The Colonel Is Here

"Looks like the number of people coming to the café hasn't decreased. It's actually increased."

Looking at the packed popular café, the girl spoke with a hint of sentiment.

"That makes sense. Only Class D students are short on points. After receiving their points, students from the other classes probably can't wait to treat their stomachs to dessert."

Kamigami Haruo realized he had miscalculated and spoke somewhat helplessly.

"Class D's students are so pitiful. Haruo-kun, do you still have enough points? If you're short on points, you can tell me. I'll help you."

With those words from Ichinose, her image in Kamigami Haruo's heart successfully evolved from an archangel into a Seraph.

"Oh? Are you planning to keep me?"

"Don't say things that could be misunderstood!"

Ichinose hurriedly waved her hands in explanation.

"What should we do? There aren't any seats left. How about we mooch off some students from your class?"

Just as he was troubled by the lack of tables, Kamigami Haruo happened to glance over and spot several familiar faces.

"Where, where? Let me see. Oh, it's Chihiro and the others. But they're already full."

Following Kamigami Haruo's gaze, Ichinose spotted several close friends, along with Sayuri. Unfortunately, all the seats were taken.

"Let's get it to go and find a bench to eat at?"

Kamigami Haruo scratched his head. That was the only option he could think of.

"No problem. Let's go line up!"

"OJBK."

"Hm? I think I heard something."

"You heard wrong. I said OK."

Facing the girl who had turned around and was about to lecture him, Kamigami Haruo hurriedly explained.

"Hey, Haruo-kun, what are you planning to eat?"

As the line was about to reach them, Ichinose nudged Kamigami Haruo beside her with her elbow and asked.

"Strawberry cake, I guess."

"Yoshi! Then I'll have strawberry cake too!"

"Yoshi, then I'll switch to cheesecake."

Kamigami Haruo teased her maliciously, wanting to see her reaction.

"I won't let your evil plan succeed. Hmph."

Well, his plan had failed before it had even truly begun.

Outside the Counseling Room.

Having just unilaterally decided to treat Ayanokōji as a slave, Horikita Suzune finally came to her senses and looked back toward the corridor they had just passed through.

Wait? Where had that huge person standing at the door gone?

"There's a place like this too."

Kamigami Haruo looked at the scene before him and remarked.

After wandering around with dessert boxes in hand, the two found a quiet little path with a bench beside it.

It was a pretty nice place to come if one wanted to relax. Surrounded by trees, it was both quiet and secluded.

"It was worth searching for so long."

After sighing, Ichinose wiped the light sweat from her cheeks, eagerly walked over to sit on the bench, and patted the seat beside her.

"Come sit down already. The ice in our drinks is about to melt."

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

Kamigami Haruo eagerly trotted over and sat beside the girl.

After opening the bag in his hand, he took out several exquisitely packaged cake boxes and placed them on the bench, then pulled out two drinks. He handed one to her. Both were iced mocha lattes.

"Thanks."

Ichinose thanked him after accepting it. Their movements were almost synchronized as they raised their cups and drank.

"Slurp. This is such a leisurely life~"

Kamigami Haruo had no idea how many times he had sighed today, but a life where food was brought right to him and there was nothing to worry about really was great.

If not for how young they looked, their words and actions would have made them seem exactly like retired old people.

"Yeah~ By the way, aren't you afraid Horikita will lecture you later after just leaving like that?"

Halfway through her sentiment, she suddenly remembered that the person beside her still had trouble waiting for him.

"Eh, I've already prepared myself to die. I only ask to enjoy this brief moment of peace."

Kamigami Haruo sprawled across the bench as if he had seen through life and death.

"How about having dinner with me later? Then I won't have to face her alone."

With that thought, he immediately perked up.

"It'd be rather embarrassing for me to suddenly go eat dinner at someone else's place."

Ichinose put it very tactfully.

"Come with me, please, please, okay?"

As Kamigami Haruo spoke, he could feel the girl beside him shudder all over.

"If you don't come with me, I'll keep acting cute. Are you coming or not?"

"I'll go, okay? Please stop acting cute. I can't take it anymore."

Ichinose wore an expression like she had eaten a sour plum, crossing her arms and rubbing them up and down.

"Little Honami, easily handled."

"Then tell her first. It'd be terribly embarrassing if I intruded without warning."

"No problem."

Though he answered that way, Kamigami Haruo took out his phone, typed up a message, and sent it while taking a sip of coffee.

"Later, I shall arrive at your humble abode with the Angel Society. Your Haruo has arrived."

"Yoshi, then the big fancy cake can be dessert after dinner."

"Hahaha, that little mustache really suits what you're saying, Colonel."

Ichinose clutched her stomach as she laughed, leaving Kamigami Haruo looking utterly confused.

"What mustache? Let me see."

Kamigami Haruo picked up his phone and used the reflection on its screen to see the foam stuck beneath his nose.

But instead of wiping it away, he imitated a colonel from a television drama, cupping his hands into claws as he wore a lecherous grin and tried to grab the girl beside him.

"Well then, this delicate little flower of a young lady, I'm coming for you."

"Ah, st-stop it."

Although Ichinose said that, there was not the slightest fear on her face. Instead, she looked eager to give it a try.

That left Kamigami Haruo somewhat puzzled. This didn't seem like her personality.

He looked into her eyes, only to find that she was not looking at him, but behind him. The reflection of long, straight black hair in her eyes was particularly clear.

He stiffly turned his head and found Horikita Suzune standing there with a calm expression.

But this calmness was not the same as ordinary calmness. It was more like the calm before a storm, or the gathering force before a volcanic eruption.

"Y-you're here. I thought you might be discussing things for a long time, and I was worried it would be too late by the time you came out, so I specially bought you some delicious cake. Please forgive my acting on my own."

He first wiped away the foam beneath his nose, then timidly raised the cake boxes with both hands. Kamigami Haruo's lies came effortlessly as he displayed his thoughtfulness.

If one ignored the girl beside him, anyone unaware of the truth would have thought he was a caring guy.

Hearing that, Horikita Suzune rubbed her forehead, questioning how she had ended up dealing with such a thing.

Still, even though she knew it was a lie, pleasant words were ultimately more comfortable to hear.

"Pfft..."

A sudden suppressed laugh broke the serious atmosphere.

"Sorry, it was just too funny, so I couldn't help it. Hahahaha."

Ichinose covered her mouth loosely with her right hand, wearing a thoroughly delighted expression.

"Yeah, how could a scene this funny possibly be complete without you, little Honami?"

As he spoke, Kamigami Haruo extended his evil hands.