As far as cannon fodders were concerned, Midori had only ever paid attention to one -- the original host.
Nevertheless, her extraordinary photographic memory served her well, allowing her to effortlessly retain faces, names, and various details about each individual.
"This is Shiori Watanabe, her father is the esteemed owner of Watanabe Holding, the largest newspaper printing company with a prominent presence in Tokyo, Kyoto, and numerous other cities."
Shiori, the one who nudged Fumiko previously, flashed Midori a polite but cold smile.
"Nice to meet you."
"This is Himari Amano, her father operates a chain of exquisite inns all over Japan."
Himari passed Midori a curt smile.
"Nice to meet you, I am Himari."
Fumiko's face blossomed into a radiant grin as she stood beside Midori, ready to humiliate her.
"And this is Midori-san, the one I often mention to you all. Although she is a divorcee, she is currently pregnant with an unknown man's baby!" she announced with a loud voice.
Fumiko's announcement sent shockwaves through the room, causing heads to pivot and murmurs to ripple among the female students.
A young girl's incredulous question, "How can she be pregnant with an unknown man's baby?" was quickly hushed by her more mature peers.
Midori remained calm and composed. She even had a slight smile around her lips.
The one who gave the strongest reaction was Akiyama Kinoshita, who smashed the wooden tray in his hands to the floor in a fit of rage.
Amidst the commotion, Midori stood poised and unruffled, a faint smile playing on her lips. Her composure was a stark contrast to Akiyama Kinoshita's explosive reaction. In a fit of rage, he slammed the wooden tray he was holding onto the floor, the clatter echoing through the room.
"Ito-san!" Akiyama glared at Fumiko, his eyes burning with fury. His sudden appearance and outburst caught the young woman completely off guard.
At the sound of Akiyama's outburst, Shiori and Himari instinctively huddled closer together, their bodies trembling as if seeking refuge from the icy blast of winter wind that seemed to emanate from Akiyama's enraged form.
"You!"
With a venomous tone laced with disdain, Akiyama thrust his finger towards Fumiko, his accusing gesture piercing the air like a sharpened blade.
"And you! And you!"
His finger continued its menacing dance, pointing at Shiori and Himari, who shrank back in fright, their eyes wide with terror.
"I will tolerate no slander within the esteemed walls of this academy! Report to the headmistress' office this instant or face immediate expulsion!"
His words hung in the air like a death knell, striking fear into the hearts of the three young women.
Whimpering like wounded creatures, the terrified trio scurried out of the dining hall, their hasty retreat signaling their complete surrender to Akiyama's wrath. Observing their departure, Akiyama let out a contemptuous scoff. "Such impudence!" he exclaimed, his voice dripping with scorn. "I cannot fathom how this academy, once a beacon of honor and integrity, could harbor such disgraceful students!"
Despite her initial plan to publicly expose Fumiko's indiscretions, Midori found herself harboring a flicker of gratitude towards Akiyama for his unexpected intervention. There was a comforting sense of security in knowing that someone had her back.
With a genuine smile gracing her lips, Midori turned towards Akiyama, her eyes sparkling with appreciation. "Thank you," she uttered sincerely, her voice laced with warmth.
Akiyama, caught off guard by Midori's sudden expression of gratitude, felt a faint blush creep up his cheeks. He cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure, and replied curtly, "I did it for the academy," his tone dismissive as if to downplay his actions. "Don't think too much about it."
"I know. Let's eat, I am famished."
Midori extended her hand, her fingers brushing against Akiyama's arm for the briefest moment. The fleeting touch sent a jolt of electricity through Akiyama's body, his heart suddenly pounding like a drum against his ribs. The unexpected intimacy of her gesture caught him off guard, leaving him flustered and unsure of how to react.
As Akiyama observed Midori carefully select dishes onto her tray, his mind couldn't help but wander to the question of whether her captivating aura had always been present or whether a touch of maternal charm enhanced her beauty.
The thought sent a flush of warmth to his cheeks, and he quickly averted his gaze, rubbing at his reddened face. Goodness, he thought to himself, had he fallen in love with Midori Takigawa?
Midori's mind was entirely consumed by the delectable array of culinary delights spread out before her. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she waited in line for the shrimp tempuras.
However, her gastronomic reverie was abruptly interrupted when the disembodied voice of S-9898 echoed within her consciousness.
[Midori-san, congratulations! The system has established Akiyama Kinoshita as "Future Second Husband 1".
From now on, increased interaction with Akiyama Kinoshita will grant you Pink Love Points.
The accumulated points can be exchanged against reward to enhance your love life!]
Before Midori had the chance to ask what kind of rewards she could get, a string of annoying notifications popped up in her mind.
[1 Pink Love Point is added to your account because Akiyama Kinoshita's affection toward you is growing.]
[1 Pink Love Point is added to your account because Akiyama Kinoshita's affection toward you is growing.]
[1 Pink Love Point is added to your account because Akiyama Kinoshita's affection toward you is growing.]
"Whoa! Can you stop the spamming?" Midori screamed in her head.
Clearly, S-9898 was weary of the repetitive task of announcing point changes. Therefore, she promptly proposed a solution.
[Midori-san, would you like to mute the point notification for now? You can check the point stand at the Character Interface anytime.
An alert will be issued when your points drop below a specified threshold.]
"Do that," Midori spoke in her head.
She resolved to make it a daily habit to check her point balance upon waking up, ensuring that she wasn't tiptoeing dangerously close to the minimum threshold.
Meanwhile, the Pink Love Points were accumulating at an astonishing rate. As their eyes locked, Akiyama Kinoshita couldn't suppress the smitten expression that blossomed across his face.
"Oh my," Midori thought to herself, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Could it be that someone has fallen head over heels for me?"