I'm in a real religion, why are all the people who confess to me girls?

Before Tianyin could finish speaking, she felt something soft touch her face and then leave.

“Hiyori…you…”

"Huh? Hiyori, you actually kissed me? I was just giving an example..."

Even more excited than Amane was Ichinose. She was waiting for Shiina's answer when she saw Shiina blush and hesitate for a moment before actually kissing Amane quickly. This startled Ichinose, as there were so many people watching. She never expected Shiina to be so open-minded.

"No, Ichinose-san, let me kiss you... Ouch!!"

After muttering something to herself, Shiina suddenly realized what she was doing and immediately covered her face.

"I'm so embarrassed! I'm so embarrassed!!!! Tianyin, don't look at me!"

"I wasn't looking at you."

"That won't do!! Turn your face away right now!"

"……All right."

Seeing that Shiina was indeed incredibly shy, Amane could only shrug helplessly and look at Arisu beside her.

Arisu's eyes darted around, revealing a mischievous expression.

"Shiina-kun is so cunning, taking advantage of Amane like this. No way, I have to take advantage too, that's fair."

Arisu gently cupped Amane's face. Originally, Arisu planned to kiss Amane's lips to show Shiina and the others about her relationship with Amane. However, thinking that Amane, this unruly rascal, might take advantage of the situation and do something even more outrageous, Arisu hesitated for a while before choosing to gently kiss Amane's other cheek.

After kissing Arisu, he deliberately made room for the stunned Ichinose.

"Fanbo, it's your turn~"

"W-what? Do I have to kiss you too?"

Ichinose looked at Amane, who had already moved closer to her, somewhat at a loss.

"Everyone should be fair, so you, Fanbo, can't be an exception."

"But with so many people watching, I'm a little embarrassed..."

Ichinose glanced at the crowd of people around her and felt a little scared.

Just then, Albert, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up, took a few steps to the side, and then stood there.

Albert's appearance immediately attracted everyone's attention. Although there are black people in this country, it is relatively rare to see a black person like Albert, who looks like a child but is 1.8 meters tall, up close.

"Now's the time!"

Arisu immediately understood Albert's meaning and urged Ichinose to kiss her quickly, while she quietly picked up her phone, seemingly wanting to do something.

"Huh? So sudden..."

Ichinose cupped Amane's soft cheeks, looking left and right but unable to find a suitable place to bite. Shiina had already taken the left side, and Arisu was on the right, leaving her with only...

Amane saw Ichinose's face gradually turning red, until it became as tempting as a bright red apple.

Knowing that Albert's time was limited, he didn't wait for Ichinose to be ready and kissed her on the lips.

"You guys are just too much..."

Shiina peeked through her fingers at Amane and Ichinose kissing in public.

Caught off guard, Ichinose was completely unprepared. Within just a few seconds, she was struggling to breathe and desperately tried to push Amane away.

Seeing that Amane still wanted to explore further, Arisu tapped Amane's head with the back of her finger as a reminder. Amane, whose eyes had cleared again, smiled sheepishly and distanced herself from Ichinose. As soon as Amane's lips left Ichinose's, she began to breathe in the fresh air in large gulps. Seeing Amane's guilt, Arisu kept gently patting Ichinose's back to help her adjust her breathing.

"Fanbo, are you alright? I got a little too carried away just now, so..."

"Hoo-ha...hoo-ha—I thought I was about to die just now. It was just a kiss, but you were too rough, Tianyin. I feel like my lips are about to swell up."

"Really? How about I help you reduce the swelling? I'm really good at it, oh dear, Arisu~"

"Don't be silly, thank you for your help, Yamada-kun."

Arisu tapped Amane's head to stop her from making any moves, then smiled and thanked Albert for acting as a shield.

Albert nodded silently in response to Arisu, then returned to his seat.

The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became incredibly ambiguous. Arisu glanced at the two girls, whose faces were still flushed, and decided to lend them a hand.

"Speaking of which, Fanbo, was there any special meaning behind the example you gave?"

Arisu brought the topic back to what they had been discussing earlier, and everyone became a little more serious when it came to serious matters.

"Yes, according to my prediction... Although Hiyori has already done so, in short, according to my prediction, Hiyori will definitely accept such a deal. But once she accepts the deal, even the purest feelings are already tied to interests."

"But how can a person act solely based on self-interest? Besides self-interest, there are things that are even more precious..."

“I know you might find the word ‘profit’ too jarring, but in reality, all human interactions involve mutual benefit; it’s just a matter of whether you care or not. The best way to build relationships with people is through mutual benefit. For example, this gathering, as you said, you feel that the current situation is because you are not familiar with them and your reputation and prestige are insufficient to invite them to the gathering.”

And Hiyori, you judged that if the person you invited had been Amane, everyone would have come to the party... Am I right?"

Ichinose's statement was almost identical to what Shiina had said before, and Shiina replied dejectedly.

"No."

“Then that makes things easier. First of all, I think your judgment is correct. If it is Tenon who invites them, then everyone will surely attend unless there is some urgent matter. But have you thought about why they would respond to Tenon’s call? Is it really because of their so-called prestige and reputation?”

"We're all in the same group, so what if we don't give Tianyin face? As for reputation, Tianyin is very famous, I don't deny that, but most of her fame isn't positive. It's always the same old story: she's involved in a scandal with some girl today, or some girl confesses to her today… Can such fame really influence their actions? Or… are they hoping that Tianyin's title as the strongest in the grade will help them win the game? The treasure hunt game showed that even Tianyin can make mistakes, so why are they offering her unsolicited help?"

Ichinose launched into a long string of questions, leaving Shiina unsure where to begin. So Shiina had no choice but to calm herself down and slowly consider the questions Ichinose had raised.

Seeing this, Amane didn't disturb Shiina. Instead, she held Arisu, whose face was red from the cold, in her arms to warm her up. Everyone waited quietly for Shiina to start thinking.

After Shiina had been thinking for nearly twenty minutes, she finally showed a slightly tired expression.

“I roughly understand what you mean, Ichinose-san. You mean that all actions in this school should be based on interests? Then what interests do they follow Amane's arrangements for? If Amane can't lead us to victory, we'll get nothing.”

Upon hearing this, Ichinose shook her head. She admitted that Shiina was one of the smartest girls, but she was too idealistic. No one would not want to have friendship and love that never fades, and no one would not want to have a group of kind, loving, and innocent friends around them.

But ideals are ultimately just ideals.

“Hiyori, sometimes many ‘benefits’ exist in places you can’t see. First of all, being with Amane can attract the attention of others. After all, wherever Amane goes, countless eyes are always watching her every move and trying to figure out her every word and action. It’s like being under the spotlight all the time. So being with Amane is like being under the spotlight as well, which can greatly increase one’s own popularity.”

Secondly, everyone knows that Tianyin is generous. It's not a big deal if it's just class points, but if it's cash or personal points as a reward, Tianyin will most likely share them with teammates in the same group. Tianyin doesn't lack personal points, so naturally, she won't be stingy in giving these points to those in need. This is a tangible benefit.

Besides these two points, there are also unseen benefits. Obeying Tianyin's arrangements and maintaining a good relationship with Tianyin can earn Tianyin's favor. Tianyin has tried to transfer other people to different classes more than once. If you have a good relationship with Tianyin, even if Tianyin doesn't give you any special treatment, as long as you keep in touch with Tianyin, you can shamelessly ask Tianyin to help you transfer to a different class when graduation is approaching. Tianyin might consider it.

Even if we take a step back and assume Tianyin doesn't intend to let anyone transfer classes, isn't there anyone who wants to be friends with someone as capable as Tianyin? To put it bluntly, this kind of close interaction with Tianyin is only possible while everyone is at school. After graduation, let alone talking to Tianyin, it will probably be difficult to even get into Tianyin's house. This is a godsend opportunity; whether you can seize it depends entirely on your own fate.

Ichinose's patient explanation completely convinced Shiina. She never expected to see so many things she had never paid attention to before from a small failure in interpersonal communication. This made Shiina realize for the first time how shallow her understanding was. However, since Ichinose had explained things so clearly, Shiina still had one thing she wanted to ask Ichinose.

"Ichinose-kun, did you approach Amane because of these benefits?"

As soon as Shiina said this, the surrounding air seemed to stop moving.

Arisu leaned her head against Amane's chest, her gaze shifting back and forth between Shiina and Ichinose, lost in thought.

When Shiina asked her about her sore spot, Ichinose tensed up all over, and even the smile on her face froze.

Honami Ichinose is different from all the other girls who are with Amane. Others approached Amane either because of misunderstandings or simply because they had some kind of story with her and ended up becoming lovers with her by accident.

But Ichinose Honami is different. From the beginning, Ichinose only considered Amane as a friend to befriend, which is why she wanted to get close to her. During this time, there was that disgraceful recantation incident, even though Amane forgave Ichinose, who was pushed into making the decision by her classmates.

But Ichinose knew better than anyone else that in the end, she was the one who supported the plan.

For a mere hundred class points, she betrayed Tianyin, who was protecting her classmates.

This matter remains a knot in Ichinose's heart to this day, because since that incident, the fate of the entire Class B seems to have changed. Everything she painstakingly built was completely negated. Shibata and Kanzaki tried to fight for the interests of Class B by any means necessary, but in the end, they only became stepping stones for Amane. In the end, even she became a pawn.

Perhaps, I shouldn't have been swayed by profit and done those despicable things in the first place.

"Yes, I initially approached Tianyin because her strength made me judge her to be an outstanding talent, which led me to want to become friends with her. Not only in the past, but even now, there are also transactions between Tianyin and me. For example, when I was about to be expelled from school, I asked Tianyin to let me stay in the school. Another example is that my relationship with Tianyin saved me from Class D to Class A. I no longer have to rack my brains about how to defeat others, or even worry about my future after graduation. The price I paid for this was everything I had."

I'm quite certain I like Tianyin, but the 'benefits' I received from her were also genuine, weren't they? Whether I liked Tianyin because of those 'benefits' or liked her first and then gained benefits from her, that's the least important thing, isn't it?

Chapter 321: Do you really like me?

The heavy snow that had fallen for three or four days finally stopped around noon today.

Sunlight pierced through the sparse clouds and shone on the snow, like a golden road being laid out.

Amane held Ichinose's hand and carefully walked on the thick layer of snow. Amane seemed very happy to hear the crunching sound under her feet.

Amane has loved snow for a long time, because it's very difficult to see a decent snow scene where she lives, let alone a heavy snowfall like in Hokkaido.

So every time it snows, Tianyin would happily look forward to the snow covering the road in front of her door overnight, and then walk on the snow alone, listening to the sound of her shoes crunching on the soft snow. This was one of Tianyin's few and little-known pleasures.

However, compared to Amane, who was in a good mood, Ichinose's face showed more worry.

"Tenon, do you think I was too direct just now? I wonder if Hiyori won't be able to accept it... I should never have said those things to her, sigh..."

Ichinose stopped and sighed with regret.

Not long ago, after Ichinose showed Shiina her way of getting along with Amane and another side of her besides liking her, Shiina showed a rather unacceptable expression and finally left the scene angrily, citing illness as the reason.

With Shiina's departure, the gathering, which had barely discussed anything related to the afternoon's games, ended on a sour note. Albert, who had only said a word or two throughout, looked in the direction Shiina had left and then asked Amane and Arisu to comfort Shiina.

Since Ibuki transferred to Class A, Shiina hasn't had any female friends in Class C. Ishizaki and he, being boys, can't understand what troubles Shiina, a girl, is going through.

When Amane saw Albert ask for her help, she readily agreed. However, Arisu stopped her, saying that she could help Shiina resolve her inner conflict and that she would comfort Shiina instead. Amane was to accompany Ichinose to wander around and clear her mind.

Amane felt that since Arisu knew about Shiina's inner conflict, it would be more effective for her to persuade her than for Amane herself. So she agreed to Arisu's request and took Ichinose for a walk on the man-made path on the snow mountain.

However, although Ichinose was being led around by Amane, he was still preoccupied with what had just happened.

"Objectively speaking, what you said, Fanbo, is not wrong. Those are all real things. Interactions between people can be without considering interests, but it is impossible to have no interaction of interests. It's just that I'm afraid Hiyori might not be able to accept such realistic things for a while."

After all, she was just an ordinary girl who liked to read quietly by herself, and if she was lucky, she could find someone who also liked reading to chat with. When the topic of detectives and reasoning came up, her eyes would light up and she would excitedly discuss various reasoning logics.

However… Hiyori probably understands these principles, but in her view, interpersonal relationships and feelings are purely emotional exchanges. Once things like interests are involved, she feels that friendship and affection are being put on a price tag, which is why she got angry. Speaking of which… this is the first time I've ever seen Hiyori angry.”

Amane recalled the moments she had spent with Shiina. Apart from the occasional pranks she played that made Shiina look angry, it seemed that this was the first time she had ever seen Shiina angry, especially because of something like this.

"I see... Will you mind that day, Tianyin?"

Ichinose hesitated for a moment, but finally gritted her teeth and asked the question.

"Mind? Why would I mind?"

"You mind what I did back then and my initial motives for contacting you..."

This matter has always been a hurdle that Ichinose finds hard to overcome. She initially approached Amane with ulterior motives. Even during the training camp at the forest school, Ichinose took advantage of Amane's sympathy to get Amane to extend a helping hand to her.

"It's impossible to say that I don't mind at all."

Amane gently tapped the snow off the soles of her shoes on the steps, then turned to look into Ichinose's eyes and spoke.

Upon hearing Amane's reply, Ichinose instinctively trembled. First, her fingers clenched uncontrollably due to excessive tension, and then a complex mix of emotions began to spread throughout her body.

"Just as I thought, I knew you couldn't possibly not have noticed what I did, Tianyin. My mother taught me from a young age that doing bad things would be punished, and I didn't really believe it then—no, not even now—until just now... To be honest, I'm feeling a little scared now, hahaha..."

Ichinose chuckled dryly, his words filled with unspeakable bitterness.

But Tianyin, who was standing in front of her, seemed completely oblivious and continued talking to herself.

"It's not just that you approached me with an ulterior motive, Honami. I know a lot of other things too. For example, the photo Kanzaki gave Airi of Airi and me being intimate, and how you deliberately revealed your past to me in order to sever ties with Shibata after discovering he was going to lose, and how you deliberately made your secret public to leave the cruise ship... Also, how you tried to use my sympathy to help you stay in school during the forest training camp, and even pretended to like me and confessed to me... Finally, how you instigated Suzune and Era to form a faction to try and compete with Arisu for my heart... Honami-chan, I know everything!"

Amane smiled and stroked Ichinose's cheek.

Her hands were icy cold to the touch. I don't know if it was because the outside temperature was too low or because Amane's words had completely frightened her. In any case, Ichinose's originally rosy cheeks were now as pale as the snow on the roadside. Not only the color, but also the temperature was similar.

"This is truly... a statement that evokes despair. Tianyin, do you know? I've actually simulated a scenario like today in my mind, simulating how I would beg for your forgiveness if I wanted to stay by your side after you exposed me..."

"And what were the simulation results?"

"You'll bully me badly and then tell me we should never contact each other again."

"??? Hey hey hey! Honami, how did you even come up with this result? I may be a bit... something else, but I'm not that much of a scumbag, am I?"

Amane stared speechlessly at Ichinose.

Amane originally thought the simulation would have a happy ending for everyone, or at least Ichinose would have prepared something specifically for today.

To Amane's surprise, Ichinose's simulation showed that she had thoroughly humiliated her and then discarded her after she was done with it.

Is this still Miyako Amane? No, is this still a human being?

Amane was a little depressed when she realized that she was such a scumbag in Ichinose's eyes.

"But... I really can't imagine any way this will turn around. If any girl did these things, Tianyin, you would think twice before dating her, right? I did all of these things. Although some of them were out of necessity, they were still my own doing. So I don't expect to get your forgiveness, Tianyin."

Ichinose's words came from the bottom of her heart. Not to mention that Amane could hardly forgive her, even she herself found it unbelievable when she thought back on what she had done. Each of her actions was the most correct thing to do at different times, but when they were put together, it was clear that Amane had been unilaterally used by Ichinose from beginning to end.

This discovery made Ichinose feel even more ashamed, and she lived a very cautious life every day, avoiding any competition with Arisu and the others, fearing that one of them would produce some evidence against her in order to bring her down, thus allowing Amane to discover that Ichinose Honami was actually a person who liked to lie and manipulate others.

"Fanbo, you're right. If it were someone else, I'm afraid I really wouldn't forgive her. But if it's you, I might consider forgiving you."

When Ichinose heard Amane say that she could forgive her, she did not show any happy expression. Instead, she frowned and lowered her head to think about something. Suddenly, Ichinose felt two fingers press on her brow and gently smooth out her furrowed brow.