Is the Student You're Paired with Your Love Rival?
"Bite,"
The elevator doors opened, and after arriving at the floor where Hashiba Hikaru's room was located, the boy and Ibuki Mio stepped out of the elevator together.
"Can I say this here?"
"It's ready..."
Ibuki Mio stood in front of the corridor handrail, a complex emotion flashing across her delicate face; it was impossible to tell what kind of internal struggle she was going through.
When Hashiba Hikaru saw her like this, she didn't disturb her thoughts, but stood silently beside her, gazing at the boundless night.
After a long silence, Ibuki Mio finally spoke.
"Hashiba, are you willing to break up with Ichinose?"
"?"
When Ibuki Mio uttered those words, Hashiba Hikaru's expression froze instantly. He never expected that this girl had been holding back for so long just to say this, which was even somewhat nonsensical.
"Why?"
Hashiba Hikaru showed no unusual emotion on her face, but calmly asked the other party why they asked that question.
Do you like Shiina?
"..."
"This question is too sudden; I can't answer it right now."
Hashiba Hikaru carefully observed the situation, refraining from directly expressing her inner thoughts.
"But I know Shiina likes you!"
Ibuki Mio's voice suddenly rose several octaves as she stared intently at the boy's handsome face, her tone intense.
"So what?"
"If you can break up with Ichinose being together!"
"..."
After a brief silence, Hashiba Hikaru chuckled in exasperation. He sized up the somewhat impatient Ibuki Mio, a playful smile curving his lips.
"While I appreciate your care and concern for Shiina, don't you think your request is too unreasonable?"
"I know..."
An unnatural stiffness appeared on Ibuki Mio's delicate face, but she still forced herself to continue, "Ichinose and I are actually friends, so I don't really want to say it like that, but the current situation is indeed a bit..."
"My relationship with Shiina isn't what you think, so I won't break up with Ichinose."
"Can you guarantee you won't cross the line?"
Upon hearing Hashiba Hikaru's statement, Ibuki Mio immediately said in a deep voice, "Now that you already have Ichinose as your girlfriend, can you keep your distance from Shiina? Being friends is fine, but you can't go any further."
Why should I listen to you?
Hashiba Hikaru frowned slightly, revealing a hint of displeasure. Although he agreed with Ibuki Mio's protective attitude towards her friends, he would never accept others interfering in his behavior.
"Because I don't want Shiina to get hurt..."
Ibuki Mio's voice suddenly softened, her gaze shifting to the distant night sky, and she said softly, "She actually liked you a long time ago, I could feel it."
"And then you're going to force me to break up with Ichinose?"
"If you don't want to date Shiina, continuing to contact her will only make her more upset. Knowing that you have a girlfriend, what are you expecting her to do?"
Ibuki Mio poses her own soul-searching question.
"..."
"Although I've never been in a relationship, I spend every day with Shiina. Sometimes she stares at her phone for a long time, and I know she wants to text you, but she's afraid of disturbing you and Ichinose. Can you understand how I feel?"
"..."
"If you're planning to have a serious relationship with Ichinose, then you should just tell Shiina the truth. I believe she can find someone better in the future."
Ibuki Mio finally revealed all her innermost thoughts. The girl's chest heaved slightly, indicating that she was experiencing great emotional turmoil.
What if I don't want to?
Hashiba Hikaru raised an eyebrow, indicating that she had other ideas.
"So what do you plan to do?"
Upon seeing Hashiba Hikaru's statement, the pretty, short-haired girl's expression instantly turned icy. "If you're planning to two-time me, I will absolutely not let you get away with this!"
"Is that so?"
Hashiba Hikaru suddenly laughed. His current situation was not as simple as having two relationships at the same time. If he told the other party his true feelings, Ibuki might really go berserk.
"I'm not just talking; don't think I won't beat you up!"
Suddenly, Ibuki Mio took a few steps closer, grabbed Hashiba Hikaru's collar, and said fiercely.
"Hey, Ibuki, you didn't say any of these things to Shiina, did you?"
"No, but that's okay. I'll tell her when you make your choice."
"What if Shiina has other ideas?"
Hashiba Hikaru's tone was calm. "Do you think she's a person who lacks her own opinions? Why should you make decisions for her?"
"I..."
"Or perhaps we should give the choice to Shiina herself."
"..."
Ibuki Mio silently released her hand, but after a minute, she quickly realized what she meant and snapped at Hashiba Hikaru again, "You wouldn't be trying to coax her into agreeing to you two-timing her, would you?"
"Hehe, how could that be? Am I that kind of person?"
360
Chapter 360 Are the students paired up as love rivals?
After Ibuki Mio left, Hashiba Hikaru returned to her dormitory with a smile.
It's not complicated to fool this simple-minded girl, because her motives are easy to understand. Since it's for Shiina Hiyori's sake, it's easy to guide her into a mental trap.
After emphasizing that she would absolutely not allow Hashiba Hikaru to have his cake and eat it too, Ibuki Mio stormed off in a huff. Although what happened today was just a minor incident, it did indeed put the boy on his guard.
Achieving a perfect ending is by no means easy. No matter which girl it is, others connected to them will react differently. This thorny path is not easy to walk.
In short, all we can do now is keep moving forward.
Hashiba Hikaru shook her head and walked straight into her bathroom, hoping for a good day tomorrow.
--
After the quiz, the academic affairs team graded the papers very quickly to ensure that students were grouped in a timely manner, so as to better help everyone prepare for the upcoming Final Exam.
When Chie Hoshinomiya walked into the classroom with the scroll, she immediately attracted everyone's attention.
"Teacher, have the group assignment results come out yet?"
A student asked a question tremblingly; it's impossible not to be nervous at that moment.
"Yes, everyone did quite well on the quiz, so grouping them up wasn't difficult."
The young and beautiful female teacher seemed to be in a particularly good mood today, her eyes brimming with joy.
"Then stop keeping us in suspense and just announce it already."
"Yes, yes, let me see who's fighting alongside me?"
"It's urgent, I'm in a real hurry."
"Then the teacher will announce it."
After taking in everyone's expressions, Chie Hoshinomiya smiled and pasted the scroll in her hand onto it, and soon everyone's group results were displayed directly.
"Wow, I'm actually in the same group as Ninomiya -kun!"
"Wait, my teammate is..."
"Haha, I'm in a group with Kanzaki, remember to look out for me, my good bro!"
When the results were announced, the classroom immediately became lively. The students in Class A of the First Year got along very well, and after the group assignments were posted, they immediately started talking to their partners. After all, they were already comrades-in-arms before the end of the Final Exam and would become even closer.
"Hikari, who are your teammates?"
Ichinose Honami didn't check on her teammates first; instead, she focused more on her boyfriend's condition.
"Is it... Shiranami?"
After recognizing the name, Hashiba Hikaru's expression didn't change. All he knew was that this girl and Ichinose Honami were close friends, seemingly best friends.
When the pink-haired girl next to her saw the name clearly, her expression became subtle. After all, it had been a long time since the other person had confessed to her, and she never expected that he would now become her boyfriend's partner.
"What's wrong? Honami's expression is strange. Shiranami is probably your friend or relative, right?"
Hashiba Hikaru asked the other person with a smile.
"Yes... that's pretty good too. Light can help Chihiro achieve better results."
Ichinose Honami looked at the frail-looking girl sitting in the classroom, who naturally looked back at her with a similarly strange expression.
"Hmm, let me see who Honami's partner is..."
After seeing her partner's name, Hashiba Hikaru began to scan the scroll for the girl's partner's name, and quickly locked onto a name.
"It's Nakanishi-kun! Honami, you'd better take good care of her!"
Nakanishi Reika is a short-haired girl whose grades are at the bottom of her class. She has a carefree personality and gets along well with both boys and girls, so Hashiba Hikaru is very at ease with her.
"Okay, I understand."
After exchanging a glance with Nakanishi, Honami Ichinose was still very concerned about Hashiba Hikaru's group assignment. After Ichinose Honami, Shiranami Chihiro was, in a sense, her boyfriend's "love rival"...
After the group assignments were announced, it was quickly time for school to end in the afternoon. As Hashiba Hikaru headed to the Student Council with her schoolbag, Ichinose Honami approached Shiranami Chihiro.
The other person seemed to have expected this, and looked timidly at the girl in front of him while holding his schoolbag.
"Chihiro-chan, you're partnered with Hikaru this time, so he should guide you well."
Ichinose Honami smiled and struck up a conversation with him. After that bizarre confession incident, even though the girl didn't actively distance herself from him, Shiranami Chihiro deliberately kept her distance and didn't attend many of the girls' gatherings.
"I understand... I will work hard."
"Yes, I believe in Chihiro-chan's academic performance, but you don't need to worry, Hikaru is very easy to get along with."
When talking about her boyfriend, Ichinose Honami's eyes shone with happiness; the time she spent with him was wonderful for her.
Witnessing the happiness radiating from her, Shiranami Chihiro's eyes grew increasingly dim, making her remaining beautiful memories even more blurred.
"I understand, please don't worry Ichinose."
The delicate girl rubbed her eyes, trying her best to make her smile seem genuine. No matter what, as long as the other person is happy, that's all that matters.
"Okay, so, does Chihiro-chan want to go shopping with us today?"
Ichinose Honami took the initiative to extend an invitation.
"OK."
Shiranami Chihiro decides to go along; there's no point in her thinking about what's to come, and she can't change the outcome.
On the other side, when Hashiba Hikaru arrived at the Student Council, she was immediately approached by Kushida Kikyo and Horikita Suzune. The two beautiful girls stood in front of her desk, both with serious expressions.
"Vice President Hashiba, I have something to report to you." ×2.
"?"
After hearing the two girls speak in unison, Hashiba Hikaru looked at their faces and a smile of interest appeared on her lips.
"Let's go one by one. Horikita, please go first."
"OK."
The black-haired girl who had been called out placed a freshly printed application form in front of Hashiba Hikaru; it appeared to be a pledge from some club.
"This is a pledge from a newly established club. Because they haven't held any club activities for a long time, according to the Student Council's rules and regulations, their club funding for this month should be cancelled as usual."
"Then why is there a letter of commitment?"