game

This day, the normally peaceful classroom was suddenly attacked by an unknown life form.

'Run!' a voice screamed in Hoshino Kanade's mind.

Before she completely overwhelms you... find her weakness.

But unfortunately, Kiyona was an all-around genius, impeccable in every aspect.

However, precisely because she was impeccable, Hoshino Kanade believed even more that all the unexpected heartbeats between her and Kiyona were encounters meticulously planned by Kiyona.

Still, she couldn't guarantee that in this real world, Kiyona would possess absolute rationality like in the original work, so Hoshino Kanade could only maintain a certain degree of clarity.

Clarity was her last armor, while heartbeats... were always spoils for the hunter.

Icy strands of hair wrapped around her knuckles, stirring a fine itch. Her palms betrayed her reason, unable to resist the temptation of the warmth on Kiyona's head.

"It's... it's not as good as you say."

Hoshino Kanade's face flushed, and she lowered her head slightly, her gaze flicking to the side.

After a while, Kiyona still showed no signs of letting go.

"Alright, it's almost time for class."

"Let's go to the club orientation after school this afternoon."

"I know, you don't need to remind me again."

Finally, it was over. Hoshino Kanade turned back, the blush from the rising temperature on her face slowly fading.

Her classmates were all whispering amongst themselves, and Hoshino Kanade could feel gazes from different directions, carrying different meanings, from time to time.

It was unsettling, and she expected it would take some time before things returned to normal.

Now, Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona had become famous in the class, far more impactful than their self-introductions.

Although Hoshino Kanade didn't want to be famous.

The chaotic learning atmosphere in Class D made it difficult for students who wanted to concentrate to calm their minds.

But even from the last row, with several "demons and monsters" in front of her, Horikita Suzune still listened attentively and took notes in every class.

In that regard, Hoshino Kanade admired her.

Time always seemed to fly when studying. The afternoon classes quickly passed by with reading books—of course, Hoshino Kanade felt this was more due to the shorter afternoon class periods in Japanese middle schools.

Afternoon classes started at 1:30 PM and ended at 3:00 PM, with only two classes, a short hour and a half.

After that, there was half an hour for cleaning, and after 4:00 PM, it was time for club activities.

In Japanese schools, club activities were an important part of campus life.

Students could freely choose clubs that interested them—from sports like baseball and kendo, to cultural clubs like anime research and tea ceremony, and even specialized clubs like robotics and supernatural research.

Not only could they develop their interests and hobbies, but they could also gain multiple benefits, such as winning awards in club competitions to aid their college applications; making friends across class and grade boundaries, forming a girl band together...

In summary, clubs were both the starting point for students' interests and a springboard for growth. Hoshino Kanade believed their value far surpassed the rote knowledge learned in classrooms.

However, in junior high, Hoshino Kanade's club was always the "go-home club," and no violent teachers forced her to join strange clubs.

After cleaning, there was still an hour and a half before the club orientation began.

She continued to read.

"Kanade, let's go to the gymnasium."

Kiyona's voice sounded by her ear.

Heaven knows how long Kiyona had been waiting. While Kanade was reading, Kiyona sat in the seat in front of Kanade and watched him. After all, Kiyona had nothing else to do, so she might as well observe humans.

She said she was reading, but Kiyona felt "flipping pages" was more appropriate. Her reading speed was faster than his, and time seemed to fly away with Kanade's "swish-swish-swish" page-turning.

"Then let's go."

When Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona arrived at the gymnasium, the club orientation had just begun.

The gymnasium was bustling with noise, and senior students from various clubs were enthusiastically promoting their clubs to the new students.

Display boards featured both pictures and text to showcase club characteristics, and promotional flyers were detailed and eye-catchingly designed. The atmosphere on site was very lively.

It was time to lament the school's substantial capital again.

Tokyo Metropolitan High School of Cultivation not only had excellent overall club standards but also boasted many nationally certified elite clubs and athletes.

The club facilities were also far more complete than those in schools of similar levels, with some luxurious equipment, such as hyperbaric oxygen chambers.

However, none of this had anything to do with Hoshino Kanade. He was just accompanying the "prince" to study.

But Kiyona also seemed uninterested. Despite being in the midst of the noisy recruitment event, she remained detached from the fervor.

She merely glanced briefly at the various club booths before looking away, neither stopping to inquire nor taking any promotional materials, her eyes filled with a sense of distance.

Indeed, with Kiyona's level, she could probably dominate most of the clubs here.

So, Kiyona feigning sadness in the classroom, insisting on inviting Hoshino Kanade, was it truly just to go together?

"Does Kiyona have any clubs she wants to join?"

It felt just like shopping, Hoshino Kanade hated shopping, and even more so shopping where you only looked and didn't buy.

"I don't feel like there's anything I like. I only understood when I came to the information session."

Kiyona turned to face Hoshino Kanade, placing a hand on her chest. After a slight pause, she spoke with a poker face, cutting straight to the chase.

"For me, any club without Kanade is meaningless."

Her cool voice seemed to possess the power to freeze time.

The Judo Club president, who had been enthusiastically recruiting new members nearby, was instantly silenced. The surrounding new students turned their disbelieving, surprised, and envious gazes toward the two.

Without time to think too much, Hoshino Kanade offered a brief apology to the crowd and then pulled Kiyona away, running out.

She skillfully weaved through the jostling crowd with Kiyona, successfully reaching the area outside the gymnasium. Then, they found a slightly more secluded and quiet spot to stop.

"Why did we run?"

Kiyona feigned a slight gasp for breath and asked.

"If we didn't run, we wouldn't have been able to get away. The crowd would only have gotten bigger."

"Why are they looking at us?"

I guess you really don't understand.

"Gossip is human nature, especially during the hormonal surge of high school. People are particularly sensitive to matters between boys and girls."

"Oh~ I don't understand."

As she said this, Hoshino Kanade's expression also became flustered, her fingers unconsciously fiddling with the hem of her clothes.

"Those two sentences you just said in the gymnasium, they were practically like a confession."

"And during lunch, you..."

"You're talking about this," Kiyona seemed to recall something as well.

"I played a galgame last night. Don't people in those games talk like that?"

"Huh?"

Hoshino Kanade's lips moved slightly, but she swallowed the words that were about to come out—so this was what it felt like to have mixed emotions, a complex blend of feelings.

"You're good at playing galgames. Don't play them anymore next time."

This time, I'm really playing a galgame.

Hoshino Kanade didn't know what else to say. It had come to this.

"Fine, whatever."

Kiyona acted obediently, but Hoshino Kanade couldn't see the curve of her lips.

"Let's go eat first."

"Okay."