A Liar's Truth [UNDER FINAL REVISION]

Ch 21: Telling the story

Third person's POV 

There was a shift in the air the moment Ginka stepped into the main building.

It wasn't loud—just the quiet rustling of students turning their heads, subtle glances and the faint stir of gossip already reigniting. 

"She's back?"

"Isn't she the one from the ceremony...?"

"I thought they dumped her in Class E."

The hallway narrowed around her without anyone physically moving. The atmosphere wasn't hostile, not entirely—but wasn't warm, either. It was cautious. Judging. Ginka met it all with the same expression she always wore: innocent, radiant, composed.

As she stops right at their examination room, a few students stopped talking.  

"So," someone from next door starts off, just loud enough to be heard, "Class E." It wasn't a question. It was an accusation dressed as curiosity.

Ginka glanced up with an unwavering smile, "Yes. It's my class now~"

The student hesitated, maybe surprised she admitted it so easily. "Is it... true what happened during the entrance ceremony?"

Ginka tilted her head slightly, "Do you mean when I spoke out?"

That earned a few more glances.

"Yeah," the student mutters, "That."

"Ah, things sure did get messy, didn't they?" She lets out a soft giggle, grabbing ahold of the doorknob. "But when I saw something that didn't sit right with me, I asked a question. I didn't think remaining silent would've been the right thing~" 

A scoff on her left, "You seriously thought that'd go over well?"

"You seem cool with this and all. Most people would be embarrassed." Another mumbles. 

"Is caring about something so deeply something I should be ashamed about?" Ginka turned to face them fully, that signature sweetness never fading—only softening into something more disarming. "But please keep watching. I'll keep being happy, and you'll see—Class E isn't something to look down on."