"Good morning, Hachiman-kun."
When I opened my eyes in the morning, I saw beautiful silver hair.
As sunlight streamed in and I slowly woke up, my eyes met Hiyori's smiling face looking down at me from above.
"Morning Hiyori... What's with that look? You seem in an unusually good mood."
I sat up in bed and stretched as I greeted her - just an ordinary morning routine, but Hiyori watched with a delighted smile.
"I'm just happy to be with you first thing in the morning. Fufu~ Your sleeping face was so cute."
Her affectionate words threatened to embarrass me, especially knowing she'd been watching me sleep.
"My sleeping face is that interesting?"
"Yes! Even if it wasn't me, seeing a new side of someone you like is always exciting."
She answered clearly with her usual bright smile.
Ever since confessing yesterday, she'd become much more direct about expressing her feelings. Not that I minded exactly, but it did leave me feeling strangely restless.
"I'm making breakfast, so come when you're ready."
Completely oblivious to my conflicted feelings, Hiyori headed back to the kitchen.
That delicious smell when I woke up must have been her cooking. For someone like me who usually skimps on breakfast, having Hiyori's cooking first thing was a real luxury.
"Ah... I forgot one thing."
Turning back, she hurried across the small room toward me.
Just as I noticed her cheeks were flushed, her lips gently brushed against my cheek.
"...A good morning kiss. Did... you dislike it?"
She looked up at me with slightly anxious eyes - an expression that felt almost unfair.
"...Of course not."
Really, what kind of person would dislike something like this from Hiyori? Anyone who would must be some kind of lunatic.
Hiyori immediately bloomed into a flower-like smile and hummed as she returned to the kitchen. Watching her go, I headed to the washroom to clean up.
"Phew... I'm wide awake now."
Hiyori's excessive enthusiasm had thoroughly shaken me.
Woken up with a kiss, now about to have breakfast together - it was almost like...
"What a disgusting thought..."
I'd never felt more repulsed by myself than when I realized I'd been thinking this felt like a married couple's morning.
....
The special exam was approaching its midpoint.
While there was still time remaining, the deadline was undoubtedly drawing closer.
"Yo. Hikigaya."
"...Now this is rare. You initiating a conversation, Ryuuen."
As I was about to leave the classroom after school, Ryuuen blocked my path with his usual smirk.
"So what do you want? You wouldn't approach me without a reason."
"Not in the mood for small talk, so I'll cut to the chase - something happened with Hiyori, didn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"That's my line. You really think I wouldn't notice how obvious Hiyori's been today?"
So Ryuuen had noticed after all.
All day today, Hiyori had been unusually close to me since morning.
It wasn't like we were being physically affectionate - she mostly acted normal - but the intensity of her proximity was... intense, to say the least.
"...Even if something did happen, I don't owe you an explanation."
"True, whatever happens between you and Hiyori is none of my business. But indulging my curiosity isn't a crime, is it?"
"Learning to suppress curiosity is important too. Especially for someone like you."
"Sorry, but my curiosity isn't built to be suppressed."
Ryuuen's smirk never faltered.
What made this annoying was that unlike usual, there was a particularly sadistic edge to his teasing today.
"The whole class is buzzing about you two dating. The funniest reaction was Okabe's - the way he's been glaring at you all day was hilarious."
"I have no idea what point you're trying to make, but could you at least wipe that smirk off your face?"
What was he getting at? Did he just want to see my reaction?
Ryuuen's grin deepened as he gave me an appraising look.
"...Hiyori confessed to you, didn't she?"
Caught off guard by how accurately he'd guessed yesterday's events, I couldn't hide my surprise for a second.
"Actually, Hiyori came to me for advice yesterday. Said she wanted to know how to catch a guy's attention."
So that's why Hiyori had been acting strange yesterday. I couldn't imagine Ryuuen giving proper advice though. He probably just pieced it together from her questions and today's behavior.
"Is that so?"
I played dumb, but it probably wouldn't work on Ryuuen.
At this point, he seemed completely convinced Hiyori had confessed.
"So what's the verdict? Are you and Hiyori an item now?"
"That's none of your business."
"Tch, not gonna answer, huh?"
It's not like telling him would cause problems, but being teased about it would be more trouble than it's worth.
"Why are you so invested in my relationship with Hiyori anyway? Don't tell me someone like you actually enjoys romance gossip?"
"Like I said - simple curiosity."
Having lost interest, Ryuuen's expression became more neutral.
That made sense - the idea of Ryuuen actually caring about love stories was disturbing.
"Still, giving love advice? You're more compassionate than I thought, Dragon Boy."
"...Call me that again and I'll kill you, Monster Boy."
Our bizarre exchange ended on that sarcastic note as we went our separate ways.
......
After school, I found myself amidst the bustling crowd at the Keyaki Mall, pondering how to approach first-year students.
"Um, excuse me for a moment?"
A somewhat awkward voice called out from behind. Turning around, I saw a boy and girl staring intently at me. The girl kept alternating her gaze between her phone and me.
If I remembered correctly, these two were from Class 1-C—Tsubaki Sakurako and the other one was Utsunomiya Riku.
"You're Hikigaya-senpai from Class 2-B, right?"
Glancing at her phone, she gave a slight bow.
"I'm Utsunomiya, and this is Tsubaki. Could we talk for a bit about the partner exam?"
"About partners?"
"Yes. Right now, we're looking for senpai with academic ratings of C or higher who might be willing to cooperate."
This was almost too convenient—just when I had been hoping to make contact with first-years.
The question was whether to view those who approached me openly as a risk or, conversely, as safe. That distinction could determine the outcome of the exam.
"I've been struggling to find a partner myself. Mind if I hear you out?"
Checking the latest pairings last night, I knew Utsunomiya had already secured a partner, but Tsubaki hadn't. Maybe this was about her.
"Standing around isn't ideal. How about we talk at the café?"
Following Utsunomiya's lead, we moved to a nearby café and claimed a spot in the crowded seating area.
"Let's get straight to the point. Would you be willing to hear us out?"
Utsunomiya glanced at Tsubaki.
"I don't like owing favors, so I want a clean, no-strings-attached partnership."
Tsubaki said this bluntly, inspecting her nails as she spoke.
Her academic rating was C-, while mine was C+. The difference was negligible—no clear advantage or disadvantage either way.
"I get what you're saying, but I have a question. Students with C-range ratings are the most common. Why approach me specifically?"
With scores like these, you wouldn't excel, but you'd avoid expulsion. There should be plenty of second-years happy to pair with Tsubaki.
"Well—"
Utsunomiya hesitated, prompting Tsubaki to finally meet my eyes.
"It's my fault. I didn't say anything earlier."
Taking that as her cue, Utsunomiya elaborated.
"At first, Tsubaki didn't consult anyone about finding a partner. But by Friday, she started panicking and finally came to me for help."
So, out of urgency, Utsunomiya stepped in to assist. From the sound of it, most of Class C had already settled their pairings.
"With Tsubaki's academic standing, the 5% penalty could be a real problem."
That must have been the main reason for approaching me. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have hesitated.
But I couldn't make an immediate decision. Even with the deadline looming, randomly choosing a partner wasn't an option.
"One more thing. You said you've been reaching out to potential partners—how many others have you asked before me?"
It might have seemed irrelevant, but this detail was crucial.
Utsunomiya's reply surprised me.
"Before you, we only asked one other senpai. That didn't work out, so you're the second."
He continued, cutting off my train of thought.
"So if you can't pair up, we'll just have to look elsewhere."
His answer was straightforward. After a brief pause, I realized my options were limited.
"Sorry, but I've already got a potential partner in mind. I can't commit to this right away."
Half a lie, but there was no way for them to verify it.
"Oh... I see."
Utsunomiya exchanged a troubled glance with Tsubaki.
"Well, nothing we can do then. Might as well keep looking."
The moment she realized I wasn't an option, Tsubaki stood up, ready to leave.
"...Right. Senpai, here's my contact info, just in case."
Utsunomiya also stood, handing me a slip of paper with his details—likely prepared in advance.
"Thanks for your time."
With a slight bow, the two of them walked away.
"Tsubaki Sakurako and Utsunomiya Riku. I'll remember them."
Having passed up this chance to secure a partner, my next moves were critical.
Even if I ended up drawing the short straw from here on out, I needed a plan to survive.
.....
As I left the café and turned right at the corner, I collided with a student coming from the opposite direction at the exact same moment.
"Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."
"Huh? Hikigaya-senpai?"
I reached out a hand to help them up. The moment a small hand touched mine, I heard a voice I recognized from recently.
"Ah! It is Hikigaya-senpai! Been a day, huh?"
"Amasawa. What a coincidence."
She gripped my hand lightly as she stood up.
The person I'd bumped into was Amasawa Ichika, the girl I'd met just yesterday.
"Wow, another fateful encounter~"
Brushing the dust off her clothes, she flashed me a carefree smile.
"Not really. This kind of thing happens all the time."
"Senpai's idea of 'all the time' is kinda weird~. Bumping into someone at a corner like this isn't that common, y'know?"
"...Now that you mention it, I guess not."
Still, the frequency of running into Amasawa was unusual.
I could chalk it up to coincidence, but what were the odds of crossing paths in this exact spot of the massive Keyaki Mall?
...Though if I dismissed it as just chance, that would be the end of it.
......
"...Amasawa, why are you following me?"
"Actually, I'm free today. I thought maybe something interesting would happen if I stuck with you, senpai~"
"Nothing interesting will happen even if you stay with me."
"Then I'll just tag along because I want to be with you!"
"So there's no option where you don't follow me, huh..."
With a resigned sigh, Hachiman-senpai gave up.
...Yesterday, I was too excited to really look at him properly, but he's even cooler than when I saw him before. There's something mysterious about him—like an adult's charm, maybe?
"Seriously, nothing will happen even if you follow me."
That profile of his is so cool too... Actually, everything about him is cool.
Most guys would just ignore someone like me, but the fact that he doesn't outright reject me just shows how kind he is.
"I. Love. You."
"Hm? Did you say something?"
"Oh, it's nothing~"
Ahh, even though I'm this close to him...
I want to tell him how I feel even more, but I can't risk him finding out right now.
The reason I came to this school is to expel Ayanokouji-senpai and Hachiman-senpai. If they decide I'm useless, I'll get dragged back to the White Room.
Even today, I had to pretend it was an accident to meet him... I just want to see him normally.
I want to go on dates with him. I want him to eat my homemade cooking. I want to live together. I wanna take baths with him, and then in bed, we'd—
"Ehehe... Maybe that's too soon? But I'm always welcome, y'know~ ♪"
I hide my face so senpai can't see. If he saw me blushing this hard, he'd definitely get suspicious.
"Hey, senpai. Have you decided on your exam partner yet?"
I tilt my head slightly, trying to look as appealing as possible.
...I just hope he thinks I'm even a little cute.
"Not yet. I have some candidates, though."
"If you haven't decided, why not just pair up with me already~? I'm pretty smart, y'know?"
That much is by design.
"I told you yesterday. I can't decide right away."
He's still wary of me, huh?
To senpai, first-years are nothing but risks—especially because of me and that other White Room student.
I want to raise his affection for me so we can get closer normally, but... what would make Hachiman-senpai like me? Would seduction work?
"Ah, look, senpai! That plushie is super popular with first-years right now~!"
I point at a random stuffed toy and naturally link arms with him, pressing my chest against him. My chest is bigger than most girls my age, so maybe senpai will react...
"That kind of plushie is really popular? I don't get the tastes of underclassmen."
Hmm... I can't tell if it's working.
At first, he kept glancing over, but his expression hasn't changed at all.
Guess I'll just have to get even closer to him... ♪
......
Aside from Amasawa tagging along behind me, it was just like any other day heading back to the dorms.
Honestly, it's hard to pin down what Amasawa's deal is.
Just when I think her approaching me can't be a coincidence, she starts doing random things and making pointless small talk.
I tried probing a bit, but she deftly dodges anything serious. She's the kind of person who's impossible to categorize as friend or foe.
"Ah! Hikigaya-kun! Wanna walk back togeth—"
As we reached the straight path leading to the dormitory, I suddenly ran into Matsushita, who was also on her way back.
Spotting me, she waved with a smile and started approaching—but the moment she noticed Amasawa behind me, she froze mid-step.
"What's wrong, Matsushita?"
"Huh? Oh, uh... I was just thinking we could walk back together. Would that be... bothersome?"
Her eyes flicked briefly to Amasawa.
Seems like Matsushita thought she might be intruding on something, but it wasn't a problem. I didn't mind agreeing.
"It's fine. It's not like it's any troub—"
"No way~! Senpai and I are on a date right now!"
Just as I was about to agree, Amasawa—standing right beside me—cut in.
After declaring that to Matsushita, she promptly latched onto my left arm with exaggerated enthusiasm.
Narrowing her eyes, she flashed Matsushita a triumphant grin while wearing a smug, happy expression.
"Senpaaai~ ♡ How insensitive, inviting another girl on our date~ ♡"
"Stop making things up. This isn't a date."
Come to think of it, Amasawa's chest is surprisingly... well-endowed.
"Senpai, you were just imagining something lewd, weren't you?"
"...What are you talking about?"
As I brushed off Amasawa's teasing smirk, Matsushita—who had been quietly observing—leaned in with a smile of her own.
"Hikigaya-kun... were you really out on a date with an underclassman?"
Why?
Her face was smiling, but her eyes were terrifying.
"I said it's not a date. Amasawa's just clinging to me on her own."
I tried to phrase it diplomatically, but Matsushita just squinted at me skeptically.
"Ohhh? Reaaally? But you didn't mind her hanging off your arm, did you?"
"That's a misunderstanding. She did this without asking."
"So you can definitely say you weren't happy about it?"
"...Yeah."
"Bzzt! That's a foul~!"
With a pew-pew gesture, Matsushita "pulled a red card" on me and lightly poked my forehead.
"Wait, why are you grabbing my arm now?"
She smoothly looped her arm through my right one.
Something even softer and larger than what was on my left pressed against me. ...This was morally questionable.
"No fair, Matsushita-senpai! You're making Hikigaya-senpai uncomfortable!"
Wow. I've never seen such a beautifully thrown boomerang before.
"It's fine, Amasawa-san. Hikigaya-kun and I do this kind of thing all the time."
...The fact that I couldn't immediately deny that with conviction was depressing.
I decided to ignore the two of them bickering with smiles plastered on their faces.
"..."
...Now that I think about it, Matsushita might be slightly bigger? Amasawa's have a nicer shape, but Matsushita's have that softness that comes from sheer volume—
"Senpaaai~ ♡ You're totally thinking, 'I'm so happy getting felt up by my cute underclassman~' aren't you?"
"Hikigaya-kun... you are just a boy after all. How perverted."
"How do you both know exactly what I'm thinking?"
...Do I really have that expressive of a face?
=================================
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