Seeing the short-haired girl at his dorm room door, Hashima couldn't help but feel exasperated. He had expected her to react after witnessing him seek out Horikita earlier, but he hadn't anticipated her staking out his room in broad daylight.
If others saw this, rumors would inevitably spread. His time management plan had only just begun—he couldn't let it crash and burn now.
Without hesitation, Hashima ushered Kushida inside. Once she hurried into the bedroom, he slowly closed the door before retrieving two cans of peach-flavored soda from the fridge.
He had recently discovered this flavor and found it quite refreshing—perfect for the sweltering May heat.
Carrying the drinks into the bedroom, he found Kushida sitting stiffly on his bed, her face icy. She didn't seem to like sitting on the floor around the low table.
"Here, Kushida-san. Peach soda."
Hashima acted as if nothing was wrong, handing her a can.
"..."
Though seething, Kushida met his gaze and held back her anger, accepting the drink.
The cold touch against her palm helped clear her furious haze slightly.
"So, Kushida-san, since you waited outside my room, I assume you have something to say." Hashima took a sip before leaning back in his chair.
"What exactly is your relationship with Horikita?"
Seeing his relaxed demeanor, Kushida's tone held no warmth.
"I believe I've already answered that question before, haven't I?"
Hashima remained calm, studying the short-haired girl on his bed. Her usually charming face was devoid of expression, lips pressed tightly together, her violet-red eyes glinting sharply.
"Horikita-san and I are just classmates. What else could it be?"
"I want the truth. From running into you two at the café to you actively seeking her out in Class C today—" Kushida's lips curled into a cold smile. "If you were just classmates, would you go this far?"
"Well, maybe we're a little closer than classmates..."
Hashima adjusted his words while observing her reaction.
"But we're not friends yet," he added with a wry smile. "Horikita-san herself said so. Becoming her friend isn't easy."
"...Is that so?"
After witnessing their interaction earlier, Kushida had been both shocked and furious.
Shocked because she feared Horikita and Hashima's relationship—if they were truly close, what if Horikita revealed her secret?
Furious because Hashima's behavior contradicted his claims of honesty. If they were merely classmates, how could Horikita comply so readily?
"Of course. Don't you remember, Kushida-san? I even helped you get closer to Horikita-san before." Hashima paused, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "And yet, you still didn't become friends with her, did you?"
"..."
"Speaking of which, I actually have a question."
Hashima stood and sat beside Kushida on the bed.
Though their interactions always seemed to revolve around him accommodating her, the truth was that Hashima held the upper hand due to his information advantage. She had no idea she was being led by the nose.
Kushida's reactions were always tied to Horikita, confirming his theory that this angle would remain effective.
To placate her, he needed to offer an out while gently nudging her toward it. Leaving her stuck would only cause trouble.
"What question?"
Surprised by his proximity, Kushida stiffened. This distance breached personal space—she could even smell his faint masculine scent.
Yet, for some reason, she didn't recoil. The realization unsettled her.
Despite being Class C's social queen, Kushida never let anyone take liberties. Even with male classmates she frequently chatted with, she maintained at least a meter's distance.
Now, with their shoulders nearly touching, her pulse quickened.
But she pushed the thought aside, focusing on gauging his intentions.
"It's simple. The reason Kushida-san and I became friends was Horikita-san. While helping you two connect, we grew closer."
"But now, just because I've gotten slightly closer to Horikita-san, you've reacted so strongly. Why is that?"
After speaking softly, Hashima turned to study her face.
"..."
"And that night..."
Noting her silence, he added fuel to the fire, raising a brow to allude to the "handprint incident" where Kushida had raged at Horikita.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Though flustered, Kushida forced herself to remain composed.
"Let me hazard a guess."
Hashima chuckled. This girl really is the epitome of tsundere. Even when it's this obvious, she still wants control.
"My theory is that Kushida-san genuinely wanted to befriend Horikita-san. But since Horikita-san is so difficult, no matter how hard you tried, it didn't work."
"That night, your pent-up frustration boiled over, leading to... that outburst." Hashima offered an out. "And now, seeing Horikita-san and me getting closer, that imbalance intensified, making you angry."
"So you came to confront me, wondering if Horikita-san and I had become friends behind your back."
"How's my analysis?" He put on a smug expression for her benefit.
The exit's right here. Up to you whether to take it.
After his spiel, he felt Kushida relax slightly beside him, her shoulder softening against his.
Guess she was tense this whole time.
"I can't hide anything from Hashima-kun, can I? That's exactly how I feel."
Hearing his explanation, Kushida realized parts of it were accurate—though the crucial details were entirely wrong. It was the perfect cover.
Her delicate features regained their usual softness as she sighed. "No matter how hard I try, I just can't get closer to Horikita-san. It's so frustrating."
"Well, that's just Horikita-san's personality. Becoming her friend won't be easy."
Watching her expression, Hashima smirked inwardly. In a way, dealing with Kushida-san isn't so hard once you know the right approach.
"So, what did you two talk about earlier?"
Her demeanor shifting, Kushida leaned closer, her slender arm pressing against his.
Since he's still useful, I might as well give him a little reward.
With that thought, her heart raced inexplicably as she tilted her head. "I want to know what you and Horikita-san discussed."
"Well..."
Breathing in her sweet fragrance, Hashima paused before fabricating a response. "It was about midterms. Since Horikita-san's grades are so good, I asked about her study methods."
"Eh, really?"
Her eyes gleamed with something unreadable before she continued, "If it's about midterms, our class actually came up with a great strategy."
"Oh? For studying? Or mock exams?"
This piqued Hashima's interest, and he pressed for details.
Studying his expression, a new idea formed in Kushida's mind.
After witnessing Hashima and Horikita's interaction today, her anxiety had spiked.
To eliminate the risk of her secret being exposed, forcing Horikita to drop out would be the cleanest solution—but that was logistically challenging.
A more feasible alternative was ensuring Horikita made no friends in three years, keeping her secret safe.
Thus, she had to stop Hashima from getting closer. Otherwise, given his skills, he might actually befriend that woman someday.
That was unacceptable.
Now was her chance.
Kushida's expression turned serious as she met his gaze. "Before answering, there's something else I want to tell you, Hashima-kun."
"What is it?"
Noting the glint in her eyes, Hashima understood.
Oh? Trying to seize the initiative now?
Fine, let's play.
Let's see what tricks you have up your sleeve.