"Confession or whatever… Even if that were true, I… I have no right to interfere as an outsider, right?"
Ichinose's head felt dizzy, and her voice trembled.
From the bottom of her heart, she didn't want to think about this. She didn't even want to consider whether it was true or not.
After all, if it was true… and if, by some chance, Hikigaya-kun actually accepted…
No, that's impossible!
Ichinose frantically shook her head, trying to rid herself of these chaotic thoughts.
But she failed to notice the amusement in Kushida's gaze as she watched her. Instead, Kushida simply said, "Sigh, you have a point. Who Hikigaya-kun likes is his own business. But personally, I just can't imagine him dating Sakayanagi-san—it feels completely impossible."
"Ahaha, exactly!"
Hearing those words, Ichinose's mood immediately brightened.
However, Kushida quickly followed up with, "But you never know when it comes to feelings."
"Eh? W-What do you mean?" Ichinose asked anxiously.
"Remember the Sports Festival?" Kushida tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Back then, Hikigaya-kun injured his hand, right? I recall he sat with Sakayanagi-san in the audience the whole time. The two of them looked like they were having a great conversation."
"Ah…"
Now that she mentioned it, Ichinose did remember. A faint shadow crossed her face.
She also distinctly recalled how Hikigaya had even cheered for Class B's Kamuro during that event. She had scolded him afterward, telling him that supporting the opposition would only cause trouble for their own class.
But looking back on it now… with Hikigaya's personality, he wouldn't normally do something like that.
…Could it be that he couldn't refuse Sakayanagi-san?
The more she thought about it, the worse she felt.
"But don't worry, I'll always be on your side, Ichinose-san."
As Kushida spoke, she suddenly took hold of Ichinose's hands and squeezed them tightly.
"I know I'm just meddling, but if Hikigaya-kun is going to date someone from another class, then honestly, I'd rather it be you than Sakayanagi-san."
"Eh?! W-Wait, dating and stuff—"
"Besides, if you two became a couple, Hikigaya-kun would have more awareness, wouldn't he?" Kushida smiled at the flustered Ichinose. "Then he'd naturally keep his distance from Sakayanagi-san. That would also be beneficial for our class—we wouldn't have to worry about him getting manipulated by her."
Before Ichinose could respond, Kushida continued, "Of course, that's just my personal opinion. It's up to you in the end. I just hope you don't mind me saying all this."
"N-Not at all! I've always been grateful for your help, Kushida-san." Ichinose hurriedly shook her head.
"It's no big deal. As your friend, I just don't want to see you regret anything."
"Regret…?"
"Yeah. You see it all the time in dramas, don't you? Two people like each other but hesitate to confess, and then a third person swoops in. By the time they realize it, it's too late, and they're filled with regret."
Kushida spoke so convincingly that Ichinose kept nodding along.
But in doing so, she overlooked one crucial detail.
Just then, Wang Meiyu walked over, holding a bag of chocolates she had just bought.
"Kikyo-chan, thanks for waiting—oh, Ichinose-san."
"Meiyu-san, hello!"
Ichinose greeted her cheerfully, but her eyes unconsciously drifted toward the chocolates in Wang Meiyu's hands.
Noticing this, Wang Meiyu seemed a bit embarrassed and quickly hid her hands behind her back. She changed the subject, asking, "Um, Ichinose-san, are you here to buy chocolates too?"
"Ah, well… sort of."
Now it was Ichinose's turn to feel embarrassed.
"Alright, alright, let's not bother her anymore." Kushida gently nudged Wang Meiyu with her elbow. "Meiyu-chan, since we've finished shopping, let's go browse somewhere else."
"Kikyo-chan, you're not buying any?"
"Nope. I already said it, didn't I? I'm skipping Valentine's Day this year."
"But… not even one?" Wang Meiyu asked, puzzled.
Kushida smiled. "Nope, not a single one."
Her response only made Wang Meiyu even more confused.
"But even if you're not giving any to others, surely at least for Hi—"
"You don't have to worry about that." Kushida swiftly cut her off. "I already explained my reasons to our class, and everyone was understanding. Besides, Meiyu-chan, you should focus on how you're going to give your chocolates to Hirata-kun tomorrow, right?"
As soon as those words left her mouth, Wang Meiyu's face turned bright red.
"Th-that's not it! I never said they were for Hirata-kun!"
"Sure, sure, let's just say I was imagining things."
Kushida patted her shoulder like she was soothing a child, then turned to Ichinose.
"Well then, Ichinose-san, we'll be off now. See you tomorrow."
"Mm, see you tomorrow."
"Oh, and—good luck!"
With that, Kushida playfully raised her fist, cheering Ichinose on.
It was a bit embarrassing, but Ichinose felt warm inside.
At the same time, she couldn't shake a slight feeling of doubt.
What was Meiyu trying to say just now…? Ah, whatever.
For now, the most important thing is choosing the best chocolate!
Ichinose patted her cheeks to lift her spirits and carefully examined the options in front of her.
The shelves were lined with all sorts of chocolates—different colors, different types, different flavors—the sheer variety was overwhelming.
The prices ranged from a few hundred points to a few thousand, all within a reasonable range for students.
Hmm, these stores are so crafty.
After scanning the options, she finally settled on one wrapped in black packaging.
"Hikigaya-kun would probably like something understated like this, right?"
Muttering to herself, Ichinose reached out to grab it—only to find another hand reaching for the same item.
Both of them had chosen the same chocolate.
"Ah, sorry about—eh?"
Ichinose quickly apologized and instinctively looked up.
To her surprise, the other person was none other than Class D's Horikita Suzune.
"This is unexpected, Horikita-san. What are you doing here?"
"From the way you said that, are you implying I shouldn't be here?" Horikita asked in her usual calm tone.
"No, no." Ichinose hurriedly shook her head and explained, "I was just joking. After all, it's pretty rare to see Horikita shopping alone at the mall. If I made you upset, I can apologize."
To her surprise, Horikita suddenly smiled.
"No need for that. I was joking too."
"Eh—Horikita, you've really changed a lot." Ichinose couldn't help but sigh.
She still remembered when she first met Horikita back in May—always keeping others at arm's length, treating even her own classmates with a cold attitude.
It was hard to believe she was the same person.
"Have I changed…? Maybe."
Seeming a little embarrassed, Horikita shifted her gaze slightly.
"Oh, right. Ichinose, does this mean you're here to buy chocolate?"
"Y-Yeah, something like that." Ichinose nodded awkwardly before curiously asking, "What about you, Horikita? Are you here to buy Valentine's chocolate too?"
"I am."
Compared to Ichinose's slight hesitation, Horikita was much more straightforward, casually picking up two pieces of chocolate.
"I'm planning to give them to my brother. I've caused him a lot of trouble over the years."
"You mean former student council president Horikita Manabu-senpai?"
Ichinose didn't know much about the details, only the general idea.
From what she remembered, the relationship between the Horikita siblings had been quite tense. But judging by the current situation, things had gotten much better.
It was nice to see them reconcile.
"I'm sure Horikita-senpai will be really happy to receive them," Ichinose said sincerely. "After all, it's from his precious little sister! There isn't a single older brother or sister in the world who would hate their younger sibling—I can guarantee that!"
"Hmm… I hope so."
Horikita nodded, her expression a mix of anticipation and unease. Just as she was about to say something else, a voice suddenly called out to them from behind.
"What's got you two chatting so happily?"
"Matsushita."
Ichinose turned around in surprise, feeling like she was running into a lot of familiar faces today.
And they were all from Class D… Well, that made sense. Tomorrow was Valentine's Day, after all.
"So, you guys are here to buy chocolate, huh?"
Matsushita glanced at the chocolates in Horikita's hand and smiled. "Come on, Horikita, when I invited you, you said you were busy, but now you're here sneaking around instead? Wouldn't it be more fun if we all shopped together?"
"No, I just don't think this is something that needs to be done as a group," Horikita replied, unfazed.
"Heh, fair enough. I'm just here for the fun of it anyway."
Before either of them could ask, Matsushita pointed toward Sato Maya, who was nearby consulting a store clerk.
"I'm actually accompanying Sato. Looks like she has someone in mind she wants to give chocolate to."
"Really... from what you're saying, Matsushita-san, you're not planning to give one to Hikigaya-kun?"
Horikita suddenly caught on, staring at her with a puzzled expression.
Meanwhile, Ichinose, who was trying to appear composed on the surface, felt a slight tremor in her heart as she anxiously awaited the response.
"Hmm, well, that was my initial plan." Matsushita's attitude remained unwavering. "Hikigaya-kun has been quite considerate toward me, so logically, I should take this opportunity to express my gratitude. However..."
She suddenly winked at Ichinose.
"But I think I'll pass this time. I feel like it wouldn't be very nice for a certain someone."
"...I see."
Horikita didn't quite understand, while Ichinose, on the other hand, stiffened completely, her face gradually turning red.
Luckily, Matsushita didn't dwell on the conversation for too long and soon excused herself, saying she needed to meet up with Satou. She waved goodbye and left.
If the conversation had continued any longer, Ichinose feared she might have fainted on the spot.
However, Horikita's curiosity remained unsatisfied.
"That was really strange. Why would she—"
"N-no, there's nothing strange about it!"
"Eh? Ah, well, I suppose you're right. After all, it's someone else's personal matter."
Startled by Ichinose's sudden outburst, Horikita was momentarily silenced, unable to finish her thought.
In truth, what she found odd was that Matsushita, who always referred to him as "Hachiman-kun" in the classroom, had suddenly switched to using just his surname.
However, Ichinose completely misunderstood her reaction.
"By the way, Horikita-san, aside from giving one to your brother, do you have plans to give another one to someone else?"
Trying to shift the topic, Ichinose asked with a bright smile.
Horikita hesitated for a moment before glancing away and replying, "The other one is for... Tachibana-senpai."
"Huh? You mean Tachibana Akane, the third-year student? Tachibana-senpai?" Ichinose was a bit surprised to hear that name.
"Yes." Horikita nodded, trying to act composed. "Tachibana-senpai isn't just a student council member; she's also my brother's partner. She has always supported him, so as his sister, I wanted to show my gratitude."
"I see, that's really nice."
Ichinose smiled warmly.
Even though they were both girls, Valentine's Day gifts weren't solely about romance—people also gave chocolates to express gratitude for kindness received. That's why obligatory chocolates existed.
Thinking along those lines, maybe Chihiro-chan also... No, that was impossible.
If it were any other girl, Ichinose wouldn't overthink it.
But in the case of Shiranami, it definitely wouldn't just be about friendship.
Even if it felt a bit unfair, Ichinose believed it would be better to make her give up sooner rather than later.
If she accepted it, things would only become more troublesome down the line.
After purchasing their chocolates, the two bid each other farewell and left the store.
Ichinose happily clutched her shopping bag, humming a tune as she walked back to the dorm.
However, before she could leave the shopping mall, her steps came to a halt.
She had spotted a familiar figure in the nearby bookstore.
"That's... Shiina-san."
Because they were in the same group during the forest camp, Ichinose had slowly grown familiar with this book-loving literary girl. She had also learned something interesting.
Shiina and Hikigaya were book buddies and often read together in the library.
But... that wasn't something to be concerned about... right?
That's what she told herself, yet before she knew it, her body moved on its own. By the time she came to her senses, she was already inside the bookstore.
"Ichinose-san, are you here to buy books too?"
Noticing her presence, Shiina greeted her first.
"A-ah, no." Ichinose hurriedly shook her head. "I just happened to see you, so I thought I'd say hello... Oh, by the way, are you buying a light novel?"
"Yes. Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I was thinking of giving a book as a gift."
"Oh, it's a present… If you don't mind me asking, is it for Hikigaya-kun?" Ichinose asked tentatively.
She glanced at the book in Shiina's hand in surprise.
The title read "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?" …What a strange name.
Speaking of which, the silver-haired girl on the cover… somehow, she looked a little like Shiina herself.
…Was it just her imagination?
"Yes." Shiina didn't try to hide it at all. "Hikigaya-kun enjoys light novels set in fantasy worlds, but I'm not very familiar with the genre. I'm not sure if this will suit his taste… I just hope he likes it."
"I'm sure he will," Ichinose reassured her with certainty.
Unfortunately, that didn't seem to ease Shiina's concerns.
"I originally planned to give chocolates like everyone else… That seemed like the safer choice."
"Eh? Well…"
Shiina looked at Ichinose for advice.
Normally, Ichinose would give her honest opinion regardless of the situation.
But this time, after a brief hesitation, she found herself saying something completely different.
"Well… I don't think you need to stick to tradition. There's no rule saying you have to give chocolates on Valentine's Day. Since you and Hikigaya-kun are book buddies, giving a book is more unique."
"Hmm, that makes sense." Shiina nodded in admiration. "As expected of Ichinose-san! I'm really lucky I ran into you today."
"Haha, it's not that big of a deal."
Ichinose awkwardly scratched the back of her head.
Uh, what do I do...
I'm giving him chocolates, yet I just convinced someone else not to… Ugh, I feel so guilty.
But this also means…
Among all the girls Hikigaya-kun knows…
No one is giving him chocolates?
Tomorrow…
Could it be… I'll be the only one?
As that thought settled in, Ichinose's gaze grew distant.