Natsukawa pulled out a chair and sat down, rubbing his temples in annoyance.
"It seems I need to reflect deeply as well. My mouth runs wild when my emotions flare up, which is a big no-no."
Since he had been seen through, there was no point in denying it. Moreover, in front of a smart, good-natured person like Hirata, appropriate honesty was more conducive to controlling the situation.
"Since Natsukawa-kun has admitted it..."
Hirata Yosuke suddenly stood up, walked to Natsukawa's front, and bowed deeply.
"Please! Please help Karuizawa-san!"
"Since you know about her, you should also know her current situation."
Natsukawa Sosuke looked at the man who was humbling himself for someone else's problems, sighing inwardly, but did not immediately agree.
"Help her? Why help?" Natsukawa's tone was cold. "This is trouble she brought upon herself. And in her current state, even if I talked myself hoarse, it would be useless."
Hirata straightened up, a sad frankness on his face.
"Actually... Karuizawa-san is also a very pitiful person."
He hesitated, seemingly weighing something. But seeing Natsukawa's feigned indifferent gaze, he finally decided to reveal everything.
"What I'm about to say, Natsukawa-kun, please keep it strictly confidential."
"Actually, Karuizawa-san suffered severe bullying for nine years during elementary and middle school."
"Her heart... still bears the scars from that time."
"To avoid repeating the past in this new school, and to protect herself, she approached me at the beginning of the semester, asking me to pretend to be her boyfriend to establish her status among the girls."
"I agreed. Because... I once lost an important friend due to being a bystander to bullying. I don't want to see a tragedy repeat."
Hirata clenched his fists, his eyes filled with pain and self-reproach.
"But now, the seeds that could trigger bullying have found her again. Although some of it is her own problem, I don't want to just watch her repeat the same mistakes. And I... my principles prevent me from actively harming Class C students to protect her. I'm useless, I know."
"So, please, Natsukawa-kun!"
Hirata pleaded again, "You are far from as simple as you appear. Since you have the ability to control the situation of the entire class, you must have a way to save her! Please!"
Looking at Hirata in this state, Natsukawa Sosuke sighed inwardly.
'He's truly a hopelessly good-natured person.'
Natsukawa Sosuke leaned back in his chair, his fingers gently tapping the armrest, seemingly in thought.
After a long moment, he slowly spoke.
"I can help her."
Hirata's eyes instantly lit up. "Really?! Thank you, Natsukawa-kun!"
"Don't thank me yet."
Natsukawa raised his hand, cutting off his gratitude.
"To completely solve Karuizawa's problem, gentleness and reasoning alone won't work."
"So... I hope that when the time comes, you won't blame my methods for being a bit 'extreme.'"
Upon hearing the word "extreme," the smile on Hirata's lips instantly stiffened.
He instinctively felt a hint of unease.
"Um... Natsukawa-kun." Hirata swallowed, cautiously probing, "If possible, let's try to use some gentler methods, alright? For example..."
"Gentle methods won't save her."
Natsukawa Sosuke coldly interrupted him. "Surgery always involves blood, Hirata. To excise a tumor, one must endure pain."
Hirata opened his mouth, but ultimately succumbed to Natsukawa's unyielding aura.
"...I understand."
...The next day, 12:50 PM.
With ten minutes left until the third discussion began, Natsukawa Sosuke pushed open the door to the Rabbit Class room on the 5th floor.
Although it wasn't officially time to start, most of the people were already in the room. The air was filled with an even more restless atmosphere than yesterday, and everyone's conversation revolved around the same thing — the monkey group that had suddenly ended its exam on the first day.
"Hey, did you hear? The monkey group finished last night!"
"Really? It was only the first day! Who's that amazing?"
"They must be guessing, right? How could anyone figure out who the VIP was in one day?"
"But if they guessed wrong, the class would lose points. Who would be so bold?"
The unknown is often the most terrifying.
The sudden end of the monkey group was like a bomb thrown into a calm lake, completely disrupting the other groups' methodical pace. Everyone was worried that their own group might also suddenly have a "traitor" who would end the game before they could react.
Natsukawa Sosuke took in these discussions, his face still bearing that 'none of my business' expression.
"Oh, Natsukawa-kun! Good afternoon!"
Ichinose Honami stood there, hands behind her back, body slightly leaning forward, her jewel-like eyes sparkling with curiosity. Her smile today was as energetic as ever.
"Everyone's discussing the monkey group thing." Ichinose lowered her voice, leaning in like a little girl sharing a secret. "What do you think, Natsukawa-kun? Is it true that someone has mastered a foolproof method?"
"I don't know about a foolproof method."
"However... regarding who ended the monkey group exam, I happen to know a 'little bit' of inside information."
"Eh?! Really?"
Ichinose's eyes instantly lit up. "Who is it? Which class? How did they do it?"
"There are too many ears here; it's not a good place to talk."
Natsukawa Sosuke pointed to the crowd of people around them, ears perked up, then lowered his head and leaned close to Ichinose's ear, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"After the discussion, shall we talk privately?"
Warm breath brushed against her earlobe, sending a slight tingling current throughout her body.
"Pri... privately..."
Ichinose Honami's body stiffened abruptly, her originally fair earlobes visibly turning a shade of crimson.
(Privately chat... doesn't that mean... a date?!)
Although they had a contract to pretend to be a couple, and they had gone shopping together on weekends, on a cruise ship full of classmates, in plain sight... this kind of private meeting with a clear purpose made her heart pound uncontrollably.
"H-how about it?"
Ichinose nervously avoided Natsukawa's gaze, unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. "Um... although I really want to know the information, but..."
"What? You don't want to?" Natsukawa mischievously pressed. "Then I'll just have to keep this secret to myself. After all... this is confidential information that can only be told to a girlfriend."
Upon hearing the words "girlfriend," Ichinose's face turned completely red, like a ripe peach.
(Natsukawa-kun is really... always teasing me with that.)
(But... since he actively mentioned this identity, it means he doesn't dislike our relationship, right? And... and it's true that I haven't been alone with him in a long time...)
An emotion called "expectation" quietly grew, hidden beneath her shyness.
"I... I didn't say I wasn't willing."
Ichinose mumbled softly, then, as if to hide her shyness or to convince herself, she quickly found a plausible excuse.
"Ahem! Well... after all, in everyone's eyes, we're a couple! If we don't interact, the kids in Class B will definitely get suspicious!"
She looked up, her gaze wandering, but her voice was feigning composure:
"So... to shut up the Class B students, after the discussion, let's go for a walk on the deck together! Yes, that's right! It's just to shut them up! It's part of 'work'!"
Looking at her trying so hard to find an excuse, the smile in Natsukawa Sosuke's eyes deepened.
"Then it's settled."
Natsukawa Sosuke reached out and very naturally straightened her slightly messy bangs. "For Class B, you've worked hard, Ichinose-san."
Feeling the warmth of his fingertips on her forehead, Ichinose felt like her head was about to steam. She nodded haphazardly and ran back to her seat as if escaping, not daring to look at Natsukawa again...