Karuizawa Kei

!!!!

Karuizawa's expression changed instantly. She jumped to her feet, shaking her head and waving her hands, looking utterly flustered.

"No, no, no... You—you—you—you, what kind of joke is that? How could I possibly..."

Shintō Katsuya said nothing, simply watching Karuizawa. Her reaction was even more intense than he had imagined.

The room fell into an inexplicable silence. Perhaps unable to bear the immense psychological pressure, Karuizawa said goodbye and bolted for the door like a student rushing to the cafeteria to grab food as soon as the class bell rang.

"Well, I thought you might have played some kind of prank on a classmate before... Sorry about that."

"Huh? Me?"

Karuizawa stopped in her tracks and slowly turned around. She realized Shintō really did seem to be bowing and apologizing for misunderstanding her.

"Actually... you don't have to apologize... I was the one who asked a weird question today. Um, sorry about that. It's getting late, so I should go."

"But I can't just leave it like that. I was the one who said the wrong thing, after all. How about this..."

Shintō looked over his prizes several times before finally making the difficult choice of the caramel pudding he had planned to have as an appetizer. He put it in Karuizawa's hands.

"Take this as an apology. It may not be worth much, but I really think it's a treasure. I was too forward. Sorry."

Karuizawa stared at the pudding in her hands for a while. Then, finally emerging from her flustered state, she awkwardly scratched her cheek.

"Th-then, all right. Just don't joke like that again, okay? Goodbye..."

"Oh, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

With that, Karuizawa waved and said goodbye to Shintō.

"Losing it stings a little, but I got a pretty incredible secret out of it... That'll do. It's not like she's anything but a beautiful girl, anyway."

Sweets = work (payment) > secrets > unimportant sweets > trouble > beautiful girls

That was Shintō Katsuya's usual principle for doing things.

Since Karuizawa wasn't the one bullying people, she had to be the one getting bullied.

"Come to think of it, school bullying... It's a disgusting thing that happens all over the world. People who only care about pleasing themselves, then turn their blades on the weak but can't even make a sound when they run into someone strong... They're truly despicable."

Meanwhile, back in her dorm room, Karuizawa set the pudding on her bedside table and stared at it for a long time...

Who knew what she was thinking?

Over the next half a month, Karuizawa and Shintō found themselves with more and more to talk about. Thanks to his natural talent for listening, he could keep any conversation going.

They began joking and teasing each other whenever they got the chance. Karuizawa even started inviting Shintō to eat with her in the cafeteria.

"Hey, Kei. Have you been hiding something from us lately?"

Karuizawa had gotten along well with the gyaru girls in her class. The two she was closest to were named Matsushita and Satō.

"Huh? What would I be hiding from you?"

Karuizawa looked a little bewildered by her best friend's question. She had no idea what she had done.

Satō gave an exasperated snort.

"Hmph, don't play dumb. Do you even still consider us your friends?!"

Matsushita, standing beside her, stared straight at Karuizawa as if she were about to devour her alive.

That gave Karuizawa quite a fright. She did have a secret, but how could she possibly tell them about that?!

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Still playing dumb? Have you and Hirata-kun been having a falling-out lately?"

"Hirata? Why are you bringing him up?"

Karuizawa was startled at first, then puzzled.

She had considered asking Hirata to pretend to date her so she could protect herself by relying on his standing in the class.

After all, she was a parasite who couldn't survive without relying on other people. Hirata was so kind, and his status in the class was so high, so naturally he had become her first choice.

But she hadn't put that plan into action. She and Hirata Yōsuke could be called good friends, but that was all.

"Heh, you've barely been hanging out with Hirata-kun lately, right? Instead, you're always chatting and laughing with Shintō-kun... Kei, don't tell me you've changed your mind?!"

The girls on Sakurajima had a custom—or you could even call it a tradition.

They would tell their closest friends whom they planned to pursue, and once someone made that declaration, the others weren't allowed to pursue that person.

Otherwise, they would be seen as traitors who had betrayed their friendship!

So, for the sake of having someone to rely on, Karuizawa really had told her friends that she planned to pursue Hirata Yōsuke.

"Huh? Well..."

Karuizawa realized she was in trouble. If Satō hadn't reminded her, she might have forgotten all about it.

For some reason, she always felt that Hirata Yōsuke couldn't give her enough protection, even though he had a high standing in the class.

Shintō Katsuya, on the other hand, didn't stand out in class, but he was so kind, and their fates were similar. He also seemed pretty physically strong, considering he could hold his own against Kōenji.

So... what had once been a single-choice question had suddenly become a choice between two people.

Perhaps noticing her friend was having trouble deciding, Matsushita, who had been quiet until then, gently patted Karuizawa on the shoulder.

"So, which one do you think suits your taste better, Hirata-kun or Shintō-kun?"

"I..."

Matsushita and Satō exchanged a glance, then sighed together.

"Forget it. We're only looking out for you. If you haven't made up your mind, then take your time and think it over. Just... if you like someone, be brave about it!"

"W-what are you... What do you mean, be brave..."

Normally, Karuizawa's public image—let's call it her outer self—was that of a gyaru. In theory, she should have had plenty of boyfriends.

But the real Karuizawa was a pure-hearted girl who had suffered through bullying, so she had never had anything to do with romance.

"All right, Kei, whoever you decide to pursue, we'll support you!"

"Who said I like him?! We're just friends, that's all!"

"Friends... Mm-hmm, good friends..."

"You two!! I'm not talking to you anymore!!!"

Karuizawa acted tough, but Satō and Matsushita both knew she was clearly all bark and no bite.

So teasing her had become one of the great pleasures of their lives.

The two girls looked at each other and, at the same time, broke into knowing, gossipy smiles.