บท 796: Today’s Battle Sacrificing Friends

The official sports festival is open, all students line up on the field, and outside the rest area, many parents hold photography equipment.

Even though there is a big boss in the media industry among them... The complexity of the parents' careers at Shuchi'in Academy has opened Shinichi's eyes.

Currently, he, Fumino, Itsuki, and others are standing in a square formation of Class B second-year, listening to long speeches from the principal, guests, and others on stage.

"Itsuki, I know what happened between you and Yotsuba."

Hearing Shinichi say this in a deep voice, Itsuki is immediately surprised, and her eyes widen in disbelief.

"Asada-kun, how do you know?! Can you smell it?"

So shocked that Shinichi, who initially pretended to be serious, became confused.

"Smell? I'm talking about your conversation with Yotsuba earlier. I saw it from above."

"Ah, I see, that's what happened... Luckily, I thought the smell wasn't that strong..."

Muttering unclear words, Itsuki sighs in relief.

Seeing Shinichi still staring at her strangely, she can't help but cough twice, turn her face away, and calmly say, "Did you ask what we were talking about?"

"Yeah, I'm quite concerned about Yotsuba," Shinichi said frankly. "Although I can't see clearly from above, I always feel Yotsuba's physical condition isn't too good. I want to know if you can see it too. What will happen?"

Faced with Fumino's 'lewd appearance', Shinichi added, "After half a year of morning practice with Yotsuba, I can still notice these small anomalies."

"Huh~ That's it~" Fumino doesn't say anything, but her tone sounds meaningful.

"About Yotsuba's physical condition... Mhm, lately, she's been very busy to the point where we're a bit worried. I also asked her not to overexert herself..."

For some reason, Shinichi always feels that Itsuki is hiding something. While speaking, her face turns somewhat red, sweat drips from her temples, and her thighs rub against each other.

This guilty expression is 80% similar to Yotsuba's when she lies.

But Shinichi didn't expect that with Itsuki's serious and honest character, she would let Yotsuba do whatever she wanted after realizing something was wrong and even help her hide it from him.

"She assured us that she would definitely protect her body and not overexert herself!"

Itsuki also says this firmly, without guilt or awkwardness.

Shinichi nods and naturally changes the topic without asking further.

Anyway, he just conveyed the information. If something really happens, he still has to rely on his own adaptability.

Although he doesn't know what Itsuki is hiding, Shinichi sets aside that issue. After the emcee announces the official start of the sports festival, he goes to the preparation area with the second-year students and begins to line up.

Each class prepares an opening event, and the second year usually features a net dance. A slogan and movements derived from the movements of fishermen's nets when catching herring.

It seems to be a dance used to pray for a good harvest, but in terms of performance effects, if performed by a group of people, it will be very impressive, delighting the audience and also heating up the atmosphere as a show.

Fortunately, it is a group activity for the second year. Even if he has to act like a fisherman, holding an air net on the field in front of many people, dancing and clapping, Shinichi won't be too embarrassed.

After the class is over, Fuutarou comes and walks with him to the class rest area very naturally.

Honestly, Shinichi spends a lot of time alone.

Itsuki and Nino, who have cheerful and generous personalities, of course, have good female friends and small groups in the class... like the Thorny Club and others. It's impossible to be together continuously.

Several times, Fuutarou from the Lone Ranger takes a position beside him.

Compared to Nariyuki and his two friends, Omori and Kobayashi, Fuutarou always goes to school, studies alone, and has lunch alone. He only has a few people to talk to not only in class but also throughout the school. Unfortunately, this is very similar to Shinichi's situation.

Though being the student council president doesn't mean Shinichi's friend list will cover the entire school, let alone naughty friends, close friends, and the like.

From this perspective, Fuutarou's existence is "special" for him.

Certainly referring to mutual sympathy.

A lonely person needs a friend. Even if they only say dirty words and tease each other, it's better than standing on a large field in the midst of a noisy crowd but always feeling trapped in the silent depths of the sea.

"Hey, you're good at net dancing."

Fuutarou rarely shows a bright smile.

"You express the tangled emotions conveyed by the fishing net, held by the fishermen, struggling between humans and fish, so vivid and amazing... It feels like the audience outside the venue is stunned."

Shinichi: "..."

If something is wrong, there must be something. How could Fuutarou praise him so enthusiastically?

Shinichi half-closes his eyes, looks at him with exaggerated acting, and lets him talk nonsense.

Sure enough, the next sentence...

"Did you incorporate your own experience into it? A popular president among women."

While chuckling, Fuutarou puts a mocking look on his face.

"Could it be that when you practiced net dance, you let those girls hold hands and compete with each other to feel the sensation of a fishing net? Ck ck, us ordinary people really can't learn such operations."

Shinichi pouts.

"Who said that? Look for a guy."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Shinichi rolls his eyes, then crosses his arms and looks at Fuutarou with disgust.

"You stared at me while we danced, didn't you?"

"Hah?!" As if told something on his mind, Fuutarou shouts loudly.

"If you haven't noticed me, why are you so impressed with my dance? Even Fumino and the others weren't that enthusiastic."

Shinichi moves away from him and clicks his tongue in disgust.

"Disgusting, Uesugi-san, you're really disgusting. It's okay to do this to women, it's just an ordinary pervert, but doing this to a man..."

"As the student council president, I feel the need to eliminate losses for the school. Please go to the security room after class today for execution."

"Is it an immediate execution?!"

Fuutarou complains, then his cheeks move several times, and he retorts, not wanting to lose.

"Disgusting once can create a misunderstanding like that. Just like someone running naked on the street, everyone will look at it out of curiosity, right? Stop being narcissistic."

Shinichi lowers his head and apologizes sincerely.

"Right. I'm too narcissistic. I sincerely apologize."

"...Hm?"

"Uesugi-san is dating his student. This is already known to everyone in Tokyo. Saying such things to the beautiful man is really rude."

"Next time, I'll be careful with my words and actions and only mock Uesugi-san."

Fuutarou: "..."

There are so many flaws in this sentence that he doesn't know how to complain about it. His face turns red for a long time before he grits his teeth and says:

"I'm not dating Totsuka!"

Shinichi nods, "So his name is Totsuka. Totsuka from Chiba... I'll use my connections to check his identity and address now, and write a confession letter with your handwriting and send it to him."

"...I was wrong. I shouldn't have mocked you. You're competent as the student council president, and it's reasonable if you're loved by everyone."

"Yeah, I think so too."

Shinichi nods satisfactorily and accepts Fuutarou's embarrassing apology.

In today's battle to hurt friends, Shinichi still emerges victorious.