Chapter 924: Audience and Drama
Shirai Kuroko fell silent, having witnessed Onee-sama Misaka Mikoto's “efforts” firsthand.
“I wonder if it’s because we’ve become direct competitors that I’m able to see another side of Onee-sama,” Shirai Kuroko mused internally.
Then, she couldn't help but wonder, “What can I do?”
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Misaka Mikoto had no intention of continuing the conversation; she flicked her finger, sending a faint current to extinguish the lights.
“Let's get some rest. We absolutely can’t be late tomorrow!”
“You’re right. Good night, Onee-sama,” Shirai Kuroko replied.
“Onee-sama… Kuroko is still willing to call me that…” Misaka Mikoto thought silently, then quickly drifted off to sleep, overcome by accumulated fatigue.
The night passed until dawn. Fortunately, neither of them had a habit of sleeping in, and their good internal clocks allowed them to wake up on time, avoiding tardiness.
As usual, Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko took the School Garden's special school bus to school together.
However, as soon as they entered the Tokiwadai Middle School campus today, Shirai Kuroko felt an atmosphere different from before.
Looking around, Shirai Kuroko found no abnormalities; there were only Tokiwadai Middle School students around, no different from how it usually was when going to school.
But Shirai Kuroko knew something was definitely off. She felt a tingling sensation, as if she were being spied upon…
She then looked at Onee-sama beside her. Because of her built-in “radar,” Misaka Mikoto was very sensitive to gazes directed at her.
Yet, at this moment, Misaka Mikoto showed no unusual signs, humming a cheerful tune as she walked towards the teaching building with her school bag.
“What’s wrong, Kuroko?” Misaka Mikoto’s perception was indeed sharp, and she immediately noticed Shirai Kuroko’s gaze.
“No, nothing,” Shirai Kuroko shook her head, quickly catching up, lowering her eyelids to hide her suspicion and vigilance.
“Is the spying only directed at me?”
Shirai Kuroko decided to investigate secretly and not alert anyone for now.
But she quickly abandoned this plan—because the reason for the problem had already been found.
Although it was only bits and pieces, due to the large number of people discussing it, Shirai Kuroko quickly pieced together the truth from her classmates’ whispers.
In short, these bored young ladies had found new gossip material and were enthusiastically exchanging it.
Unfortunately, the subject of their gossip was Shirai Kuroko! That’s why glances occasionally converged on her.
The scene that occurred yesterday on the A Certain High School playground had indeed spread to Tokiwadai Middle School! After all, several beautiful girls in Tokiwadai Middle School uniforms appearing together at another school could already be considered news.
This in itself was nothing, as the fact that Shokuhou Misaki and Misaka Mikoto, two Level 5s, were competing for Lin Wuming had long been an open secret; well-informed people even knew that the less noticeable Hu Feng Tong Xue also seemed to be one of the strong contenders.
Such matters were naturally what girls loved to discuss. Some students in the news club even specially collected and organized relevant information, publishing secret tabloids for follow-up investigations. They were widely circulated within the school… and even among other schools in School Garden!
It was said that students had even formed secret fan clubs, treating this “Level 5’s Epic Romance” entirely like a variety show…
These things, of course, did not escape the notice of Shokuhou Misaki and Misaka Mikoto. However, after several attempts to find that they could not eliminate the curiosity and gossip spirit of these young ladies, they simply let it be.
Anyway, everyone was a lady, and they understood the basic etiquette of watching a play—just observing, never interfering.
Moreover, even without Lin Wuming’s factor, Misaka Mikoto and Shokuhou Misaki, both Level 5s, were targets of widespread attention.
Being watched had long become a part of their daily lives, so Misaka Mikoto had learned to treat those gazes as background noise, completely undisturbed.
But today was different, because everyone’s main focus was Shirai Kuroko.
“On yesterday’s stage, a new character appeared.”
Shirai Kuroko, who had always been Misaka Mikoto’s roommate and admirer, had actually entered the fray with dignity!
Surprise and excitement are the most thrilling parts of a drama, so it was no wonder the audience was excited.
“This really is…” Shirai Kuroko sighed, rubbing her forehead, suddenly feeling that today would be very difficult.
She had just asked a classmate through her phone and finally understood the whole situation.
The widely circulated version now was that yesterday, Shirai Kuroko forcefully crashed Lin Wuming’s Level ability test at A Certain High School, openly confessing her feelings while bravely declaring war on the existing two or three heroines, stating that she “would absolutely not give up Senior Wuming”…
How to put it, the course of events and specific details were completely wrong, but in terms of the final outcome, it subtly aligned with the facts.
“Well, you’ll get used to this kind of thing,” Misaka Mikoto said, unfazed, patting Shirai Kuroko’s shoulder generously to comfort her. “Everyone is just excited for a moment; it will soon be covered by other news.”
Shirai Kuroko looked at her with some trepidation: “Onee-sama, aren’t you angry?”
“Angry? Why?” Misaka Mikoto asked, puzzled. “Although it’s gossip, what they’re saying isn’t entirely wrong, is it?”
Because it wasn't a completely false rumor, there was no need to refute it.
“This… you’re right,” Shirai Kuroko nodded slightly.
“Thinking about it from another perspective, this news doesn’t seem entirely bad either. The power of public opinion and supporters can also be leveraged.”
After adjusting her mindset, Shirai Kuroko quickly adapted to her current situation.
After all, even the thin-skinned Misaka Mikoto had learned to ignore the surrounding gazes and discussions, so there was even less need to mention Shirai Kuroko.
After this small interlude, Shirai Kuroko and Misaka Mikoto headed straight to the academic affairs office—they planned to explain the situation to the Head of Academic Affairs first, and then go to class after clarifying everything.
After all, the pressure from the Dorm Supervisor last night was indeed a bit much. Although she herself said she “wouldn’t reprimand them too much,” Misaka Mikoto and the others dared not ignore the matter.
At the entrance of the teachers’ office, the two happened to meet Shokuhou Misaki and Hu Feng Toumi, who were also there to report, so they entered together to explain the situation.
Things went smoothly. The Head of Academic Affairs merely went through the motions—asking a few irrelevant questions, then symbolically lecturing them for a bit before concluding.
The efficiency was so high that Misaka Mikoto and Shirai Kuroko found it somewhat unbelievable—the Dorm Supervisor’s words were true… no, it was even more relaxed than she described!
“Of course,” Shokuhou Misaki chuckled. “What happened yesterday was far more serious than you imagine; even the teachers don’t want to get involved.”
Besides, look at their lineup—the two ace students of Tokiwadai Middle School were among them. How could the school pursue “skipping class,” such a minor issue, too much?
