"Sakura-san, can't you just dress properly? Anyone can tell you're the type who likes to lead boys on."
"I—I was just changing into the school-issued swimsuit like normal… I-I'm not doing anything like that, really!"
"Still making excuses? Then why does my boyfriend have your picture in his phone? I really trusted you, you know. We're done from now on—we're not friends anymore."
"Please wait, I don't know anything about that… I didn't—"
Fragments of her middle school memories somehow surfaced in Sakura Airi's mind.
Here she was, already on the verge of expulsion.
Instead of finding the right words to fight for herself, her mind was wandering off to things like this…
Airi inwardly laughed at herself.
Nothing she said would make a difference anyway.
She wasn't a smooth talker like Ichihashi-san.
Maybe being quietly eliminated like this was at least a little more dignified?
Whether it was her personality or her appearance…she never could win anyone's approval.
Her mother always told her: A girl should be gentle—that's how you get people to like you.
But then why was it that even when she was gentle enough to smile through harsh words, she still ended up being pushed away?
They called it cowardice, not gentleness.
They called it weakness—and said weak people naturally get bullied.
She wanted to be friends with everyone in class, too.
But the boys stared at her body with greedy eyes.
That kind of attention made her deeply uncomfortable, even sick to her stomach. For a former 'idol'—especially one whose appeal was built around her figure—to feel this way…
Airi found it pretty pathetic herself.
But that's how it was.
Even when she wore plain, dorky glasses.
Even when she tried her hardest to hide her striking figure under her school uniform.
Those stares never went away, and in return, the girls looked at her with disgust.
At first, she didn't understand why the girls ostracized her—she was one of them, wasn't she?
Why did they shut her out of their groups with excuses like "it just doesn't feel right"?
It wasn't until she overheard Shinohara-san complaining in the restroom about how during swimming class, all the boys were staring at the observation deck…
That she finally understood.
The very thing she loathed about herself was, in some girls' eyes, a mark of approval.
Around boys, she had to avoid their gazes. Around girls, she had to hide any standout traits—anything that might provoke jealousy or dislike.
But even then.
In the end, she was still alone.
Weighed down by all these trivial troubles, she couldn't focus on studying at all.
As a result, her grades hadn't improved one bit since coming here.
And now, it had led to this—the expulsion crisis.
Was she really going to be expelled?
She had genuinely failed her exams.
Even if she got expelled… as frustrating as it was, she had no right to complain.
Even with this last chance, she didn't want to… no, she didn't know how to fight for herself.
All she could do was resign herself, and the only path waiting for her was expulsion.
Such a big school, such a big class—so why was there no room for one small Sakura Airi?
Tears welled up and spilled over.
Sitting in the front row, Karuizawa—who'd been on her phone—noticed a teardrop hit the floor.
Realizing what it meant, she slowly looked up.
There was Sakura Airi, head bowed, quietly sobbing. Trying not to make a sound, she stifled her cries as tears fell silently.
With her head down like that, hardly anyone had noticed.
Even Hirata hadn't realized the girl standing at the podium was crying helplessly.
If she was this good at hiding it…maybe…she was just used to it.
"Sakura-san? Are you okay?" Karuizawa asked softly, testing the waters.
Sakura Airi hesitated for a long moment.
Then she replied,
"I'm sorry."
"Huh? What's there to be sorry about… geez."
Karuizawa awkwardly turned her face away. She couldn't bear to watch Airi cry anymore.
No one understood the meaning of "helpless" better than she did.
Barring some miracle, Sakura Airi was bound to be expelled. Even if Karuizawa voted to keep her, it wouldn't change anything.
It would just cause tension with Ichihashi.
Worse, it might create a rift with Kushida, whom she didn't get along with all that well in the first place.
For someone she wasn't particularly close to—and who was pretty much doomed to expulsion anyway—
Karuizawa had no intention of lending a hand. Even if she did, it wouldn't help. The weak simply couldn't fight fate.
Karuizawa had learned that lesson back in middle school.
The weak could only survive by clinging to the strong…
"You're all being too loud. I can't hear what Sakura-san is saying."
Amane's voice cut through from the back of the room.
The one who'd been criticized shot her an angry look and started to rise, but someone nearby pulled them back down.
"Miyako's the one who even took on Sudo. No point making an enemy of her over some expellee."
"But she… whatever."
After a cold glance from Amane swept across them, the class fell quiet again.
"Sakura-san, it's okay to speak a little louder, you know."
Amane's words made Sakura Airi lift her head abruptly.
Only then did everyone see the tear-streaks covering her face.
"Sakura-san…"
Kushida quickly offered Airi a tissue.
Amane watched Kushida's somewhat performative gesture without comment.
Maybe even that fake kindness was a luxury in Sakura Airi's eyes.
Here she was, a genuinely gentle person, yet she'd never been treated gently herself.
How did Amane know she was gentle?
Well, when you're being picked apart by a bunch of idiots, mocked and insulted over your body, and they're deciding whether you get expelled or not—could anyone really stay silent and just let them ridicule the body your parents gave you?
Most people wouldn't be able to take it.
If she was going to be expelled anyway, what did she have left to fear?
What was left to endure?
Sakura Airi could have fired back at them.
But she didn't.
She'd rather cry alone in silence than tell those fools to shut up.
In Amane's view, that kind of personality was absolute trash. Frankly, gaining her trust would be so easy—she'd make a perfect, "willing" pawn to sacrifice on a whim.
But Amane didn't want to use someone like Sakura Airi.
Because she was just too foolish.
"Just say what you were going to say—out loud. Don't be embarrassed. If you don't speak now, you might never get another chance."
Amane's words made Sakura Airi hesitate for a moment.
Then, finally, she mustered her courage.
"I… I want to stay."
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.