Rumors in the Air

After the morning surprise and the mysterious accusatory letter, supposedly written by "Ryuuen"—though I wasn't entirely sure he was the author—the day continued with a strange normalcy. I couldn't confirm or deny that he was behind it, but that wasn't my biggest concern at the moment.

Today we were supposed to complete the questionnaire that would decide our partners for the upcoming exam. To be honest, I didn't care much about who I was paired with. Everyone in my class had pretty high grades, and even if the two students with the lowest scores were paired together, they would probably pass without much trouble.

Hoshinomiya handed out the questionnaires, and I got to work without wasting time. It was quite simple, so I finished quickly. As I handed it in, I let my gaze wander around the classroom. Everyone seemed to handle the questions without nervousness, which was a clear reflection of Class B's academic level. Finally, my eyes landed on Honami, who, as always, maintained a relaxed expression. I wondered how she was managing the situation that Ryuuen, or whoever, had put her in. Would she come to seek my help? Or would she prefer to face it on her own? Both options seemed fine to me, and I had no intention of offering help unless she asked. I preferred to observe her decisions and see how she navigated everything.

The day progressed, and, as I suspected, Honami didn't contact me. This led me to conclude that she was determined to resolve it on her own, which only heightened my curiosity. How did Ryuuen, or whoever, come to the conclusion that Honami was illegally accumulating points? For anyone who didn't know the system we used in Class B, it was easy to misinterpret. After all, Honami acted like a bank for our class. We entrusted her with part of our monthly points for future emergencies. When she proposed it, no one objected.

Knowing this, someone—probably Ryuuen—must have observed the points accumulated by Honami and decided to start the rumor that she was making "illegal gains." If enough people believed it, the school would have no choice but to investigate, exposing our moves. It was a clever strategy to destabilize our class or to uncover the origin of the points.

As the day wore on, the furtive glances that had seemed insignificant began to intensify. They were not from my classmates, who trusted Honami completely. They knew of our strategy, and there was no room for doubt. The problem came from the other classes. The looks and whispers grew more pronounced, especially from Class C and some from Class D. The rumor had taken hold among them, sowing seeds of doubt about Honami's rapid point accumulation.

Honami, however, remained unperturbed. Her serenity was almost enviable, as if nothing in her world had changed. It was impressive to see how she maintained that calm under pressure, making me think she fully trusted her ability to handle the situation or that she was waiting for the right moment to act.

Meanwhile, the tension in the classroom rose, but within our class, there was no reason for concern. No one doubted Honami, and our trust in her remained intact.

I briefly considered intervening, maybe clarifying the rumors before they got out of hand. But in the end, I decided it was best to wait. If Honami hadn't sought me out, it was because she had a plan or trusted her ability to resolve it. My role, for now, was to observe and wait. I was intrigued to see what steps she would take next.

As I packed my things at the end of the day, I noticed the glances of the Class C students intensifying. Clearly, they were waiting for some reaction, something that would confirm their suspicions.

Before leaving the classroom, I cast one last glance at Honami. She remained serene, as if everything was under control. With a slight smile, I stood up and headed for the door, confident that she knew exactly what she was doing.

For now, I didn't need to move any pieces on this board.

....

Ryuuen raised his voice, making sure everyone in the hallway could hear him:

—Come on, Ichinose! Are you going to confess how you collected points illegally? —he shouted, his eyes fixed on Honami, who stood a few meters away.

Around them, several students from different classes, including his own, watched expectantly, waiting for Honami to confirm or deny the rumor that Ryuuen had sown. The letter distributed that morning had pointed at Honami as guilty of accumulating points illegally, and everyone assumed Ryuuen was responsible.

With impeccable calm, Honami didn't hesitate for a second to respond:

—I have nothing to confess because I haven't collected points illegally —she replied, not breaking her gaze from Ryuuen.

Ryuuen frowned but didn't lose his composure.

—Oh, really? Then why don't you show us proof? Because without it, no one is going to believe you —he replied, raising his voice and provoking more murmurs among the students.

Honami flashed a slight smile, but her gaze remained steady.

—Proof? —she repeated in a nonchalant tone—. And you, Ryuuen-kun, do you have proof that I collected points illegally? No, you don't, and yet you come here demanding I prove my innocence. Please, don't be a hypocrite.

Honami's words resonated powerfully in the air, surprising everyone present. The change in her demeanor was palpable; the kind and sweet Ichinose, known for her kindness and innocence, was now standing firm and defiant against the accusations.

Ryuuen smiled maliciously, but it was clear things were not going as he had hoped.

—You're in a tight spot, Ichinose. If you don't prove that your points are legitimate, what will you do about the doubts of everyone here? —he asked, pointing to the growing group of students watching expectantly.

Honami didn't lose her composure and calmly replied:

—I don't have to explain anything to anyone about my points or what I do with them. But to satisfy your curiosity —she paused, looking at the crowd—, if you want to know the truth, just check your phones.

As soon as Honami finished speaking, the phones of those present vibrated in unison. Confusion spread among everyone as they looked at their screens. Even Ryuuen, surprised by what was happening, checked his own phone.

The message came directly from the school, stating: "After an investigation, it has been concluded that student Ichinose Honami has not collected points illegally."

The silence that followed was absolute. The students, who minutes earlier had been filled with doubts and suspicions, now had nothing more to say. The official confirmation from the school left them speechless, and gradually, they began to disperse, aware that they had been swept up by mere rumors.

—I see… I guess you have me there, Ichinose —Ryuuen said, maintaining a calm smile on his face.

However, instead of insisting or pressing further, he simply turned away as if the matter didn't concern him enough. His relaxed attitude didn't escape Honami's notice, who observed closely, beginning to doubt whether Ryuuen had truly been the one responsible for distributing that accusatory letter.

As Ryuuen walked away from the group, the smile he had maintained so confidently disappeared, giving way to a severe and cold expression. He frowned, and a wave of frustration coursed through his mind.

—Things are going to get even more complicated… damn —he muttered under his breath as he continued walking.

His thoughts raced, evaluating the situation. What worried him most wasn't just the failure of the rumor that had circulated, but the evident change in Ichinose's attitude. This new version of Ichinose, more determined and confident, represented an unexpected challenge. As if it weren't enough to deal with someone like Kayden, now he would have to face a much more proactive and difficult-to-handle Honami.

Ryuuen gritted his teeth. Reaching Class A no longer seemed as simple as he had thought. With both Kayden and Ichinose opposing his path, his ascent appeared much more complicated.

He realized that although he hadn't been responsible for the letter, he had found himself embroiled in a situation that could complicate things further. Someone had used his name to sow discord, and that revelation made him feel uncomfortable. The confidence that Honami had shown disrupted the balance he had believed he had, and now he knew he would have to be cautious in his next moves.

....

The next morning, all the first-year students found letters filled with new rumors in their mailboxes. What had started as a simple rumor about illegal points soon transformed into a wave of even bigger and more scandalous gossip.

"Ayanokouji Kyotaka is in love with Karuizawa Kei."

"Hondou Ryoutarou is only interested in overweight girls."

"The letter claims that Shinohara Satsuki was a prostitute in middle school."

"Sato Maya hates Onodera Kayano."

But the most shocking and scandalous of all was undoubtedly:

"Ichinose Honami is a criminal."

The buzz in the hallways intensified as students discussed and shared these accusations, each one more surprising than the last. The atmosphere was charged with intrigue and distrust, and the reputations of many were at stake. What else could arise from this storm of rumors?