Hiyori's Love Letter

Just as Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami's Valentine's Day date was progressing smoothly, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's situation was not going well.

To be more precise, it was due to the unexpected intrusion of a certain student.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's attack through Miyabi Nagumo did not cleanly eliminate Hashimoto Masayoshi. With Kitagawa Ryo's temporary mediation, although Hashimoto Masayoshi's social life at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School was essentially over, he was only given a temporary suspension.

With the help of modern technology, there are still many things that can be done without leaving home, such as rumors that are often described using the idiom "spread like wildfire".

After realizing that he had been betrayed by his class, or rather by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Katsuragi Kohei, Hashimoto Masayoshi naturally did not hesitate to retaliate.

To be frank, the secrets he possesses are naturally not as numerous as those of a dedicated secret collector like Kushida Kikyo, but when it comes to relationships between men and women, he has an astonishing amount of authority, even authority.

This is not surprising, after all, Hashimoto Masayoshi's current social death is based on this so-called 'fact'.

For most students at ANHS, while their first reaction to hearing this would likely be an instinctive contempt and disdain for Hashimoto Masayoshi, some would inevitably still think that this guy is indeed quite capable, not only able to manipulate several girls across classes and grades, but also able to inflict such lasting psychological damage on them.

After all, according to some well-documented rumors, the other person involved, a second-year student, had almost had an abortion for Hashimoto Masayoshi.

That is why, even if they look down on students like Hashimoto Masayoshi in their hearts, many people unconsciously believe the things he says, whether Hashimoto Masayoshi or false, as if they are given some kind of authority just because they come from his mouth.

Especially considering that many of the people involved in those rumors are Motodoi Chikako.

After all, most of the students in Class 1-C were aware of the relationship between the two, especially the fact that Yoshiko herself had feelings for Hashimoto Masayoshi, especially after Kushida Kikyo brought it up again during the Uninhabited Island Special Exam last year.

Perhaps it was because of these rumors that suddenly spread overnight that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka could clearly sense the difference between Yoshiko today and yesterday. Her whole demeanor seemed to have become more gloomy, her lips trembled from time to time, as if she was avoiding the gaze and attention of others, and she hardly spoke at all.

If it were Ayanokoji Kiyotaka a year ago, he would have seized this golden opportunity without hesitation, using her weakness to turn her into a usable pawn, just like he did with Kamuro Masumi at the start of the school year.

But now, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka is caught in a rare moment of hesitation.

In a sense, it wouldn't be wrong to attribute Yoshiko's misfortune to him. In fact, Hashimoto Masayoshi himself might have spread such rumors overnight after hearing that the two of them would be traveling together today. After all, it not only hurt Motodoi Chikako, but also him, who seemed to be the one who was "taking the fall."

So, at this moment, if I weren't thinking in the White Room, but simply as an ordinary high school student, how should I react?

By nearly noon, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka still hadn't found an answer.

In his room, which was rather monotonous, even bland, compared to Kitagawa Ryo, the second drawer of his desk actually concealed a vibrant array of colors.

Shortly after the start of the school year last year, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka used his Private Points to buy a set of sketchbooks and colored pencils.

The White Room course did teach drawing skills, but those were all done with pre-set questions. When he had the paper and pen in his own hands, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka couldn't draw anything at all.

After all, the process of creating through one's own thinking was not included in the White Room curriculum.

Therefore, for a long time, the sketchbook remained blank, just like the scene he had seen most often in his sixteen years of life, a scene he had long been accustomed to.

This situation only began to change slightly after the Uninhabited Island Special Exam last year.

After that trip, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka painted a picture of a clear blue sea.

After the Sports Festival, he drew two more bright red running tracks.

However, he only produced these two simple paintings in the past year, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka has not painted since then.

He certainly wanted to add a touch of romance to that blank space, but after picking up his pen, he didn't know what to draw specifically, and in the end, he could only silently put it down again.

Just like how he is now very close to Yoshiko herself, but they never touch each other; his hand lifts up almost imperceptibly with his fingertips and then remains still.

The couples around were still enjoying the various activities and games at the different stalls. The joy of minors and adults was mingled together at this rare moment. After all, when it comes to liking something, age doesn't really matter.

"Thank you for agreeing to come out with me today, I'm very happy."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka broke the silence by speaking, which should have been a remarkable step for him, but Yoshiko's expression was still somewhat listless, and her smile was somewhat forced.

"Hey, Ayanokoji... you weren't really that happy today, were you?"

She countered with that question.

This is a fact that can be easily observed with the naked eye, especially given the lively atmosphere around it.

Since entering the venue, the two of them have simply been wandering aimlessly around the area, not even participating in a single activity, let alone shopping.

That's not true.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka denied it without hesitation, but Yoshiko still looked somewhat dejected, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"But..."

"Ayanokoji hasn't said or done anything to me since this morning."

"Does Motodoi think I should say or do something?"

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka returned the question in kind, perhaps genuinely misunderstanding the reason, or perhaps simply not knowing what to say.

"... I would have preferred that Ayanokoji had simply canceled today's invitation. I'm really happy that you didn't cancel, but I never imagined it would turn out like this."

For Motodoi Chikako, in such a vulnerable moment of being attacked and criticized, it was natural to want to seek comfort and protection.

Just as she said, if Ayanokoji Kiyotaka really harbored resentment over the rumors, he should have canceled today's invitation from the start. Instead, after going out together, he didn't say or do anything, which gradually dampened her expectations.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, of course, couldn't confide those complex thoughts to her, thoughts he himself wasn't entirely clear about. And just as he was pondering how to express them, Yoshiko spoke heavily:

"So this is related to what happened between me and Hashimoto before...?"

As she spoke, you could see the unease in her eyes, and she even looked like she was about to cry.

"I don't care about that. Rather, I never believed what Hashimoto -kun said in the first place."

"... Really?"

"Well, you might just be collateral damage because of me. After all, I was there as a Student Council member during the Student Council meeting that day, but I didn't speak up for Hashimoto. It's not surprising that you're held a grudge for that."

Anyone can lie.

Even Kitagawa Ryo was the same.

Sometimes it can even be more comforting than the truth.

"Does Ayanokoji really think that way?"

She confirmed it again.

"Yes, really."

He reiterated this point.

"But it's not like they're completely indifferent or happy either, since we've just been wandering around here since morning, and Ayanokoji hasn't smiled even once."

"I didn't laugh because... how should I put it, I'm just not good at laughing, just like I'm not good at dating, otherwise I wouldn't have dragged Kitagawa and Ichinose along yesterday."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka first filled in the parts he hadn't denied earlier.

"Motodoi, I thought you might not be in a good mood, so I wanted to wait until you recovered before we did anything together."

It must be said that reading Kitagawa Ryo's "Love Encyclopedia" was not a waste of time. After gradually getting the hang of it, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka felt himself becoming more and more adept.

He was even confident that he could give a better answer to Motodoi Chikako's question.

However, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka deliberately did not do that.

She's not someone worth doing that to.

However, this statement is not based on any utilitarian perspective, but rather on a completely different meaning.

She's not the one I like.

In this sense, Yoshiko's own question, "You must not be very happy, right?" might not be wrong.

He was indeed very happy to have gotten a date with the girl, but that wasn't what she was hoping for; that was the only thing he was sure of.

However, Motodoi Chikako was still moved by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's words.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka couldn't immediately determine whether it was the suspension bridge effect or some other psychological phenomenon, but Yoshiko's hand had already reached out to him, and she smiled as if relieved.

"Let's begin now."

"It shouldn't be considered late."

This statement served as a catalyst, finally breaking the ice between them.

And so, during lunchtime, Motodoi Chikako suddenly and quickly took something out of her backpack and then swiftly hid it behind her back.

"That, that one."

She stood up, as if she had made up her mind to do something.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wasn't sure what words to use to describe his feelings at that moment; he simply watched as everything unfolded.

It wasn't until his name was pronounced that he realized he wasn't just a Bystander or observer, but a participant in the situation.

"Um... um... this is my favorite chocolate, please, please go out with me! Ayanokoji Kiyotaka!"

For the first time, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka heard the sound of the breeze brushing past his ear so clearly.

This was the first genuine Confessions he had ever received in his life.

Just as Kitagawa Ryo had predicted, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had indeed prepared himself to immediately refuse after the other party said those words, because he was certain that he had not yet reached that stage.

But when the moment actually arrived, he was somewhat bewildered.

Or rather, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sensed something was amiss.

For nearly a year, he had been reading Kitagawa Ryo as the best, thickest, and seemingly endless encyclopedia of love.

In his view, the stories between the other party and any of the female protagonists were long and profound enough, and the emotions were complex and romantic enough, as if the stories in the book had come out of the real world. It seemed that the word "love" alone could not encompass them all.

But looking at Motodoi Chikako in front of him, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka couldn't help but have another thought.

Is it possible that romance among so-called ordinary high school students at this age doesn't actually require going through hardships, twists and turns, and numerous tests, or crossing time and space, but simply needs a fleeting moment with the other person?

If liking someone is something rare and precious, then what is the girl in front of him?

If liking something is something that can be generated very easily, then what is the person who likes it?

"I'm sorry, I'm not able to meet your expectations at the moment."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka himself didn't know why he suddenly added the prefix "currently," but the other person didn't seem to notice it at all, simply acknowledging the fact that he had been rejected.

So she put on an expression that was hard to tell whether it was a bitter smile or something else.

However, perhaps because she had been mentally prepared for this, Yoshiko's emotions did not collapse too much. After all, she should have vaguely sensed it during the date.

Losers are always inevitable on Valentine's Day.

But the same applies to successful people.

Just as Ayanokoji's budding romance came to an end, Kitagawa Ryo experienced a similar situation inside the stadium.

However, what he was facing could not be described with adjectives such as 'just beginning' or 'tiny'.

Chapter 472: A Love Letter from Hiyori

In fact, if we turn back the clock to about half a month ago, when Kitagawa Ryo accidentally bumped into Shiina Hiyori Karuizawa Kei fleeing in a jewelry store while he was at the Keyaki Mall communicating with merchants, the two of them had already begun to constantly revise and restart their plans.

"Alphabet lights, candle lights, curtain lights, connected neon lights..."

Matte white balloons, metallic silver balloons, transparent long balloons, balloon chains...

"Flags, arches, flower petals, pink paper tassels..."

"Anyway, I've bought these for now. Let's try them out and see how they go."

Unlike Kitagawa Ryo, who was busy with the Student Council at the time, Shiina Hiyori and Karuizawa Kei set up their 'office' in their dormitory room. After all the pre-ordered props arrived, the two of them began testing the effects in earnest.

As it turns out, even after experiencing another one or two phases of life, Shiina Hiyori and Karuizawa Kei are equally clueless when it comes to giving a ring.

After searching for related keywords online, the internet's big data directly turned the search terms into "how to propose marriage." This is understandable, since in modern times, giving a ring is basically synonymous with proposing marriage.

So, taking advantage of the situation, or rather, thinking it was roughly the same, the two immediately began researching the relevant materials. In the end, they bought the aforementioned props based on a lengthy tutorial, intending to set them up in their own room first and see how it would turn out.

"I mean... does the shop owner already assume that all orders like this are from men?"

As Karuizawa Kei inflated various balloons with a helium pump, she casually picked up a sticker that read "Marry him" Shiina Hiyori, who was hanging lights on the curtains according to the instructions on the other side.

"Perhaps they really haven't encountered many guests like us."

Shiina Hiyori carefully stepped off the chair, examining the effect of the hanging curtain light as she earnestly answered:

"However, I think it would be better if I took the initiative this time since Liang took the initiative last time."

"That's true. After all, Liang made quite a fuss last time. Back then, she wasn't even a member of the Student Council, yet she dared to apply to the Student Council to hold a summer festival in the name of her class, and in the end, she confessed her feelings with a drone show."

Having essentially let go of her obsession with the matter, Karuizawa Kei spoke of that night with much calmer tone, free of any lingering resentment. Unlike Ichinose Honami, her regrets had gradually dissipated from the moment of her rebirth, and her last remaining obsession had been completely eradicated by the confirmation from the other party during the cruise last year that it was "the first time," as well as her conversation with Shiina Hiyori, who had regained her memories.

"Yeah, that's why I wanted to try and make things a bit bigger."

Shiina Hiyori Karuizawa Kei enthusiastically fiddled with the balloons that Karuizawa Kei had inflated with an air pump, tying them one by one to another huge heart-shaped base. Then she turned on the switch, and soft light emanated from the base, making the balloons tied to it light up like light bulbs.

Next, she hung the banner she had bought on it. Although it simply read "I love you," it still exuded a particularly heartwarming atmosphere against the pink background.