Five minutes until class.
Mashiro was still reluctant to let go, so Mio raised her free hand and gently ruffled her hair.
"Bell's about to ring. Head to class."
The two of them had drawn a few glances from passing students—nothing unusual. Everyone knew they walked to school together every day, and most people assumed the stares were just because two absurdly pretty girls being this inseparable was genuinely nice to look at.
Mashiro gave a small nod. Then, reluctantly, released Mio's hand and walked through the classroom door, glancing back three times before she sat down.
Mio waited until Mashiro was seated, then walked quickly to her own classroom.
She'd barely sat down when the bell rang.
"Why were you almost late today?" Miura Yumiko asked from the seat beside her.
"Took a little longer on the bento boxes this morning. Actually—I made extra today. If Her Majesty doesn't mind, maybe have lunch together?"
"I suppose I can be persuaded." Miura had long since stopped correcting that nickname. Mio wasn't going to change, and arguing about it was a waste of breath.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something different about Mio today—every glance, every little smile carrying this odd, magnetic pull to it. Even Miura, as another girl, had felt a distinctly weird thought cross her mind just a moment ago.
She caught herself, pressed her palm firmly to her thigh, and pinched.
The pain snapped her head clear.
"Actually—wait. Didn't Her Majesty S say something yesterday about going on a diet? Maybe the big bento is wasted on me."
"...???"
No question. She'd been messed with. Mio, that infuriating little gremlin.
Miura was gearing up to retaliate when the teacher walked in, forcing her to settle for one withering glare and a mental promise of payback at break time.
The threat had zero effect whatsoever.
Mio pulled out the notes she'd borrowed from Yuigahama and settled in to study.
She'd barely found her rhythm when the system's voice cut right through her focus:
"My dear Host~ Your ever-devoted, totally-not-scheming little companion is back to warm your heart again!"
"It's the middle of class. Can't you wait until break?"
"Nothing I can do about it, Host~ You know I don't control when tasks show up."
"Fine. Skip the intro."
"Please find a way to get Katou Megumi to proactively invite you somewhere before the weekend. Any time slot on the weekend works—location is totally up to her! Succeed, and you may receive a card or item from the Katou Megumi series. Fail, and it's penalty deck time. Rooting for you~!"
Mio immediately did a quiet scan of the classroom.
She found Megumi without much trouble.
The honest truth was, she'd only just started paying attention to her. She'd been making a point to chat here and there—setting groundwork—but the timeline was short. Megumi's goodwill toward Mio was probably pretty limited at this stage.
If the task had been Mio inviting Megumi, that would've been manageable. But Megumi inviting Mio? Voluntarily? With no prompting?
Yeah. That was going to take some thought.
At least it was only Tuesday. She had time.
As if she'd felt the weight of Mio's gaze, Megumi turned slightly and glanced back toward where Mio was sitting.
Mio didn't look away. She just smiled—warm and easy, like she hadn't been staring at all.
Megumi had no particular reason to be suspicious. But something about that smile left her with an inexplicable feeling that something was slightly... off.
The period ended. Mio wanted to get up and start working on Megumi right away—but she'd barely risen from her seat before she spotted Mashiro hovering in the hallway outside the classroom door.
Mashiro did a quick sweep of the room. Found Mio immediately. That silver hair was impossible to miss.
"Mashiro? You came all the way over here?"
"Missed you."
She said it with complete, unselfconscious honesty. She didn't know how to conceal it, so she didn't try.
Even Mio, caught off-guard by how direct that was, felt her ears go warm.
The system chimed softly: "The host's conquest rating with Shiina Mashiro has increased by 1 point."
Mio collected herself. "Promise me something, Mashiro—don't say things like that to other people, okay?"
Mashiro's expression didn't change. "I only miss you. Not other people."
Mio's heart did something very inconvenient.
No conquest rating notification this time, at least. She had absolutely no idea what she would've said if there was.
While Mio and Mashiro talked, Yuigahama Yui was watching from her seat by the window.
She couldn't hear the conversation. But she could see the bright, unguarded smile on Mio's face—and Mashiro's eyes, which hadn't moved from Mio for even a second, completely indifferent to the crowd flowing around them in the hallway.
For a moment, Yuigahama found herself wondering whether "really good friends" quite covered what she was looking at.
She shook the thought off quickly. She'd definitely been reading too much of that kind of material lately. It was starting to warp her perception—she was going to end up reading subtext into everything at this rate. Including things involving herself.
She really should've been more careful about clicking that search result.
...Although. Honestly?
Two girls falling for each other? Really good content, okay?
Ahem.
By the time Yuigahama reined her thoughts in, Mashiro was already gone. Mio had returned to her seat.
Mio had been hoping to track down Megumi and start laying the groundwork, but before she could spot her in the room, Yuigahama had already slid up to her desk.
"Um—what did Shiina-san come over for just now?"
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