The team-forming time quickly ended, and the moment Tanaka had been eagerly anticipating finally arrived.
"Everyone, our seats are over here!" A short-haired girl energetically greeted a few people who walked over.
To Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's surprise, out of the five people who came this time, four were familiar faces.
The trio consisted of Saotome Meari, Togakushi Yukimi, and Hanatemari Kazura.
And another familiar face was...
"Yo, everyone, hello. I'm Kurume Laiwei."
Kurume Laiwei, with a "Stray Cat" tag hanging around her neck, saw Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and the smile on her face grew wider.
She greeted the two very familiarly: "Yo, Kuroki, Ayanokoji, hello. I didn't expect to see you here."
"Kurume, you're here too..." Kuroki Ya was a little surprised, not expecting to see a classmate here.
Ochi Ren asked in surprise, "Do you know each other?"
"We're in the same class. Besides that, there's no other relationship," Kuroki answered for Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
In Kuroki Ya's view, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, as a new student, had no connection with Kurume Laiwei at all.
Kurume being able to call out his name was probably because he was quite noticeable in class as a new student.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka didn't explain either, just nodded in agreement, acknowledging it.
Kurume Laiwei didn't seem surprised by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's reaction. She sat down in the leading seat with a smile.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka then looked at the Saotome Meari trio and greeted them with a smile: "Yo, what a coincidence, I didn't expect us to be in the same group."
This was the worst possible arrangement for Saotome Meari.
She had intended to secretly come here to gamble, hoping to fill the hole left by her casino losses, but she didn't expect to encounter Ayanokoji, her "boss," here.
This was already awkward, and even more awkward was that she would have to gamble face-to-face with him later...
"Yes, what a coincidence..."
Saotome sat down with an awkward smile. Hanatemari and Togakushi also sat down with embarrassed expressions.
Sitting opposite Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was the unfamiliar girl. Saotome Meari sat right next to her, directly facing Kuroki Ya.
"Is everyone seated!? Before the game begins, first is chat time!"
The host's energetic voice once again echoed throughout the banquet hall: "Everyone can introduce yourselves to each other and get to know each other well. Perhaps your beloved is sitting opposite you!"
"Now... chat time begins!"
Although the host said so, five people facing each other like this still felt very awkward, and a silence fell over them for a moment.
"It seems the girls are a bit reserved. Then let us boys speak first."
Ochi Ren was not reserved. He was the first to open the conversation, smiling as he said his name: "My name is Ochi Ren, and I'm a second-year student."
"My name is Kuonji Mamoru, also a second-year," Kuonji Mamoru adjusted his glasses and said indifferently.
"My name is Tanaka Yuzuna, h-h-hello everyone!"
Tanaka Daishou seemed to rarely talk to girls. He straightened his back, his face as red as a Rambo overheating, and he stammered when he spoke.
Kuroki Ya patted Tanaka's shoulder as if comforting him, then smiled and said, "My name is Kuroki Ya. As Kurume-san said, Ayanokoji, she, and I are in the same class."
Although Ayanokoji only didn't know one of the four girls present, when it was his turn, he also cleared his throat and said his name.
"My name is Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. I'm a new student who just arrived at this school. Please take care of me."
Just like a normal mixer, the boys all said their names. The girls looked at each other and then followed suit.
Kurume Laiwei, Togakushi Yukimi, Hanatemari Kazura, and Saotome Meari, the four of them spoke in turn.
The last to speak was the only unfamiliar girl, sitting opposite Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
Unlike the previous girls' reserve, she stood up and introduced herself enthusiastically: "I'm Inui Chitose, a third-year student. Please be kind to me today!"
"I'm here today to find an excellent boyfriend. I've participated in several matchmaking parties so far, but none of them went well. I strongly hope to meet a suitable boy this time."
She cupped her face, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "This matchmaking event is the best I've encountered. I didn't expect there to be so many high-quality boys..."
Tanaka knew in his heart that she wasn't talking about him, but he still beamed with a sense of shared honor.
With Inui Chitose's appearance, the atmosphere gradually became more familiar.
Ochi Ren and Kuroki Ya shared some interesting anecdotes that had happened to them. Although not particularly funny, they helped lighten the mood, and the girls gradually started talking more.
"Hanatemari, Togakushi, and I run a casino. You can come and gamble if you have time." Saotome Meari didn't forget to solicit customers at this moment.
"Saotome, you're amazing! You and Ayanokoji are both new students, and you're already a casino owner..."
Kuroki Ya couldn't help but exclaim, and then casually asked, "Are all of you here today to find boyfriends?"
Saotome Meari showed a composed smile: "That's right. Work at the casino isn't busy right now, so as an employee benefit, I brought them here to have some fun."
Saotome Meari tried hard to portray herself as someone who wasn't short on money and was just there for fun, hoping to lull the boys in front of her into a false sense of security and prevent them from knowing her true goal was the one million stake.
As she spoke, she kept secretly glancing at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's reaction, fearing that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would expose her.
Kuroki Ya noticed Saotome's reaction, but he misinterpreted it, thinking that Saotome was interested in Ayanokoji, which was why she kept secretly looking at him.
Kuroki Ya deliberately asked, "Saotome-san, what kind of boy do you like?"
Suddenly asked this question, Saotome Meari was a little surprised. She glanced at Ayanokoji and carefully chose her words: "I like boys who are gentle, have their own principles and bottom line, and are a little bit sly..."
Is she talking about herself?
Ayanokoji subconsciously glanced at Saotome. Her expression immediately became flustered, and she quickly turned her face away, pretending to be unfamiliar with Ayanokoji.
Tanaka was very interested in Hanatemari Kazura: "Hanatemari-san, you haven't spoken at all until now. Don't be so reserved just because you're a livestock. Do you have any hobbies?"
Hanatemari, directly facing Tanaka Yuzuna, lowered her head and whispered, "I like sewing and cooking..."
Tanaka shook happily like a bowling pin: "Oh oh oh oh...! Cooking and sewing, that's great! Just like a Yamato Nadeshiko! That's exactly my type!"
Hanatemari Kazura looked troubled, clearly unaccustomed to his enthusiasm.
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