Treat

Hiratsuka left, and they started to talk about what they should do.

Shishio didn't intend to join since he was hoping to stay away from this discussion, but when he thought about Yukinoshita and Hayama, he decided to stay.

He didn't know the details, but he knew Yukinoshita and Hayama were childhood friends.

Hayama's father was a lawyer that managed the legal matter of Yukinoshita's family business after all, so it was natural for them to know each other.

While their relationship might be good in the beginning, it starts to change after a certain something.

Yukinoshita might not say anything, but he could guess what had happened.

The friendship between girls was like a bubble.

It was beautiful but fragile.

One touch might destroy it.

Frankly, friendship was something easy and beautiful, yet many things made it complicated.

"But, like, she's cute. Why can't she just hang out with, like, another cute girl?" Yumiko looked at everyone and expressed her opinion. "She could, like, try talking to one of them, right? Then they'd, like, be friends, right? Like, easy, right?"

"Dude, that's awesome! Yumiko, you're a genius!" Tobe, who lacked a presence in this discussion, raised his voice and praised Yumiko.

"Like, totally!" Yumiko showed a proud expression.

While Yumiko was kind of smug, Shishio somehow wanted to shut her mouth with his lips.

Yui showed a bitter smile and said, "That's something only you could do, Yumiko."

"As far as making a foothold goes, Yumiko's got the right idea." Hayama took the position of the leader of the discussion naturally. "But based on the situation, it might be hard just getting someone to talk to her."

"Oh, right." Yumiko didn't seem to reject Hayama's words and just replied perfunctorily.

"Here."

Ebina suddenly raised her hand.

"Hina, you've got an idea?" Hayama asked.

"She'll be fine. She can just live for her hobby..."

Ebina didn't stop and passionately told them about her hobby.

If Rumi was interested in BL and got a friend from it, everything would be alright, right?

"There are no girls who hate BL!"

Ebine felt her agreement was flawless. She looked at Yukinoshita and said, "So I am sure you'll understand too, Yukinoshita—"

However, it was quite too much, so Hayama quickly stopped Ebina.

"Yumiko, could you get tea with Hina?"

"Okay." Even Yumiko must admit she was quite overwhelmed by Ebina's hobby. She pulled Ebina's arm and said, "Come on, Ebina. Let's go."

"Ah, Senpai, can I follow you? I am a bit thirsty."

Shishio naturally followed.

"Okay, okay!" Ebina agreed with a happy smile. She gave up on spreading her gospel and decided to go out with Shishio.

However, Yumiko was slightly nervous, but she nodded regardless. "Sure."

When Shishio stood up, he could see many gazes on him, but he gave thumbs up to Yukinoshita and Hikigaya.

"..." Yukinoshita and Hikagaya.

'Scumbag!'

Hikigaya wanted to curse this bastard. He let out a long sigh, wondering what this guy planned to do with Rumi. After all, he could see how this guy decided to escape from the discussion, which made him speechless.

The three walked away from the group toward the nearby vending machine, but they heard a discussion that had continued even if they had left.

"I don't think we'll be able to solve anything unless we find a way to make everyone friends again."

Shishio couldn't help but almost laugh at Hayama's good guy words.

However, Yukinoshita and Hikigaya weren't so kind toward Hayama.

"Heh. Everyone, eh?" Hikigaya couldn't help but let out a snicker.

"That's impossible," Yukinoshita answered without hesitation. "There isn't even a remote chance of it happening."

Yumiko frowned and wanted to say something, but she was blocked by Shishio. She looked at him, flabbergasted and blushed, but she was pulled by him.

"Let's buy a drink first, Senpai."

"Ah, um..."

Yumiko couldn't do anything and lost her voice before giving up saying anything under Shishio's persistence.

Ebina looked at the two for a moment and also followed.

As for Hayama, he was being bombarded by Yukinoshita and Hikigaya, unable to do anything.

On the other hand, Shishio brought Ebina and Yumiko to the nearby vending machine. "What do you want to drink, Senpai? I will treat you."

Their discussion took quite a while, so the orange evening glow had changed into a full night with countless beautiful bright stars.

"Treat?" Ebina looked at Shishio and asked, "Can I get the most expensive one?" She looked at the specialty drink of Gunma prefecture, which was the most expensive among all of them.

"Why not? Get them." Shishio took out the 10,000 yen piece from his wallet.

"Oh, if you're so kind, I can let you borrow my limited edition of my doujin!"

"...I don't need any, but thank you." Shishio was speechless, but then he looked at Yumiko and asked, "How about you, Miura-senpai? Do you want something?"

However, Yumiko didn't answer his question and looked away, folding her arms and showing her annoyance. Even if Shishio was her type, she was weak against him, but it didn't mean she couldn't show her temper against him. She might not be able to act strong like she was in front of everyone, but she could give him the silent treatment.

"Do you want to argue with Yukino-senpai?" Shishio asked.

Yumiko couldn't help but become jealous and ask, "Do you want to protect that Yukinoshita-san?"

"I don't want to help her, but I don't want you to fight because of this matter." Shishio looked at Yumiko and said, "And, I don't agree with what Hayama-senpai said. Everyone becomes friends. I don't think it is possible. If I give an example, it is like forcing everyone in your class to love BL. Do you think it is possible?"

"....." Yumiko.

"Hey, Shishio-kun, I can't pretend that I can't hear that!" Ebina showed her resistance after she drank the most expensive drink on the vending machine. She must admit it tasted good, and she was grateful that she was being treated, but there was something that she couldn't give up no matter what. This wasn't because of her stupidity but because of her pride and love toward BL!

"Let's ignore Ebina-senpai for a while, but there should be a second most popular group in your class, right?" Shishio asked.

"Hey!"

However, Shishio ignored Ebina and looked at Yumiko.

"Well..." Yumiko didn't deny that while she had the most popular clique in the class, especially with Hayama inside her group, the girls' group wasn't monolithic. Instead, it was polylithic, with several groups inside the class. It was by chance she was the strongest among the group, but she would be lying if she wasn't careful about the other groups since they could chomp her down when she let go of her guard.

"Then, is it possible for you to take the initiative to befriend and join the group of the second most popular group so "everyone" can be nice to each other?" Shishio asked.

"..." Yumiko.

The relationship between female students was the survival of the fittest.

If Yumiko approached the second most popular group by the initiative, she would be looked down upon.

How would she allow that?

With her personality, she wouldn't allow it.

Yet this was what made this girl attractive since her smugness was kind of pure and innocent.

After all, among the three, Yumiko was the purest.

Even Ebina and Yui weren't Yumiko's opponents in terms of the purest. She became docile and shy in front of her loved ones, and she also protected Ebina and Yui like she was a mother of the hen.

Frankly, Hayama was blind to ignoring Yumiko, so he shouldn't blame him if Shishio stole her, right?

"But most importantly, you'll be sleeping with Yukino-senpai tonight. If you two fight, you can imagine how awkward it is going to be, right?"

"Well..."

Unlike Hayama, who would be sleeping in a different room, Yukinoshita and Yumiko would be sleeping in the same room.

Yumiko could already imagine how awkward it would be for her to be sleeping in the same room as Yukinoshita if they fought.

Still, even though it was for her, Yumiko would be lying if she felt good since the core of this problem was the fact that Shishio didn't want her to fight with Yukinoshita.

"That's good. Senpai is a good girl."

Yumiko was stunned when her head was patted. She dyed her face in crimson before sweeping his hand away and running away. "I-I am going to go to the toilet!"

Shishio looked at Yumiko's back and sighed, thinking that this girl was adorable.

"She's cute, right?'

Shishio looked at Ebina, who made an upturned gaze in his direction. He wasn't sure whether this was a deliberation or not, but it might be because she was shorter than him that this happened.

"You're also cute, Senpai."

"Oh? Really? Which part of me?"

"I think it is the part that you think you can tease me."

Ebina pouted and poked his cheek. "Can you be embarrassed?"

"No."

Shishio held Ebina's finger, trying to get it away from his face. Still, he didn't ask Ebina whether she cared about Rumi or not since he knew her answer.

Ebina was cold and apathetic. She was only interested in her hobbies and didn't want to get involved in other people's matters.

Shishio knew that, so he didn't bother to ask Ebina.

Ebina smiled and asked, "Say, do you like Yumiko?"

"She is a cute girl. Who doesn't like her?" Shishio looked at Ebina and said, "I also like you, though."

"Oh? What do you like about me?" Ebina asked.

"The fact that you accept how you are and are proud of it. I like that part, but not everyone likes me who can tolerate your hobby, alright? So you should be careful."

Ebina was in a daze for a moment before she smiled and asked, "Say, Shishio, can I ask a request?"

"What?"

"Squat down a bit. It's hard to talk when you're so tall."

"..." Shishio slightly lowered his height, matching Ebina's height.

"Close your eyes."

"...You're going to kiss me?"

"Oh? You know it?" Ebina only smiled.

"..." Shishio.

"Do you want to?"

"Why not?"

Shishio thought this girl was joking, so he closed his eyes, following her words, but he felt something warm and soft on his lips.

"..."

Shishio was in a daze and opened his eyes.

Ebina kissed his lips before she moved back, showing a mischievous smile. "Hehe... I have taken your lips."

<As you have taken Ebina Hina's first kiss, you received an "Enhanced Accuracy">

"....."

Shishio held Ebina's hand and pulled her to the side of the vending machine.

"Eh? What are you doing?"

Ebina had her back against the vending machine, but before she got her answer, she was kissed by him!

Before the dimly light of the vending machine and a few insects that flew around a light, Ebina opened her eyes before she closed them again and hugged his neck intimately.

'Kissing feels nice...'

Ebina thought before she let herself fall under this pleasure like an insect that was confused by the light in the middle of a summer night.