"Kushida-san…"
Looking at Kushida's sincere expression, Ichinose was so moved that she didn't even know what to say.
At this moment, her emotions were like a roller coaster.
First, she was torn over Nagumo's conditions. Then, she was harshly scolded by Sakayanagi. After finally making up her mind to drop out, in the end, she was saved by Hikigaya.
Thinking about all this, Ichinose couldn't help but smile bitterly in her heart.
Ahaha… I've troubled Hikigaya-kun once again.
Someone like me… Is this really okay…?
Although she felt sorry for Kushida's kindness, Ichinose didn't have the courage to take that step forward.
It wasn't just the fear of rejection. The real issue was… Even if they did hold hands, could she really overcome the barriers of their class divisions and stay with the person she liked?
What if, one day, Class A and Class D became enemies?
What if she had to face off against Hikigaya himself…?
Just imagining it made Ichinose's heart waver uncontrollably.
For some reason, a classic question from the internet suddenly popped into her mind.
—"If your mom and I fell into the water at the same time, who would you save first?"
This question was originally just something girls used to mess with their boyfriends, since in reality, it was almost impossible to happen.
Yet, at this moment, Ichinose strangely found herself relating to it… Mainly because she now understood the predicament of those troubled boyfriends.
On one side, there were her classmates, who had shared hardships with her and placed their full trust in her.
On the other, there was the person who had helped her—the one she liked.
If, one day, she had to choose between the two… Maybe it would have been better to not dream in the first place.
After all—
"Being too greedy invites punishment."
"Eh?"
Though she had murmured softly to herself, someone still caught on.
"Ichinose-san, what did you just say?" Kushida looked over curiously.
"Huh…? Ah, no, it's nothing!" Ichinose snapped back to reality, flustered. "I was just thinking out loud. Sometimes I don't even know what I'm doing… Ahaha, anyway, don't mind me, don't mind me!"
"Oh, I see."
Kushida nodded as if she understood, but internally, she was already fed up.
…What the hell is this idiot woman still hesitating for?
I've already encouraged you so much—just gratefully accept it and go smash your head into a wall already!
Although these two were fundamentally different people, since they played similar roles in front of others, Kushida could easily guess what Ichinose was hesitating about.
It was just the usual nonsense about class responsibilities and leadership… Tch, boring.
To Kushida, her classmates could be whatever—they only mattered as much as she had to pretend they did.
If Hikigaya asked, betraying her class would be as simple as saying a single word.
She simply couldn't understand Ichinose's way of thinking.
They just happened to be in the same class—why was she willing to sacrifice herself for that?
This woman was beyond saving.
The more Kushida thought about it, the more irritated she became. Her usual mask was slipping, and she was dangerously close to revealing her true nature.
But she didn't realize—part of her anger stemmed from jealousy.
Because fundamentally, Honami Ichinose and Kikyo Kushida were completely different.
Even with the harshest judgment, Ichinose could still be called a pure, genuine good person—inside and out.
To some, that kind of foolishness was laughable.
But it was precisely because of that foolishness that Hikigaya kept helping her, again and again.
Which meant… she needed to be taken out of the picture, and fast.
With that thought, Kushida put on her warm smile again and said, "Ichinose-san, you still seem hesitant… Sorry, I might have been meddling too much."
"No, no, please don't say that." Ichinose quickly shook her head. "I know you mean well, and I'm truly grateful, it's just that…"
"I understand—you're still worried about the possibility of class conflicts in the future, aren't you?"
"…Yeah."
"Hehe, that's a natural concern. After all, that's just how this school's system works."
Though she was extremely impatient deep down, Kushida still maintained the façade of a caring older sister, gently comforting Ichinose.
"But sometimes, I can't help but wonder… is Class A really that important?"
"Eh?" Ichinose was momentarily stunned before cautiously asking, "But generally speaking, isn't that how everyone thinks? Most people came to this school for the graduation privileges… Don't tell me, Kushida-san, you're not interested in Class A?"
"That's not it. Like you said, most people enrolled here because of the school's reputation."
After pausing for a moment, Kushida added, "However, personally, I enjoy the atmosphere of 'everyone working toward Class A together' more than actually graduating from Class A… Haha, sorry, that might sound a bit strange. But I think you, Ichinose-san, would understand what I mean."
"Mm-hmm! I totally get it!"
Ichinose's eyes lit up as if she had found a kindred spirit, nodding enthusiastically.
"I feel the same way! Working together for three years—of course, it would be great to graduate from Class A, but more than anything, I hope we never lose a single teammate along the way."
"Hehe, that's just so like you, Ichinose-san."
Kushida praised her with a sweet smile, but inwardly, she was full of contempt.
With that naïve mindset of never wanting to abandon anyone, how could you possibly compete with those cold-blooded monsters?
While mocking Ichinose in her mind, Kushida continued speaking.
"But since you believe that the journey toward Class A is what matters most, then why are you hesitating about whether or not to date Hikigaya-kun?"
"T-That's…"
"Giving up what you truly want just to graduate from Class A—is that really worth it?"
"Ah…"
Kushida's words struck Ichinose's heart like a hammer.
Yeah… what is it that I truly want?
Seeing her sink into deep thought again, Kushida was about to push further when Matsushita suddenly spoke up.
"Ichinose-san, actually, Hikigaya-kun and I went to the same middle school."
"Eh? This is the first time I'm hearing that."
Hearing Hikigaya's name snapped Ichinose back to reality.
"Yeah, he doesn't usually talk about it," Matsushita said with a small smile. "Although we weren't in the same class, I heard quite a few things about him… He was a pretty stubborn guy back then too."
"Nyahaha, I can totally imagine that."
Perhaps she didn't notice it herself, but Ichinose's face was filled with admiration.
However, Matsushita hadn't brought this up just to show off.
"Ichinose-san, in some ways, I think you and Hikigaya-kun are very similar."
"Eh? Me?"
"Yeah, for example, in this exam… In a way, your thought processes are the same. You could even say your hearts are in sync."
"H-Heart in sync?!"
Ichinose's face instantly turned bright red, but then she suddenly sensed something was off.
"Um, Matsushita-san, when you say 'the same'… what exactly do you mean?"
As she spoke, she unconsciously swallowed.
Could it be…? No way, right?
"Sorry." Matsushita shook her head apologetically. "I promised Hikigaya-kun I wouldn't say anything, so please don't make it difficult for me."
"I-I see… Sorry, that was thoughtless of me."
"It's not a big deal."
Matsushita smiled lightly, then turned to Kushida.
"Anyway, let's transfer the points now. Is that okay, Kushida-san?"
"Mm, of course."
With that, the two of them took out their phones and started operating them.
A short while later, Ichinose confirmed that she had received the two million points.
"Thank you so much," she said, bowing deeply. "If it weren't for you two, our class would've lost a teammate… If there's anything I can do to repay you, please let me know."
"It's fine. As Kushida-san said from the start, we're just returning a favor to Hikigaya-kun." Matsushita waved it off with a smile.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she added, "Oh, and if possible, I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell your classmates about this."
"This is… Ah, I understand."
Ichinose nodded solemnly.
If others—especially Class D—found out that they had lent such a huge amount of personal points to another class during an exam, it would cause trouble for them.
Thinking about this, Ichinose felt even more grateful for their help.
At that moment, Kushida hesitated for a second before saying, "Um…, besides this, I have one more small favor to ask, Ichinose-san."
"Don't be so formal, please go ahead!"
"It's about Hikigaya-kun."
Ichinose blinked in surprise as Kushida spoke with a worried expression.
"You know what kind of person Hikigaya-kun is, right? He always makes decisions on his own and never discusses things with others, which sometimes leads to misunderstandings in class… So, I wanted to ask you to find a few friends and give Hikigaya-kun as many praise votes as possible in tomorrow's exam."
"Eh? Don't tell me…"
"Sigh, Kushida-san, you're something. Hikigaya-kun specifically told us to keep this a secret, you know?"
Before Ichinose could react, Matsushita sighed and interrupted.
"At this point, there's no helping it." Matsushita smiled wryly at Ichinose. "Like Kushida-san said, Hikigaya-kun's current situation in class is quite dangerous. It seems like he plans to silently accept it… But I believe he's an irreplaceable presence for his class. So, can I ask for your help?"
"O-Of course! Leave it to me!"
Ichinose was startled.
From what they said, it wasn't hard to tell—Hikigaya-kun was planning to sacrifice himself for his class.
…How could this be?
Ichinose's heart ached, but at the same time, she felt a strange emotion rising within her.
No wonder Matsushita-san said Hikigaya-kun and I think alike… No, no, what am I even thinking?!
She shook her head vigorously and suddenly realized that the two girls in front of her were staring at her with weird expressions.
Panicking, she quickly changed the subject.
"A-Anyway! About the two million points—we'll return it as soon as we get our allowances next month. Is that okay?"
"Take your time, just return it when it's convenient," Kushida replied with a casual smile.
"And tomorrow, I'll make sure our entire Class A uses all forty of our praise votes on Hikigaya-kun. I think everyone will agree."
"Hehe, then I'll be counting on you."
With that, Kushida playfully reached out and gently poked Ichinose's cheek.
"See? Ichinose-san, you can't bear to part with Hikigaya-kun, can you?"
"Mm, I really can't bear to… eh?"
Halfway through her sentence, Ichinose suddenly realized what she had just said.
"T-That's not what I meant!" She hurriedly explained, flustered. "I meant that Hikigaya-kun is a really great person, so I— I can't bear to— Waaah!"
Realizing that the more she tried to explain, the worse it sounded, Ichinose could no longer endure the embarrassment. She let out a scream and dove onto her bed, burying her face deep into the covers.
But she failed to notice the expressions of the two girls behind her—Kushida and Matsushita.
The friendly smiles from earlier had completely vanished, replaced by a chilling coldness in their gazes.
"Heh, Ichinose-san is quite amusing."
Kushida's words were accompanied by a smirk that didn't reach her eyes, making it unclear whether she was praising or mocking her.
"Well, it's getting late. We should be heading out now."
"Ah, let me walk you two out!" Ichinose hurriedly lifted her head.
"No need to trouble yourself. You should get some rest too, Ichinose-san. We still have school tomorrow."
Politely declining Ichinose's offer, Kushida suddenly winked at her before stepping out the door.
"Oh, by the way, next week is Valentine's Day… Ichinose-san, do your best, okay?"
"Eh—Eh, eh, eh, eh?!"
By the time she fully processed those words, the two had already left the dorm.
"…Sigh, seriously… I feel like I've been played with so much today."
Even so, warmth spread through Ichinose's heart.
Before today, she had never imagined that anyone besides Hikigaya would extend a helping hand to her—let alone students from another class, and in such a significant way.
No amount of gratitude could ever be enough.
Without hesitation, Ichinose transferred the two million points to Class A's public account. Then, as if a weight had finally been lifted off her shoulders, she collapsed onto her bed.
Staring at the remaining twenty million displayed on her phone screen, the heavy burden in her heart finally eased.
"This was all thanks to… Ehehe, Hikigaya-kun."
Muttering the name of the person occupying her thoughts, Ichinose slowly closed her eyes.
The dark clouds from before had completely dissipated.
What remained was a sense of pure happiness.
"I really do—"
However, what Ichinose didn't know was that…
To her, Kushida and Matsushita had seemed like saviors. But as soon as they stepped out of her room and reached the elevator, they exchanged knowing glances.
And the moment the elevator doors closed, they burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! She totally bought it! She actually believed it!" Kushida grinned like a villain in a drama, her face filled with satisfaction.
Matsushita sighed and playfully teased, "Hey, hey, Kushida-san, don't you think you're laughing a bit too theatrically?"
"Oh, shut up." Kushida rolled her eyes. "Like you have any right to talk. Go look in the mirror first—you're smiling just as much as I am!"
"I-I just suddenly remembered something that made me happy."
"Yeah, sure, let me guess—was it what just happened?"
"Of course not. I didn't say anything, did I? I was simply following Hachiman-kun's instructions."
"…Hmph."
Watching Matsushita put on an innocent act, Kushida felt so disgusted she nearly gagged.
"Don't pretend to be all pure and sweet. Weren't you the one who said Ichinose and Hachiman have mutual feelings for each other? You totally wanted her to misunderstand!"
"Nope~ I was just truthfully sharing my own opinion."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."
"Sigh, believe what you want."
Matsushita shrugged, not bothering to argue further.
In truth, she really did believe it. And she understood Ichinose's predicament as well.
Setting everything else aside, would a normal person ever borrow money from someone they had a one-sided crush on?
And not just a little, but a full two million points.
Unless they had skin thick enough to be impenetrable—or they naively assumed that receiving help was a given… But then again, people like that were never well-liked to begin with.
It feels pretty much the same as that Yamauchi guy.
In any case, just from this alone, Matsushita knew that Ichinose definitely wouldn't be able to bring it up.
But… understanding is one thing.
Love is a battlefield, after all.
Although Matsushita felt a little guilty toward Ichinose, she figured she could consider it as interest on that two million.
Besides, if you had to put it a certain way… the one who misunderstood on their own is the real problem here.