“What!? She said okay!?”

The moment my words left my mouth, a thunderous cheer erupted throughout the classroom. Even though I’d heard plenty of excitement at Cyberia, the energy here was on a completely different level.

────This was an all-boys’ school, Aotaka High School, Class 2-1.

The boys, who had endured almost an entire year without a single trace of female presence, were now crying out in joy at the thought of next month’s Aotaka Festival.

“Yeah. I asked Tachibana yesterday, and she said she’d make it happen somehow.”

It was lunchtime, and my desk was completely surrounded. Looking around, I realized that even students from other classes had gathered, making the classroom packed to the brim. The “No Girls at Aotaka Festival” problem had now become an issue for the entire school.

“So that means lots of girls from Suzakura will be coming to the Aotaka Festival, right!? Just like in those photos we got from the seniors!”

Takeda—was that his name?—from Class 3 held up his phone. The screen showed a photo of a boy and a girl standing close together with their arms around each other. The boy was wearing our gym uniform, while the girl was in the Suzakura High School uniform. They must have met at the festival and ended up as a couple. I couldn’t help but feel jealous.

“I think that’s the case. I don’t know the specifics, though.”

“Uoooohhhhhh!!! Yamabuki, you’re a lifesaver!”

The classroom exploded into cheers once again. Some of them were even hugging each other in sheer joy. Normally, I’d call them dramatic, but this was just the reality of Aotaka High.

“By the way, Yamabuki, what does the ‘Prince of Suzakura’ look like? I still haven’t been to that family restaurant yet. It’s packed with Suzakura students, so it’s kinda intimidating.”

Masaoka from Class 4 leaned against my desk as he asked. We were in the same class during our first year, so we had some history. I’d heard he was making good use of his physique as the next star player of the soccer team.

“I was wondering that too. Is the prince really that cool?”

“I saw someone who might’ve been him at the station once, and he was insane.”

“I think one of my friends went to the same middle school as him…”

Everyone was talking at once. The “Prince of Suzakura” was a hot topic among Aotaka students.

“Well, if you’re asking about his appearance… One thing’s for sure—he’s ridiculously good-looking. He’s tall, and his features are really sharp.”

But after spending the past week around Tachibana, I had come to a realization.

She wasn’t called the “Prince of Suzakura” just because of her looks.

There was something more to her—something about her very presence that made her princely.

Her personality, her demeanor—everything about her.

“So, what about her as a girl? Yamabuki, if you had the chance to date her, what would you do?”

A voice called out from somewhere in the room.

Me, dating Tachibana…?

…No. I couldn’t imagine it at all.

Regardless of gender, I couldn’t picture Tachibana being in a relationship with anyone. She had always been someone to be admired, never someone who would fall for another.

“…I don’t know. I only just met her, after all.”

In the end, all I could do was avoid answering.

◆

“Lady Iori… with a boy!? Is that true!?”

“It’s absolutely true! Ririmu saw it with her own eyes!”

At Suzakura High School, in the audiovisual room—normally a dimly lit space—things looked completely different after school.

This place was known as the “Secret Society for the Devoted Admirers of Lady Iori.” Even though the school day had ended, the room was crammed with dozens of students.

“S-So!? What were they like!?”

A third-year standing in front of the blackboard leaned forward in agitation, practically spitting as she spoke.

Everyone in the room was staring at the first-year who had just reported that she saw Tachibana Iori walking with a boy at the station.

“Um, they parted ways at the ticket gate. Lady Iori went through first.”

At those words, the tension in the room immediately eased.

“Th-Thank goodness…”

“…But.”

The first-year hesitated. A wave of anxiety swept through the room.

“But… what?”

“……I got on the same train as Lady Iori. I know it was presumptuous, but I couldn’t help myself. O-Of course, I made sure not to be seen! I wouldn’t dare cut ahead like that!”

“Okay, okay. And then?”

The petite first-year felt as though she was still dreaming whenever she recalled the moment. Even though she had only been in school for a month, she had never seen Tachibana Iori like that before.

“…Lady Iori was smiling. But not her usual cool, princely smile—it was like she was savoring happiness.”

Everyone in the room immediately understood the gravity of those words.

“For just that moment… Lady Iori looked like a normal girl. When I saw her today, she was back to her usual, magnificent self, but…”

Finishing her report, the first-year slumped into a seat. A heavy silence filled the room.

“…First, we need to find out who that boy is. We can’t do anything until we know.”

The third-year, who seemed to be the leader, finally spoke up.

────It wouldn’t take long before every Suzakura student knew that the boy was Yamabuki Natsuki, a second-year at Aotaka High School.