A New Special Exam: Cross-Year Battle Royale! 7k (continued)

Yukino turned around, while Hachiman's Ragdoll cat remained as well-behaved as before, even tilting its head adorably.

She's good-looking and knows how to be cute.

"..." Yukino.

"No need." But Yukino Yukinoshita held back and walked directly towards the Shopping Street.

Because.

If this Hachiman Hikigaya needs to use her power, then they will definitely meet again.

So there might still be a chance to interact with cats then.

Besides.

Since the other person can keep a cat in the dormitory, then... can she also keep a cat at school?

Hachiman then continued playing with the Ragdoll cat.

A short while later, a beautiful girl with straight, jet-black hair came to Hachiman's side.

It has a light, pleasant fragrance.

This is Suzune Horikita.

Today is the weekend, and it's also the day the two of them agreed to go to the supermarket together.

Although Hachiman often eats lunch with Sakayanagi, he usually chooses to have dinner with Horikita.

The price he pays is that he has to pay for his own meal and help carry things when they go to replenish the refrigerator.

"Wait a moment," Hachiman said. "You go to the supermarket first, I'll just find any student from Class A to return the cat."

Just pick any student from Class A; this means that any student from Second-year Class A can be used to do the work.

Horikita had already calmed down about this.

"I just met someone with a similar style to you," Hachiman said. "However, they are more outstanding than you."

"I'm quite disappointed."

"..." Horikita.

Horikita immediately stared at him with piercing eyes.

"I misspoke," Hachiman said. "I just thought this year's freshmen were quite impressive."

"Not bad..." Suzune Horikita pondered. "But according to past practice, this month is when the freshmen will be assessed on their behavior and discover what makes this school unique."

"I think this point will be surpassed," Hachiman said.

"Forehead?"

"If it were according to previous years, then that would be the case," Hachiman said. "But now the chairman has changed."

Will things be different if the chairman is changed?

Of course they will be different.

The next day.

On Monday, all the students went to their classrooms.

However, after moving to a different building, Hachiman and his friends arrived at the classroom and discovered that the equipment had undergone a major overhaul.

The tables were instantly upgraded in status, and each student was given a large-screen iPad.

It seems that future classes can be conducted using iPads.

It's not as simple as just relying on books.

The blackboard has been replaced with a huge LCD screen. It's like going from a slingshot to a cannon.

The students curiously examined and tested the new equipment.

"The school really knows how to spend money."

Suzune Horikita was sitting on Hachiman's right, suddenly said.

"Hmm." Hachiman nodded. "At least this school lives up to its advertising claims that its teaching resources are second to none."

"Furthermore, I think this change is related to the upcoming Special Exam," Hachiman said. "And, could you please not talk to me right now?"

Does "I don't want to talk to you right now" mean you're busy?

Yes.

Hachiman is busy.

At the beginning of each semester, Hachiman does one thing.

That is to follow a person with your eyes.

The other person had already arrived in the classroom and then quietly picked up the book.

Then, as my eyes unconsciously shifted, I suddenly realized that someone was staring at me.

"Good morning, Sakura." Hachiman greeted her after confirming that she was being looked at.

"Good morning—" Sakura replied cautiously.

Then he tentatively reached out and waved to him.

"That's great," Hachiman said. "Sakura is still the same as before."

"..." Horikita.

She thought this boy was hopeless.

However, judging solely from Sakura's reaction, most boys would probably find it cute.

But she couldn't do that.

Now it's time for students who have been away for a holiday to gradually return to the classroom.

And very quickly.

Hasebe, who loves gossip, arrived at the new classroom and was surprised by the school's equipment replacement, but soon her attention was drawn to another person who came to the classroom.

"Kushida?"

She was taken aback.

Following her gaze, everyone else looked in the direction of Kikyo Kushida.

They all looked terrified.

Because.

Kushida, who is usually a short-haired angel, has started growing her hair long, and it's now just past her shoulders.

Despite always being an angel, Kushida gives off a rather different vibe now.

If I had to describe it...

That means the cuteness level has increased by another 20%.

After all, most guys are into long hair.

So although Kushida usually very cute and her short hair suits her well, it's definitely... her long hair is a real heartbreaker.

Kushida has many admirers or admirers.

Ike, who was previously seen wanting to invite Shinohara, was the first to be targeted.

"Kushida suddenly changed her hairstyle... Could it be... could it be that she broke up with her boyfriend?" This sentence immediately caused a stir among the boys.

Yes.

When reading novels, it's often said that when a girl suddenly decides to change her hairstyle, it's often because she wants to make up her mind to change herself, or... because she's heartbroken.

"Idiot, you only get a haircut if you're heartbroken!"

A girl immediately retorted to Chi.

Forehead.

Ike also discovered that the person who retorted to him was Shinohara.

It must be because he acted as if he cared too much about Kushida.

But I'm really concerned about the changes in Kushida.

"So, the reason why Kushida has suddenly grown his hair out is—" asked Chiaki Matsushita.

She usually hangs out in her small group in Karuizawa, but she also has a good relationship with Kushida.

We've gone shopping together several times.

Her hair had grown to just past her shoulders, neither too long nor too short, and she was probably considering whether to continue growing it longer.

"Because it's a new semester, I wanted to try a slightly different style," Kushida said cutely.

"Oh, I see... Yes, we're second-year students now."

"I saw the first-year students yesterday. They look just like we did when we first enrolled."

"But they are also pitiful, probably completely unaware that the school will not be sending them as much living expenses next month."

Many students have already started talking about the new semester and the new students.

Or rather, it's absolutely necessary to switch, it has to be done.

Kushida very popular, and everyone is worried Kushida she changed her hairstyle because of a relationship, a man, or something like that.

If people knew, then a huge number of people would be heartbroken.

"Kushida's popularity is still so high," Hachiman said.

"It is indeed surprising, but it also feels like it's only natural," Horikita said.

Because of the bet with Kushida, I also learned about his past experiences.

Then I learned that although Kushida had already made a mistake once, he was still unrepentant and continued to use the same methods he had used in the past in high school.

Then, you hope to become friends with others, and at the same time, get into their hearts, learn their secrets, and give your own sincerity.

Therefore, it is normal for them to gain a lot of popularity.

From a certain perspective, Kushida's contributions cannot be denied.

"However, you don't seem to be surprised at all by Kushida's change," Horikita said.

She hadn't seen Kushida much during the holiday, so it was today that she saw him with long hair.

But Hachiman Hikigaya didn't seem surprised at all.

"A cute girl is cute no matter what hairstyle she changes," Hachiman said. "I think Kushida is cute."

"..." Is that so?

In other words, if you think Kushida is cute, then she's cute no matter what.

"... Has your opinion of Kushida improved a bit?" Suzune Horikita keenly noticed the change in Hachiman.

Has Hachiman's opinion of Kushida improved?

No.

Actually, it has decreased.

For some reason, after sending the third-year students away, one day, Kushida suddenly contacted him and used her charm to win them over.

Hachiman immediately realized that the other party must have felt threatened, thinking that among the new students who were about to enroll, there might be people from the same school as her, or even people who knew about her dark past.

Then, that night, the other person came to his dormitory.

I thought she was going to do something.

Suddenly, he grabbed his hand.

That was absolutely terrifying.