Chapter 252: Confusion

Behind the protesting female students, a delicate girl wearing thin-framed glasses slowly approached. She stopped a short distance from the protestors and silently observed them.

Seeing this girl, the student council president and vice president were furious. Doesn’t she think she’s caused us enough trouble already? Why would she show up at a time like this? Isn’t she just pouring fuel on the fire?

“How does that woman even have the nerve to show her face here?”

“She’s clearly here to mock us. This time, we must demand the school expel that shameless woman!”

“That’s right! We won’t stop until she’s expelled.”

“That person is Gennai Kazumi?”

“What? You don’t even know who she is? Then why are you here?”

“I… I was dragged here by my classmates.”

The crowd was filled with a mix of murmurs and heated comments. Many of the girls glared at Kazumi, their cold expressions filled with hostility as if she were their mortal enemy. Kazumi herself stood emotionless, her face betraying no reaction.

Seeing the situation, the student council president turned to the vice president and said, “You’d better go explain this to the principal. I need to stay here to prevent any accidents.” By “accidents,” he meant fearing the girls might lose control and physically assault someone.

“Understood. I’ll go now,” the vice president replied and quickly walked away.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Kazumi was also confused. She wasn’t here to cause trouble but because someone had called her to come, so she did.

Fifteen minutes later, just as the female students were growing impatient, two people quietly made their way from the school gate toward the student council office.

Noticing the large crowd of protesting students and onlookers, one of the two hesitated, their expression shifting dramatically. After a moment, they clenched their fists, gritted their teeth, and resolutely continued forward.

As the pair drew closer, some of the girls recognized one of them.

“Isn’t that Ashiro-senpai?”

“It’s really him! Why is he here?”

“Obviously, he’s here because of that shameless woman.”

“I don’t understand why Ashiro-senpai would defend her. He knows what kind of person she is, yet he still protects her.”

Ignoring the muttering around him, Ashiro Hideyuki guided the person beside him through the crowd until they reached Kazumi.

When he stood before Kazumi, he looked at her with a complicated, unreadable expression.

Everyone was puzzled by Ashiro Hideyuki’s sudden appearance, watching him with confused eyes.

After a moment, he turned to the protesting girls and said, “The person in those photos isn’t Gennai Kazumi. It’s the woman standing beside me.” He then gently lifted the chin of the woman next to him, revealing her face.

The crowd froze in shock. Then they saw her face clearly.

The woman standing beside Ashiro Hideyuki bore at least a 70% resemblance to Kazumi. Her hairstyle and glasses were identical to Kazumi’s. When Ashiro gently turned her to show her profile, nearly everyone who had seen the photos had to admit that this woman looked even more like the person in the pictures than Kazumi did. In that moment, they felt a chill run through their hearts.

The crowd fell silent.

After a long pause, the tall girl who had first organized the protest shouted angrily, “Ashiro-senpai, what is the meaning of this? Are you so desperate to protect Gennai Kazumi that you found someone who vaguely resembles her to take the blame? Don’t you think this is going too far?”

Hearing this, another girl standing beside her quickly caught on and chimed in loudly, “That’s right! Ashiro-senpai, this is unacceptable!”

Sensing an opportunity to salvage their stance, several other girls joined in, voicing their dissatisfaction.

Ashiro Hideyuki said nothing but stared at the protesting girls with a look as if they were nothing more than clowns.

After a moment, he slowly turned and walked up to Kazumi. Then, to everyone’s shock, he suddenly knelt before her.

This action stunned everyone, and the crowd stared at him in disbelief.

In the dead silence that followed, Ashiro Hideyuki spoke, his voice steady: “Kazumi, I’m sorry. It was all my doing. I’m the one who created those photos, and the rumors were spread because I secretly had people do it. I did this to make everyone hate you. I thought that if I showed you I believed in you, you would be touched and accept me. It was also a way for me to get back at you for rejecting me multiple times. This woman is the one I hired to pose as you and take those photos.” His expression was stiff, like that of a lifeless corpse.

The woman beside him trembled as she spoke, “I-I’m sorry, I really didn’t know anything. He paid me to do this, and I only took a few photos. It really has nothing to do with me!” As she spoke, the woman started crying.

“Kazumi, I’m sorry.” Ashiro Hideyuki quickly stood and left, walking toward the school gate.

As he left, the woman hurried to follow him.

For a moment, no one spoke. The entire crowd just stood there, staring blankly at the retreating figures of Ashiro Hideyuki and the woman.

The tall girl who had led the protest noticed the banners and arm bands in the hands of a few girls. Suddenly, she found those things unbearably glaring.

Meanwhile, the student council president silently sighed in relief, thankful that the principal hadn’t arrived yet. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed the vice president, hoping he hadn’t called the principal over.

After a while, as the protesting girls started to regain their senses, a deep sense of embarrassment swept over them. Some of the girls who had shouted to have Kazumi expelled now felt their faces burning with shame. Those who had been holding banners quickly threw them aside, while others with protest bands on their arms or foreheads quietly removed them, some even tugging at them in frustration when they couldn’t get them off immediately.

At that moment, Kazumi finally understood why her brother had asked her to come here.

With a faint twitch of her lips, she didn’t spare another glance at the girls. She slowly walked away.

※※※

“Are you satisfied now?” Once outside the school gate, Ashiro Hideyuki got into a car. His face darkened as he spoke to a man in his thirties who was smoking a cigarette.

The man looked at him and suddenly grabbed him by the neck, sneering, “Kid, don’t get too cocky. If you offend me, you won’t end up well. Don’t forget, your life is in our hands now.”

Ashiro Hideyuki’s expression changed, but he didn’t speak further. He knew these people were ruthless. Killing was nothing more than a small matter to them.

After releasing his grip, the man turned to the two young men sitting beside Ashiro Hideyuki. “Take him away.”

“Where are you taking me?” Ashiro Hideyuki asked, a hint of panic in his voice.

“You’ll find out once we get there. Take him now.”

Knowing resistance was futile, Ashiro Hideyuki reluctantly followed the two men out of the car and into another vehicle parked nearby.

Once the car drove off, the man took out his phone.

“Mr. Gennai, the matter is resolved.”

“You’re too polite, this is all we should have done.”

“Rest assured, that kid doesn’t know anything about our background. Also, as per your instructions, I’ve sent him to the club. He’ll be busy there for a while.”

After hanging up, the man signaled for the car to continue driving.

※※※

“Senpai, you’re so lazy! You’ve got all these clothes piled up and still haven’t washed them! And the floor—did you even sweep it? Look at all the dust on the table!” The kendo junior scolded as she looked around.

Lei Yin smiled and said, “Out of sight, out of mind. As long as I can survive, it’s fine. Actually, this place is usually pretty clean.”

“You still have the nerve to say that? If Kazumi didn’t come to help you clean regularly, this place would be uninhabitable.” After saying this, Rumi rolled up her sleeves and went to the utility room to get the vacuum cleaner to clean the floor. Because of the recent events, Kazumi hadn’t had time to come over for a few days, and Lei Yin was naturally lazy. Sometimes, he would rather drive over an hour to eat at Naoko’s place than clean up. As a result, after a few days, the once neat apartment now looked like a pigsty.

Seeing Rumi getting ready to help clean, Lei Yin half-jokingly said, “Oh, this is too embarrassing. Let me do it myself.”

Although he said this, he slowly walked over to the sofa, grabbed the remote, and turned on the TV. Rumi couldn’t help but glare at him, both annoyed and amused.

Seeing her reaction, Lei Yin sighed and said, “I’ll go check if Kazumi needs any help in the kitchen.”

With that, he walked away.

Rumi couldn’t hold back a smile and hummed happily as she cleaned the floor.

In the kitchen, Lei Yin leaned against the doorframe and said, “That kid is becoming more and more like Mom. No, actually, she’s a hundred times more nagging than Mom.”

Kazumi, who was washing vegetables, chuckled softly, tossing him a tomato she had just cleaned.

Lei Yin caught it and took a bite.

After a while, Kazumi suddenly said, “I didn’t expect it to be Ashiro Hideyuki.” She had always thought that Miyu Himeko, the arrogant woman, was behind the photos and rumors.

“Things must have been tough for you recently.”

Kazumi turned and looked at him, “Idiot, I’m not that weak.”

Lei Yin shrugged nonchalantly, “Stubborn little thing.”

“Damn, I’m not like you said!” Kazumi retorted, slightly annoyed.

Lei Yin reached out and pinched her cheek, then smiled, “You’re just stubborn, but you’re doing great. Alright, I’m going to help that little brat. If not, she’ll start nagging again.” With that, he left the kitchen.

Watching his back, Kazumi touched her left cheek where he had pinched her and couldn’t help but smile softly.

※※※

While Kazumi was reading in her room, there was a light knock at the door. She opened it to find Takeshima Shinobu standing outside in her pajamas.

Inside the room, Takeshima Shinobu remained silent for a long time. Kazumi knew she must have something on her mind, so she didn’t rush her, simply waiting quietly for her to speak.

After a while, Takeshima Shinobu whispered, “Kazumi, I’m sorry.”

Kazumi was a little surprised, “Why are you suddenly apologizing to me?”

Takeshima Shinobu lowered her head, “I haven’t been with you these past few days.”

Kazumi smiled, “You’re overthinking it. It’s not your fault at all.”

“But… but I still feel sorry. As your friend, I should never have left you alone at that time. I really feel ashamed.” As she spoke, Takeshima Shinobu’s voice trembled, as if she were about to cry.

Kazumi gently took her hand and said, “I asked you not to stay with me. It’s for your own good.”

“But Rumi stayed with you the whole time. Compared to her, I feel like a coward,” Takeshima Shinobu said, her eyes filled with tears.

Kazumi looked at her kindly and said, “Everyone has their weak moments, even you and I. Let me tell you a secret—I didn’t want to go to class either. After all, being pointed at by everyone is no fun. But my brother told me that when people want to see you fail, you must never let them get their way. You have to show them that you’re doing just fine. He told me not to avoid them, to go to class every day as usual, and to stay calm. The more they look down on you, the more you need to make them angry.”

Hearing the last part, Takeshima Shinobu couldn’t help but laugh.

Kazumi patted her shoulder and said, “So, don’t blame yourself anymore, okay?”

“Kazumi!” Takeshima Shinobu suddenly threw herself into Kazumi’s arms and started crying.