Hoshino parted ways with Ayanokoji in front of the dormitory building and returned to his room alone.
He took out a cup of instant noodles he had been saving and was about to open it when his phone suddenly received a message.
Kushida Kikyo: "Are you back in your dorm?"
Hoshino Akira: "I just got in."
Kushida Kikyo: "Wait for me."
After sending that message, Kushida went silent. Hoshino had no idea what she meant and could not be bothered to think about it, so he continued making his noodles at his own pace. Only after he had finished the entire cup did someone knock on the door.
When he opened it, there she was—the little angel everyone adored, Kushida. She wore an aqua-blue dress, its square neckline perfectly revealing the graceful lines of her neck. The puffed sleeves gathered above her elbows, and a delicate chain adorned with silver stars circled her wrist. A thin belt of the same color cinched her waist, accentuating her slender, graceful figure. The skirt fell to her knees, its tiny white floral pattern scattered like stars. On her feet were simple white canvas shoes, and her whole appearance gave off the endearing air of a girl next door.
"...You took a long time." Meeting Kushida's expectant gaze, Hoshino deliberately paused before saying it.
"Oh, stop~ Girls need to do a lot of preparation before going out, you know."
Come to think of it, that was true. Looking closely, she was wearing makeup, though it was so light that even Hoshino, who had seen her bare-faced, could barely tell.
Since they were in a public place like the hallway, she wore her usual warm, sweet smile as she spoke. But on closer inspection, there was not the slightest hint of amusement in her fixed