Compared to the beginning of the month, Beech Shopping Center was less crowded now that the end of the month was approaching.
"Looks like everyone has spent nearly all their points, so they don't dare come here and browse around as often as before."
"Yeah."
Kushida Kikyo and Karizawa Kei walked ahead, chatting as they went and happily browsing one store after another, thoroughly displaying girls' love for shopping. It was quite a pleasing sight.
Fang Li and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka silently followed at the very back, watching the scene unfold.
The two of them had assumed that Ike Koji and Yamauchi Haruki would follow Kushida Kikyo around at all costs, doing their best to show themselves off. Instead, the two of them had flanked Hirata Yosuke from either side, radiating an extraordinary intensity.
"Um..."
Hirata Yosuke looked rather troubled.
Yet Ike Koji and Yamauchi Haruki seemed completely oblivious, maintaining their serious atmosphere.
"Hey, Hirata."
"Can we ask you something?"
Ike Koji and Yamauchi Haruki said this with solemn expressions.
"O-Of course you can."
Apparently intimidated by their imposing manner, Hirata Yosuke nodded somewhat stiffly.
Under those circumstances, Ike Koji asked first.
"I heard you're dating Karizawa, right?" Ike Koji asked bluntly. "Is that true?"
"Huh...?" Hirata Yosuke immediately said in a fluster, "H-How did you find out?"
It seemed he had intended to keep it a secret.
Unfortunately, Yamauchi Haruki revealed the truth.
"Everyone in class noticed ages ago. Even students from other classes know." Yamauchi Haruki said rather unscrupulously, "You can only blame yourself for being too popular. The guys all wanted the girls to shift their attention away from you, so everyone conscientiously spread the news that you had a girlfriend."
Yamauchi Haruki had definitely contributed to that, hadn't he?
"This really is..."
Hirata Yosuke gave a bitter