Sakayanagi's Resolve

Sakayanagi Arisu's expression was rather unpleasant.

But she obediently took the clothes the server had brought and went into the fitting room to change.

They were the so-called "cherry blossom-style maid outfit" Makoto had picked out for her.

Although nobody voiced their opinion,

neither Honami nor Kamuro could hide the interest in their eyes.

Sakayanagi in a maid outfit...

S-so unexpected!

The appeal of the contrast sank deep into everyone's hearts.

A girl who usually seemed arrogant and high and mighty, dressed in a maid outfit...

Just imagining it was incredibly exciting, wasn't it?!

Makoto was looking forward to it, too.

It seemed Sakayanagi really was willing to go all out.

With a calm expression, she appeared before the three of them in clothes she would never normally wear.

"How is it? Does it suit me?"

"It... It suits you incredibly well!"

Classmate Kamuro exclaimed, and Makoto was grateful.

Thank you, Classmate Kamuro! You said exactly what he'd wanted to say.

"What does Classmate Miyano think? You recommended this outfit, after all. It wouldn't be right not to give your opinion."

"Actually, I agree with Classmate Kamuro."

"Is that so? Then I'll buy it."

Sakayanagi gave a soft laugh and promptly paid for it with her personal points.

"What do you think, Honami?"

Makoto prompted Honami. If she could offer an opinion, it would take some of the pressure off him.

"It looks great! Your suggestion was spot-on, Makoto!"

Weren't they already supposed to be that kind of couple? Why did Honami sound jealous...

"That's the contrast for you. The contrast."

Kamuro chimed in unprompted.

"For some reason, seeing Sakayanagi actually wear that outfit makes me feel so happy!"

It would've been better not to say things like that in front of the person herself.

Seeing the murderous intent in Sakayanagi's eyes, Makoto couldn't help shivering.

Thank you, Classmate Kamuro!

You're a good person. I'll remember you forever!

Just then, Honami whispered something in Kamuro's ear, then pulled Makoto aside.

"I'm telling you, Karuizawa aside, what's with Sakayanagi?! She has a congenital heart condition, you know."

"This is nothing like what you said before."

It was true. Sakayanagi didn't need anyone's charity, and she'd never be able to become a proper wife in the future.

Her body couldn't handle that kind of exertion.

"I just thought it'd be fun."

Makoto was being honest. It was an undeniable fact.

"I figured as much. Hahahaha..."

She'd been struggling to hold back her laughter, and now she could finally let it out.

Honami laughed without restraint.

The difference this time was that she'd managed to hold it in while they were with the others.

Fortunately, Sakayanagi wasn't here now. Kamuro had already taken on the role of drawing the fire.

Respect.

"Classmate Sakayanagi, may I take a picture?"

After hearing Honami laugh, Makoto returned to the clothing store.

"You wouldn't dare."

Sakayanagi still cared about her image.

But Makoto's little hand seemed to have a mind of its own and had already pressed the shutter.

"Click—"

The sound of the camera was unusually sharp in the store. Sakayanagi looked at the phone in Makoto's hand with a dangerous expression.

"Are you bullying a helpless girl like me?"

Since she couldn't exercise, Sakayanagi couldn't rush up and snatch the phone away like an ordinary girl might.

"No, I just want to keep this photo as a treasured memory for the rest of my life. Is that okay, Classmate Sakayanagi?"

"You're not allowed to show it to anyone!"

Sakayanagi threatened him fiercely, but didn't tell him to delete the photo. It seemed she'd accepted it.

"Of course. Heaven and earth know, you know, I know, and they know. Nobody else will find out."

Makoto started babbling nonsense.

Not many people had seen Sakayanagi in a maid outfit just now, and even among those who had, few would recognize her.

But he worried some bored person might spread the story. Maybe one day he'd hear a conversation like this on the street:

"Did you hear? Someone made a little girl wear a maid outfit in a clothing store!"

"Really? The version I heard was that someone was harassing a female classmate."

"You're both wrong. I was there, and someone was clearly picking out a concubine. I'm so jealous!"

Rumors were the sort of thing that gradually became distorted.

Most people didn't even know the people involved, so they couldn't make an accurate judgment.

"See that you keep it that way,"

Sakayanagi said quietly.

"I've fulfilled one of your requests. Shouldn't you keep your end of the bargain now?"

"Did you?"

Makoto tried to play dumb, but when he saw Sakayanagi's murderous glare, he quickly changed his tune.

"What do you want to know?"

"Would you mind taking a walk with me alone?"

Sakayanagi made her invitation, but kept her eyes on Honami.

She knew that if Honami didn't agree, Makoto's agreement wouldn't matter.

If Makoto knew what Sakayanagi was thinking, he'd definitely argue with her.

He could be pretty stubborn sometimes, you know?!

"Going with Sakayanagi is fine!"

"..."

"That's the answer I was hoping for, but for some reason I still feel annoyed. Do you know why?"

Sakayanagi shifted her gaze to Makoto.

"Must be your imagination, haha..."

Makoto laughed awkwardly, deciding to bluff his way through.

"Never mind. Come with me."

"Okay."

Makoto obediently nodded and followed Sakayanagi.

"You're quite something. You visited every club on the day the opening ceremony ended. How diligent."

They arrived at a quiet corner. Makoto wouldn't have been surprised if someone confessed their love here or something.

Sakayanagi opened with something that had happened a month ago. She was still annoyed that he'd made her come all that way for nothing.

Heaven knew how much the terrified expressions on those upperclassmen's faces had hurt her when they learned she was a Class A student.

They'd acted as though they'd seen some terrible beast, refusing to agree to her wager no matter what.

Only after she pressed them did they tell her what had happened before.

"I figured a little diligence now could buy me more ease later."

Not knowing what else to say, Makoto settled on an answer that was neither here nor there.

"Is that so? You're not only good at board games, but at fighting, too. I sometimes see you running on the track. I suppose track and field is another one of your strengths?"

"Maybe I'm just a little stronger than you think?"

Makoto said meekly.

"But at the same time, you're not very good with girls, are you? Wouldn't you agree, Makoto~?"

Sakayanagi moved in front of Makoto, widened her eyes as much as she could, and looked up at him.

Feeling awkward, Makoto looked away.

"Just as I thought... I was right."

Sakayanagi stepped back again and nodded, seemingly pleased with Makoto's reaction.

"So, what did you mean by 'a coincidence of fate'?"

Unable to find the answer herself, Sakayanagi had decided to turn the table over and ask him outright.

"That's a pretty broad question. Could you be more specific?"

Makoto didn't want to answer such a broad question. It made him feel as though he were a criminal being interrogated.

"We first met on the day school started, right? I got the feeling you already knew a lot about me then. You perfectly avoided giving me a reason to take an interest in you."

"What happened afterward confirmed my suspicion. From the very beginning, you called me... 'an arrogant little brat.' I hate to admit it, but you weren't entirely wrong."

"So where did you get that information?"

That was what Sakayanagi cared about most. Information was the most important thing in the world. It was like catching a favorable wind: with it, even a pig could take flight.

"Sakayanagi, how would you rate your ability to handle stress?"

In response to Sakayanagi's question, Makoto asked her one of his own.

"Why are you bringing that up?"