After the first class ended, several girls approached Asada Shino's desk with arrogant strides. The leading girl had dyed golden wavy hair and wore noticeable eyeshadow—clearly a standard gyaru who loved to dress up. Her name was Aonaka Saya, and she had once ostracized Shino alongside other girls in the class.
"Hey, Asada, who was that handsome guy who was so intimate with you at the school gate today?" Aonaka Saya's tone was sour, clearly resentful that Asada Shino could be affectionate with such an attractive boy. After all, Asada Shino was someone she had always looked down upon and despised. Facing the questions from Aonaka and the others, Asada Shino showed a shy expression.
"He… he is my boyfriend." Asada Shino's voice was very pleasant—clear and melodious, soft and delicate, yet carrying a hint of firmness that could make one's ears feel blessed. But Aonaka and her friends only found it grating. Their own boyfriends weren't nearly as handsome as Asada Shino's; they were just small-time punks. Moreover, Aonaka's own boyfriend had once casually remarked that Shino was cute. This was also why Aonaka harbored such annoyance toward Asada Shino—she felt that Shino was a vixen who had stolen her boyfriend's attention without even trying.
"Oh, such a handsome and dashing man is your boyfriend? Asada, don't be silly." Aonaka Saya sneered. "Don't you even look at yourself! He's just playing with you, and I believe he'll soon get tired of you and dump you. I advise you to break up quickly." She wore an expression that suggested she was thinking purely for Asada Shino's sake, and that Shino should be grateful.
Asada Shino only found it laughable. "You don't need to worry about that. What happens between my boyfriend and me is none of your concern."
Next to Aonaka, a freckled, somewhat chubby girl stared at Asada Shino unhappily and spoke acidly: "Asada, don't be ungrateful. Aonaka is kindly reminding you. Do you really think that if your boyfriend knew you were a murderer, he would still continue to date you?" After speaking, she, along with Aonaka and another girl, shot Asada Shino disdainful looks, accompanied by mocking smiles and condescending postures.
If it were before, Asada Shino would probably have lowered her head without a word. She might have even started worrying about gains and losses, fearing that Hozuki Nozomi would abandon her. But last night, Hozuki Nozomi had stayed with her throughout. Even this morning, he had gently kissed her. Shiina Mahiru had also quietly told her that even though Hozuki Nozomi had so many girls around him—making him seem like a playboy—he would absolutely never abandon anyone. This gave Asada Shino full confidence.
She mustered her courage, coldly swept her gaze over the three girls in front of her, and spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly: "You don't need to bother yourselves with this. My boyfriend will come to pick me up from school this afternoon. If you are truly envious and jealous of me, you can try telling him about that matter."
Although she was delicate and would fall into a state of mental breakdown upon seeing a real gun, she was not easy to bully under normal circumstances. Otherwise, she wouldn't have fallen out with other girls in the dormitory before, nor would she have driven out the senior who dared to bully her. Most importantly, Asada Shino now had a backer. She didn't feel she needed to be afraid of their sarcastic remarks.
Hearing Asada Shino's words, Aonaka and the others were very displeased. "Asada, you're being a bit ungrateful! Hmph, just you wait. We will definitely tell your boyfriend about your killing! At that time, just wait to be dumped! Don't come crying to us!"
Upon hearing this, Asada Shino sneered, "Whatever."
Having been so casually dismissed, Aonaka and the others could only leave indignantly. Watching their retreating figures, Asada Shino subconsciously clenched her fists, then quietly released them. Her palms were already covered in sweat. This was from nervousness. Hesitantly, she sent a message to Hozuki Nozomi: "Nozomi, please come pick me up early this afternoon."
Hozuki Nozomi replied instantly: "No problem, wait for me obediently." Asada Shino then smiled. Meeting Hozuki Nozomi was the luckiest thing in her life.
At noon, Aonaka and the others came over again, being sarcastic. Asada Shino ignored them this time, simply eating her bento by herself. Today's bento was made by Shiina Mahiru. That angelic beauty was truly gentle. Asada Shino probably understood why the atmosphere at Sakura Dormitory was so harmonious—Mahiru must be the main wife. Asada Shino felt she still had a lot to learn, such as how to get a little closer to Mahiru to please Hozuki Nozomi.
"Hey, Asada, are you listening to me?" Aonaka became even more displeased after being ignored.
"I heard you, but I have no obligation to answer your sarcastic words," Asada Shino replied calmly. "And I don't think I've ever offended you, so why do you keep targeting me? Are you just that unable to see me do well?"
Aonaka was stunned by her questioning. This Asada was getting braver and braver! She used to just slump her shoulders and walk with her head down when people talked about her. "I'm not unable to see you do well. I'm just reminding you as a classmate. That person is too handsome, with an extraordinary aura—not someone a woman like you can control! Asada, aren't you afraid he'll get tired of you and abandon you?"
"No need to worry," Asada Shino said boldly, showing a hint of smugness. "Nozomi said I'm very cute, and he likes me this way."
Aonaka immediately gritted her teeth in anger. "What is this? Ungrateful! Hmph, just you wait. You'll be dumped!"
In the afternoon, as soon as class ended, Asada Shino packed her bag and walked toward the school gate. Behind her followed three little tails—the Aonaka gyaru trio. The group was oddly mismatched; the only true beauty among them was Aonaka Saya with her golden wavy hair and makeup. The other two girls—one fat with a freckled face, the other too thin with an ordinary face—seemed to exist solely to highlight Aonaka's beauty.
However, while Aonaka looked beautiful with makeup on, she was nearly unwatchable without it. Asada Shino was different. She barely wore any makeup, and even barefaced, she looked incredibly cute. One could say that for so many years, no one had confessed to her simply because her experience of shooting a robber had deterred most people.
After waiting for a while at the school gate, Hozuki Nozomi's figure appeared. He walked over quickly, raised his hand, and stroked Shino's hair. "Sorry, have you been waiting long?"
"No, I just waited a bit. And Soubu High School is quite far from here—you're already very fast."
"As long as you don't mind, Shino, let's go home." Hozuki Nozomi showed a brilliant smile, naturally took her small hand, and was about to turn and leave.
"Wait, handsome guy, please listen to me!" The Aonaka trio jumped out, looked at Asada Shino with disdain, then let their gazes eagerly fall upon Hozuki Nozomi. Aonaka was at least decent—with makeup, she could pass as a hot, well-figured beauty.
A beautiful woman's infatuated gaze could still give a man a sense of satisfaction. But the other two's fervent looks seemed almost terrifying. Hozuki Nozomi's mouth twitched, revealing an awkward but polite smile.
"Excuse me, classmate," he said evenly. "What exactly are you trying to say?"