Anri Hitomi dropped a silent bomb on the classroom.
And it wasn't just Kuroba Akira and Fujiyoshi Michio who were stunned—every student in the room was caught off guard.
In that moment, the unremarkable corner of the classroom where Akira sat had become the undeniable center of attention.
If yesterday's brief exchange—Anri stopping Akira to say good morning—was just a cute, friendly gesture that spoke to the class rep's warm attentiveness and wouldn't stir any rumors…
Then today, approaching him with a luxurious three-tiered bento box in hand? Yeah, that was the smoking gun.
Something was going on between them—everyone could see it. Fujiyoshi included.
Akira felt his scalp tingle. This… this was on a whole different level from being singled out by the teachers.
A teacher's care is expected. It's part of their job. Even when Kobayakawa Motoko made Akira her special project, most students didn't think anything inappropriate was going on.
But school is, at the end of the day, a social battlefield for students.
And Anri Hitomi? She was, without question, a campus idol. The crown jewel of Class 1-A's popular crowd. A core figure in the school's elite social tier—the upper circle. Every little thing she did tugged at the heartstrings of a hundred awkward boys nursing quiet crushes.
Kuroba Akira, by contrast, had only just shed the label of "the silent one." That merely brought him from negative-one to zero in the social hierarchy. He was still scraping the bottom—just a quiet background character.
And by now, after a semester together, the students—who came from all over, different middle schools, different walks of life—had formed their friend groups and locked in their social alliances.
People stuck with who they knew. The only reason someone like Fujiyoshi, a loner who happened to sit nearby, would talk to Akira was because they were both orbiting outside the main social solar system.
But Anri Hitomi had just shattered that unspoken rule.
Seeing Akira frozen like a deer in headlights, Anri turned to Fujiyoshi and raised her hand in a gentle, apologetic gesture.
"Sorry, Fujiyoshi-kun. I really appreciate the offer, but Kuroba-kun and I already made plans."
Her tone was like a wife politely turning down her husband's coworker: "Sorry, he won't be joining you guys for drinks tonight—we already planned to have dinner at home together."
Polite, tactful… but leaving no room for negotiation.
"Ah? Uh—ah… oh… yes, of course, please, go ahead…"
Fujiyoshi was flustered beyond belief. It had never once crossed his mind that the ever-distant class rep would not only speak to him—but apologize.
He stammered out a response, unconsciously slipping into keigo.
Sure, Anri Hitomi was kind to everyone. She never looked down on otaku or loners, always treated the class fairly.
But that was because she was the class rep.
Outside of that role, she was something else entirely: gorgeous, top of her class, socially gifted, and officially voted the "Campus Belle" of the new first-years at Hibiya High. A celebrity, basically.
They weren't even in the same universe.
So what the hell was Kuroba Akira's deal?
Fujiyoshi glanced at him, suspicion brewing. Wait a minute… is he secretly a master flirt who seduced the school's top goddess over summer break?!
Akira himself desperately wanted to know what the hell was going on too.
Class rep… what are you doing?!
You're the class rep! Aren't you supposed to be a model of decorum?! Are you seriously trying to ignite a full-blown social war in class?!
By all logic, if Anri had been so cautious yesterday—choosing not to recruit classmates for the Literature Club to avoid disrupting classroom dynamics—then she shouldn't be doing this now.
Akira didn't think she was dumb enough to forget that.
So was she… okay with being misunderstood?
Or maybe she was using him as a decoy?
Either way, it definitely wasn't because she actually wanted to date him.
Yesterday's conversation had been pleasant, but Akira hadn't picked up any romantic vibes. He trusted his ability to read that much, at least.
Even if—if—Anri was interested in him, Akira still wouldn't want to date her. Going out with the top student, the class belle, the social queen? Even a rumor would paint a giant target on his back. He'd become public enemy number one for the invisible but ever-present FFF brigade.
Plus, Akira had never liked being in the spotlight. It came with invisible pressure, and the moment you slipped, bam—you were the perfect scapegoat.
Anyone with a lick of adult common sense knew not to go inviting trouble.
Which is why Akira was now frantically calculating how to defuse this disaster.
Meanwhile, Fujiyoshi, unable to contain his curiosity anymore, asked the question on everyone's mind.
"Um… Anri-san, are you… dating Kuroba-kun?"
The second he asked, he regretted it, slapping a hand over his mouth with a fearful look.
He wasn't afraid of Anri getting angry—he was afraid of angering someone who cared deeply about Anri.
But Anri didn't answer right away.
Instead, she turned to Akira with a calm smile.
Akira wanted to groan. Class rep, don't look at me now! That's way too suggestive!
He shot her a look, practically begging for clarification: What kind of play are we running here?!
Still smiling, Anri's lips curled just a little more, like she was teasing him, clearly enjoying the panic flashing across his face.
Apparently, she was leaving it up to him to define their "relationship."
What a damn hot potato to toss at me…
But Anri wasn't just messing with him. She had come here thinking, If people think we're dating, that's fine too.
Her real goal, though, was to see how Akira would respond. Would he deny it and distance himself? Or would he… brazenly admit it?
Either way, she'd get a read on who he really was.
In a way, this was just the sequel to yesterday's "panty test."
And since Akira wasn't saying anything—was he choosing to go along with it? To obediently play the boyfriend role handed to him?
Well then… if that's how Kuroba-kun sees it…
Anri made up her mind. She'd accept this relationship that hadn't even begun with a confession. She'd come fully prepared.
"Actually, Kuroba-kun and I are—"
"I'M THE CLASS REP'S DOG!"
Akira cut her off with a loud, decisive declaration that dropped like a meteor.
The entire class exploded in shock, gaping at him like he'd grown a second head.
Once the initial blast wave of gasps faded, the girls mostly responded with disgust and exasperation. The boys, though… a lot of them looked impressed.
Bold move, bro. Mad respect.
Akira had pulled the classic counter-tactic: drop an even bigger bomb to smother the last one and redirect the crowd's attention.
This was the legendary self-destruction technique, passed down from the Great Teacher archetype himself!