"Nakano-kun, are you alright?" Fujiwara Chika asked, steadying Nakano Nino with a concerned look.
She was well-informed—her intelligence network rivaled even Hayasaka Ai's. But people were often reluctant to share their secrets with her. Fujiwara had the image of a walking loudspeaker, someone who couldn't keep a secret to save her life.
In truth, Sakurai knew she could be surprisingly tight-lipped—as long as she was explicitly told not to spread something.
"I'm fine," Nino replied softly, turning to Fujiwara.Then she snapped her gaze toward Sakurai Saki, her tone turning frosty."Why didn't you dodge?"
After being berated by her sisters, Nino's emotions were frayed. And now, face to face with the person responsible, she could no longer hold back her anger.
Sakurai smiled—not out of joy, but in that twisted way people do when they're pushed too far.
Why is Sakurai-kun smiling like that? Fujiwara tilted her head. She fancied herself good at reading people—though those around her often considered her more of a mood killer.
Sakurai wasn't happy. Not really. His smile was the product of pent-up frustration boiling over.
"Are you blind?" he said, the smile vanishing. "The path's this wide, and you still managed to run into me? Why don't you go ask the Disciplinary Committee if sprinting around campus is allowed? It's in the school rules, isn't it? No running on the sidewalks. Forgot already? Or did your brain just shut down today?"
He had told Shirogane just yesterday that he'd try to keep his cool next time.
But one look at her face—and his temper snapped.
"Of all the people walking here, only you managed to crash into me!" he barked.
Nino opened her mouth, but no comeback came. She stood frozen, stunned by the sudden outburst.
"Victim blaming, huh? Why not check yourself first? Yes, I got hit. I'm blind, I'm unlucky—whatever helps you sleep. But don't you dare act like you're blameless," Sakurai snarled, grabbing Fujiwara Chika by the arm and pulling her to his side."Next time you're hit by a car, go ask the truck if it was your fault too."
His voice dropped into biting sarcasm:"Hey, why'd you hit me? All those cars and none of them did!"
"You...!" Nino fumed, her earlier sadness replaced by raw rage.
"I am—"
"What?" Sakurai cut in sharply. "You gonna bring up gender now? Fujiwara Secretary got hit too, and you don't see her making a scene."
Fujiwara blinked in Sakurai's arms, startled.Wait... was that a compliment?
Nino, interrupted mid-retort, lost her temper and threw a punch.
Sakurai caught it effortlessly.
"Oh? Can't win with words, so now it's fists?" he said coolly."If you put half this effort into studying, maybe you wouldn't have been hanging by the red line all year."
Another punch. This one landed—weakly—against his chest.
Studying. Studying. Always studying!It was suffocating.She tried. She really did.But she couldn't understand anything the teachers said.
"You honor students will never get it!" she shouted. "You're always looking down on us—talking like you're better! Is being good at school really that amazing? I tried! But...!"
Her voice cracked. The last punch had no power."...It's no use."
Tears fell.
Sakurai looked down at her but offered no comfort. Instead, he turned and walked away, still holding Fujiwara's arm.
"Pathetic. If you want to blame others for your failure, go ahead. Keep feeding yourself excuses."
Without a glance back, he strode toward the cafeteria.
Fujiwara glanced at Nino, disheveled and sniffling.Even without knowing the full story, she could tell Sakurai was in a terrible mood.
So, despite her usual empathy, she chose not to stay and comfort Nino.
Guess I overestimated the situation last night...
Students had begun gathering, their curiosity piqued by the commotion. Sakurai noticed, but had no intention of explaining anything.
He was hungry. And irritated.
His peaceful lunch break had been completely ruined.
Around them, the crowd dispersed.A few boys hesitated, seeing Nino crying—but she turned and walked toward the teaching building before they could approach.
In ten seconds, it was as if nothing had happened. Just another moment on campus.
Most students assumed it had just been a minor scuffle. Hardly gossip-worthy.
Later, after queuing far too long at the cafeteria, Sakurai and Fujiwara finally sat down in a quiet corner.
Fujiwara ate in silence.
All the questions she'd prepared—the ones meant to probe whether Sakurai Saki liked someone—were now impossible to ask.
Fujiwara Chika was no longer thinking about lunch.
Her mind was fully occupied with the tension between Sakurai Saki and Nakano Nino.What on earth was going on between those two?The emotional charge was unmistakable, and the mystery was driving her crazy.
She was extremely curious. So curious, in fact, that if she didn't get an answer soon, she might not be able to sleep tonight.
As the self-proclaimed love detective of the student council, Fujiwara Chika officially declared this a matter of great concern!
"If you've got something to ask, just ask," Sakurai said flatly, glancing her way.
He had noticed her stealing glances ever since they sat down—those wide, sparkling eyes giving her away. She was practically vibrating with curiosity.
After all, Fujiwara Secretary wore her thoughts on her face.She was a walking open book—far easier to read than Kaguya Shinomiya.
And right now, that book had flipped open to a page titled "Sakurai Saki and the Mysterious Quintuplets."
"Nakano-kun... why did she call you that...?" she asked cautiously.
"Scum?" Sakurai said, finishing the thought she didn't voice.He wasn't one to dodge uncomfortable topics.
"The teacher asked me to tutor the Nakano Five Sisters. It's a long story, but... they somehow got it into their heads that I'm interested in them."
He kept his explanation brief and emotionless.
But it was already too late.
Fujiwara's eyes were lit with starry excitement.
Big gossip alert!
She could feel it—this was prime material.But then... after a beat of internal celebration, a sudden thought hit her.
Wait a second. This gossip... kind of involves me, doesn't it?
If Sakurai-kun was going to their house to tutor them... then wasn't this just like those scenes in shoujo manga?
What if something "unexpected" happened there? What if he started liking one of them?And quintuplets?! That word alone was dangerous. It was the kind of thing boys dreamed about!
Alarm bells went off in her head.
Without thinking it through, she blurted:"Sakurai-kun! Come to our house this week!"
The words came out forcefully, like a declaration of war.
"I refuse," Sakurai said without hesitation.
He had no idea what chaotic reasoning had led her to say that, but he wasn't about to get swept up in whatever whirlwind she was about to unleash.With practiced indifference, he picked up a pork cutlet with his chopsticks.
Just then, a familiar figure began walking toward them.
Judging by the distinctive hair ornament, it was Nakano Itsuki.
Sakurai narrowed his eyes slightly.
Was she here to lecture him? Had Nino complained to the others?
It was the only explanation that made sense to him at the moment.