"Good morning, Classmate Ichinose."
Hearing a familiar voice from behind, Ichinose turned around and greeted Shiraha with a smile.
"Good morning, Shiraha-san."
Seeing Ichinose smile at her, Shiraha was very happy.
Unfortunately, Ichinose's smile only lasted a few short seconds in front of her eyes. Ichinose then turned around again and repeated the same gesture with other people.
It turned out that smile wasn't exclusive to her.
Shiraha Chihiro's smile slowly began to fade.
She should have known this long ago.
Classmate Ichinose is so gentle with everyone.
But... but... she always couldn't help but want to monopolize Classmate Ichinose's gentleness, wanting to be doted on by Classmate Ichinose.
However, perhaps this was just her fantasy? Could Classmate Ichinose really accept her?
Shiraha Chihiro lowered her head in dejection.
Three boys watching Shiraha from a distance exchanged glances, their faces showing malicious expressions.
At this moment, Shiraha Chihiro was not yet aware that she had been targeted again.
Shiraha mustered her courage and wrote a letter to Ichinose.
It was a letter full of love.
Hesitating over the signature, Shiraha finally decided to write her full name.
"As long as I'm with Classmate Ichinose, she'll only show that adorable smile to me, right? Ahhh, it sounds so embarrassing!"
Shiraha felt the temperature of her cheeks rapidly rising.
To cheer herself up, Shiraha forcefully patted her cheeks.
Then, while Ichinose was still chatting with her classmates from Class B...
She quietly slipped the confession letter into Ichinose's shoe locker.
Ichinose didn't have the habit of bringing a bento, so she would definitely go to the cafeteria for lunch, which meant... by noon at the latest, Ichinose would receive her affection.
Would she accept her love?
Or would she refuse?
Classmate Ichinose is so gentle, she shouldn't make anyone sad, so... so she'll definitely accept, right?
Shiraha kept trying to encourage herself.
As if doing so would make Ichinose accept her confession.
Noon.
Amane, who was enjoying being fed by Suzune on the rooftop, suddenly received a call from Ichinose.
Ichinose actually called her?
In her impression, after she and Ichinose became friends, they hadn't chatted much. Why would Ichinose choose to call her at this time?
Amane first glanced at Suzune opposite her.
Horikita glanced at the screen and put the pork chop that was being sent to Amane's mouth into her own mouth.
"If you want to answer, go ahead. I'm not that petty."
Amane gave Horikita a meaningful look.
"Why are you looking at me? If you hesitate any longer, she might hang up. A call at this time might be to invite you to lunch. You know how to answer, right?"
Horikita Suzune pointed to the bento she had personally made.
Amane immediately nodded rapidly.
"Don't worry, leave it to me."
Horikita Suzune saw that Amane had given her assurance, then nodded, silently picked up the bento, took out a rice ball, and bit into it in small mouthfuls.
"Hello?"
"Hello? Is this Amane?"
Ichinose's tone seemed a little anxious.
It seemed something urgent had happened.
"It's me. Honami, have you encountered anything?"
In Amane's opinion, if Ichinose encountered trouble, there were many people she could ask for help, such as Hoshinomiya-sensei, or President Horikita Manabu.
These were all people capable of helping Ichinose resolve most things that happened at school.
Yet Ichinose sought Amane's help.
This could only mean that she might have encountered a thorny problem, such as a problem that only Amane could handle.
Amane's first reaction was that Ichinose was being followed or something similar.
"Amane, is it convenient for you to talk there?"
Even with Ichinose's urgent tone, she still asked if it was convenient for Amane at this moment.
This suggested that the problem Ichinose encountered was likely the most sensitive kind.
That is, a matter involving personal privacy.
Amane glanced at Horikita, who had stopped eating her rice ball.
"It's convenient for me here."
"..."
Because Amane hesitated for about one to two seconds...
Ichinose on the other end of the phone obviously realized something.
If two people who are good friends are together...
And one of them is asked, "Is it convenient for you to talk now?"
That person must answer that it is convenient, no matter what.
Even if that person already knows the other party wants to talk about private topics, when it comes to the privacy of others versus showing distrust in front of a good friend, most people know how to choose.
Ichinose also realized that Amane's current environment was clearly not convenient for talking, so she could only try to invite her out.
"It's like this, I happen to have some free time today and wanted to treat you to lunch, Amane. Is now a good time?"
Oh no.
Amane's heart sank.
She knew that Ichinose had noticed someone was with her, so she was trying to invite her out to talk this way.
But the reason was specifically for a meal.
Just now, Horikita Suzune had hinted that if she didn't eat her bento today, she would suffer terribly.
Amane's stomach twitched slightly, and she could only look towards Horikita Suzune.
Horikita sighed, took out her phone, and typed "Go ahead."
It would be very easy for her to keep Amane there.
However, Horikita also knew that Amane was different from her. Even with Amane's strong attitude within the class, which had caused some dissatisfaction...
She always found a way to maintain good relationships with certain people.
Amane's social circle was no smaller than Kushida's or Karuizawa's.
It was just that Amane usually stayed in the dorm with Horikita, which created the illusion that her social circle consisted of only a few people.
So, making Amane become just like herself...
It would be better to let her interact with more people; that way, Amane might also be happier.
"Are you eating? I haven't eaten yet, where are you? I'll come find you right away."
Upon hearing Horikita agree, Amane immediately happily arranged a meeting place with Ichinose.
After they hung up, Amane immediately pecked Horikita on the cheek.
"Then I'm off?"
"Before I change my mind, disappear from my sight."
Horikita Suzune stuffed a piece of fish into Amane's mouth, then waved her hand, signaling her to leave quickly.
Amane smiled and quickly jogged away from the rooftop.
Listening to her footsteps gradually fade away.
Horikita Suzune picked up a rice ball and, imitating Amane, stuffed it whole into her mouth.
"Cough, cough, cough."
Unfortunately, she didn't have Amane's natural talent and was immediately choked, unable to breathe.
She poured a cup-full of miso soup from Amane's thermos, which helped her swallow the rice ball.
"Damn it, I'm regretting it a little."
Horikita Suzune gave a self-deprecating laugh.
Just a minute ago, she had feigned generosity, telling Amane to leave quickly.
How long had it been, and she was already regretting it?
"Horikita Suzune, without Amane, you're still that lonely person, aren't you?"
Horikita mumbled to herself, her face full of self-mockery.
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