When Hikaru and Honami returned to the barbecue restaurant, all eyes turned to them.
"Honami, you're back!"
Chihiro Shiranami was particularly enthusiastic, greeting Honami warmly. Meanwhile, the two boys sitting next to Hikaru, Ryūji and Sō, observed his expression. Seeing his smile, they whispered:
"So, how did it go? Any news?"
"News?"
Back at his seat, Hikaru was confused by their sudden question.
"Honami didn't…"
Sō wanted to know if what everyone imagined had really happened outside. If the two were now a couple, it would be great news.
"What are you talking about?"
Hikaru had no idea what they were getting at. He explained, "We just went out to discuss plans for the class."
"Friday's approaching. After dealing with the big issue in Class C, we need to quickly decide the next step."
"Exactly," Honami added, speaking with a slight smile. "Hikaru had some ideas, but he wanted to discuss them with me before deciding."
"Unless you thought we were talking about something else?"
"Oh, that's what it was!"
Chihiro, relieved, replied with a smile, "Hikaru, you're so serious! Even during the meal, you're thinking about helping the class. It's impressive!"
"What can I say, I'm Honami's assistant. I have to think nonstop to give Class B an advantage," Hikaru replied, shrugging.
He glanced at Honami sitting across from him. Before returning to the room, she'd gone to the bathroom to wash her face, erasing all traces of her tears. At that moment, her expression was soft, as if nothing had happened.
Hearing his response, Honami quickly added, "Hikaru and I will continue working hard for Class B. Trust us!"
"We know, we know! We believe in you both," Sayo replied.
Seeing their behavior was normal, with nothing unusual, the flame of gossip burning in Sayo's heart was like extinguished by a bucket of cold water. She temporarily abandoned her desire to play matchmaker.
She then invited everyone to start eating, as the barbecue dishes were already served, waiting for their return.
The six students dove into the steaming food, savoring the barbecue while chatting. After these few days together, their camaraderie was evident, and they could even crack jokes.
The meal lasted about two hours. When Hikaru saw everyone had almost finished, he wanted to get up to pay, but Honami stopped him with a gesture.
"Hikaru, don't forget, this meal is to thank you for all your efforts. No way you're paying!"
"Exactly, it's the highlight of our party! Stay seated," Sayo added with a sly smile.
She stood up, took Honami's arm, and with Chihiro, the three girls left together to settle the bill.
"Alright, fine."
Facing their determination, Hikaru gave up on paying. After all, with the personal points he possessed, covering the meal would be a formality.
"Haha, we've already transferred our points to Honami," Sō explained, placing a hand on Hikaru's shoulder. "With five of us, it doesn't cost much. Don't worry."
"Yeah, and tomorrow, for the class meeting, we're counting on you again," Ryūji added with a slight smile.
Among boys, things were simple. Hikaru's skills had earned their respect, and they enjoyed spending time with him.
After a few minutes of conversation, they heard the door to the private room open.
Hikaru turned and saw the girls return. But to his surprise, in addition to the three girls from Class B, another figure accompanied them.
It was a short-haired brunette girl with a charming face and a generous figure. She took Sayo's place, holding Honami's arm as she approached the boys.
"Hikaru, let me introduce a friend. This is Kushida, from Class D."
Honami, with a gentle smile, introduced the newcomer, "We ran into her while paying the bill, so I invited her to come and get to know everyone."
"Hello, everyone!"
The girl named Kushida was perfectly at ease, even among strangers. Without the slightest shyness, she introduced herself, "I'm Kikyo Kushida, from Class D, first year. My dream is to become friends with everyone. Nice to meet you, dear Class B classmates!"
"Hello, Kushida."
The boys at their seats immediately greeted Kikyo Kushida. It had to be admitted, she had a strikingly beautiful face. Next to Honami Ichinose, they were almost on par, both embodying top-tier beauties.
When it was Hikaru Hashima's turn, as soon as he finished greeting her, a new notification appeared in his system bar.
[Ding! Kikyo Kushida's stock is now available!]
[Current Price: 10]
[Issuance Volume: 5000 shares]
"!"
Seeing this alert, Hikaru felt a wave of excitement. After several days of waiting, he had finally unlocked a new stock, and this one fully satisfied him.
A stock with an initial price of 10? It was the perfect target for massive investment.
"Hikaru, I heard you're Honami's assistant. You must be really impressive, right?"
Across from him, Kushida was unaware of the thoughts swirling in the young man's mind. True to her nature, she asked questions to break the ice and get closer.
" Not really, I just do small things for the class," Hikaru replied, shaking his head slightly. He observed the short-haired girl. Her expressions and gestures were so natural that she seemed like an expert in social relationships.
"Hikaru, you're too modest! Yet, I often hear your name from my little Honami," Kushida said with a smile. She seemed very close to Honami, even using an affectionate nickname.
" But no, Kushida, stop saying nonsense!"
The pink-haired girl's cheeks flushed. She gave Kushida's arm a light tap and addressed Hikaru, "We've settled the bill, we can go now."
"Alright."
After leaving the barbecue restaurant, since it was still early, the group decided to stroll around Keyaki Mall. Hikaru had no objection and followed the others.
With Kushida's arrival, they were now seven. As Honami's acquaintance, she naturally blended into the group's atmosphere. Thanks to her keen observational skills and ease in building connections, she quickly became familiar with the Class B students.
"A social butterfly, huh?"
Hikaru, observing her discreetly, noted this first impression in a corner of his mind.
However, she was from Class D, which meant the school had placed her in the lowest category. Yet, the image she projected was anything but that of a mediocre student.
This girl wasn't ordinary.
Hikaru continued to observe her every move. The initial price of 10 for her stock was extremely attractive, but he knew he had to carefully plan how to approach her.