On Saturday, Hikaru, Ichinose, and Kushida spent a pleasant morning together at Keyaki Mall. All three of them were sociable, so there was never an awkward silence.
Hikaru actively contributed to the conversation, seamlessly filling in gaps and keeping the discussion flowing. Even though Ichinose and Kushida had only recently met, they got along as if they had been friends for a long time.
Ichinose's wide range of interests allowed her to engage effortlessly in various topics, and since Kushida had willingly agreed to meet early in the morning, it was clear that she was also eager to expand her circle of friends.
With such an atmosphere, their time together remained lively and enjoyable.
By noon, the three arrived at the reserved family restaurant for lunch. As usual, Hikaru followed his standard practice—ladies first when ordering.
Once the waiter left with their orders, they resumed chatting.
"Has anything interesting happened in Class D lately?" Hikaru asked, picking up a clean glass and preparing to pour himself some tea. "Anything you can share with us?"
"Something interesting?" Kushida tapped her chin thoughtfully before flashing a troubled smile. "Hmm… not really. Everyone's been busy with their own things, so nothing particularly noteworthy has happened."
"Really?"
Ichinose's bright eyes blinked with curiosity. "Actually, I'm really curious about what you mentioned earlier—about Hirata-kun. Since he has a girlfriend now, does he ever act affectionate toward Karuizawa-san in the classroom?"
"Not at all," Kushida replied with a smile. "Even though they're dating, they only really spend time together after school. In class, they don't show anything."
"But Hirata-kun is so naturally kind that, even though he has a girlfriend, he still treats other girls with the same gentle demeanor. I heard that makes Karuizawa-san a little jealous."
"I see."
Ichinose's expression carried a trace of surprise. Of course, she wasn't particularly interested in some stranger's love life—this was all just a way to gather more information about Class D's so-called representative, Hirata Yosuke.
"Honami-chan, if you were dating someone, would you be okay with your boyfriend treating other girls kindly too?"
Kushida's eyes gleamed mischievously as she threw out the question, clearly trying to probe for reactions.
"Huh? Me?"
Ichinose instinctively turned toward Hikaru, as if seeking his opinion, but the boy simply maintained a calm and neutral expression, not showing any particular reaction.
Seeing that he didn't seem to care at all, a faint sense of disappointment welled up in Ichinose's heart. However, she quickly suppressed it and responded with her usual gentle smile.
"If that happened… I think I'd probably get upset."
"Right? I feel the same way."
Kushida nodded enthusiastically, fully agreeing.
Despite receiving multiple confessions since the start of the school year, she wasn't interested in dating. Being in a relationship could affect the image she had worked so hard to build. She preferred being the friendly, approachable classmate whom everyone could confide in—someone who could learn all the secrets of those around her.
Just thinking about it brought a sense of satisfaction.
With an indignant pout, she added, "If I were dating someone and he dared to get close to other girls, I'd be absolutely furious! I would never forgive him!"
"Haha, I'm sure you're very popular, Kushida-san," Ichinose chuckled. "If you do end up choosing a boyfriend, make sure you pick wisely."
Still clinging to the topic, Ichinose smiled and observed Kushida carefully. "If you ever find someone you like, I'll be cheering you on."
"Thanks, Honami-chan! But I haven't met anyone like that yet. Right now, I still prefer spending time with cute girls."
Kushida laughed, though her mind was preoccupied with something else.
Throughout their time together, she had been closely observing Ichinose and Hikaru.
She wasn't just interested in Class B's leadership dynamics—she also wanted to figure out what kind of relationship these two had.
From what she had gathered, they weren't dating yet, but Ichinose clearly had feelings for Hikaru.
As for Hikaru… he was difficult to read.
On the surface, he was warm and approachable, seamlessly engaging in conversation, but Kushida could tell that he wasn't revealing his true self.
This wasn't just casual socializing—he definitely had an agenda today.
However, Kushida hadn't figured out exactly what that agenda was yet.
She had subtly tried to stir reactions out of both of them, especially by steering the conversation toward romance. Most people, regardless of gender, had some level of interest in the topic.
Yet, even as they discussed relationships, Hikaru remained entirely unaffected.
It was as if he was playing along while keeping his true intentions hidden.
A strange one, indeed.
Before she could probe further, their food arrived, and she temporarily set aside her thoughts to enjoy the meal.
Even as they ate, Kushida continued subtly testing Hikaru, trying to get a sense of his stance on various topics.
But time and time again, she came up empty.
Meanwhile, Hikaru remained as cooperative as ever, engaging in casual conversation while silently analyzing his own thoughts.
Right now, his biggest concern was figuring out the connection between Kushida and Suzune.
Why did both Kushida's stock value increase and decrease depending on Suzune?
And speaking of Suzune, Hikaru recalled seeing her at the supermarket—a cold and distant girl with striking features. She had left a strong impression on him.
If she was really part of Class D, then that meant he would likely meet her when he went there on Monday to negotiate the sale of rules.
Before investing in Kushida's stock, he needed to gather more information.
After all, the Stock Analyzer had made it very clear:
This seemingly angelic girl had a hidden side—one that was "highly aggressive."
The exact nature of that hidden side was still a mystery, but Hikaru needed to know whether it would interfere with his future plans.
"Building trust with her should be easy enough," Hikaru mused inwardly, his fingers absentmindedly tapping against his chin. "The real challenge is understanding her hidden side… and her desire to see Horikita Suzune expelled."
Were those two things connected?
For now, he would wait until Monday's meeting with Class D before making any major decisions.
A casual lunch between three classmates—yet each of them harbored their own unspoken thoughts.
On the surface, the atmosphere was warm and friendly, but beneath it all, they were playing a game of deception and observation.
Perhaps, in the end, life was just a grand performance—one where only the best actors thrived.
~~~
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