A Jack of All Trades
There's an old saying: "Long sleeves make for skillful dancing." Originally, it meant that having a reliable support made success easier. Over time, it evolved to describe someone who knew how to navigate connections and leverage opportunities.
If Hara Kei had to pick the person in class who best embodied this phrase, it would undoubtedly be the golden-haired girl before him, smiling and chatting effortlessly.
Her name was Hayasaka Ai.
Sixteen years old, like Fujiwara Chika, she was a direct-entry student at Saint Eden Academy and a member of the same Class 1-A as Hara Kei.
With a quarter Irish bloodline, her hair shone like spun gold. Hara Kei suspected that even if her hair had been black naturally, she would have dyed it anyway—because it perfectly fit the "role" she had chosen for herself.
And that role was: "gyaru."
Why "gyaru"? Simple. Convenience.
On Sakurajima, the term "gyaru" referred to girls who were fashion-forward and always on top of trends. By now, like the stereotype of "all programmers are bald," the term carried heavy stereotypes: dyed hair, manicures, customized uniforms. Ai knew this well.
Hara Kei's gaze subtly scanned her—her golden hair, meticulously manicured nails, and school uniform subtly altered from the standard.
Beyond the aesthetic, the "gyaru" persona also granted her social advantages.
Saint Eden Academy was a true aristocratic school. Students came from families ranging from nouveau riche to deeply traditional and strict households. The rigid rules of these families clashed with the natural desire of teenagers for freedom and trendiness. High school brought a rare degree of liberty, and naturally, students chased fashion, speech, and style.
In this context, a "gyaru" image made forming connections remarkably convenient.
Moreover, Ai seemed to control her grades carefully, keeping them high enough to avoid scorn but not so high as to isolate herself. Combined with her polished social skills, she had naturally risen to the top of Class 1-A's social ladder—a "social butterfly" of sorts, despite her family not being particularly prestigious.
Hara Kei guessed her reason for approaching them was likely to strengthen ties with Fujiwara Chika. After all, Chika was the elder daughter of the Fujiwara family—or maybe the second daughter? Not that it mattered to him. She certainly wasn't here for him.
…
There was no real conflict between Chika and Ai. With Chika's cheerful personality and Ai's social savvy, problems would be the exception, not the norm.
So Chika welcomed her openly, and Hara Kei had no reason to sour the mood.
Thus, the trio was formed.
Fortunately for Hara Kei, neither Chika nor Ai was a disaster in the kitchen. Whether handling knives, stirring butter mixtures, or working with molds, both demonstrated skillful, confident competence.
"Kei-kun," Chika said while adjusting the syrup with her chopsticks, "are you free after school today?"
"No." Hara Kei's reply was concise. "I'm going to a movie. The new Kamen Rider film opens at 4:30 PM."
"Alone?" Chika tilted her eyes at him, and he returned the look: Do you even need to ask?
"Tomorrow, then?" She wasn't ready to give up. "Are you free after school tomorrow?"
"No," he said, picking up the mixer while waiting for Ai to melt the butter. "I'll be home playing video games."
"Then… that counts as being free, right?!"
Faced with her sharp retort, Hara Kei sighed. "If I add 'with friends,' does that suddenly make my refusal reasonable?"
"Eh…" Chika froze. "That… actually…"
"Same activity," Hara Kei continued, "but add a precondition—'with someone else'—and it feels completely different. Isn't that unreasonable?"
"Playing games alone at home is idle, but gossiping at the table with others is busy? Watching a movie alone is lonely, but with a friend or classmate it's fulfilling?" He placed the dough in the mold, continuing, "There's no reason for that. It's just majority opinion discriminating against the minority."
"Chika, you can't stand class or regional discrimination—but why do you accept numerical discrimination so easily?"
"Ugh…" Though the ingredients in her hands were sweet as honey, Chika now wore a face as if she had swallowed something bitter.
Being an attentive listener was one of Chika's strengths, but her soft ears often made her too persuadable—a fatal weakness. Sometimes, she needed to learn to cover her ears at the right moment. Especially when dealing with someone like Hara Kei.
Of course, Hara Kei had no intention of warning her.
"…Yeah, you're right." Chika finally admitted, handing him the syrup to mix into the melted butter. "Sorry for my careless comment earlier."
"Good. That's enough." Hara Kei placed the pot in front of Ai so she could add the beaten eggs and start mixing.
"But, Kei-kun, I have another question."
Chika's persistence was another of her virtues. She pressed on: "Someone like you, who enjoys being alone, how do you ever find free time?"
"The answer is: I don't." Hara Kei began mixing the butter mixture until it slightly expanded. "So don't ask me out. Just let me be alone."
"…No." Chika stubbornly refused, her tone firm. After clearly expressing her opposition, she fell silent. Her brows furrowed in deep thought, murmuring, There has to be a way…
This entire interaction, meanwhile, was quietly observed by Ai. During this home economics class, she was unusually reserved, completely abandoning her usual verbal agility.
Because her goal wasn't to make friends today.
It was reconnaissance.