The day passed quickly, and when the dismissal bell rang, Hashima Hikaru began packing his things. He had arranged to meet Kushida Kikyō at four o'clock, earlier than Ichinose Honami's meeting with Sakayanagi—a choice made for stability.
"Hashima, got any plans later? Want to go singing?" Shibata approached. Since plying Hashima with drinks last time, he had become quite fond of hanging out with him.
On one hand, Hashima had a good temperament and rarely showed displeasure; on the other, everyone trusted his abilities and hoped to build a good relationship with him.
"Not today, I have something to do. Definitely next time."
Hashima smiled without explaining further to Shibata and left the classroom, leaving the athletic boy standing there bewildered.
In his view, Hashima should usually act together with Ichinose Honami, but looking back, the pink-haired figure was also gone, suggesting both of them had plans today.
"Well, that's that."
Shibata muttered quietly, then picked up his schoolbag to find Kanzaki Ryuji. Like him, Kanzaki was also very active in Class B, and the two were currently good friends.
After leaving the classroom, Hashima first returned to his dormitory. He changed into a set of casual clothes he had bought earlier. Since this was his first private meeting with Kushida Kikyō, it was best to freshen up a bit to leave a good impression.
His goal was to increase her favorability, so appearance couldn't be neglected.
It was a light-colored casual autumn outfit—a shirt paired with straight pants. Compared to the burgundy school uniform, it gave off a softer aura, with less of a student vibe and more maturity.
"That should do it."
Hashima stood in front of the mirror adjusting his appearance. The casual yet sophisticated outfit complemented the boy's already striking features, making him even more handsome.
He picked up his phone and sent Kushida a message saying he was about to leave, then pushed open the dormitory door and walked out.
Hashima had been to the family restaurant in the Keyaki Shopping Center many times. As a store favored by countless students, it never lacked customers and was busy every day, so reservations were necessary.
Since Kushida Kikyō was the one inviting him to dinner, she had naturally reserved a table in advance.
The short-haired girl also took this meeting seriously. Before departing, she lingered in her dormitory for a long time. In addition to changing into cute casual clothes, she also applied light makeup, making her pretty face even more charming.
"This should be fine."
Kushida sat at the table styling her hair. Her face showed no expression—this was her state when alone.
After all, maintaining the energetic little angel image in public was exhausting, so there was no need to keep it up when she was by herself.
"Hashima, good afternoon!"
The girl looked at herself in the mirror, her lips blossoming into a radiant smile. Practicing greetings before setting out gave her more security.
After leaving her dormitory room, her face regained its gentle expression as she moved toward her destination.
Along the way, she encountered some classmates she knew. After greeting her, they couldn't help but ask who she was meeting, given how beautifully she had dressed.
"It's a secret."
Kushida had long mastered such linguistic techniques. Not only did they not diminish her image in others' eyes, but they also added a touch of playfulness.
Today, Kushida Kikyō remained the energetic little angel loved by countless people.
As she was about to reach the family restaurant, she immediately spotted the figure standing at the entrance.
The boy had a tall, straight posture, wearing a light-colored casual autumn outfit. His handsome face showed little expression, yet he exuded a distinctive charm.
Many girls deliberately slowed their pace just to look at him a few more times, and some bolder ones approached to strike up conversations, asking for his name and class.
Kushida approached Hashima with small steps. She had to admit that his appearance indeed matched her aesthetic. If she wasn't completely uninterested in dating right now, she might have considered him.
Just as she was about to reach him, Kushida overheard the boy's reply to a senior who had come to chat.
"Oh, senior, you want to be friends with me? I'm Shibata So from Class B, and I'm single, you know."
"..."
The short-haired girl's smile immediately froze. She had thought Hashima and Ichinose Honami were harmless characters, but now his response seemed completely different.
Kushida, with her extensive social network, recalled that Shibata So was indeed also a student from Class B. So why would Hashima say this?
Did he have some conflict with him?
The short-haired girl fell into deep thought, various ideas beginning to converge in her mind, making it difficult for her to grasp the boy's character.
After several seconds, Kushida finally patted her cheeks lightly and called out from behind Hashima.
"Hashima, I'm here!"
"Hmm?"
After seeing off the senior, Hashima turned around and immediately spotted Kushida Kikyō in her casual clothes. She seemed to have applied makeup and looked very cute.
"Good afternoon, Kushida. Today's outfit suits you well."
"Thank you for the compliment, Hashima. You look very handsome today too."
Kushida gracefully complimented the boy across from her, while inwardly recalling what Hashima had just said. She felt it necessary to reevaluate this guy completely.
"Where's the table that Kushida reserved?"
"Follow me, Hashima. I chose a really nice spot."
Kushida beckoned the boy to follow her inside. She was already very familiar with this family restaurant and knew which seats were more popular.
"I'll follow your lead, since I'm here to mooch a meal today."
"Hehe, I've been looking forward to this for a long time."
Hashima couldn't help but glance at the street outside. The coffee shop was on the other side of the building. For some unknown reason, he felt somewhat uneasy, wondering what Ichinose Honami and Sakayanagi were discussing.
--
At that moment, in the coffee shop on the adjacent street, Ichinose Honami and Sakayanagi Arisu were already seated across from each other. Next to Sakayanagi stood a tall girl with purple hair, positioned behind her like an attendant.
"Good afternoon, Ichinose. I wonder what you wanted to discuss with me today?" Sakayanagi greeted politely, her demeanor elegant.
"Sakayanagi certainly gets straight to the point. I thought we might exchange pleasantries first."
Ichinose Honami smiled faintly. The girl's social skills weren't weak; she had remained quiet during the point collection plan previously because Hashima was there, and she didn't want to interrupt his thinking.
"I have a general guess about what Ichinose is thinking. Please speak directly, let me confirm if my guess is correct."
"Sakayanagi is truly excellent, no wonder Hashima..."
Ichinose Honami realized she was about to mention the boy's name unconsciously, quickly paused, reorganized her thoughts, and said, "I actually have a question I wanted to ask Sakayanagi."
"What question?"
"What does Sakayanagi think about forming an alliance? For instance, an alliance between our two classes to gain more class evaluation points together."
"Heh, my answer to this question will always be the same."
A smile that could captivate hearts appeared on Sakayanagi's doll-like, delicate face. Her tone was calm, but the content was quite domineering.
"I don't need allies. Either become a subordinate or an enemy—there's no third option."
"...Is that so?"
Ichinose Honami's heart suddenly jolted, but she still continued to ask, "But I heard that Katsuragi from your class is currently seeking allies. Haven't you reached a consensus?"
"Just childish games, which is consistent with Katsuragi's usual behavior—always preferring to form teams before acting."
Sakayanagi didn't care at all that she was speaking to a student from another class, commenting on her classmate without reservation.
"Ichinose doesn't need to conceal anything from me. I know that Katsuragi has proposed an alliance to your Class B."
"..."
"If you wanted to probe my attitude, I've already given my answer."
Sakayanagi looked at the pink-haired girl who had fallen silent, her lips curling slightly as she changed the subject, "I actually also have a question for Ichinose. I wonder if you can answer me."
"What is it?"
"Does Hashima know that you invited me to meet?"