“Seriously?”

“Ara, ara~”

In the equipment room, Chiaki and Touka’s surprised voices echoed.

The week after midterms, during sparring practice with Karin, Shiki’s hand, which had never once touched her before, finally grazed her shoulder.

“Amazing, Shiki-senpai!”

As Haruno clapped enthusiastically, Karin grinned broadly and placed a hand on Shiki’s shoulder.

“You’re getting pretty good, Shiki.”

“Thanks to Kohinata-san and everyone else.”

“Ooh, model answer, huh?”

“You’re actually getting kinda capable, aren’t you? You’re dodging my airsoft gun pretty well now, too.”

“Your falling techniques are coming along nicely, too~.”

“And your kicks are getting way higher!”

Perhaps trying to mimic a high kick, Haruno raised her leg, but it barely went up—lower than Shiki’s kicks before he started flexibility training—prompting bitter smiles from Karin and the others.

Thanks to the incident where Karin had landed a high kick on Kawato, Shiki was secretly relieved that Haruno’s leg didn’t rise high enough to flash anything under her skirt.

“Well, you’re building a solid foundation, so it might be time to take the lessons to the next level…”

Karin, still smiling, tightened her grip on Shiki’s shoulder.

“But I’m a bit miffed you touched me, so let’s go another round.”

Her words proved she hadn’t been holding back, which made Shiki truly feel the weight of touching her for the first time. However—

(But today, Kohinata-san’s movements seem kinda sluggish…)

He had that fleeting thought, but in the next round, as expected, his hand didn’t even graze her. Instead, she touched him all over, making him painfully aware it was just his imagination.

The next day.

Right after first period ended, Shiki received a LINE message from Chiaki and Touka saying they’d taken Karin to the infirmary.

Checking the message, he rushed out of the classroom and headed to the infirmary.

Bursting through the door—

“Kohinata-san!”

He called her name loudly as he entered, only to freeze like a statue.

It wasn’t because of some happy-embarrassing event, like catching Karin changing.

The school nurse was staring right at him.

Nakajo-sensei, with a buzz cut, sunglasses, and a menacing look—hardly what you’d expect from a nurse, rumored to hide a gun under her white coat.

“This is the infirmary. Keep it down.”

Nakajo’s calm warning carried a quiet intensity, scaring Shiki enough to reply “Yes!” in a slightly squeaky voice before hurrying toward the bed where Chiaki, Touka, and Haruno were gathered.

“Oh, Shi-kun’s here too~.”

Perhaps to make room, Touka stepped back, and Chiaki followed suit.

Thanks to their small gesture, Shiki could see Karin sitting on the bed.

Her face was slightly flushed, and instead of her usual pineapple cigarette, she wore a mask over her mouth.

“What, even Shiki’s here?”

Her exasperated tone lacked its usual energy.

“It’s just a cold, jeez. But I get dragged to the infirmary, and now you’re all crowding around… You guys are overreacting.”

“N-No way, senpai, you can’t underestimate a cold…! It’s said to be the root of all illnesses…! Your fever’s over thirty-eight degrees, too…!”

Haruno spoke in a restrained but urgent tone.

It was easy to forget, given her usual airheadedness, but Haruno was a doctor’s daughter and, barring any clumsiness, adept at first aid.

Unable to argue with her, Karin furrowed her brow and fell silent.

“I thought maybe because I touched you during sparring yesterday…”

“Idiot. I was fine yesterday, so you touching me was all your skill. The fever started this morning. And I don’t even know what caused it…”

“No, you do know. You studied that hard.”

“Hey, Chiaki, you’re not seriously saying I got a fever from studying, are you?”

“What else could it be?”

“Are you stupid? Midterms ended last week!”

“So it’s a delayed-onset fever from studying, then~.”

“There’s no such thing as delayed-onset fever from studying!”

“Wait, Chiaki-senpai, Touka-senpai. A fever from studying is something babies get suddenly, not from studying too much. That’s a myth!”

“You know that off the top of your head!? And what kind of follow-up is that!?”

“Hey, guys, ease up. Don’t make a sick person retort so much.”

“Yes! Shiki just said something great. So please, stop saying stupid stuff…!”

Keeping her voice low for the infirmary, Karin forcibly ended the banter.

Her breathing was rough, like “huff, huff.”

“You guys are gonna make it worse.”

“Good. Maybe then you’ll actually want to go home early.”

At Chiaki’s words, Shiki let out an “Eh?”

“You’re not going home early? With a thirty-eight-degree fever?”

“It’s just a bit tiring ‘cause the fever’s high. It’s not like I can’t handle classes. I mean, I didn’t even cough once during all that bantering, right?”

“Still…”

Despite Shiki and the others’ concern, Karin raised her voice slightly, addressing Nakajo.

“So, sensei, I’m heading to second period and beyond as is.”

“Do what you want.”

With the nurse’s approval, Karin stood up.

“Come on, you guys, get back to class. Next period’s about to start.”

　◇　◇　◇

Lunch break.

Kawato, along with his two lackeys, headed as usual to show face at the faction’s meeting.

Since lunch would have to wait until afterward, it was a major hassle, but even Kawato absolutely wanted to avoid incurring the wrath of Arai, the faction’s top.

Back in middle school, there were hardly any guys who’d fight back properly, so Kawato never lost a fight and reigned as the school’s top.

That led to his delusion, making him arrogant enough to think he could take over St. Lukimantz Academy, notorious as a delinquent school.

Right after enrolling, he recklessly challenged Arai to a fight… only to get beaten to a pulp and forcibly dragged into his faction.

If it had ended there, he might’ve salvaged some pride, but within the faction, plenty of guys were stronger fighters than Kawato.

He was forced to face reality.

The fact that even violence requires talent.

That he wasn’t one of them—the people on the side of Arai Ryougo, Kohinata Karin, and the other four faction tops.

That the only ones he could beat were those on this side—like Orifushi Shiki, who had not a shred of talent for violence.

So, he thought, fine.

Like in middle school, he’d vent his stress by beating up weaklings who wouldn’t fight back, living each day for fun.

Looking back, being forced into Arai’s faction was, in a way, a damn good shield.

If he could just toss aside his petty pride, he could enjoy a decent school life—or so he thought.

(Orifushi…)

Unconsciously, his eyes turned menacing.

That bastard, a weakling, one of us, had the nerve to bring him to his knees, even if it was a fluke.

It was utterly unforgivable.

He wanted to crush him right then and there… but not now.

That bastard had somehow gotten the Empress as his shield.

In his first year, Kawato saw with his own eyes how the Empress, enraged over her faction mates being attacked, single-handedly beat the crap out of Arai, who was two heads taller.

In a school full of dangerous types, that woman was far and away the most dangerous.

(But…)

The rumor that the Empress had caught a cold and was running a high fever had already spread throughout the school. Arai wouldn’t miss a chance like this.

(If that’s the case, it might come. A chance to crush that bastard Orifushi.)

With that hope, Kawato headed to the empty classroom on the fourth floor, the Arai Faction’s base.

“Today, we crush Kohinata.”

Arai, lounging arrogantly in a chair by the window, declared exactly what Kawato expected to everyone present.

In response, Oosako, the third-year Arai Faction Number 2, the only one who could talk to Arai as an equal despite being shorter than Arai’s over-180cm height, offered a calm opinion.

“No doubt this is our only shot to crush the Empress. But you know starting something inside the school is a no-go, right, Arai?”

“Yeah. Too many losers back Kohinata’s faction just ‘cause she’s a girl.”

“We’d need to do it outside… which means we need a plan.”

“Are you saying I’d lose to a weakened Kohinata?”

Arai’s voice, laced with anger, made Kawato, his lackeys, and other faction members catch their breath.

Amid this, Oosako alone responded coolly.

“Not saying that. But if Tsukiike Chiaki and Hiyama Touka get involved, it’ll be a real pain. They’re pretty damn skilled. Anyone but you or me would be outmatched.”

“Even if I get Kohinata in a one-on-one fight, they might interfere… is that it?”

“And another thing—remember that obvious normie guy the Empress has been hanging around with lately?”

“Yeah…”

Arai’s glance briefly shifted to Kawato, who flinched for no reason.

“That guy’s clearly a worthless small fry. Whether he’s there or not, he won’t matter.”

Feeling implicitly labeled a small fry himself, Kawato trembled with frustration as Oosako continued.

“Exactly because he’s a worthless small fry, he might pull some lame stunt like calling the cops. So, to shut that down…”

“You’re saying we need a plan.”

As Oosako nodded, Kawato privately puzzled.

Despite Momozono Haruno, an even weaker small fry than Orifushi in Kohinata’s faction, Oosako hadn’t mentioned her at all.

(What, he doesn’t know about her?)

But on second thought, it wasn’t impossible.

Sure, Haruno’s looks were starting to become a rumor, but only among first-years.

With third-years’ classrooms on the second floor and first-years’ on the fourth, the physical distance made rumors less likely to reach.

Kawato himself wouldn’t have noticed her without the pickup attempt—his term for it.

Plus, when Hiyama Touka got a new girlfriend, she’d sometimes bring her to Kohinata’s faction, so even if Arai’s faction saw Haruno with the Empress’s crew, they might not realize she’s a member.

(This could be useful…)

Unconsciously, the corners of his mouth curled up as Kawato raised his hand.

“Arai-san, Oosako-san, got a sec?”

“What?”

As Oosako answered for Arai, Kawato’s grin widened.

“There’s this first-year girl, Momozono Haruno…”

◇　◇　◇

After school that day.

As Shiki and the others tried to cancel fight lessons and study sessions to escort Karin home, she said with utter exasperation:

“I keep telling you, I don’t need you guys escorting me everywhere.”

“No, saying that while you’re barely standing isn’t exactly convincing, Kohinata-san.”

At Shiki’s remark, Karin faltered with an “Ngh.”

“Rinrin’s got a lot of allies, but just as many enemies~.”

“Some delinquent idiot might see you weakened and think it’s their chance. In that sense, it’s kinda bad for Haruno, but maybe lucky she got invited to hang out with her classmates today.”

As she spoke, Chiaki’s expression carried a hint of guilt.

They hadn’t told Haruno about canceling the lessons or escorting Karin home. This was out of respect for Karin’s wish not to ruin Haruno’s rare chance to hang out with class friends because of her.

“Right~. If we’re outnumbered, protecting Haru-non too would be tough~.”

“Why’re you guys automatically putting me on the ‘protected’ side? Dealing with delinquent idiots while I’ve got a cold sounds about right.”

“I said, it’s not convincing when you’re wobbling like that, Kohinata-san.”

Repeating his earlier point, Shiki suddenly realized something.

“…Wait, I’m not on the ‘protected’ side?”

At that, Chiaki and Touka exchanged glances.

“Nah, the way you are now, you’re definitely not someone who needs protecting.”

“You did chase off those bad kids on your own the other day, right~?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

Seeing Shiki’s reaction, Karin, for whatever reason, started hamming it up.

“Ugh, I’m feeling kinda rough. No way I can fight like this. So, Shiki, if some delinquent idiot comes at me, you better protect me perfectly, got it?”

Her over-the-top delivery aside, Shiki couldn’t just say “No way” to that. He sighed in resignation, replying, “Yes, understood.”

Deep down, though, he felt a tiny thrill at Karin asking him to “protect her.”

With quiet determination, he joined Chiaki and the others to escort Karin home, but there was no sign of the feared delinquent attack or even anyone tailing them.

Despite his resolve, Shiki was secretly relieved, realizing he still wasn’t cut out to be the “protector.”

(…Wait? But this means…)

While climbing the stairs to the apartment Karin rented, he had another sudden realization.

He was, unexpectedly, heading to Karin’s place.

(No, no way. It’s not like—)

“Your face totally looks like you’re hoping to go up to Rin-rin’s place~.”

Touka’s dead-on comment made his heart leap as if a badump sound effect had gone off.

“Whoa? Don’t tell me, Orifushi, you’ve never been to a girl’s place?”

Chiaki’s equally dead-on jab made his heart leap with another badump.

“Sorry to ruin the mood, but I’m not letting anyone into my place. Besides, it’s so cramped it’d be tight with this many people.”

“What, you sure? I could whip up some porridge for you… or Touka could.”

“You’re passing it off to her? And letting Touka in my place in this state would be way more dangerous than any delinquent idiots.”

“That’s a fair point.”

“No way~! I’d just wipe your sweat and maybe accidentally cop a feel~.”

“That’s way too fair!”

Chiaki shot back with a retort, and Shiki gave a wry smile, privately relieved the whole “going to a girl’s place” topic had been spectacularly derailed.

In the midst of this, Karin stopped in front of a door.

It seemed they’d reached her apartment.

“Anyway, I don’t need porridge or sweat-wiping, so go home already. …It’d suck if you caught my cold from fussing over me, right?”

Her latter words came as she blatantly looked away.

Her bright red ears probably weren’t just from the fever.

Chiaki and Touka smirked, and Shiki couldn’t help but soften his expression.

“Man, saying stuff like that just makes us wanna stick around more.”

“Ugh, shut up. Seriously, just go already.”

“Alright, alright.”

“Rinrin… I’d gladly catch your cold—ohh♥!”

As Touka tried to hug Karin, Chiaki’s stun baton exploded into her side.

Having seen this exchange dozens of times, Shiki was unfazed. Ignoring Touka writhing on the floor, he said to Karin:

“Well then, Kohinata-san, take care.”

“…Yeah.”

With a short reply, Karin slipped into her apartment as if escaping.

“Tch, thanks, you guys. For walking me home.”

Leaving behind a shy thank-you, she slowly closed the door.

Once the sound of the lock clicking confirmed she was safe, Chiaki let out a small sigh.

“She’s like that, so we can’t just leave her alone.”

“Right~.”

Touka, still smirking, agreed.

Though it might be presumptuous for someone just taking fight lessons, Shiki agreed with Chiaki. Seeing Karin like that, no one could just leave her be.

“Still, if we fuss too much, she might get pissed, so let’s head home.”

“Right~. Sticking around to hang out would feel bad for Rinrin~.”

“Also, sorry, Orifushi. Your place is in the opposite direction, and we dragged you along.”

“No, it’s fine. I was worried about Kohinata-san too… including the part about someone acting like an escort wolf.”

Shiki and Chiaki’s gazes zeroed in on Touka.

The culprit whistled overly skillfully, looking away.

Chatting like this, the three descended the stairs together, stepped out of the apartment building, and decided to talk a bit more before parting ways, each heading home.

Unaware that an incident would soon make them regret not having someone stay by Karin’s side…

◇ ◇ ◇

Entering her room, Karin took off her mask and collapsed onto the bed without changing.

She wasn’t coughing much, had no nausea, and still had some appetite, but the high fever left her body so sluggish it was hard to stand.

“Ugh… damn it… I really gotta change…”

Despite her words, the lethargy made changing feel like a chore, and she couldn’t muster the energy to move.

She just wanted to sleep, but that might worsen her cold, so she consciously kept her eyes open, waiting for the energy to change.

Some time later, as she dozed off, her phone vibrated in her uniform pocket, jolting her awake.

Thinking someone sent a worried message, she opened LINE, but…

“…Huh?”

A low, menacing voice slipped out.

The message, sent from Momozono Haruno’s account, clearly wasn’t from her.

Attached was a photo of Haruno, hands and feet bound, unconscious on some floor.

The message read:

‘We have your junior. If you want her back safely, come alone to the abandoned warehouse on the edge of town. Needless to say, if you tell your friends or the police, we won’t guarantee her safety. Arai.’

As if confirming she’d seen it, another image arrived—a map with a marked location.

The meaning was crystal clear.

“Seriously, they’ve got some nerve…!”

Leaping from the bed, Karin stormed out with fierce steps, as if her earlier lethargy was a lie.

◇ ◇ ◇

It was a four-story tenant building in a corner of the downtown area.

Due to the economy, only an obscure company’s office occupied the top floor, with the rest vacant, giving it a desolate, almost abandoned feel with no guards or reception.

In the basement, once an office space for a single company, the Arai Faction delinquents used it as one of their bases.

In the back, partitioned off in what was once the president’s office, were Kawato, his two lackeys, Arai Faction Number 2 Oosako, and the unconscious Haruno.

“It’s marked as read. Now we just need the Empress to take the bait… but she probably will.”

Oosako, pocketing Haruno’s phone, glanced at Kawato.

“Who’d have thought your pathetic display would come in handy like this?”

He was referring, of course, to Kawato’s loss to Orifushi—something Kawato refused to acknowledge.

Kawato himself saw it as humiliating and wanted to forget it, but that incident let him know Haruno was the Empress’s junior, a member of Kohinata’s faction.

By sharing that info, Oosako devised and executed a plan to abduct Haruno, isolating the Empress from her faction’s face.

The abduction method was ruthless: threatening a female student close to Haruno to lure her to a designated spot, with no regard for her friendships.

Naturally, they’d thoroughly intimidated the girl to ensure she wouldn’t snitch.

“…Hm?”

Oosako raised an eyebrow, pulling out his own phone, separate from Haruno’s.

A call came from a low-ranking faction member. Oosako answered with an unnecessarily smug “It’s me.”

After a brief exchange, he hung up, swapped phones, and turned to Kawato.

“The Empress was spotted heading to the warehouse alone, as promised. Time to move to the next phase.”

“So, Oosako-san…”

“Yeah, as you wanted, I’ll give you a chance to put that Orifushi guy in his place.”

That was the reward for Kawato’s intel.

Next, Oosako would use Haruno’s phone to message Tsukiike Chiaki, Hiyama Touka, and Orifushi Shiki.

The content was similar to Karin’s message, but the location was changed to this building—where forty of the Arai Faction’s fifty-plus members were gathered—rather than the warehouse where Arai waited.

The plan was to split Karin from Chiaki and the others, then crush both groups. That was Oosako’s strategy.

As a low-ranking member, Kawato would normally have to fight as a soldier to crush Kohinata’s faction, but his reward granted him freedom to act independently.

(If I’m honest, I’d rather call out Orifushi separately…)

But asking for too much risked Arai and Oosako thinking he was getting cocky.

Getting disciplined before dealing with Shiki would defeat the purpose, so Kawato settled for the freedom to act.

“Kawato, just so you know, Orifushi might chicken out and not show. No guarantees, so be ready for that.”

“Nah, that’s fine.”

With a grin mixing anger at Shiki and glee at soon making him pay, Kawato declared:

“That loser’s got a stupid sense of justice. Seeing Haruno kidnapped, he’ll definitely come running.”

◇ ◇ ◇

After parting with Chiaki and the others, Shiki went straight home, where a message from Arai—actually written by Oosako—arrived on his phone.

‘We have your junior. If you want her back safely, come to the basement of a downtown building. Needless to say, if you tell your friends or the police, we won’t guarantee her safety. Arai.’

Staring at the map image sent right after marking as read, as if they were watching him, Shiki’s voice trembled.

“This… this is way too far! It’s outright criminal!”

But he also thought:

Maybe this is why St. Lukimantz Academy is infamous as a delinquent school—because it’s full of people who’d do this without batting an eye.

Even among delinquents, Arai’s faction was clearly different from Karin’s, a fact driven home anew.

“Anyway, I have to hurry!”

Determined to save Haruno, Shiki bolted out of his apartment.

He had no confidence in handling it alone, but he pushed weak thoughts aside and ran through the town as the sun set.

Reaching downtown and checking the map image, he heard a tap tap like someone knocking on a door. Turning, he widened his eyes.

At a stylish café with glass walls, Chiaki and Touka were having tea at a table by the window.

Chiaki beckoned him with a finger, so Shiki hurried inside.

The message warned against telling friends, but since these two—who’d gone home—were here, he was certain it meant something, so he joined them without hesitation.

Though intimidated by the café’s chic vibe, he approached their table.

“You being here means you got that LINE, huh, Orifushi?”

Nodding, as expected, Shiki sat down, showed them the message from Arai, and operated his phone.

“The wording’s exactly the same as ours~.”

“You two being here—does that mean you’ve pinpointed the building?”

“Yup, that one.”

Touka pointed to a four-story building across from the café.

“I looked up the building online, and the basement floor in the photos matches the floor in Haruno’s picture.”

Chiaki showed him images from the building’s website.

“This… looks like a match.”

“Plus, people saw those guys going into the building.”

She opened Twitter, showing posts under “Lukimantz.”

‘That uniform’s from St. Lukimantz Academy, right? Scary.’—with a photo of presumed Arai Faction delinquents entering the building. Others read: ‘Bunch of Lukimantz guys went into that building,’ or ‘Lukimantz idiots are crowding around, ugh.’ Multiple sightings were reported.

No one mentioned Haruno, but images showed Arai Faction delinquents forming a human wall as if hiding something, and one carrying Haruno’s bag.

With this much evidence, there was no doubt Haruno was being held in that building.

“All that’s left is waiting for Rinrin~. She probably got the same LINE.”

“No way she’d stay put after seeing that picture, fever or not.”

“Personally, I’d love to stop her, but…”

“No stopping her this time. I’m pretty pissed myself.”

“With Rinrin probably furious, no amount of talking will stop her. So, Shiki, let’s you and me stay calm~.”

Unlike Chiaki’s intense glare, Touka was her usual self, and Shiki gave an awkward nod.

Chiaki muttered, “Who’re you to talk?”

(This means… when Kohinata-san gets here, we’ll end up fighting the Arai Faction delinquents in that building, right?)

And from their attitudes, it was clear Chiaki and Touka saw Shiki as a fighter.

(Sure, they said I’m not someone who needs protecting, but…)

Being seen as a full-on fighter felt like an overestimation he wanted to loudly protest.

From the Twitter photos, it seemed nearly the entire Arai Faction was waiting in that building.

Honestly, he didn’t feel he could even protect himself, let alone fight.

With Karin’s fever in mind, he doubly didn’t want her coming here.

“Still, Karin’s taking forever.”

“She might be asleep and missed the LINE~.”

“That’d be convenient. If she doesn’t show soon, we’ll storm in without her.”

Hearing their talk, Shiki voiced a sudden question.

“Why would the Arai Faction send us all the same message but say not to tell our friends…?”

Instantly, their gazes turned to him, and he shook his head.

“N-Never mind. It’s not like I meant anything deep.”

“No, if something’s bugging you, spill it. It is weird now that you mention it.”

“B-But really, it’s just a passing thought…”

“Even so, it’s fine~. Their goal is obviously to crush us, but something feels off, and since you’re way smarter than us, Shiki, you might catch something~.”

Unable to refuse, Shiki dug into his question.

“The weirdest part is saying not to tell friends while sending us all to the same place. That practically guarantees we’d meet up, like now…”

“Don’t wanna think it, but maybe they’re luring us together to use that as an excuse to hurt Haruno?”

Shiki slowly shook his head at Chiaki’s suggestion.

“Doing that would defeat the point of taking a hostage. Unless… no offense, but unless everyone in the Arai Faction is that dumb.”

“Nah, don’t worry about that. Our school’s delinquents are mostly idiots, but plenty get crazy cunning when it comes to dirty tricks.”

“Like Arai Faction Number 2, Oosako-senpai~.”

Nodding in understanding, Shiki grew more puzzled.

“Then why would they kidnap someone and pull such a sloppy stunt?”

“Right~. If they really wanted to crush us, it’d be smarter to use Haruno to lure us to different places~.”

The moment he heard Touka’s casual remark, it clicked.

The Arai Faction’s real target was exactly that.

Shiki grabbed his phone and made a call.

Ignoring the conversation’s flow, Chiaki frowned but asked:

“Who’re you calling?”

“Kohinata-san.”

“What… you’re saying their target isn’t us, but Karin alone!?”

Nodding, Shiki waited for an answer… but after several rings, a “The call cannot be connected” message played, and he hung up, pocketing his phone.

“She’s not picking up~?”

Touka asked with an unusually serious look, and Shiki nodded again.

“The Arai Faction sent us all the same message with that ‘don’t tell your friends’ line to cut off contact with Kohinata-san. It was all to isolate her while she’s weakened by her cold…!”

Spitting the words bitterly, Shiki stood.

“I’m going to Kohinata-san’s place—”

“Hold up, Orifushi. I’m checking Karin’s location now. Unless they told her to ditch her phone, we can track her. Then we go.”

As Chiaki operated her GPS app, she clicked her tongue.

“She’s not at home. She’s heading toward the edge of town.”

“Then she was called to a different place than us.”

“Damn it. We thought her place was safe since delinquents don’t know where she lives, but we let our guard down and got played.”

“Probably a diversion too, but with most of the Arai Faction here, they might be setting up a one-on-one with Rinrin and Arai-senpai, at least in name~.”

“Sounds like something Arai would do. A one-on-one against a feverish opponent? That’s barely a fight!”

As the two seethed with regret and frustration, Shiki cut in.

“So, what now? Since she’s not answering, they probably told her not to tell anyone, so someone needs to stop her…”

“We can’t abandon Haruno either, so we split up. But Arai’s almost certainly waiting where Karin’s headed, and she’ll likely get there first.”

“Which means whoever goes after Rinrin will almost definitely have to face Arai-senpai~…”

“But here, we’ve got a ton of Arai Faction idiots, so it’s gotta be two of us here, one for Karin.”

“So, the one going after Rinrin is…”

Both turned to Shiki, who nearly stepped back.

“Uh, Hiyama-san, you just said whoever goes after Kohinata-san will have to fight Arai-senpai, right…?”

He asked nervously, and Touka nodded with utmost seriousness.

“So, if Kohinata-san can’t move properly because of her fever, that means fighting Arai-senpai alone, right?”

“Exactly. That’s why we need you, Shiki. Neither I nor Chi-chan can beat Arai-senpai…”

“Unlike us, who got crushed, you might still have a shot.”

“No way. If Rinrin hadn’t shown up, I’d have lost for sure.”

Hearing this, Shiki swallowed hard.

He knew how strong Chiaki and Touka were.

For them to flat-out say they couldn’t win showed Arai was in a different league.

His fear and tension must’ve shown on his face.

“We’re not trying to scare you, Shiki~.”

“Yeah. That guy’s a monster who shrugs off max-power stun batons or a barrage of ball bearings with a ‘So what?’ But we think your kicks might have a chance.”

“On the flip side, Chi-chan and I don’t have weapons to take him down. My tools didn’t even make him flinch, and I can’t trip him for groundwork, break his joints with brute force, or lock an arm—he’d just lift me up.”

Listening, Shiki grew even more terrified, but—

“But Rinrin beat the crap out of that Arai-senpai~.”

“Probably ‘cause she was pissed for us, but it was so satisfying to watch.”

Their next words left Shiki dumbfounded.

He remembered when Karin and Arai faced off in the hallway, and Arai backed down.

He could imagine Karin beating Arai, but the idea of her—one-sixth of a meter shorter—brutally beating a near-two-meter-tall Arai was beyond shocking.

“Even Karin, in her wobbly state, doesn’t stand a chance. And right now, the only one who might beat Arai… is you, Orifushi.”

Shiki shook his head vigorously.

“No way, no way! I’ve never even been in a real fight!”

“But you touched Rinrin in sparring, Shiki. That’s huge~.”

“That was just because Kohinata-san wasn’t feeling well…”

“Maybe, but even then, it’s a small margin. Arai-senpai could never touch Rinrin.”

Incredulous, Shiki looked to Chiaki.

“I told you, she beat him senseless. Arai couldn’t do anything. He tried so hard but didn’t even graze her, while Karin’s iron fan hit him over and over. Even I felt kinda bad for him.”

The fragmented info made Shiki realize just how extraordinary Karin was.

“We’re not saying you’ll definitely win, Orifushi. But still…”

Chiaki suddenly slammed her hands on the table and bowed her head.

“Chiaki-san!?”

Ignoring Shiki’s shock, she spoke with a tearful voice.

“Karin’s an important friend…! It sucks, but we can’t beat Arai…! Please…!”

“I’m begging you too, Shiki.”

Touka bowed as well.

Unable to say “no” to two girls like this, Shiki relented.

“Okay… I’ll go to Kohinata-san. Besides… I haven’t learned how to fight a crowd, so I might not be useful here…”

Chiaki and Touka raised their heads, one wiping tears from her eyes, the other letting out a relieved sigh.

Seeing them, Shiki realized how unreasonable their request was and how much they cared for Karin.

He wanted to live up to their expectations.

“In return, though it’s weird to say, please take care of Momozono-san.”

“Got it. We’re asking a lot, so we’ll definitely save Haruno, Touka!”

“Of course~. Harunon’s just as important as Rinrin~.”

The three locked eyes and nodded.

Determined to save both Karin and Haruno, they steeled their resolve.