Arisu uood Ryuji's unspoken meaning perfectly. Yet, instead of being annoyed, she simply grinned and followed him bato the house.

  The night stretched on without rest.

  ---

  The m.

  Ryuji headed to school as usual. As for Arisu, she remai home. After what happe night, there was no way she'd wake up before noon, she simply hadn't gotten enough rest.

  And, truthfully, it wasirely Ryuji's fault.

  Initially, he'd been cautious, thinking that Arisu, who had just recovered from her heart dition, might still need careful handling.

  But he had clearly uimated Arisu's fiery personality.

  Arisu wasn't oo admit defeat, no matter the circumstance. Her petitive streak exteo every aspect of her life, even ones Ryuji hadn't expected.

  So, while st night had certainly proven something, it wasn't surprising that Arisu would need a few days to fully recover from her own stubborermination.

  ---

  Meanwhile, in Shouko's .

  Notig Arisu's empty seat, Shouko turo Masumi, who sat nearby.

  "Where's Arisu?" Shouko asked, a touch of in her voice.

  After all, what happe night had left Shouko deeply grateful to Arisu. If it weren't for her, Shouko wouldn't have had the eet Ryuji, and the curse afflig her would never have been lifted.

  To Shouko, Arisu wasn't just a cssmate, she was her savior.

  "Ha~," Masumi yawned, looking like she hadn't slept well. She waved her hand zily, her tone nont. "She's probably… rec."

  "Rec?" Shouko tilted her head, fused.

  Masumi g her, hesitating for a moment. Shouko's i, curious gaze made her pause, but in the end, Masumi decided to expin.

  "Let me put it this way, Arisu spent st night with Ryuji."

  "Spent the night… together?" Shouko repeated, her words slow as her brain processed the information.

  Her face suddenly flushed as realization dawned on her.

  Masumi didn't eborate further, but she didn't o. Shouko quickly uood the implications. A man and a ending the night together… It wasn't hard to imagine what might have happened.

  "Ah…" Shouko sighed quietly, her shoulders slumping slightly.

  While she hadn't said anything ht, Shouko couldn't deny that Ryuji had been on her mind sihe night before. After all, he had saved her life. Whether it was gratitude or something deeper, her feelings toward him had grown.

  But now…

  "Well, it makes sense," Shouko murmured, more to herself than to Masumi. "Arisu is amazing, she's beautiful, smart, and fident. pared to her, I don't really have anything to offer."

  Her voice grew softer as she spoke, and a faint smile crossed her lips, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

  "There's no point in thinking about it," she cluded quietly.

  ---

  Masumi, meanwhile, was struggling to stay awake.

  After beio a hotel by Arisu the night before, she hadn't slept well at all. Between her restless thoughts and the unfamiliar setting, she'd spent most of the night tossing and turning.

  Now, sitting in css, she found herself yawniedly, still irritated by the events of the previous evening.

  "Tch. Those two were off enjoying themselves, and I had to find some random hotel to crash in," she grumbled under her breath. "They're lucky I'm such a nice person."

  Still, Masumi wasn't the type to hold grudges. She could imagily how things had gone for Arisu st night, and in a way, it made sehat Arisu wasn't at school today.

  "Tsk tsk," Masumi clicked her tongue, shaking her head slightly before turnitention to Shouko.

  The girl looked unusually downcast, her expression distant and forlorn.

  "Huh?" Masumi blihen tilted her head in realization.

  "Wait… Don't tell me you're into Ryuji, too?" Masumi asked, her tone blunt but curious.

  Her words wereirely serious at first, but as she watched Shouko's rea, the truth became clear.

  Shouko's face turned bright red, and she opened her mouth as if to deny it, but no words came out.

  She lowered her head instead, her silence speaking volumes.

  Masumi raised an eyebrow, her lips twitg into a half-smile. "So I was right."

  Shouko hesitated, fiddling nervously with her hands. She wao deny it, but lying to herself or anyone else wouldn't ge how she felt.

  "I… I'll keep my distance," Shouko said at st, her tone quiet but resolute.

  Masumi blinked, caught off guard by the ued response.

  Shouko looked up, meeting Masumi's gaze with a serious expression. "Arisu and Ryuji seem close, and I don't want to e between them. I won't cause any trouble."

  Her words were sincere, and her vi was clear. Despite her feelings for Ryuji, Shouko wasn't the type of person who would interfere in someone else's retionship.

  For a moment, Masumi was silent, staring at her with an almost incredulous look.

  Then, with a sigh, Masumi waved her hand dismissively. "There's no need for that."

  "Huh?" Shouko blinked in fusion.

  "You don't o keep your distance," Masumi said, crossing her arms. "Do you really think Ryuji has only one woman in his life?"

  Shouko's jaw dropped slightly, her expression frozen in disbelief.

  Masumi tinued, her tone casual but matter-of-fact. "Let me be real with you, Ryuji has more admirers than I t. Just look at the Service Club girls he was involved with before. Do you holy think there's nothing going on with any of them?"

  She leaned ba her chair, shrugging as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "So, what's one more? You don't o keep your distance over something like this."

  Shouko's face was a mix of shod embarrassment. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

  "Times have ged, Shouko," Masumi said with a faint smirk.