118 "A 1000% Chance!"

After the boys introduced themselves, the atmosphere quickly grew comfortable, thanks to Kanade Natsukawa's social finesse. Even the usually aloof Hikigaya Hachiman managed to integrate well into the group.

"Speaking of boys' gatherings, isn't it mandatory to talk about girls and relationships?" Tsubasa Tanuma suggested with a grin.

"Uh… that's definitely a thing, yeah…" Miyuki Shirogane mused, nodding in agreement after some thought.

"Hey, don't just jump into it like that! Isn't this too abrupt?" Hikigaya protested, but his objections had little effect.

"Haha, come on, it's fun," Kanade chimed in, giving Hachiman a knowing wink while patting his shoulder. "No need to run off just yet—it's not bath time, is it?"

"You…" Hachiman's expression stiffened as he glared at Kanade, seemingly torn between frustration and resignation.

Kanade shrugged, brushing off the glare.

"Well, since I brought it up, I'll go first," Tsubasa said, raising his hand with a sheepish smile. "There's this girl I've been interested in lately…"

"Oooh, let's hear it," Miyuki encouraged, leaning forward.

"…"

"What's the story?" Kanade asked, his curiosity piqued. Even Hachiman, though visibly reluctant, seemed to perk up slightly.

"She's a classmate. We see each other pretty often, and… well, she gave me some chocolate on Valentine's Day," Tsubasa admitted, scratching his head shyly.

Speaking about his "love story" in front of three other guys was clearly a bit embarrassing.

"I was thinking… as the guy, I should probably confess first, right?"

"Wait! That's wrong!" Hachiman immediately interjected, waving his hands as if to physically stop Tsubasa.

Initially, Hachiman had planned to sit back and listen passively, but this comment was too much. You'll just end up embarrassing yourself! Stop it before it's too late!

"You guys agree that's a bad idea, right?" Hachiman turned to Kanade and Miyuki for backup.

"It might be a bit early…" Miyuki conceded, before adding, "But what kind of chocolate was it? That's an important detail."

"Uh… they were chocolate balls. Three of them," Tsubasa replied.

"Ah! Without a doubt, that's—" Miyuki paused for dramatic effect, then declared confidently, "—definitely love chocolate!"

"…???"

Kanade and Hachiman exchanged bewildered glances, each seeing the same skepticism in the other's eyes.

"Listen up! Girls are creatures who act contrary to their true feelings. Something that looks like obligation chocolate…"

"…might actually be love chocolate?!" Tsubasa asked, leaning in.

"Exactly!" Miyuki exclaimed, as if they had just solved a grand mystery together.

"…"

Hachiman froze, his disbelief so palpable that he turned to Kanade, silently begging him to step in.

Kanade caught the cue, cleared his throat, and carefully offered a counterpoint.

"While that's an interesting theory… there's also the possibility that it really was just obligation chocolate, right?"

Kanade's tone was measured—he didn't want to crush Tsubasa's excitement completely, but he felt the need to temper expectations.

"It depends on the girl's personality. For instance, a tsundere might give obligation chocolate to hide their true feelings. But if she's someone open and straightforward, then it might genuinely be just obligation chocolate."

Kanade's calm, logical analysis carried an air of experience. Even Hachiman, who typically scoffed at optimistic outlooks, found himself nodding in agreement.

"Hmm… that makes sense…" Miyuki muttered, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"That's so insightful! As expected from Kanade!" Tsubasa exclaimed, genuinely impressed despite the slight dampening of his enthusiasm.

"But there's more," Tsubasa added, leaning in conspiratorially. "She once asked me, 'Do you have a girlfriend?' When I said no, she immediately told her friends."

"…" Kanade furrowed his brow, considering the implications.

"That sounds like bullying," Hachiman muttered, his voice barely audible.

"Not at all!" Miyuki cut him off. "That's a sure sign of a romantic opportunity!"

Hachiman: "...???"

"Girls are people too, you know! They're just like us. If she told her friends, it's likely because she wanted them to know you're single. They might be thinking, 'That means I still have a chance,' or 'Great, he doesn't have a girlfriend yet,' or even 'I'm so happy he's available!'"

"And that's why I'm saying you're in a prime romantic period! You might even end up in a situation where you have to choose between multiple girls. At worst, their friendship could fall apart over you!"

"Seriously?" Tsubasa's expression shifted to one of concern. "I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me…"

"Then your job is to protect her. Only you can shield her from that drama…"

"I see…"

"Wait a minute!" Hachiman finally snapped, cutting off their increasingly elaborate speculation.

"You'll just end up getting laughed at! People will make fun of you for the rest of high school, so don't do anything that might cause a misunderstanding!"

"Why would they laugh?" Tsubasa asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Yeah, what's there to laugh about? My analysis is sound, isn't it?" Miyuki added, turning to Hachiman with a frown.

"Uh…"

The room fell silent as everyone turned to Hachiman, who hesitated. He could share his own experiences to illustrate his point, but that wasn't a memory he wanted to relive.

Before he could decide, Kanade spoke up.

"I've been thinking it over… and honestly, it's not completely hopeless," Kanade said.

"Wait, do you disagree with my theory?" Miyuki and Tsubasa sat back down, their attention fixed on Kanade.

Hachiman, relieved to no longer be the center of attention, quietly sat down as well.

"Girls' behavior often reflects their personalities. For example, a literary type might seem calm and detached, but if they start tapping their feet, it's a sign their mood has shifted. Similarly, a girl who suddenly asks, 'Do you think I'd be good at dating?' might be grappling with her feelings toward you or trying to gauge your interest."

Kanade paused for emphasis, then continued.

"Based on what you've described, I think it's unlikely that she likes you. However… I suspect there's someone else in her group who does. The fact that she reported your answer to her friends suggests that someone else in that group was particularly interested in knowing your relationship status."

Tsubasa blinked, stunned by the possibility.

"Of course, this assumes they weren't just messing with you. But given that she gave you chocolate and doesn't seem to dislike you, I'd say the chance that someone in that group likes you is…"

Kanade smiled and raised a finger.

"1000%."

"!!!"

"Σ(っ °Д °;)っ"

"...⊙▽⊙"