Room 40

This is the overall forty-first chapter of You-Zitsu manga series.

Summary
Hirata informs Karuizawa that tomorrow she will try to talk to Manabe and the others to resolve the incident, telling them that she is willing to apologize. She didn't want to apologize to them, so he tells her that he won't be able to help her if that's the case. Karuizawa gets angry and exclaims that if he can't stand up for her then she doesn't need him, and the relationship between the two is over. Then she leaves, leaving the two boys alone.

Hirata tells Kiyotaka that there are certain things he just can't do, and that's why he needs his help. The latter thinks that he wants to be everyone's ally, and Hirata admits that it is true, because he has even changed his attitude when he talks to certain people. On the other hand, he suggests that Kiyotaka is more capable than he seems, but Kiyotaka thinks that he is overestimating him. He intuits that his relationship with Karuizawa was just a facade, and Hirata replies that it was, although he questions when he realized it. Kiyotaka remarks that there was always a slight distance between the two, the relationship between the two did not progress much and they have never called each other by their first names. Hirata explains that they have pretended to be dating because they felt it was necessary and asks Kiyotaka if he understands why. He reflects on Karuizawa's behavior in the Rabbit group and notes that by becoming closer to Machida, she was able to be more aggressive and her influence in the group also increased, similar to her relationship with Hirata. However, he doesn't think that she is doing this solely to gain popularity, as she didn't care what the group did to face the exam and just kept quiet most of the time; she didn't try to get close to Machida until the girls from Class C started teasing him. Taking this into account, Kiyotaka concludes that Karuizawa seeks to protect herself.

Hirata is shocked that he came to the right conclusion, but he lies saying that he heard it from Suzune. Hirata then comments that after having watched him since enrollment, Kiyotaka appears to him as a 'different existence', though Kiyotaka reiterates that he is only following orders. Hirata tells him that he agreed to pretend dating Karuizawa because he wanted to help her. She had been a victim of bullying during elementary and high school, and although he started to know her after they entered this school, he says that he is able to recognize people who suffered from bullying. Using her girlfriend position, Karuizawa was able to put her past behind her, and Hirata concluded that the reason she refused to apologize was because it would make her appear weak.

Characters
In order of appearance:
 * Kiyotaka Ayanokōji
 * Yōsuke Hirata
 * Kei Karuizawa
 * Kōji Machida (Flashback)
 * Shiho Manabe (Flashback)
 * Suzune Horikita (Flashback)
 * Kikyō Kushida (Flashback)
 * Airi Sakura (Flashback)