Chapter 23: "Quillan, I’m Begging You!"

Adopting a "what do I have to lose" mentality, the tsundere Ruri Hosokawa ultimately chose to compromise in front of Quillan.

"Quillan, what do you want?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Ruri Hosokawa had changed her posture, but she still carried that same overbearing aura.

That was to be expected—a young lady who had been pampered since childhood had never been on the losing end of anything.

So in Ruri Hosokawa’s mind, the fact that she wasn’t standing with her hands on her hips or pointing at Quillan’s nose while talking to him was already being polite enough! Not to mention, this was happening at school, right in front of the entire class!

An attitude like that from Ruri Hosokawa naturally couldn’t satisfy Quillan.

So Quillan flashed a mischievous grin and said to Ruri Hosokawa without any courtesy: "So Madam Class President wants to know what’s going on with Himuro-san, is that right? Fine, come here, and then..."

By this point, the standoff between Quillan and Ruri Hosokawa had finally caught the attention of the entire class.

Actually, from the moment Ruri Hosokawa slammed her hand on the desk and started shouting at Quillan with her hands on her hips, many students had already noticed that she and Quillan seemed to be arguing. But at the time, everyone just assumed Ruri Hosokawa was having one of her tsundere episodes. It seemed everyone had grown accustomed to Ruri Hosokawa’s tsundere personality—so much so that it barely registered as unusual anymore, and it didn’t draw any particular attention from the other girls.

Normally, when Miss Hosokawa threw a tsundere fit, the other girls could only yield to her. But Quillan wasn’t like that. Instead, he went head-to-head with Ruri Hosokawa, completely unafraid!

Quillan’s reaction actually piqued the interest of the girls in the class.

They began whispering amongst themselves: "Wow, is Quillan challenging the class president’s authority?"

"Probably not, right? Look at him smiling—he’s probably thinking about how to get on her good side."

"Tch, would Quillan be that spineless? Caving in under the board chairman’s daughter’s oppressive might..."

There were about twenty girls in the class, all quietly discussing the situation. Some were enjoying the show, while others were skeptical about Quillan—the only boy in the entire school.

Of course, one of them would definitely choose to believe in and support Quillan in this matter.

That was Miyuki Sakurai. When she heard some girls gossiping that Quillan was the type of spineless man who’d cave under pressure, the adorable little girl was absolutely furious. Her cheeks puffed up in anger, her face flushed bright red, and her big eyes were filled with resentment as she stared ahead.

There, where Quillan and Ruri Hosokawa were facing off, Quillan paid no attention to the various looks his classmates were throwing his way. He simply smiled easily, and finally, amid the whispers and doubts of the whole class, delivered the second half of his sentence: "Please, Madam Class President, drop the attitude—and then beg me."

What?

As soon as those words left his mouth, the entire Class 3 of the first year at St. Sakura Girls’ High School fell completely silent!

The girls who had been skeptical, even those who had quietly called Quillan spineless, all stared at him wide-eyed in disbelief. But Quillan acted as if he didn’t even notice their shocked gazes, mixed with a hint of complexity and even a touch of admiration.

Quillan kept smiling, continuing to look directly into Ruri Hosokawa’s eyes.

Ruri Hosokawa was also looking at Quillan, except... Quillan was gazing at her, while she was glaring at him.

Obviously, as the daughter of a major conglomerate family, the daughter of the school’s board chairman, and the class president to boot, Ruri Hosokawa possessed a family background that others could only dream of. Because of this, she was used to being treated as someone above everyone else at school. So... Ruri Hosokawa absolutely despised Quillan to the core for daring to make her beg.

But at this moment, there wasn’t much Ruri Hosokawa could do about Quillan. She had once gone to her mother to complain about him in an attempt to get him expelled, only to end up being scolded herself as an immature child!

Ruri Hosokawa, in the throes of adolescence—especially having been pampered her whole life—had a very strong rebellious streak.

The more the board chairman treated her that way, the more frustrated Ruri Hosokawa felt. So... she had never given up on finding another opportunity to drive Quillan out of St. Sakura Academy. She had even bad-mouthed Quillan extensively to her good friend Haruka Himuro, planning to team up with her to accomplish the great mission of getting rid of him!

But now Haruka Himuro had run into trouble and hadn’t come to school. Ruri Hosokawa couldn’t reach her, and she was genuinely worried sick!

Because Haruka Himuro was the ally she had chosen. Now... what was she supposed to do?

On one hand was the ally she had picked, and on the other was begging that insufferable, perverted jerk in front of the whole class!

Ruri Hosokawa was torn. She bit her lower lip, unable to make a decision for the longest time.

It wasn’t until the class bell rang that Quillan remembered he still needed to go see the board chairman. He said to Ruri Hosokawa: "Madam Class President seems awfully conflicted and troubled. If that’s the case, why don’t we just forget it? I have things to do and need to step away anyway. Besides, Himuro-san’s situation was a secret to begin with!"

"Quillan... I’m begging you!"

Seeing that Quillan was about to leave, Ruri Hosokawa panicked for no apparent reason. Especially when Quillan mentioned "Himuro-san’s secret" at the end, the previously hesitant Ruri Hosokawa made up her mind almost instantly!

That’s right—Haruka-chan’s secret. So he really did know!

That was... an absolute secret that Haruka-chan would never reveal no matter how much she asked, yet Quillan knew it?

No, she had to find out!

With that thought, Ruri Hosokawa couldn’t hold out any longer. She stopped Quillan, who was preparing to leave, and bowed deeply to him, saying: "Please wait, Quillan. You must tell me the truth!"

Looking at the bowing Ruri Hosokawa, Quillan’s smile appeared completely innocent and harmless...