After finishing my eting with Takahashi, all that was left was to head back to the dorms. Stepping out of the café, I joined the sparse flow of students making their way ho.
As I approached the entrance, the automatic doors slid open. Just then, I spotted familiar long hair from the corner of my eye.
"Oh? Hikigaya-kun?"
"Hey."
It was Asahina, her arms laden with shopping bags.
Perhaps because of that half-serious confession she'd made before, she seed a little awkward, avoiding direct eye contact.
Neither of us spoke, leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging between us. So, I decided to break the ice.
"That's a lot of bags."
"Ah, these? Well, I figured it's about ti to stock up on sumr clothes. Ended up buying way more than I planned."
She was carrying about six large shopping bags. Just how many clothes had she bought?
"Are you heading back now?"
"Yeah. Just finished up so business."
"I see~"
The conversation abruptly died again.
I noticed her hands were red from carrying all those heavy bags.
"...Need help with those?"
I couldn't just ignore it, so I offered. Asahina blinked in surprise before shaking her head.
"No, it's fine! I can't ask you to do that."
"But they look heavy."
"W-well, maybe a little."
"Then let help. We're going the sa way anyway."
I held out a hand.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Asahina finally relented with a small smile, handing half the bags over to .
"Are you sure? They're not too heavy?"
"I'm fine... though they're heavier than I expected."
I'd assud clothes wouldn't weigh much, but these had so serious heft.
"Sorry about that. I'll treat you to juice or sothing later."
"Don't worry about it. I offered. Still, I didn't realize clothes could be this heavy."
"I was really set on so of these. Girls' shopping trips are no joke, you know?"
"I see. Good to know."
"Yep, learn well~"
She tilted her head and smiled.
Then, she closed the distance between us slightly. Not enough to be awkward, but enough that our arms might brush if I moved.
"I think I get why you're popular now."
"I'm not popular."
"Lying's bad~ How many girls have you chard already?"
She poked my cheek playfully with her index finger, seemingly enjoying the gesture enough to keep doing it until I gently stopped her.
"But seriously, you might be as popular as Miyabi. Not many guys are this considerate."
"Anyone would pale in comparison to the student council president. And I'm not even trying to be considerate."
"...That's exactly what makes you popular, though~"
Her muttered words left at a loss for a response—until another voice cut in.
"Asahina."
"...Huh?"
Asahina stiffened slightly at the sound of her na.
Turning toward the voice, I saw a third-year girl sitting on a bench, wearing a confident smirk. She had one leg crossed over the other, arms spread lazily across the backrest.
Matching her face and deanor to the OAA records, I placed her.
Kiryuuin, Class 3-B.
"Kiryuuin-senpai? Did you need sothing from ?"
Asahina's voice carried a hint of tension. They didn't seem particularly close.
"Just saw you with an interesting underclassman. Couldn't resist saying hello."
Her gaze shifted to .
"You're Hikigaya Hachiman, right? One of the two who aced that impossible math exam."
"That's , but..."
Glancing at Asahina, who looked uneasy, Kiryuuin beckoned over.
"How about a little chat? I promise it'll be worth your ti."
"W-wait, Kiryuuin-senpai! He's with right now. Can't this wait?"
Asahina cut in before I could respond, her voice tinged with urgency.
"Then join us, Asahina. I don't mind."
"That's not the point!"
"Keeping an interesting underclassman all to yourself is a bit selfish, don't you think?"
"Ugh!"
Their back-and-forth was going nowhere.
"Asahina-senpai, if you have ti, maybe we should hear her out? I can help with the bags after."
Leaving things as they were seed worse, so I stepped in.
"Eh... but..."
"Seems your junior here has more sense than you, Asahina."
"Wha—?!"
Before Asahina could react, Kiryuuin—who had sohow gotten up without us noticing—whispered sothing in her ear.
I hadn't realized how tall she was—easily over 170 cm.
According to the OAA, Kiryuuin had A in both academics and physical ability. In fact, she was the only student in the school with dual A ratings. Her social contribution was a solid C , with only adaptive thinking as her "weakness."
Her physique alone made her physical prowess obvious.
I hadn't known a third-year like this existed.
"Now then, standing around won't do. Let's sit."
"Ugh..."
"W-wait a second!"
As Kiryuuin motioned toward the bench, Asahina scrambled after us in protest.
I took a seat beside Kiryuuin, while Asahina sat on the opposite end. To an outsider, it probably looked like I was flanked by two beauties—an awkward image.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Anything. I just want to know what kind of person you are."
"Not much to find interesting about soone like ."
"That's for to decide."
She smirked, crossing her legs and looking up at the sky.
The arrogance reminded a bit of Kouenji.
"I'm very curious about you."
"Why ? There are plenty of capable students."
"Instinct. My gut told you weren't ordinary the mont I saw you."
No logic, just pure intuition.
The resemblance to Kouenji was uncanny.
"Are you aiming for first place in the upcoming island exam?"
"Who knows? I haven't even ford a group yet."
"Sa here. Though I plan to go solo."
With her abilities, she might actually pull it off.
"You could probably take first place solo, Kiryuuin-senpai."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere. I just want enough private points to get by. Class points an nothing to ."
She wasn't interested in class rankings—just the imdiate benefits of private points.
"No interest in class competition?"
"None. But that doesn't an I'm indifferent to people. If soone catches my eye, I'll approach them. I've done the sa with Nagumo and even the forr student council president, Horikita Manabu."
"So I've earned your interest too, huh?"
"Quick on the uptake, aren't you? I've known your na for a while, but only recently decided you were worth observing."
"...? How did you know my na before the math exam?"
Her wording stood out. She'd known about *before* the exam?
"You don't know? There were rumors about you circulating among certain students last year."
"Rumors about ?"
I'd never heard of any.
Then again, maybe they just hadn't reached my grade.
Seeing my confusion, Kiryuuin looked genuinely surprised for the first ti.
"To be clear, these rumors have died down by now. And their accuracy is questionable. Asahina, you've heard them too, right?"
"Ah, yeah. But they're probably just nonsense."
Asahina gave an awkward laugh.
What kind of ridiculous rumors were these?
"The rumors said—
Horikita Manabu is infatuated with you."
"..."
My brain short-circuited.
I was experiencing, in real ti, the phenonon of being utterly speechless.
The sheer absurdity of the claim left frozen.
"To be specific, they claid things like: 'Horikita sulks when you don't reply to his texts,' 'He visibly reacts to everything you say and do,' and 'He feeds you food with an 'Ah~''—all exaggerated, of course."
"Ahaha, I was shocked when I first heard it too. No way it's true, right?"
"Uh... that's beyond slander. None of that happened."
What kind of insane rumor was this? I was still reeling from the sheer audacity.
"At one point, people even said you two were dating."
"Absolutely not. We're just senpai and kouhai."
...Now that I thought about it, sothing similar had happened before.
My flustered response seed to amuse Kiryuuin, her eyes glinting mischievously.
"Oh? Then what *is* your type in girls?"
She smirked, abruptly changing the subject. Asahina, opposite her, was watching with keen interest.
"No reason to answer that."
"Suit yourself. But in my mind, you're now Horikita's lover."
"Wait, why—? That's not—"
Just as I was about to protest, Asahinatugged at my sleeve a few tis, grinning.
"I'm curious too~ Co on, clear up the misunderstanding!"
"Fufu. Well said, Asahina."
I hadn't expected Asahina to side with Kiryuuin. They'd been at odds earlier—why team up now?
...Fine. Answering was easier than dealing with this. At least I already knew my own preferences.
"Alright, I'll say it. My type is... older won."
"Eh... Seriously?"
"Hoh."
Kiryuuin remained composed, but Asahina looked genuinely shocked.
...Now that I thought about it, this could easily be misinterpreted as flirting.
Kiryuuin studied for a mont before standing up.
She turned back with that sa confident smirk.
"Today was enlightening. My interest in you has only deepened."
"...Is that so?"
I couldn't imagine what part of warranted that.
"Let's see how you fare in the next exam. Whether my interest wanes depends on your performance."
"If anything, I'd prefer it if your interest *did* wane."
"Interesting response. I'll look forward to our next encounter, Hikigaya."
With one last glance, she walked away gracefully.
This strange encounter with a third-year left with one certainty: if I aid for the top in the exam, I'd have to defeat Kiryuuin.
...On a personal note, though, she was exactly my type.
.......
After Kiryuuin left, I returned to my original task—carrying Asahina's bags to the girls' dorm.
But right now, I was drowning in regret.
"Heeh~ So you like older won, huh?"
"Please drop it."
Asahina had been giving strange looks and comnts ever since, always emphasizing the words "older won."
"Didn't expect that from you~ Never pegged you as the type."
"It's just a preference. Doesn't an it's my ideal."
"Semantics."
"It's not semantics."
At my nonsensical deflection, Asahina giggled, amused.
"Fufu~ So does that an I fit your type?"
She poked my cheek again.
"...Maybe."
"...I see~"
I couldn't give a straight answer, so I dodged the question. Asahina suddenly stopped walking. Without realizing it, we'd already reached the girls' dorm.
"Thanks for today! Really saved !"
She took her bags back, flashed a bright smile, and waved enthusiastically.
I half-heartedly waved back as she happily skipped into the dorm. ...Were her ears red, or was that just my imagination?
"Guess I should head back too."
At that mont, I had no idea.
That the careless admission of my "preference for older won"—now known to both Asahina and Kiryuuin—would co back to haunt in the most disastrous way possible.
=================================
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