After clarifying the information.
Horikita Suzune couldn't help but walk to Ayanokouji's side.
"Don't you have any thoughts?"
Ayanokouji's expression was flat.
If it were before, this might have been Horikita Suzune's soft expression; the underlying meaning might be asking for his opinion.
Whether she had truly done something wrong.
But now.
Ayanokouji wouldn't think so; the will in Horikita Suzune's eyes was so strong.
It was more likely she was doubting.
Whether spending 20 million to save Sakura Airi was truly Ichinose's intention.
After all.
Their relationship wasn't even that good.
Wasting the private points they had struggled to save for no benefit to Class B.
This was truly too stupid.
Stupid to the extreme...
No rationality to speak of.
"None."
Ayanokouji said with a calm expression: "This isn't a difficult matter; if you care, you can go inquire about it after school."
Such a big matter.
It wouldn't be hard to find out.
As long as the will is strong enough, if it really doesn't work, she can also inquire for some information from Sakura Airi.
These small matters.
He believed that given Sakura Airi's personality, she wouldn't refuse.
"True..."
Horikita Suzune nodded and returned to her seat.
Even without Ayanokouji saying much, she had her own way of doing things.
What should be done most right now.
Was to apologize to Sakura Airi and ease the relationship between both sides.
Originally.
Horikita Suzune also knew very well that she had no qualification to apologize to Sakura Airi, nor did she feel she had done anything wrong.
But now.
Since Sakura Airi had stayed.
Then the situation was different.
Although she didn't think Sakura Airi could affect Class B's decision-making, she also had to avoid Sakura Airi affecting Class B's perception of Class D.
Otherwise.
If Class B held a mysterious hostility toward Class D.
Or a misunderstanding.
It would be quite unfavorable for Class D.
Therefore.
Apologizing to ease the relationship and clarifying the misunderstanding were necessary items.
Fortunately, Sakura Airi was a kind person; striving for Sakura's forgiveness shouldn't be a difficult matter.
Horikita Suzune naturally felt some guilt.
Doing this also felt very shameless.
But to let everyone rise to Class A, Horikita Suzune had to do this; as the class leader, she must be responsible for the class.
Just like how she didn't like socializing before and felt she was fine alone.
But Horikita Suzune was now very clear.
As a leader, one must shoulder more and do many things one doesn't want to do.
After school.
She must go apologize to Sakura Airi.
Securing Sakura Airi's forgiveness and striving for Ichinose's and the others' understanding.
This was what Class D should do most right now.
Thinking of this.
Horikita Suzune took a deep breath.
She had also grown a lot in these two years.
No matter what difficulty, she would now face it firmly.
On the other side.
With the topic of Sakura Airi.
The atmosphere on Karuizawa's side eased slightly, but they still didn't know what to talk about.
A broken relationship cannot be restored.
But a fake relationship is very easy to mend.
It just needs time for everyone to grasp this sense of distance.
"Karuizawa."
Just then, Matsushita Chiaki decided to open up this matter and said with a smile:
"Speaking of which, you and that Hikigaya seem completely unfamiliar; why do you like him?"
As soon as these words came out.
The atmosphere immediately changed; Shinohara and the others stopped talking and looked toward Karuizawa, but they didn't disparage her like they did during the exam.
Clearly.
As long as there was a reasonable excuse.
Matsushita Chiaki and the others weren't unable to accept it either.
Perhaps everyone was maintaining this fake friendship together; perhaps there was true friendship between them that they just couldn't bear to lose.
None of that mattered.
What mattered was that in order to not be bullied, Karuizawa really needed this relationship, even if she knew it was fake.
"Eh? There isn't really a reason."
Karuizawa was slightly stunned and pretended to be somewhat excited:
"I just feel that Ichinose and Sakayanagi and the others all seem to like Hikigaya, and they are even willing to date that guy at the same time."
"To be able to be liked by Ichinose and Sakayanagi and even make them make such a compromise."
"I think Hikigaya must have some merit too!"
"Don't you think so?"
As she spoke.
Karuizawa only felt her heart thumping, but the excited expression on her face was perfect.
Hikigaya considered her in every way; how could she possibly comfortably speak ill of Hikigaya for self-protection?
Although being protected by Hikigaya made her happy, Karuizawa didn't want to always cause trouble for Hikigaya now.
Otherwise, she would always feel she owed Hikigaya something.
Karuizawa was truly a bit uneasy, so she racked her brain to think of this kind of reason.
Only.
She was truly a bit guilty.
She didn't know whether this kind of reason could be accepted by the crowd.
"Eh???"
Some girls' faces stiffened.
To speak of stealing someone's boyfriend so righteously was truly a bit speechless.
"Isn't it pretty good?"
Suddenly.
Hasebe Haruka sneered and mocked without hiding:
"Even if he's a scumbag, dating Hikigaya should give a great sense of security; at least he's stronger than the people in this class, right?"
"..."
As soon as these words came out.
Matsushita Chiaki and the others' faces stiffened, and Miyake Akito sat in his seat and couldn't help but let out a sigh.
Everyone knew very well.
Everyone had cast a vote in favor for Sakura Airi; Hasebe Haruka must have some grievances in her heart.
Therefore, it could be understood.
Matsushita Chiaki and the others didn't pay attention either and just cooperated with Karuizawa, taking the lead:
"Yeah, to be able to be liked by so many people like Ichinose and Sakayanagi at the same time, Hikigaya should have some merit, right?"
"Yeah, I still don't understand even now how Ichinose and Sakayanagi could date Hikigaya at the same time."
"Maybe it's just that we don't know Hikigaya well enough; he should have some strengths too, right?"
Seeing this.
Satou Maya and others also hurriedly echoed.
She could understand.
Karuizawa was actually similar to her; they both felt that dating an outstanding person could improve their own evaluation.
Although she somewhat despised Hikigaya's scumbag behavior, it was also a fact that Hikigaya was very popular.
No matter what methods were used.
To be able to be liked by Ichinose and Sakayanagi at the same time, and even let them coexist harmoniously and voluntarily share the same man.
Hikigaya should also have some merit.
It wouldn't be surprising to be targeted by someone like Karuizawa.
"Then Karuizawa, since you like him, why didn't you confess to Hikigaya? As expected, were you concerned about the class?"
A girl clapped her small hands and complimented her.
She wanted to define Karuizawa as a person who gave up her feelings for the sake of the class.
Perhaps it was out of kindness to help Karuizawa improve her class evaluation, perhaps it was a personal dislike of scumbags.
Both were possible.
But in short, it was a favorable narrative for Karuizawa.
However.
"It's not that."
Karuizawa was slightly stunned and scratched her head, saying:
"It's just that Sakayanagi feels a bit scary."
As she spoke.
Karuizawa couldn't help but feel somewhat excited inside.
Although they were dating in secret, as long as she could be together with Hikigaya, she had nothing to be dissatisfied about.
But.
As expected, she still hoped more to be with Hikigaya in broad daylight like Ichinose, letting the people around envy her.
In that case.
Perhaps as long as the timing was right, she could date Hikigaya publicly.
Matsushita Chiaki and the others were somewhat speechless.
Whatever.
Even if they were just maintaining a superficial harmony, it didn't matter to them; as long as it could be beneficial to the class rising to Class A, there was nothing bad about it.