Kaoru didn't talk with Hirata for too long, merely informing him of Katsuragi intentions and letting him decide whether to cooperate or not.

Of course, the more specific details of the collaboration would have to be discussed by Katsuragi himself, as he was the 'public' leader of Class A.

Even so, Hirata still smiled and thanked him.

Since Class D's practice session wasn't over yet, Kaoru quietly observed from the sidelines.

The most active figure was undoubtedly Sudou, who seemed to have boundless energy, loudly declaring that he would participate in every event.

Aside from Sudou, he also spotted many familiar faces—Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, Horikita Suzune, Sakura Airi, Hasebe Haruka, and others.

The only one missing was Kouenji Rosuke, who had likely dismissed the activity as beneath him and left early.

He had initially thought Horikita Suzune might be the most outstanding among the girls, but surprisingly, there was a sporty girl who performed even better—her name seemed to be Onodera Kano.

Just by observing their performance, Kaoru gained a rough understanding of Class D's overall level.

Leaving aside problematic students like Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Kouenji Rosuke, the disparity in ability among the other students was glaring—some were exceptionally strong, while others were painfully weak.

Overall, Class D's top performers were no worse than Class A's, but their average level fell far short, possibly even lagging behind Class B.

Watching Sakura Airi turn deathly pale during the race, Kaoru couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

'With such poor athletic ability, I wonder how her academic performance is'.

If she remained this far behind in both studies and social connections, she likely wouldn't survive a special exam that involved expulsion.

"I'm done. We can head back now," Kushida Kikyo said as she walked up to him, her smile unwavering.

Kaoru glanced over once more and noticed Yamauchi Haruki repeatedly trying to get close to Sakura Airi, hovering around her like a ghost.

"Let's go."

Staying here any longer would only draw more attention.

Besides, after what had just happened, most students were already sneaking glances at him and Kushida.

Especially Horikita Suzune, Karuizawa Kei, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

Kushida followed behind him, her gaze occasionally drifting toward his arm.

After hesitating for a long time, she finally gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and boldly wrapped her arms around it.

Thump—

The moment she clung to him, Kaoru was immediately met with a soft, pillowy sensation—far beyond what someone her age should possess.

Her breast pressed against him, it was so smooth and supple that even through their clothes, he could feel their astonishing elasticity.

She hugged his arm tightly, her body pressing against him, her smooth skin rubbing against his with every movement.

The faint coolness of her sweat gradually warmed from their intimate contact.

Moreover, Kaoru caught a whiff of her fragrance.

When he turned his head, he saw that beneath her thin short-sleeved shirt, her skin was slightly flushed, still glistening with sweat.

"Ahaha, Mitoma-kun, don't walk so fast! I almost couldn't keep up," Kushida said shyly, though she forced herself to act as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

What kind of reason is this?

Just because I walked too fast, you had to hug my arm?

"Your scent is all over me," Kaoru muttered under his breath.

Even without seeing her own expression, Kushida could feel her face stiffen.

Did she really smell?

The next moment, Kaoru couldn't help but grimace in pain.

Because her pinching hurt like hell.

"Enough nonsense. Come with me somewhere right now," Kushida warned him.

"And don't walk too fast—let them get a good look."

From his peripheral vision, Kaoru caught sight of Ike standing there slack-jawed, eyes glazed over in shock.

"Aren't you supposed to be maintaining your pure, angelic persona?"

This was bizarre.

Given Kushida's current behavior, her popularity among the boys would undoubtedly plummet.

"I-I know about the persona... But who told you to act so smug lately?" Kushida was practically grinding her teeth.

"I... I always thought you were just some perverted creep. How did things end up like this?"

Kaoru couldn't quite grasp her thought process, so he simply activated his 'Emotion Perception'.

[Kushida Kikyo: Confusion, Jealousy, Anxiety, Insecurity...]

[Suggestion: Engage in more lewd behavior with the target to effectively reduce their sense of insecurity.]

Never mind.

This skill sometimes made no sense at all.

Trapped in Kushida's forceful embrace, by the time Kaoru followed her out of the gymnasium, they'd already been stared at by the entire Class D for several minutes.

"Should I walk you back to the dorm?" Kaoru asked.

Kushida looked up at him suspiciously.

"...You're not reacting at all?"

"What kind of reaction do you want me to have?" Kaoru retorted.

"This outfit of mine… and I'm hugging you, yet your reaction is to send me back?" Kushida grew increasingly erratic, tightening her embrace.

"Don't tell me you're really impotent."

Kaoru Mitoma gave her a long, quiet look.

Was this girl actively provoking him?

"Have you considered this is a public space? Why would I make a move on you here?"

He thought this reminder might calm Kushida down, but instead, she stared at him silently before muttering something under her breath.

After a moment, Kushida suddenly exclaimed, "No way! Absolutely not!"

With that, she dragged Kaoru towards the restroom.

"Wait, where are you taking me?"

"I refuse to accept this! How dare a mere pervert act like this? After all the effort I've put in, this is just pathetic. You're the worst kind of creep!"

"Let's talk this through. I'm a guy—I can't go into the women's restroom."

Perhaps considering his point, Kushida paused briefly before steering him into the men's restroom instead.

Bang—

Ignoring the surroundings completely, she shoved Kaoru into a stall, locked the door behind them, and sealed it shut in one swift motion.

Fortunately, it was after school hours and with the sports festival preparations underway, the restroom was empty.

"What are you trying to do?" Kaoru remained composed.

This wasn't his first time being cornered by a girl.

Despite her earlier decisiveness, Kushida suddenly fell silent upon seeing his calm expression.

The silence stretched until, just as Kaoru was about to speak, the girl finally uttered.

"Please do something terrible to me… Master."

Kushida kept her head lowered, as if unable to meet his gaze.

"Why?" Kaoru found this intriguing. "You do realize I've already done something terrible to you, right?"

"Of course I know that. But… I just can't stand it." Her voice was barely audible.

"I never wanted things to turn out like this—not at all. But they were just too cunning."

"They?" Kaoru began to piece things together.

"What's so great about being a pervert anyway?"

As she spoke, a flicker of frustration crossed her face.

"This is all your fault! You're just too damn arrogant!"

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