For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Her little mouth hung open. The sudden, utterly unvarnished declaration of "giving up" had clearly left her stunned.
All the admiration and emotion she'd been feeling caught in her throat, unable to rise or fall, and a distinct blush spread across her formerly fair cheeks.
"K-Kazehara-kun..."
After a full three seconds, Ichinose Honami finally recovered from the jarring contrast.
She shot Kazehara Tetsu a somewhat exasperated look.
"Is that so?"
Ichinose Honami suddenly stopped and turned to face Kazehara Tetsu.
She clasped her hands behind her back and leaned forward slightly.
"If Kazehara-kun is this relaxed, to the point that you don't even look at your textbooks..."
The corners of her mouth curled into a proud, mischievous smile, and her voice rose slightly.
"Then you'd better watch out. I might just take the top spot in the year from you."
Kazehara Tetsu stopped and gazed quietly at the girl standing close before him.
"Is that so?"
With one hand in his pocket, Kazehara Tetsu leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them.
"Then I'd really like... someone to actually pull it off."
"If that person were you, Ichinose, it might make things a little more interesting."
He straightened up, a faint, irresistible smile on his lips.
"Do your best, Honami."
"..."
Ichinose Honami didn't back down. She met Kazehara Tetsu's gaze.
"I'll do my best!"
"Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling..."
The warning bell signaling the start of preparations for the official exams rang out suddenly at the far end of the empty corridor.
"Ah, I'm going to be late."
Like a rabbit jolted awake, Ichinose Honami turned around in a fluster and jogged toward the Class B classroom.
Walking backward, she waved vigorously at Kazehara Tetsu.
"Then we'll settle this in the exams, Kazehara-kun!"
Without