Tokyo Soft Rice King.

"I'm so sorry...! Takanashi, Uehara, and Aguri!"

After fighting with Mirai Takanashi, Tomoyo Yoshimura was ostracized by her classmates. After learning the whole story, everyone knew that she was a girl who talked badly about others behind their backs.

In addition, their class was already a class with a strong atmosphere of college entrance exams, and the students in the class were all high-achieving students. As for this kind of troublemaker who disrupted the group order, they simply dealt with it in the cold.

Therefore, Yoshimura Tomoyo suddenly became an invisible person in the class, just like Kuroba Akira in the previous semester.

At first, she didn't understand what the problem was. They used to gossip together, but after the incident, those "good sisters" suddenly turned their backs on her.

So she also began to hate those who 'betrayed' her, and resented Takanashi Future for putting her in this situation, but never reflected on her own mistakes.

Just before she was about to fall into extreme thoughts, it was Shion's singing that moved this girl who was almost led astray.

Because Yoshimura Tomoyo was, after all, a lead singer and had practiced singing there, she knew very well how difficult it was to move people's hearts with her singing, which made her even more empathetic.

What a pure, ethereal, and soul-cleansing voice!

If only I could keep singing, if only I hadn't had that fight with Takanashi, if only I hadn't done those stupid things...

Go apologize after the performance.

Only in this way can I start over.

"I'm so sorry, especially to you, Takanashi... I shouldn't have spoken ill of your mother! I'll do anything you want, please forgive me!"

"Hmph...then I'll punish you by making you watch the latest episode starting from episode 2172 of Miss Kaisen."

"Huh? What?"

"I see you still have ears, and you can tell good from bad. So go listen carefully to the cartoons my mom dubs, and then reflect on how much you said."

"Great job, she has high emotional intelligence..." Kuroba Akira secretly gave her a thumbs up.

Takanashi Mirai's approach was to give the other party a way out. She neither said "I will never forgive you" to escalate the conflict nor made any excessive "punishments" that would make the other party lose face. It was a very clever response.

It seems that Takanashi is quite worldly-wise; she truly is a good daughter and an obedient child.

"...Okay! I will! So, will you come back to school?"

"No, it won't happen again."

"Um... I'm sorry..."

"Don't flatter yourself. The reason I don't come to school isn't because of you."

Takanashi Mirai passed Yoshimura Tomoyo, glanced at Kuroba Akira, and then revealed a confident and cheerful smile. With her hands on her hips, she proudly raised her head and declared.

"I decided to drop out of school for the sake of my future!"

"I see... So you've found what you want to do."

Yoshimura Tomoyo looked at Takanashi with envy. She could understand this seemingly extreme choice, since she herself had also thought about doing the same thing.

Like that kid named Izare, who dropped out of high school and started a band in the big city of Tokyo... However, this is just an anime plot, please do not imitate it, you will really starve to death if you do it in real life.

Mirai Takanashi was truly thrilled.

I had already had a great time playing on stage, especially since I was collaborating with Shion. After the performance, Yoshimura Tomoyo even came over to apologize. I felt like I had been constipated for days and then suddenly everything was completely gone, leaving me feeling incredibly relieved.

With the last lingering regrets from her time at school resolved, Takanashi Mirai has no more regrets.

Now she can truly be a full-time stay-at-home mom without any worries.

After apologizing, Yoshimura Tomoyo awkwardly looked at Shion, who was drinking water to soothe her throat, and blushed as she asked Takanashi Mirai a question.

"Also, um... who's your new lead singer? She's not a student at our school, is she?"

"Why don't you just go and ask him yourself?"

"Is...is it okay?"

Just then, Shion was about to walk towards Kuroba Akira when she turned towards Takanashi Mirai, taking off her mask along the way.

This picking was quite something, causing Yoshimura Tomoyo to gasp in surprise.

hiss……

This is...so beautiful.

Glistening beads of sweat rolled down Ziyin's hair, reflecting a dazzling light, like tiny diamonds embedded in it. The corners of her eyes were misty with moisture from the sweat.

Ziyin raised her hand and gently brushed away a few strands of wet hair that clung to her face. This simple gesture was extremely elegant, as if even her hair, soaked with sweat, could not affect her innate beauty and grace. Instead, it gave her a unique and captivating charm amidst the heat.

I initially thought she only had a pleasant voice, but I never expected she also had such stunning looks...

This caused Yoshimura Tomoyo, who had originally intended to thank Shion, to change her mind and say something else entirely.

"Um, could you please sign your autograph for me?"

As soon as these words were spoken, many people around looked over, because they also wanted Ziyin's autograph.

Especially after everyone saw Ziyin without her mask, they became even more eager to know her name.

However, Ziyin refused with a troubled expression.

"I'm sorry... because I haven't debuted yet, I don't have a stage name, so I can't sign an autograph for you right now."

Yoshimura Tomoyo slumped her shoulders in disappointment, as did the others, but she quickly cheered up and looked up at Shion.

"Then I will support you after your debut! I will definitely support you forever!"

It seems that Shion has gained another little fangirl... Kuroba Akira is also happy for her.

"Oh, thank you. Then you're my number one fan."

Shion responded with a smile, and that smile alone made Yoshimura Tomoyo so happy she almost fainted.

My number one fan... She said I was her number one fan!

At that moment, Takanashi suddenly interrupted and called out.

"No! I'm the number one fan!"

"W-What did you say! It was this... um, this lady personally who confirmed that I'm the number one fan!"

"Look at you! You don't even know her name! And you dare to call yourself her number one fan! I've known for a long time!"

"If you know, then tell me!"

"I'm not telling you!"

Well, these two are arguing again over who gets to be the number one fan.

Ziyin had no intention of continuing their antics, so she bypassed them and headed straight for Heiyu Ming.

She was going to check on her work.

Ziyin came to Heiyu Ming's side, glanced at the arm that Anri Tong was holding, the same spot where she had been holding her arm before, and felt a little unhappy. She didn't try to hide it with acting skills, and directly showed her dissatisfaction on her face.

Anri Hitomi wisely released Kuroba Akira's arm, knowing there was no need to provoke Shion when she was in such a powerful mood.

It's not a wise move to set up a gravity-based battleground here, but Ziyin just wants to know if she has gained the approval of the wise ruler.

"Wise ruler, have I done it?"

"Yes, you did it. Congratulations, that's a great start."

"Um, thank you..."

She reserved her warmest smile for Kuroba Akira, then faced the Great Demon King Anri Hitomi with the coldest expression.

"So, what do you think?"

"Heh, I didn't originally plan to come and see your smug look... Are you satisfied with this answer?"

Ziyin's eyes lit up. She understood the meaning behind the instruction: 'He belongs to you today.'

However, instead of beaming with joy, she kept a straight face and stared at Anri Hitomi, asking with her eyes, "Then what are you still doing here?"

It means, "I'm going to get intimate with the wise ruler, so you'd better get lost."

Anri Hitomi received the signal from her love rival, her signature smile turning into a terrifying, insincere grin, and then she said what she had come all this way to say to her.

"Whether you like it or not, we'll meet many more times in the future, so many that you'll feel nauseous and want to vomit whenever you see me."

"snort……!"

“I came here to tell you that the wise ruler has not yet chosen me, so you don’t need to despair now. The outcome is not something that can be determined in a short time. Let us compete fairly.”

Anri Hitomi extended her right hand, indicating that she wanted to shake hands.

Ziyin originally didn't want to shake hands, but out of respect for Kuroba Akira, she reluctantly extended her hand in response.

Their hands touched briefly and then separated, as if there was static electricity between them; neither wanted to hold on for even a second longer.

"Then let's go, wise ruler."

"it is good."

It was also because of Hitomi Anri that a very clear evaluation system was established in the 'battle' for Akira Kuroba.

Whoever can help Kuroba Akira better, and whoever can prove their worth better, will have a better chance of being alone with him.

The performance was a great success, and Ziyin deserves much credit for it. She has successfully proven her worth, so today is Ziyin's turn, and Anri Hitomi can't say anything about it.

"Wait, the victory celebration banquet is about to begin. Aren't you coming?"

Just as Kuroba Akira and Shion were about to leave, Myo-senpai came over and stopped them.

"..."

Ziyin didn't reply, but turned to look at Kuroba Akira.

Kuroba Akira was trying to come up with an excuse to leave. He had no interest in the celebration party, and if he stayed, the class president and Shion would definitely create a gravitational distortion field, and he would feel terrible being sandwiched between them. So Kuroba Akira wanted to separate them as much as possible.

At this moment, Anri Hitomi smiled and leaned over to help explain to Senior Miao.

"Senior Miao, it's getting late. Zizhigong lives quite far away. If she attends the celebration banquet, she might not be able to get home in time. So let Mingjun take her home now."

"I see... What a pity. Murasaki no Miyako is the biggest contributor to this cultural festival performance. I was originally planning to thank you in public... Of course, I haven't forgotten the promised reward. When your school holds its cultural festival, I will represent my school to visit and give it to you then."

However, Ziyin doesn't go to school at all. Senior Miao, can you give me the payment now?

Kuroba Akira muttered to himself, but he was too lazy to argue about it.

Ziyin nodded, hiding her impatience well. All she wanted now was to leave with Heiyu Ming as soon as possible. Was a victory celebration banquet any more fun than her own man?

Afterwards, Anri Hitomi saw the two off backstage, but she herself had to go back to attend the celebration banquet because she couldn't be absent as the class monitor of Class 1, Grade 1, and she also had to represent the class to accept the award at the cultural festival.