Ichinose Honami didn't pick up her chopsticks and start eating right away. Instead, she took out her phone and somewhat sheepishly asked Chihaya Rei and Kamuro Masumi if they could add each other as friends.
Neither of them refused, and once they'd successfully exchanged contact information,
Ichinose Honami finally began eating.
So she was here to collect contacts.
Chihaya Rei thought to himself.
He had wondered just a moment ago whether Hoshinomiya Chie had mentioned him to Ichinose Honami and encouraged her to come talk to him.
But even if Hoshinomiya had encouraged Ichinose,
Ichinose Honami was someone he could trust. She wasn't the sort of person who made friends with ulterior motives.
Unfortunately, kind people didn't last long in the larger-than-life stage that was Classroom of the Elite.
"You're just as kind as the rumors say, Ichinose."
Chihaya Rei remarked casually.
Almost at the same time, Ichinose Honami started a conversation of her own:
"Do you often have dinner with Kamuro, Chihaya?"
Ichinose paused, then said a little bashfully,
"That's just everyone praising me. They exaggerate a little. I feel embarrassed hearing you say that, Chihaya..."
Kamuro Masumi remained silent.
But she couldn't help thinking that barely ten minutes ago, Chihaya Rei had called her kind, and now he was praising someone else as kind right in front of her.
Kamuro Masumi admitted that Ichinose Honami did seem kind, and was indeed kinder than she was.
But she still thought Chihaya Rei was far too good at sweet-talking innocent girls!
So Kamuro Masumi silently bit down harder on her food.
Shiranami Chihiro was shy, so she didn't say much.
Kamuro Masumi clearly wasn't good at dealing with a social butterfly like Ichinose Honami, either.
So the two of them tacitly kept their heads down and ate.
As a result, the conversation soon became one between Chihaya Rei and Ichinose Honami.
"Chihaya, I heard from a friend in Class D that you started a band."
"That's right. More than one, actually."
"Being in a band... must take up a lot of time. Don't you get too busy?"
"That's why I skipped school for a while."
"Eh?!"
Ichinose Honami's lips parted in surprise, and she let out a gasp.
Chihaya had skipped school too?
Even Kamuro Masumi and Shiranami Chihiro looked over in surprise.
"Maybe that's why I got placed in Class D."
Chihaya Rei said with a smile.
Ichinose hurriedly shook her head, trying to reassure him. "We're all just ordinary students. I don't think the school's way of sorting us is very fair."
"I don't mind." Chihaya Rei shook his head.
Only then did Ichinose relax and continue asking:
"Then are live shows exhausting?"
"You get used to it. And even though the people onstage look glamorous, by the time they come off, their backs are practically soaked through. Girls aren't exempt, either."
Ichinose Honami looked surprised, as if she'd just learned something, and continued:
"My little sister really likes bands, too. She often uses Mom's phone to watch live performances."
"Unfortunately, I haven't been able to take her to see one in person. I came to this school before I got the chance."
As she spoke, she sighed softly, a little helplessly.
Chihaya Rei raised an eyebrow in surprise.
As expected of the great girls' band era—band talk was everywhere.
He sincerely invited her, "After graduation, I'll invite you and your sister to come see my band perform live."
"I'd love to. Thank you, Chihaya."
Ichinose Honami accepted with a delighted expression, but the next second, she couldn't help laughing as she said:
"We've only just started school, and we're already talking about what we'll do after graduation. That's so strange."
"It's fun, too." Chihaya Rei nodded. "And these three years will fly by, especially at a school this competitive."
Ichinose Honami nodded in agreement, then glanced sideways at Chihaya Rei and smiled sweetly.
"I feel like you and I have a lot to talk about, Chihaya."
"Likewise."
Chihaya Rei smiled and agreed.
So he really had always been a Honami fan!
Stare--
Just then, Chihaya Rei noticed Shiranami Chihiro across from him sneaking glances at him now and then, her eyes somewhat wary.
Whenever he looked up, she would quickly lower her head and pretend to focus on her food.
In less than 0.1 seconds, Chihaya Rei recalled what he knew about Shiranami Chihiro and immediately understood why she was wary of him.
Good grief. He'd already left the girls' band scene, and there was still a yuri situation?
The answer was that Shiranami Chihiro was gay, and she liked Ichinose Honami.
She wanted Ichinose Honami's body!
So when she saw him chatting so enthusiastically and effortlessly with Ichinose Honami, she panicked.
Chihaya Rei gave Shiranami Chihiro a calm look, his thoughts suddenly growing lively.
It seemed that having the Interrogation System meant he'd gained another arduous task.
He wouldn't stand by and watch Shiranami Chihiro turn Ichinose Honami gay. Though even without him, Shiranami Chihiro was doomed to fail.
After all, Ichinose was undoubtedly straight, with a perfectly ordinary sexual orientation.
But he could turn Shiranami Chihiro straight!
Chihaya Rei √, plan successful.JPG
In the end, the simple conversation concluded with Chihaya Rei and Kamuro Masumi finishing dinner first, getting up, and leaving.
Before you continue