Dormitory building.
After the group went their separate ways.
Kobashi Yume went to Himeno Yuki's room again to hold a "meeting."
"It's no good, I want to laugh just thinking about it."
Kobashi Yume sat by the low table, giggling behind her hand. "I didn't expect Hiki to be so interesting—to use that kind of method to drive away the Class A people."
Although she truly wanted to help Himeno Yuki successfully win over Hikigaya.
Kobashi Yume wasn't just being polite; she had only just discovered how interesting Hikigaya could be.
Himeno Yuki looked up at her with a resentful gaze.
If it weren't for maintaining her persona, she would have already questioned the girl.
Kobashi Yume clearly knew that her own cooking level was the highest.
Yet she still asked that kind of question.
Could this girl be doing it on purpose?
And.
She actually thought Hikigaya was interesting.
For some reason, Himeno Yuki felt a vague sense of crisis.
"No, no, it's not like that."
Noticing her gaze, Kobashi Yume waved her hands frantically. "Don't worry, I didn't mean it that way. And I intentionally lowered my skill level a bit, I didn't expect it to turn out like this."
"As expected, if you want to catch a man, you have to catch his stomach. Starting tomorrow, we're doing cooking training for Yuki!"
"Eh, but I'm really not good at cooking."
Himeno Yuki breathed a sigh of relief.
The cookies Kobashi Yume made today were indeed not as good as the ones she usually made.
Furthermore.
Who wants to do something as time-consuming as cooking? It would be better to go out and play; even studying makeup is better than cooking.
"It's fine."
"Yuki is so smart, it'll be no problem."
"Just take it slow."
Kobashi Yume rested her chest against her crossed arms on the table, then furrowed her brow:
"However, before that, I still have to ask what you mean, Yuki. Do you just want to try dating Hiki, or are you thinking about marriage later on?"
"Eh..."
Instantly, Himeno Yuki's face turned bright red.
Marriage?
Did she hear that right?
How did they skip straight to that step?
She just thought Hikigaya was interesting and felt relaxed around him, which is why she liked him and wanted to try dating.
As for marriage...
Himeno Yuki imagined herself in a white wedding dress, with a blushing Hikigaya standing beside her.
That actually seems pretty nice.
"Mm."
"With Yuki's personality, she probably wants to marry him."
"This is love!"
Kobashi Yume clenched her small fists in excitement, then looked a bit helpless:
"But his dream is to be a full-time house husband. Yuki, you might be very tired in the future. Are you really prepared for that?"
"Ooh..."
Himeno Yuki let out a weak whimper on purpose. "I think he's just saying that. In the end, he'll probably go out to work."
"Mm."
Kobashi Yume thought seriously and nodded after a moment:
"True, Hiki seems like the type with a strong sense of responsibility. In the end, for the sake of his family, he'd probably go out to work and shoulder all the responsibility himself."
"Mm."
Seeing Kobashi Yume's analysis, Himeno Yuki gave a slight nod.
This was their usual way of interacting; Kobashi Yume usually started the conversation, and she only had to respond occasionally.
"By the way."
Kobashi Yume smiled as she looked at the girl in front of her. "I didn't expect Yuki to have such good taste. Now I can feel at ease."
"Don't worry, I will definitely help you pursue him!"
"Thank you, Yume-chan..."
"Then let's continue. Based on today's performance, I feel like Hiki doesn't have any feelings for Sakura-san, or he just sees her as a little sister."
"Yuki still has a better chance. However, Hiki is too mature; he seems to have his own goals for everything and rarely goes out to play."
"If we want to create an opportunity, we'll have to think of something."
Kobashi Yume pinched her snowy-white chin, looking just like a female Zhuge Liang.
"Hiki is very kind. I feel like if we just ask him for help, he'll definitely agree."
"If that's the case, next time we'll use the excuse of needing help to ask Hiki out, and then take the chance to split up."
"Yuki, you have to make sure to seize the opportunity when the time comes."
"You can't just keep listening from the side like you are now, understand?"
Kobashi Yume was writing and drawing in her notebook, which filled Himeno Yuki with a sense of dread. Since when did this girl's IQ get so high?
It had taken her a long time to figure out Hikigaya's personality, yet this girl had seen through him in just a few days.
--- --
Meanwhile, in another girls' room in the dormitory.
"Airi-chan, do you like that boy named Hikigaya?"
Hasebe Haruka leaned forward, her gaze scrutinizing Sakura Airi. Her ample chest was pressed into a pile against the table.
"Eh!?"
Sakura Airi's face turned red instantly. After hesitating for a while, she still nodded and said:
"Yes... but Haruka-chan, you can't tell anyone!"
Although today had been a bit harrowing and she had almost let Hikigaya misunderstand.
It was precisely because of Kushida's help that she had made a good friend like Haruka-chan. Therefore, she was still quite grateful to Kushida.
"Sigh."
"Even if you say that..."
Hasebe Haruka sighed and shook her head helplessly:
"I feel like everyone except for Yukimura and that Hikigaya you like probably knows already."
Those two.
They were absolute dense blocks.
They couldn't even see through Sakura Airi's obvious behavior.
Yukimura too.
He actually heartlessly told the other side to leave without even considering Sakura's feelings.
Although based on her understanding of Yukimura, she knew he had no malice and was just stating his opinion.
But Sakura Airi's expression had looked so troubled.
"Eh??"
Sakura Airi was even more shocked. "Is... is that true?"
"Mm," Hasebe Haruka nodded affirmatively. "But Airi-chan, why do you like that guy?"
To be honest.
Her impression of Hikigaya Hachiman wasn't good at all.
Back when Ryuuen was looking for trouble.
That guy just watched with a calm face. Since he was friends with Sakura Airi, shouldn't he have come up to help?
His subsequent actions were also something she couldn't agree with.
"Actually..."
"At the start of the school year, there was a camera shop clerk who made me scared. At that time..."
Sakura Airi hesitated for a moment, then explained everything that happened at the start of the school year.
Even though they hadn't known each other long.
At least in her eyes, Hasebe Haruka was already her best friend, so telling her was definitely fine.
"I see."
Hasebe Haruka rested her chin in her hand, falling into thought.
She hadn't expected it.
It turned out to be a case of a hero saving a beauty.
With Sakura's timid and introverted personality—someone who had never socialized with others—it was normal for her to be charmed by Hikigaya's initial kindness.
It made sense.
"He got rid of that clerk for you using only 20,000 personal points. He really must have just wanted to help you."
20,000 personal points compared to the risk of making an enemy of an adult.
It wasn't proportional at all.
Hasebe Haruka was also leaning toward the idea that Hikigaya was simply helping. Furthermore, based on today's performance, that guy didn't seem to have any other intentions.
"But why did he use such a roundabout way?"
"I think..."
A smile appeared on Sakura Airi's lips. "He must have done it that way because he didn't want to increase my mental burden. And in the end, Hachiman didn't make me pay back the 20,000 points; he even said I helped him out a lot."
Thinking of these things...
A happy smile appeared on Sakura Airi's face.
Whether it was Hasebe Haruka or Hikigaya Hachiman, they were the kindest people she had ever met.
"It's possible..."
Hasebe rubbed her temples; there was no other explanation.
Even if Hikigaya was truly kind and had no other intentions.
Still.
She really didn't think Hikigaya was a good choice.
His way of helping was far too roundabout, and he clearly wasn't the talkative type. He wasn't a good match for someone with an introverted personality like Sakura Airi.
What's more.
The two of them were in different classes.
Sooner or later, they would become competitors.
Would Hikigaya give up the chance to reach Class A for Sakura Airi?
Clearly impossible.
From today's performance, Hikigaya obviously wasn't treating Sakura Airi as someone special.
In fact, he probably hoped Class C and Class D would fight each other.
When that time came.
How would Sakura Airi choose between her class and her lover?
The two were clearly mismatched.
"But don't you think his way of dealing with Class A today was a bit... that?"
Hasebe Haruka held her thumb and forefinger close together, gesturing "a tiny bit."
As an onlooker from Class D.
The way Hikigaya stared so brazenly at the other party was actually a bit disgusting.
"Mm!"
Sakura Airi nodded happily:
"Hachiman is very smart. I didn't expect him to come up with a method like that..."
Whenever she praised Hikigaya, Sakura Airi felt even happier than when she made a friend herself.
It's over!
This girl has already been completely infatuated by that dead-fish-eyed guy.
Hasebe covered her forehead, feeling a bit of a headache.
"Haruka-chan, do you think I'm not good enough for him?"
Sakura Airi asked with a lack of confidence. After all, there were so many beauties around Hikigaya today.
Though Sakura Airi fully believed.
As long as she showed Hikigaya her true self, she would definitely not lose in terms of looks.
But in terms of personality.
Sakura Airi really had no confidence. Whether it was Kobashi Yume, Okakura Asako, or that gentle-feeling Himeno Yuki.
She couldn't compare to any of them.
"Of course not."
Hasebe Haruka suddenly became serious. "Airi-chan, you are more than enough for him. That guy should feel honored."
"How could that be..."
"Airi-chan is so cute, how could anyone not like her."
Hasebe moved closer to Sakura Airi and stroked her face, a smile appearing on her lips.
"But I feel like the stares from those boys are so scary."
Sakura Airi felt a bit dejected.
Despite having a perfect face, she didn't dare show it at all.
With this "plain Jane" image, could she really make Hikigaya's heart skip a beat?
"None of those men are any good anyway. But wasn't that Hikigaya guy staring at the Class A people the same way?"
"That's different..."
"..."
Hasebe Haruka had a bit of a headache, but thinking back carefully, she really hadn't seen Hikigaya observing girls with lewd gazes.
He just kept staring into the other person's eyes.
The rest of the time.
He seemed to be staring at the coffee in front of him.
"Haruka-chan, will you support me?" Sakura Airi asked nervously.
"Don't worry."
Hasebe Haruka stroked her head, her eyes gentle:
"Since Airi-chan likes him, I will definitely help you take that guy down!"
This girl was just too cute!
Always like a little deer that could be startled at any moment—it really made one want to protect her.
Even though she still found it hard to approve.
Since Sakura Airi liked him, Hasebe Haruka would help her to the end!