Hiyori Asks Ichinose

Was this a one-time offer of Kujo's full support?

Ichinose couldn't see the expression on Kujo's face.

The music in the karaoke room was loud, and the lights inside flickered between bright and dim.

Even in that setting, Ichinose's thoughts didn't falter.

She only had two choices: say she'd think about it, or turn him down outright.

Turning him down was never an option.

If Kujo was willing to give Class B his full support, it would be like handing the class a lifeline. If they used it well, they might even avoid anyone being expelled.

Ichinose, who had been in constant contact with Kujo, understood that better than anyone.

All they had to do was borrow 2.5 million points to get this opportunity.

There was no reason to refuse him.

The only question was whether Kujo could pay them back.

No.

She should be considering whether they could settle the debt some other way, even if Kujo couldn't repay them.

From that perspective, 2.5 million points was an absolute bargain.

Ichinose decided to agree outright.

After a long while, Ichinose put on an expression as if she needed to think it over carefully.

She would go back to class and ask her classmates what they thought.

Kujo didn't say it out loud, but he already knew how things would turn out.

Ichinose had never asked them for anything before.

If she asked, everyone in Class B would surely agree. They might even give her the few points they had left.

With the trickiest matter settled, Kujo turned off the music, leaving only the machine's background hum.

Using the restroom as an excuse, he left Hiyori and Ichinose alone in the room.

"Ichinose, you really trust Kujo, don't you?"

At Hiyori's words, Ichinose realized her gaze had been fixed on the door the whole time.

Worried Shiina might get the wrong idea, Ichinose flailed her hands in front of her chest and spoke in a rush.

"I-I... That's—that's because we share the same goal. We both want to protect everyone."

"But I've also realized lately that protecting everyone doesn't mean giving them whatever they want."

"Um, well, anyway, Kujo's helped me a lot, and I'm grateful to him. Yeah, that's all."

Ichinose's mind kept returning to what Kujo had said when he'd scolded her.

Seeing Ichinose hesitate, Hiyori moved closer and answered softly.

"I understand. You and Kujo have something in common, so I understand."

"I'm not suspicious of you, Ichinose. But there's one thing you got wrong: you've helped Kujo a lot, too. I'll thank you on his behalf."

"Okay, let's stop talking about class. How about we sing? Or would you rather talk about something else?"

While they'd been talking, Hiyori had been sitting between them the whole time.

So Hiyori knew that her Kujo and Ichinose's relationship didn't go beyond friendship.

If anything, Kujo and Ichinose were very alike.

They were both just as kind and just as clever.

Lately, Hiyori had been harboring a little thought of her own.

She wanted to help Kujo. She wanted to take the initiative and share some of his burdens.

That was why Hiyori wanted to get a little closer to someone as capable as Ichinose.

If Ichinose was a girl who could read the room, a leader who understood how people worked,

then Hiyori, by her side, was a girl who brought out the best in others and always looked on the bright side.

Ichinose glanced at Hiyori, then finally settled on a topic—one she thought only Hiyori could answer.

"Actually, there's something that's been bothering me lately."

Hiyori looked puzzled.

Could a girl like Ichinose really have problems she wanted to share with someone like her?

"I think there's someone in my class who likes me."

Hiyori blinked, not understanding.

Someone liked Ichinose?

Wasn't that only natural?

After all, Ichinose was so pretty.

Could anyone really dislike her?

Hiyori didn't quite get it. The question was a little beyond her.

But Hiyori would never have guessed

that the person Ichinose was talking about was a girl in her own class.

She was even Ichinose's closest friend.

Ichinose was deeply troubled by it.

She had no idea how to turn her down.

And, at the end of the day, the situation was awkward.

Normally, she should find some boy to pretend to be her boyfriend and help her reject Chihiro.

But it seemed she'd have to use Chihiro's situation as a shield for now.

"I'm afraid that turning her down directly will upset her, but I can't say yes either. It's not that I dislike her. It's just that we're not right for each other..."

Listening to Ichinose, Hiyori couldn't help thinking of when she'd confessed to Kujo.

Had Kujo felt the same way Ichinose did back then?

If Kujo had turned her down then, what would she be like now?

Hiyori could understand Ichinose's feelings, at least a little.

After thinking over her words, Hiyori slowly began to explain.

"Before I confessed to Kujo, I'd never imagined he'd become my boyfriend. At the time, I just wanted to start out as friends with him. But I was scared, too. I was afraid we might not even be able to stay friends in the end."

Ichinose was a little surprised.

Shiina had been the one to confess first?

It surprised Ichinose, but it also made sense.

It might have been a little harsh to say this about Kujo, but he really wasn't very good with words.

Anyone who called someone a "tool" the first time they met could hardly be considered a good person.

If Shiina hadn't taken the initiative to express her feelings, Kujo probably would've had a hard time making friends with girls.

Ichinose thought of what Kujo had called her when he'd gotten angry.

She still couldn't get over it.

Hiyori didn't know the details. Looking at Ichinose, she continued.

"If Kujo had said yes to my confession just because he was worried about me, or if he'd made up some awkward excuse, I don't think I'd ever forgive him."

As she spoke, Hiyori forced herself to look angry.

Seeing her struggle to keep up the act, Ichinose laughed.

She understood what Hiyori meant.

"I know what I should do now. Thank you, Shiina. I knew it was right to ask the model couple in our year for advice."

Model couple? Hiyori was stunned by the sudden label.

Her little face turned bright red in an instant. Though perhaps it wasn't noticeable beneath the room's lights.

Who had come up with such an embarrassing title?!

Model couple?

Ugh.

Seeing Hiyori's blush, Ichinose pressed her advantage and added,

"Because there's no one else in the whole year who's as inseparable as you and Kujo."

"Our classmates are all jealous of Kujo."

"Of course, they're all jealous of you, too, Shiina."

Hiyori curled up with her knees drawn to her chest, peeking out over them with just her eyes.

Watching Ichinose turn the tables on her, Hiyori asked indirectly,

"Don't you ever think about dating while you're at school, Ichinose?"

Ichinose copied Hiyori and took off her shoes. She rested her knees against the sofa's springy cushion and helped Shiina smooth her hair.

"Relax~ Did you know your Kujo is always talking about you when he's out and about? You're his cutest girlfriend, after all."

Hiyori buried her face in her knees again and said nothing.

Seeing that Hiyori didn't react, Ichinose seemed to remember the question Kujo had asked earlier and asked her curiously,

"Do you know what Kujo plans to do after graduation? Is it really what he said earlier?"

Hiyori honestly answered Ichinose this time.

"I don't know."

Ichinose seemed to think back to Kujo's earlier actions, then consider what kind of person he was.

She nodded, deciding that this was probably the expected answer.

But then Ichinose seemed to think of something else and said to Hiyori,

"Did you know? I heard Manabe from your class got into an argument with Karuizawa from Class D a few days ago."

Ichinose started chatting with Hiyori about gossip. Though it was mostly Ichinose doing the talking, she had a lot to say.

As they chatted, Hiyori occasionally chimed in with a suitable response.

Ichinose and Hiyori talked about all kinds of things, as if they both wanted to fill the silence Kujo had left behind.

Kujo returned to the room.

Seeing the two of them sitting close together on the sofa, he rubbed the back of his head and asked,

"So, who's going to sing first? Otherwise, it'll go to waste."

Ichinose and Hiyori froze, then pointed at Kujo in perfect unison.

"You."*2

Hiyori then made a surprising discovery: Kujo was unexpectedly good at singing.

He sang with a lot of feeling, and his expressions were spot-on, too.

Unfortunately, his score on the karaoke machine was very low.