After school that day, in the classroom of Class 1-B.
"Ugh~ It's finally over, I'm exhausted~" Chika Fujiwara stretched languidly, then turned to look at Asuna Yuuki, who was sitting behind her, and asked with a smile, "How was it, Asuna? Are you confident you did well this time?"
"Hmm... I'm not too sure," Asuna Yuuki replied noncommittally. "Although I felt the test was quite simple, this is Shuchi'in Academy after all, and maybe everyone felt the test was simple. I don't know what rank I'll get."
"Eh? Simple?" Chika Fujiwara was slightly stunned, then showed an expression of envy as she said, "I chatted with everyone during lunch break, and they all thought this exam was quite difficult. You actually thought it was simple... So Asuna, you're actually a top student? Sob, sob... you betrayed me!"
Seeing Chika Fujiwara make an exaggerated expression of grief, Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but laugh and said, "What betrayal... Speaking of which, Chika, aren't you a pure student? Your grades should be very good too, right?"
"*Sigh!* A pure student is pure student, but it has nothing to do with grades or personal ability." Chika Fujiwara sighed slightly, then patiently explained, "Ultimately, the so-called pure and impure students actually refer to the difference in students' family backgrounds. Like me and Kaguya, well... saying it myself is a bit embarrassing, but to put it bluntly, people who are considered children of wealthy families by ordinary people have been studying at Shuchi'in Academy since childhood.
"And impure students who enroll midway are generally divided into two types. One type is admitted exceptionally by Shuchi'in Academy because of their excellent grades or certain talents, even if they are from commoner backgrounds.
"The second type is those who paid a large donation to the school and obtained admission through money. A considerable number of pure students believe that this type of impure student is what they call nouveau riche, and feel that they are not worthy of entering Shuchi'in Academy at all.
"And the terms pure and impure are actually just a hierarchy of contempt derived from this viewpoint. In this regard, I am the same as your Utsunomiya-san; I believe that this kind of talk and concept is childish and arrogant and should have been eliminated long ago."
At first, Asuna Yuuki was listening very attentively, but when she heard the last sentence, she showed a shy expression.
"What do you mean my Utsunomiya..."
"Hmm? Is he not your Utsunomiya?" Chika Fujiwara tilted her head, showing a pure and sweet smile, and said something surprising, "Then can I ask Utsunomiya-san for his contact information? I quite like guys with that kind of aggressive aura~"
"You wouldn't dare!"
Chika Fujiwara showed a cute face, looking as if she had seen through everything, and teased, "You're this flustered. It's very obvious. This is possessiveness, and when you feel possessive towards someone, that's a feeling that can be called love!"
Asuna Yuuki sighed slightly, then said with a helpless smile, "The love detective is starting again, huh?"
"Of course~" Chika Fujiwara first replied with a smile, then looked thoughtful as she continued: "But... did you hear? Your Utsunomiya and my Kaguya seem to be competing for the top spot in this exam~ The results won't be out until tomorrow. Who do you think will win?"
Before Asuna Yuuki could answer, a slightly jealous voice of a girl was heard nearby.
"Hmph, what her Utsunomiya? Are you two Pokemon trainers having a duel?"
Chika Fujiwara looked up and saw Kotoko Iwanaga, wearing a white beret and holding a cane, glaring at her angrily, with Asagiri Utsunomiya standing next to her.
"Oh, Iwanaga-san." Chika Fujiwara first greeted her with a smile, then stood up and, before leaving, leaned close to Asuna Yuuki's ear, and encouraged her in a low voice: "Go for it. As your friend, I believe you can definitely defeat this rich loli. A mere fifty billion yen is nothing compared to your charm. Fight!"
After Chika Fujiwara left, Asuna Yuuki looked at Kotoko Iwanaga, who was clearly jealous. For some reason, that feeling of guilt and sinfulness surfaced in her heart again, and her voice even lowered.
"Kotoko..."
"Don't give me that." Kotoko Iwanaga directly interrupted Asuna Yuuki's words, then snorted and lifted her chin, saying, "Hmph, let's go. Let's get something to eat before going home. It was really mean of you two to go shopping together last time without me. You have to treat me to a meal."
Seeing that although Kotoko Iwanaga had a jealous and displeased expression, her attitude towards her was still the same as always, Asuna Yuuki breathed a sigh of relief. After all, although they hadn't known each other for long, they were true companions who had experienced life and death together.
Hearing Kotoko Iwanaga's words, Asagiri Utsunomiya, who was nearby, chuckled and teased. "Take you? If Asuna and I went out with you, wouldn't it look like young parents taking their daughter shopping?"
Upon hearing this, Kotoko Iwanaga retorted angrily, "You two are just too tall! Mine is a normal build!"
"Mm." Asagiri Utsunomiya nodded, seemingly agreeing with Kotoko Iwanaga's opinion, buth then added flatly, "So said Kotoko Iwanaga, whose height with shoes on is one-meter-fifty."
"What is this, a quote from a book? You're just saying I'm short, aren't you?!"
Kotoko Iwanaga was so angry she stomped her foot, then said with full jealousy.
"And why do you call her Asuna but use my surname for me? No, no, you have to call me..."
"Alright, Kotoko."
Asagiri Utsunomiya's sudden Kotoko made a blush appear on Kotoko Iwanaga's cute face. She, who had just been baring her fangs and claws, instantly became well-behaved and docile. Then she spoke somewhat coyly.
"Hmph, I originally wanted you to call me dear or something... but just calling my name... is barely okay, I guess. After all, developing a relationship has to be step by step. I'm still a relatively slow and traditional girl~"
Upon hearing this, Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but retort, "You? Slow? Traditional? The moment you see Asagiri-kun, you're like a steaming kettle. And you're saying you're slow?"
"Hehe~" Kotoko Iwanaga laughed coldly and said slowly, "If I weren't slow, I'd have children with Asagiri-san by now."
Asuna Yuuki was speechless, then said helplessly, "...You are truly unbelievable."
Asagiri Utsunomiya, who was nearby, said flatly, "I have no objection."
"Go away, go away!" Asuna Yuuki raised her hand, lightly pushed Asagiri Utsunomiya's shoulder, and said crossly, "Don't act crazy with her here!"
After saying that, Asuna Yuuki tentatively asked, "Speaking of which... since the three of us are planning to hang out, shouldn't we invite Kato-san as well?"
Kotoko Iwanaga looked puzzled and asked, "Who? Which Kato-san? Your friend?"
"..."
Seeing Asuna Yuuki's speechless expression, Kotoko Iwanaga lightly chuckled while covering her mouth, then said, "I was just joking. You can contact her. Anyway, my plan to have a date alone with Asagiri-san is out, so let's just all go together~"
"Ah, you're still the same as ever..."
Asuna Yuuki sighed helplessly, then took out her phone and called Megumi Kato. Once the call connected, she spoke with a smile.
"Hello? Kato-san, Asagiri-kun, Kotoko, and I are planning to go shopping and have dinner together. Are you free? We'd like to invite you to come along."
Megumi Kato replied unhurriedly in her characteristic flat and casual voice.
"I've already finished school and was just about to go home. Shopping and dinner together... Hmm, that sounds good too. Where should we meet?"
"I'll just email you the address directly."
"Okay, see you later."
◆◇◈◇◆
After arriving at the shopping street in Shibuya Ward, Asuna Yuuki and Kotoko Iwanaga looked around, both with confused expressions.
"Didn't Kato-san say she arrived... Why don't I see her?"
While the two of them were confused and searching around, Asagiri Utsunomiya walked directly towards a spot not far away, then raised his hand and greeted.
"Megumi, over here."
"Utsunomiya-san."
It wasn't until Megumi Kato walked up to Asagiri Utsunomiya that Kotoko Iwanaga and Asuna Yuuki finally noticed her presence.
It was strange to say, even though she was wearing the female student unform of Toyogaski Academy and hadn't particularly dressed up, with her fair skin, well-proportioned figure, and delicate features, Megumi Kato could still be considered a true beautiful girl.
Logically, she should have easily attracted attention.
But the reality was the complete opposite.
Until Megumi Kato walked beside Asagiri Utsunomiya, Kotoko Iwanaga and Asuna Yuuki hadn't noticed her presence at all, as if she were invisible.
This sense of presence was simply unbelievably low, wasn't it?
"Wait a minute, something's not right..."
Just then, Asuna Yuuki noticed a detail, frowned slightly as she looked at Asagiri Utsunomiya, and said with a hint of jealousy, "What did you just call Kato-san? Megumi? You're not being polite at all."
Kotoko Iwanaga nodded repeatedly in agreement from the side and spoke righteously.
"Exactly, exactly! That's too intimate, no way, no way!"
"Hmm..." Megumi Kato looked at Kotoko Iwanaga and Asuna Yuuki with a calm expression, tilted her head slightly, and said in an unusually calm tone, as if reading aloud, "At this moment, should I be showing shyness at being called by my first name? Like covering my face and spinning around, or blushing and secretly glancing at Utsunomiya-san's profile, and then immediately looking away when he looks over?"
Asuna Yuuki couldn't help but laugh and cry upon hearing this, and then retorted, "Kato-san, you always show an unusual calmness at times like this... And isn't shyness meaningless if you say it out loud beforehand or deliberately fake it?"