Inside the room.
After Hikigaya left.
Looking at Sakura Airi, whose face was flushed red, Hasebe Haruka couldn't help but squeeze her small hand to cheer her up.
Feeling the strength coming from her palm.
Sakura Airi took a deep breath. Looking at Ichinose and the other girl opposite her, she finally plucked up the courage to say loudly:
"Honami-chan, Yuki-chan, actually, I like Hikki!"
Ichinose had a smile on her face, while Himeno Yuki, who was nearby, rested her chin on her hand and looked away, feeling even more speechless.
"You don't think we~ couldn't tell, do you?"
"Eh eh eh!???"
Little Sakura was greatly shocked.
The courage she had managed to muster caused her face to turn even redder instantly.
"It was too obvious..."
Himeno Yuki said with some impatience.
This little girl's gaze was practically glued to Hikigaya; her blurred eyes looked as if she wanted to throw herself into Hikigaya's arms, and she blushed at every turn.
Even a fool could tell.
Sakura Airi actually thought she had hidden it well?
It was really... too cute.
"Airi..."
Ichinose looked at Sakura Airi with a bit of helplessness.
"We already knew you liked Hikki, so why are you telling us this now? What are your thoughts?"
"Phew..."
Sakura Airi took a deep breath and performed a formal dogeza bow, earnestly requesting:
"I... Ichinose-san, Himeno-san, I also want to become Hikki's girlfriend. Can you let me join you!"
She originally wanted to use their nicknames, but Sakura Airi felt it wasn't formal enough, so she switched to honorifics.
Ichinose and Himeno Yuki exchanged a glance. Himeno Yuki felt quite helpless:
"Fine, whatever."
"I don't have any objections either. Airi, you should get up quickly."
Looking at Sakura Airi with her head pressed to the floor, Ichinose couldn't help but smile.
Actually.
As long as things were communicated properly.
The two of them wouldn't have any objections.
The most detestable was someone like Sakayanagi, who forced her way onto the ship without even saying hello.
"Eh?"
Hasebe Haruka, who was nearby, was a bit surprised:
"You guys just agreed like that?"
"Then what else should we do?"
Himeno Yuki was indeed feeling a bit annoyed.
But the most annoying thing was herself; she clearly didn't want to agree, yet she couldn't bear to reject such a cute person like Sakura Airi.
She couldn't be a good person, and she couldn't be a bad person either.
"Because, it can't be helped."
Seeing the hidden trace of determination in Sakura Airi's eyes, Ichinose couldn't help but laugh.
"Even if we didn't agree, Airi probably wouldn't give up, right?"
"Yes..."
Sakura Airi nodded and explained somewhat flusteredly: "But I definitely don't mean to compete with everyone. Just being able to be with Hikki is enough for me."
"As long as you know that."
Himeno Yuki let out a light breath and nodded with satisfaction: "Then from now on, you should call me and Ichinose 'elder sister'."
It had to be said.
Although they both liked Hikigaya, Sakura Airi and Hasebe Haruka were completely different.
She was the first one to take the initiative to come and say hello, giving them full respect.
For such a polite and sensible good child.
Ichinose and Himeno Yuki really found it hard to refuse; at the very least, she was much better than Sakayanagi.
She responded well to a soft approach rather than a hard one.
As long as Sakura Airi spoke nicely, Himeno Yuki would return the kindness.
"However, before that."
At this time, Ichinose spoke with a somewhat serious expression: "Airi, I want to ask you a question first."
"Please do..."
"Airi."
Ichinose gazed seriously at Sakura Airi:
"We know you have liked Hiki-pari since a long time ago, but after that, you and Hiki-pari didn't seem to have any more contact.
"Is wanting to join now because you truly like Hikki, or simply because of the gratitude you feel for Hikki saving you?"
If it was just gratitude.
Ichinose felt she didn't need to do this at all; she believed Hikigaya wouldn't care about such things either.
"It's not that..."
Hearing Ichinose's serious tone, Sakura Airi also met her gaze seriously.
"This expulsion incident made me reflect a lot. If I can't be with Hikki, I will definitely regret it in the future!"
"So, I've already decided, I will absolutely not give up."
Upon hearing this.
Ichinose and Himeno Yuki exchanged a look.
They were both somewhat helpless.
"That central air conditioner."
Himeno Yuki's teeth were itching with resentment.
She knew Sakura Airi probably only looked for Hikigaya to express her feelings so she wouldn't regret it, not expecting Hikigaya could actually save her.
After all.
Sakura Airi definitely didn't know how many private points Hikigaya had.
Everything.
Could only be blamed on Hikigaya being too gentle.
Probably any woman who encountered such a thing would offer herself, let alone Sakura Airi, who already had some admiration.
Ichinose and Himeno Yuki could also understand that.
"Alright."
Ichinose nodded and said: "I'll call Sakayanagi and the others over later, and you guys can get to know each other a bit; there shouldn't be any problems."
"Eh? I think we'll skip that."
Looking at Sakura Airi's stiff face, Hasebe Haruka quickly refused.
"How should I put it, I feel like Sakayanagi is a bit scary."
"Yeah, yeah."
Sakura Airi also nodded repeatedly: "Just the few of us is fine, right?"
Although she could get along well with Ichinose and the others, that wasn't necessarily true for Sakayanagi Arisu.
After all.
It couldn't be helped.
Sakayanagi looked like someone people would want to keep at a distance.
If you can't afford to provoke her, can't you just hide?
Every leader has a set of methods to gather people together. Although Sakayanagi could do it, her method couldn't be called outstanding.
"Eh?"
Ichinose was slightly stunned and shook her head helplessly:
"Actually, don't worry."
"Although it's hard to tell, Sakayanagi isn't as strict as you imagine."
"Moreover, when Hikkì meets with Sakayanagi and the others, you can't actively avoid them every time, can you?"
"This..."
Sakura Airi and Hasebe Haruka exchanged a glance.
If they had to choose a side between Ichinose and Sakayanagi, they would naturally stand with Ichinose.
Although they didn't want to have contact with Sakayanagi.
Always avoiding her like this was indeed not a solution.
"Don't worry, I will help you when the time comes."
"Alright then."
"And Karuizawa-san..."
"Okay, don't worry, I will work hard to get along well with everyone."
Sakura Airi took a deep breath and nodded forcefully.
She had already made up her mind to change and certainly couldn't be timid as before.
What's more, she had Ichinose, Haruka, and others behind her.
She would face it bravely.
But Hasebe Haruka, who was to the side, didn't realize that Ichinose and the others had counted her in as well.
It couldn't be helped.
Hasebe Haruka and Sakura Airi were practically like conjoined twins.
In fact.
Most of the time, it was Hasebe Haruka who spoke.
After all.
In Hasebe Haruka's eyes, the two of them were best friends, so she naturally had to speak up for Sakura Airi.
She didn't realize at all.
How inappropriate it was for her to be here.