After exchanging contact information with the serene Shiina Hiyori and agreeing to discuss novels together in the future, Hashima Hikaru's life became incredibly busy over the following period.
Mornings were spent jogging for exercise, followed by attending classes seriously with his classmates. After school, he would return to the dormitory with Ichinose Honami, Shibata, and the others to hold study sessions.
Since the upper floors of the dormitory were designated as the girls' section and the lower floors as the boys', the school had set an important rule: boys were prohibited from going upstairs to the girls' dormitory after 8 p.m.
If Hashima wanted to hold a private study session with Sakura Airi, he had to make the most of his time. Thus, his own group study sessions usually ended before dinner, after which everyone would disperse and leave his room.
Today, however, there was a slight deviation. After the study session, Ichinose Honami suddenly decided to cook a meal as a reward for everyone's hard work. She took on the role of chef and invited the attending classmates to stay.
"Won't this be too much trouble, Ichinose-san? There are five of us, after all."
Hashima looked at the girl in front of him, who had already taken off her apron, feeling somewhat dissatisfied with this sudden turn of events.
"It's fine. Back at home, I sometimes cooked for everyone. Five people won't be a problem for me." Ichinose smiled, her bright eyes shimmering with an inexplicable glow.
"Or, if Hashima-kun thinks I might be overworking myself, you could always assist me."
After slipping the apron over herself, the pink-haired girl patted Hashima lightly, signaling him to tie the straps behind her back.
"Alright, since I am the host here, I can't just leave everything to you, Ichinose-san."
Seeing that she had no intention of backing down, Hashima sighed and stepped forward to tie the apron for her.
As the faint, sweet fragrance from her body wafted toward him, the boy murmured softly,
"Ichinose-san, you're always like this—constantly giving for everyone's sake."
"That's just how I've always been. Does Hashima-kun dislike that?"
Hearing his quiet words, Ichinose's reply was equally soft. She had grown accustomed to—even fond of—his close proximity.
Feeling the familiar masculine aura enveloping her, the corners of her lips curled into a faint smile.
"Of course not. I just hope you'll consider yourself more often, Ichinose-san."
After securing the apron, Hashima took a step back and called out to the classmates seated in his room, "Ichinose-san and I are going to prepare dinner now. Please look forward to the feast!"
"Got it. Let's see what kind of cooking skills you've got, Hashima."
Shibata, holding a drink, cast a playful glance at the pair standing side by side by the stove.
"Thank you for your hard work, Ichinose-san and Hashima-kun. We'll return the favor next time." Himeyuki Yukie responded politely. She and Shiranami Chihiro, who had been reviewing math together, had received much guidance from Ichinose.
"Thank you, Ichinose-san... and Hashima-kun."
Shiranami Chihiro's gaze lingered on the pink-haired figure chatting and laughing with Hashima. The decision in her heart seemed to waver even more, pressing her to urgently seek a resolution.
"Hey, guess how long it'll take for these two to start dating."
As Hashima and Ichinose immersed themselves in cooking, Shibata lowered his voice and grinned at the two girls in front of him.
"You mean Hashima-kun and Ichinose-san?"
Himeyuki's eyes immediately lit up at the question. Within Class A, this was practically common knowledge. No one was blind—Ichinose Honami often had private dinners with Hashima in the dormitory, which was no longer a secret. Moreover, their interactions exuded the comfortable familiarity of a long-married couple, making it hard not to speculate.
"I'd say they're already very close. Just one last little push, and they'll get there," Shibata took a sip of his drink, speaking with confidence. "Then our class will have the perfect couple. How nice!"
"I also think Hashima-kun and Ichinose-san are a great match," Himeyuki nodded in agreement before whispering gossip. "I heard some girls in our class wanted to confess to Hashima-kun but gave up because they knew they couldn't compete with Ichinose-san."
"Hahaha, that's true. I bet the guys feel the same way. Aside from Hashima, no one else is worthy of Ichinose."
Shibata looked immensely pleased with himself. As Hashima's self-proclaimed best friend, he had connections in every class and knew exactly what the boys who admired Ichinose thought.
None of them dared to make a move—Hashima's presence alone stifled any competitive spirit.
"Really...? I think they might just be good friends."
Shiranami Chihiro, well aware of these discussions within the class, had been struggling internally. After silently listening to Shibata and Himeyuki's conversation, she voiced her opinion, suggesting there might be other possibilities.
"Shiranami-san, you really don't get it, do you? Haven't you noticed Ichinose-san doesn't mind physical contact with Hashima-kun at all?" Shibata put on the airs of a love expert, pointing at the pair by the stove.
"If they were just friends, why would they be so close to someone of the opposite sex? I think they'll make it official soon."
"Let's look forward to it. Shiranami-san, since you're so close to Ichinose-san, you'd want her to be with someone she likes, right?" Himeyuki smiled at Shiranami.
"Someone she likes...?"
Shiranami froze for a moment before forcing a smile. "Maybe. It's all up to Ichinose-san to decide."
About an hour later, Hashima and Ichinose brought out steaming dishes, and everyone quickly helped set the table before diving into the meal.
Dinner lasted until nearly 8 p.m. After cleaning up and seeing everyone off, Hashima checked his phone.
Sigh, it's past the time limit. I can't go to the 11th floor now.
"But Sakura can come down. That's not a problem. Boys can't go upstairs after 8 p.m., but girls can come down. That's the school rule."
Hashima pulled out his phone and messaged Sakura Airi. The girl had already texted him earlier, asking about today's arrangements, and he had reassured her with a message saying plans had changed and she should come over later.
Hashima: Sakura-san, my room is ready. You can come now.
Sakura Airi: Okay, I'll head over right away.
At that moment, the red-haired girl stood hesitantly in front of a mirror.
Today's the day I go to Hashima-kun's dorm... Is this outfit okay?
Would it be better to change into casual clothes? But it's already late. If someone sees me in casual clothes on the way, it might be troublesome.
Then I'll just wear the uniform.
After much deliberation, the girl ultimately chose to put on her school blazer. She checked her appearance in the mirror—when studying with Hashima before, she never wore glasses, preferring to face him with her natural look.
But today, she was going to the third floor, where Hashima's room was. Even if she took the elevator, she couldn't guarantee she wouldn't run into others. Thus, Sakura Airi put on her non-prescription red-framed glasses, maintaining her usual appearance before stepping out.
After waiting in his room for about ten minutes, Hashima finally heard a faint sound at the door.
"Um, Hashima-kun... I'm here."
"Geez, if your voice were any quieter, I really wouldn't have heard you."
Hashima had been waiting by the entrance, so he quickly reached out and opened the door.
"Ah... Good evening, Hashima-kun." Sakura Airi greeted him shyly. This was her first time entering a boy's dormitory, and aside from embarrassment, she felt mostly anticipation and nervousness.
"Mm, good evening. Come in, Sakura-san. Did you bring your books?"
"Y-yes, I did."
After stumbling through the simplest exchange, Sakura Airi was led by Hashima to the desk in his bedroom.
"Have a seat here. I'll prepare some tea for you."
After speaking gently, Hashima turned toward his fridge, while the red-haired girl secretly surveyed her surroundings.
So this is Hashima-kun's room...?
Are all boys' rooms this simple? There's hardly anything here—no decorations or personal items. But the bed is neatly made. Hashima-kun seems like a very tidy person.
But...
After scanning the room, Sakura Airi suddenly caught a whiff of a distinctly feminine fragrance.
What's this smell?
Her expression turned slightly strange as she looked up at Hashima, who was walking toward her with two drinks in hand, a gentle smile on his face.
"Is orange juice okay, Sakura-san?"
Hashima handed her a glass and began pulling out textbooks, ready to review with her as usual.
"Mm, that's fine."
After taking a polite sip, Sakura Airi couldn't shake her curiosity about the lingering scent.
But seeing Hashima's focused expression as he arranged his notes, she suppressed her thoughts.
I shouldn't pry. Asking might cause trouble for him.
Being able to come here already makes me happy. Hashima-kun is my most important 'friend.' I absolutely mustn't make him angry.