(A/N: for the upload schedule, actually I don't want to limit myself too much when it comes to the number of chapters, but I will make sure to upload at least 1 chapter per day but there will be days when I will upload more than 1 chapter per day depending on my mood lol.
So support this novel and give as many reviews as possible to motivate me!!!)
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This morning, it was decided which class we in Class B will face in the upcoming Paper Shuffle exam.
Our opponent is Class D.
I remember hearing some relieved voices from our classmates since we're up against the current lowest-ranked class.
Our class isn't exactly known for its academic prowess, so if we had been matched against Class C or A, defeat would have been all but certain. That's why this seems like a natural reaction.
But just because we're up against Class D doesn't mean victory is guaranteed.
Perhaps because they're aware of that, the class has maintained the same tense atmosphere as before and continues to study hard for the exam.
....
Today was just another uneventful day.
With the Paper Shuffle exam coming up, many students have been studying hard in places like the library or the café. Until recently, I had been busy helping Hiyori prepare exam questions, but we've already finished all the subjects.
So, for once, I had no plans with anyone. After being worked to the bone by Ryūen, a lazy day like this was a rare luxury.
My only plan for today was to wander around Keyaki Mall. It might be amusing to stroll around while watching others study after school.
"Hm?"
As I walked aimlessly through the mall as planned, someone lightly tapped my shoulder three times from behind. I turned around to see—
"Fufu~ Long time no see, Hikigaya-kun."
It was Matsushita, one of the few people I knew, leaning forward slightly with a smile.
"Matsushita, huh? Didn't expect to see you."
"Sorry, sorry. So, what are you up to, Hikigaya-kun?"
"Nothing much today, so I was just wandering around the mall. What about you?"
"Same, I guess. I didn't have any studying planned today. Wanna walk around together?"
Since I had nothing else to do, there was no reason to refuse. Besides, I already turned her down once at the pool—doing it again would be rude.
I agreed, and the two of us strolled around, chatting idly. As we walked, I noticed that many students were studying in nearby cafés, preparing for the exam.
"There really are a lot of people studying, huh?"
"The exam's coming up soon. You'll be fine, right, Matsushita?"
From what I could tell, Matsushita was one of the more capable students in Class D.
"Yeah. I've been reviewing, so I shouldn't fall below the cutoff."
Seemed like she had things under control.
Honestly, I suspected Matsushita was hiding her true abilities. I didn't know why, but it was probably some kind of survival tactic.
As we continued walking, Matsushita suddenly brought up something that caught me off guard.
"Oh yeah, Hikigaya-kun, you're pretty close with Ayanokōji-kun, right?"
…What?
Where did that come from? Sure, we competed in the final relay during the sports festival, but that wasn't enough to make people think we were close.
"...People think I'm close to Ayanokōji?"
"Eh? Yeah. I mean, you gave him a birthday present, didn't you? Aren't you two friends?"
She said it so casually, but when I gave it to him, there shouldn't have been anyone around…
"...Who told you that?"
If it was just about people thinking we were on friendly terms, it wasn't a big deal. But depending on who knew, I might have to take some precautions.
"Ayanokōji-kun mentioned it himself…"
"...I see."
…Well, that backfired.
Not that it was a problem, but was it really something he needed to announce to everyone?
"This morning, Ayanokōji-kun was wearing a scarf no one had seen before, and Sudō-kun teased him about it being from a girlfriend. Things got a little noisy, and Ayanokōji-kun ended up saying you were the one who gave it to him."
In that case, it was probably better for him to just admit it outright rather than let rumors spread. Given the situation, Ayanokōji must've had no choice.
"My, if it isn't Hikigaya-kun."
As we walked, a familiar, elegant voice reached my ears.
Looking up, I saw Sakayanagi, leaning on her cane, observing us with a composed gaze. Behind her stood Kamuro, looking as displeased as ever.
"Fufu, what a coincidence meeting you here. And that's Matsushita-san with you, isn't it?"*
"Ah, y-yeah."
Ever since the sports festival, Sakayanagi had solidified her position as Class A's leader—something everyone knew by now. No wonder Matsushita was flustered at being suddenly addressed by her.
"Still… Hikigaya-kun, are you on a date?"
For some reason, she smiled at me with an artificial grin, subtly increasing the pressure.
What did I even do…?
"No. I just ran into Matsushita, and we ended up walking together. It's not a date."
"..."
Somehow… I could feel an intense glare coming from Matsushita beside me.
"That part of you is something I like, you know? Though it does annoy me when it's directed at me."
"?... Anyway, what are you doing here, Sakayanagi? And with Kamuro in tow?"
"I had some business to attend to today. It's inconvenient to go alone, so I asked Kamuro-san to accompany me."
"Accompany? You dragged me along, didn't you?"
Kamuro muttered under her breath.
Given her personality, she probably preferred solitude over company. Getting dragged around by Sakayanagi must've been a pain for her.
"Well then, I'll be on my way. Oh—"
As she stepped forward to bid farewell, Sakayanagi stumbled and nearly fell.
I instinctively reached out to catch her, barely preventing her from hitting the ground. In the heat of the moment, it probably looked like I was hugging her, but there was no helping it.
"My apologies, Hikigaya-kun. But I knew you'd catch me."
"Tch. You should be more careful."
She was only this relaxed because she knew I'd react in time. I wished she'd take things more seriously.
After helping her up, she bowed politely and left with Kamuro in tow.
"You're… pretty close with Sakayanagi-san, huh?"
Matsushita's voice, now noticeably lower, came from beside me. When I cautiously turned to look, her cheeks were slightly puffed, and she was glaring at me with narrowed eyes.
…This was the first time I'd seen the usually mature Matsushita make such a childish face.
"...Nah, I just know Sakayanagi. That's all."
"Hmm~"
I tried to explain, but Matsushita's piercing gaze didn't waver.
"And… you didn't think we were on a date, huh?"
Remembering my earlier words, she pouted openly, no longer hiding her displeasure.
Unintentionally, I found myself staring at her.
"Hmm… Maybe I should change things up a bit."
"Change?"
"I wanna go on a date now. You don't mind, do you, Hikigaya-kun?"
Wait… Was she upset because I didn't consider us being together as a date?
I'd never been on a date before. But if spending time with a girl counted as one, then had we technically been on one this whole time?
Either way, I'd enjoyed my time with Matsushita today, so I had no reason to refuse.
"If that's what you want…"
That said, I wasn't used to being asked out, so my response came out a little dry.
"Then, if it's a date, we should hold hands, right?"
Seemingly pleased despite my awkward reply, Matsushita smiled and intertwined her fingers with mine.
What kind of hand-holding was this…?
The 'hand-holding' I knew was just clasping palms together.
But the way Matsushita was doing it—locking each finger with mine—was something I'd never seen before. It was embarrassingly intimate.
"Ahaha… Even though I suggested it, this is kinda embarrassing."
Her ears were bright red as she said that, but she showed no sign of letting go.
"...I don't mind. Your hand's warm and soft."
I muttered it under my breath—did she hear me?
Whether she did or not, her grip on my hand tightened slightly.
....
"Today was fun, wasn't it?"
Walking beside me, Matsushita murmured cheerfully.
Today, the two of us had visited all sorts of places—hidden paths I'd never taken before, little-known shops we discovered together.
Now, with night having fallen, I was walking her back to the dorm.
…Though, the fact that we were still holding hands was a little distracting.
"Still, I'm surprised you knew about that place, Hikigaya-kun."
"A friend told me about it."
For dinner, we went to a spot Ryūen had recommended. Since everywhere else was crowded, we opted for a more low-key place.
As we walked leisurely, the dorm came into view. At the same time, I noticed two people arguing near the entrance.
"As I've said before, I refuse."
"Why the hell not?! You're just gonna let Ryūen do whatever he wants?!"
In a less crowded area on the opposite side of the dorm, a guy and a girl were in the middle of a heated exchange.
Hearing Ryūen's name, I signaled to Matsushita, and the two of us hid behind a tree to eavesdrop.
"Isn't that… Shiina-san from your class, Hikigaya-kun? And the other one is…"
"Okabe. Same class."
Upon closer inspection, the two arguing were Hiyori and Okabe.
But rather than a simple argument, it looked more like Okabe was cornering Hiyori.
"If you just sided with us, we could end Ryūen's dictatorship!"
Ah, that explained everything. Okabe must've had a grudge against Ryūen and was trying to recruit Hiyori—one of the more influential students in class—to his side.
"Even if I left, nothing would change. And what exactly is your problem with Ryūen-kun?"
While Okabe was clearly emotional, Hiyori remained composed.
"What's my problem?! Everything! You think ruling the class through violence is okay?!"
"I don't condone violence, of course. But Ryūen-kun has produced results in every exam so far. And unlike the first semester, he now has the class's full support. The reason we've risen to Class A is precisely because of him."
Hiyori wasn't wrong.
Our class had climbed to Class B thanks to Ryūen's leadership.
"What you're saying is nothing but selfishness. If you're so dissatisfied, why not achieve better results than Ryūen-kun yourself?"
"B-But…!"
"Your approach is flawed from the start. If you truly want to change the current situation, you should be confronting Ryūen-kun directly."
"..."
Faced with Hiyori's cold logic, Okabe could only hang his head in silence.
"You're kidding me…! If you just stopped helping Ryūen, this would all be over!"
Having run out of arguments, Okabe's face twisted in anger as he stepped toward Hiyori—raising his fist as if to strike.
——There was no way I could ignore this.
"Hikigaya?!"
"H-Hachiman…?"
I burst from behind the tree and stepped between them, catching Okabe's wrist just as he swung. Hiyori stood frozen, likely from shock.
"W-Why the hell are you—?!"
"Doesn't matter. Try anything else, and I'll report you to Ryūen."
I tightened my grip, making him wince in pain.
"Y-You're fine with this?! Being Ryūen's lapdog?! Getting called his 'right-hand man'?! That's enough for you?!"
"Ryūen has power. Unlike you, who can only rely on others."
"Tch!"
I released his wrist and glared.
"Stage your little rebellion if you want. But don't drag others into it."
"Damn it…!"
Okabe stormed off like a beaten dog.
Well, he finally said it. Should I report this to Ryūen…?
"A-Are you okay?!"
"H-Hachiman! Are you hurt?!"
Once Okabe was gone, Matsushita and Hiyori rushed over, their voices laced with worry. From their angle, they'd only seen my back.
"I-I'm sorry… This is all my fault…"
Tears welled in Hiyori's eyes as she blamed herself.
"It's fine. I'm just glad you're safe."
Trying to reassure her, I gently patted her head.
Her fluffy hair was soft under my fingers, and she closed her eyes, smiling faintly.
"…Did you forget about me?"
Ah, right—Matsushita was still here.
And she was glaring at me.
"L-Let's all head back together."
"…Right. Then—"
Trying to shift the mood, I suggested we leave. But Matsushita immediately grabbed my hand again, intertwining our fingers.
After holding hands all day, I was starting to get used to it—but doing it so suddenly was still dangerous for a guy's heart.
"Your face is red, isn't it?"
"…It's nothing."
Matsushita turned away, pouting.
Guess I wasn't supposed to point that out…
As we started walking—now that it was fully dark—Hiyori suddenly latched onto my other arm.
"Hiyori…?"
"..."
Cheeks puffed out, she clung to me without a word.
…Was this another thing I wasn't supposed to mention?
For now, I just prayed no one would see us before we reached the dorm, trying my best to ignore the soft warmth pressing against both arms.
It was supposed to be just another uneventful day.
Yet somehow, it had turned into quite the lively break.
But as I walked on, I couldn't help thinking—maybe days like this weren't so bad after all.
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