Confiding

"From here on, you can remain on standby," Hoshino Kanade said in a steady, clear voice, with a natural air of command. "Keep up your 'above average' act and blend into Karuizawa's circle, maintaining a balance with Hirata. That's your protection. I won't contact you unless necessary, and you don't need to go out of your way to avoid me. Let important information settle in your mind, and tell me whenever you decide it's worth sharing."

He turned to her, calm and confident. "You're in control. You decide when to pass along information. I trust your judgment."

Hoshino Kanade lightly swiped a finger across his terminal screen, and its glow came on. "However, observation and blending in both take effort. I'll provide points regularly. The amount won't be conspicuous, but it'll be enough to cover necessary expenses. How much do you need?" His tone was frank, as though offering his support came naturally.

Matsushita Chiaki shook her head almost immediately. Her voice was clear and composed. "No, please don't transfer any points to me."

Meeting Hoshino Kanade's questioning gaze, she explained, "Points suddenly appearing in my terminal would be far too conspicuous, especially when Class D's account is practically empty. Karuizawa is much more sensitive to points than most people. Any irregularity could make her suspicious. I'll handle the cost of maintaining my cover in my own way."

She paused, then added, "If I ever have necessary expenses that I can't afford, I'll... contact you."

The word "contact" made their relationship sound more equal. It blurred the sense of a request, making it seem more like cooperation and keeping him informed.

Hoshino Kanade studied her quietly for a few seconds.

There was no displeasure in his deep, still eyes. Instead, a glint of approval flickered through them—like a treasure hunter discovering a precious stone that knew how to conceal itself without needing much polishing.

Matsushita Chiaki was more cautious than Hoshino Kanade had expected, and more adept at walking the fine line around the rules.

She had not only correctly understood that the heart of "standing by" was blending in and observing, but had also keenly realized that the "resources" themselves could pose a risk of exposure.

Matsushita Chiaki's assessment of Karuizawa had also hit the mark. The blonde girl really was like a highly vigilant detector.

By suggesting that she would "contact" him if necessary, she had left herself a channel for urgent help while minimizing the uncertainty that everyday interaction might bring.

"Smart." He lowered his hand, and the screen went dark. His tone conveyed approval of their effective cooperation. "We'll do it your way. Remember, the essence of 'standing by' is to remain unseen and perceive the smallest details. Like a drop of water merging into a stream, without a sound. If you discover anything, just get in touch with me."

His final words conveyed a promise that he would be ready to respond and offer support at any time, rather than a one-sided command.

He picked up a pencil and lightly tapped it against the desk, as though putting a period to their conversation. "For now, just act as usual."

The tension in Matsushita Chiaki's shoulders eased almost imperceptibly. She rose, regaining her usual graceful composure, and nodded. "Understood." Without another word, she turned to leave.

Her chestnut curls bounced in the shafts of light streaming through the window. With her back straight, she quietly tucked this new secret inside the gentle, harmless shell of the top student known as Matsushita Chiaki.

Hoshino Kanade watched her until she reached the door, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the shaft of his pencil.

A sponge that knew how to hide and nourish itself? A pair of hands that knew when to stay still and when to reach out? This girl, rated as "above average," had shown far more caution than her assigned value suggested.

Deep in the library, dust drifted silently through the shafts of light. The faintest curve of his lips was a quiet acknowledgment of an understanding reached—and of a worthy partner.

Sunlight slanted through the corridor of the Special Teaching Building, bringing a touch of warmth to the cool air.

Hoshino Kanade leaned against the cold wall, his gaze seemingly sweeping casually over the students passing through the corridor.

Compared with the tense probing at the start of term, things had been unusually quiet lately. The situation in Class D had changed too much from the original story, and having Matsushita Chiaki as his eyes and ears made him feel much more at ease.

"How are things?" a calm voice asked beside him.

Hoshino Kanade turned his head slightly and saw Matsushita Chiaki leaning against the wall just like he was. They looked as if they were making small talk.

She was casually flipping through a notebook in her hand, apparently reviewing the class material. Her movements were utterly natural.

"It's too quiet," Hoshino Kanade said softly, just loud enough for his companion to hear. "I can hardly feel anyone watching us."

Matsushita Chiaki nodded lightly, then lifted her eyes from the notebook and quickly glanced at a student from another class ahead of them. The student was hurrying past with his head down, not even looking in Class D's direction.

"Yeah. The other classes really haven't been doing much lately. It feels like... they really don't see Class D as a rival anymore." She lowered her voice a little.

The faintest curve touched Hoshino Kanade's lips. It was hard to tell whether he felt relieved or something else. "That's fine, too." At least they could maintain a peaceful daily routine for a while.

The terminal on his desk vibrated faintly, and its screen lit up.

Hoshino Kanade glanced down. Sure enough, it was the familiar profile picture.

He swiped the screen open, and a greeting from Ichinose Honami popped up:

"Good afternoon, Hoshino-kun! Has your day been going well? Have you been eating properly? Our cafeteria has a new dessert today..."

Ever since they had added each other as friends for the sake of their last transaction, Ichinose had sent him messages from time to time to check in.

At first, they had been nothing more than ordinary greetings and things to share—sometimes a funny school anecdote, sometimes some trivial little discovery.

Out of politeness and a touch of curiosity, Hoshino had always replied fairly promptly.

Before he knew it, Hoshino Kanade had grown fairly close to her.

But... as Hoshino Kanade ran his finger over the latest messages, he sensed something different.

Ichinose's tone was still as warm and polite as ever, but the buoyant energy between the lines seemed to have been quietly veiled by a thin haze.

In a few of her earlier messages, she had let slip things like, "I'm a little tired today," and "Things are a bit complicated."

Hoshino hadn't immediately pressed her for details. He had simply replied to her seemingly ordinary messages of concern as usual, occasionally leaving a subtle opening in his response.

Now, as he stared at the latest message for a moment, Hoshino's slender fingers began tapping on the screen:

"Sounds like something's bothering you. At least it's nothing serious if dessert can fix it."

The words were like a pebble dropped into a still lake.

Within seconds, the "typing..." indicator began to pulse.

The reply that eventually came was different, just as he'd expected.

Ichinose began talking about friction with the other classes. She didn't go into the specifics of any conflicts, but her words still conveyed the pressure of Ryuen Kakeru's crude threats and the strain caused by Sakayanagi Arisu's carefully hidden schemes.

Even through the screen, he could picture her sighing helplessly and rubbing her temples.