Katou Megumi was utterly speechless. She had clearly been with Eriri Spencer Sawamura and the others since they'd gathered at Toyotosaki Academy. Yet, as a group, they had somehow managed to forget about her entirely, remembering her existence only after arriving at Soubu High. And furthermore, her surname was definitely Katou, not Kano.
...
"Um, Kasumigaoka-senpai, is it my imagination, or is Sawamura-san glaring at me rather fiercely?"
Katou Megumi glanced back at Eriri Spencer Sawamura, whose wide eyes were fixed intently on her golden twin-tails, and voiced her discomfort.
Kasumigaoka Utaha found the situation amusing. She waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Katou-chan. She's actually quite nearsighted. That's just how she looks at people when she's trying to focus. She's not actually fierce, nor does she hold any ill will."
Hearing this, Katou Megumi risked another glance backward. Goodness. If anything, the glare seemed to have intensified.
Hesitating for a moment, Katou subconsciously slowed her pace. "How about… Sawamura-san, you go ahead of me?"
In response, Eriri Spencer Sawamura let out a haughty hmph! "Less nonsense, Kano Megumi. You go first. I'm going to keep an eye on you and see just how you manage to disappear on me."
"Um… I didn't disappear… And my name is Katou Megumi, not Kano Megumi…"
Katou Megumi felt a bit troubled, wondering how she could ever get Sawamura to remember her name correctly. However, she didn't dwell on it too much; she was long accustomed to being overlooked.
First-Year Class F.
Today, Hayama Hayato did not carry his usual bright, cheerful aura. He walked into the classroom with dull eyes, his whole being draped in a cloak of dejection. He slumped into his seat without a word.
Tobe Kakeru greeted him with his characteristic enthusiasm, but Hayato could only muster a strained smile before sinking back into his daze. He felt as if he had lost his purpose. Everything seemed bland, colorless, utterly uninteresting. He didn't even have the motivation to attend soccer practice.
Is this what a broken heart feels like? Before, he might have been merely disappointed by Haruno-senpai's attitude. But now, with the finality of her engagement, the realization that he truly had no chance at all had caused his spirits to plummet even further.
To make matters worse, the morning after the engagement banquet, he had woken up to find a young lady with freckles sleeping beside him. He was completely stunned. They were both disheveled. Regardless of whether anything substantial had occurred, the situation was compromising enough that he couldn't simply shirk responsibility. He had, inexplicably and with no room for negotiation, become her fiancé.
Hayama Hayato's standards had always been high. He never imagined he would be taken advantage of—while drunk—by a girl he found… well, plain. To be fair, the young lady wasn't actually ugly. It was just the sprinkling of freckles across her face that marred her appearance; with the right skincare and makeup, she could likely be quite pretty. But he still couldn't accept it. His preference leaned toward natural, top-tier beauties like the ones he saw every day.
Yet, the young lady's father had appeared at his doorstep, flanked by his own mortified parents, making any attempt at explanation impossible. Hayama Hayato was utterly miserable. Fresh from the heartbreak of one rejection, he found himself shackled to another. He probably wouldn't be able to freely date other excellent, beautiful girls in the future. It was said the young lady, who attended a prestigious all-girls' school, would soon transfer to Soubu High to "cultivate their relationship"—and, more pointedly, to supervise him and ensure he wasn't "flirting around."
What kind of hellish situation is this?!
As he wallowed in these bitter thoughts, Hozuki Nozomi—that undeniable winner in life—walked into the classroom. Watching him greet Yumiko and the others with bright enthusiasm, Hayato felt a wave of sour envy crash over him.
He left his seat and walked over to Hozuki Nozomi. With a smile uglier than a frown, he asked, "Nozomi… can we talk?" Hayato's tone held a distinct note of pleading.
The sight of the handsome, blond Hayama actively approaching Hozuki Nozomi triggered something in Ebina Hina. No one was sure what intricate BL plot her imagination was weaving, but a sudden nosebleed was the immediate result. Miura Yumiko, Shiina Mahiru, and a few others quickly sprang into action, pulling out tissues to stem the flow.
Hozuki Nozomi could only sigh inwardly. I really need to find an opportunity to re-educate Hina. She can't spend all day lost in these delusions.
"Alright. Let's talk."
As the clear victor in their current dynamic, Nozomi harbored no particular desire to antagonize Hayato. He was also curious about what Hayato wanted to say.
They found a quiet spot in the hallway. Hayato gazed out toward the sports field and let out a soft, weary sigh.
"Hozuki Nozomi… how did you do it?"
Nozomi raised an eyebrow. "Do what?"
Hayato offered a wry smile. "I mean… how did you convince Mrs. Yukinoshita to allow you to become engaged to both of the Yukinoshita daughters simultaneously?"
"Hmm, to sum it up… it really comes down to just two words." Nozomi thought for a moment before replying with a serious expression.
Hayato, suddenly very interested, leaned in slightly. "What two words?"
Hozuki Nozomi: "Sincerity."
Hayato's mouth twitched. "Are you kidding me?"
Hozuki Nozomi: "Not at all. I very sincerely expressed to Mrs. Yukinoshita my earnest desire to marry both Yukino and Haruno-senpai. She recognized my courage and, more importantly, saw my genuine sincerity. So, she agreed." He paused. "I thought your father, given his position, would have known about this and told you. Judging by your reaction, it seems you only found out that night."
"Yes… I only found out that night," Hayato admitted, another sigh escaping him. "I was so confident before, flaunting my childhood friend history with Haruno-senpai… Now it seems I was just the clown."
Hozuki Nozomi waved a hand. "Don't be so pessimistic. Life is long, Hayama. You don't necessarily have to fixate on Haruno-senpai."
Hayato clenched his fist, then helplessly relaxed it. "You're the one who's won. You get to say things like that. When you're on top, everything you say sounds profound." The farts of the successful smell like perfume, he thought bitterly.
"Even if I continue to like her, it's useless, right? You're already engaged. Marriage is just a matter of time. Since you even managed to succeed with two… I guess I'll never have another chance." He took a breath. "So, I want to tell you… I'm giving up."
"Also, that night…" Hayato proceeded to recount the entire, humiliating story of being strong-armed into an engagement with the freckled young lady.
Hozuki Nozomi immediately adopted a strange expression, then couldn't resist teasing, "As expected of Hayama. Being handsome has its perks—you've become the live-in son-in-law of a wealthy family."
"Is that the point?!" Hayato hissed, frustration mounting. "The point is, nothing happened between us! We just slept in the same bed! And I don't want to take responsibility at all!"
"A scumbag, then?" Nozomi suggested, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Are you more of a scumbag than I am?!" Hayato retorted, thoroughly exasperated. "You're the one juggling multiple relationships!"
Hozuki Nozomi merely shrugged, utterly unbothered. "So, what you're really asking is if there's a way to get you back to being single, is that it?"