Wishing You Happiness!

Shimiya Kuki calmly met Ichinose Honami's focused, slightly nervous gaze. Her abrupt question left not the slightest ripple on his face, as if he were simply answering a math problem.

"I'm sorry." His voice was as steady as if he were stating an established fact. "I've never experienced anything like that, so I'm afraid I'll disappoint you."

The blunt answer clearly surprised Ichinose, and even seemed to leave her a little dissatisfied. Her eyes widened slightly as she leaned forward, curiosity and a hint of playful disbelief written across her face. "Eh—? Really? Like Hoshinomiya-sensei joked about before, you're so handsome and have such a special air about you. Back in Junior High, didn't any of your classmates ever secretly slip you a love letter or confess to you in person?" She tried to find even the tiniest crack in Shimiya's calm expression.

Shimiya Kuki ignored the comment about his looks. Gazing straight into Ichinose's deep eyes, he deftly turned the question back on her, his tone calm but faintly probing. "Why are you asking me this all of a sudden?" He could tell her question wasn't just idle curiosity.

At his question, the faint blush on Ichinose's cheeks seemed to deepen a little. Her fingers, resting on the table, curled and relaxed unconsciously, as if she had made up her mind about something. Instead of answering Shimiya, she lowered her head and carefully took something out of her uniform pocket.

"Actually..." Her voice was light, with a hint of trouble that was hard to detect. She placed the item on the table and pushed it toward Shimiya. "This morning... I received this."

It was a letter. The envelope was a soft pink, decorated with a cute heart-shaped sticker, and even the seal had a girl's thoughtful touch. Its whole appearance radiated the sweet charm of a love letter.

Shimiya Kuki's gaze rested on the cute letter for less than a second before moving away. His reaction was so calm it was almost cold. "For someone as popular and cheerful as you, and as trusted by everyone as Class President, isn't this sort of thing... pretty common?" His tone made it hard to tell whether he was stating a fact or asking a question. It was simply an objective observation.

Yet Ichinose didn't look away. She kept staring at him with a quiet insistence, as if silently urging him to do something.

Shimiya was silent for two seconds, then finally reached out and picked up the letter between his long fingers. His movements remained steady, showing no hesitation or curiosity. He opened the envelope and took out the letter. The paper carried a faint fragrance, and its handwriting matched the style of the envelope—rounded and neat, with a girl's delicate, cute touch. Every stroke looked carefully written.

He quickly scanned the contents. The letter said that its writer had quietly cared about Ichinose since the start of the school year and had only recently realized the true nature of those feelings. It ended with an invitation, phrased with hope and nervousness, to meet "behind the gymnasium at four o'clock after school on Friday."

After reading it, Shimiya Kuki neatly refolded the letter and put it back in the envelope. He looked up at Ichinose, who was still watching him, and stated evenly:

"It's someone from our class." He paused, as if confirming it—or checking whether she wanted to know the answer. "Do you want me to tell you their name?"

"Eh—?!" This time, Ichinose was genuinely surprised. Her mouth fell slightly open, and she unconsciously straightened up. "Kuki-kun... you already know who wrote it?!" Her clear eyes were full of disbelief. After all, the letter wasn't signed.

"Mm." Shimiya answered casually, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "I've seen most of the handwriting in our class on assignments, notes, or signatures for activities. So it was easy to recognize." His simple, direct explanation revealed an almost rigid power of observation and memory.

Ichinose's expression instantly grew complicated, tinged with embarrassment and worry. She shrank her neck a little, her voice dropping as she made an awkward request. "Um... could you... please... tell me who it was?" She seemed to feel that "prying" into the writer's identity wasn't quite right, but her own unease left her with no choice but to ask.

Shimiya answered without hesitation, clearly saying a name. "Shiratori Chihiro."

"Shiratori-san?" Ichinose froze. The image of the girl who was always with Hino Yuki, spoke softly, loved sweets, and looked like a timid little rabbit came to mind at once. The answer was clearly unexpected, and for a moment she couldn't quite process it. Her brow furrowed slightly, and her eyes showed even more concern, along with a hint of worry.

"Kuki-kun..." Ichinose's voice carried an earnestness and a desire for advice she'd never shown before. "What do you think... I should do about this?" She clasped her hands together unconsciously, her knuckles tensing. "I... I don't want to hurt Shiratori-san. She's so shy. It must have taken a lot for her to work up the courage to write that letter..."

Shimiya Kuki looked at the genuine concern and kindness on Ichinose's face and fell silent for a moment. His gaze remained calm, but when he spoke, his tone carried an almost cold rationality. "I think the best way to handle this is to resolve it directly and decisively."

He held Ichinose's gaze, his voice steady but firm. "I think what Shiratori-san truly wants is an honest answer from you, one that comes from the heart—not a fake, kind lie you make up just to 'avoid hurting her.' False comfort will only bring deeper disappointment and pain in the end." He paused, then added, "So the best thing to do is keep the appointment, meet her face-to-face, and talk openly and honestly. Tell her how you really feel."

Ichinose listened quietly, the worry in her eyes gradually giving way to resolve. She nodded firmly, her gaze turning steady again. "You're right, Kuki-kun. Avoiding her or being vague really would only make things worse." She took a deep breath, as if she had made up her mind. Then a pleading, trusting look appeared on her face. "Then... Kuki-kun, could you come with me tomorrow? Just nearby... In case... in case I need a little support..." Her voice grew quieter and quieter, revealing a rare moment of vulnerability.

Shimiya Kuki didn't answer right away. He watched the hopeful look in Ichinose's eyes for a few seconds before calmly replying, "All right." Just as a smile was about to bloom on Ichinose's face, he added firmly, "But I'll only accompany you there. Once the two of you start talking, I won't be there. This is something you need to face directly between the two of you."

Ichinose's smile froze for a moment, then turned into a helpless but understanding sigh. "...All right. That's... probably for the best. Thank you, Kuki-kun."

The next day—the meeting place—Behind the Gymnasium

The after-school bustle slowly died away, and the setting sun cast a warm golden glow over the gymnasium's tall walls. The air carried the scent of grass and early summer. Shimiya Kuki and Ichinose Honami had arrived early at the appointed spot and were waiting in the shadow of a leafy cherry blossom tree.

The seconds ticked by. Finally, a petite figure appeared at the end of the path.

Shiratori Chihiro kept her head down, gripping the straps of her school bag tightly with both hands. Her steps seemed hesitant and heavy. Her soft, light-brown hair caught the gentle glow of the setting sun, and a few strands fluttered in the breeze, brushing against her small, fair cheeks. She wore a neat uniform, her skirt swaying slightly as she walked. As she came closer and looked up at the people waiting, her clear, round eyes widened like a startled fawn's.

"I-Ichinose Class President... a-and Shimiya-kun...?" Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, full of surprise and a hint of barely contained panic. Her cheeks quickly flushed. She clearly hadn't expected Shimiya Kuki to be there too.

Shimiya Kuki gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, his expression as calm as ever, without a hint of unnecessary emotion.

Ichinose Honami immediately stepped forward, her face bright with a warm, encouraging smile. Her voice was gentle, as if she were afraid of startling the other girl. "Shiratori-san, you're here." She glanced at a nearby empty room used for storing cleaning supplies. "It's not very convenient to talk here. Could you come with me to that empty classroom? I'd like... to have a proper talk with you." Her sincere tone was soothing.

Shiratori Chihiro looked at Ichinose, then quickly glanced at the silent Shimiya beside her. In the end, she gave a slight nod and answered softly, "...Mm."

Ichinose gave Shimiya a look that said, "Leave it to me," then led Shiratori into the empty classroom. The door closed softly, cutting off the light and sounds outside.

Shimiya Kuki leaned against the wall outside the storage room and made no attempt to listen to their conversation. He took out his device, its cold light reflecting off his calm, unreadable face. He seemed to be exchanging messages with someone, his fingers tapping rapidly and silently on the screen, his expression focused and distant, as if he were in another world entirely.

Time passed slowly. About fifteen minutes later, the door to the empty classroom opened softly.

Shiratori Chihiro came out first. She kept her head down and hurried through the doorway. Her usually timid eyes were now as swollen as two peaches, and tears still clung to her long eyelashes. Tear tracks were clearly visible on her fair cheeks. She had evidently just had a good cry inside.

But when she looked up and happened to meet Shimiya Kuki's gaze in the shadow beside the door, she stopped abruptly. She tried to wipe away the signs of her distress with the back of her hand, then did her best—her very best—to force a smile at Shimiya. The smile was as fragile as delicate glass, her voice thick with tears and sorrow still lingering, yet it held a heartbreaking strength.

"S-sorry, Shimiya-kun... for being so selfish..." Her voice was hoarse from crying, but she still tried to speak clearly. "But... it's true... only someone as outstanding as Shimiya-kun... deserves to be with Ichinose Class President..." She drew a deep breath, as if gathering every last bit of strength, and said something that took both Shimiya and Ichinose completely by surprise.

"I-I'll be rooting for you! I-I hope you'll be happy together!"

After saying that, she seemed unable to bear the awkward, sorrowful atmosphere any longer. She lowered her head and hurried off, her small figure quickly disappearing in the glow of the setting sun.

Ichinose Honami came out of the classroom right behind her. She had evidently heard Shiratori's astonishing final words, and her face was instantly filled with shock and panic. Before she could even collect herself, she hurriedly called after Shiratori:

"Shiratori-san! Wait! You've got it wrong! It's not like that!" Her voice rose with urgency.

But Shiratori had already disappeared around the corner. Ichinose stamped her foot in frustration, then whipped around to glare at Shimiya Kuki, who was still leaning against the wall and had just put away his device. Her eyes were full of accusation and helplessness, along with a hint of reproach that said, "It's your fault for being here!" as if asking: Look what kind of misunderstanding you caused!

Shimiya Kuki received her glare, but his expression... remained unchanged. The "I hope you'll be happy together" and the enormous misunderstanding that followed were no more than an irrelevant breeze passing by. He straightened up and, without even looking at Ichinose's colorful expression, calmly walked off in the opposite direction from the one Shiratori had taken, leaving Ichinose and the "mess" she needed to clean up behind.

Watching him walk away so coolly, as if none of it concerned him, Ichinose stamped her foot again in anger. But then she remembered Shiratori's misunderstanding, and worry flooded her face. She had no time to bother with Shimiya—or with her own dignity. She hurried after Shiratori, calling as she ran, "Shiratori-san! Wait! Listen to me! Let me explain—!"