Shy Kamuro Masumi

"Huh? You, what kind of nonsense are you spouting!"

Kamuro Masumi's cold face suddenly flushed with a hint of red, her voice involuntarily rising in pitch.

She retorted with a touch of agitation, her previously haughty demeanor crumbling in an instant.

Kind? A good girl?

Kamuro Masumi had never imagined these two terms would be applied to her, let alone that someone would describe her in such a way.

And that person was none other than Chihaya Rei standing right in front of her.

Chihaya Rei knew her true nature; how could she possibly be a good girl?

She was a thief who had stolen from a convenience store on the very first day of school, and "kind" was the last word that could ever describe her.

Kamuro Masumi was well aware of her own character, yet she couldn't help but feel a secret surge of joy deep inside.

No, this must be Chihaya Rei teasing her.

Kamuro Masumi shook her head violently; she couldn't fall for it.

She wasn't some lovesick fool; how could she be swayed by a casual remark from someone else?

Chihaya Rei watched Kamuro Masumi's face shift between red and pale, finding it quite amusing.

What on earth was she imagining in that head of hers?

"That's not nonsense."

He wagged his finger in denial.

"It is nonsense."

Kamuro Masumi's face turned even redder. She glared at Chihaya Rei and snapped, "Be quiet, and take out your phone."

"Kamuro-san, don't tell me you're already shy? You really can't handle a compliment."

Chihaya Rei's lips curled upward, his sharp gaze piercing through her facade to see that she was indeed flustered.

"Me, shy? Heh... as if."

Kamuro Masumi's heart skipped a beat, but she feigned composure, letting out a cold laugh to emphasize that she couldn't possibly be shy.

"I'm offering you points, do you want them or not?"

Kamuro Masumi spoke again, partly to shift the topic away from the previous subject.

"..."

Chihaya Rei suddenly felt like what Kamuro Masumi was saying sounded a bit like she was trying to keep him as a kept man.

He reined in his smile, deciding not to tease Kamuro for the time being.

"Although I appreciate you coming all this way to give me points, Kamuro, I'm not short on them."

Kamuro Masumi pursed her lips, her expression clearly saying she didn't believe him.

"See for yourself."

Chihaya Rei naturally saw that she wouldn't be easily convinced by his attitude.

He decisively pulled out his phone and let her glance at his personal point balance interface, which showed just over 40,000 points remaining.

These points would be enough for a month if he spent them sparingly, not to mention the 2.65 million personal points sitting in his anonymous account.

He couldn't spend them all; he simply couldn't spend them all.

Kamuro Masumi looked surprised: "You really have some?"

"Do you really see me as someone who throws points around recklessly?"

Chihaya Rei sighed.

Kamuro Masumi turned her face away, expressionless.

Since Chihaya Rei still had points, her actions seemed a bit unnecessary.

But knowing he had points did put her mind at ease.

Wait, why was she relieved?

He should have been broke so he would have to accept her help, allowing her to pay back the favor and stop feeling so awkward about it.

Kamuro Masumi's heart was a mess of contradictions.

Afterward, Chihaya Rei mentioned he was heading to the cafeteria for dinner and added a polite, "Want to join me?"

To his surprise, Kamuro Masumi actually nodded in agreement.

Chihaya Rei looked at her with some astonishment, but since the words were already out, he couldn't very well say, "I was just being polite, Kamuro, you can actually go back."

If he had said that, Kamuro would likely have punished him severely with her little leather shoes.

Since things had come to this, he might as well eat.

He could deal with the little leather shoes another day.

When it came time to order, Kamuro Masumi insisted on paying for his meal.

Chihaya Rei did not refuse such a trivial request.

He felt that if he didn't let Kamuro Masumi do something, she would likely follow him back to his dormitory tonight.

The two sat face-to-face, enjoying their dinner.

The scene was one of harmony.

However, a voice both enthusiastic and polite reached their ears simultaneously.

"Excuse me, Kamuro-san from Class A and Chihaya-kun from Class D, hello! Would you mind if we sat at the table next to you?"

Huh?

Chihaya Rei and Kamuro Masumi looked up in unison to see who had greeted them.

Kamuro Masumi looked surprised, likely because her name had been called out.

Chihaya Rei, however, had already guessed who it was the moment he heard that iconic voice.

The leader of Class B, Ichinose Honami.

She wore a polite smile, patiently waiting for Chihaya Rei and Kamuro Masumi's response.

"No problem."

Chihaya Rei didn't keep her waiting long, responding politely.

After silently sizing her up, Kamuro Masumi nodded and gave a soft "Mm."

At the end of the day, cafeteria seats were free for any student to take; it was just Ichinose Honami being overly polite, fearing she might disturb others, that led her to ask.

Kushida Kikyo from his own class was a fake angel, but Ichinose Honami was undoubtedly a true one.

Though, she might be a "pink-haired schemer."

Besides Ichinose, a petite girl with pale yellow short hair stood beside her.

Looking slightly timid, she stood at Ichinose's side, and due to the difference in their stature, she looked just like a fledgling bird snuggled up to its mother.

"Thank you both."

Ichinose Honami thanked them softly.

She then sat in the seat next to Chihaya Rei, leaving Shiranami Chihiro no choice but to sit beside Kamuro Masumi.

After setting down her tray, Ichinose blinked her bright eyes at the two of them.

"Hehe, sorry, Chihaya-kun, Kamuro-san, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Ichinose Honami from Class B."

"You can just call me Honami. I hope we can become friends."

Ichinose spoke slowly in a nimble, lively voice that made one feel incredibly at ease.

Compared to the "tea-flavored" vibe of Kushida Kikyo, Ichinose Honami's voice sounded full of genuine sincerity.

But to Chihaya Rei, he was truly afraid she might blurt out, "Yahallo, Yukino-chan," as that would be crossing into another series entirely.

As for how she knew his and Kamuro's names, that was hardly surprising.

After all, Ichinose had the persona of a great angel who was good at making friends and eager to help others; she probably remembered the names of almost every student in the grade.

After introducing herself, Ichinose Honami raised her hand and gently gestured toward her companion:

"This is Shiranami Chihiro from our class. She's a bit introverted, but she's actually a very cute girl."

Shiranami Chihiro's face flushed inexplicably, and she whispered in coordination, "Hello."