Saika was a boy, but he was incredibly cute. Saika was a boy, but he was incredibly soft. Saika was a boy, but he was adored by male and female students alike.
Because of this, once he spoke up, almost no one could refuse his requests. Almost no one could stay angry at him—and Saitama was no exception.
Faced with Saika's plea on Izuru's behalf, Saitama, who had initially felt insulted by the "boiled egg" comment, was forced to back down. He coughed into his hand and relented.
"I see. In that case, Kamukura-kun, get back to your line immediately. Don't be late again; it's a poor influence on the class."
"Uh... right. Understood, Saitama-sensei."
Despite the awkwardness of Saitama's interruption and his confusion as to why Saika was sticking his neck out for him, Izuru didn't push his luck. He returned to his row and waited for the next set of instructions.
Seeing this, Saika let out a sigh of relief and returned to his spot with a gentle smile. Beside him, Okita looked a bit jealous but held his tongue. However, the collective gaze of Itsuki, Yotsuba, Yukino, and Yui fixed on Saika was beginning to feel distinctly predatory.
An adorable boy like Saika had a devastating effect on many men. Even the straightest guy could find his resolve crumbling in the face of such cuteness. If Izuru were to fall for Saika's "charms," it would be the end for them.
They might even consider hanging themselves with a single strand of ramen, faced with the tragic fact that they—actual beautiful girls—were less appealing than Saika. It was enough to shatter their very will to live as women!
Thus, a silent vow was forged among the four: they had to isolate Izuru from Saika. They absolutely could not let them be alone, and they definitely couldn't let them accidentally trigger any "favorability points" with each other!
Izuru, however, was oblivious to their resolve. After returning to his line, he was once again swallowed by his own thoughts.
He was still deeply unsettled by the contents of the second letter. He didn't know the sender, their motive, or even if the claim was a lie. This state of "not knowing" made him incredibly uncomfortable.
Worse still, the opponent seemed to know Izuru far too well. Not only had they covered their tracks perfectly, but they were likely lurking somewhere unseen, watching his reaction and planning their next move. This "enemy in the shadows, me in the light" dynamic made Izuru itch to investigate the letter to its very end.
The irritation made his heart restless, but he had nowhere to vent it. Even his usual desire for witty banter had momentarily evaporated.
In this atmosphere, the assembly became strangely quiet. Saitama, who had heard rumors of Izuru's legendary "death-seeking" mouth and had just experienced it firsthand, felt a bit awkward. He rubbed his smooth, shiny scalp, coughed twice more, and addressed the group.
"Hello, students. My name is Saitama; you can call me Saitama-sensei. From today on, I'll be leading your P.E. lessons. You're wondering where the old teacher went? Well, all I can say is that over the summer break, he went out drinking with a colleague. They both got hammered, and he was... 'surprised' from behind by his equally drunk coworker. He's currently a shut-in due to the trauma. I'm filling in for him indefinitely."
"From this, I'll give you a life lesson: cut down on the alcohol, and definitely don't get wasted, or your life is over! Boys or girls, it doesn't matter—remember that! ...Eh? I'm getting off track. Let's get back to it."
"Right. Since it rained heavily this morning, the field is a bit muddy. We won't be doing any group exercises this period. Once I finish these points, you're free to go. Reassemble here five minutes before the bell. Got it!?"
Hearing the question, a few students let out a weary, collective groan.
"Got it..."
"Why do you all sound like the teacher who got 'surprised'? Show some spirit! Anyway, once you're dismissed, don't wander off—stay near the field. And don't head to the cafeteria for snacks; buy them after class. Above all... absolutely no playing on your phones! Clear? Good. Dismissed!"
Saitama shook his head in resignation, delivered his usual clichés, and clapped his hands to scatter the ranks.
Immediately, a group of curious students swarmed Saitama, pestering him for more details on the "traumatized teacher" incident. Some of the braver (or more foolish) ones even tested their luck against a "death blow" by asking why he was bald.
Meanwhile, the usual rebels skipped the field entirely and headed for the cafeteria, returning with bags of snacks to hide away and play mobile games together. If this were the old Izuru, he might have joined the group seeking a death wish, but not today.
As soon as the lines broke, Izuru found himself intercepted by a waiting Saika.
"President, wait a moment!"
"Totsuka-kun. Thanks to your help earlier, I escaped a date with destiny at the hands of the Bald Caped Crusader. I won't forget the favor. What's up?"
Looking at the cute boy in front of him, whose face was mysteriously flushed, Izuru felt no romantic stirrings. In fact, seeing Okita glaring from the side with pure jealousy, he felt a mischievous urge to laugh.
The kid probably didn't realize that Saika was a "man among men" who was likely more masculine than he was. As a result, every time another guy approached Saika, Okita felt like he was being "cheated" on.
{In that case, let's mess with this kid for a bit!}
"Totsuka-kun, are you looking for me because of that love letter from earlier?"