Looking at the side profiles of her emotionally charged friends, Xiao Chun Miura remained silent.
The long-haired girl, her hair draped over her shoulders, had already decided what she needed to do.
There was no need to argue with those people, no need to struggle or push back, and no need to complain in front of Kanzaki Sou.
She would make sure that all of Kondo Haruka’s malice would end up striking nothing but cotton, unable to find purchase.
In this way, she could reflect all that malice back unchanged, turning it into knives that would stab into Kondo Haruka herself.
If, when the Borrowed Item Relay came, Kondo Haruka truly did “do something” as she threatened, then the only thing she needed to ensure was that Kanzaki Sou would see with his own eyes “what happened”.
The “Childhood Friend” he treasured, hurting the Partner he had once vowed to protect, right in front of him.
From this perspective, Kondo Haruka and her friends venting their anger now was actually helping her.
On the other hand, Yui Hori and the others trying to protect her was instead interfering with her plan.
If there was no bullying, then this plan would have no meaning.
She had to…ensure the bullying would happen.
Xiao Chun Miura’s gaze slowly shifted, landing in the direction of Class 1’s Rest Area.
Kondo Haruka and her friends were the best background to highlight her own “innocence”.
When it came to Kanzaki Sou’s character, Xiao Chun Miura had seen through it earlier than Kondo Haruka.
What he admired was “effort” and “sincerity”; what he valued was “restraint” and “responsibility”.
What he despised was “irrational outbursts” and “taking out anger on others”.
Previously, Kanzaki Sou’s Goodwill toward Kondo Haruka had once dropped to around 40—was it because of her childish, out-of-bounds behavior in the study group?
Because she used her own possessiveness as an excuse to interfere with his friendships?
All along, Xiao Chun Miura had maintained that introverted, timid demeanor in front of Kanzaki Sou.
In such circumstances, if she were to be bullied as well, then in Kanzaki Sou’s eyes, it would surely be unacceptable.
So, the quieter and more tolerant she was now, the more she endured all this to “avoid causing trouble for Kanzaki-san”…
When everything came to light, all that Kondo Haruka was doing now and everything she would do next—including her actions during the Borrowed Item Relay—would appear even more glaring and despicable to Kanzaki Sou.
Kanzaki Sou had already given her a warning.
[You are my Partner. I can’t stand by and watch something happen to you during the competition.]
[The one at fault is someone else.]
From that moment, his balance had already tilted.
All she needed was to make the weight tip just a bit more toward her side.
Kondo Haruka’s greatest weapon was her “Childhood Friend” status.
With that, she could rightfully stay by Kanzaki Sou’s side for long periods without any reason.
This gave her ample time to spend with Kanzaki Sou and brought her overwhelming advantages.
The so-called “close to the water, close to the tower”…was nothing more than this.
But the status of Childhood Friend was not just a privilege.
It had also become her heaviest shackle.
Because of it, she believed she could do as she pleased, monopolizing everything about Kanzaki Sou.
But to Kanzaki Sou, that bond likely wasn’t so deep.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care about the relationship or value the friendship.
But if Kondo Haruka believed that her Childhood Friend status allowed her to interfere with Kanzaki Sou however she wanted without angering him, then that was her own mistake.
[Haruka and I are just Childhood Friends, Miura-san.]
That was what Kanzaki Sou had told her himself.
She didn’t know if the fatigue and distance in those words ever showed to Kondo Haruka, or if the maroon-haired girl ever noticed.
But whether he or Kondo Haruka noticed it or not…
Kanzaki Sou was probably growing impatient with her actions, too.
The Goodwill Value was enough to show that.
Xiao Chun Miura took a deep breath for a moment.
From now on, she would use that fact.
Before, she had only felt pressured, not knowing how to respond specifically to Kondo Haruka.
Her original plan had simply been to spend some time near Kanzaki Sou during the sports festival, to prevent Kondo Haruka from monopolizing him completely, and to observe the situation so she wouldn’t be powerless to influence events.
But now, things were different.
The time of the Borrowed Item Relay surfaced in the girl’s mind.
The Committee group’s event was tomorrow afternoon; the Class Group’s event was the afternoon after.
She could foresee it.
That afternoon, Kondo Haruka and Kanzaki Sou would surely shine as a pair in the Class Group event, Kondo Haruka would run with all her strength, take first place without suspense.
Then she would announce her “victory” to the whole school—especially to her—declaring her “sovereignty”.
And all she could do would be to sit quietly in Class (5)’s Rest Area with Yui and the others, watching.
But now, there was no need to wait until then.
Tomorrow…
When it was her turn to compete.
Xiao Chun Miura’s breathing quickened slightly, a strange excitement rising in her chest.
The day after tomorrow, when it was her turn, Kondo Haruka would definitely come.
She would never miss the chance to see her “embarrassed” with her own eyes.
She might even go further, fulfilling her declaration of “definitely making her look bad” right in front of Kanzaki Sou.
Would she tamper with the lottery?
Or send her followers to deliberately block her while searching for items?
Or…
A worse possibility flashed through Xiao Chun Miura’s mind.
In the Borrowed Item Relay, one possibility was to “borrow a person”.
If her command card said “someone from Class 1”, would Kondo Haruka stir up her classmates so that none of them would help her?
If her command card was “your best friend”, and Yui and the others were blocked by Kondo Haruka’s people—
Xiao Chun Miura shook her head.
The worse the possibility, the bigger the commotion, the better.
As long as Kanzaki Sou noticed, it didn’t matter which way it happened.
The more Kondo Haruka interfered, the more Kanzaki Sou would see her true colors.
Then.
Xiao Chun Miura’s eyes flickered slightly.
Then.
When that time came, what would Kanzaki Sou do?
She didn’t need to beat Kondo Haruka’s record.
She could never win in terms of physical strength.
What she had to win was the balance in Kanzaki Sou’s heart.
Even as she thought this, as she calculated…
Would she win?
A sense of unease filled Xiao Chun Miura’s chest.
“Koharu? You…you’re okay, right?”
Yui Hori’s voice rang out again, carrying a hint of uncertainty.
“Are you…smiling?”
Xiao Chun Miura slowly raised her head, her expression reverting to its usual dazed look in an instant.
“I’m fine, Yui.”
She answered reflexively, but her mind was in turmoil.
What did it matter, winning or losing?
She was just fighting desperately to survive.
What was she just thinking about?