The next day in class.
"Haaah..." Kei sprawled on her desk. Remembering Ryunosuke's words last night that he already had a girlfriend, her mood became very depressed.
As her best friend, Chiaki and Sato Maya noticed something was wrong with Kei. The problem was too obvious; now she didn't even care about her official boyfriend, Hirata. There were even rumors circulating that they had broken up.
"Haaah..." Kei sighed again while playing with the pen in her hand.
However, if observed more carefully, Kei was watching someone behind the motion of playing with her pen, and that person was Ryunosuke.
Chiaki who saw her friend like that could only be resigned. She wasn't as naive as Maya; she understood Kei's psychological condition very well. After all, she was a psychology student.
Chiaki approached Kei and whispered softly in her ear. "Who are you watching, hm?"
"Woah!" Kei jerked upright, her pen even fell to the floor from shock. She hurriedly picked it up.
Chiaki was now very sure that her best friend had fallen in love.
(It seems that suspension bridge effect was quite strong? Did I just push my own best friend into a fire pit?) She thought in her heart.
After picking up her pen, Kei said somewhat annoyed to Chiaki, "Don't startle me like that!"
On the other side, Sakura Airi was also doing the same thing. She leaned on her desk, stealing glances at Ryunosuke with a blushing face. Clearly, she suffered from the same illness as Kei: lovesickness.
Haruka couldn't bear to watch. She faced the same problem as Chiaki—seeing her best friend infatuated with a man to the point of being beyond help.
Both girls (Chiaki and Haruka) seemed to have a psychic connection; they exchanged glances. They both furrowed their brows, feeling a sense of shared fate.
Class started, and it was still Sae's class period. Still firm, and still boring. After class ended, everyone packed their bags to go for lunch.
Hirata approached Kei. "Can we talk?"
Kei didn't refuse. She also wanted to completely end their relationship. Ever since seeing Hirata protect Shiho at that time, she felt annoyed. She had long wanted to break up with Hirata.
Both walked out of class, and before long, news spread that they had officially broken up.
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On the other side, Ryunosuke had already headed to the cafeteria. Meanwhile, Airi followed behind him like a stalker, hiding behind pillars or blind corners.
"Haaah..." Haruka sighed resignedly again, forced to follow her friend. Since they were close friends, she could only provide support.
Ryunosuke arrived at the student cafeteria and ordered the Gyudon (beef) package for 518 points as usual. Perhaps because his pockets were currently flush, he was no longer as frugal as before. At least he no longer ate instant noodles worth less than 200 points just to fill his stomach.
Ryunosuke sat in the cafeteria and began eating.
Airi hid far at the end of the restaurant, but her eyes remained fixed on Ryunosuke in the distance, as if just seeing him was already satisfying.
Haruka even felt like lending her a telescope.
(You're this far? Are you sure you can see clearly?)
But unfortunately, Airi really could see clearly. The proof was, she saw a girl with a very attractive body walking toward Ryunosuke.
That person was the current Class A leader, Ichinose Honami.
Airi stood up in panic until her finger hit the table leg. It hurt so much she immediately squatted while groaning.
Haruka took out a real telescope. She didn't have vision as sharp as Airi who could see clearly from almost 100 meters away. She also noticed Honami's presence, especially her body shape which was very... how to put it? Except for the chest part which couldn't beat hers, Honami won decisively in other parts.
Haruka began to feel threatened, not for herself, but for Airi.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
On the other side, while Ryunosuke was eating, two familiar figures approached him. One was Honami, and the other was completely unexpected.
It was Hikigaya Hachiman.
Ryunosuke was stunned.
(No! You should be busy looking for problems in that wrong youth romantic comedy, why did you come to Advanced Nurturing High School instead?!)
However, on the surface, he remained calm as usual so Hachiman wouldn't realize that Ryunosuke recognized him. However, a fleeting doubt on the other party's face was caught by his radar.
(This person... could he recognize me?)
(Judging from his reaction just now, he should recognize me, but immediately changed back to an expression as if we don't know each other.)
(As if hiding something and pretending not to know.)
(Very suspicious...)
As a representative man who had been rejected by women 130 times, Hachiman had trained the ability to read the atmosphere and observe others sharply. It was precisely because of this that he was noticed by Honami and Ryuji, who aggressively recommended him to become Ichinose's assistant or right-hand man.
(Well... although this is troublesome, I'm forced to accept it.) Hachiman thought in his heart.
Both arrived in front of Ryunosuke. Honami greeted as usual, as if they were already very close.
This instantly made Airi's eyes, watching from afar, go blank.
Facing her warm greeting, Ryunosuke this time nodded with slight wariness. He wasn't wary of Honami, but rather Hachiman beside her. He didn't know whether the Hachiman in this time period was the "Full Power" version or the "Pathetic" version.
The "Full Power" version was when he had already met Yukinoshita Yukino. The "Pathetic" version was the period before meeting her. If Hachiman was in the period before meeting Yukino, then it was still manageable.
It wasn't that Ryunosuke intentionally wanted to antagonize him, but he had to be vigilant. After all, Hachiman was one of the "Four School Rulers" (along with Ayanokouji). Although his physical ability was far inferior to Ayanokouji, his other attributes couldn't be underestimated.
Ryunosuke had to be careful; as an expert from another class, being careful was the key to safety.
Hachiman also realized that the opponent was being wary of him, and he felt a bit strange.
(What does trash of society like me have that makes a big boss like him so wary?)
That's right, Hachiman already knew Ryunosuke's identity, including all his deeds.
It must be admitted, in front of a dangerous person like this, Hachiman felt a bit intimidated. He didn't want to deal with someone like this, too dangerous. He wanted to meet Komachi.
(Komachi~ I miss you.) Hachiman seemed to see the shadow of his sister waving at him.
(Loser Onii-chan, at Advanced Nurturing you have to get along with others, make some friends, don't let Komachi worry about Onii-chan again.)
(Ah, Komachi, Onii-chan will try...)