Ryo walked into class, rubbing the sore spots from last night's 'lesson' courtesy of Ayane. He just wanted a normal day.

  That hope died instantly when he saw the seating chart.

  His usual spot? Gone.

  And now? He was sitting next to Ayane.

  Ryo (blinking): "Wait. What?"

  Haruka (narrowing eyes): "Wait. WHAT?!"

  Misaki (adjusting her hair): "Curious. Very curious."

  Ryo (turning to Ayane, suspiciously): "Ayane… did you do something?"

  Ayane simply smiled sweetly.

  Ayane: "Oh, don't be silly, dear cousin. I just had a friendly chat with the principal."

  Ryo: "A friendly chat? What kind of friendly chat makes a principal rearrange the entire classroom?"

  Ayane tilted her head, innocence oozing from her expression.

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  Ayane: "He was very… persuaded by my reasoning."

  In the teacher's office, the principal still trembled, recalling the moment cold steel touched his throat.

  Principal (whispering to himself): "T-Takahashi-kun is safest next to her… Yes… safest…"

  With Haruka and Misaki glaring from across the room, Ayane took her new position as Ryo's guardian very seriously.

  First Attack: Haruka's 'Accidental' Brush-Up

  Haruka (stretching, leaning toward Ryo): "Oops! My hand slipped—"

  Ayane (smiling, but moving Ryo's chair back): "Oh my, be careful, Haruka-chan~"

  Haruka (gritting teeth): "You…!"

  Second Attack: Misaki's Mysterious Note

  A neatly folded letter landed on Ryo's desk.

  Misaki (smiling from across the room): "It's a little secret~"

  Before Ryo could even unfold it, Ayane had already snatched it and shredded it into tiny pieces.

  Ayane (smiling sweetly): "Oops. My hand slipped~"

  Misaki: "..."

  Ryo: "Can someone explain why I'm the one suffering?!"

  At the end of the day, Ryo felt like a hostage being protected by a bodyguard he never asked for.

  Haruka (arms crossed): "This is cheating."

  Misaki (sipping tea): "Indeed. Highly unsportsmanlike."

  Ayane simply smirked and leaned against Ryo's desk.

  Ayane: "I just want to make sure dear cousin doesn't fall into bad company."

  Ryo (deadpan): "I AM the bad company."

  As the girls continued their battle of glares, Ryo slumped forward.

  Ryo: "This school isn't big enough for all of us…"