Ichinose Honami

After Hoshinomiya left...

"Sensei's gone. You can open your eyes now." The beautiful girl, so humble she seemed to stand in a league of her own, smiled. "You big dummy."

"I know. I just didn't want to face reality." Dongfang Yi gazed despairingly at the sky and sighed. "Also, please call me Calculated Strategy Dongfang."

"You really are attached to that title, aren't you, Dongfang?" The light-pink-haired beauty covered her mouth as she giggled, then held out her hand generously. "I'm Ichinose Honami, a new student in Class 1-B. Nice to meet you."

"You've got the wrong idea, Ichinose. I'm not the kind of person who's attached to a title. I'm Dongfang Yi. Nice to meet you." Dongfang Yi shrugged helplessly and shook her soft, warm hand.

"Really?" Ichinose raised an eyebrow and playfully winked.

"Of course. It's a merciless punishment for anyone who gives me a nickname." Dongfang Yi made it up on the spot.

At the same time, he began to carefully size up the girl before him, whom he had earmarked as a future collaborator in his plans.

He felt as if he'd made a mistake.

The Ichinose of today was clearly full of an innocence and vitality that didn't fit the school's theme.

How should he put it?

She was the complete opposite of Doroboneko, who later in the original story kept targeting Karuizawa and was always sneaking around to steal people's boyfriends.

She trusted people without reservation,

and had an indescribable aura of purity and healing about her.

"Um... Nicknames? Punishment?" Ichinose fell into thought. Suddenly, she slapped a fist into her palm. "Ah, I get it!"

That quickly?!

Dongfang Yi was a little surprised. He'd made it up, but it wasn't entirely made up.

"What did you figure out, Ichinose?"

"It's the number of characters."

"You really did understand? Your powers of observation are impressive, Ichinose." Dongfang Yi nodded. "That's right, it's the number of characters. In fact, all nicknames are tools that let the user label and simplify their target for convenience."

"And if I repeat mine enough times, I can change the perception of the people who gave me those nicknames. I'll make their labels more complicated and redundant until they finally give up on using nicknames altogether. Subduing the enemy without a fight—that's the best strategy."

Dongfang Yi proudly tipped his head back and planted his hands on his hips.

"But won't you have to repeat it an awful lot yourself, Dongfang?" Ichinose felt the effort might outweigh the benefits.

"Ichinose." Dongfang Yi looked at her helplessly.

"Hmm?"

"If you don't call me out on it, we can still be friends."

"Pfft! Hahaha!"

Ichinose doubled over with laughter, carefully wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes. "You're such an interesting person, Dongfang."

"To be honest, everyone who knows me calls me a summer air conditioner." Dongfang Yi nodded in agreement.

"What does that mean?"

"A machine that produces cold jokes."

"Pfft! Then, Mr. Thick-Skinned Joke Machine, want to go to the cafeteria together today?" Ichinose's face lit up with happiness. She suddenly wanted to spend a little more time talking to him.

I'm so glad I got into this school.

"I'd love to, but I'm waiting for a friend."

Dongfang Yi smiled and spread his hands, then looked over his shoulder.

After Hoshinomiya had left, Chabashira had no choice but to let Sakura Airi go as soon as possible. The girl was on her way over now.

"Wow, what a quick campus romance."

Ichinose leaned over to take a look. When she saw Dongfang Yi waiting for a girl, she couldn't help exclaiming in surprise.

"I think you've got the wrong idea, Ichinose. Sakura and I are just ordinary friends for now. Besides, we only met yesterday. Even if it were love at first sight, things couldn't have moved that fast."

Dongfang Yi waved his hands, defending his reputation.

"Is that so?" Ichinose said noncommittally. "Are you a student in Class D, Dongfang?"

"No, I'm in Class A."

"But that's Chabashira-sensei from Class D, isn't it?"

"It's not like there's a rule against talking to instructors from other classes." Dongfang Yi lowered his voice mysteriously. "Actually, I'm rating all the instructors."

"Wow, impressive." Ichinose looked curious. "Have you finished the rankings?"

"I have." Dongfang Yi cleared his throat. "Mashima-sensei is in first place."

"Huh? Why?" Ichinose sounded a little indignant.

"Because I'm in Class A."

"..." Ichinose stared at him, dumbfounded. "That's an unexpectedly irrefutable reason."

"Then who's in second place?" she asked, not ready to give up.

"Hoshinomiya-sensei."

"Oh?" Ichinose raised an eyebrow, her smug gaze tinged with teasing. "Is it because I'm standing right in front of you?"

"That's half the reason."

"And the other half?"

"I accidentally called her an old maiden just now, so I can't afford to offend her any further." Dongfang Yi was perfectly frank.

"...You really know how to read the room."

"I hope you'll put in a good word for me with Hoshinomiya-sensei."

Dongfang Yi blinked, his gaze utterly sincere.

"But Hoshinomiya-sensei doesn't teach Class A, does she? It shouldn't matter if you offend her."

Ichinose felt a little devil stirring inside her and couldn't help egging him on.

"But she's in charge of the first-year infirmary. To be honest, I'm hoping I'll get the chance to score some free medicine there."

"Hahaha!" Ichinose was stunned by how shameless he was.

Clutching her stomach, she doubled over with laughter. "Don't worry, Dongfang. I'll definitely put in a good word for you with Hoshinomiya-sensei."

"Thanks, thanks. Now that I have your word, Ichinose, I can relax. To show my gratitude, today..."

Guessing that Sakura Airi would be back soon, Dongfang Yi began making promises in advance.

"Dongfang?"

A little head suddenly appeared right beside him from behind.

In the cafeteria.

In the end, Dongfang Yi paid for the meal as their host.

Still, treating two beautiful girls to lunch shouldn't be a bad deal.

Dongfang Yi tried to comfort himself with that thought. Deep down, he hoped the system would cheer him up with some kind of achievement.

Unfortunately, the system didn't care how he felt.

Apparently, luck didn't always stay by his side.

When Dongfang Yi returned with the three set meals, he felt a little speechless.

Honestly, the portions were a bit small.

The meals he'd ordered cost around five hundred points each, putting them in the upper-middle range, but in the end, all he got was a meal with barely any meat.

"Let's eat." ×3

During the meal, Ichinose started a conversation. "Are you and Sakura going to the gym this afternoon for the club fair?"

Sakura Airi glanced at Dongfang Yi. "I... I haven't decided yet."

Dongfang Yi swallowed a mouthful of rice. "I have other plans, so I'm not thinking of joining a club for now. But I did find out a little something."

"Huh?" The two of them pricked up their ears.

"I heard that if you want to join this year's Student Council, you have to apply without joining any clubs." Dongfang Yi started crafting his persona.

"Why?" Ichinose asked curiously. She was thinking of joining the Student Council.

"Because Student Council President Horikita Manabu is a neat freak. Or, rather, he thinks that being in a club would keep you from doing Student Council work properly." Dongfang Yi shrugged.

"I see. Got it." Ichinose nodded seriously. "Do you want to join the Student Council too, Dongfang?"

"Me? I don't have any interest in wasting my life that way." Dongfang Yi chuckled. "I don't think the upperclassmen have the authority to order me around."