A day exactly after I launched my counterattack, I went inside the classroom, and as expected… she can't stare at me in the eye.

I sat down normally, but I didn't really ignore, I was focusing practically every single one of my senses on her.

“What are you grinning for, and why are you staring at her so much, did you finally give in.” Leo said to me as he noticed me stare at her.

“No. I'm simply observing how she'll react.”

“React? What will she react to? And looking at her, she's not minding for the first time in 2 months.”

“I had my counterattack yesterday, although, I admit that despite it being a one-time attack, it was seriously, so embarrassing.”

“Really? Then you know, if you think she won't be able to do anything, why not continue?”

“Since when were you on my side?”

“Never was. Never will be eithers. I'm just here observing you two, it's fun actually.”

“Whatever, but I'll try.”

Taking his advice, which was in fact really a great one. I walked up to her, and since the seat beside her is still vacant since the one sitting there isn't here yet, I sat down there.

“Good morning, Furushira-san.”

“Eh—?! Ah… G-Good morning…”

Oh? Looks like she still hasn't recovered from that. I didn't know it'd be this effective. She's so red, it's actually quite cute. And she can't seriously look at me in the eye 

Not gonna lie… she's quite cute when she's like this….

Well then… how shall I engage? Hmm… I'll try this… wait… with my classmates around, this is quite risky. Weird rumours might start spreading around….

Actually, after what I said yesterday to her that rumours are rumours, and that we'll only lose if we accept it as the truth… I can't back off now, I guess?

“What's wrong? You're not asking me to do anything today?” I tried to put my face into her field of vision, but whenever I do, she averts her gaze somewhere else.

“Actually, you're not even looking at me.”

We continued that for a while, until I decided to step it up a notch.

“Ah—” 

“??!” the sudden exclamation from me shookt her a bit, so she slightly straightened, which clearly showed her full expression and I'm sure that I'm now in her sights.

“Oh… your hair… there. Better!” I again brushed her hair, hiding bits of her face and brushed it with my fingers behind her ears. “We can't let that hair fully block such beauty, right?” I smiled warmly at her.

The facade I'm showing seems pretty legit. But deep inside….

I am dying!!!! This is too embarrassing!!! I'll finish this, this is too much!

“Ah, right.” I took the same milk carton that I usually buy for her and placed it on her table, as she simply sat there, all tensed up.

“Then, I'm gonna return to my seat now, just call me if you need anything, alright? Furushira-san.” and as I said, I returned to my seat, and without wasting a second, I immediately looked at the window, as I rested my head on my hand, on top of my desk, to simply do one thing….

I want to die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I said I'm never doing that again… yet here I am, doing it!!!! And with tons of people!

And speaking of the people… yes, they all started screaming, and started approaching the two of us, Mostly the girls on Furushira-san, and mostly the boys on me.

“Well, it's amazing you pulled that off, Ryouko-kun.” one of the boys said.

I'm not embarrassed by the boys seeing that, after all, they already know that I'm doing it for revenge. Some of them who were students of Hinatsuru High's Middle School had already experienced the same thing with her.

“I'm surprised myself… I'm never doing that again….”

“Haha— you really went all out just to get back at her, huh…”

“Of course, do you think I will just stand idly by, letting her do anything to me as she pleases?”

“Of course not… but also… you're the first ever person she encountered who had done that though.

“Well, I guess that's amazing in itself, right, Akiryou?”

“Whatever…”

“But with that, she's surely going to get softer…” Leo said, although…

“Haa—” I sighed in exasperation, and regret, “... I highly doubt that. Whenever moves on from that, surely she'll be even more… tougher… so I'll at least savor the moment of me being in the initiative, I guess?”

I wasn't lying. I'm sure that when she calms down from this, she'd surely be tougher, and harder to attack, or even let her lower her guard down, which is pretty much impossible now. So this is basically just letting go for a second, resulting in making it harder to let go next time.