You Will Regret This Ichinose! [28]
He was cornered.
Yes—karma was real, and the heavens were watching.
After he finished causing trouble for the school, it was now his turn to be on the receiving end.
Ichinose Honami—
The very same girl who had shamelessly exposed his brilliant plan in class earlier—was now standing outside his dorm room.
Damn it!
Hiding in the stairwell, Uesugi pressed a hand against his forehead.
Thank god he hadn't taken the elevator straight up, or he would've walked right into her.
Truthfully, he had no idea how to face this girl right now.
He hadn't even figured out how to respond to what she said in class earlier.
Now that he thought about it, it was honestly embarrassing. He, Uesugi, had actually been driven into retreat by the wicked Ichinose.
Technically, he could just wait it out—class was starting again in half an hour. By then, she would have to leave.
But that felt… unlike him. Like he was running away from her.
And so, Uesugi slowly poked his head out from around the corner, carefully observing Ichinose.
He had to admit—she was stunning.
Waist-length hair cascading like a waterfall, a figure with just the right curves, round hips, smooth white thighs, petite white socks paired with polished leather shoes… and that flushed face, still tinted red from her emotions.
An absolutely delightful sight.
Suddenly, as if sensing his gaze, Ichinose whipped her head around.
And their eyes met.
...
Stare.
For a brief moment, the world froze.
Then, just like a fish withdrawing its head back underwater, Uesugi slowly, ever so slowly, retracted himself behind the wall.
Awkwardly turning around, he prepared to make a run for it.
Anywhere would do—back to the Director's office, Hoshinomiya's infirmary, or even his newly approved clubroom.
The important thing was getting out of here. His instincts screamed that letting her catch him would be troublesome.
Snap!
He barely took two steps before Ichinose grabbed his wrist.
How the hell is she this fast?!
They both had a C in physical ability, so how did she react that quickly?
Yes—thanks to Hoshinomiya's private tutoring, Uesugi had seen almost every Class B student's entrance records.
And definitely not because he was looking for Ichinose's weaknesses or anything.
"Can we talk for a bit?"
Her voice was soft, carrying a gentle pleading tone—like a dandelion swaying in the breeze, light and delicate, yet filled with an undeniable vitality.
Uesugi sighed helplessly.
Why was it that with every other girl, he could toy with them like a cat batting at a ball—yet when it came to her, he had no control at all?
"...Fine. Let's talk in my dorm."
Ichinose followed closely behind him as they walked to Room 404.
The entire time, she never let go of his hand, as if afraid he would bolt at any moment.
---
Inside Uesugi's dorm, Ichinose sat on his bed, arms wrapped around her knees, quietly watching him.
"Tea or juice? I don't have coffee."
"Tea is fine."
...
Neither of them spoke.
They just sat there, staring at each other.
"If you're not gonna say anything, I'm leaving."
Faced with Ichinose's sparkling, expectant eyes, Uesugi was the first to give in.
Ichinose immediately panicked.
"No! You're not allowed to leave."
"Then hurry up and say what you want."
"Uesugi-kun, sit down… closer."
After he moved in slightly, Ichinose scooted even closer—until their arms were pressed together.
Uesugi had never been this close to Ichinose before.
Her scent—a soft, sweet mix of shampoo and something uniquely her—was unmistakable.
Then, Ichinose gently clasped his hand in hers, her voice tender yet firm.
"I'm sorry. I've been meaning to tell you this."
"There's nothing to apologize for. This is your own life. If even you won't fight for yourself, then there's nothing I can do."
"No, actually…" Ichinose let out a small, self-deprecating laugh.
"Part of the reason I rejected your plan… was because I didn't want the other classes' students to get expelled."
She smiled bitterly.
"Disappointed? That Class B's leader is this kind of person?"
Uesugi's expression remained neutral.
"You didn't have to tell me that. I already knew from day one. If you had actually wanted them expelled, that would've been far more surprising."
"Really? As expected of Uesugi-kun."
Ichinose tightened her grip on his hand and gently rested her head against his shoulder.
"Sorry, Uesugi-kun. Can I lean on you for a bit? Just a little while."
Then, as if reminiscing, she murmured—
"I was raised in a single-parent household. It was just me, my mom, and my younger sister—she's two years younger than me."
"We weren't wealthy, but I never once thought I was unlucky. If anything, I always felt fortunate. I had classmates, teachers, and even strangers who helped me. That's how I made it this far."
"The only reason I could attend Advanced Nurturing High School was because my homeroom teacher told me that the tuition and expenses were fully covered."
"And that's why… I thought, maybe… I could be like those people who helped me. Even if it's just a little, I wanted to help others too."
"But if those students got expelled because of us, it would leave a stain on their records—one that could impact their futures, whether for university or employment."
Hearing this, Uesugi let out a cold scoff.
"So you abandoned your own classmates just for the sake of some unrelated nobodies?"
"No."
Ichinose's grip on his hand tightened.
"It's because of you, Uesugi-kun."
"Because from the very beginning, I've always believed—no matter what happens, you will lead Class B to Class A."
"Yes, part of it was because I was afraid you'd be expelled."
"But a bigger part of me thought… maybe Uesugi-kun just doesn't want to go through the trouble of competing with the other classes. That maybe… this plan was simply the easiest way out for you."
"That's why I selfishly rejected your plan."
...
Uesugi's expression twitched.
Are you a goddamn radar system?
She was completely right.
That was what he had been thinking.
And earlier, when he was hiding in his blind spot, she had still somehow sensed him.
"In my eyes, Uesugi-kun is someone with extraordinary talent—someone far more capable than me… but also surprisingly cute sometimes."
"That's why, as long as we have you, I don't want to sacrifice our classmates."
Uesugi fell silent.
So the one responsible for all of this… was me?
Ichinose continued—
"Even now, I feel incredibly lucky… to have met everyone in Class B."
"And more than anything—meeting you was the best thing of all."
She sounded so happy it was almost overflowing.
"I still remember it so clearly… that boy who gave up his seat on the bus before I could—back then, I knew he was a good person."
"Cough cough—so you were there too, huh?"
Uesugi awkwardly turned his head away.
"I was. Right behind you. But I guess you didn't notice me, since you had just woken up."
"I wanted to check out the school first, so we ended up going separately. But when I saw that boy again and realized we were in the same class…"
"I thought—I'm so lucky."
Ichinose took a deep breath and closed her eyes, as if imprinting Uesugi's presence into her memory.
"That day, when Class B voted me as leader, I should have been terrified… But I wasn't. Because I knew—there was someone far more capable than me in this class."
"And whenever I struggled… I could rely on him. Just like… how I rely on my mother."
Her voice gradually faded into soft murmurs—
"Maybe… using up my life's worth of luck… was what brought me here, to meet you…"
Ichinose, still leaning against Uesugi, had fallen asleep.
...
A sinner, huh?
Looking at the peacefully sleeping Ichinose, Uesugi let out a quiet sigh.
Ichinose, being this naïve is only going to get you hurt…
---
T/N: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA