At the corner after going downstairs, Shiina Hiyori spotted Natsukawa Tatsuya ahead of her. Since they were classmates, she decided to go over and say hello.
"Hello, Natsukawa."
"Did you come out too, Shiina?"
"Huh? You remembered my name, Natsukawa?"
"Haha, I suppose my memory is pretty good. I've remembered all our classmates' names."
"That's amazing, Natsukawa. This is our first conversation, so it's nice to meet you. I'm Shiina Hiyori!"
"I'm Natsukawa Tatsuya. It's nice to meet you too! Aren't you pretty impressive yourself, Shiina? You remembered my name too."
"Oh, it's nothing, really. Your hairstyle just left a strong impression on me, so I remembered."
Did the Shiina family in anime produce nothing but beautiful girls?
Shiina Hiyori had long, silky white hair, and even in her school uniform, her tall, slender figure was apparent. As expected of the heroine who had quietly risen to prominence in the original story.
Natsukawa said with a smile:
"Your hairstyle is very pretty too, Shiina. It really left an impression on me."
"Mm, thank you for the compliment, Natsukawa."
Of course, Shiina Hiyori was a literary girl, intelligent but averse to conflict, with a straightforward personality. That was why Natsukawa could joke with her using such impolite wording.
If he had been talking to Horikita Suzune, she probably would have called him a hair-obsessed pervert or something.
Natsukawa said:
"We count as friends now, right? Let's head to the ceremony together."
In truth, Shiina Hiyori did not care how many friends she had. Books interested her more. If there was something she wanted, it was a reading companion who shared her interests.
Still, Shiina Hiyori replied:
"Friends? Of course we do. All right, Natsukawa, let's go together."
Ding! Affection Rating +10 Current Affection Rating: 10. System notification: Still a little short of being casual friends.
Seeing how happily she smiled, Natsukawa realized her Affection Rating was only 10. Fortunately, he had the system to check.
Shiina Hiyori really was too innocent.
Of course, Natsukawa also thought it was great to get to know her. He could work on her Affection Rating slowly. He knew what her hobby was, after all.
Then the two took out their phones and added each other as friends.
The school-issued phones with the S System had another function: after adding someone as a friend, users could check their GPS location.
At that point, the new students heading to the ceremony began coming out one after another.
As the two walked along the campus road, Hiyori wanted to learn more about the interests of her first friend at her new school and see whether he had the potential to become the reading companion she hoped for.
So Shiina Hiyori asked:
"Natsukawa, what do you think of Ryuen's violence? I was really surprised when I saw you leave first."
"You don't seem surprised by that sort of thing, Natsukawa."
Hmm? Really surprised? Surely not. Your expression looked perfectly normal, Shiina.
Natsukawa knew Shiina Hiyori was actually very clever. In the original story, when she first met Ayanokoji, she had asked a milk tea shop employee beforehand about their impression of the girl who had ordered coffee, using the details to determine how much sugar Ayanokoji's classmate Haruka added to her milk tea. Then, during her conversation with Ayanokoji, she had slyly told him she had figured it out from a momentary glance at a paper cup on the ground...
Natsukawa Tatsuya replied:
"Actually, I'm just not interested in this sort of thing. It is nice for the class to have a leader. Ruling the class through violence is actually an efficient way to bring everyone under control quickly. What do you think, Shiina?"
Like me, he isn't very interested in things he doesn't care about? But I seem to remember his self-introduction being about sports...
Shiina Hiyori replied:
"My view is pretty much the same, actually. Ryuen is our classmate too, after all. As long as he doesn't hurt anyone in the class once he's established control, that's fine. Just thinking about leading the class sounds like such a hassle."
"Haha, that doesn't sound like something a beautiful girl like you would say, Shiina. Aren't most of you supposed to be sympathetic and concerned about your classmates?"
"I suppose I do have those thoughts too. But Ryuen is too strong, so there's nothing I can do. I'm just not very interested in things outside what I like."
Shiina Hiyori asked in return:
"But Natsukawa, I can sense there's more to you than this. Like the way you acted on your judgment about the points earlier. You should be able to stop Ryuuen and the others, right?"
"That was just luck."
"I don't believe that. I trust my intuition. You looked completely unfazed, Natsukawa."
"All right, then. You guessed correctly, Shiina. There just wasn't a reason worth stepping in for."
"What a cold man."
Talk about turning the tables!
Natsukawa decided to change the subject. He glanced at the book Shiina Hiyori was holding, indicated it with his eyes, and asked:
"Shiina, do you like reading?"
"Huh? You mean this? It's a book by Frolov!"
Ding! Affection Rating +20!
Hearing Natsukawa's question, Shiina Hiyori grew excited and replied with a smile:
"It's his mystery novel, The Ninth Person's Voice. I've read his other works too, like The Bell of the Cemetery, The Fourth Symphony, and so on."
"Ah, sorry. I got carried away and said so much."
Natsukawa said with a smile:
"Don't worry about it. Frolov? His mystery novels are all very famous."
Shiina Hiyori looked at Natsukawa expectantly and said:
"Do you like reading too, Natsukawa?"
"Yes, I suppose I have some interest in just about everything, though of course it depends on my mood that day. But I've done some reading too!"
Ding! Affection Rating +10
"That's wonderful! You're the first reading companion I've made, Natsukawa. Let's go read at the library together sometime!"
Natsukawa said with a smile:
"I never would have guessed that the Shiina who was so indifferent to everything just now could make that kind of expression."
Sure enough, the bait needed the right formula. She had no idea Natsukawa could check her Affection Rating. For a moment, even he was a little surprised. It was rising pretty quickly...
Shiina Hiyori was not angry at all and replied with a smile of her own:
"You're really rude, Natsukawa. But I really am interested in mystery novels. It's so wonderful to meet my first reading companion!"
"Aren't you afraid I might be lying to you? That I don't actually like reading or anything?"
"I'll judge that for myself! Of course, if I find that out, we can talk about it then."
"Natsukawa, you still haven't answered my invitation!"
"Yes, yes, I accept. I'll go check out the library with you another day."
"How about after the entrance ceremony? We'll have plenty of time this afternoon."
"Sorry, I have other things to do today. I still need to get some supplies for my dorm room and things like that."
"Aw, all right! But don't forget our promise."
"Of course not."
So Shiina Hiyori shared some plots from books she liked with Natsukawa, and the two arrived at the ceremony venue.
When it was nearly time, all the first-year classes had arrived.
Then came the usual long-winded, clichéd speeches to encourage the new students.
From where Class B was gathered in the distance, Ichinose Honami also waved to Natsukawa in greeting.
At the same time, some of the boys who had come from Class C could be seen with bruised, swollen faces, their gazes locked in confrontation with Ryuen Kakeru's. It seemed they had not submitted.
Before you continue