After introducing themselves, the dorm room quickly settled into a comfortable rhythm. Thanks to Natsukawa Kanade's natural charm, the atmosphere grew lively. Even Hikigaya Hachiman, infamous for his reluctance to engage in anything remotely social, managed to blend in somewhat seamlessly.
"Alright, since it's just us guys, we have to discuss the most essential topic for boys' gatherings: girls and love!" declared Tanuma Tsubasa with a mischievous grin.
"Eh? Isn't that moving a bit too fast?" Hikigaya groaned, his brow furrowing as if he were carrying the weight of the world. "Who made that a rule?"
"Well, it is kind of the norm," Shirogane Miyuki chimed in, nodding sagely as though he'd just shared some profound piece of wisdom.
"Don't be such a killjoy, Hikki," Kanade added with a teasing smirk. "It's not like we're asking for your life story. Just join in. Or... would you rather sulk in a corner until bath time?"
"You..." Hikigaya shot Kanade a glare that could curdle milk. "Fine, whatever. But don't expect me to spill my deepest secrets."
Kanade shrugged, ignoring his friend's sulky demeanor. He motioned toward Tsubasa. "Since you brought it up, you go first. Any recent developments in the romance department?"
Tsubasa scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, actually, yeah. There's this girl in my class I've been thinking about a lot lately..."
"Oho~?" Kanade and Miyuki leaned forward simultaneously, their eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Even Hikigaya perked up slightly, though he tried to mask his interest by staring at the paperback he held upside down.
"We run into each other a lot, and she's really nice," Tsubasa continued, his cheeks tinged pink. "She even gave me chocolate recently..."
"Chocolate?!" Miyuki's eyes practically glowed. "What kind? Details, man, details!"
"Just three little chocolate balls in a cute bag," Tsubasa replied, looking even more embarrassed.
Miyuki slammed his fist into his palm, his expression triumphant. "There's no doubt about it—it's destiny chocolate!"
Kanade and Hikigaya exchanged a look. Their shared glance screamed, This guy's delusional...
"Destiny chocolate?" Hikigaya echoed skeptically, his tone flat.
"Exactly!" Miyuki stood, his fervor spilling over. "Women are creatures of contradiction. If they give you something simple like chocolate balls, it's clearly a secret confession! They just can't admit it outright because they're too shy!"
"...I feel like that logic has some major holes in it," Kanade muttered, massaging his temples.
"But!" Miyuki jabbed a finger in the air. "If it looks like giri chocolate, it's actually a cleverly disguised confession! That's the tsundere way!"
"Or, hear me out," Hikigaya interjected, "it's just giri chocolate, and you're massively overthinking it."
"No way!" Miyuki shot back, undeterred. "Tsubasa-kun, was there anything else? Something she said or did that seemed... unusual?"
Tsubasa nodded earnestly. "Actually, yeah. She once asked me if I had a girlfriend. When I said no, she immediately whispered it to her friends."
Kanade raised an eyebrow. "That... does sound like something. But are you sure she wasn't just teasing you?"
"Teasing?!" Miyuki gasped in horror. "Impossible! She's clearly spreading the word to stake her claim before anyone else swoops in!"
"I think she's just bullying him..." Hikigaya muttered under his breath, only for Miyuki to completely ignore him.
"This is the start of your love story, Tsubasa! You're entering the legendary peach blossom season!"
"The what now?" Hikigaya deadpanned, visibly losing patience.
"So, as I was saying…" Shirogane Miyuki adjusted his posture dramatically, raising a finger to emphasize his point. "This is clearly a romantic period for you, Tsubasa! The kind where girls start vying for your attention, alliances are forged, and friendships could be at stake! Worst-case scenario, you might even become the target of bullying if things get messy!"
"Eh? Bullying?! No way…" Tsubasa's face fell, his expression clouded with guilt. The idea that someone could get hurt because of his inaction weighed heavily on him. "What should I do then?"
"It's simple," Miyuki replied, his voice filled with conviction. "Just protect her. You're the only one who can shield her from the storm!"
"T-That's…" Tsubasa's eyes sparkled with resolve, his hands clenched into fists. "That's what I'll do!"
"Oi, oi, hold on a second!" Hikigaya Hachiman couldn't take it anymore and slammed his palm onto the table. "You'll make a fool of yourself! Everyone will laugh at you, and you'll carry that shame through all three years of junior high. Do you really want to become that guy?"
"Eh? Why would anyone laugh at me?" Tsubasa tilted his head, looking genuinely confused.
"Yeah, why?" Miyuki chimed in, his brow furrowing. "Are you saying my analysis is wrong?"
"Uh…" Hikigaya faltered, feeling the weight of their gazes. The air turned tense as both boys leaned in, their eyes boring into him, demanding an explanation.
Before Hikigaya could muster a response, Natsukawa Kanade, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, finally spoke up.
"I've been thinking about this, and… it's not entirely hopeless, you know?"
"Eh?! You too, Kanade?" Miyuki and Tsubasa immediately sat back down, turning their full attention to him.
Hikigaya, relieved to escape the hot seat, slumped into his chair and muttered, "Finally, someone with common sense..."
Kanade leaned forward slightly, his expression contemplative but calm. "Girls' behavior often reflects their personalities. If you pay close enough attention, you can pick up on the subtle signs they give off."
"Subtle signs?" Tsubasa asked, leaning in eagerly.
"For instance," Kanade began, "think of the literature club senpai who always seems calm and detached, like nothing in the world could ruffle them. But then, one day, they start shaking their legs or tapping their foot under the table. That's when you know something's off—like maybe they're annoyed or anxious. These little quirks can tell you a lot."
The group nodded, captivated by his explanation. Even Hikigaya, who had been sulking moments ago, looked mildly interested.
"Now, let's apply this to your situation." Kanade crossed his arms thoughtfully. "If a girl who usually gets along with you suddenly asks, 'Do you think someone like me is suited for a relationship?' it's not just a random question. It's often because she's wrestling with her own feelings—maybe she's been confessed to by someone else but doesn't know how to feel about it. Or… maybe she already likes you and is waiting for you to notice her."
Tsubasa's face turned bright red. "R-Really?!"
"Hold on, I'm not finished," Kanade interrupted with a smirk. "In your case, though, the girl didn't ask something like that. She turned around and shared your answer with her friends. That's an entirely different situation."
"What does that mean?" Tsubasa asked, his voice trembling with both hope and dread.
"Well…" Kanade tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing in thought. "It's possible that someone else in that group of girls is interested in you, and the one you're focused on is acting as a messenger. She might be close friends with the one who actually likes you, which is why she shared your response so openly."
Tsubasa's jaw dropped. "S-So… you're saying someone in that group…"
"Exactly." Kanade's expression softened. "Now, this is just speculation, but given that she also gave you chocolates—albeit just three little ones—it's safe to say there's no animosity involved. At the very least, she doesn't dislike you."
"Chocolates!" Miyuki interjected, suddenly fired up again. "See? I told you! Destiny chocolate!"
Kanade ignored him, pressing on. "Of course, this all hinges on the assumption that they weren't teasing you. If they were just playing around, then everything I've said is moot."
"Teasing…" Tsubasa muttered, looking troubled.
"But judging by what you've described, the odds of them teasing you are slim," Kanade reassured him. His expression grew confident, and he leaned back slightly. "So, based on everything we've discussed, I'd say the probability that at least one of those girls 'cares' about you is… 1000%."
"!!!Ｏ(≧口≦)Ｏ"
"Σ(っ°Д °;)っ!!!"
"…? ⊙▽⊙"
The reactions from Tsubasa, Miyuki, and even Hikigaya ranged from utter shock to total confusion. Kanade couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight.
"Now, the real question is," Kanade said with a grin, "what are you going to do about it, Tsubasa?"
The poor boy could only stammer incoherently, his face as red as a tomato.