#55 Plead for help

Yuichi went to attend his club activities but 2 other students from Class C never showed up. After they were done with a warm-up, Sudo showed up with an absent-minded expression and he wasn't really paying attention the entire practice session.

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After practice...

"Iwamura, I need your help..." Sudo said while they were returning to the dorms.

"What is going on? Is it related to why Chabashira-sensei called you to the Faculty Room?" Yuichi asked with a confused expression.

Sudo explained the entire brawl and he was completely honest in his explanation even though he skipped the part where he beat them up, however, it could still be called self-defense to some extent.

"Haven't I told you not to pick a fight with them? Do you expect me to help you after you ignored my advice?" Yuichi frowned and asked with a displeased expression.

"But they were the ones who started it!" Sudo said with a determined expression.

"You should have never go to meet them there or you could have at least told me about it. How am I supposed to help you if they filed a complaint against you for attacking them when it's their word against your word, unfortunately, their word is supported by their injuries. We will have to ask entire class for help, especially Horikita." Yuichi said with a serious expression.

"Ugh...Horikita?" Sudo asked a bit displeased by Yuichi's words.

"Yes and you are going to ask her to help you yourself because you need to learn the hard way to be more careful about your short temper but I guess this isn't entirely your fault if it's as you described." Yuichi said harshly, not intending to help him unless he asks people to help him himself.

The only reason why Yuichi didn't want to solve this problem with the recording was that he finally knows that even other classes plot against each other. If he weren't together with Sudo in the same club, he wouldn't have witnessed it. He wants to try to solve this without using his evidence and instead, use it for something else perhaps.

'The first solution would be trying to fool them into admitting that they are lying by installing fake CCTVs into the hallway where there are no CCTVs however they must have checked it before calling Sudo there...If given a few days, they might forget or be slightly hesitant if they haven't perhaps overlooked one but getting something like fake CCTV will be certainly a very expensive if not impossible plus as mentioned, it will take a few days, I don't know for how long this case will be dragged out. Another solution is finding witnesses however even if both I and Sakura step out, our voices won't be heard since we are from the same class as Sudo. What a trash situation, I really just want to use that recording to solve this but I shouldn't, it's a good chance to practice my communication skills. If worse comes to worst, I can just reveal the recording.' Yuichi thought while looking at the sunset with slightly dull eyes. He was completely calm about this case thanks to him having leverage over the other party but this doesn't have to be the case in the future...There were a few more strategies that came up into Yuichi's mind but there was a high risk in case he wouldn't have that recording. However...every strategy carried its risks like the first one with fooling them with the help of the fake CCTV if they perhaps wouldn't be hesitant and they were fully confident that those CCTVs weren't there previously, they would discover that they have no evidence. Therefore, Yuichi needs to first know who is he dealing with before trying to fool them. He had a vague idea about those 2 Class C students attending the basketball club but he had no idea about that last student.

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The next morning, Chabashira-sensei announced the news of the brawl that happened between Sudo and Class C students.

"If there are any eyewitnesses, it would be best if you could come forward. In case this gets resolved with Sudo being the assailant, he will be suspended until summer vacation and your Class points will be deduced."

When everyone heard this, they looked around the classroom with slightly displeased expression since our class was doing great and they already had 289 Class Points, they were slowly catching up to Class C even though they had barely passed half of what Class C currently have.

Yuichi glanced towards Sakura who was looking down before glancing towards him, when their eyes met, she quickly turned her head downward in panic.

'Is she perhaps suspicious that I was there at the scene too? Or maybe she thinks that I know she was there. I would like to talk to her but I can't outrightly approach her and talk about whatever. She is extremely shy and won't just talk to anyone without letting her guard down, so if I want her to talk to me without any worries, I must catch her while she will be doing something that fulfills her, her hobby.' Yuichi thought while turning to the front, leaving Sakura in peace.

"Looks like there are none...That's very regretable" Chabashira said with a disappointed expression.

*sigh* "May I, sensei?" Yuichi sighed and raised his hand, from his peripheral vision, he noticed that Sakura tensed up when he spoke out.

'She is aware...'

Everyone turned at Yuichi with hope in their eyes, and Sudo widely smiled, thinking that Yuichi was about to save his ass.

"Please..." Chabashira motioned for him to continue.

"From that brief explanation, can I deduce that school is saying that Sudo assaulted 3 students? No...That he called them all out to one place where there are no CCTVs and then beat them up for whatever reason? That's more amusing than serious, don't you think so, sensei?" Yuichi asked with a smirk.

"What?" Ike exclaimed with a confused expression.

"When you say it like that, it indeed sounds very funny but your class is in serious trouble so this is not a laughing matter." Chabashira at first released a slightly amused smile before explaining with a serious expression and narrowed eyes.

"Does that mean...it is a set-up?" Hirata muttered with a thoughtful expression.

Those who were slightly more intelligent knew that Sudo would never be able to think of such a "complicated" plan to call someone to a secluded place just to beat them up...Sudo was the type of person who would...beat anyone if offended even right in front of the teacher. Not to mention...there were 3 students against 1, even if Sudo knows how to protect himself from street fighting, overpowering 3 people take more than just a muscular body.

"If you have no evidence, you can't clear Sudo's name" Chabashira frowned and said with folded arms.

"If I may ask...What kind of evidence they have that they claim that Sudo attacked them?" Yuichi asked with a serious expression.

"First of all, their injuries." She replied.

"So if I fall off the stairs and no one will see that and I will break my arm, can I accuse some students and have them expelled?" Yuichi asked with a serious expression.

Everyone widened their eyes as they heard his words and Chabashira narrowed her eyes at him.

"Ha ha, I am just joking. Everyone, I would like you to listen to me for a bit...I know that all of you are aware of Sudo's behavior and his short temper, however, no matter how big of an idiot he is, I believe that he wouldn't start a fight with anyone unless the other side started it first." Yuichi laughed it off before standing up and addressing everyone. When they heard him calling Sudo idiot so outrightly, most chuckled while Sudo grumbled with a displeased expression.

'He managed to calm everyone down and he even improved the entire mood...' Chabashira praised Yuichi in her mind with a faint smile, however, her smile quickly disappeared as she frowned down once again, remembering his previous "joke".

'To those students, it might have sounded like a petty joke but...I am pretty sure it was meant as a serious question.' Chabashira thought with a complicated expression.

"Well, all things considered, you have a whole week to look for the eyewitnesses before the meeting will be held between both parties to finally solve this problem. That's all for today's homeroom, I wish all of you good luck." Chabashira said with a calm expression before leaving the classroom.

"UGH!!! I was so looking forward to how many points we will get this month but I guess we won't be getting any allowance until this matter is resolved. Well played, Sudo" Ike said while pulling on his own hair.

"Shut up, it's not my fault, they were the ones who started it!" Sudo slammed his fist against the table and said with an irritated expression.

"Is that so...?" Ike questioned with a suspicious expression but he probably didn't mean anything mean, unfortunately, hearing his doubts, other people, mostly girls also expressed their doubts.

"Please, everyone! We have to trust Sudo-kun!" Kushida said with a pleading expression and puppy eyes, looking as if she was about to cry.

"I-I was just joking, of course, I trust my friend!" Ike said with a bit startled expression when he saw Kushida's pleading face.