Four-Person Group

After saying goodbye to Sakayanagi, Makoto, Honami, Karuizawa, and Kushida gathered for a rather unusual meal in Dorm Room 301.

Makoto had to admit, his feelings at that moment were a little complicated.

What had started as a private dinner for two had suddenly turned into a meeting of four. It was quite something.

He hoped it wouldn't turn into a gathering of eight in the future.

"Why are you here too? Did Honami invite you?"

Faced with an unexpected guest, Makoto asked.

Kushida was only interested in making friends with him, and nothing more could possibly develop between them. That meant Honami's meal was basically charity.

Makoto didn't want to start a charity foundation where anyone could come by and freeload off him.

"Would you really be willing to just watch me eat the mountain-vegetable set meal, Makoto?"

Kushida opened her eyes wide and gazed at him with sparkling eyes. Her personal points weren't so low that she was struggling to get by, but who ever complained about having more money?

It wasn't as if her surname was Ma.

"I'd be very willing."

Makoto nodded with a serious expression. What did it matter to him if Kushida ate the mountain-vegetable set meal? If anything, that would be even better. The strong should thoroughly humiliate the weak, dammit!

"If Karuizawa can come, why can't I?"

Kushida tried to make a case for herself, though she knew she and Karuizawa weren't in the same situation.

"You already know the answer. Why even ask?"

Makoto rolled his eyes at Kushida, then continued,

"Karuizawa's one of my admirers. Are you, too, Kushida?"

That was the fundamental difference between them.

You wickedly evil Kushida. I'll personally—

"Come on, come on. We're all from the same school. There's no need to be so petty over a meal. It's nothing serious."

Honami set the steaming little electric pot in the middle of the table.

"Honami, you just don't understand how precious food and money are. How can you just give it away like that?"

Makoto shook his head and sighed in dismay.

"Karuizawa was invited by Honami, so I can't really say anything about that. But you, Kushida, are getting a free meal. Aren't you going to offer something in return?"

"Makoto, just tell me what you want me to do."

Kushida rested her hands on Makoto's shoulders, wearing a sincere expression.

I'll do anything. jpg

"...You really mean anything?"

Makoto glanced furtively at Honami, who gave him a kind smile.

"What do you want Kushida to do, Honami?"

Makoto tossed the question over to Honami. He felt he ought to be careful in this situation.

As the saying went, caution could keep a ship sailing for ten thousand years. He couldn't go testing Honami's limits himself. It was better to let her decide.

"Me? Hmm... Then, Kushida, make sure you get along well with Makoto!"

Honami covered her mouth as she thought it over, then replied.

"Of course!"

Kushida beamed and gave Makoto a playful look.

"Onee-san called me Kikyo, so you can call me that too, Ichinose. I hope you'll let me freeload off your meals from now on!"

"Sure, Kikyo. You can call me Honami."

The two of them had inexplicably grown closer, leaving Makoto utterly baffled.

Had he skipped ahead in time? Had something happened just now?

"Whatever. If Honami says so, I won't say anything."

Makoto spread his hands, wanting no part of it.

"How are you finding it, Karuizawa?"

"Yeah, I still have a lot to learn from Ichinose."

She'd just been helping Honami cook.

"...Never mind. As long as you're all happy."

Every one of them was eager to cook for him. Was he really that much of a glutton?

Makoto tried some of the soup that had just been served. Hmm, it tasted great.

"Ehehe, I think I'm pretty happy right now too," Kushida said with a smile. She felt so relaxed here. Everyone was easy to get along with. If only the whole world were like them.

"...You're not going to come over every day from now on, are you?"

Seeing Kushida's smile, Makoto hurriedly stuffed a huge mouthful of rice into his mouth.

"If none of my friends invite me over, I'll come here."

In other words, she'd come every day.

"Just remember to leave me a bite."

In other words, she'd still have to go eat a mountain-vegetable set meal first.

Makoto genuinely felt that making friends was such a hassle.

Like Kushida, for instance. She could have freeloaded off him for free every day, but instead she still had to eat a mountain-vegetable set meal in the cafeteria to maintain their so-called friendship.

What kind of suffocating logic was that?!

"Sounds tough."

"It's not tough. This is my own choice."

Kushida shook her head and stole a glance at Karuizawa.

"How are things with your classmates, Karuizawa?"

"...Me? Pretty good, I guess. I've got a few classmates I'm fairly close to..."

Karuizawa's answer was perfectly normal. Generally speaking, that was what relationships between people were like.

You had a few close friends, a few you could chat with now and then, and then some people whose names you knew... friends?

Makoto wasn't sure. It was a blind spot in his knowledge.

"Ah, I envy you all."

"Isn't it just because you don't put in any effort, Makoto?"

Honami gave Makoto a displeased look. She thought the whole thing was his fault for not trying hard enough.

Or rather, she hadn't seen him make any effort in that department at all.

"Why don't we just eat first..."

Makoto figured they might as well eat instead of discussing this. After all, as the saying went—

Well, since it's come to this, let's eat first. jpg

"What do you usually like doing, Makoto?"

At the table, Karuizawa made no attempt to hide her intentions. She'd decided to start with the basics and appeal to his interests, hoping it might bring them closer.

"Me? I usually read angsty coming-of-age novels or work out, I guess. Yeah, that's about it."

Makoto nodded in satisfaction, convinced his hobbies were perfectly normal.

"I see."

Karuizawa lowered her head, thinking for a moment.

"Could you teach me how to work out? In the morning or after school."

Hearing that, Honami narrowed her eyes, then smiled sweetly.

"I think Karuizawa's absolutely right. We girls need to exercise properly too, so Makoto should be in charge of training us every day!"

Hold on, he hadn't even agreed yet?!

Well, two more people wouldn't make much difference. He often coached Kiryuin in effective workouts, helping her maintain her fitness and even push beyond her limits.

"All right, then... Starting tomorrow?"

Makoto optimistically agreed to their request, and was even a little excited about it.

He remembered seeing plenty of manga online where personal trainers got handsy with their clients.

Everyone knew reality was often even more fantastical than the internet.

And he wasn't some chaste gentleman who could resist temptation.

Bring it on!