The First Exchange

"If only the seats next to their table would open up. Then we could sit right there, eavesdrop on their conversation, and look for a chance to join in naturally."

Shiranami Chihiro had come up with a rather underhanded plan.

She was confident that if the first conversation went well, the other person would be completely won over by Honami-chan.

No one could resist such a gentle, soft-hearted archangel.

But eavesdropping... however you looked at it, it wasn't exactly a good thing. Still, if the other person really didn't remember Honami-chan, it was a necessary step if they wanted to join the conversation.

What a dilemma.

Huh? Wait!

Something unexpected seemed to happen, interrupting Shiranami Chihiro's thoughts.

As she and Ichinose Honami watched, the girls sitting at a four-person table next to Hoshino En's table checked a message on one of their phones and began gathering their things.

After packing up the desserts that had just been served, they actually left.

"Chihiro-chan, you're amazing. Your prediction came true."

No, no. Their food had just arrived, and now they were leaving. Someone had obviously messaged them, telling them to go and free up the seats, hadn't they?

Still, this worked out...

"Honami-chan, quick! Let's sit over there while we can."

Now that she was sure Honami-chan didn't have any special feelings for that boy, Shiranami Chihiro was more than happy to help her out.

And the timing was perfect.

"Huh? Are we really going to eavesdrop? Isn't that a little wrong?"

As expected, Honami-chan was just too kind. She couldn't bring herself to do anything even slightly improper.

But if you didn't do this, Honami-chan, you knew nothing about him. How were you supposed to repay him?

"Ah, someone else is taking the seats!"

While Ichinose Honami hesitated, a girl with dark blue twin tails and a pretty, well-built girl with shoulder-length brown hair sat down at the table. They chatted animatedly with each other, but their eyes kept wandering toward Hoshino En.

Shiranami Chihiro remembered them. The one whose figure was only a little less impressive than Honami-chan's was Kushida Kikyo. They'd seen her at lunch in the cafeteria. She'd said she wanted to be friends with everyone. Those girls who had been sitting there earlier must have left because they'd received a message from her.

Was she deliberately sitting there because she wanted to be friends with that boy and his girlfriend?

No, no. Now wasn't the time to wonder what she was thinking.

"Honami-chan, there are still two seats over there. Let's hurry. Maybe we'll hear something."

"But..."

Ichinose Honami was still hesitating. She couldn't quite bring herself to do something that felt like prying into someone's privacy.

But while she hesitated a second time, another girl with a golden ponytail sat down at the table. Now only one seat remained.

"There's only one seat left, Honami-chan! Hurry! Hesitate and you lose. I'll wait here for your good news."

Shiranami Chihiro didn't know why the usually cheerful and decisive Honami-chan was acting so timidly, but she didn't want her to regret it later.

She gave Ichinose Honami a push and made an encouraging gesture.

Ichinose Honami: "..."

Her little sister had cheered her on. Now she had to do it.

So she walked toward the table beside Hoshino En's, resolute and without looking back.

"Good afternoon, Kushida, Wang."

She sat down beside Kushida Kikyo and greeted them with a natural smile.

Thanks to a new friend from Class D she'd made at lunch, she wouldn't be at a loss for conversation even though she'd come alone.

"And this is..."

"I'm Karuizawa Kei from Class 1-D."

Well, she'd made another new friend from Class D.

Ichinose Honami's move from her original seat to this one had been conspicuous, and all three girls understood why she'd come.

[She's here to get the live gossip, isn't she? I didn't expect Ichinose from Class B to be this curious.]

[Another fox trying to get her claws into Hoshino-kun!]

But they understood each other's motives even better, so they didn't reject this new member of their "kind."

The four of them soon fell into easy conversation, though their attention remained fixed on Hoshino En at the next table.

First Semester of First Year:

Chapter 10: The First Exchange

"Hoshino really is popular, isn't he?"

After placing her order with a nearby server, Sakayanagi Arisu gazed at Hoshino En, seated across from her, and smiled brightly.

"It's only been a moment, and he's already attracted three scheming little kittens and one harmless little white rabbit. Boyfriend-kun, you really are a sinful man."

Although her gaze stayed on Hoshino En, the three girls at the next table who really were scheming felt as if some strange gaze had seen right through them.

Kushida Kikyo, who wanted to make friends: "..."

I'll have to find another chance to talk to Hoshino alone. With that silver-haired girl here, it's too dangerous.

I feel like she's seen right through me. Is that just my imagination?

Karuizawa Kei, who had come to stop Kushida Kikyo: "..."

Looks like Hoshino-kun doesn't need my help after all. Maybe I'll just stay here and take a good look at him.

Ah, it's been so long. He seems to have grown another two centimeters, but he looks a little tired. Did he not sleep well last night?

Ichinose Honami, who was eavesdropping: "..."

She's sharp. But she didn't call us out directly, so she must not mind, right?

Then I'll keep listening.

Wang Meiyu, the real little white rabbit: "..."

What does she mean? Little kittens and little white rabbits? Are there pets in this café?

The four kept up a natural conversation on the surface, but each of them had their own thoughts.

"Don't say things that give people the wrong idea. I don't know much about animals. Maybe they're here for you."

Honestly, aside from the names of three classmates, Hoshino En barely knew anything about the girls. He could only tell that the last one was the leader of Class B; he didn't know anything else.

"But ever since class meeting ended today, Arisu has been with Boyfriend-kun the whole time. They must know whether Arisu and Boyfriend-kun are acquainted, right?"

Karuizawa Kei: "...!!"

Class meeting ended at a little after eleven this morning, and it's now a little after four in the afternoon... That's almost five hours, isn't it?

No wonder Hoshino-kun looks so exhausted.

She touched her stomach, her cheeks flushing.

I wonder if I could keep up...

Looks like I'll have to get in shape. Hoshino-kun said during his self-introduction that he exercised regularly, didn't he? Should I ask him for help?

"Don't put it in such misleading terms. I was just showing you around the school buildings."

Noticing that the people beside them had clearly jumped to the wrong conclusion, Hoshino En tried to get her to rein it in, for the sake of his reputation.

"Besides, that's enough acting. You've had your revenge by now, haven't you?"

The four eavesdroppers: "...??"

Acting? What's going on?

Ichinose Honami: So they're not really boyfriend and girlfriend?

Her quick mind had already figured out the truth.

"Mm, I have. Especially seeing you admit defeat. That was even more satisfying."

Earlier, Hoshino En had gotten the better of her in their verbal sparring. If Sakayanagi Arisu hadn't been trying to earn points, she would have retaliated long ago. She wouldn't have needed to wait until now.

Now, seeing him give in, she finally wore a delighted smile.

When the dessert and coffee she'd ordered arrived, she pushed one of them toward Hoshino En.

"You must be exhausted after this afternoon. I'm not completely heartless, so consider this a reward."

The four eavesdroppers: They only toured the school buildings. Why would he be "exhausted"?

Karuizawa Kei: "...!!"

Could it be... on campus... getting caught... Is that what Hoshino-kun likes?

Mm, that's a little hard to accept. But if Hoshino-kun likes it...

"Since I'm the one paying in the end, if you really weren't heartless, you'd cover the points for me."

"Girls don't like men who keep score over every little thing, Hoshino."

Hoshino En and Sakayanagi Arisu traded barbs, leaving the four girls listening beside them dumbfounded.

The four eavesdroppers: "..."

It sounds like ordinary conversation between friends. There's no gossip about a relationship at all.

Maybe... they really are just normal friends and classmates.

After Hoshino En finished his dessert and took a sip of coffee that had cooled enough to drink, he finally brought up the real matter.

"So, about the promised deduction... are you sure we shouldn't go somewhere else?"

The dessert had helped him feel a lot better, but he was even more convinced that this wasn't the right place to talk about it.

The occasional "secret" glances from people around them aside, the four girls at the next table could hear every word if they listened carefully. This really wasn't a suitable place to discuss anything important.

"Of course. If anything, I'm looking forward to it."

Sakayanagi Arisu picked up the cane leaning against the table and laid it across her lap.

"Ever since I learned what this school was really like, I've been bored. I couldn't summon the slightest bit of enthusiasm. After all, I'm in the best-equipped and highest-ranking Class A, and my classmates have all chosen the cautious strategy of building an advantage and then holding on to it. I had no desire to keep going."

"My visit to the Chess Club to challenge them was just a move to pass the time. But fortunately, I made that move and met you—a person who could get the better of me at our first meeting."

"I'm excited. A genius who can match me has finally appeared, and you've awakened my competitive spirit for the first time in ages. I want to beat you, then shape you into exactly what I want..."

"Hey! Are you a sadist or something? More importantly, I think I've gotten myself involved with a seriously dangerous person!"

Sakayanagi Arisu's declaration startled Hoshino En. He felt that he might have made the wrong choice earlier when he'd decided to use her as material for exposure therapy. Wasn't he just making trouble for himself?

"Um, Classmate Sakayanagi, can I take it back now?"

"Nope!"

Sakayanagi Arisu refused to let Hoshino En take it back.

"Girls dislike men who break their promises even more than men who keep score over every little thing. Are you planning to forfeit your right to date for the next three years of high school, Hoshino?"

Sakayanagi Arisu's gaze swept over Kushida Kikyo and Ichinose Honami, seated at the next table, just across the aisle from Hoshino En.

"The two girls over there—Kushida Kikyo and Ichinose Honami—are both outstanding social butterflies. If you run away now, I guarantee rumors about you will be flying all over the year group tomorrow."

"No, no, why would I do that? Don't make things up, Classmate Sakayanagi."

"Exactly. We wouldn't do something as awful as spreading rumors."

Seeing the conversation suddenly flare up, with the fire seemingly about to spread to them, Kushida Kikyo and Ichinose Honami forgot their polite small talk and hurriedly denied it with a wave of their hands.

Wang Meiyu, seated closest to Sakayanagi Arisu, was startled by what she said. Karuizawa Kei, sitting on Wang Meiyu's other side, glared angrily at Sakayanagi Arisu. But Sakayanagi Arisu paid no attention to either of their reactions.

Hoshino En: "..."

Although he regretted it a little, he hadn't actually intended to take it back. If his deduction was right, he wouldn't be able to escape her harassment as long as he stayed at this school.

Still, by deliberately saying that, he seemed to have drawn out quite a bit of information.

"Your people have been following us."

Looking at Sakayanagi Arisu's smiling face, he openly pointed out something he had noticed long ago.