Abi was starting to think talking to Kenko was a mistake.

Abi had, in her thoughts at least, abandoned the idea of dating Toshi and shifted her focus to supporting her close friend Meiko in her pursuit of a relationship with him. Personally, Abi didn't like the boy and failed to see any redeeming qualities in him. To her, he came across as a spoiled brat who was very good at putting on a pleasing façade. Still, Abi was willing to give Toshi a chance due to the effect he had on Meiko. It marked the first time Abi witnessed Meiko embracing her feminine side.

Meiko had always been too timid.

Had Abi not personally tussled with the girl, she would have ranked Meiko alongside Ruri, a girl who seemed to be actively inviting bullying. Yet, Meiko proved to be a resilient fighter. Her soft-spoken nature didn't stem from fear but rather from a profound lack of self-esteem. Abi genuinely empathized with her friend Meiko and had made numerous attempts over their years of friendship to encourage her to be more assertive and to come out of her shell. Abi, with concern, warned Meiko that if she didn't change, she risked growing up to become another incel cowgirl living in her parent's basement.

Boys do not like meek women.

After just one date with Toshi, Meiko underwent a remarkable transformation into a bona fide badass. She ceased taking crap from her sisters and started to dominate anyone who even thought about taking advantage of her. She didn't turn into a bully, Meiko had just become markedly proactive in addressing and shutting down problems before they could get started. Abi, despite her reservations about Toshi, couldn't deny that, painful as it might be to admit, he had a positive influence on Meiko. He was the catalyst for her evolution into the assertive woman she was becoming.

Despite her lingering suspicions, if Meiko vouched for Toshi, Abi was willing to give him a chance. What troubled Abi was the fact that her friend Madoka also fell for Toshi in just one date. This quick emotional attachment raised red flags for Abi, as she believed that falling for someone after a single date just didn't happen. In her view, no guy could be that amazing; such scenarios only unfolded in Otome games or disposable male-based romantic fantasies. Abi firmly believed that genuine relationships require time, a perspective instilled in her by her mother. She also held the belief that guys don't fall for those who are overly accommodating; one must maintain a certain level of assertiveness and engage in strategic mind games. After all, boys are playing their own mind games, too.

If you admit you love a boy before he says he loves you, you've lost.

That was Abi's worry, Meiko's infatuation with Toshi. Determined to gather more information, Abi decided to consult Toshi's best friend, Kenko. If Hinako had the role of peacekeeper, Kenko was the one responsible for upholding the pecking order among the boys. In a parallel dynamic to Hinako's rivalry with Naora, Kenko had his own arch-enemy, Kingo. However, Kingo had changed after the fever, resulting in a mellower disposition. Without Kingo's petty nature driving the cheerleaders, the school's power dynamics had shifted, leaving Kenko the undisputed king of the school.

While Abi might not be the smoothest operator, most boys considered her a 'good egg.' Although not the type to grasp fine details, she could read a room. Despite Toshi being the most handsome boy in school, Kenko held the title of the most POWERFUL boy. If Kenko harbored disdain for you, everyone avoided you. On the flip side, if Kenko favored you, your school career went a lot smoother.

In the girl's social circles, it resembled a Darwinian situation where the strong survived and the weak perished. For example, Ruri. The girl was among the weaker students on every level. While Abi and the others would swiftly come to the defense of anyone being bullied, the unspoken rule was clear: if you couldn't stand up for yourself or at least ask for help, you were left to fend for yourself.

Abi understood why Ruri clung to Toshi. It was a matter of survival. Toshi, somehow, had succeeded in getting Naora to leave Ruri alone and most other bullies followed suit. Although they might still say hurtful things about her at times, it was never done in Toshi's presence.

Abi will admit that the one thing she liked about Toshi was his temper.

If anyone so much as THOUGHT to be picking on Ruri, Ruri would wind up being the one holding him back. He was like a hyper-aggressive little puppy. It was both cute and inspiring. The way he would rush to the defense of a friend in need was endearing. He was clueless about how society worked, but when some obvious injustice reared its ugly head, he handled it. Personally. He was willing to throw down and never went whining to the teachers. He was a fool who was going to bite off more than he could chew someday, but an admirable fool, nonetheless.

Kenko on the other hand... was not a fool.

It was only after Abi's discussion with Kenko regarding Meiko and Toshi that she fully grasped the extent of Kenko's ruthlessness and cunning. Abi had never been one to entirely trust boys, viewing them as inherently manipulative to one degree or another. However, Kenko's demeanor unsettled her to the core. It wasn't merely what he said but how he articulated himself, his strategic planning, and the way he manipulated people. Kenko had a devoted crew of boys who were prepared to carry out his wishes without him needing to even ask.

Perhaps Kenko's fondness for Toshi stemmed from the fact that Toshi should have posed a threat to Kenko's social dominance in school, but he turned out to be too oblivious to be a challenge. Abi had observed firsthand how Toshi genuinely liked Kenko. Toshi treated Kenko as a friend first and foremost. Toshi had no hidden agendas or ulterior motives. Unlike others who sought out Kenko to curry favor or jockey for position, Toshi didn't manipulate anyone. He was open, honest, and seemingly clueless. Abi speculated that Kenko appreciated Toshi for his refreshing lack of subterfuge and blunt honesty, even if sometimes it was to the point of rudeness.

If Toshi held the title of the school prince, Kenko could be likened to a ruthless monarch skillfully manipulating all the factions in the school to his advantage. Abi inadvertently triggered an intense interrogation from Kenko when she mentioned Meiko's interest in Toshi. The initial anger Kenko displayed was directed towards Madoka not being the chosen one for Toshi. In the course of his frustration, Kenko accidentally revealed the intricate planning he had executed to ensure the union of Toshi and Madoka. Abi hadn't intended to divulge so much about her friends, but Kenko's intimidating demeanor led him to extract the truth from her during the hour-long interrogation.

Kenko eventually came to terms with the fact that Madoka had plans to leave the country for her career, realizing that a relationship with Toshi was not in the cards. Abi grew somewhat concerned as Kenko persistently attempted to find ways to make it work, but eventually, he acknowledged the reality of the situation. He shifted his support and committed to shipping Toshi and Meiko instead.

In real-time, right before Abi's eyes, Kenko and his crew swiftly assessed all of Meiko's merits and drawbacks in a span of five minutes. They engaged in a lively debate about her worthiness, ultimately deciding to support her. In a seamless sequence, they even coined a name for the budding couple.

'Meishi' won out over 'Toshko'.

What puzzled Abi the most was when Kenko pulled her aside for a private conversation. He discussed peculiar topics, made statements loaded with implications, and posed a series of leading questions along with some entirely unrelated ones. Though Abi didn't fully grasp the situation, it appeared to her that Kenko was indirectly suggesting the possibility of Toshi being targeted by someone with malicious intentions, but she wasn't quite sure. That's the problem Abi had with boys.

They never just come out and say what they mean.

When they rejoined the group, the boys had already formulated a plan. They discussed the guest list, who should be excluded, balanced the number of boys and girls, and even deliberated on the choice of songs. Abi decided to assert her authority at this point. This was her date, and while Kenko was welcome to offer advice and assist in organizing the meet-up, Abi would be the one curating the playlist. Despite initial resistance from Kenko, he eventually relented, confident that if things went awry, he could step in to rectify the situation. Moreover, Abi's popularity and her decent taste in music reassured him.

Abi was a big fan of Honey Whitefox, after all.