After school, Hoshino walked alone along the path back to the dormitories.
His task was to gather information from Class A. According to their agreed division of labor, Kushida was responsible for Class B, while Hirata was responsible for Class C.
Hoshino could not help recalling Kushida's slightly sour expression at the time. "How nice, having a childhood friend in Class A~"
Hoshino had replied, "Then would Kushida like to switch with me?"
"No!" Kushida had instinctively raised her voice, then hurriedly began making excuses. "Dealing with all those top students in Class A would be way too stressful for me~"
In truth, she simply did not want Hoshino running into Ichinose too often. Hoshino was well aware of that little thought of hers.
This arrangement was just right. However, Hoshino did not actually want to seek out Arisu over this matter.
Or rather, since he had already decided to make a big deal out of this incident, he did not want Arisu to get dragged into it.
Yet, as the saying went, coincidences made stories. As Hoshino walked along, he spotted a flash of silver in the distance.
A petite girl sat upright on a bench by the roadside. Her black beret rested on her lap, while her silver cane leaned against the bench. Her silvery-white hair was rimmed with a hazy glow beneath the slanting light of the setting sun. Whenever a breeze passed by, the bangs over her forehead fluttered gently, revealing amethyst-like eyes beneath them. Those eyes watched the road where people came and went, carrying a scrutiny that did not suit her age—like an aristocratic young lady seated in a theater box, watching a clumsy performance.
After noticing Hoshino, Arisu tilted her head slightly in his direction, the corner of her lips lifting into a