You Will Regret This Ichinose! [7]
The hard work was done, the deals had been made. Now, what to do next?
From what he could see, unless someone else had managed to crack the school's rules as quickly as he had, the first-year classes were unlikely to make any significant moves in the next month. All he needed to do was go to class and take it easy.
Except… for that troublesome Ichinose.
Just thinking about Ichinose Honami gave Uesugi a headache.
He couldn't understand it. What was so captivating about her? With a few sweet words, some small favors, and her stunning appearance, she had won the support of nearly the entire class.
Although they hadn't interacted much, Uesugi's analysis of her so far led him to one conclusion: Ichinose, despite her charisma, lacked the talent necessary to lead Class B to graduate as part of Class A.
No, if Class B wanted to win, the one to lead them would have to be… him.
Overthrow Ichinose's tyranny? It's my duty!
At the KTV lounge on the third floor of Keyaki Mall, Uesugi Gen sat slouched in a corner, munching on snacks with a face full of discontent.
In the center of the room, the "Siren of Class B," Ichinose Honami, was enchanting the crowd with her mesmerizing singing voice, drawing everyone deeper into her web.
The terrifying power of the Ichinose aura.
Earlier that morning, a decent number of classmates had resisted her charm. But now? Nearly the entire class had fallen victim to the cult of Ichinose.
Even you, Kanzaki Ryuji! Uesugi glared across the room. This morning, you were the stoic, aloof cool guy. Now you're helping Ichinose organize activities for the boys? Could you have caved any faster?
As for Shibata… Not worth mentioning. That guy's a lost cause.
A whole Class B, and only he, Uesugi Gen, stood alone to face the darkness.
Truly, the strong are destined to be lonely, carrying the world's hopes on their backs.
The thought filled him with frustration. Damn it, the more I think about it, the angrier I get.
So he shoved more snacks into his mouth, eating furiously as if devouring everyone's points along with the food.
Shibata's points, Kanzaki's points, Ichinose's points… one, two, three… huh?
That's when he noticed something unexpected. Amidst the darkness consuming Class B, there was one faint light.
Someone who had yet to succumb to Ichinose's influence.
A single soul stood resilient, radiating a subtle, defiant glow against the surrounding abyss.
It wasn't hard to identify her. Even though she blended in well, Uesugi's sharp eyes immediately spotted her incongruity—a firefly in the night.
Betting on Shibata's reputation—no, his life—this has to be the person I've been searching for.
Earlier, she had sat in front of him in class. She hadn't gone out of her way to make friends or interact with anyone, choosing instead to sit quietly in her seat.
They hadn't officially met, but Uesugi had caught her name during the self-introductions.
Himeno Yuki.
He downed the rest of his cola in one gulp, stood up, and strode into the crowd with determined steps.
In the outermost ring of the girls' group sat a petite girl with twin tails, her delicate features lightly enhanced with makeup. Her small, refined facial features were slightly offset by the mischievous tilt of her almond-shaped eyes, but she was still undeniably a beauty.
Not that her looks mattered. What mattered was the unyielding heart and fiery soul within her.
Feeling his gaze, Himeno Yuki turned her head, meeting Uesugi's eyes.
This is it.
Her slightly annoyed expression shifted to surprise, as if she, too, had recognized something.
So, you feel it too, don't you? Kindred spirits, drawn together by fate.
"You're not supposed to be here," she said, her tone mildly accusing. "Didn't Shibata say you weren't feeling well and had gone back to the dorm to rest?"
Uesugi stumbled mid-step, nearly losing his balance.
Shibata! No need for detective work. It's obviously you who spread that nonsense. Betting your life on you was the right choice.
"Are you feeling better now?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice. "Ichinose was going to check on you, but Shibata said it wasn't serious and that you'd be fine after some rest, so she didn't go."
Shibata, confirmed traitor.
"Ahem. Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine now," Uesugi said, recovering quickly. "Actually, I came here to ask you something, Himeno-san."
"Me? If you have questions, why not ask Ichinose?" she replied, sipping her juice while eyeing him skeptically.
Taking advantage of the fact that everyone else's attention was on Ichinose, Uesugi leaned slightly closer to Himeno.
Ignoring her wary gaze, he lowered his voice and asked, "Himeno-san, you don't want to be here, do you?"
Her expression froze for a moment. She opened her mouth to refute him, but Uesugi cut her off.
"From the start, your attention has been all over the place. Unlike everyone else, whose focus is either on Ichinose or the friends around them, you've been glancing at the door more than anything else."
Though surprised by his observation, Himeno refused to admit it.
"Ha? What are you talking about? Of course I want to be here."
"Ah, I see. So you also don't like being here," Uesugi continued, ignoring her denial. "You don't trust Ichinose, do you? You think she's not as simple as she seems."
What the hell is this guy even talking about? Himeno thought, baffled.
She didn't dislike Ichinose. She just wasn't fond of crowded social events but felt obligated to attend to avoid seeming antisocial.
She was about to clarify when Uesugi cut her off again.
"No need to explain. I get it. I understand everything."
He clasped her hands in his, wearing an expression of deep understanding.
"Enough!" Himeno yanked her hands away, her cheeks flushing red. "I just don't like crowds, okay? I prefer being alone. That's it."
"Ah, I see."
Uesugi's overly familiar demeanor vanished, replaced by a faint smirk.
"You jerk! You tricked me on purpose!" Himeno realized, glaring at him angrily.
"Well, you seemed too shy to admit it otherwise. I had to help you open up somehow," he said, shrugging innocently.
"You're so annoying. My preferences are none of your business," she retorted, biting her lip in frustration.
But Uesugi only seemed more amused.
"Himeno-san, I wasn't lying earlier. I don't like being here either. So why don't we leave together?"
Before she could respond, Uesugi pulled out his phone and dialed Kanzaki's number.
Kanzaki Ryuji answered, looking puzzled at Uesugi's sudden call.
"Hey, Kanzaki, Himeno-san and I have something to take care of, so we're heading out. You guys go ahead and keep having fun," Uesugi said in a rapid-fire tone before hanging up, leaving no room for argument.
Kanzaki stared at his phone for a moment before sighing and reluctantly giving Uesugi a thumbs-up from across the room.
Mission accomplished.
Turning back to Himeno, Uesugi smiled warmly and extended his hand.
"Shall we go, Himeno-san?"
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T/N: HIGH IQ LOW EQ