Hachiman looked at the dignified face before him.
It was Horikita.
"It's rare to see you coming somewhere like this to relax," Hachiman said.
"Do you see me as someone who never knows how to relax properly?" Horikita asked in return.
Yeah.
Hachiman nodded inwardly.
Horikita was exactly the kind of person who could not relax. Otherwise, she would not spend ten hours studying every day. That sounded terrifying, okay?
Still.
Those words remained in his heart.
Hachiman said, "You used to be like that, but now you seem to have changed."
Now that he had mentioned change, it could be said that she had improved.
And this was his secret weapon against Horikita.
Sure enough.
"So, you think I've changed?" Suzune Horikita said.
Yeah.
She had taken the bait, just as expected.
"But," she continued, "I suppose it's because I've been around you all this time and been influenced by you without realizing it."
"..."
Hachiman.
Did that count as a love confession from Horikita?
Once he became aware that Suzune Horikita might like him, Hachiman's feelings grew complicated.
Hachiman found this to be a truly delicate emotion.
Of course, the normal thing to do would be to put a stop to this immediately. He was someone who was about to get married, so falling for him was not right.
But they were currently in the middle of an exam.
Moreover, after consulting Yukino, he had reached a conclusion.
Rejecting Horikita directly might negatively affect her current exam, or even her entire year at school.
Some people confessed without considering what would happen afterward. Even if it did not work out, they could no longer remain friends. Things might become awkward, and seeing the other person would fill them with a sense of discomfort.
And someone like Suzune Horikita.