Chapter 81: -80- When will you be back?
Tuesday quickly arrived.
On this day, Chabashira Sae made an announcement during the morning homeroom.
"Today is the time for the deliberation of the violence incidents involving Class C and Class D. At that time, both parties involved and their respective homeroom teachers must be present."
Chabashira Sae announced this from the platform and then looked towards Hori.
"Nanaya, come to the office after school."
After saying that, Chabashira Sae left the classroom directly.
The classmates immediately started discussing.
Especially Hirata Yousuke and Kushida Kikyou, they occasionally cast worried glances at Hori.
Even Horikita Suzune and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who usually behaved differently—one reading a book and the other trying to lower his presence—were both now paying attention to Hori.
Obviously, the students in the whole class were paying attention to this matter.
But Hori seemed indifferent to these gazes.
When everyone in the class occasionally looked at him, Hori was instead holding a detective novel, frowning as he looked to the side.
Sakura Airi was sitting as usual on Hori's right side.
However, Sakura Airi's expression was even more gloomy than usual, and her hands were tightly gripping her skirt, as if she was afraid of something, her eyes closed tightly.
(What's happening?）
Hori thought in his heart.
It's no wonder Hori would think so.
On Sunday's holiday, when they parted ways in the elevator of the dormitory, Sakura Airi was still fine. Although her cheeks showed an unusual blush and her behavior was as nervous as ever, at least there was no abnormality.
But yesterday, Monday morning, Sakura Airi not only entered the classroom at the last minute before the bell rang, almost late, but also behaved like this throughout the day, as if she was afraid of something, shrinking in the classroom until after school, and then hurriedly mingled with the crowd, deliberately looking for a time when there were more people to return to the dormitory together.
This is not something Sakura Airi would normally do at all.
In the past, Sakura Airi would only quietly leave alone, and only quietly appear alone. When would she choose to act like this, deliberately choosing to act when there are more people around?
Moreover, not only is her behavior different from usual, but Sakura Airi's performance is also very intriguing.
(What are you afraid of?)
Hori could only frown and look at Sakura Airi like this.
If it were someone else who behaved like this, although Hori would be puzzled, as long as it had nothing to do with himself, he would not delve into it.
But from the beginning, Hori had already had a special interest in Sakura Airi due to his instincts.
Therefore, although he would ignore others, Sakura Airi's abnormality made Hori quite concerned.
(It seems that I need to take a closer look at the situation.)
Hori thought silently, ignoring the worries of the people around him about today's events, and instead paying attention to other things.
In this situation, the day's classes also began.
And the time for dismissal slowly approached.
...
"Ding dong..."
When the bell announcing the end of school rang, none of the students in Class D chose to leave their seats. Instead, they all turned their heads again, looking in Hori's direction.
Hori opened his eyes, tidying up his textbooks while picking up his backpack.
Hirata Yousuke and Kushida Kikyou approached at this moment.
"Are you really okay, Nanaya-san?"
Hirata Yousuke expressed his final concern.
"How about letting me accompany you to attend the deliberation? After all, this matter is also related to me."
Kushida Kikyou also expressed her concern in the same way.
On the other hand, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka went against the grain and didn't talk to Hori. Instead, he talked to Horikita Suzune.
"This deliberation also concerns the class points situation. Are you planning to stand by and watch?" Ayanokouji Kiyotaka skillfully shifted the topic to Horikita Suzune, subtly indicating his concern about this incident.
"Yes." Horikita Suzune pondered for a moment, not rejecting outright as she usually would, but said, "If it involves class points, then I can also attend."
In other words, among the people present, except for Ayanokouji Kiyotaka, who was an isolationist, everyone else had the idea of standing with Hori.
Unfortunately, Hori still said the same thing.
"No need to worry."
These words, enough to extinguish anyone's enthusiasm, continued to come out of Hori's mouth like a routine.
Then, as if he had grown tired of saying it, Hori stopped speaking, picked up his backpack, and walked straight towards the classroom door.
As Hori walked past Sakura Airi from behind...
"N-Nanaya-kun...!"
Sakura Airi, with her eyes tightly closed and her body tense, called out to Hori with a slightly louder voice than usual.
"Hmm?"
The students in the class were all slightly stunned, looking at Sakura Airi in surprise.
Because no one had ever seen Sakura Airi behave like this.
Hori also instantly stopped his steps, turned around, and looked at Sakura Airi.
"What's wrong?"
Looking at Sakura Airi, who was still sitting in her seat, even though anyone could feel the tension in her figure, Hori asked.
His voice was still calm.
That calm voice gave Sakura Airi a little sense of security in her heart, making the girl lower her head and speak in a trembling voice.
"When... when will you be back?"
In her trembling voice, there was a faint trace of pleading and hope.
The students in the class looked at this situation, exchanged glances, seeming to have no idea what was happening.
Only Hori, when he heard the plea in Sakura Airi's voice, narrowed his eyes.
Immediately, without hesitation, Hori gave such an answer.
"Soon."
A short reply, but more powerful than any other words.
Sakura Airi didn't turn her head to look at Hori.
But her tense body, as if receiving a little salvation, finally relaxed.
"T-Then... can I wait for you here?"
Sakura Airi's voice became even lower.
So low that only Hori could hear it.
In response, Hori just smiled faintly.
"I'll be back soon."
With that, Hori didn't linger any longer, he left the classroom directly and headed towards the office.
The students in the classroom no longer paid attention to Sakura Airi, and began discussing what would happen next in the deliberation.
Only Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyou, Hirata Yousuke, and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka looked at Sakura Airi with puzzled eyes.
Sakura Airi didn't look at these people, but looked towards the direction of the classroom door, recalling Hori's reply just now, and her heart, full of fear, finally had a glimmer of hope.
"Please come back soon..."
The extremely weak voice vanished into the wind.
No one heard it.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone