Ichinose's Request

Horikita Etsuka turned his gaze toward the person who had arrived.

The speaker was a cute girl with short brown hair, whose chest buttons seemed as if they were about to burst at any moment.

Horikita Manabu adjusted his glasses: "Who are you?"

"Hello, upperclassmen! I'm Kushida Kikyo from Class 1-D! I hope we can be friends!"

[Upperclassmen? It seems this girl didn't notice me on the bus.]

The mischievous side of Horikita Etsuka's heart suddenly leaped with excitement:

"Kushida-san, what is your goal in making friends?"

As Etsuka spoke, one of his hands was busy changing the nickname on his student terminal under the table.

Nicknames could be changed, but since friend requests were made using student IDs—which were immutable and impossible to forge—there was no risk of being exposed.

Horikita Manabu glanced at his younger brother, ultimately deciding not to expose his "upperclassman" status.

"I... I..."

Kushida Kikyo clasped her hands over her lower abdomen, rubbing them together nervously. She put on a bashful expression, then suddenly leaned her super-cute face right in front of Etsuka:

"I just want to be friends with you upperclassmen! I don't have any other intentions!"

Thump-thump...

Even with Horikita Etsuka's level of self-control, his heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

She was just too adorable, wasn't she!!

However, even though Horikita Etsuka's heart had been captured by the cute girl, he maintained a nonchalant facade and pulled out his student terminal:

"Fine, go ahead and add me. I'd be happy to be friends with you, too."

"Thank you, upperclassman!" Kushida happily sent the friend request.

Afterward, she turned her super-cute gaze toward Horikita Manabu.

Horikita Manabu glanced at Etsuka, then slowly stood up and said: "Kushida-san, I would also be happy to be your friend, but due to my position, it's not convenient for me to add too many people."

"Ah? Is that so." Kushida first showed a look of disappointment, then blinked her eyes and said, as if rallying her spirits:

"It's okay, upperclassman, I understand!"

Horikita Manabu nodded, then looked at Etsuka and adjusted his glasses: "Etsuka, some things are more interesting when you explore them yourself."

Having said that, Horikita Manabu turned and left, leaving behind only a cool, composed silhouette.

"Hmm?" Kushida Kikyo tilted her head in confusion, watching Horikita Manabu's retreating figure: "What did the Student Council President mean by that?"

Horikita Etsuka downed the rest of the juice in his cup: "Who knows."

Horikita Etsuka stood up and looked at Kushida, who was a head shorter than him: "Kushida-san, I'm glad we could become friends, but I have some things to take care of in class, so I'll be heading back."

"Mm-hmm!" Kushida nodded cutely: "Then I won't bother you any further, upperclassman! Goodbye!"

With that, she waved her hand and walked away.

Horikita Etsuka waved back with a smile, the girl's youthful silhouette deeply etched into his mind.

[Tsk tsk, so this is what campus life is like.]

Since it was the first day of school, there were no actual classes, but students were expected to organize their books and pick up their dormitory keys to get settled in.

After finishing his lunch, Horikita Etsuka headed toward the Class 1-B classroom.

Before he even reached the door, the sound of a noisy crowd spilled out.

Although only half a day had passed, most people had already finished forming their own little cliques.

Horikita Etsuka drifted toward the front of the classroom, where the group centered around a girl with long pink hair was the largest.

At that moment, Ichinose, who was surrounded by the crowd, spotted Horikita Etsuka as soon as he entered.

"Horikita-kun!" Ichinose raised her hand to greet him.

"Hello." Horikita Etsuka raised his hand in return.

Ichinose said a quick word to the students around her and walked straight toward Horikita Etsuka.

"Hello, Horikita-kun. My name is Ichinose Honami. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Ichinose extended a fair, slender hand.

If you like this book, please remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.

"Hello, Ichinose-san." Horikita Etsuka reached out and gave her hand a light shake.

As they both pulled their hands back, Horikita Etsuka looked at Ichinose and said: "Ichinose-san, you have something you want to tell me, right?"

"That's right." Ichinose nodded: "You guessed it right away, Horikita-kun."

"So, what is it?"

"Why don't you try guessing again, Horikita-kun?"

Horikita Etsuka crossed his arms, looking thoughtful:

"Hmm... I suppose it's something like a class gathering?"

"Oh my." Ichinose pressed her hands together, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "Horikita-kun, you really are impressive. Actually, I came here to invite you to that gathering."

"A gathering?"

"Yes. Since we'll be spending the next three years together, I organized a get-together, hoping everyone could get to know each other better."

"Is that so?"

"That's why I hope you'll attend, Horikita-kun. Quite a few girls in the class are hoping you'll come, too."

"Alright."

Horikita Etsuka made an okay sign. He had come here to experience school life, after all, so naturally, he would attend things like gatherings.

After saying that, he prepared to head back to his seat to pack his things.

"Wait a moment, Horikita-kun." Ichinose tugged at the corner of Horikita Etsuka's shirt.

"Hm? What is it, Ichinose-san?"

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Ichinose slowly pulled back the hand that had been holding his shirt. She leaned in slightly toward Horikita Etsuka and whispered:

"Horikita-kun, there's something I'd like to ask for your help with."

Etsuka looked at Ichinose's slightly flushed cheeks and couldn't help but think.

She really is just a girl who has just entered school.

"So, what is it?" Etsuka asked.

Ichinose glanced at the people around them and said, "Horikita-kun, could we go out into the hallway to talk?"

"Talk in the hallway?"

Etsuka's wandering mind instantly conjured up images of a shy girl confessing her feelings.

Of course, this was all just the wishful thinking of a Horikita Etsuka who had never been in a relationship.

Based on his current understanding of Ichinose, the probability of that was near zero, especially since they had only just met.

"Sure, let's go outside and talk."

The two of them arrived in the hallway.

Only then did Ichinose speak: "Actually, I wanted to ask for your help in inviting Himeno-san."

"Himeno-san? Who is that?"

"Hm?" Ichinose looked confused. "She's your desk mate. Uh... haven't you two greeted each other or gotten to know one another?"

Horikita Etsuka instantly recalled his desk mate with the purple twin-tails who dressed a bit like a delinquent.

Horikita Etsuka spread his hands.

"Sorry, Ichinose. If you thought it would be easier to invite her because we're desk mates, you might be disappointed. I haven't said a single word to her since school started."

"Ah? Is that so?" Ichinose nodded in sudden realization.

"What about you, Ichinose? I believe that with your level of approachability, you could invite Himeno-san yourself, couldn't you?"

Ichinose shook her head.

"I feel like Himeno-san might be a bit difficult to get along with. I asked everyone, and none of them have had any interaction with her at all. I'm worried that Himeno-san might end up marginalized in class, which is why I wanted you, as her desk mate, to try and invite her."

Ichinose sighed and then said, "Since you aren't very close, Horikita-kun, then I suppose I'll just..."

"It's fine, I can give it a try." Horikita Etsuka interrupted Ichinose.

"Eh?" Ichinose was stunned for a moment, then said happily, "Then I'll leave it to you, Horikita-kun!"