After a lively celebration, Hikaru clutched his unfortable stomach as he unlocked the door to his dorm room.

  During the ba, he had beelessly targeted by his cssmates from Css B. Aside from the usual suspects like Shibata and the others, even students he had barely spoken to before eagerly approached him for versation.

  And, of course, there was the cssic drinking game of toasting.

  Faced with his overly enthusiastic cssmates, Hikaru couldly refuse them ht. So, he had no choice but to respond to their energy one by ohe result? His stomach suffered immensely.

  Even though they were all minors and alcohol wasn't an option, drinking too much soda and juice could be just as painful. Shibata and Kanzaki had apparently foreseen this oute, and rather than helping him, they kept refilling his gss while egging on the girls to join ioasts.

  If Iose hadn't stepped in at the st moment, Hikaru would have probably passed out in that restaurant.

  "Those bastards… They must've phis from the start!"

  Grumbling, Hikaru slumped into his chair. His body was still suffering, but the lingeriement from the night's festivities hadn't yet faded.

  It had been a long time since he had let loose like this.

  For the past fifteen years of his life, he had dedicated himself to relentless studying to secure a promising future. While he had some acquaintances in his previous schools, they had been few, and those es were long gone.

  But now, living in a pletely closed-campus enviro, growing closer to his cssmates, he couldn't deny that a sense of belonging was quietly f within him.

  Humans really are social creatures, huh?

  "Well, whatever. No point ihinking. Time to foore important things."

  Hikaru rubbed his stomad pulled up his system interface.

  ---

  The M – Css B's Homeroom

  Even after st night's celebration, the afterglow of the event still lihough everyone hysically exhausted, the atmosphere in Css B remained cheerful and full of energy.

  "Good m, Hikaru-kun!"

  "M."

  After greeting his cssmates, Hikaru returo his seat, only to notice that Iose still hadn't arrived.

  Did she stay up too te st night? He wondered.

  A few mier, just as he was flipping through his book, a familiar fragrance drifted closer.

  A soft, gentle voice followed.

  "Good m, Hikaru-kun."

  "M, Iose. You're a bit te today, aren't you?"

  "Hehehe~ That's because I already started the missioerday!" Iose grinned, her tone filled with pride.

  "Oh?" Hikaru's brows lifted slightly, intrigued. "Then I'll be all ears. How did your mission go?"

  "I reached out to one of Ando's friends from Css A, and from them, I learhat Sakayanagi often moves around with a girl named Kamuro Masumi."

  "I got Kamuro's tad messaged her, askio pass on my request for a meeting with Sakayanagi." Iose pulled out her phone and proudly showed him the s. "Sakayanagi didn't refuse! She agreed to meet me in private."

  "…Not bad. You had to gh quite a few hoops."

  Hikaru skimmed the chat log and then suddenly froze.

  A particur detail caught his attention.

  The meeting was today?

  His expression shifted slightly as he quickly asked, "Iose, where exactly are you meeting her?"

  "Oh, at the Keyaki Mall café. Sakayanagi picked the location."

  "…I see. Got it."

  Hikaru exhaled discreetly, relieved.

  As long as it wasn't the same pce as his upiing, everything should be fine.

  While Iose knew about Kushida inviting him to lunch, judging by her rea that day, if she saw him aloh Kushida, things might get… plicated.

  Hikaru valued Iose's feelings, so avoiding any unnecessary enters was definitely for the best.

  Oblivious to his ihoughts, Iose tinued excitedly, "Oh, and I also got some iing Css A iheir fa split is really severe. Katsuragi's group and Sakayanagi's group don't i at all—they don't eveogether."

  She sounded perplexed, softly murmuring, "They're in the same css… Why act so divided?"

  Hikaru chuckled. "That's just how Css A works."

  He leaned back, his analysis.

  "Css A students already had strong individual inations before ing here. After learning about the hidden school rules, that division only deepened."

  "They all know the school sees them as the most elite students, so naturally, they carry a sense of pride. Katsuragi and Sakayanagi earhe reition of different groups based on their ows, f their respective fas."

  "And in a situation like this, switg sides without a clear reason? That would mean admitting they made a mistake in judgment. Nobody wants to devalue their own credibility."

  "That's why they're waiting for the right moment to crush the opposition and prove that their choice was the corree."

  "Until an opportunity arises, they'll probably keep things at a cold stalemate."

  "…Why 't they just work together?" Iose sighed, looking troubled.

  "Alright, o dwell on that." Hikaru ged the subject. "What time is your meeting with Sakayanagi?"

  "4:30 PM, at the Keyaki Mall café." Iose read off her phone.

  "Got it. Then I'll be ting on you to get us some good intel."

  Hikaru smiled. Knowing the time and pce was enough.

  The café and the family restaurant were on two different streets—there was no way they'd run into each other.

  This time, the advantage is mine.

  *(TL/N - Tf Bruh Why are you setting up a fg????)

  ~~~

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