“Ah, the teacher sure is nagging.” Jonouchi stepped out of the office, letting out a long sigh, a posture of relaxation.

Honda nudged him: “Hey, let’s get out first, don’t block the way.”

“After all, even though the surveillance didn’t catch them, the two of you, who are always mischievous, are definitely the primary suspects.”

Hayato was the last to walk out of the office.

After severely reprimanding the director, Fujita, and others, Hayato and his friends took out the footage from the camera and destroyed it directly. However, because the director’s wails when he was beaten were too loud and attracted the attention of others, Hayato and his friends could only hastily flee from the scene.

Unfortunately, limited by Yugi’s short legs, just as he was about to be caught by the security guards who came chasing after the sound, Hayato voluntarily offered to stay behind and cover their retreat, letting Jonouchi and Honda take Anzu and Yugi to leave first. How could Jonouchi agree? He stubbornly insisted on staying as well, and Honda was not to be outdone.

The final result was that Honda, Jonouchi, and Hayato were all “caught” by the security guards and sent to the disciplinary office.

The director, who had been severely beaten, originally wanted to use his identity to demand that the school expel the three from their studies and report them to society. However, as Hayato produced the camera containing a recording of “the director bringing a cameraman to film Fujita beating Yugi,” the school immediately changed its submissive attitude and instead pressured the director and his two companions for “entering the campus without permission and having malicious intentions towards students.”

Hayato and the other two were not clear about the detailed situation, because after providing strong evidence, Hayato and his friends were led back by a teacher arranged by the principal, while the director and his two companions negotiated with the school, led by the principal. However, it was probably just another dirty exchange of interests.

For example, the school could get more publicity arrangements, and the director could also eliminate his handle.

However, for Hayato and the other two who were led back by their homeroom teacher, the matter was not over. After all, although there was still no conclusive evidence to prove that the two besides Jonouchi did not participate in this “brawl,” the suspicion on Honda and Hayato had still not been cleared. Based on the principle of “better to kill the wrong than let go,” Hayato and his friends’ homeroom teacher gave each of the three a punishment.

“Jonouchi has to clean the school toilets for a week, Honda has to stand guard at the school gate for a week, and they both have to copy the school rules three times,” Hayato sighed, “Alas, we are so miserable.”

“Only you have no right to say that!”

Jonouchi complained: “I can understand why my punishment is the heaviest, but why do you only have to promise not to fight again?!”

“Exactly!” Honda was also a bit annoyed, “I suspect that old man likes men, otherwise why would you not have any punishment at all?”

“Get lost.” Hayato gave Honda a roll of his eyes, then spread his hands, looking helpless, “I can’t help it, who told me I’ve always been a good student, not only do I not cause trouble but my grades are also quite good, as for you two, you can only be described as having a bad record.”

“You’re so annoying.” Jonouchi was a bit upset, “It makes me so angry to think that I still have to clean the toilets.”

“Don’t forget copying the school rules.” Honda was a bit dejected.

Hayato patted their shoulders: “At most, I’ll help you copy the school rules, okay?”

“You said it!” “Don’t go back on your word!”

The two, who had just been a bit down, immediately cheered up. Although for them, two idiots, they wouldn’t take things to heart for too long anyway.

“Jonouchi, Honda, Kobayashi!” A soft, sweet voice like a primary school student’s came from behind the three.

Hayato turned his head: “Isn’t this Yugi boy?”

Standing behind the three was Yugi Mutou. Seeing the three walk out of the office, Yugi’s face was full of apology: “Everyone, I’m really sorry, it’s all because of me that you guys...”

“Don’t say that, Yugi.” Jonouchi had a brilliant smile on his face at this moment, clearly having thrown all the unhappy things to the back of his mind, “Aren’t we friends?”

“If we are friends, we shouldn’t be strangers, Yugi.” Honda said like a philosopher, nodding affirmingly.

“Kobayashi, I’m sorry to have dragged you into this as well.” With Jonouchi holding his head, Yugi looked at Hayato and said.

“That guy was so passive-aggressive, I just didn’t like him. Even without you, I would have taught them a lesson. So, don’t take it to heart, Yugi boy.” Hayato had a brilliant smile on his face.

Anzu whispered behind Yugi: “What strange English...”

“Hmm, thank you, Hayato.”

Yugi didn’t pay too much attention to Hayato’s strange address of “Yugi boy.” However, after saying a sentence, he suddenly seemed a bit hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t know whether he should.

“What’s wrong, Yugi?”

“Um, Kobayashi...”

“Just call me Hayato.”

“Hmm, Hayato.” Yugi hesitated, and finally spoke, “Can we be friends?”

A brief look of surprise appeared on Hayato’s face, then turned into a smile: “What are you talking about, Yugi boy, aren’t we already friends?”

The few people gathered here exchanged glances, then suddenly burst into laughter together.

“Who’s making so much noise outside!”

The teacher’s roar from the office broke the harmonious scene, and the group happily left.

After school that day.

“Hayato.”

“What’s wrong?” Hayato, who was organizing his bag, was called by name, and looked up to see Yugi, who had already put on his small backpack.

“Do you like playing duel monsters cards? Jonouchi said he wanted to visit the card shop my family owns, Anzu and Honda are going too, do you want to come along?”

While asking, Yugi blinked his watery big eyes, clearly very much looking forward to Hayato coming along. After all, Yugi had very few friends, and it was a rare occasion to make a new friend today, he was already impatient to go back and share this with his grandfather.

Hayato casually pulled out a tin box from his pocket and showed it to Yugi: “Actually, I’m also a fan of duel monsters, Yugi, does your family run a card shop? It just so happens I wanted to buy a few cards. Let’s go to your house tonight, I’ll call home in a bit.”

“Yay!”

Yugi looked very happy, but then, as if he thought of something, he asked: “But, Hayato, do you have a lot of pocket money? I remember those rare duel monsters cards are very expensive, and the non-rare ones don’t seem to have much value in buying.”

“I’m not buying any rare cards, just a few common ones. Because I think every card has its value.” Hayato said righteously, while casually pulling out three wallets, “As for money, it should be enough.”

Yugi vaguely saw a photo in the wallet, and it seemed to have the head of that director who was beaten by Jonouchi.

Maybe I saw it wrong? Yugi thought.