COTE: Starting With Love Stock Market System

When Saturday arrived, Hikaru didn't slack off on his newly established workout routine. Since there were no classes, he extended his run to a full hour before heading back to his dorm for a shower. Afterward, he sat down in his chair, waiting for Ichinose's message.

The two had agreed the day before that they would meet Kushida from Class 1-D today. Though Ichinose had only spoken to Kushida a handful of times, given that they were both social butterflies, they had quickly become friends.

After Hikaru's "pep talk" with Ichinose, she had become notably proactive in executing class strategies. Wanting to gain insight into Class D's current situation, she arranged to meet Kushida while bringing Hikaru along to prepare for Monday's point collection operation.

Just as Hikaru absentmindedly flipped through the book on his desk, his phone vibrated with an incoming message.

[Hikaru-kun, I've met up with Kushida-san. We're at the café in Keyaki Mall—you can come over now.]

"That was fast."

Hikaru checked the time on his phone—it was barely 9 AM.

He could understand why Ichinose was so eager, but why was Kushida also this cooperative? It was the first weekend after enrollment—wasn't she the type who would want to sleep in?

…He really didn't get it.

Still, since he had received the message, Hikaru didn't hesitate. He left his dorm and headed toward Keyaki Mall. After spending the past few days exploring, he had already familiarized himself with the layout of the shopping district, including various restaurants and stores. While he wasn't someone obsessed with completing every experience, he did believe in getting a broad understanding of his environment.

Upon arriving at the café, Hikaru glanced inside through the glass and immediately spotted a familiar silhouette—Ichinose, sitting across from Kushida. The two seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation, with Kushida wearing a bright, cheerful smile.

As Hikaru approached, Ichinose quickly noticed him.

"Good morning, Hikaru-kun!"

"Morning, Ichinose-san," Hikaru greeted her before turning to the short-haired girl opposite her. "Good morning, Kushida-san."

"Mm-hmm, good morning, Hikaru-kun! I was really surprised when Honami-chan told me you'd be coming along," Kushida replied with a friendly, gentle smile, exuding an air of effortless warmth.

Hikaru pulled out a chair and sat down beside Ichinose, tilting his head curiously as he looked at Kushida. "Why is that? Are you not happy that I came along?"

"Of course not!" Kushida chuckled. "It's just that if it were a casual weekend meet-up, I'd assume Honami-chan would prefer to spend time alone with you rather than inviting me along."

She flashed a teasing smirk, her eyes briefly darting between Hikaru and Ichinose.

After all, rumors had already begun spreading throughout Class B—that their two most prominent figures, Hashima Hikaru and Ichinose Honami, might actually be dating.

Romance gossip was a hot topic among high school students, and Kushida had a keen interest in gathering intel to solidify her social standing.

"K-Kushida-san, what are you even saying?!"

Ichinose's face flushed a deep red at the teasing remark. She stole a quick glance at Hikaru's expression before hastily changing the topic.

"A-Anyway! The reason I invited you out today is because I wanted to ask you something important!"

"Hmm? What is it?"

Kushida's gaze lingered on Hikaru, her red eyes shimmering with curiosity as she subtly assessed his presence.

"It's about our class structures," Ichinose explained. "Previously, you mentioned that Class D's leader is you and Hirata-kun, right? I wanted to ask for some advice."

"You must've misremembered," Kushida corrected her with a graceful smile. "Our actual class leader is Hirata-kun. I'm just his assistant."

"Ah, I see. Well, my main question was about how to manage class conflicts," Ichinose continued smoothly.

After spending the past few days under Hikaru's influence, she had picked up on a few conversation tactics—particularly the art of blending truth with deception.

Even if Kushida could detect a lie, Ichinose was speaking in half-truths. Since they weren't close enough for Kushida to fact-check everything, the goal here was to subtly extract Class D's internal situation.

"Class B is quite united on the surface," Ichinose continued, her expression tinged with concern, "but sometimes, when disagreements arise, things can get heated. Even when I try to mediate, it doesn't always work."

"You're known for being someone everyone in Class D trusts, right? How do you handle these kinds of situations?"

"Ahh, so that's what's bothering you, Honami-chan," Kushida beamed, her tone carrying a comforting warmth.

She tapped a finger against her chin, pretending to think before replying, "Honestly, I don't have any special techniques. Most of the time, I just rely on soft words to smooth things over."

"Soft words? Can you give me an example of a situation where that worked?"

"Alright, let me think..."

Kushida nodded, before sharing a simple story.

"For example, there's Sudo-kun. He's really into basketball, and because of his talent, he's already been selected as a bench player for the team. So, he spends a lot of time at practice."

"Mhmm. And?"

"But… he doesn't like studying. Sometimes, he even forgets to do his homework. And because he's got a short temper, most of our classmates don't dare to confront him about it," Kushida said with a slight smile, as if reminiscing.

"So, I stepped in and called Yamauchi-kun and Ike-kun, since they get along well with him."

"I encouraged them to persuade Sudo-kun to at least hand in his homework regularly. That way, it wouldn't affect his club activities."

"I see," Ichinose nodded in understanding, admiration flickering in her eyes.

"Using an indirect approach to make him accept the suggestion willingly—it's a great strategy. It avoids direct confrontation while still achieving the desired result. That's really impressive, Kushida-san!"

"It's nothing, really. I just want everyone in Class D to get along well," Kushida said sweetly, her expression radiating sincerity. "Since we'll be classmates for three years, my dream is for everyone to be good friends."

Her gentle tone and innocent demeanor made it almost impossible to dislike her.

A little angel, huh?

The phrase suddenly popped into Hikaru's mind.

Her initial stock price was the same as Ichinose's—was that just a coincidence?

As he studied her subtle expressions, Hikaru found himself growing more intrigued by Kushida.

If she truly was as easygoing and friendly as she appeared, building a solid rapport with her wouldn't be a bad move. If anything, it might even be profitable.

"By the way, Honami-chan, are you done with your questions?" Kushida suddenly turned her gaze toward Hikaru, smiling mischievously. "Hikaru-kun, you came along too—do you have anything you'd like to ask me?"

"?"

Hikaru looked up, meeting Kushida's expectant gaze.

…Sharp.

She was more perceptive than he expected.

"Yeah, actually, I do have a question," Hikaru replied smoothly. "After all, you and I share a similar role—we're both assistants to our class leaders. I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about."

"Oh?"

Kushida's smile deepened, her eyes gleaming with interest.

"Then go ahead, Hikaru-kun. If there's anything I can help with, I'd be happy to share~"

~~~

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