
Thud!
She hit the floor, the notebook flying from her fingers and sliding beneath a nearby shelf.
Airi!
The scene happened so fast that Haruka cried out and rushed to help her friend.
Are you okay? Let me see!
Airi curled on the ground, pain from her scraped knees bringing tears that welled in her eyes.
Yet she ignored the hurt, gaze fixed on that notebook, helpless and full of self-blame.
You bastard!
Seeing her friend injured, Haruka exploded.
Is Class C a bunch of bandits? Attacking a girl!
I—I didn't hit her! Ishizaki stammered; he'd only wanted the notes, not an injury—especially on camera in the Library.
She refused to let go and fell herself! Not my fault!
Still making excuses!
The commotion drew onlookers; whispers and pointing fingers spread.
Hey, Ishizaki, keep it down, Komiya muttered, tugging his sleeve. If the school labels this a violent incident, we're finished.
They'd come to provoke, but hurting someone in the Library would mean sanctions for them.
Tch…
Ishizaki clenched his teeth, masking his panic with a vicious glare.
What're you staring at? She started it!
Haruka shook with rage.
She knew a real fight would doom her side—and the class.
Yet bottling this up would drive her crazy.
Were Class D's honest students born to be bullied?
Was Airi supposed to be hurt for nothing?
Amid the helpless fury, a figure surfaced instinctively in her mind.
Though she always called him a scumbag,
at this instant Haruka admitted he was the only one she could rely on.
She pulled out her phone and typed frantically.
[Class C causing trouble in the Library! Airi's hurt! Come quick!]
Send…
Miyake, seeing his classmate bullied, clenched his fists and stepped forward; Yukimura rose with a dark expression.
The two groups stood off, the air reeking of gunpowder.
Ishizaki hunted for a face-saving retreat; Miyake's side dared not move first.
In this suffocating deadlock—
Clack… clack… clack…
Unhurried footsteps sounded from beyond the shelves.
Soft, yet they seemed to tread on every heartbeat, crystal-clear.
Sounds like… someone's looking for trouble?
A voice, eerily calm, broke the silence.
Everyone turned instinctively.
From behind the tall shelves a figure emerged.
His face was blank; his black eyes, still as an ancient well, sent an inexplicable chill through Ishizaki and the rest.
"S-Sōsuke-kun…"
Airi, still on the floor, finally let her tears fall when she saw him.
Haruka's taut shoulders sagged in relief.
He actually came… that infuriating guy really came.
Normally he looked so lazy and unreliable,
yet seeing his calm face, Haruka felt something she hadn't in ages: safety.
Without a glance at Class C, Sosuke walked to Airi, knelt, and checked her scraped palm.
"Does it hurt?"
"I-it's fine… "she sniffed, fighting tears.
"Dummy.
It's just a notebook; I can rewrite it. What matters is that you're okay. Take care of yourself—don't do this again, understand?"
"Mm… sorry…"
Sosuke gently patted her head, then stood.
He turned to face Ishizaki.
In an instant his lazy aura vanished, replaced by an invisible pressure.
Pinned by those icy eyes, Ishizaki half-stepped back, swallowing hard.
"Tell Ryuuen."
Sosuke's voice was low, each word a blade.
"All this jumping around only makes you lot look like a troop of half-wit monkeys.
Didn't he keep searching for the mastermind?"
He took a step forward, boring into Ishizaki's frightened gaze.
"Well… here I am."