Meritocracy Classroom

[I wanted to be a little closer to you.]

[Please notice me soon. Before this sweet feeling melts away, I wanted to become someone special to you!]

This was BitterBitterSweet, a song beloved by young people. It was already a sweet song, and it sounded even sweeter when sung by a sweet-looking girl.

Honami Ichinose was famous throughout the school. She was everyone's Archangel.

She was known for her grades, her approachable personality, and the accepting aura she carried like an Archangel. She had helped many first-year students who had just entered the school, and she was highly regarded among the second-years as well. Even many third-years supported her, making her extremely popular. Otherwise, during last year's class vote expulsion exam, even Yahiko, who had been expelled, would not have cast an out-of-class commendation vote for Ichinose.

That was the popularity Ichinose naturally commanded.

She had especially many male and female fans.

Normally, they could only admire her from afar. No one had expected her to be so dazzling on stage as well.

She had tied up her cascading golden-pink hair in a ponytail. She had always seemed approachable, but now she gave off a lively feeling.

She was the lead vocalist.

And this was also the most everyone had ever heard her sing.

Some said that when you became an audience member and saw someone you liked shine brilliantly on stage, your heart would grow even more excited.

Hachiman did not deny that.

Just as when he had watched Classmate Sakayanagi perform on the cruise ship that day, he knew that girls who performed seriously would shine.

And that was even truer for someone who was already so popular.

Ichinose was shining in Hachiman's eyes as well.

The other lead vocalist was Yukino Yukino.

She was a first-year newcomer