Pfft.

...He really did look like a drowned dog.

Nogami chuckled at the memory of soaking Harutaki head-to-toe with water that evening. Hugging a stuffed Shiba Inu tight between her thighs, she rubbed its head gently, pretending it was Harutaki himself.

For a moment back then, she’d almost reached into her bag for a towel, to help him wipe the water from his face.

Ridiculous!

She was Nogami Izumi! Like she’d ever do something so stupidly romantic!

What kind of lovestruck fool sacrifices her own dignity to worry about someone else?

Absolutely pathetic.

She, Nogami Izumi, was without a doubt a bad girl.

And besides, everything that happened was his fault!

He was the one who helped that disgusting pig Tazaki behind her back.

He was the one who spread rumors online, turning her into a pariah.

He was the one who dared to lecture her, acting like some moral guardian.

Did he really think he was some kind of saint or hero?

“Worried she’ll get hurt”? “Didn’t want a pretty girl like her in danger”?

What a load of sweet-talking garbage.

If that’s not the definition of a scumbag... then what is?

She, Nogami Izumi, was selfish, utterly, unapologetically selfish.

Standing among her classmates, Nogami bit her lip hard as she looked up at the boy on stage, Harutaki, smiling as if not a single insult or accusation could touch him.

By now, the students clearly no longer cared about what Nogami Izumi had done. Like a mob in a witch trial, they had shifted their attention, hurling stones of hatred at the so-called “scumbag.”

“Get off the stage, you arrogant jerk!”

“Go to hell, cheater!”

But those insults, those stones, should have been hers to bear.

“And don’t expect me to take responsibility if you fall in love with me,” Harutaki said, his grin infuriatingly casual. “After all, I’m the kind of scumbag who could even mess with someone like Nogami-sama.”

...Don’t make me laugh.

You? A mere Hoshikawa Harutaki? Cheat on me, Nogami Izumi?

Go ahead, crawl off that stage already.

Why turn down the principal’s help, anyway? What, he’d rather wag his tail like a kicked dog and come running back to his owner for comfort?

Watching him wave off the principal’s attempt to restore order, Nogami clenched her fists so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

What a self-righteous idiot. What’s he showing off for? Does he think I’ll owe him for this?

He’s just a damn scumbag,

“Go ahead and laugh, mock, boo me all you want!” Harutaki said, voice rising above the noise. “But while you’re at it, remember, I’m gonna use that so-called ‘cheating skill’ of mine to take the top spot in our grade!”

...What is he even saying now?

“And one more thing, if you’re gonna make fun of me, keep a close eye on your girlfriends, yeah? Wouldn’t want them getting swept away by this scumbag, ‘cause I don’t take responsibility!”

He still dares to play the scumbag act... after that night when he couldn’t even answer me properly.

“I— ”

“Enough!”

Nogami had never been one to care about “keeping the peace.” She was reckless, domineering, and always did things her own way.

“Out of the way.”

She brushed aside Harutaki’s arm as he tried to stop her, snatched the microphone from his hand, and strode to the front of the stage like a queen taking her throne.

Her rose-red eyes, sharp and glinting with arrogance, swept across the entire gymnasium, silencing the murmuring crowd.

“All of you who booed him, who cursed him, stand up!”

Her voice cracked like a whip.

“You’re all trash. Useless garbage!”

And for the first time in what felt like ages, that familiar, mocking smile returned to her lips, the one that used to make everyone in Nichiya High tremble.

“If you’ve got accusations, hatred, whatever, stand up and say it! Have the guts to throw your stones at him to his face!”

“In the past two weeks, how many times have you changed your minds? How many filthy, baseless rumors have you spread online just because it was easy?!”

“Compared to all of you, what’s a scumbag, really?!”

A few students looked ready to argue, but after watching Nogami march up, glare down at the principal until he awkwardly stepped aside, no one dared open their mouth.

Nichiya High had its share of bullies and gossipmongers, sure. But it didn’t have fools, no one here was dumb enough to miss the shift in the air.

This, this was the real Queen of the school. The one whose gaze alone could make your blood freeze.

“I know exactly what kind of girl I am,” Nogami said, her voice low and fierce. “I know I’m awful. But that guy, ” she jabbed a finger toward Harutaki “, stood right in front of me. Faced me head-on. Pointed at me and said, ‘You’re a selfish idiot!’”

“Nogami… ”

Harutaki took a deep breath, wanting to stop her, but he already knew it was pointless. Even if he pulled her offstage now, it was too late.

You really do love surprising me, huh? he thought. Whether it was that kiss by the drainage canal, or the joking confession that sleepless night...

“So what if he’s a scumbag? So what if he’s shameless, dirty, and low? He’s my idiot! My stupid dog, and only I, Nogami Izumi, get to bully him! Who the hell do you think you are, telling me what to do?!”

Her voice echoed through the gym like a thunderclap.

Not a single soul dared respond.

…

“You really know how to stir things up.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

On the way back to their classroom after the assembly, Harutaki and Ren bumped fists, exchanging wry smiles that said all there was to say.

“In all my years here, that’s the first time I’ve seen Nogami pull something like that,” Ren said with a chuckle.

“Yeah? Well, it’s the first time this month for me.”

Though, Harutaki thought, there are still plenty of sides to her you haven’t seen.

Still, it seemed Ren had known Nogami for quite a while, no wonder he’d hesitated to defend Harutaki back when this whole mess started.

Anyone who truly knew Nogami wouldn’t risk stepping in for a friend they’d just met.

When Harutaki had saved Tazaki, he’d mostly done it just to avoid bigger trouble down the line.

He hadn’t realized yet what kind of danger Nogami truly was.

“Anyway,” Harutaki said, stretching his arms behind his head, “the fact I’m still standing here in one piece is already kind of a miracle, isn’t it?”

“You sound awfully proud for a guy who almost got killed by his own classmate,” Ren said, smirking.

“What, I can’t be? I’m Nogami-sama’s dog now~”

Harutaki grinned.

He didn’t expect that after the whole morning assembly fiasco, his title of “scumbag” would get a flashy new upgrade, The Queen’s Hound.

And thus, the shameful legend of the “Queen and Her Dog” began to spread across the school.

…

Meanwhile, Nogami found Minako and Sae after the meeting and immediately dragged them off campus.

No way was she letting Harutaki get another word in.

“...Izumi, don’t tell me you’ve actually fallen for Hoshikawa?” Minako teased, her grin wickedly knowing.

“Wha, Minako, are you insane? That scheming bastard who tried to set me up? The only way he’s ending up near me is on all fours, licking my boots like the obedient mutt he is!”

“But if you really thought that,” Sae said absentmindedly, “wouldn’t you have done it already?”

Her tone was so casual she didn’t even realize how much her words shook Nogami.

She froze.

She was right, if this were the old Nogami, she would’ve struck the moment Harutaki let his guard down.

“Actually,” Sae continued, “I don’t think it’s that deep. Maybe you just see him as... a friend?”

Minako shot her a pitying look. “Only you, Sae, would think men and women can be just friends.”

“W-Well, I’m definitely not in love with that idiot!” Nogami snapped, face flushing red.

Ahhh, what an idiot.

Minako smirked. How had she not noticed before that their fearsome Queen was actually such a stubborn tsundere?

You’re gonna be the one who suffers here, Izumi, she thought.

Still, for someone to make her change this much, enough to actually care, Minako had to admit, she’d underestimated that Hoshikawa boy.

If it’s him... maybe, just maybe…

We will be giving out 5 bonus chapters after reaching 25 vote on NovelBin!

Feel free to leave a vote or review!!

14/25