Relationship Upgrade After Morning Exercise

"You keep walking slowly for a bit; I want to see how Honami is doing."

After instructing Karuizawa this way, Makoto gradually increased the distance between them.

Following closely behind, Honami also hit her limit after three laps.

"It seems your stamina really needs some improvement."

Makoto summarized the situation.

It might seem like the gap between five laps and eight laps is significant—a full 60%—but in reality, it isn't a distance that's hard to close.

As long as one is willing to put in the honest sweat, the rewards will be just as tangible.

"Let's stop here for now. Honami, keep walking slowly for a while, and Karuizawa, come do some stretches with me."

"Okay."

With a brief response, Honami wiped the sweat from the side of her cheek, wandering near the two of them with a hint of joy.

Makoto led Karuizawa through some simple stretching exercises, covering the front and back of the calves, the front and back of the thighs, and so on...

Honami watched from the side, looking very attentive.

"Makoto, help me see if I'm doing this right."

After Karuizawa finished, Honami didn't wait for Makoto's guidance and began the movements on her own...

And she got them all wrong.

"That's not it. Your legs need to be closer together; what are you trying to do with them spread so wide?"

"This move requires your leg to be straight. Are you trying to knee me in the gut?"

Makoto seriously suspected she was doing it on purpose.

Just to get him to personally step in and correct her form.

Damn it, woman, I'll remember this!

Makoto, who only dared to grumble in his heart, corrected Honami's movements with a blank expression.

Seeing this scene, Karuizawa's heart, which had just calmed down, began to stir again.

Could she do that too?

"That's why you should have observed more carefully earlier; then you wouldn't have made such a rookie mistake."

As Makoto spoke, Karuizawa had a change of heart.

She had performed perfectly just now; wouldn't it be very strange if she suddenly messed up next time?

Honami was different from her; the other girl could act spoiled to her heart's content, but if she did the same, it would only cause Makoto to feel repulsed.

She didn't believe for a second that Makoto couldn't see through Honami's intentions.

Turning her eyes slightly, Karuizawa abandoned her dangerous thought. What she needed to do now was to improve herself properly so that Makoto would focus more of his attention on her in the future.

That was all she hoped for at the moment.

"It's about time for breakfast. What are we having today?"

Makoto said, a look of anticipation appearing on his face.

A foodie's soul, food is heaven! Food is earth!

If you aren't enthusiastic about eating, there's something wrong with your head.

"Since we got up even earlier than usual today, we'll just have to go to the convenience store and buy some bread."

Hearing Honami say this, Makoto's face immediately turned into a bitter gourd.

Bread and the like, he hated it the most...

"Makoto, you should have a sandwich. I'll just have bread. What would you like to eat, Karuizawa?"

Seeing Makoto's expression, Honami twirled a strand of hair that had stuck to her temple.

So cute...

"I'll have the same as Honami. I need to save some points lately."

Karuizawa didn't want Honami to spend extra money because of her; the other girl's suggestion clearly implied she was treating them.

Even someone who loves taking advantage of others will put on a good facade in front of the person they like.

Not to mention that Karuizawa wasn't that kind of person.

"Just call me Honami from now on. Can I call you Kei?"

After experiencing their morning exercise together, Honami extended an olive branch to Karuizawa to upgrade their relationship.

"Of course! Honami, I love you to death."

Kei nodded excitedly in agreement.

In this way, her chances of seeing Makoto should also increase.

"From now on, we're firm allies!"

Makoto looked on with a bewildered expression as the relationship between the two suddenly escalated.

If he remembered correctly, he had seen this exact scene just last night.

The only difference was that the protagonist back then had been Kushida Kikyo.

Wait, no, Honami, what are you trying to do?

"Then, can I call him... Makoto?"

Kei asked weakly. Even though the person in question was standing right there, she directed her question to Honami.

"Mm, of course. Let's get along well from now on~"

Makoto: "..."

"Let's go together, Makoto! You can just call me Kei from now on!"

Kei wore a happy expression as she linked her arm with Makoto's, while Honami hooked onto the other side.

If the two of them were wearing police uniforms, the person in the middle would surely be the suspect.

Makoto was hauled away, the scent of sweat mixed with what was likely perfume forcing its way into his nostrils.

It's a beautiful day today, too...

"Makoto, walk us to the classroom."

After finishing breakfast, Honami made her request to Makoto.

In the past, when Makoto took the morning off, she wouldn't have done something like this.

But today, she wanted to.

"Sure."

After the brief response, Makoto felt a bit amused in his heart.

Who exactly is being put on the spot here...

Is it him?

Or is it Kei?

Or perhaps both?

Honami herself would likely face some public pressure as well...

Makoto didn't know what kind of attitude he should use to respond to her.

Even though this had been his own desire all along, now that it was actually about to happen, he found himself wanting to retreat.

He shook his head vigorously, as if trying to drive the cowardly thoughts out of his mind.

With his head held high, Makoto led the two of them to the entrance of the Class D classroom.

"Listen well in class, okay, Kei~"

"Mm, I will."

Hearing Honami's instruction, Kei nodded firmly.

Academic ability was also a very important component; as long as one was determined to study hard and had a clear goal for doing so.

She believed she would definitely be able to do well!

Wait...

Kei suddenly realized that this also seemed to be... an opportunity?

She began to calculate in her heart, though she didn't show a hint of it on her face, greeting Matsushita and Mori with a "good morning" as usual.

"When did this progress happen? I thought you were just acting on impulse when you said those things back then."

Matsushita asked curiously.

Even though Makoto clearly had a "childhood friend" who had already upgraded to "lover," Kei had still made her move.

Although Makoto's girlfriend had appeared very magnanimous at the time, she assumed that was only said to avoid embarrassing Kei.

For the girl known to everyone in the first year as an angel, such a thing wasn't impossible.

"Just now. And Honami doesn't seem to mind at all; in fact, she was the one who facilitated it. I'm already very satisfied with that."

"?"

Matsushita felt that the world must have gone mad. What kind of girl would do such a thing?

"When did he feed you a love potion to get you this obsessed?"

Unable to hold back the retort, Matsushita furrowed her brows slightly.

Was she failing to keep up with the times?

"Yeah, exactly. There are so many other good guys out there, why hang yourself on one tree—especially a two-headed one at that?"

Mori chimed in as well.

Matsushita felt a slight sense of relief in her heart; she had said she was a normal person, and it was truly great that Mori's thoughts were the same as hers.

However, what on earth was a two-headed tree? Why had she never heard of it?

"Sorry, but I've already decided that he's the one for me."

After explaining this to her two good friends with a grin, Kei opened her textbook.

"I've suddenly realized the importance of studying lately. I can't just work hard enough to barely pass anymore; I need to give it my all too!"

Seeing Kei like this, Matsushita and Mori couldn't help but exchange glances.

Oh no, it seemed their good friend had truly fallen in love...