"Said nothing... refers to what?"
Subaru turned slightly sideways, looking with interest at Kikyo Kushida, who was sitting behind him.
"Of course, I'm referring to Horikita-san's grand plan." Kushida blinked at Subaru, her tone light and airy. "I think Subaru-kun should be able to see the small flaws in the self-destruct plan, right?"
As her voice fell, Kushida's tone carried a hint of probing.
Kushida wasn't entirely sure if Subaru had spotted the problems with the self-destruct plan. However, just to be safe, after the meeting ended, she specifically ran to Subaru's dorm to further confirm.
After all, it had been over two months since enrollment, and the first semester was nearing its later stages. Having finally encountered an event that might cause Suzune Horikita to stumble, Kushida did not want to give up on it.
"Is Kikyo-san planning to personally go and remind Horikita-san?" The smile on Subaru's face didn't diminish.
"After all, Kushida-san has always wanted to become good friends with Horikita-san, hasn't she?"
Looking at Kushida, whose expression was already struggling to hold up, Subaru said cheerfully, "I don't have any problem with it on my end. If Kikyo-san goes to say it personally, the relationship will surely become even more..."
"That's about enough, Natsuki Subaru."
Before Subaru's voice could fall, Kushida's expression turned completely gloomy.
Although Kushida hadn't told Subaru her true inner thoughts, based solely on the scene Subaru had accidentally witnessed before, she didn't believe Subaru still thought she wanted to be friends with Horikita.
Her malice toward Horikita back then had been undisguised.
"You already know my true nature." Looking at Subaru's unhurried appearance, Kushida said indifferently, "So, you shouldn't be unaware that I actually hate Suzune Horikita very much."
"Remind Horikita of the plan's drawbacks, or even try to avoid them as much as possible?"
"I can't wait for that guy Horikita to become even more miserable."
Negative emotions can accumulate with the passage of time.
Perhaps in the beginning, Kushida's thoughts toward Horikita weren't this vicious; she was simply worried about Horikita knowing her dark history and wanted her to leave the school. But now, it was no longer like that at all.
In the process of trying to get close to Horikita, Kushida could be said to have accumulated a considerable amount of negative emotions.
Reaching this stage, even if Horikita truly didn't know her past dark history, the sheer disgust she felt toward Horikita had already reached the point where Kushida wanted to get her expelled.
"Hehe, I probably sensed it a little bit."
"What Kikyo-san displayed that day was indeed very surprising."
Subaru had no reaction to Kushida's emotional shift.
After all, ever since encountering Kushida venting by the seaside, the idea of Kushida wanting to be good friends with Horikita had already collapsed on its own. Kushida genuinely did not want to be friends with her.
The reason he was still interested in the matter between Kushida and Horikita was entirely due to the 'endowment effect.'
Kushida hated Horikita, that was true.
But one point that couldn't be denied was that Kushida had truly invested a lot. In order to be able to talk to Horikita, to become so-called 'good friends' with her...
The more one invests, the more unpredictable the final result becomes.
Who knows how Kushida will view Horikita on the day they truly become 'good friends'?
People change.
Subaru knew this deeply, which was why he was slightly curious.
"I hope you don't meddle in other people's business, Natsuki Subaru."
"Although I feel you probably wouldn't care about these things, just in case..." Kushida looked at Subaru and said seriously, "I still came over to make it clear to you."
"If..."
Although she felt she currently had no way to deal with Subaru, Kushida still prepared to say some threatening words.
Even if she couldn't pose any threat to Subaru himself, she could surely threaten the people around him.
"That Hiyori Shiina I met last time looks very innocent and easy to handle."
However, just as two words left Kushida's lips, she discovered that Subaru, who had been smiling and listening to her, had moved.
Subaru's left hand, with a precision Kushida could not quite comprehend, gently rested upon her neck.
He didn't use any force; it was as if his palm just happened to be placed there.
By the time Kushida came back to her senses, all she could feel was a slightly cold sensation.
"Kikyo-san."
"I have some expectations for your future, so my patience is a bit better compared to most people."
Looking at Kushida, who seemed to be stunned for a moment, Subaru spoke.
"However, once some words are truly spoken... there is no room to take them back."
"I am a person who doesn't care much about many things."
"Whether Kikyo-san hates Horikita-san, or wants to do something bad to her, I don't really care. Kikyo-san can just do what she likes."
Subaru's voice was very light, almost a whisper.
But the dormitory was unusually quiet right now, so even though the voice was very light, Kushida heard it incredibly clearly.
"Even if Kikyo-san wants to threaten me, I don't care."
"Kikyo-san, you are free."
"But, I hope Kikyo-san has truly mentally prepared herself, rather than acting on a whim."
Saying this, Subaru withdrew his palm and sat back down at the desk.
It was as if he didn't intend to interrupt Kushida's speech any further.
"This is the first time I've seen such an intense reaction from Subaru-kun."
Kushida subconsciously touched her neck. Looking at Subaru, who acted as if nothing had just happened, her face put on her daily sweet smile and voice.
"You startled me. I was just joking with Subaru-kun."
"Subaru-kun didn't take it seriously, did he?"
As she spoke, Kushida observed Subaru's expression.
Subaru cares a lot about that girl named Hiyori Shiina?
So, Subaru, you aren't really someone who cares about nothing.
The emergence of this thought strangely calmed Kushida's heart a little.
Having a weakness, having things or people one cares about, was always more reassuring than an abyss that couldn't be fathomed at all.
Although she was slightly frightened by Subaru's movement just now, overall, there was a good harvest.
Thinking of this, Kushida stood up slightly and smoothed out the hem of her skirt. The smile on her face carried a trace of imperceptible relief as she said, "However, Subaru-kun looked slightly cool just now."
"It's getting late. There are a lot of things to be busy with starting tomorrow."
Saying this, without waiting for Subaru to speak further, Kushida walked toward the door of his dorm.
Subaru's reaction just now was more meaningful than saying ten thousand threatening words.
"Goodnight, Subaru-kun~"
"I will continue to keep the 'secret' between us safe, you know."
The door opened gently and closed gently.
Kushida left Subaru's room.
Inside the elevator.
Kushida leaned against the elevator wall and took a deep breath. The smile on her face disappeared completely.
Replacing it was a complex expression mixing excitement, fear, and an intense desire to explore.
'Natsuki Subaru...'
'I feel the secrets on you are much more attractive than those of other students.'
Kushida silently recited Subaru's name in her heart.
Harvesting the secrets hidden deep within people's hearts was also one of Kushida's most primal driving forces.
Undoubtedly, Subaru's secrets made Kushida very interested.
The next day.
After the morning classes ended, Year 1, Class D's operation officially began.
The first to bear the brunt was the cafeteria.
After all, the vast majority of people wouldn't waste time making lunch when the school cafeteria was already affordable enough.
During lunchtime every day, the cafeteria basically gathered the vast majority of the students in the entire school.
"Hey, hey, hey."
"What exactly do you defects from Class D want to do?"
Daichi Ishizaki looked at the redhead who had run up to him with a few lackeys, his face full of displeasure.
He never expected that while Kakeru Ryuen hadn't prepared to make any further moves against Class D, this trash from Year 1, Class D would actually start looking for trouble with them instead.
"Glaring at us is useless."
"If you don't have personal points, just go honestly eat the mountain veggie set meal."
Sitting opposite Ishizaki, Kyogo Komiya had a disdainful smile on his face. "Of course, if you are willing to perform a dogeza to me and Ishizaki right here in public, it's not impossible for us to pity you a little."
"We'll treat you to a croquette you can't afford at all."
As he spoke, Komiya used his chopsticks to pick up the croquette from his tray.
For some reason, Komiya remembered the time he and Ishizaki went to trouble Subaru; the luxurious set meal Subaru was eating then was still fresh in his memory.
They couldn't compare to Subaru, but this group of paupers before them was a different matter.
"Defects?"
"Those who don't know better would think you're from Class A or Class B."
Ken Sudo looked at Ishizaki, who was staring at him unhappily, and the smile on his face grew more intense.
"Only you trash from Class C would treat eating a croquette as a big deal."
"It really makes people feel a bit of pity."
As he spoke, Sudo gently patted Komiya's cheek with his palm.
Following Sudo's action, Komiya froze completely.
The croquette held by his chopsticks also fell back onto the tray with a clatter.
He... was getting his face patted?
By a Class D defect, a piece of trash, in front of so many people?
If he didn't react to this, how could he show his face around here!
As the realization hit, Komiya's face turned red at a speed visible to the naked eye.
"You... are looking for death!!!"
Komiya sprang up from his seat and grabbed Sudo by the collar.
This wasn't the first conflict between Komiya and Sudo.
Both Komiya and Sudo were official members of the school's Basketball Club. Usually, in the Basketball Club, Komiya found Sudo particularly unpleasant because Sudo was very talented at basketball and was valued by the club president.
Now that Sudo actually patted his face in broad daylight, new hatred and old grudges instantly caused Komiya to lose his reason.
"Komiya, wait!"
"This guy from Class D is deliberately provoking you!"
Seeing that Komiya seemed about to strike, Ishizaki hurriedly stood up.
The scene before him was just too familiar. Wasn't this the same scenario as when he took Komiya to pick a fight with Class B?
If Komiya struck directly at this moment, they would fall into the trap.
With Ishizaki's words, Komiya also came to his senses.
"Heh..."
Komiya took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fist he was about to throw. He took two steps back and looked at Sudo with a sneer, "I didn't expect you brainless trash from Class D to actually learn how to use your brains..."
Slap!
Sudo slapped Komiya directly across the face.
It directly stunned Komiya.
"What are you chirping about?"
"You actually messed up the collar I meticulously arranged. The surveillance cameras captured it all."
"This slap is a tiny little lesson for you."
Sudo didn't have the habit of waiting for people to finish speaking. Looking at the dumbfounded Komiya, he sneered.
Strictly speaking, Komiya had already made a move on him; the act of grabbing his collar just now was evidence.
Year 1, Class D was not the same as Year 1, Class C.
When Year 1, Class C picked fights with Year 1, Class B, in order to minimize their own point deductions and maximize Class B's, they always tried their best to guide the opponent to strike first.
If the opponent didn't strike, Class C wouldn't strike either.
Class D didn't have this concern.
Class D had no class points left. They didn't care who lost more or who lost less. Whether the deduction was large or small, Class D had nothing to lose. So, feeling it was about time, Sudo struck directly.
Following Sudo's series of actions, the surrounding noise instantly dropped significantly.
Students at several nearby tables all looked over in astonishment. They hadn't expected Sudo to be this hard-core. Even among the upperclassmen, they had never seen a scene where someone struck directly in front of surveillance cameras like this.
With so many surveillance cameras in the school, everyone was basically at the stage of just using their mouths. Such a hard-boiled scene was rarely seen by them.
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