Just stepping through the school gates, Miyahito felt a subtle, cautious gaze on their backs. Glancing at Utaha (linking arms with Yuki, chatting about girl stuff), he looked back at the crowd.
"Tooru," he frowned slightly, voice low. "Feel anyone staring at us?"
"Nope." Tooru didn't look up from his phone. "Besides, it's school. People looking at you won't make you lose flesh."
Yuki chimed in: "Another senpai planning to confess? You're such a girl-magnet~"
"Yuki, don't joke like that." Miyahito quickly turned back, shooting her a warning glare before nervously addressing Utaha. "Utaha, you know me. I haven't done anything."
"Hmph." Utaha playfully put on a stern face, humming mockingly. "Who knows~~ Boys' words, sigh, not very convincing~~ Right, Yuki?"
"Absolutely! Utaha's right!" Yuki nodded eagerly.
"I'm really not that kind of person! Utaha, you have to believe me!" Spotting Tooru still on his phone, Miyahito grabbed his shirt, pulling him forward as a shield. "Look, he's the girl-magnet. Purple hair, wristbands, flashy branded sports bag. Me? No dyed hair, just a watch, normal backpack."
Hearing him use his bro as a shield while subtly flexing his own "plain" image, Yuki and Tooru were dumbfounded by his survival instinct. Especially Tooru. Minding his own business on Twitter, suddenly dragged into Miyahito's desperate act. As a bro, he wouldn't let this slide.
Rolling his eyes at the grip on his shirt, Tooru looked deadpan at the giggling Utaha and calmly exposed Miyahito: "Utaha, I wouldn't believe Miyahito's nonsense if I were you."
"That watch on him is the G-SHOCK Jurassic collab. The water bottle is the 'Tritan Gradient Blue' model. And that's not a normal backpack—it's the Louis Vuitton 'Christopher Slim' released this April..."
Realizing his secrets were spilling, Miyahito clamped a hand over Tooru's mouth. "Ahaha, well, Utaha, Yuki, Tooru and I are heading up first! Bye!"
Without pausing, he dragged the muffled Tooru and bolted for the building. The two girls left behind exchanged a glance, then burst out laughing.
"Hehe... Utaha... let's head up too..." Yuki laughed, wiping tears. Utaha nodded rapidly, eyes crinkled with laughter.
As they entered the building, behind Utaha, a girl in a Toyogasaki uniform with long black hair watched her back with a complex expression. Her companion glanced at her and hesitated.
"Still planning to confess?"
"Feels like Miyahito-kun and Kasumigaoka-san might be together already..."
"No." The girl shook her head. "Just walking together occasionally. And..." She took a small breath, stepping forward. "Miyahito-kun is just being deceived by that woman. I'll definitely expose her true colors."
...
Break time. Hallway outside Class B.
"I see." Kyoko listened to Yuki's rambling, then looked fondly at Miyahito's back (dragged to the balcony by Tooru for a "man-to-man talk"). "Looks like we really need to prep the sekihan early."
"But," Yuki pouted, fingers together. "Miyahito's dragging this out. Finals are almost here."
"Easy for us to say," Kyoko waved her hand. "It's his first love. Hesitation is understandable."
"Hah, hope it goes smoothly." Yuki sighed. Kyoko gently patted her head.
"Where's Utaha?"
"Went to the restroom."
"That long? We have home ec next."
Meanwhile, girls' restroom.
"Hey, you're Kasumigaoka from Class C?"
"The one deceiving Miyahito-kun, playing with his feelings?"
Hearing the hostile tone, Utaha looked up from the sink. Her calm reflection in the mirror met the girls standing behind her.
"Nice to meet you. May I ask..." Taking out a handkerchief, drying her hands, she turned slowly. Crossing her arms, she looked down at them (they were a few centimeters shorter), her gaze cool and slightly condescending. "Did you need something?"
Her presence alone defused their aggressive stance. After a silent moment...
"If there's nothing else..." She lowered her hands, tucked the cloth, and stepped toward the blocked door. "Please excuse me."
At the door, she paused, glancing back with a slight smile. "By the way, the second-floor vending machine sells oral care products. I'd suggest... you try them. They're short-acting, but enough for school hours. Otherwise, people might find your conversations unpleasant."
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