I headed to the cafeteria with Serika-chan and the others upon finishing the morning classes.

"Reika-sama, what will you have today?"

"Let me see… Perhaps this week's special desert, the eierschecke."

"Oh, that sounds good."

"Maybe I'll have that for desert."

"Me, too."

Yup. Cheese snacks are delicious. But the limited time menu items are also popular. I need to get there quickly or it'll sell out. While I chat with everyone, I'm already thinking about the cheesecake.

"Oh! Reika-sama!"

"Eh? Kya!" I felt an impact as Serika-chan called.

"Are you all right, Reika-sama!?"

"…Yes. I'm fine." I was staggered, but Ayame-chan supported me from behind, and I'm not really hurt. I guess I ran into a boy as I rounded a corner not really paying attention.

"I, I, I, I, I, I, I'm sorry!"

A boy apologized profusely, his voice becoming shrill. It was my classmate from school and at cram school, Tagaki-kun.

Normally, if we're in the same class, we'd at least be cordial, but unfortunately Tagaki-kun becomes horrified if our eyes meet. Is he still dragging the guilt from his words at Wakaba-chan's locker? I told him I didn't care anymore.

Serika-chan and the others surround Tagaki-kun who repeatedly says that he's sorry.

"Hey, you! Do you know who you just ran into!?"

"That was some impact! It won't be a mere bruise. Do you have any broken bones, Reika-sama?"

"Does it hurt, Reika-sama? Oh, you poor thing!"

"How are you going to take responsibility!?"

"Show your sincerity! Your sincerity!"

…Are you a bunch of thugs?

When lightly bumped into, raise a commotion about broken bones, and demand them to take responsibility and show their sincerity… We call those people accident fakers…

Facing their demands, Tagaki-kun had gone past turning blue, and was completely white. Most of the reason why Tagaki-kun is afraid of me is definitely due to Serika-chan and the others…

"Stop that, everyone." If this were a shoujo manga, a boy and girl bumping into each other is a classic start to a romance, but I was stepping in to stop this criminal activity.

"Reika-sama."

"The impact was not so bad, and I was also not paying attention, so leave him be."

"It's all right, Reika-sama?"

"Yes. But it's dangerous, so please don't run in the halls from now on, Tagaki-kun."

"Y, yes! I'm so sorry!"

I tried to be as kindly as I could with that smile, so why did he become even more afraid? After repeatedly bowing to me, he quickly fled. I just told you not to run. Well, whatever. Let's get to the cafeteria.

And then,

"What was that? Trying to act cool?"

I heard a remark clearly intended for me from behind. Who was it? I turn and find my suspicions confirmed. Tsuruhana-san with her group laughing mockingly with her arms crossed. Instead of backing down when our eyes met, she rose to challenge me with a sneer. Serika-chan and the others look like they're ready to kill. Everyone's ready to rumble. But I take control of my girls and smile, "Oh, you thought that I looked cool? I'm honored. Thank you." Tsuruhana-san twitched, confused, so I continued, "You can go ahead and imitate it if you wish," and left laughing ohohohoho with Serika-chan and the others, leaving Tsuruhana-san behind.

"To speak like that to Reika-sama! Unforgivable!"

"Truly!"

Kikuno-chan and the others follow me, still steaming.

"It's a waste of time dealing with such provocation. Not worth thinking about."

"But…"

"Don't sweat the small stuff. Leave them be."

"You're so tolerant, Reika-sama."

"Hohoho…" I don't have time for that. I lost time by running into Tagaki-kun, and being stopped by Tsuruhana-san. If I don't hurry, the special desert might be sold out! Footrace, everyone!

When we arrived at the cafeteria, I rushed to order the eierschecke. The server apologized, "I'm sorry! This desert was so popular that we just sold the last one." AAAAAH!

I slumped my shoulders. It's only a desert. But it's a desert. The disappointment when you can't have what you were longing for. Despair…

"Reika-sama, look!" Serika-chan pointed at something. My eyes opened wide from surprise. The male student who had just run into me had an eierschecke in front of him that I had so yearned!

"Tagaki again!"

"How many time is that, Tagaki!"

I leave them behind and move behind me quietly, and place my hand on his shoulder. "Tagaki-kun, show me your sincerity." My arm hurts so much from when you ran into me.

We were getting nowhere cleaning up after the vandal, so I discussed catching him with Fellow Stalking Horse. Honestly, getting to school early every morning was becoming a pain…. And Enjou seems to have realized that I'm connected to Fellow Stalking Horse. He hasn't said anything definitive, but those suggestive lines and that smile… Last time, he asked, "So, Kisshouin-san, what do you think about the legendary female spy, Mata Hari's end?" This goes beyond insinuations…

Every time I see Enjou, he pressures me, implying that he knows that I'm a spy, and I dread the feeling of being strangled by silk. That I have nightmares of being chased often isn't a coincidence. My soul is shrieking. Come on, Reika. You can do it.

I can't allow Enjou to hold something over me much longer. I need to get out of this spying business soon. I don't want to face the firing squad!

Therefore, the past few mornings, we've gotten in even earlier on a stakeout.

"Just verifying, if the vandal comes, Mizusaki-kun will step in, correct?" I ask while we hide around the corner of the hall where we can see Wakaba-chan's classroom.

"Yeah. I intend to catch them myself, but if they're about to get away, help me."

So if Fellow Stalking Horse can't catch them, I'm supposed to pretend I'm just walking by when I catch them. "That depends on who they are."

"Don't be so undependable."

If it were Tsuruhana-san, I'd be a little, no, a lot scared. I can be strong normally around them, because Serika-chan and the girls are there to back me up. I'm too timid to stand up to them by myself. I don't think I can beat them. If that happens, I feel bad for Fellow Stalking Horse, but I'll sneak away. If it were a boy, I can't beat their strength, so maybe I'll ram him and raise a commotion acting like I was hurt.

Fellow Stalking Horse began previewing his textbook. As expected of someone near the top of the class. He doesn't waste time. I should follow suit. I open my study binder and start memorizing.

"…That's nice."

Fellow Stalking Horse was impressed by my use of color-coded pencils according to importance, and using color coded post-it notes on the textbooks. Of course. This took a long time to do. I want to make the perfects study guide, so if I messed up big, I've started over not wanting to use whiteout. It takes a long time to make, so it's not complete, but it's easy to see what's important. I'm proud of these notes.

On the other hand, Fellow Stalking Horse simply marked on his textbook in red, so I handed him some 3D post-it notes that jump out like a picture book. I recommend these! It makes me feel better every time I open the textbook! Oh, I'll give you the running man post-it, also. If you flip through them, it really looks like he's running!

"Oh, thanks."

"You're welcome."

We were studying for a while when Fellow Stalking Horse raised his head. "Hey, someone's coming."

I listen carefully, and hear someone coming up the stairs. We get close to the walls so as not to be seen. Is it the vandal?!

Someone snuck into Wakaba-chan's classroom. We approach the room silently, and look from the door. There's a girl at Wakaba-chan's desk. I can't tell who she is from behind, but she doesn't seem flashy, so it's probably not Tsuruhana-san's group. That's some relief. But is she really the culprit?

As if the answer my question, the girl pulled back Wakaba-chan's chair and started to rub something on it. Caught her in the act!

"What are you doing!?" Fellow Stalking Horse swung the door open and stepped in. Oh, déjà vu… The girl dropped the chalk and turned around in surprise.

"Uh…" I knew her. Yes, her name was… "Ikoma-san…?"

It was Ikoma-san from my sophomore year class…

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So here's ten chapters as an apology for making you all wait!🙏 Have a great time, day and weekend! And again, I want to let you all know that I am very busy in online class and activities. So I just wanna apologize in advance.😅🙏 God bless and have a great day!