SCIAW Chapter 85/89

Chapter 85: Two More Chocolates

"Amamiya, lend it to me!"

Fujiwara looked at Ren with sparkling eyes.

"Here you go."

Ren smiled and handed her the maple leaf gold coin.

Taking the gold coin, Fujiwara examined it closely.

It was surprisingly heavy.

She tossed it into the air, letting it land on the table naturally. It flipped over, revealing the flower side.

She tried again.

And again.

Each time, the results varied between the words and the flower, but the words never appeared consecutively multiple times.

"Hmm~ Is this some kind of magic trick?"

Fujiwara tilted her head in confusion.

"It's too random."

Kaguya immediately dismissed the idea.

"The angles at which the coin falls are always different, and the way it bounces off the table also changes the outcome."

"When Amamiya tossed it, the coin always landed in his palm."

"Fujiwara, try it again."

"Alright!"

Fujiwara attempted a few more times, but the results remained inconsistent.

Even when she tried to control the height and number of flips, it was impossible to get the same result consecutively.

"Then it can't be a magic trick."

Ren stepped forward, extending his hand beneath Fujiwara Chika's own, where she still held the gold coin.

With a light tap of his finger—

The coin phased straight through Fujiwara's palm and fell into Ren's open hand below.

"???"

"Ehhhhhh?!"

Fujiwara stared at her palm in shock.

There wasn't even a scratch.

Yet the gold coin had passed right through her hand.

She was absolutely certain, her eyes hadn't deceived her.

There was no trick to what just happened.

There had been no sleight of hand, no hidden mechanism.

The coin had simply passed through as if her hand didn't exist.

And it wasn't done at high speed either.

It had moved so naturally, so impossibly, that it felt surreal.

"This is just one of the abilities I've acquired."

Ren explained calmly.

"It's difficult to put into words."

"The best way to describe it is… my ability lets me be a charlatan, or perhaps a master lockpicker."

Fujiwara didn't quite understand, but her eyes were already sparkling with fascination.

"Is it the same kind of supernatural ability as Kaguya's?"

"How interesting!"

This was how normal people reacted when they encountered the supernatural.

"I really want to get a diary soon! I want to see what kind of ability I'll receive!"

Ren could understand her excitement.

Sonoko probably felt the same way.

But things weren't so simple.

"We still have to observe how it works."

"The method of acquiring a diary is still unclear, and understanding it will help us control its distribution in the future."

As he spoke, Ren paused briefly.

Perhaps the real key to the diaries was him.

As the host of the diaries, their distribution could be linked to him in some way.

The question was, did he control it consciously, or was it completely out of his hands?

That would require further investigation.

"Click!"

The door swung open once more.

"Oh~ You're here too."

The voice entered the room before its owner did.

Suzuki Sonoko.

She immediately noticed the chocolate placed next to Ren.

Her lips pursed slightly.

She was a little late.

Her gaze swept across the room, landing on a familiar face.

Her expression brightened.

She skipped over immediately.

"Chika! Long time no see!"

"Sonoko! You go to this school too?!"

Fujiwara looked just as surprised.

"You didn't know?"

"I thought you transferred from Shuchi'in because of me."

Fujiwara suddenly looked awkward.

"Uh… actually, I came here with Kaguya."

"Huh?"

Sonoko blinked in confusion before turning to look at Kaguya.

"You're friends with the Ice Queen?"

"...Excuse me?"

"The Ice Queen and Fujiwara Chika are friends?!"

That was more shocking than a horror story.

Sonoko knew Fujiwara well.

She was cute, easygoing, and impossible to hate.

More than that, she was genuinely sincere.

Which was completely different from Kaguya.

"Hehe~"

Fujiwara puffed out her chest proudly.

That stupid expression made Kaguya sigh, pressing a hand to her forehead.

Not long after, Ran and Sonoko entered the room, followed by Nagi, Isumi, and Maria.

With the full group assembled, Kaguya, as president of the Occult Research Club, called everyone to order.

"Alright, let's discuss our club's first official activity."

"Amamiya is the one who proposed it—"

"A weekend trip to a small island."

That immediately caught Sonoko's attention.

"Ooh, an island trip! Sounds like a great weekend getaway!"

"But why an island?"

"My intuition tells me something interesting will happen there."

"…Your intuition?"

Sonoko hesitated for a moment—

Then quickly nodded.

"Alright, I'm in."

"Ran, you're coming too, right?"

Ran thought for a moment.

She didn't have anything planned for the weekend.

"No problem."

"Actually, my parents have been telling me to go out and relax, so this is perfect."

With Ran's agreement, Sonoko turned to Nagi.

"And what about you, Little Miss Rich Girl?"

"Don't call me that!"

Nagi rolled her eyes.

"…But fine, I don't have any weekend plans, so I'll go."

Isumi and Maria exchanged surprised looks.

In the past, Nagi would never have agreed so easily.

She would have said something like.

"Go on a trip? On the weekend? Are you crazy? I'd rather stay home and play games!"

But now, even though she still sounded reluctant, she didn't refuse.

This was progress.

Kaguya scanned the group before finalizing the plan.

"Alright. Then it's decided."

"I'll arrange the boat to the island."

"The rest of the details will be decided the day before the weekend."

With that settled, Kaguya sat down once more.

"Sonoko-san, you have the floor."

"Thanks~"

Sonoko didn't waste time.

She walked over to Ren, handing over a small box of chocolates.

"Amamiya, this one's friendship chocolate. Next time, it'll be sincerity chocolate."

"Thank you, Suzuki-san."

Ren accepted it without hesitation.

Sonoko looked pleased, then nudged Ran forward.

"Alright, your turn, Ran."

"Uh, right…"

Compared to Sonoko's confidence, Ran seemed a bit shy.

She hesitated briefly before pulling out a neatly wrapped chocolate from behind her.

"Amamiya-san… because of your reminder, I was able to understand Shinichi's situation better."

"This is… a thank-you gift."

"Thank you, Mouri-san."

Ren smiled as he accepted it.

You shouldn't dismiss someone's gratitude so casually.

For the first time in his life, he had received chocolates from girls.

Even if the meanings were different, it was still better than nothing.

…Well, in a way, maybe his life was finally moving in the right direction.

Chapter 86: Female Artists Also Have a Hard Time

Receiving four chocolates on Valentine's Day was undoubtedly the peak of Ren's life.

Though three of them were just thank-you chocolates, chocolate was still chocolate.

Of course, beyond their sentimental meaning, the chocolates themselves tasted quite good.

Mouri's chocolate had a balanced flavor, slightly sweet with a hint of bitterness. Not overly sweet, but well-balanced.

Suzuki's chocolate, on the other hand, was just sweet. Pure, unfiltered sweetness.

Shinomiya's chocolate was rather plain, likely homemade.

Then there was Yoko's chocolate. Her craftsmanship wasn't bad at all, she had adjusted the sweetness perfectly. It was the second best after Mouri's.

Ding-dong!

Just as Ren was sampling the chocolates, the doorbell rang.

He already knew who it was.

Opening the door, he was greeted by the familiar sight of Okino Yoko, his next-door neighbor.

Dressed casually, she held a large casserole dish, her hands protected by insulated gloves.

"Don't say anything yet. Let's talk inside."

Ren silently stepped aside, allowing her to enter.

With a smile, Yoko walked in and placed the casserole on the table.

Then she turned to look at him.

"I made some potato stew today. Let's eat together."

"Do celebrities really have this much free time?"

"Of course not."

Yoko shook her head with a wry smile.

"Artists are usually very busy."

"Rushing from one job to the next, barely getting any sleep… Once you become famous, your schedule only gets more packed."

That much, Ren already knew.

Which was precisely why he found it strange.

"You finally have a break, and you're still spending your free time cooking?"

"Cooking helps me relieve stress."

Yoko chuckled.

"Being an artist is exhausting. There are times when I barely have a moment to myself, and I end up eating nothing but takeout. It's not exactly healthy."

"So whenever I get a break, I like to cook for myself."

"Besides, spending time in the kitchen doesn't tire me out. If anything, it helps me unwind."

It was an unusual way to relieve stress.

But everyone had their own coping mechanisms.

Ren found it a little odd, but given her profession, it made sense.

If going outside was inconvenient for a celebrity, then finding a way to decompress at home was reasonable.

"Don't artists need to watch their weight?"

"They do."

At the mention of weight control, Okino Yoko sighed.

"It was really tough in the beginning."

"To stay in shape, I had to cut out most sweets."

Thinking back to her high school days, the dietary restrictions had been painful.

"But once you get used to it, it's not so bad."

"Of course, if I do eat something high in calories, I make sure to exercise afterwards."

"I'll go grab the rice, let's talk while we eat."

Without giving him a chance to refuse, she left the apartment and quickly returned with bowls of rice and chopsticks.

The two sat across from each other at the table.

"Where were we?"

"You were saying that being an artist is difficult, and you have to control your diet."

"Oh, right. And those variety shows can be a nightmare."

Variety shows…

Ren didn't watch them much.

But he had seen plenty of clips online.

Scenes where celebrities were put through absurd, borderline inhumane stunts in the name of entertainment.

"Yeah, some variety shows treat celebrities like props for slapstick comedy."

"You've seen them too?"

"Yeah."

A hint of relief crossed Okino Yoko's face.

"Thankfully, I haven't been forced to do those kinds of shows yet."

"For now, I'm still considered a popular artist, so my agency doesn't want me appearing on those programs."

"For now, I just have to focus on maintaining a good public image."

"But it's exhausting."

She paused, looking down at her bowl of rice.

"Yeah… it really is exhausting…"

"But it's fine."

Suddenly, she perked up, flashing a cheerful peace sign.

"Yoko, forever full of energy, here to bring smiles to the world!"

Her smile was bright.

It was genuine.

It wasn't forced.

There were very few idols who actually became idols for the sake of their fans.

"In your quest to bring smiles to others, where's your own smile, Miss Celebrity?"

Ren's voice was calm.

Yoko's expression froze.

The brightness faded.

She sighed and slumped forward, resting her head on the table.

"I mean… I want to say that making others smile makes me happy…"

"But it's really exhausting."

"Sometimes I get so tired I can't smile."

That was a confession filled with pure exhaustion.

But Ren wasn't surprised.

He quietly activated Vision, allowing him to see her spiritual state.

The aura surrounding Yoko's astral body was a deep, melancholic shade.

If she continued like this for too long, she'd end up with serious mental health issues.

No matter how energetic she seemed, everyone had a breaking point.

"Sit up."

Ren set his chopsticks down, then gently pulled Yoko up from the table and guided her to the sofa.

"Huh?"

"I know you have a lot to say, but just wait a moment."

Yoko did have a lot to say—

But for now, she stayed quiet, leaning her head against Ren's lap.

Ren didn't speak either.

He simply placed his hand on her forehead.

A faint, imperceptible mist dissipated from his fingertips.

His touch was light, but infused with spirituality and gray fog, gently guiding Yoko's astral body, easing her mental burden.

"Hmm~"

A soft sigh escaped her lips.

A heavy drowsiness settled over her.

Her eyelids drooped.

She couldn't fight it.

Within moments, Yoko drifted into a deep sleep.

As she slept, her aura began to shift.

The darkness faded.

The melancholy receded.

The color of her astral body gradually lightened, turning from a deep shade to a much warmer orange.

Her mind was finally at peace.

…However, with her sleeping on his lap, Ren himself was now stuck in place.

Chapter 87: This Boy Is Weird

"Hmm~"

Early the next morning, Yoko opened her eyes, feeling surprisingly refreshed.

After a full night's rest, she felt better than she had in a long time.

Once her vision cleared, she realized she had been sleeping on Ren's lap.

Wait… I didn't fall asleep like this last night, did I?

As her mind slowly pieced together her scattered memories, she recalled what had happened before she drifted off.

She vaguely remembered Ren pulling her down to rest on his lap, his hand pressing gently against her forehead, making her feel overwhelmingly sleepy.

After closing her eyes, she remembered nothing else.

Realizing this made Yoko feel a bit… embarrassed.

A 22-year-old woman had just spent the night sleeping on the lap of a teenage boy, six years younger than her.

Why does it feel like I'm the child here?

But…

Despite how awkward the situation was, she couldn't deny the truth.

She had never slept so well before.

Last night had been the most restful sleep she'd had in ages.

Aside from the embarrassment, everything else was perfect.

"…"

As Yoko stirred, the slight movement caused Ren's eyelids to twitch.

A moment later, his eyes snapped open.

"You're awake?"

Casually stretching his shoulders, he loosened his stiff muscles after sitting in the same position all night.

Fortunately, thanks to his experience with part-time jobs, his body wasn't as weak as other kids his age.

"Yeah…"

Yoko felt a bit self-conscious but didn't bother pretending to be asleep.

"How do you feel?"

"Huh?"

Still half-asleep, she didn't immediately understand the question.

"Your emotions."

At his reminder, Yoko took a moment to check in with herself.

And realized something shocking.

Not only had she slept well, but she also felt amazing.

"…Much better."

Yesterday, she had been completely drained, so exhausted that she had felt like quitting everything.

But now, that feeling was completely gone.

Even the lingering fatigue had vanished.

"I feel like a different person."

Honestly, she was a different person.

Ren had used spirituality and gray fog to methodically ease her emotions, smoothing out her mental exhaustion bit by bit.

Even the true gods at Sequence 0 wouldn't receive such personalized treatment.

It was almost like becoming a new person entirely.

"That's good."

Something about the way he said it caught Yoko's attention.

She knew that emotional distress didn't just disappear overnight.

She had been struggling with this feeling for a long time there was no way a single night's rest could completely fix it.

But somehow, she had recovered.

That wasn't a miracle.

That was his doing.

This realization didn't make her suspicious of him.

Instead, it made her feel a bit… regretful.

She had wanted to take care of him as his kind older neighbor.

Yet, in the end, she was the one being taken care of.

"Well… You ended up looking after me all night, huh?"

Sitting up from his lap, Okino Yoko stretched her arms.

"Alright, I'll make breakfast this morning."

Glancing at the clock, it was still early, only 5:43 AM.

"You should rest for a bit. It's my turn to do something now."

Ren whose legs had gone completely numb, didn't argue.

At this moment, what he needed most was to regain feeling in his legs.

And since Yoko was offering to cook, he could take the opportunity to fully relax.

"I'll leave it to you, Miss Celebrity."

"Leave it to me!"

Puffing out her chest confidently, Yoko immediately went to her apartment next door and brought back ingredients.

She then got to work preparing breakfast.

Meanwhile, Ren returned to his room to catch up on sleep.

This time, he managed to sleep for an hour and a half.

Ren had a strong internal clock.

Even while asleep, his body naturally woke up when it sensed time was running out.

Opening his eyes, he was met with an unexpected sight—

Yoko standing beside his bed, staring at him.

"…What are you doing?"

"Well… I was about to wake you up."

Ren sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Why did it feel like this woman had suddenly become less reliable?

Yoko just grinned, lightly tapping his cheek with her fingers.

"Breakfast is ready. Get up already."

"Yeah, yeah."

After a quick wash-up, Ren walked into the living room.

Once again, they sat across from each other, just like the night before.

As she ate, Yoko occasionally glanced at the boy sitting opposite her.

Sometimes, he felt so quiet.

Yet, other times, it was clear he wasn't someone who couldn't talk, he was just someone who chose not to.

"Ha… Sitting across from you like this, I feel like I'm having breakfast with my dad."

"I'm not that serious."

Ren looked up, slightly annoyed.

"I know."

Yoko rested her cheeks in her hands.

"But you do feel much more mature than me."

"You feel more reliable than me."

"So what, are you saying you're unreliable?"

"No, I'm just saying you're better at taking care of people."

"Really?"

Ren wasn't sure he agreed with that.

He wasn't exactly talkative.

He didn't go out of his way to meddle in other people's business.

He didn't seem like the type to take care of others.

"Yes, yes."

Yoko nodded confidently.

She could tell that he was good at looking after people.

But not in the usual way.

He wasn't someone who offered material help.

Instead, he was the type to quietly do things for others without expecting any praise.

It wasn't about seeking recognition.

It was just something that came naturally to him.

If people noticed, fine.

If they didn't, he wouldn't say a word about it.

Just like when he had saved her that night.

He hadn't asked for a reward.

He hadn't even mentioned it afterwards.

In fact, he didn't even know who she was at the time.

His actions weren't driven by gain, he had helped simply because he could.

And now, there was last night.

Yoko had no idea what method he had used,

But the fact was, her emotional state had improved dramatically.

She had been struggling with mental exhaustion for years.

She knew how long it took to recover from something like that.

It wasn't something that could be fixed in just one night.

Yet here she was, feeling completely refreshed.

And still, he hadn't said a word about it.

He hadn't boasted.

He hadn't even explained.

This boy… is weird.

But for some reason.

She didn't dislike it.

There were no ulterior motives, no hidden agendas.

His way of interacting with others was pure and simple.

Chapter 88: The Shinomiya Heir

[My artist neighbor is surprisingly talkative.]

[In the evening, she comes over with a casserole and eats with me.]

[It's as if she knows I live alone and just wants to keep me company.]

[What a nosy neighbor.]

[It seems our interactions started when I rescued her the other night. Honestly, I didn't even know who she was at first.]

[I had just finished writing in my diary and was about to rest when I heard a woman screaming outside.]

[Out of habit, I checked the situation, and since I was already there, I helped her.]

[And somehow, that led to us staying in touch.]

[But I can't help but sympathize with her.]

[Being an artist in this country isn't easy, and the money they make isn't as high as the celebrities I know from elsewhere.]

[Yet, there are idol stars who genuinely work hard for their fans.]

[Bringing smiles to those who support them, until they're nearly broken themselves.]

[Heh~ My artist neighbor is really something.]

[So, I decided to test something out.]

[I helped ease her negative emotions, just using what I could do.]

[Well, the results didn't surprise me. It worked perfectly.]

[But after regaining her energy, she suddenly started feeling a bit unreliable.]

[What a contradictory neighbor.]


---

After reading the diary entry, Kaguya immediately called Hayasaka over.

"Kaguya-sama?"

"Hayasaka, is there a female artist living next to Amamiya?"

Hayasaka thought for a moment before nodding.

"Yes. But she has a busy schedule and often travels for performances. She doesn't stay home for long."

A female artist who rarely stayed home.

No—the female artist herself wasn't the issue.

Kaguya remembered that she had been involved with Amamiya because of a case.

"Hayasaka, has this female artist been connected to any incidents recently?"

"Yes."

Kaguya frowned slightly.

"Why didn't you report this to me?"

"Miss Kaguya, you specifically instructed me to focus only on Amamiya."

"…"

Realizing it was her own command that had kept this information from her, Kaguya took a deep breath.

She had given that order herself.

And without concrete evidence linking the female artist to Amamiya, it was reasonable for Hayasaka not to report it.

"Miss Kaguya, would you like me to investigate?"

Kaguya remained silent for a moment before shaking her head.

"Forget it."

"Amamiya deliberately avoided writing her name in the diary, probably to keep us from looking into her. Since that's his choice, we shouldn't interfere."

"Besides, if he didn't name her, it's likely because he doesn't want to use this connection for anything."

Hayasaka considered this.

"That's possible. And given Amamiya's rather reserved personality, that's not unlikely."

Kaguya thought back to Amamiya's demeanor.

Hayasaka's guess seemed accurate.

Amamiya wasn't the type to brag about his connections.

He was quiet, a little withdrawn, and never talked much about himself.

Most importantly, he always treated them as equals.

Because of that, there were bound to be things he wouldn't tell them.

How should I put it…?

Kaguya didn't think this was necessarily a bad thing.

From her perspective, Amamiya's personality wasn't just not bad.

It was actually quite good.

So good, in fact, that she felt guilty for having doubted him before.

For assuming the worst about someone she didn't understand.

"Miss Kaguya, maybe Amamiya isn't as bad as you originally thought."

Hayasaka's words brought her back to reality.

"…I never thought he had a bad personality."

The guilty look in her eyes said otherwise.

Do you really believe that? Because I don't think you do.

Hayasaka resisted the urge to say it out loud.

In truth, it wasn't entirely Kaguya's fault.

Growing up in the Shinomiya family meant she had always been surrounded by scheming, manipulation, and ulterior motives.

Viewing everything through the lens of power and influence was second nature to her.

From a purely strategic perspective, her suspicions about Amamiya were reasonable.

The problem was, Amamiya Ren completely ignored that logic.

He had never asked Kaguya for anything.

If anything, he had outright reduced her advantages in certain situations.

This had caused Kaguya to instinctively search for ways to gain something from him.

To establish a more favorable exchange of benefits.

Because that was how she had always been taught to think.

But Amamiya had never treated their interactions as transactions.

No matter what happened, he never asked for anything in return.

And that was something Kaguya wasn't used to.

"Miss Kaguya, what exactly happened between Amamiya and this female artist?"

"Hmm… It seems he helped his neighbor with something, which led to them getting closer."

"He said he was just meddling."

"But his neighbor seems to have interacted with him a lot more since then."

"He even helped her with something significant."

Hayasaka raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

Kaguya hesitated before answering.

"He… resolved her negative emotions."

"???"

Hayasaka was stunned.

"That's… something you can fix?"

For a moment, she seriously considered asking Amamiya for help herself.

As a full-time maid and bodyguard, her stress levels were constantly high.

Thankfully, she no longer had to report on Kaguya's daily activities to the Shinomiya family. That alone had lifted a huge burden off her shoulders.

But even so, she still relied on… unconventional methods to cope with stress.

Like watching hydraulic press videos.

Or those oddly satisfying floor-cleaning compilations.

Or even cow hoof repair videos.

Yes—those were the things keeping her sane.

Chapter 89: Social Talent Maximized

It was Friday after school.

The day of the Occult Research Club's first official activity.

This island trip was planned for three days and two nights.

So instead of leaving on Saturday, they were setting off tonight.

To make things easier, everyone had packed their bags a day in advance.

Since the club members lived in different places, the task of picking everyone up fell to the event's organizer—Shinomiya Kaguya.

Naturally, Kaguya had also arranged the boat to Tsukikage Island.

After arriving home, Ren grabbed his prepared luggage and stepped outside.

As he took the elevator down to the lobby, a large RV pulled up in front of him.

The side door of the RV opened, revealing a storage compartment filled with neatly arranged suitcases.

Without hesitation, Ren placed his luggage inside and climbed into the vehicle.

Inside, the RV was already full.

Nearly all the Occult Research Club members had arrived.

Ren was the last one.

Everyone had changed out of their school uniforms and into casual clothes.

But something felt… off.

Except for him, every single person in the RV was a girl.

And now, he had to figure out where to sit.

There were plenty of seats, but somehow, every empty one seemed claimed.

It was as if he was being evaluated.

Like he was choosing a concubine.

After surveying the situation, Ren finally made his choice.

He sat next to Fujiwara Chika.

"Hey! Did Amamiya choose me?"

"…"

Hearing her excitement, Ren instantly realized.

This entire seating arrangement was a setup.

"Why are all the seats taken?"

"You guys didn't make a bet on my choice, did you?"

The girls all averted their gazes.

"So… who bet that I'd sit next to Fujiwara?"

Silence.

Everyone looked at each other.

And no one seemed to remember placing that bet.

"No one bet on me"

Fujiwara pouted, visibly upset.

"Most people thought you'd sit next to Sonoko."

"Some bet on you sitting next to Kaguya… but no one bet on me!"

Still sulking, Fujiwara turned to Ren with a curious look.

"Why did you choose to sit next to me, Amamiya?"

Ren hesitated briefly before giving a simple answer.

"I figured I wouldn't feel as reserved sitting next to you."

"I'd probably feel… a bit uncomfortable sitting next to someone else."

Silence.

Then—

"Pfft!"

The girls all tried to stifle their laughter.

Wait a minute.

So, Amamiya felt uncomfortable around other girls.

But not around Fujiwara Chika?

Didn't that basically mean… he didn't see her as someone to be nervous around?

Realizing the implication, Fujiwara's eyes widened in shock.

Just moments ago, she had been sulking about being ignored.

Now, all her frustration was redirected at Amamiya.

"What do you mean by that?!"

"Amamiya, do you not see me as a girl?!"

Ren glanced at Fujiwara, meeting her glare head-on.

"No, you're obviously a girl."

"But when I'm around you, I don't feel like I have to be as careful as I do with other girls."

"To put it simply… you give off an approachable vibe."

Ren was being completely honest.

For some reason, Fujiwara felt easier to talk to than most people.

With other girls, he felt the need to be more cautious.

But with Fujiwara, there was none of that tension.

"Eh? Do I really give off that kind of vibe?"

Fujiwara looked at herself, then at Kaguya.

Objectively speaking, she was more feminine than Kaguya.

So it wasn't about appearance.

That meant Amamiya had based his opinion on something else entirely, her personality.

And that was strange.

I never thought I was the 'approachable' type…

"Oh! That actually makes sense!"

Sonoko was the first to jump in.

"Chika does have that weird effect on people."

"I could talk to her normally the first time we met."

"And the same thing happened with our Ice Queen."

She nodded toward Kaguya.

"She's famous for being cold and unapproachable at Shuchi'in."

"But Chika? She's the only person who can talk to her like a normal friend."

"Even though Kaguya acts friendly, most people can still tell she's secretly an Ice Queen."

Sonoko then glanced at Kaguya's expression.

Which had noticeably darkened.

"And, well… Ice Queen is definitely insecure about certain things."

At that remark, Hayasaka instinctively glanced at Kaguya's chest.

Then at Fujiwara's.

Compared to Fujiwara's unusually generous proportions…

Yeah.

The contrast was obvious.

Now that she thought about it.

It was a bit strange that Kaguya and Fujiwara were friends.

Their personalities and appearances were polar opposites.

But before she could dwell on it further, Hayasaka quickly looked away.

Because she noticed.

Kaguya's expression had just gotten even darker.

Completely unaware of Kaguya's growing irritation, Fujiwara cheerfully changed the topic.

"What about Nagi-chan?"

…Nagi-chan?

Ren looked at Fujiwara in surprise.

That was a very intimate way to refer to Nagi.

Fujiwara barely knew her, yet she was already using such a casual nickname?

"Nagi's different."

"She doesn't talk much to people she's unfamiliar with."

"She's kind of a shut-in, like me."

"But once she gets comfortable, she opens up a lot."

Fujiwara suddenly looked enlightened.

"Oh! So you avoided sitting next to her so she wouldn't feel awkward?"

Thinking back, it was true.

Nagi could be pretty standoffish around strangers.

But Fujiwara herself had never noticed any discomfort when talking to her.

She thought about what Amamiya had said earlier.

And finally understood.

"No wonder I never felt awkward around Nagi before!"

"She wasn't holding back around me, so it was easy for us to talk!"

"But… Nagi-chan is terrible at games."

The second she said that—

A vein popped on Nagi's forehead.

"Who are you calling terrible?!"

"You cheated when we played cards! And you still have the nerve to call me bad?!"

"Did I? I don't remember."

Avoiding eye contact, Fujiwara shifted her gaze toward the car window, whistling innocently.