In an instant, the entire classroom fell into silence.

Under Sakayanagi Arisu's bashful expression, even the most ordinary words now sounded like a confession dripping with ambiguity.

Not only that, but Kaoru Mitoma could also sense the gazes of those around him—filled with gossip, jealousy, envy, and shock—all more piercing than the sun itself.

"Huh?" Totsuka Yahiko stood dumbfounded. "You've been lying all along?"

Katsuragi face showed a trace of helplessness.

How has this guy still not caught on?

"Could you stop joking around, Sakayanagi-san?" Kaoru Mitoma tried to clear up the misunderstanding.

"Our relationship is just friends, right?"

Sakayanagi brows trembled slightly and a faint smile flickered across her lips.

"How cruel. After doing all that thing to me, you're saying such things now."

Her right hand lightly pressed against her chest, as if she were nursing a heartache, while the slight, elastic curve of her figure inevitably led people's imagination astray.

At the same time, Sakayanagi Arisu subtly tightened her grip on her skirt—only to inadvertently hike it up slightly, revealing a generous expanse of smooth, milky-white thighs.

Especially when she noticed Kaoru Mitoma's gaze, her eyes unmistakably took on a bewitching glint.

Without a doubt, Sakayanagi Arisu was reminding him of one thing.

"Sakayanagi-san, please have some self-respect." Kaoru Mitoma desperately wanted to look away, but now that his particular tastes had been exposed, he had handed her leverage over him.

Sakayanagi Arisu was displeased.

What did he mean by telling her to have self-respect?

As if she were shamelessly seducing him?

However, the surrounding stares were growing increasingly peculiar.

"Fufufu, I'll be waiting for someone to reflect on his actions." Sakayanagi Arisu smiled faintly.

No matter what, in the eyes of Class A, her relationship with Kaoru Mitoma had now become far more complicated and ambiguous.

It was like stamping a label on her toy.

From now on, if Kaoru tried to greet other girls, they would inevitably consider Sakayanagi Arisu's feelings.

After all, no one would thoughtlessly snatch away something that belonged to another.

"Ahem."

"It's about time we head to the gymnasium," Katsuragi Kouhei interjected, breaking the strange atmosphere in the classroom.

At the same time, he shot Kaoru a discreet glance, his eyes brimming with unspoken questions.

Kaoru could only respond with his own gaze, signaling that his relationship with Sakayanagi hadn't yet crossed the line of friendship.

However, a cold voice cut in from the side.

"Lolicon pervert."

It seemed he had now been upgraded from a foot fetishist to a lolicon pervert.

...

The afternoon heat remained oppressive, the sunlight casting a brilliant sheen over the gymnasium's white walls.

Since it was a gathering for the entire grade, over four hundred people including teachers had assembled here.

Kaoru had just entered the gymnasium when he was immediately met with the sight of a bustling crowd.

Aside from the opening ceremony, such a scene was rarely seen on normal days.

The air conditioning inside was running at full power, making the environment cool and comfortable even amidst the crowd.

The school had likely pre-divided the areas for the Red and White teams.

Kaoru followed the other students to the Red team's designated spot and sat down on the floor.

Soon after, Class D students also appeared in the gymnasium.

However, upon seeing the Red team students, they seemed hesitant and reluctant to approach.

Kaoru found it a little strange at first, but then he remembered Class D's current points—they were 17 times behind Class A.

Such a gap in strength would naturally make them nervous.

At that moment, a composed voice suddenly rang out from the front.

"I'm Fujimaki from the third year, serving as the Red team's commander for this event."

Kaoru turned his gaze toward the voice and saw a male student standing at the front—not Horikita Manabu, whom he was familiar with, leading the proceedings.

However, he recognized this self-introduced senior, Fujimaki.

He was also a member of the student council, holding the position of treasurer and was Horikita Manabu's classmate—Fujimaki Hiroki.

"Here, I'd like to offer some advice to the first-year students. Some of you might find this tedious, but the sports festival is an extremely important event. Please keep this in mind—the experience you gain here will undoubtedly be useful in other opportunities as well…"

Faced with Fujimaki Hiroki's reminder, many students exchanged glances.

Without having experienced certain things firsthand, no matter how reasonable his words were, they wouldn't take them seriously.

Fujimaki Hiroki likely understood this well, so he quickly wrapped up his speech and moved on.

"This sports festival involves events across all grades, with only the final 1,200-meter relay race being the exception. Everything else is internal to each grade, so you're free to discuss how you want to proceed."

With that, Fujimaki Hiroki returned to his spot in Class 3-A.

Not only that, but the White team on the other side also entered their discussion phase.

It seemed the seniors wouldn't be offering much assistance.

"Though we're fighting together in this form, I hope we can cooperate well and work as a team."

Not far away, Katsuragi had already greeted Hirata from Class D.

"I feel the same way. Let's do our best, Katsuragi-kun," Hirata Yosuke replied with a smile.

He understood what Katsuragi mean—right now, Class D's only goal was to avoid dragging Class A down.

Katsuragi, as expected, didn't bother with unnecessary pleasantries.

After all, Class A didn't need Class D's strength—they just needed them to avoid losing too badly and causing the Red team's defeat.

Even so, Katsuragi instinctively glanced back at Kaoru, only to find that the latter's gaze wasn't even directed his way.

Instead, Kaoru was staring intently at the second-year students ahead.

"So, you're not planning to discuss things with us?"

It wasn't until he heard Honami's voice that Kaoru finally tore his gaze away from Class 2-A.

Immediately after, he saw Ryuuen—who had been standing with his hands in his pockets, about to leave—pause in his tracks.

"Tch. Ichinose, even if I said I wanted to cooperate with your Class B, would you really accept my proposal?"

"Maybe?"

"Hehe, don't waste your time, Ichinose."

With these words, Ryuuen led the entire Class C out of the gymnasium with composed ease.

To be honest, witnessing this scene, Kaoru couldn't help but recall various yakuza films.

Despite several defeats, Ryuuen's authority remained unchallenged within Class C.

Had it been Katsuragi in his position, Class A would have undoubtedly become Sakayanagi's Class A by now.

"Aren't you going to take command, Mitoma-kun?"

At some point, Sakayanagi Arisu had seated herself beside Kaoru—on a chair, no less.

Behind her stood Kamuro in silent attendance, clearly she still got blackmailed by her.

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