413 Epilogue : Changing Relationships

ONLY TWO DAYS of winter break remained.

My relationship with Kei was back to the way it used to be… From Kei's point of view, it's been restored more than ever before.

Sudō's initial one-sided dislike for Yōsuke, as a classmate, had changed for the better. The break also led to unexpected encounters with Sakayanagi and her classmates.

Furthermore, Ryūen and Katsuragi had already started preparing for the start of the third term. I found evidence of Ichinose's change and newfound mental stability too—a good sign for her worried class.

Overall, it seemed like a fulfilling winter break.

However, there was one point of contention.

I felt that there was something left unfinished during this break.

The book I received as a present from Hiyori.

I wondered what I could do in return for receiving it.

After several days of agonizing, I arrived at one conclusion.

However, in order to carry out that conclusion, it was necessary to make some prior arrangements.

I had recently caused a lot of anxiety for Kei with Ichinose and that whole situation.

Rekindling an awkward atmosphere here wouldn't be ideal.

I had to repay her without causing any misunderstandings.

So, what was this repayment?

The hint laid in what I felt shortly after my entrance to the school in the past.

"Kiyotaka! Are you good? This is only for today, okay?!"

Hugging me from behind, Kei yelled with her pajamas still on as I was about to leave the room.

"I know. That's why I properly explained it, right?"

"Yeah, but... Even though I heard the reason why... I still feel anxious!"

I urged her to let me go and turned around; she hugged me from the front this time.

"Make sure you come back by tonight, okay?"

"If you're that worried, you should have just cleared the condition I set, right?"

"There's no way I can do that. Just looking at printed words is hard enough for me with textbooks alone. Besides, our conversation would never be on the same wavelength."

Well, that was probably true.

Trying to force it wouldn't likely lead to an enjoyable result for either of us.

"Then give me a kiss!"

"Where did that 'then' come from?"

As I countered her, Kei had already closed her eyes and faced her lips towards me.

As I met her wish honestly, she smiled mischievously and cutely waved her hand.

"Take care."

Her angry expression from just five seconds ago seemed like a lie as she now wore a happy smile.

While Kei was seeing me off, I left the room.

With no hesitation, I got on the elevator, stepped out of the dormitory, and immediately opened my cell phone.

Hiyori would likely be contacting me soon.

It would have been better to check before leaving the room, but I wanted to avoid causing Kei any more worry.

As expected, since I couldn't pick up my phone, I had a missed call and a message.

It seemed that she went out for a walk earlier than I'd planned.

Impressed by her typical punctuality, I decided to catch up.

I found her wandering aimlessly, her back facing me, in a location close to the main gate, away from Keyaki Mall.

"Did you find anything?"

"Good morning. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything special. But, the weather's lovely, isn't it?"

Though the temperature was still quite low, it was a clear day, and most of the accumulated snow had melted.

"Thank you for inviting me today."

"You'll waste the precious winter break if you're cooped up in the library every day."

I'd heard from the librarian that Hiyori, who rarely hung out with friends, spent her time in the library until curfew whenever it was open.

She stayed there, alone, all day until the library closed.

Believing it would be lonesome for her to enter the third term alone, I invited her out.

Of course, I understood that this was a routine that sufficiently satisfied Hiyori. I might be scolded for my unnecessary concern.

Inviting her out like this might make her feel pressured... in other words, it might've felt like I was forcing her to act as a friend.

"Why did you call out to me?"

That was why I had to be honest.

"I just felt like inviting you."

As another person, I simply wanted to invite her out, that was all.

Hiyori, of course, had the right to refuse if she thought I wasn't enough for her.

"I wanted to thank you for the book, and that was where it all started. But just giving a gift or thanking you in words wasn't enough. I wanted to spend a day together where you could enjoy yourself."

Though my words might have sounded a bit cheesy, I hoped she understood what I was trying to convey.

"I'm happy to hear that."

I could feel the gratitude and apologetic reaction from her gentle words.

The clever Hiyori might've interpreted that I invited her out of pity for her situation.

No matter how much I denied it with my words, her prejudice wouldn't be easily wiped away.

But, she accepted the invitation and came out with me. That was why she was here.

From now on, I just need to show her using my actions.

Normally, when the two of us were together, we didn't take the initiative.

Most of the time, we let the other students with us take the lead and experienced various things with them.

But today was different.

I decided to be the one to escort Hiyori.

However, there was only so much we could do and places we could go within the school grounds.

"Um, was Karuizawa-san okay with this? I mean, is she okay with you going out alone with another girl?"

People usually considered this when they spoke to the opposite gender, regardless of the situation.

It wasn't just me, but a common question that people with partners hear.

'Would you be okay with Kei going out alone with another boy?' That was the question.

Of course, it wasn't something I always had to think about.

Only those who feared the influence of spending time with others would bring this up.

I had already anticipated that Hiyori was this kind of person.

"At first, she insisted on coming along. But I thought it wouldn't be fun if she was just there to monitor me, and it would be rude to you."

"How did you persuade her?"

"I told her to read a book to have a common topic of conversation."

When I told her that, Hiyori's eyes widened and she showed a welcoming smile.

"You can guess how that went from her absence."

"Ah... I see. That makes sense."

Yesterday, she gave up on reading the first page of the book and fell down on the spot.

"That's how I properly got permission. Of course, she complained until the last minute."

Knowing that I hadn't kept silent, Hiyori smiled with relief.

"It seems like you're being quite ostentatious early in the new year."

As we were about to arrive at Keyaki Mall, a female student who found us discussing typical library experiences called out to us. It was Kamuro Masumi, who we didn't usually interact with much.

For some reason, she seemed to be looking at us with a disgusted expression.

As Kamuro approached, Hiyori slightly bowed her head in greeting, but was ignored, as Kamuro unilaterally started talking to us.

"I just saw you on a date with Karuizawa at the end of the year. Did you start going out with a different girl as soon as the new year began?"

Apparently, the gaze directed at me was one of contempt.

If you only saw this scene, it might've been unavoidable to be perceived that way.

"They're totally different types of girls. What were you thinking?"

"Um, good morning, Kamuro-san."

"Shiina, right? I didn't think you and Ayanokōji were this close."

Unless we explained the reason properly, the misunderstanding would continue indefinitely.

"Today, he invited me to hang out as a friend."

"I also got permission from Kei."

I thought this would persuade her a little, but her expression remained stern.

"Even if that's true, it doesn't change the fact that it looks abnormal from the outside."

Since the circumstances weren't clear from an outside perspective, that statement was also valid.

"But if that's the case, wouldn't it be impossible for boys and girls to hang out together?"

"There's an atmosphere, you know. Even if you look from afar, you can feel that it isn't normal."

That interpretation might've been Kamuro's own thoughts, but it wasn't necessarily wrong.

Among the female students, Hiyori was highly evaluated by me.

Although she didn't show it much, she was knowledgeable, shared the same reading hobby, and wasn't very talkative. In other words, she was one of the people with whom I could easily connect with.

On the other hand, it was also predictable that Hiyori saw me in a similar light.

If that was the case, it was natural to assume that our relationship went deeper than a normal friendship.

"I'll do my best to be careful not to cause any misunderstandings."

"That would be wise."

<Illustration>

"Did you come all the way here just to warn us about that?"

"I'll get to the point now. There's something else I want to confirm with you."

Without even offering a New Year's greeting, Kamuro closed the distance even further.

"It's a bit of an intrusive conversation, is that okay?"

Just in case, she asked if it was okay to continue in Hiyori's presence through eye contact.

Hiyori didn't seem to mind, so I let her proceed with the conversation.

"It's fine. If you have something to say, say it."

"Well then, I'll ask without holding back. What was your intention with your recent actions?"

"Actions? What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb. I'm aware that you've been snooping around Class A recently."

"Me, snooping around Class A?"

I had no recollection of that. Snooping around Class A?

I genuinely felt puzzled, but one interaction came to mind that could be interpreted that way.

"Could it be about Morishita?"

"Oh, so you do remember? Someone saw you and Morishita deep in conversation."

In that case, it might've been the moment when I was just called out.

It wouldn't be surprising if someone had witnessed that from afar.

"Morishita-san?"

Not recognizing the name, Hiyori muttered curiously beside me.

She might not even realize that Morishita was in the same year.

"You didn't know? There's a student named Morishita Ai in Class A."

"I think I've heard the name before, but I've never spoken to her."

"She doesn't usually talk to people outside her class. Suspicious, right?"

"Is that so? I didn't notice..."

She said that she talked to Sudō and Kōenji, among others.

Although her use of my full name without honorifics bothered me a bit, she didn't seem shy.

"You weren't trying to probe Class A?"

"I didn't intend to. You're free to believe me or not."

Without trying to hide it, Kamuro stated outright that she didn't easily believe me.

"I never thought Kamuro would be the type to act in Class A's interests."

"If it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't care that much."

"Really?"

"You're the only one who can influence Sakayanagi."

I couldn't have imagined such a claim back when I first met Kamuro. I always thought she hated Sakayanagi.

She had discovered her shoplifting and, using it as leverage, made Kamuro her pawn.

Initially, she should've been irritated with Sakayanagi's approach.

There was a gap in the image I had of her.

"Eating from the same pot for a year changes things, huh?"

"Don't make assumptions. I still don't like Sakayanagi, but I have to think about the class at least. If your existence has a positive effect, I'll leave it be, but if it doesn't, I'll need to take action."

It was fair to say that she had developed some degree of camaraderie. 

"Speaking of which, you seem to know quite a bit, Shiina."

"What do you mean?"

"You listened to my conversation with Ayanokōji without a change in your expression, right?"

"What was it? Sorry, I wasn't listening too seriously."

"...Huh?"

"It's a conversation between you and Ayanokōji-kun, so I was just spacing out while looking at the scenery. Did you guys talk about anything special?"

As Hiyori tilted her head curiously, Kamuro sighed in exasperation.

"Not really. It's nothing."

She must've judged that it was an excessive reaction and that she was overthinking.

Perhaps she had intended to purposely lead the conversation in that direction to probe Shiina's response, but it seemed her assumption was off.

Hiyori, who was sitting next to her, should've heard the conversation properly and understood the situation.

However, she was a person who could put on a natural display without letting the other person realize it.

"I know you're not normal."

"That's a rough way to say it."

"It's the truth, isn't it? Otherwise, you wouldn't have made that girl Sakura drop out of school without a second thought."

It seemed she was also talking about the unanimous special exam we had taken. Kamuro seemed to possess information that only the people within the class were supposed to know.

"Today, I'm going to ask you—"

As she began to say that, Kamuro's gaze shifted for a moment.

"Oh, look. What an unusual pair~"

Just when her persistent interrogation was about to begin, Hashimoto appeared with a carefree attitude, alongside Kitō, who lined up next to him.

I didn't miss the sudden change in Kamuro's expression.

It was like the face you'd make when you've run into someone you didn't like.

However, if she was going to question me continuously in such a public setting, she should've taken into account the possibility of running into Hashimoto.

In that case, there might've been another meaning behind the momentary change of expression, but more than that, my eyes were drawn to Kitō's flashy, full-fledged outfit.

As he declared that he aspired to be a fashion designer, his sense of style was different from that of the general public.

I couldn't tell whether that was a good or a bad thing since I had no confidence in my own sense of fashion.

"When I saw Ayanokōji surrounded by beautiful women, the flames of jealousy just ignited."

"Are you kidding me?"

Kamuro, clearly angry, stepped up to confront Hashimoto.

"Both Shiina-chan and Kamuro-chan, huh? Ayanokōji has quite the discerning eye. Right, Kitō?"

Though he asked Kitō for his agreement, Kitō didn't show any reaction.

"Us two guys were just about to go out by ourselves, but would you mind if we join you?"

"Who would? I'm going home."

Kamuro, enraged, tried to leave the scene, but was stopped by Hashimoto as he grabbed her arm and whispered something in her ear.

She immediately pushed him away to create some distance between them, but she didn't move her feet.

"It's not like you two are on a date, right? Ayanokōji has a girlfriend."

I nodded, thinking that it couldn't be helped. The conversation would inevitably develop in a similar way to the one with Kamuro.

"Then there's no problem with us joining and making a group of five, right?"

"I don't have a particular reason to object if Hiyori's okay with it."

"It sounds fun. I've hardly ever spoken with Kamuro-san and the others."

Without showing any signs of reluctance, Hiyori answered.

I wasn't the type to actively start conversations, but I thought it wasn't bad to have fun with a large group like this.

I wasn't particularly close friends with Hashimoto and the others, but it wouldn't be bad to build a bond with such diverse students.

"Since we didn't have any specific plans, should we leave it up to Hashimoto?"

"If you'll leave it to me, I can decide."

Hashimoto readily agreed, perhaps used to leading a group.

Lately, I'd been interacting more and more with students from other classes, such as Ryūen, Katsuragi, Ichinose, and Shiranami.

Today, I was even spending time with Class A students, like Kamuro.

And they weren't just ordinary students; they were close to Sakayanagi and held executive-like positions.

"Good morning, Hashimoto-senpai, Kamuro-senpai, Kitō-senpai."

"Good morning."

"Ah, thank you!"

As we approached Keyaki Mall, there were many first-year students greeting us.

"You're popular."

"It's not unusual for us Class A students."

They kept close ties with their first-year kōhais, and they knew each other by their names and faces.

"I don't get that impression from Sakayanagi."

"Princess is special. The kōhais can't just casually greet her. She's like a flower on a high peak."

So that was why she always got envious glances from the kōhais.

"So where are we heading?"

"Hmm? Let's see. Do you want to avoid conspicuous places, Ayanokōji? Or not?"

"I don't like unnecessarily standing out."

"Right. So karaoke would be the typical choice, but—"

As Hashimoto casually checked my expression, Kamuro shot him a piercing glare.

"Rejected."

"Ah, figures."

With that one word, Hashimoto gave up on karaoke and started thinking about other options.

"Kamuro-san, do you not like karaoke?"

"It doesn't matter. Don't ask me why."

As Hiyori walked alongside Kamuro, she asked about karaoke but received no answer, only a curt dismissal. Amid the situation, Kitō and I were walking in the back.

"—Tone-deaf."

"Kitō!"

Kitō merely muttered, but Kamuro picked up on his voice and turned towards him with a furious expression.

"What, can't sing, huh?"

Indeed, it seemed that people who were aware of their tone-deafness tended to dislike karaoke.

That would explain why Kamuro didn't want to talk about the reason.

"Quiet."

"...Kamuro also has the ears of a demon, huh?"

Whether he was reflecting on it or not, Kitō added yet another potentially angering comment in an even quieter voice.

"I heard that too. And don't go saying unnecessary things to Ayanokōji."

"It's within the bounds of not causing problems."

Whether they got along well or not was difficult to determine, but it seemed they had a close relationship.

"Come on, let's take it easy, Kamuro-chan. We're not going to karaoke anyway."

Kitō placed his hand on my shoulder and signaled me to slow down my pace slightly. He then opened his mouth when he was at a distance where Kamuro's sharp ears wouldn't reach.

"Hashimoto and Kamuro are causing trouble."

"Ah, no, I don't really mind. Shiina's happily laughing, so it's fine."

"As long as that's the case."

While Kitō typically wore a scary expression, after he showed a different side to himself during the school trip, I wasn't surprised. Rather, he was also a student with a rational way of thinking.

"The way you deal with things is different from when it was with Ryūen. Is it because you still don't recognize me as an enemy?"

"I don't just snap at everyone. Even if they're an enemy, as long as they have an appropriate attitude, I'll treat them with at least basic courtesy."

Even when dealing with an enemy, he wouldn't always take a harsh stance.

"Hey, Shiina-chan. There's something I wanted to ask you, is that okay?"

"What is it?"

"I was just wondering what kind of relationship you have with Ayanokōji."

"As I told Kamuro-san, we're good friends."

"So it's okay to say that you're currently free, right?"

"Free?"

"Like, you don't have a boyfriend."

"Are you planning on hitting on her in this situation?"

"It's fine, isn't it? We're both single. Or would you rather be my girlfriend, Kamuro-chan?"

As he showed such a light-hearted attitude, she approached him and delivered an unreserved kick to his behind.

"Ouch!"

Hashimoto jumped and clutched his butt, apologizing with his hands together.

"Sorry for showing you such a stupid farce."

Watching their exchange from behind, Kitō apologized despite having nothing to apologize for.

"Honestly, I had the impression that there were more uptight students in Class A. Surprisingly, that's not the case."

"Hashimoto has a knack for being a mood maker, for better or worse."

With his usual scary face and ambiguous choice of words, I couldn't tell if he was praising him or not.

By leaving the escorting to Hashimoto, I learned something new.

No matter how novel the proposal, it wouldn't be realized unless the participants agreed.

Hashimoto made several suggestions besides karaoke, but Kamuro shot them all down.

In the end, all Kamuro agreed on was a chat at a café.

It was the only plan left for a group that had ran out of things to do.

"Is this really okay, Kamuro-chan? We've invited these two rare guests."

"Then why don't you go without me? I've already told you several times."

During Hashimoto's proposals' ceaseless rejections, Kamuro indeed stated numerous times that they could go without her.

"There's no way we can exclude you."

"I think this is nice too. It's rather calming, and I like it."

"Wow, Shiina-chan is such a good girl, and cute too."

Hashimoto seemed to be fond of Shiina as he quickly took a seat next to her.

On the other hand, I sat down next to Kitō.

"I have to say, Ayanokōji, you're quite something too. Normally, people get nervous sitting next to Kitō."

"I already know he's a good guy."

Is it the experience from the school trip that's helping? It even feels somewhat comforting.

"I agree with you, Ayanokōji-kun. Kitō-kun doesn't seem like a bad person."

"Where exactly are your eyes then?"

"It's true. These two are some rare specimens."

"Really?"

Hiyori looked intently at Kitō to confirm it.

Following her gaze, Kitō stared back at Hiyori, but it didn't seem to make her nervous.

In fact, he couldn't stand her gaze and looked away.

"He's a good guy after all."

"That's a misunderstanding. I'm not a good person."

His eyes darted to me, almost as if he wanted to glare and make sure I didn't get the wrong idea.

"Don't misunderstand," he stressed with his own words.

"Well, Ayanokōji, it's about time you tell us."

So far, Hashimoto had been acting carefree, but now he rested his elbow on the table and tilted his arm, holding his cup like a microphone.

Kamuro, who had been slouching while looking elsewhere, straightened up at those words.

The reason they approached us was to ask me something.

I assumed that much, but what did he want to know?

"...So, do you plan to ditch Karuizawa and switch to Shiina? Since you're dating Shiina, it must mean something like that, right? Huh?"

Like a reporter grilling a celebrity, Hashimoto aggressively pushed his cup closer. Kamuro stopped his reaching arm.

"Hashimoto."

"Huh? What's up, Kamuro-chan? I'm going to ask him everything right now—"

"If you're just going to beat around the bush, I'll get straight to the point."

She strongly implied that she didn't want to continue with this troublesome small talk.

"You're scary, Kamuro-chan, but that's also what's appealing about you— Ouch!"

Suddenly, Hashimoto groaned in pain, his face contorted in agony. Panicking, he crouched down and held his leg. It seemed he'd been kicked under the table.

"That was merciless...!"

"It was an accident."

Without any concern, Kamuro looked away and responded. After enduring the pain for a while, Hashimoto brought up the topic.

"We, or rather, Class A, is really curious about you."

"Why?"

"Don't you know? You're good at studying, seem to be athletic, and you're quite popular with Ichinose. You can even talk to Ryūen without fear. On top of all that, you seem to be on good terms with the princess—that's not normal."

During winter break alone, a large number of people witnessed my relationships with those around me.

Considering Hashimoto's questioning and the previous investigation, it seemed reasonable.

"The reason for the rise to Class B and the true leader behind Horikita's efforts—it's you, right?"

Kamuro and Kitō ceased movement, and only their gazes turned toward me. Considering Kamuro's actions and words, this situation mustn't have been a coincidence. 

Although Hashimoto's actions seemed spontaneous, it was probably calculated in advance.

Drawn by the seeds I had sown, rumors circulated from reconnaissance, speculation, and information. Regardless if it was true or not, the rumors circulated this way, revealing new details.

I anticipated having to deal with this line of questioning, but I thought it would be brought up in the future. If so, from now on, let's provide water to the seeds.

"The true leader, huh? What if that were true?"

Hashimoto whistled and said, "I thought you'd either quickly play dumb or deny it, but you're admitting it?"

"I'm not admitting anything. I'm just curious as to what you'd do if it were true."

"That's something we'll find out after we have confirmation."

"Confirmation, huh? Well, then maybe it's better if I admit to being the true leader, as you've hoped, Hashimoto."

As I responded, Hashimoto lowered his raised smile and gave a bitter one instead.

"That's a difficult answer."

Hashimoto's questioning likely expected one of these reactions: to be flustered at hitting the mark, to confidently admit it, or to firmly deny it.

He must have been confident that doubt would turn into conviction with any of these reactions.

In that case, taking an ambiguous stance would be more difficult for Hashimoto to handle.

I neither confirmed nor denied it. Rather, I was in a position where I didn't mind admitting it if I had to.

By doing so, it was difficult to ascertain any certainty.

In fact, right now, I was gradually distancing myself from Horikita's shadow.

If I decided on my own that I was the true leader and acted on that belief, I would trip up in future battles.

"What do you think, Kamuro-chan?"

"Almost certain, but not quite."

"How about you, Kitō?"

Unlike Kamuro, who answered immediately, Kitō didn't say anything. Despite that, he didn't take his eyes off me.

"I might need to correct myself. Saying that you're the true leader might be an exaggeration, but I have no doubt that you're the hidden driving force behind leading your class to Class B."

"It's up to you and Class A to make a judgment, Hashimoto."

"Shiina-chan, what do you think about Ayanokōji?"

"Me?"

"Yes, I'd like to hear your opinion on this matter as well."

"Hashimoto-kun, I wonder what you want from this conversation."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Keeping track of Ayanokōji-kun's existence—and what you plan to do in the future."

"...You hit the nail on the head."

From that single comment, Hashimoto—who was originally only concerned about her appearances—seemed to have reassessed Shiina.

"What do you mean, Hashimoto?"

Hashimoto remained silent as Kamuro asked, not understanding the meaning behind Shiina's inquiry.

"A little while ago, Kamuro and I were talking about how to graduate from Class A. The most solid way is to build up 20 million for yourself, but that's not easy. Moreover, relying on new systems like the class transfer ticket isn't feasible since their validity is too short."

"That's true."

"It's important to keep an eye on classes that seem to be winning. If you flatter them, they might pick you up. But even if you just do one or two favors for a class, will they pay you 20 million to back you up?"

"Of course not, unless you have a really strict contract."

"That's right. So how do you think we should increase our chances of graduating from Class A? Cooperate with our classmates? Knock down our rivals? No, that's not it."

"Steal strong opponents from other classes, right?"

Before Hashimoto could answer, Hiyori muttered the conclusion.

"Wow, you're on point."

Ignoring the flattering Hashimoto, Kamuro and Kitō's gazes met. Their unconscious behavior showed that they had realized how mentally quick Shiina Hiyori was.

There were countless students with high academic abilities in the OAA.

However, whether they were capable in areas other than academics could only be seen through interacting with them.

"Even if you can't accumulate 20 million points yourself, the collective will of the class can reach that goal. Like how Ryūen-kun lured Katsuragi-kun, if Class A also recruits excellent personnel from other classes, Class A would be stronger, and we could also weaken the power of our rivals."

Hashimoto, who generously applauded, elaborated on how it was the right answer.

"Show us, Ayanokōji. If you prove your strength to us in Class A, we'll use our class points to recruit you. That way, you'll be in a better position than you are now, right?"

Hashimoto's offer was tempting, but couldn't be completely dismissed as a lie.

However, there were several reasons why I couldn't judge it to be true.

"Headhunting, huh? But do you really think Sakayanagi will welcome Ayanokōji?"

With that, Kamuro confirmed that Sakayanagi probably wouldn't be welcoming.

"I understand that you have your own ideas about the princess, but I think there's a chance."

"On what grounds?"

"I could share my thoughts, but first, let's see what Ayanokōji thinks."

Instead of answering Kamuro's question, Hashimoto checked my thoughts.

"If she's going to pull me into Class A, it's more than a great proposal."

"That's what I mean. If Class A is inviting you, would you accept? Even if it's just hypothetical, let's hear it."

"I'd positively consider it if I was offered an invitation to Class A."

As I showed signs of accepting the invitation, Hashimoto assumingly pulled back.

"Okay, no problem with confirming your intentions. Then we can move on to the next stage."

As the conversation continued, Hashimoto laughed more happily than anyone else in the room. However, one of his classmates stood up, pulling her chair out.

"I won't be involved in your rampage, so see you later."

"Ah, hey, Kamuro-chan, are you leaving?"

"You won't listen to anything I say, right?"

"If you're talking about the promise the other day, I'm sorry."

Although he hurriedly tried to stop her, Kamuro quickly left the café.

"Aah… Was it a bit too much?"

When he checked with the quietly observing Kitō, he silently nodded in agreement.

"I'll call her back, so just wait a moment."

Scratching his head, Hashimoto hurriedly chased after Kamuro.

"You all are interesting people. It's really fun."

Hiyori, who had been watching, narrowed her eyes and smiled.

"...Really?"

Kitō, who never expected her to have fun, retorted.

After Hashimoto brought back a sullen Kamuro, the focus shifted to some small talk rather than returning to me.

Hiyori didn't particularly stand out, rather, she participated in the conversation. And with Hashimoto's support, the enjoyable time continued.

We parted ways with Hashimoto and the other two Class A students before going to the bookstore after the café.

Judging from their hurried state, Sakayanagi may have called them.

On the way back from the bookstore, we exchanged various thoughts.

"It's been a really fun day."

Hiyori, walking a little ahead of me at dusk, smiled as she remembered what had happened earlier.

"I didn't expect Kitō-kun to be so talkative."

"So talkative?"

Looking back, I thought he only muttered something five or six times...

"I also learned a lot about Kamuro-san and Hashimoto-kun."

"It's good that you were satisfied. After all, I couldn't do much."

"That's not true. You went to the bookstore with me, didn't you? That alone was very enjoyable."

"Is that so? Well, if you're happy, then I guess everything's fine."

I still hadn't improved much in terms of planning things out while considering my partner's feelings.

This was something that would have to be done through shared experiences, regardless of gender.

Before I knew it, our conversation had dwindled, and we had fallen into silence.

Hiyori's footsteps had grown slower than before, and I wondered if she was deep in thought.

We walked along the tree-lined street and were just about halfway to the dormitory.

"Um… Ayanokōji-kun. Can you please listen without getting angry?"

Hiyori, who had been smiling happily just moments ago, seemed to be slightly nervous.

"I don't think there's anything to be angry about, so I'll listen without getting upset."

"The book I gave you as a present the other day... It was written by my father."

"By your…? I see. So, the author's name might be his real name?"

"That's amazing. You figured it out?"

"It wouldn't be strange if I noticed the author's unusual name when I found out it was a relative."

"Shiina Katsumi. My father's name."

"So, the bookworm girl's roots are from her father."

I might've caught a glimpse of the background that created the literary girl.

"Until now, I haven't told anyone that my father's a writer. I didn't have any friends who shared the same hobby, but... it's not just that. I wanted you to know about it."

That was what Hiyori told me.

Although it wasn't something to hide, it wasn't something she had to go out of her way to talk about either.

Why did she bring up such a topic now?

"What do you think will happen in the upcoming battles? Of course, I know it's difficult to predict, but I'd like to hear your opinion if possible."

"Ryūen's and Sakayanagi's battle will probably have a significant impact on their future. Assuming that the class points will remain similar until the end of the school year, if Sakayanagi wins, Class A will be at a significant advantage. However, if Ryūen wins, that advantage may disappear. Their movements are more noteworthy than those of Horikita's class or Ichinose's class."

This much speculation could be done by anyone.

In order to express an opinion beyond that, I had to think about what would happen in the future.

"Most students probably think that Sakayanagi's class has the advantage."

"That's right. They've been maintaining Class A for nearly two years, and they've never lost a significant amount of class points. There are a few people in our class who are already frightened by the final exams."

If they lose, Ryūen's class's chance of graduating from Class A would become extremely difficult.

"Without knowing the content of the special exam, we can only judge based on the leaders' and classmates' strength and compatibility, but I think Ryūen has a good chance of winning."

In fact, that was what I considered to be the most ideal.

It didn't matter which way the battle between Horikita and Ichinose goes, but if Ryūen loses, Hiyori's class would lose its chance of success and fall out of the race.

"—That's true."

As a member of the class, Hiyori must've felt it as well.

Sakayanagi's class was strong. That was why the loss would be immeasurable if they were defeated.

"I'm sorry for asking something like this."

"Don't worry. I'm glad to know that you also care about your class."

When I told her so, she was a little embarrassed.

"Our classes may be different and we may be competing, but let's definitely graduate together, alright?"

Unlike her usual self, Hiyori ran and stood in front of me.

Then, while still looking embarrassed, she turned around and spoke those thoughts.

It was unclear which class would graduate as Class A.

However, this didn't necessarily mean that we had to always be rivals and bear resentment towards other classes.

Whether someone graduated as Class C or Class D, they'd want to face graduation with a smile together with their friends, best friends, and lovers.

"Yeah, that's right."

When I responded with my agreement, Hiyori softly smiled with joy.

Winter break was coming to an end.

A cold wind was blowing.

From now on, it would only get colder as the end of the month approached.

…And so, the third term was about to begin.