A new week began.
Most students still hadn't fully recovered from their first weekend since starting school, and plenty of them had slept in until the last minute.
Still, a few students chose to get up early on purpose.
One of them didn't even have to attend classes, but he still got up early every day.
That person was Koenji Rokusuke of Class D, Year One.
At that moment, Koenji was jogging along a path outside the dorms with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and Kujo Makoto.
"Ayanokoji Boy, your running form still isn't elegant enough. You won't get your blood and meridians flowing at their best like that."
"Don't you two have your own running paths?"
"Hahaha, Kujo Boy, you're mistaken. I'm simply choosing the running route that suits me best."
"We're on a path 350 meters outside the dormitory building. The school's designers may not have considered that three ordinary men would run side by side here, so they didn't leave enough room. You can't blame me for that."
The morning workout for Kujo, Ayanokoji, and Koenji came to an end.
"I'll buy the water today."
Ayanokoji took out the water he'd prepared.
Kujo thanked him, then naturally accepted the bottle Ayanokoji offered.
A short distance away, Koenji was still making a spectacle of himself on the pull-up bar. Meanwhile, Ayanokoji and Kujo chatted as usual.
"Has Koenji always been like that?"
"That's a strange way to put it, Ayanokoji. If I remember right, I met him at the same time you did last week. Besides, you're both in Class D, so why ask me?"
Ever since Kujo and Ayanokoji had exchanged contact information, they'd messaged each other regularly.
Ayanokoji wanted to experience the ordinary social life of a student.
Kujo, on the other hand, was simply curious about Ayanokoji as a person.
As for Koenji, Kujo had met him after his morning workouts.
After that, the three of them had become friends of sorts.
"I thought Koenji was copying you. I heard he spent quite a lot of points so he wouldn't have to attend classes anymore."
"I think he's just skipping class."
Ayanokoji thought that made sense.
It certainly couldn't be ruled out.
In fact, Ayanokoji and Kujo had misunderstood Koenji.
Like Kujo, Koenji had indeed used points to obtain permission to skip classes.
But the points had been provided voluntarily by an upperclasswoman he'd met shortly after the school year began.
Koenji himself never explained, so Kujo and Ayanokoji could only keep misunderstanding him.
"Huh? I thought you were the type who'd say, 'It doesn't matter if I drop out.'"
"Why would you think that?"
"Because you said that capable people could shine out in the world even without graduating from Class A. By that logic, wouldn't it be fine for a capable person to drop out?"
"This school claims to have a 100 percent employment rate for its graduates. If you drop out, people will see on your résumé that you couldn't even stick it out at a school that guarantees employment. Aren't people here the ones who care about that the most?"
"I see. You really are a normal person, Kujo. I should learn from you."
"I hope you're complimenting me."
Ayanokoji and Kujo chatted on and off about school.
Before long, the students who'd gotten up a little early began leaving the dorms one after another, heading toward the classroom buildings.
The most eye-catching of them was the Class D girl who left at the same time every day.
They said she was a monster of a different kind—a student who had already planned out her daily schedule for three months in advance.
The girl didn't seem to notice Kujo and the others nearby, and Ayanokoji watched her figure until it slowly disappeared into the classroom building.
Suddenly, Ayanokoji asked Kujo a strange question:
"Kujo, why do you think a girl would deliberately dress herself up to look pretty?"
Before Kujo could answer, Koenji seemed to take an interest in the topic. He said, "A gentleman wouldn't say something like that, Ayanokoji Boy. After all, every human being seeks beauty."
Ayanokoji was speechless.
Kujo nodded. He thought Koenji had a point.
But then Koenji changed tack.
"Kujo Boy, you should make a little effort with your appearance too. Otherwise, you'll disappoint the girls who like you."
Kujo was speechless.
Ayanokoji nodded, in complete agreement.
Kujo didn't understand why the conversation had turned to him.
The topic had changed so abruptly that he didn't even know what to say next.
But lately, Ayanokoji had learned from his classmates about the kinds of things friends talked about. He had a particular idea in mind.
Ayanokoji spoke up:
"I have a suggestion. Why don't the three of us make a bet?"
Koenji gave no response.
Kujo had a vague feeling that Ayanokoji had some kind of plan.
It was his sixth sense, utterly without reason.
"Kujo, what do you say? You'll definitely have an unexpected romantic encounter today."
Kujo didn't believe him.
A romantic encounter?
What did that have to do with him?
So he replied, "Just tell me what we're betting, Ayanokoji. I bet I won't."
Ayanokoji chose "will."
Koenji chose "will" too.
Kujo was surprised that Koenji would join in on something so pointless.
"As for the stakes, let me think. How about we each reveal a secret?"
"Ayanokoji Boy, that's much too cruel to Kujo Boy."
Ayanokoji nodded and said to Koenji, "Then why don't we bet on whether Kujo's a coward? How about it?"
Koenji chose "no."
Ayanokoji nodded. In that case, he'd choose "yes."
"What are you trying to pull, Ayanokoji?"
Watching the two of them play off each other, Kujo was furious.
"Kujo Boy, Ayanokoji Boy, if I win, let's see... For any upcoming school exams that interest me, you'll have to give it your all and compete against me. If you win, you can make a request of me too. How does that sound?"
Ayanokoji agreed.
Kujo didn't.
Koenji didn't mind either way. Ayanokoji's agreement was enough.
The two of them shared an understanding and walked off in opposite directions.
Kujo could only lie down on the grass and rub his forehead with a sigh.
Were those two crazy?
This was exhausting.
The last class before school let out.
Kujo went to Class C as usual. Today, he mainly wanted to talk to Ryuen about something.
But Ryuen clearly didn't want to see him. As soon as school let out, he took Ishizaki and the others and slipped away.
Unable to find the person he was looking for, Kujo gazed out the window, feeling bored.
At that moment, Ayanokoji was following the Class D girl from the desk beside his toward the dormitory building.
Kujo was speechless.
Only then did he become more clearly aware that something was off in the Class C classroom.
The students around him deliberately avoided his gaze as they left, as if everyone were ostracizing him.
Then.
Kujo couldn't help turning his gaze toward the last girl left in the classroom: Shiina Hiyori.
Kujo was puzzled.
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Kujo peeked at her.
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Kujo and the girl met each other's eyes.
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Kujo wanted to leave.
"Kujo-kun."
Kujo couldn't remember much of what Shiina said next.
The only thing he remembered was the girl confessing to him.
And then, as if possessed, he accepted her confession.
Afterward, the girl quickly fled the classroom.
But before Kujo could even react, Shiina came running back in from outside and stood in front of him.
Her face was red, and she was breathing heavily. She didn't dare look in his direction. After briefly explaining why she'd come back, the girl mechanically exchanged contact information with Kujo.
Even after accomplishing what she'd come back for, Shiina still didn't leave.
Kujo didn't dare say anything either.
In a daze.
Kujo thought he could hear Shiina saying something.
< src="https://e1.kuangxiangit./uplos/chaptersnew/507/178683/260220/1771589959-100437152-113241888.jpg" alt='Shiina Hiyori'>
Her voice was quieter than a mosquito's, but Kujo heard every word:
"I'm sorry. I'm not ready to do what the other girls do yet. I'll try my best, but I want you to understand that I really like you, so please reply to my message tonight, okay? Mm, that's all. I'll head back now. Eek."
Shiina fled again.
Kujo stood there, stunned.
Hiyori was just too cute.
Since Kujo had received an unexpected confession from a girl, his bet with Ayanokoji and Koenji counted.
Results:
Ayanokoji won.
Koenji won consecutively.
In any case.
Kujo owed Ayanokoji one truth.
Kujo owed Koenji one truth.
Ayanokoji owed Koenji one dare.
< src="https://e1.kuangxiangit./uplos/chaptersnew/507/178683/250521/1747810335-100437152-113241888.jpg" alt='Shiina Hiyori'>
Before you continue