"I am home."
I came back to my room with the shopping bags, and Suzune was lying on bed, covering herself with the bedsheet.
"Did you get them?"
"The clothing shop opens at 10 am. But for now..."
I took out the underwear that I bought and gave it to her.
For some reason, after doing such things to me last night, she was being shy.
How cute.
"I don't want to miss classes. I am going to wear her uniform."
"Don't worry about it. I talked to Horikita-senpai, so there will not be any problem with attendance, probably."
"Eh?"
I explained everything to her, about how I got a dangerous stalker.
"There is a function like that!? Isn't it illegal!?"
"I guess it comes under the 'Terms and Conditions' that we signed when enrolling here. But Horikita-senpai's phone doesn't show his location. He must have used points to remove that feature."
"Hmm... points can be used this way as well?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's get this feature removed today itself. Anyway, I don't want to miss the class just because there might be no problem in attendance. Today is the technical first day. And that uniform is clean anyway."
"Well, if that's what you want."
"In any case, be wary of her. Don't go anywhere without others. Don't trust the cameras, since the Chairman can most likely make the proofs disappear. And if she continues to be like this, call me.
I am a girl, so I can teach her a lesson properly without much repercussions."
"Yeah."
So, she wore the uniform, and after we finished eating, we headed out early so that no one catches us.
First, we went to the reception, which was open, thankfully.
"I want my room number and keys. Here is my ID."
"Alright. We were wondering if you weren't able to make it to the school yesterday. Only you hadn't checked in."
The receptionist glanced at me and then looked at us teasingly.
"Or maybe you were with your boyfriend? Just so you know, explicit acts if caught can get you expelled."
"Her brother is in the school. Since they met after years, she went to have a sleepover."
I swiftly explained, and the receptionist nodded in understanding.
I am sure that she knew that it was just an excuse, but she didn't push it.
So, Suzune got her room number, 604, and keycard, and we left for the school.
"Wanna h*ld h*nds?"
"It's too early for that!"
"Why are you embarrassed? Weren't you the one who held my hands above my head—"
She tried to stomp my foot, but I dodged.
"Stop saying things like that in public."
"So, it's fine in private?"
"...Yes."
She looked away, her face red.
When we reached the school building, we encountered Katsuragi.
"Hajime, you are also earlycomer?"
"Well yeah. Suzune, he is my classmate, Katsuragi."
I expected her to just nod her head and not acknowledge his existence.
But surprisingly, she grabbed my arm tightly and said, "I am his girlfriend. There is a stalker in your class, Sakayanagi Arisu. So make sure that she doesn't come close to him, understood?"
"Oh... Understood."
Katsuragi awkwardly nodded. Suzune really doesn't hesitate in ordering strangers.
But she is protecting me. It makes me feel happy.
And softness is touching me, so it is making me feel happier.
As if guessing my thoughts, she let go, and it made me feel a little sad.
Anyway, we first arrived in class 1-D.
Suzune's seat is just beside the Protagonist seat.
And Ayanokoji is sitting on the protagonist seat. This will make things easier.
As soon as he saw us, he got up from his seat.
"Umm, does anyone wants to exchange seats with me?"
"For real!? Thanks dude!"
There weren't many people in the class yet, but an otaku like guy quickly agreed to exchange seats.
I went to that Otaku and said, "She is my girlfriend."
"Nah man. Don't worry. I am only interested in 2D girls. I won't bother her."
So Suzune sat on her seat, and I went to my class.
Only me, Katsuragi, Sakayanagi and what was her name again? Shirashi or something? Only they were here right now.
As I went to my seat, Sakayanagi suddenly started speaking again.
"Hajime-kun, do you think it is best to let your misunderstanding cost our class badly?"
I ignored her and took out my maths book and started solving problems ahead of class.
Katsuragi stood up for me.
"Sakayanagi, stop bothering him."
"Fufu~ Katsuragi-kun, it's just a misunderstanding. I have no attraction towards him. I just want to compete with him in a battle of wits, and crush him.
Maybe he is just too much self-conscious?"
"In any case, don't come near him and don't speak to him. He already has a girlfriend. Our behaviour effects the points we will receive the next month, so please be on your best behaviour."
Huh? Katsuragi also figured it out?
"Fufu~ Not bad at all, Katsuragi-kun. For now, I will play with you. But you know, he has complained about me to the Student Council. That will surely effect our points in the future a lot, even though it is a false accusation.
Afterall, the false accuser is also in the same class as us."
...Wow... I can't believe she is trying to ruin my reputation like this.
She really is a psycho.
"Sakayanagi, I am not going to pull back my complaint just because you think you can manipulate public opinion and try to force me.
If you think that it is just a misunderstanding, then prove it before the Student Council."
"I don't think that's fair. Afterall, isn't your girlfriend Student Council President's sister?"
She is way too creepy!
How does she know that!?
Doesn't this basically prove that she is a stalker!?
"You are thinking wrong, Hajime-kun. It is public knowledge. Why don't you check the school forum?"
I frowned and checked the forum.
And indeed, there was a discussion about me and Suzune. That we are a first year couple, and Suzune is Horikita-senpai's sister.
The thread was started by Kamuro from our class, and there wasn't a single comment from Sakayanagi. Maybe she might be using anonymous accounts, but the thread that revealed our relationship and Suzune being Horikita-senpai's sister was started by Kamuro Masumi from our class.
She used her real account, which is strange.
But it does make it easier for Sakayanagi to avoid Student Council on the basis of my indirect relation with Horikita-senpai.
Question is, why would Kamuro do this?
She could have just used an anonymous account if she really is a gossip girl.
If we were in different classes, then it wouldn't have been strange. But we are in the same class.
This means that Kamuro most likely did this on Sakayanagi's instructions. Maybe Sakayanagi threatened her by throwing around her status as the Chairman's daughter?
But, wouldn't it have been better to use someone from another class then?
If she really is using her status to threaten her, anyone would do. But she didn't do that, so maybe because she doesn't have that kind of power over someone from other class.
She can't just go to her neighbour and use her?
Hmm... So, does this mean that she really isn't using her status, but actually has some dirt on Kamuro?
Or... by this elaborate scheme, does she want me to think that she wouldn't use her status?
Thus validating her claim that she wants to compete with me in a battle of wits.
She is trying very hard to not involve the Student Council, or at the very least, Horikita Manabu due to 'conflict of interest'.
Given Horikita-senpai's personality, it wouldn't be a surprise that someone hates him on the council.
And if that person mediates, things wouldn't go in my favour.
So, going to the Student Council is risky, even for me.
And if we go there, we will surely lose points due to the Social Credit System if it uses whole class as a unit instead of an individual.
So even if I win in the Student Council, my classmates will start to hate me for losing points.
And if I withdraw my complaint, she will try hard to paint me as a false accuser.
She is really cunning and psycho.
But she probably didn't consider Katsuragi in her plan.
He has figured out that behaviour can lead to less points, so he is quite intelligent.
Katsuragi bowed his head to me.
"I know that it is wrong for me to ask you to drop the complaint, but for the sake of class, let me meditate between you two.
And Sakayanagi, stop trying to spread rumours and control public perception, otherwise, I will not try to convince Hajime to drop the complaint. Only speak when your side is to be heard."
Yeah. I didn't have to do anything to change my stance of not taking it to the Student Council. Katsuragi did everything for me.
And since he is bowing his head, I can sigh and say, "Only because you are asking, Katsuragi."