Asakusa Toru really was stunned.
He hadn't expected it at all—
That Shiranami Chihiro's confession…
Was a feint.
On the surface: a love confession.
In reality: matchmaking.
She wasn't trying to win him—
She was trying to push him toward Ichinose Honami.
"…Heh."
The moment those words came out, he understood everything.
And naturally—
His instinctive reaction was:
Accept it. Immediately.
You want me to date Ichinose?
No thanks.
I'll date you instead.
Let's see how that plan works out then.
That was what he intended to do.
But—
She ran too fast.
Didn't even give him the chance.
And more importantly—
He remembered something.
There were still two little "tails" behind him.
Watching.
So—
He let her go.
But that didn't mean he wouldn't follow up.
He took out his phone.
Opened her contact.
Typed.
Sent.
[Then let's date. You and me.]
No hesitation.
No waiting for a reply.
He immediately switched chats.
To Ichinose.
[You heard that, right? Since she said so—want to date?]
Direct.
Blunt.
He exposed her presence instantly.
...
Meanwhile—
Ichinose had already run.
The moment Chihiro left—
She grabbed Sakayanagi Arisu and retreated.
No way she'd stay there.
She wasn't naïve enough to think Toru wouldn't notice her.
So she ran.
To create distance.
To buy time.
To sort out her thoughts.
Because right now—
They were a mess.
...
Someone confessed to him.
That alone—
Had already stirred something in her.
A faint sense of crisis.
For so long—
She had stayed in that comfortable space.
Smiling. Talking. Staying close.
Believing—
That things could just continue like this forever.
But reality didn't work that way.
There were others.
Of course there were.
He wasn't ordinary.
Of course people would like him.
Maybe—
Even before this school, he already had someone.
So why—
Did she only realize this now?
"…."
Because she knew the answer.
"I know the reason."
She whispered inwardly.
It was—
Inferiority.
...
Ichinose Honami—
Bright. Cheerful. Kind. Loved by all.
That was just the surface.
Underneath—
Was something else.
A quiet, deeply rooted inferiority.
A single-parent household.
A younger sister.
A struggling family.
And constant reminders:
"Work harder."
"Don't waste what we've sacrificed."
The more she was told that—
The more pressure built inside.
The more she felt—
That she wasn't enough.
From the very beginning—
She never believed she could be truly loved.
And yet—
She still felt something.
Still wanted to get closer.
Still wondered—
If he remembered her.
A small selfish wish.
A large, crushing inferiority.
That was what shaped their relationship.
Close—
But never crossing the line.
Like childhood friends.
Familiar. Comfortable. Safe.
She was satisfied with that.
So she stopped there.
And because she stopped—
Others misunderstood.
But that wasn't the truth.
She didn't truly know him.
She wasn't anything special to him.
She was just—
"—Hehe."
A soft laugh cut through her thoughts.
She looked down.
Sakayanagi was smiling.
"How interesting."
She tilted her head.
"So, Ichinose-san… if you like each other, why not just date?"
Sharp.
Direct.
Unforgiving.
Because she had already seen through everything.
The confession.
The intention.
The hesitation.
Even Chihiro's scheme.
It wasn't love confession.
It was pressure.
Force them forward.
Break the stalemate.
And if Toru accepted?
Then she'd just lock him down first.
Either way—
She wins.
"Impressive," Sakayanagi thought.
She had underestimated her.
Class B really was… interesting.
...
"…What does that have to do with you?"
Ichinose's tone changed.
No longer soft.
No longer gentle.
Cold.
Direct.
"If that's all you have to say, then be quiet."
Because she wasn't Kushida Kikyo.
She wouldn't smile through everything.
Sakayanagi had been provoking her from the start.
Interrupting. Threatening. Prying.
Who do you think you are?
Sakayanagi didn't get angry.
Instead—
She smiled wider.
"Oh? You're more aggressive than I thought."
Then added softly:
"I wonder if Asakusa-kun likes that."
Yes.
That reaction—
Was proof.
Ichinose liked him.
Without question.
...
"So what exactly do you want?"
Ichinose asked coldly.
Sakayanagi thought for a moment.
Then said lightly:
"My goal is already achieved."
She had come to observe.
To find Ichinose's flaw.
And now—
She had.
Not kindness.
Not perfection.
But—
Weakness.
Hesitation.
And above all—
Attachment.
The moment his name came up—
She changed.
That was her flaw.
And that made her… vulnerable.
Sakayanagi's smile deepened.
If she took him first—
Wouldn't that be interesting?
"Hehe…"
...
"You can leave now."
Ichinose cut her off immediately.
Then turned to the side.
Looking at Shiina Hiyori.
"And you too."
Her tone softened slightly.
"This is private. Please don't spread it."
A small bow.
"Thank you."
Hiyori nodded gently.
"I understand."
A spectator's role—
Is to watch quietly.
And reflect quietly.
Not to gossip.
Not to interfere.
...
But still—
She thought.
So this was a confession.
A push.
A turning point.
What would he do?
If he accepted—
If he rejected—
If he chose someone…
Would he still come to the library?
Would things change?
It wasn't jealousy.
Not really.
Just—
A small, selfish wish.
She didn't want to lose
A fellow reader.
And that—
Was something she allowed herself to feel.
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