Ichinose's Possessiveness / Summer Vacation Is Almost Here

In the quiet Library, although the uninvited guest, Ibuki Mio, appeared, Hashiba Hikaru Hashima was not affected by her. In any case, being a book lover could boost Shiina's stock price. The more immersed he was in the books, the more he could put on his act. Besides, he himself enjoyed reading, so it was a win-win situation.

At first, Ibuki Mio, who was sitting opposite him, thought that Hashiba Hikaru was just pretending. But as time went by, she found that he was actually reading seriously. He didn't try to talk to Shiina, and he didn't even change his body movements much.

Carefully examining Hashiba Hikaru's face, although Ibuki was very unwilling to admit that she was wrong, seeing the boy's serious expression, her previous wary attitude suddenly became somewhat untenable.

As the class leader of Class D, which is currently ranked last in the class hierarchy, the short-haired girl certainly did not give up. She wanted to work hard to defeat her other opponents, otherwise she would have to maintain this miserable ranking forever.

Even setting aside the possibility of not graduating smoothly, having such a low Private Points would affect her authority in the class. Although Ryuen has become quiet now, it doesn't mean he has really given up on vying for class leadership; that's Ibuki's intuition.

That's why she reacted so strongly when she saw that Hashiba Hikaru was the book friend she was meeting with Shiina. But now that she realized that he wasn't there to gather information, her emotions changed again.

Ibuki Mio isn't really interested in reading. Because she's been exposed to martial arts since she was young, she's more inclined towards sports, and her academic performance is only so-so.

So after sitting next to Shiina for more than an hour, she was almost at her limit. She couldn't see the book in front of her at all; the girl was just pretending.

However, the other two were extremely engrossed. Shiina Hiyori and Hashiba Hikaru were each holding a mystery novel, completely absorbed in the story, and didn't even notice Ibuki's various little actions.

"Um, maybe I should go back first, Shiina."

Ibuki's gaze swept back and forth between the two of them several times. After confirming that Hashiba Hikaru was indeed not a spy, she prepared to leave.

Instead of wasting time here, why not do some exercise? It might make the short-haired girl feel better.

"Hmm? Is Ibuki about to leave?" Shiina Hiyori placed her slender hand between the pages of her book and looked up at the short-haired girl beside her.

"Yeah, anyway, I'm just wasting my time staying here," Ibuki said, her gaze falling on Hashiba Hikaru, who was still engrossed in her book. "But I still need to ask Shiina to be careful. He's very cunning, so you can't let your guard down when you're around him."

"Okay, okay, I understand."

Seeing the seriousness in Ibuki's eyes, Shiina Hiyori smiled slightly. She had actually considered this issue before she even met Hashiba Hikaru.

As students from two different classes, the two need to be careful about their interactions, given the obvious competition between the classes and the potential for information leaks if they are not careful.

Although she was well aware of these considerations, Shiina Hiyori still wanted to take the initiative to talk to Hashiba Hikaru. She had finally found such a suitable kindred spirit, and the other person's ideas were so similar to her own.

If Shiina Hiyori were to refuse to be friends with a boy simply because he is a member of another class, she felt she would definitely regret it later.

In any case, it seems that Classmate Hashiba hasn't been trying to gather any information, so there's no need to be too nervous. Normal contact is fine.

However, just as Ibuki Mio returned the book to Shiina and was about to stand up, she saw a familiar figure in front of her.

The woman had long pink hair, a curvaceous figure, and a gentle smile on her delicate face. As soon as she stepped into the Library, she immediately attracted the attention of many people.

It's Ichinose Honami.

Hashiba Hikaru was engrossed in her book, noticed that Ibuki Mio across from her had suddenly stood up. Looking puzzled, she quickly asked, "Ibuki, have you discovered something again?"

"No, I just saw someone I know. Maybe they're looking for you."

Ibuki Mio sized up Ichinose Honami as she entered the Library. Her expression, looking around furtively, clearly indicated that she was searching for someone.

From the perspective of the short-haired girl, this candidate could only be Hashiba on the other side.

"An acquaintance? Who is it?"

After placing the bookmark inside the book, Hashiba Hikaru turned around to look behind her, only to find herself staring directly into the eyes of the pink-haired girl.

"Ichinose?" The boy looked a little confused. Shouldn't she be working in the Student Council? What's she doing here?

"Classmate Hashiba."

After exchanging greetings, Ichinose's pretty face lit up with delight, and she quickly strode towards Hashiba Hikaru.

When she came closer, she immediately spotted the two girls sitting opposite Hashiba Hikaru, who happened to be people she knew.

"Ibuki... and Shiina?"

Ichinose Honami stood next to Hashiba Hikaru. Since she had already seen her, it was only polite to greet her.

"Good afternoon Ichinose."

Although Ibuki disliked Hashiba Hikaru, she had a pretty good impression of Ichinose, so she greeted her in a friendly manner.

Meanwhile, Shiina Hiyori, who also knew Ichinose, followed behind Ibuki and gave her a simple greeting.

"Good afternoon, Ichinose. I didn't expect to meet you here. What a coincidence!"

"Yes, what a coincidence!"

Ichinose Honami has excellent eyesight and a sharp mind, so she immediately noticed that Hashiba Hikaru and Shiina Hiyori were originally sitting there, and Ibuki must have added the chair later. Moreover, both of them were holding books, and judging from the thickness of the books, they had probably been together for quite some time.

"I didn't expect Shiina to be reading here with Classmate Hashiba from our class. Did you two arrange this in advance?"

Although a gentle smile remained on her face, the temperature in Ichinose Honami's eyes plummeted, and her gaze was fixed intently on Hashiba Hikaru's face.

"Well... because Shiina, so we sometimes read together here." Facing Ichinose's gaze, Hashiba Hikaru suddenly felt a chill run down her spine, and forced a smile, "But why did you suddenly come here, Ichinose? Have you finished everything?"

"Because there wasn't much to do today, my seniors let me come back first."

Ichinose Honami took a deep look at the two girls sitting opposite Hashiba Hikaru. A strange feeling of possessiveness arose in her heart. She didn't want the other girl to get too close to other girls, especially without her knowledge.

Ibuki clearly looked completely bewildered, not understanding the situation at all. Shiina Hiyori immediately sensed a hostility, but knowing that Ichinose wasn't Hashiba Hikaru's girlfriend, she remained gentle and even smiled slightly at the pink-haired girl.

"Oh, I see. That's good then."

Hashiba Hikaru was initially a little nervous when he saw Ichinose Honami suddenly appear there, but he quickly relaxed. It wasn't anything shameful; with so many people in the Library, it was easy to explain.

There's absolutely no need to worry about entering any special storylines.

A chaotic love triangle? That doesn't exist, okay?

"Yes, since we're done so early today, let's go back to the dorm together." Ichinose Honami gazed at Hashiba Hikaru's face and gently offered her suggestion, practically pressing herself against the boy's body as she spoke, as if asserting her ownership.

"Oh, that's true, it really is almost lunchtime."

Hashiba Hikaru quickly agreed, saying that having Ibuki was fine, but now that Ichinose was here, it wouldn't be appropriate to continue reading with Shiina.

So he closed the book he was holding, "The Magpie Murders," Shiina Hiyori across from him, "Um, Shiina, can I borrow this book for now? I'll return it to you after I've finished reading it, okay?"

"Well, you can finish watching it whenever you want, Classmate Hashiba. We can discuss the plot then."

Shiina Hiyori smiled gently at the boy, then looked up at Ichinose Honami's pretty face and calmly asked, "Does Ichinose also like reading? I'm quite familiar with this place, perhaps I can help you find something."

"Thank you, Shiina, but I'm too busy right now to focus on reading," the pink-haired girl said with a smile, pursing her lips. "Then we'll be going now. See you next time, Shiina and Ibuki."

After saying that, Ichinose Honami did not hesitate at all. She reached out her fair and soft hand and grasped Hashiba Hikaru's hand, and they quickly intertwined their fingers.

"Um... Shiina, Ibuki, see you next time." Hashiba Hikaru nodded to them.

Shiina Hiyori glanced calmly at their hands, which were pressed tightly together, and said indifferently, "Goodbye Classmate Hashiba."

After saying goodbye, Hashiba Hikaru let Ichinose Honami lead him out by the hand. At this point, he could only go along with her wishes and not offer any explanations unless asked, as explaining would only make things more complicated.

After the two figures completely disappeared from the Library, the gentle smile on Shiina Hiyori's face suddenly vanished. Although her expression was still gentle, it seemed to have gained a different quality.

"Shiina, are you going to continue reading here?"

Ibuki Mio was still oblivious. Although she was somewhat surprised by the intimate scene of Ichinose Honami and Hashiba Hikaru holding hands, she didn't react much since the two were in the same class and there were already rumors that they were dating.

"Hmm, I'm going to watch for a while longer. Do you want to go back first, Ibuki?"

"Never mind, I'll stay here with you," Ibuki Mio observed Shiina's expression, then sat back down beside him and said with a smile, "How about we go have dinner together later?"

"Good."

Shiina Hiyori nodded. She could feel Ibuki's concern for her, and a warm feeling welled up in her heart.

But the next moment, she heard the short-haired girl muttering to herself.

"Do you think Hashiba is really dating Ichinose? He's really hit the jackpot."

"No, Classmate Hashiba isn't dating Ichinose." Shiina shook her head and explained earnestly to Ibuki Mio, "He's still single."

How did you know?

"It was Classmate Hashiba told me, and I believe it to be true."

"..."

Chapter 139 The Coming Summer Vacation

After leaving the Library, the two walked hand in hand back to the student dormitory. The girl did not let go of her hand the whole way, and Hashiba Hikaru had no choice but to let her.

Once inside the room, Ichinose Honami stood in front of the stove and skillfully began to take off her apron, while Hashiba Hikaru stood behind her, ready to lend a hand at any time.

"Classmate Hashiba, have you been reading books with Shiina a lot lately?"

Just as the boy reached out to tie the apron on Ichinose Honami, Hashiba Hikaru finally got her question. Although she hadn't said a word the whole way, it didn't mean the matter was over.

"It's alright. Shiina and I met by chance at the Library, and we later discovered that we both liked reading mystery novels, so we became book lovers."

Hashiba Hikaru spoke calmly, and after skillfully tying the apron for the girl, he maintained a gentle smile on his face.

"I see. That's quite a coincidence. It's not easy to find someone with the same interests at school."

Ichinose Honami turned on the tap and began washing her hands, feeling the comfortable sensation of the water flowing through her palms, but her face remained expressionless.

"It's just a coincidence. If Ichinose has any hobbies, maybe she can find someone who shares them." The boy's tone was gentle, trying to change the subject. Today's events were indeed an accident. Normally, Ichinose Honami's activities in the Student Council would last until around six or seven o'clock, and he and Shiina Hiyori would also disband before dinner, so they had never bumped into each other before.

"I don't have any particular hobbies right now, because I'm just too busy and don't have the time."

"Really? Then if you develop any interests, Ichinose, you must tell me!"

Hashiba Hikaru seemed to take today's chance encounter for granted, standing next to Ichinose Honami and washing her hands. Her demeanor and movements were quite natural, without the slightest flaw.

Gazing at the boy's expression, Ichinose Honami, though she had indeed felt a little uncomfortable just now, realized that since she had already asserted her dominance, there was no need to keep harping on it.

Only in this way can she demonstrate her magnanimity and gain Hashiba Hikaru's trust.

The pink-haired girl silently convinced herself that he was just a fellow reader, and she could just be more careful.

Ichinose Honami didn't believe the other person could threaten her relationship with Hashiba Hikaru, so she quickly suppressed her dissatisfaction and the two started making dinner together.

For the rest of the time, they tacitly avoided bringing up the previous topic again, and the atmosphere between them remained extremely harmonious.

The following July passed very quickly. Since the Final Exam would be held at the end of the month, the students in Class A returned to their previous group study mode.

Although Ichinose Honami still had Student Council matters to attend to, the members of their group decided to change the rules for her sake, so they postponed their study time until after dinner, allowing the five of them to study together.

As a result, these classmates started appearing at Hashiba Hikaru's dormitory more often again, forcing the boy to reduce his trading time.

Hashiba Hikaru's management style has changed to primarily relying on mobile phones for communication, including with Sakura Airi and Shiina Hiyori, and the opportunities to meet have decreased to once a week.

As for Kushida Kikyo, with the Final Exam approaching, she fully demonstrated her hard-earned image as the class's little angel by actively organizing various study sessions within Class C.

With this seemingly legitimate reason, she could pester Horikita Suzune even more, inviting her to join the study group almost every day to tutor the other students.

Although Horikita Suzune didn't want to be around Kushida Kikyo, since she had already decided to change herself, she did her best to help everyone with their studies.

So for a long time, Kushida Kikyo didn't come to see Hashiba Hikaru, which made the boy very relieved, since compared to the other three, this girl's problem was the most troublesome.

The end of the month arrived quickly, along with the day of the Final Exam.

Good morning, Classmate Hashiba.

Good morning, Ichinose.

Hashiba Hikaru greeted the pink-haired girl with a smile. This time, they didn't buy Final Exam papers like last time. After the Midterm Exam, everyone fully understood the rules and procedures of the exam. After asking Chie Hoshinomiya about the scope of the exam and some details, Class A organized a class meeting on the theme of a detailed review plan.

The knowledge points and challenging questions for each subject are organized in a tiered manner, allowing all students to approach this exam with greater confidence. Without needing to review the previous year's exam papers, everyone can perform better.

Let's all do our best today, classmates!

Before Hoshinomiya-sensei arrived, Hashiba Hikaru stood on the podium and gave everyone a final pep talk. "The upcoming summer vacation is beckoning us. Everyone has worked very hard this month, and I believe we can achieve even better results."

"Is everyone confident?"

"Have!"

The students responded in unison. After maintaining their ranking in Class A for several months, the students had developed a stronger belief in exams and scores. They were unwilling to be caught up again, so everyone diligently completed their study tasks in order to achieve even better results in this exam.

Ten minutes later, Chie Hoshinomiya walked into the classroom with her exam paper. After today's Final Exam, the specific scores would be revealed next Monday. At that time, she would announce the details of the summer Cruise Ship trip. There were many things she needed to explain to everyone.

"Alright, the Final Exam will begin now!"

The young female teacher distributed the test papers with a serious expression.

During the first semester's four months, the class she taught maintained its Class A ranking for three months, so Hoshinomiya was quite happy. Not only did she suppress that woman, but she also significantly increased her salary, killing two birds with one stone.