We Should've Just Started Dating Sooner

But before Asakusa Toru could get far, Ichinose Honami quickly dropped her smiling expression and hurriedly lifted her foot in the direction Asakusa Toru had left.

She wanted to follow the past.

The simple Rhetoric "I have a friend" was naturally impossible to hide from her. If someone else had used this Rhetoric, Ichinose Honami would have been very forgiving and genuinely taken it as a friend of a friend's words.

But the person who discussed this matter with her, the one who told her that someone had confessed to her, was Asakusa Toru.

The situation naturally changed immediately.

Although she was called an Archangel, Ichinose Honami felt that she also had her own selfish motives.

She will have people she likes, things she wants to do, and she will lean towards one side in various circumstances.

She never believed she could make any absolutely fair judgment, nor did she consider herself some selfless saint.

She stepped forward to lead the group simply because of the education she received from childhood, the expectations of her classmates, and the sense of responsibility she felt.

However, when it comes to things she cares about, Ichinose Honami feels she would make a choice without hesitation.

Just like now.

But the moment he took a step, an uninvited guest suddenly blocked his way.

"So you are, Ichinose Honami?"

A petite and charming silver-haired girl from the Wonderland blocked her way, leaning on a cane.

Almost instantly, Ichinose Honami recognized the person in front of her.

Sakayanagi Arisu, leader of Class B.

We hadn't had much of a chance to meet before, but I didn't expect her to take the initiative to contact me today.

The female bodyguard who usually surrounds her... seems to have disappeared.

No! That's not the point. The point is that Asakusa -kun is going to disappear!

Asakusa Toru left the Palette and then turned and walked onto the main road. If he didn't catch up with her now, he would soon be out of sight after the corner!

Ichinose Honami was unaware that she could locate others through her Personal Terminal.

Although it's not a hidden feature, most students don't bother to figure it out, let alone use it to locate other students.

That behavior was indeed excessive.

So, she was a little anxious.

Normally, she might have stopped to chat with Sakayanagi Arisu, but right now Asakusa Toru looked like he was about to be confessed to, so she couldn't miss it!

Therefore, Ichinose Honami made a decision that went against her ancestors' wishes.

"I'm sorry, let's talk about it later!" Gritting her teeth, Ichinose Honami brushed past Sakayanagi Arisu and ran without hesitation toward the corner where Asakusa Toru had left.

"Huh?" Her feigned composure vanished abruptly, the gentle smile on her face disappearing. Sakayanagi Arisu's emotions surged. She instinctively turned around, instinctively trying to grab Ichinose Honami's fluttering sleeve to stop her: "Wait—"

However, she overlooked the huge difference in physical fitness between herself and Ichinose Honami. Even though they were both women, the physical fitness of a sickly Little Princess and a sunny Archangel could not be compared.

Suddenly, a tremendous force pulled at the hem of her clothes, Sakayanagi Arisu lost her grip on Ichinose completely, letting the hem slip away in an instant.

If that were all, it wouldn't be so bad, but the problem was that she was still using crutches. Although the hem of her clothes quickly slipped from her grasp, the force it brought disrupted her balance, forcing her body to fall forward.

She lost her balance.

"--?!"

"Thud--"

With a thud, Princess Sakayanagi, who had lost her balance, fell to the ground with a muffled groan.

The commotion was quite loud; at least for Ichinose Honami, who hadn't started running yet, she could clearly hear it, and she could also clearly feel her clothes being tugged for a moment.

"Gulp..." So, she made a very obvious sound of dejection.

Ahead was Asakusa Toru, whom he was trying to catch up with; behind him Sakayanagi Arisu had fallen to the ground because of him.

No matter how you think about it, there's no need to make a choice.

... She at least has to help Sakayanagi Arisu.

Stopping in her tracks, turning around, and taking a deep breath, Ichinose Honami Sakayanagi Arisu, who was lying on the ground with her head down, seemingly with no intention of getting up.

"I'm sorry, but I really have something to do and can't waste your time. Can you please not bother me after you get up? If there's really something wrong, I'll talk to you properly later." She spoke softly and sincerely as she helped Sakayanagi Arisu up.

Although Sakayanagi Arisu did not respond, she felt that since Arisu had gone along with it, she must have tacitly accepted her suggestion.

Just when Ichinose Honami thought the matter was over and she could continue her investigation...

Sakayanagi Arisu's hand suddenly grabbed her arm.

The slightly disheveled Little Princess raised her head.

"Take me with you."

"Otherwise, I'll yell that Ichinose Honami has knocked someone down and is trying to run away."

She was making a blunt and blatant threat.

Chapter 181 It would be better to start dating sooner.

Ichinose Honami's pretty face froze, and her cheek twitched slightly.

She never imagined that someone like Sakayanagi Arisu could utter such threatening words.

But she admitted that it did hit a nerve.

It's not that she cares about her reputation; reputation is irrelevant. The important point is that if Sakayanagi Arisu shouts it out, everyone's attention will be drawn to her.

Even now, because of Sakayanagi Arisu's fall, some people have already started to look over.

If she makes a big fuss, she won't be able to track him down, let alone find any trace of Asakusa Toru.

Gritting her teeth, and though quite helpless, Ichinose Honami still said seriously:

"Keep quiet the whole time, or you can shout whatever you want."

"Okay--" Sakayanagi Arisu replied with a smile.

The moment she answered, Ichinose Honami turned around and squatted down, grabbing her cane from the ground with one hand and patting Sakayanagi Arisu's hand, which was still holding hers, with the other, signaling her to hurry up and come up.

In no time, she had the petite Little Princess on her back.

Then...

The direction Asakusa- kun just left in was...

Find your target, begin the weighted tracking!

Despite carrying a heavy load, her nimble steps navigated the corners. Ichinose Honami held her breath, cautiously peeking out to watch her receding figure.

"Hey, are you following someone? Who are you following? Why are you following them?" Suddenly, Sakayanagi Arisu asked in a curious tone.

She figured out what Ichinose Honami was doing.

Tracking.

I just don't know who they're following, or what their purpose is.

"..." Ichinose Honami suddenly stopped in her tracks. She turned around kindly and said softly, "I told you to be quiet the whole time, right?"

For no apparent reason, Sakayanagi Arisu felt a sense of pressure from Ichinose Honami's smile.

"Hmm?" Because she didn't get a response from Sakayanagi Arisu, the pressure she exerted increased even more.

"--"

Sakayanagi Arisu then placed her fingertips against her lips and teeth, gesturing for silence, and nodded repeatedly.

It wasn't because she chickened out.

It was only because Masumi wasn't around that he had to let this guy carry him, and besides, he was genuinely interested in what she was doing, so he gave in a little bit.

Snort.

So the tracking continued.

While the surveillance continued, not far away, Ms. Shiina Hiyori, who had finished her rather lazy lunch break and was heading to the library, accidentally caught a glimpse of Asakusa Toru walking in a completely different direction.

And then Ichinose Honami's carrying a 'child' on her back and dodging behind her as she follows.

"..."

Do they really not realize that other people are watching them?

With this question arising in her mind, Shiina Hiyori looked around and then found the answer.

It seems unlikely.

Although the crowds should be even greater on weekends, with everyone crowding the roads...

But that's not the case.

Those who dislike the heat will stay indoors in their dorm rooms, Student Council who prefer sunny weather will head straight to the most well-equipped shopping malls. Some will go to their clubs, while others will go to the library.

No one will gather on the roadside.

Unfortunately, the area around us is actually sparsely populated.

So, almost the instant she confirmed this, an idea popped into Shiina Hiyori's mind.

Should I follow them?

The moment the thought arose, Shiina Hiyori realized that she already had the answer.

Rather than visiting the library every day, she chose to 'stalk' something she might never have again, something she could only do if she missed it.

Thus, the two stalkers, without anyone noticing, gained another onlooker following closely behind.

The target, the tracker, and the tracker who tracks the tracker.

The bizarre, tiered chain of events broke the moment Asakusa Toru entered the gymnasium.

Asakusa Toru reached his destination, Ichinose Honami quickly stopped, Shiina Hiyori could no longer hide further back.

Because you can't see anything at this distance.

She needs to get closer, at least close to the corner where Ichinose Honami and Sakayanagi Arisu are.

There's no other way!

"..."

Shiina Hiyori moved her feet quietly, looking like a hunting cat, but more than hunting, she was simply 'approaching'.

Silent and stealthy, as if moving stealthily, it controls the angle of the shadows cast by the sun.

The girl came up behind the two of them.

Sakayanagi Arisu's body had already been put down, after all, Ichinose Honami was not her mother, nor was she really Ichinose's daughter, so she didn't need to carry her all this time.

Just right, with their heights of 159cm and 150cm respectively, one tall and one short, they cautiously peeked out from around the corner.

Perhaps because they were observing so intently, or perhaps because Shiina Hiyori's footsteps were so light, in any case, they did not notice Shiina Hiyori's approach.

Should I say something, or remain silent and join in?

After hesitating for a moment, Shiina Hiyori chose the latter.

Because at the angle from which the two girls were leaning forward, there seemed to be just the right space for her, who was 154 cm tall, to squeeze in.

Shiina Hiyori held her breath, carefully...

Peek out--

In the open space behind the stadium, in the cool shade, Asakusa Toru, who had arrived a few minutes early, held in his hand the 'love letter' whose appearance was still clearly visible even from several meters away.

--It's a confession.

Shiina Hiyori immediately realized what Asakusa Toru was waiting for, and also immediately realized what the two people above and below him were following.