"Take Sudo, for example. He's great at sports, but his personality must be a real headache, right? Ah, you don't have to force yourself to give your opinion. I'm just saying what I think."
Seeing Airi Sakura hesitate, Toru Hasegawa figured she felt uncomfortable talking behind someone's back, so he quickly added,
"And Horikita thinks from the bottom of her heart that she doesn't need friends. As for Ike, he makes comments that show he has no sense of boundaries... Though, in that respect, I don't think I'm any different."
A faint, wry smile crossed Toru Hasegawa's face, but he continued:
"As for Yamauchi, I get the impression he's pretty good at bragging."
"Of course, there are all sorts of other people, but that's about all I've figured out so far."
After listening, Airi Sakura couldn't help asking, "What about me? What do you think of me, Hasegawa?"
"Well, I've said a lot, but I think everyone could become better with just a few small changes. I think the same goes for you, Sakura. If you could be more confident, you'd definitely be popular."
She hadn't expected such high praise from him, and Airi Sakura blushed.
"I'll leave it at that. What you do from here is entirely up to you." Toru Hasegawa paused. "Want to have dinner together?"
"...Sure."
Though they were having dinner together, Toru Hasegawa didn't feel like they were on a date at all.
She kept her head down and her face flushed the whole time. Her stiff way of eating almost made him laugh, but he managed to hold it in.
This was just... too cute. And she was so easy to read that he even felt a little guilty.
Why were relationships between teachers and students strictly forbidden?
Because there was an obvious power imbalance between them. The situation now was a little similar.
But it wasn't a power imbalance. It was a huge difference in perspective.
Things that seemed like the end of the world when you were a kid didn't seem like much when you looked back as an adult.
With feelings he didn't quite understand himself, Toru Hasegawa spent a very unusual evening with Airi Sakura.
As soon as Toru Hasegawa and Airi Sakura parted ways, Kamuro Masumi came up to him.
"You're really heartless, huh? When you couldn't get anywhere with me, you set your sights on a student from another class. Tch, I guess 'womanizer' was the right word for you."
"Do you really think feelings are that simple?" Toru Hasegawa glanced at Kamuro Masumi. She'd been following him from the start, and there was no way he could miss her. Only Airi Sakura hadn't noticed, for other reasons.
Kamuro Masumi's expression stiffened. She'd never been in a relationship, so she didn't understand what it was like. She said helplessly, "Aren't you worried you'll get in over your head?"
"I've never thought about that. You've probably already guessed a little yourself, haven't you?"
"No way. Are you really going to become a player?"
"Not that I couldn't... but I'd probably get beaten to death, wouldn't I?"
Toru Hasegawa's face darkened. What did she mean, becoming a player? Was that really something she could say?
"But then what you're doing would go against the school's goals, wouldn't it?"
Kamuro Masumi thought of Sakayanagi calling him a traitor.
What would it take for someone to be called a traitor?
The school wanted the four classes to compete against one another. If things really came to that, Toru Hasegawa's position would become rather complicated.
"So what? Resolving the conflict between those two things is the challenge I've set myself. Though, for now, all I can think of is avoiding it."
"Huh?" Kamuro Masumi was dumbfounded. "What are you going on about?"
"It doesn't matter. This is what I wanted to tell you. Besides... it's only the first month. Almost no students have figured out what's going on yet, so now's the best time for me to act."
Toru Hasegawa smiled slightly. He was different from Manabu Horikita.
Manabu didn't want to get directly involved in his younger sister's growth, but Toru wasn't afraid to do so.
"...Are you sure it's okay to tell me all that? You know I have ulterior motives, don't you?" After a moment's silence, Kamuro Masumi finally couldn't help asking.
They were both in Class A for now, but their positions were somewhat different.
And he was the one who had made it happen.
"It's fine, because you're one of my targets too, Kamuro." Toru Hasegawa smiled slightly. "You were alone at the start of the school year too, weren't you? And you even did something like that."
"What's this weird feeling I have? Can I hit you?" Kamuro Masumi raised a fist as if to swing at him.
"There are security cameras here. You'd be in trouble if anyone saw you. If you really want to hit me, you can do it back at the dorms. If that'll make you feel better, then all the more reason to."
"Why does that make me feel even weirder?" A strange anger welled up in Kamuro Masumi, though she couldn't even tell what it was. "And I can throw your words right back at you."
Alone?
You're in the same situation yourself.
"Who knows?" Toru Hasegawa started to say, then suddenly thought of something and added, "Whatever you do, don't try to figure me out."
"..."
"What? Was my impression that bad?"
"If you're sick, go get treated." Kamuro Masumi glared at Toru Hasegawa and left.
[Toru Hasegawa: Want to go see a movie tomorrow?]
[Airi Sakura: Is it with the person you were on the phone with this afternoon?]
[Toru Hasegawa: Yes. If you don't want to, we can forget it.]
[Airi Sakura: I'll come. What time?]
[Toru Hasegawa: Let's meet at the first-year dorm entrance at one in the afternoon, then head out together. That's pretty much the plan.]
[Airi Sakura: Okay.]
[Toru Hasegawa: See you tomorrow, then.]
[Airi Sakura: Mm-hmm, see you tomorrow.]
After that, Toru Hasegawa sent a message to someone else.
[Toru Hasegawa: I'm going to see a movie with your brother tomorrow.]
After waiting a little while, she replied.
[Suzune Horikita: What does that have to do with me?]
[Toru Hasegawa: I was thinking of inviting you along, but now that I think about it... maybe I'll forget it.]
It was an obvious provocation, especially over text, but Toru Hasegawa knew Suzune Horikita would take the bait.
It couldn't be helped. Her brother had that much appeal.
[Suzune Horikita: I didn't say no. I was only asking why.]
A little while later.
[Suzune Horikita: Since you're inviting me, I suppose I have no choice.]
It looked like something a tsundere would say, but it wasn't.
She was all tsun and no dere.
They were both making excuses to save face, but Suzune Horikita's feelings were entirely different.
[Toru Hasegawa: Got it. Tomorrow at one in the afternoon, at the first-year dorm entrance.]
[Suzune Horikita: Understood.]
After making arrangements with everyone, Toru Hasegawa drifted off to sleep, feeling at peace.
Before you continue