The morning's four classes rumbled past like a train.

Aside from the rumbling sound, they hadn't deposited a single fruit of knowledge into Ayatsuki Iroha's empty head.

As the teacher left, her previously listless face quickly blossomed into a radiant smile, like a chrysanthemum in full bloom.

Freedom at last!

Just as Ayatsuki Iroha was about to cheer, a karate chop landed on her head.

THUMP.

Listening to her friend's sound effect, Ayatsuki Iroha turned around, her expression curious. "Saeko, why do you always make a 'THUMP' sound when you hit my head?"

"Because your head is empty. Knocking on it is bound to create an echo."

Takahashi Saeko explained with a perfectly straight face, eliciting light laughter from Tama Chan and Miyahara Kaoru.

Ayatsuki Iroha's poor academic performance—much like her lack of romantic experience—was no secret to them.

Ayatsuki Iroha's cheeks puffed out with frustration, but she couldn't offer a retort.

She didn't want to be dumb, either. But if studying hard didn't help her learn, then it was better not to try at all and at least enjoy some relaxation.

"You're all traitors!" she protested. They were all Hot Girls, so why were the other three so good academically?

Takahashi Saeko chuckled, then her expression turned serious again. "Let's go to the cafeteria. There's something I want to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

Ayatsuki Iroha quickly scanned her memories, curiosity overriding her previous accusation.

Takahashi Saeko didn't elaborate, deliberately playing the enigmatic guide as she pulled her downstairs to the cafeteria.

All four of them got their meals and found a place to sit.

Takahashi Saeko stopped playing games and said, "Have you noticed Phoenix Academy Maggie looking at you a bit strangely lately?"

Ayatsuki Iroha blinked, her wheat-colored cheeks radiating clear confusion. "Nope."

"Iroha, please don't go around saying you're a member of the Human Observation Society. I can't afford that embarrassment," Takahashi Saeko remarked.

She was the president of the Human Observation Society and often enjoyed observing people—a professional habit from her past as a Street Cleaner. This made her always want to quickly understand her surroundings, identify escape routes and cover, and discern who warranted caution and who did not.

So, Takahashi Saeko had been the first to notice a subtle shift in Phoenix Academy Maggie's attitude toward Ayatsuki Iroha.

Previously, it was disregard. Now, the occasional glances Phoenix Academy Maggie cast Ayatsuki Iroha's way carried a faint hint of hostility. It was very faint, so faint that even Takahashi Saeko's keen observational skills had almost missed it.

"I haven't done anything to anger Phoenix Academy Maggie, have I?" Ayatsuki Iroha looked surprised.

Tama Chan, unable to watch any longer, also tapped her on the head. THUMP.

"Maru, you too?" Ayatsuki Iroha protested.

THUMP. Miyahara Kaoru delivered a chop as well.

"That's so mean! You're all ganging up on me!" Ayatsuki Iroha faced attacks from both sides, her cheeks puffing indignantly.

Takahashi Saeko explained with a sigh, "Iroha, your very association with Aozawa is perceived as a threat by Phoenix Academy Maggie. I told you before that she has those kinds of feelings for Aozawa. You wouldn't believe me, insisting they have a 'pure friendship.' How can there be a truly pure friendship between a guy and a girl? Unless one of them is unattractive. When both parties are attractive, it's inevitable that one side's 'friendship' will eventually turn into something more, or sour."

Ayatsuki Iroha finally caught on, a smug look dawning on her face. "Heh heh, so you're saying Phoenix Academy Maggie has finally realized how close Aozawa and I are, and that's why she's wary of me, right?"

The other three sighed in unison.

So exhausting! Only they could understand the despair of a King-tier player trying to carry a Bronze-tier teammate.

"Iroha, don't you get it? This means Phoenix Academy Maggie now sees you as a rival. She won't just idly watch you try to win Aozawa over; she's going to take action. Considering her looks and charisma, plus the fact that her friendship with Aozawa predates yours, what do you think your chances are?" Takahashi Saeko had to spell it out.

The smile on Ayatsuki Iroha's face faltered for a moment, then she stubbornly retorted, "Matters of the heart aren't first-come, first-served. Aozawa is already captivated by me; she doesn't stand a chance."

She said that, but deep down, Ayatsuki Iroha felt insecure. In her mind, Phoenix Academy Maggie had always been a formidable rival. Competing with such a beautiful and poised girl for a guy would naturally put anyone under pressure.

Takahashi Saeko noticed her uncertainty but didn't press the point. Instead, she offered a suggestion, "To be safe, I suggest you go on more dates with Aozawa. You can't always rely on a single glass of vegetable juice to keep him wrapped around your finger."

Tama Chan chimed in, "At school, Aozawa spends more time with Phoenix Academy Maggie than with you. They're desk mates, after all. In terms of proximity, Phoenix Academy Maggie has a natural advantage. If you don't step up your game, you risk being overtaken."

"Haha, you're all worrying too much." Ayatsuki Iroha laughed it off.

But inwardly, she was already thinking about asking Aozawa out this week to test the waters. She wouldn't need an expensive venue. Sheron Park in Adachi District would be perfect. They could bring a homemade bento and have a picnic on a blanket.

"All I need to do is send one message, and Aozawa will agree to a date," she boasted cheerfully, pulling out her phone as if to prove it, then paused as she was about to unlock it.

Ayatsuki Iroha suddenly realized she couldn't let Saeko and the others see her chat history with Aozawa. So, she put her phone away, saying, "No need to rush this. We can talk after lunch."

Tama Chan glanced at her and smiled. "Iroha, you have to give it your all! Phoenix Academy Maggie is a powerful rival, no doubt, but you have us on your side."

"Maru, you guys are truly the best sisters!" A touch of emotion colored Ayatsuki Iroha's face.

Yes, with Succubus-level teammates like Maru and Saeko by her side, if she still couldn't win Aozawa over, it would only prove she was utterly charmless.

...

DING!

The chime of a phone notification mingled with the wind on the rooftop.

Aozawa swallowed a piece of the pork cutlet Shouko had made; its crispy exterior and tender, juicy inside were truly delicious.

He put the lunchbox on the ground and took out his phone. He'd expected a message from Chitose, but it was from Ayatsuki Iroha. They were both at school, so what was she messaging him for?

Aozawa tapped open the message.

"Aozawa, are you free this weekend? Want to hang out? I'd originally planned a picnic at Sheron Park with my sister, but she suddenly has something come up and can't go. The bento and everything are already prepared, and the spot is reserved. It would be a shame to waste it all. Are you free?"

Ayatsuki Iroha's excuses for asking him out were still so lame. A smile touched Aozawa's lips, but he had to refuse. "Sorry, Iroha. I have plans this weekend, so I can't join you for the picnic."

He hadn't forgotten his date with Chitose tomorrow. The day after, he might also be shopping with her, leaving him no time for Ayatsuki Iroha.

"How about next Saturday?" he typed. He was free the following Saturday; his dinner with Shouko was scheduled for Sunday.

The message he sent showed as "read."

"Haha, no worries! I'll just go by myself. You do your thing."

Ayatsuki Iroha typed out the reply with trembling fingers and hit send.

She was hiding in a stall in the girls' restroom. With no one else around, there was no need to mask the panic on her face.

What could Aozawa possibly be busy with? Previously, she could always get a date with him whenever she asked. But now, just as Phoenix Academy Maggie had started eyeing her with hostility, he was suddenly unavailable. Could it be that Phoenix Academy Maggie had beaten her to it and already arranged a date with Aozawa? Were they going out together?! This... this is two-timing! Ayatsuki Iroha screamed internally. Then she remembered she and Aozawa weren't officially a couple. She could ask him out, and so could other girls. It wasn't two-timing. What should she do?

Ayatsuki Iroha was thoroughly panicked, with no idea how to handle this crisis. Asking Takahashi Saeko and the others for advice would damage her reputation as a girl who'd supposedly conquered a hundred hearts.

She pondered for a moment, then slapped her forehead. An idea struck her.

Hmph, Saeko and the others always say her head's empty. They just don't realize her wisdom is like gold hidden in sand, rarely shown.

Ayatsuki Iroha put her phone away, left the stall, and walked out of the restroom.

Her three best friends were waiting for her under the shade of a tree.

She approached them. "Haha, guess what? A friend of mine messaged me. She wanted to ask out this guy she likes, but he told her he was busy. How can anyone be busy on a weekend? He doesn't have a part-time job. He must have a date with someone else, right?"

Takahashi Saeko, Tama Chan, and Miyahara Kaoru exchanged a look. This 'friend' has to be Iroha.

Ayatsuki Iroha subtly glanced at the three of them, her cautious expression betraying her worry that they might suspect her.

She's so adorable, Takahashi Saeko thought, resisting the urge to call her out. If she did, they wouldn't get to see this cute side of Iroha anymore.

"You're right, Iroha," Takahashi Saeko said. "He's definitely on a date with another girl."

Ayatsuki Iroha gasped, her mind instantly conjuring an image of Phoenix Academy Maggie and Aozawa holding hands on the street.

Tama Chan offered her wisdom. "If you ask me, your friend brought this on herself. Relationships between men and women need constant physical intimacy to deepen the bond, not a hands-off, Zen-like approach where you do nothing. Being unchanging is for after marriage. Before that, you have to give the other person enough excitement. From small things like holding hands to big things like sleeping together. You maintain the relationship with that kind of stimulation. For a couple in the throes of passion, the biggest taboo is stagnation."

Takahashi Saeko chimed in, "Maru and I both hate stagnation. That's why we keep changing boyfriends. Iroha, tell your friend she needs to make an effort and stop being such a spineless wimp."

"Haha, it's not that bad. I think that friend is pretty nice," Ayatsuki Iroha mumbled, defending herself.

Takahashi Saeko spread her hands. "So nice she can't even get a date with the guy she likes?"

Ayatsuki Iroha was speechless.

Tama Chan delivered the final blow. "She's not a Hot Girl, is she? If she is, she's a disgrace to the name!"

"Haha." Ayatsuki Iroha laughed awkwardly, but inwardly, her courage was building.

That's right! She couldn't become a disgrace to Hot Girls! She had to actively win Aozawa to her side. This meant war with Phoenix Academy Maggie!