At noon the next day.
Ike Kanji and others came to the cafeteria.
Unlike girls, boys didn't have much sense of territory; as long as there was an empty seat, it was fine to sit anywhere.
A few of them set down their trays and found a random seat to sit in.
"Ike."
Sotomura Hideo, as an otaku, said with some concern:
"Quickly tell us, what stage have you and Shinohara reached? Did she not prepare a bento for you?"
At least.
That's how it's written in light novels.
In couples who truly love each other, the girlfriend will prepare a bento for her beloved boyfriend.
But this fellow Ike Kanji.
He's clearly dating Shinohara, yet he's still eating with them?
Too much of a loser.
"Eh!?"
Hearing this.
Ike Kanji was slightly stunned, and immediately became somewhat embarrassed.
Although there were once rumors that Shinohara had experience with compensated dating, only after dating her did he find that the loud and outspoken Shinohara was actually particularly conservative.
She insisted on not letting him touch her until after marriage.
It was just that this kind of thing wasn't easy to tell Sudou and the others, so Ike Kanji said with a bit of a desire for face:
"Hahaha, of course Shinohara wanted to prepare a bento for me, it's just that if I eat with Shinohara, wouldn't I be unable to be with everyone? So I refused."
"Ha?"
Sudou and the others were a bit dumbfounded: "Are you an idiot?"
"Yo."
Just then.
Ishizaki and the others at the neighboring table spotted them and began to act mockingly:
"Isn't this the group of beasts from Class D who used their companion to exchange for class points? To actually run into them here, truly unlucky; even the food has become disgusting."
It was just about having a foul mouth, after all.
Naturally, there was no need for Hikigaya to teach them; these words were also frequently heard being discussed some time ago.
As long as these contemptuous words were continuously repeated.
It was indeed zero difficulty.
Although they didn't know what use Hikigaya had for doing this, Ishizaki and the others were happy to death.
Being able to scold people and get private points for it, it simply couldn't be any happier.
Ryuuen didn't withhold their private points either.
After all.
During the last Sports Festival, even when he had his companions put in effort, Ryuuen would pay private points as a reward.
Clearly, the private points of Class C were kept in individual hands.
The only class that could make its students voluntarily hand over their private points was Class B.
Hearing the discussion of Ishizaki and the others.
The faces of Ike Kanji and the others stiffened at once, and the atmosphere became silent.
Suddenly, it felt like the food wasn't even fragrant anymore.
These words.
They had heard them countless times when the unanimous vote exam ended; every day they could hear some mockery or feel contemptuous gazes.
However.
With Horikita Suzune's warning, everyone also chose to endure.
Originally, for these past few days, they could no longer feel those strange gazes, and thought the heat had passed, but unexpectedly it started again.
There was no way.
Continue to endure.
Ike Kanji and the others were also very clear that what Class D did was indeed not proper, and in the end, they just held onto the thought that it was fine as long as they themselves could be saved.
No matter who it was.
Hoping that one can be saved is not a strange thing.
Although it was wrong, it was a helpless situation at the time, but making others understand was clearly an impossible thing.
They could only let Ishizaki and the others mock them.
However.
The discussion of Ishizaki and the others did not end.
"Even Big Brother Ryuuen didn't sacrifice a companion for class points; I didn't expect this group of beasts from Class D to be so cold-blooded."
"It's too terrifying."
Taking money to do business, Ishizaki and the others spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"Yeah, if I were in Class D, I'd probably be scared to death."
"Speaking of which, Ike."
Saying that, Ishizaki turned to look at Ike Kanji opposite him and teased:
"You seem to be in the last place of Class D right now too, right? It's better to be a bit careful; it would be bad if you were cut off by Horikita."
"When that time comes, Shinohara will be snatched away by someone else. Right, Komiya? When the time comes for Shinohara to date you, I'll definitely support it with both hands."
"Heh, heh."
The crowd from Class C had playful expressions, being sarcastically insulting without any concealment.
Hearing the discussions here.
The other surrounding students looked at Ike Kanji and the others with playful gazes, not feeling that Ishizaki and his group were doing anything wrong.
After all.
This matter.
Was the D-Class's fault.
Although the D-Class's affairs had little to do with them, public opinion was clearly on the side of Ishizaki and the others.
What's wrong with telling a little truth while eating?
As outsiders.
No matter the reason, no one would stand on their side.
Therefore.
Everyone could only follow Horikita Suzune's instructions to endure in silence, waiting for the heat to pass so that no one would talk about it anymore.
However.
Endurance has its limits after all.
Clearly it was almost over, yet Ishizaki's group actually started again, even mocking him and Shinohara.
The most critical point was.
Ike Kanji also knew he was currently the last place in the class, feeling a greater sense of crisis than anyone else.
"Enough."
Ike Kanji slapped the table, turning his head to glare at Ishizaki and the others, shouting:
"You guys have no class, slandering others so recklessly, don't you feel ashamed?"
"Exactly, chirping around here all day affecting other people's meals, do you have any manners at all?"
Sotomura Hideo and the others said angrily.
It was indeed strange for people from D-Class to scold those from other classes for lacking manners.
But they had no other choice.
Ike Kanji and the others could not judge whether what they did was actually right or wrong.
It was a helpless situation at the time.
Even if there was a rational excuse—that they were acting for the class to avoid a deduction of three hundred class points.
Deep down, they felt it was somewhat immoral, and they wanted even less to associate with someone as rationally cold-blooded as Ayanokouji.
Without a righteous standing.
There was no confidence to refute, so Ike Kanji and the others could only attack from the perspective of manners.
However.
"What?"
Ishizaki and the others countered with a single sentence:
"For a hundred class points you abandoned a companion, and you think you're in the right? You'll do it but won't let people talk about it?"
Anyway.
What they said was the truth, there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
As for how much pain and helplessness D-Class felt, they didn't give a damn; wasn't that Kushida Kikyo's own doing?
What did it have to do with them?
As soon as these words came out.
The faces of Ike Kanji and the others turned even uglier.
Ishizaki and his group held the moral high ground.
As long as they heard such words, they had no room for rebuttal.
Either they could fly into a rage and directly use violence.
Or they could be like Hikigaya and frankly admit they were scum.
Otherwise, they would eternally fall into this dilemma of self-reproach.
Unfortunately.
Ike Kanji and the others could do neither.
Violence goes without saying, but frankly admitting in front of everyone that one is a bad person or a piece of trash is also no easy task.
At least.
Although Ike Kanji and the others felt that abandoning Sakura Airi was somewhat wrong, they didn't feel their actions were problematic.
Then they could only continue to endure it.
The conversation was completely dead.
"If you ask me."
Someone from C-Class enjoyed the extreme trash-talking:
"People like you don't even deserve to stay in this school. I think you should just get lost quickly. Staying in the same school as you makes me feel disgusted; it simply lowers the evaluation of our Advanced Nurturing High School."
"Let's go."
Ike Kanji and the others fled in panic with their meal trays.
This was something that would happen sooner or later.
Even if Horikita Suzune was mentally strong enough to ignore it, it was impossible for everyone in D-Class to be as strong as her.