148. He knows!

After getting the girls' enthusiastic agreement to hit the theaters together, Tobe Kakeru's face lit up brighter than a full moon on festival night.

"As expected of Hayato-kun! You really are our golden boy! Alright then, let me treat everyone to the movie tickets!" Tobe Kakeru declared, puffing out his chest like a shonen side character trying to score favor with the main cast.

He was trying way too hard to sound magnanimous.

Hayama Hayato raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

"Wait, Kakeru-san, weren't you saving up for that new game console? You even mentioned that SAO's international division is doing a public beta for their latest VRMMO soon."

Kakeru flinched like he'd been hit with a Genjutsu. His wallet definitely felt that attack.

"Y-Yeah, but... friendships like this don't come around often, right? Games can wait, but a memory like this? Priceless! So yeah, leave the tickets to me!" he said, slapping his chest with a mix of pride and pain.

The truth, however, was far more devious.

He didn't just want to treat everyone. No, Kakeru had an agenda — he wanted to manipulate the seating arrangement so he could sit beside Ebina Hina.

But in all his excitement, he forgot that modern cinema seats could easily be swapped at the counter. Rookie mistake.

Hozuki Nozomi, standing beside them, raised an eyebrow at Kakeru's declaration.

"Eh? No need to go that far,Kakeru. If we're all going out together, it's only fair we split the cost. AA system makes more sense, right?"

(The term "AA" could stand for "All Aspects" or "All Accounts," indicating that everyone contributes fairly to the overall cost, rather than one person covering the entire expense or a more complicated arrangement. )

Nozomi didn't mind paying for the girls, but he didn't want to owe anything to Kakeru. They weren't friends — just classmates in the same orbit. Mutual acquaintances, nothing more.

But Kakeru wasn't backing down. He turned his best puppy-eyed look toward Hayama Hayato, clearly hoping for backup.

Hayato sighed, a mix of tired and amused. After a barrage of reassurances and appeals to his good nature, Nozomi finally gave in with a reluctant shrug.

"Fine, fine. Do whatever you want. But don't come crying to me when you're broke during lunch next week."

Kakeru practically beamed as he ran off to secure the tickets.

Of course, Nozomi saw right through him.

Kakeru's eagerness was all about that seat next to Ebina Hina — an attempt as transparent as a poorly written love confession in a high school drama. And there was no way Hayato hadn't picked up on it either.

Still, Nozomi didn't stop him. After all, if someone else wanted to burn money and curry favor, why should he interfere? Let Kakeru carry the burden. It wouldn't win him anything meaningful anyway.

As Kakeru disappeared toward the ticket counter, Nozomi's gaze casually drifted to Ebina Hina. She was in the middle of an animated chat with Miura Yumiko, probably analyzing the deeper emotional threads of some BL manga again.

In the original timeline — if you could call it that — Kakeru had always nursed a crush on Ebina Hina.

But there was one thing he clearly didn't understand.

Ebina Hina might cosplay as a boy-crazy fujoshi, often nosebleeding at fictional pairings and making outrageous shipping comments… but she wasn't an idiot.

Quite the opposite — she was the sharpest one in Yumiko's clique.

Yumiko, for all her queen bee energy, relied on her circle to think things through. When the squad was together, she followed the vibe.

Yuigahama Yui? Sweet, bubbly, always going with the flow. A people-pleaser. She read the room well but didn't push back much.

Ebina Hina was the strategist. The brains. When the girls were cornered by thugs during that incident, it was Hina who slipped away like a ninja and called the cops, bringing Detective Kosaka Daisuke to the rescue.

Tobe Kakeru wasn't wrong to be attracted to her — he just had the wrong idea about why she stood apart.

He probably thought Ebina Hina was his best shot because Yumiko was out of his league, and Yui was too popular. Hina, with her eccentric tastes and love for BL, was alienated by the guys — and Kakeru assumed that made her easier to approach.

But assuming someone's more accessible just because they don't fit the traditional mold? That wasn't admiration — it was underestimation.

And Ebina Hina was no one's consolation prize.

Besides, Tobe Kakeru just isn't Ebina Hina's type—at all.

Let's put it this way: Hayama Hayato is the kind of guy who radiates main character energy. Cool, calm, composed—your classic all-rounder with the social skills and looks to make any girl's heart skip a beat. If he were an anime protagonist, he'd be the quiet yet dependable senpai, the one who somehow excels at everything while remaining frustratingly humble.

Now, Tobe Kakeru?

Well… he's more like the comic relief side character. Sure, he's loud, enthusiastic, and never short on energy—but standout? Not really. His academics hover around average, not bad but never exceptional. He's always sporting his signature long hair and headband combo like he walked out of a second-tier idol group. And the way he obsesses over his appearance? Let's just say his bathroom mirror probably knows all his secrets. Even the expensive hair conditioners don't lie—this guy is extra. A bit flashy, a little too into fashion, and with a personality that leans more effeminate than rugged.

If Ebina Hina saw Tobe Kakeru and Hayama interacting? Not a drop of nosebleed.

To her, Tobe Kakeru doesn't even register as a guy who could trigger her heartstrings, let alone her fangirl fantasies. So yeah, his secret crush? Destined to be a tragic B-side story.

But even so, Hozuki Nozomi wouldn't mock someone for chasing love. Everyone deserves a chance to dream—even if the dream is obviously a doomed ship. So when Tobe Kakeru insisted on buying the tickets, Nozomi accepted without guilt. If the guy wanted to use a movie trip to get closer to the girl he liked, well, that's the price of the plan. Tobe's wallet, his rules.

And hey—credit where it's due—Tobe Kakeru was being unusually generous. Even Miura Yumiko blinked in mild disbelief. After all, this was the same guy who usually clutched his wallet tighter than a final exam paper. The guy spent more on skincare than snacks, and would rather invest in a new conditioner than treat friends.

So this sudden bout of generosity? Yeah. It raised eyebrows.

Miura, like Nozomi, figured the AA system would've been fairer. But when Hayama spoke up on Tobe's behalf, her thoughts shifted. Accepting a friend's kindness, after all, could also be a gesture of trust. Refusing might feel like a rejection. Besides, she could always return the favor later—friendship is about give and take.

After class, Miura Yumiko gathered Yui, Ebina Hina, and Sayu and made a beeline for Shiina Mahiru. Nozomi, who happened to be walking beside Mahiru, found himself instantly engulfed by a wave of perfume and girlish chatter.

Miura leaned in and whispered like she was starting a secret mission. "Tell me honestly, is Tobe Kakeru turning to the dark side? The stingiest guy in school suddenly offering to buy all our tickets?"

Yui gasped, her hands flying to her cheeks. "Eh?! Is his wallet even okay?!"

Sayu, unfamiliar with Tobe's frugal legend, remained neutral. But Mahiru tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Feels suspicious. The kind of kindness that comes with conditions. You know what they say—if someone's being nice for no reason, they're either a traitor… or a thief."

Ebina Hina snickered and leaned into full anime troll mode. "Or maybe... he just wants to sit next to Hayama-kun? Ah, such unshakable bromance. Tobe's been glued to Hayama since forever. Maybe—just maybe—we're seeing the dawn of a boys' love confession arc~"

Miura almost choked. "HINA! SHH!"

In panic, she smothered Ebina's mouth, sneaking a nervous glance at Nozomi. Her expression screamed, please don't misunderstand. But Nozomi just chuckled, brushing off the tease like a breeze.

"Or maybe," he said coolly, eyes shifting to Ebina Hina, "Tobe just wants to sit next to someone he likes. Seat arrangements matter, y'know. If I were buying the tickets, I'd do the same."

That line landed like a bolt of lightning.

Ebina Hina visibly flinched. Her eyes darted away from his, her face flushing a deep scarlet as if she'd just been hit by a surprise confession in a shoujo manga.

He knows!

Her heart raced.

He totally figured it out!

Hozuki Nozomi, she realized, was no background character. This guy? He saw everything.