Kamuro-Take This Elbow!

As for the boys...apart from Hirata and Nagumo, there were only Ayanokoji and Ike.

Sigh, the girls really outnumbered the boys...not that I minded.

Friday came around quickly. After the first class, while everyone was still in the classroom, Hirata, the leading figure in Class D, quickly walked up to the podium.

"The Midterm Exam is coming up soon. I'm sure everyone knows that if you fail, you'll be expelled immediately. So I'd like to set up a study group for two hours after school each day. Everyone's welcome to join."

As soon as Hirata finished speaking, several students eagerly responded. It wasn't only those who had failed the last exam; students hovering around the passing line were keen to join, too.

"I really don't want anyone to be expelled for failing a written exam. And since the Midterm Exam will also affect our Class Points, it's all the more important that we seize this opportunity.

"Some of our stronger students are already preparing for the exam, so I hope anyone who's worried about the Midterm Exam will come to our study group. Everyone's welcome."

As he spoke, Hirata looked kindly toward Sudo, who was sitting in the corner of the last row. It was obvious who he was talking to.

Watching this, Kamio Tatsuya shook his head to himself.

An ordinary person would probably have been won over by Hirata by now.

Unfortunately, Sudo was the one in question. With his stubborn pride, there was no way he'd join the study group.

Besides, Hirata, weren't you basically saying right out in the open, "Sudo's grades are bad, so we need to help him"?

It was true that Sudo's grades were poor, but the worse they were, the stronger his pride about them became.

What was that saying? The less you had of something, the more you cared about it.

So even though Sudo acted like he didn't care about studying, just try calling him a dummy to his face. He'd definitely lose it.

And it wasn't just Sudo. Yamauchi and Ike, who were consumed by envy and resentment toward Hirata, probably wouldn't go either.

Well, that was fine by me.

If those three got expelled, the class might even become more peaceful.

As for whether that would affect our chances of making it to Class A, well, what did that have to do with Kamio Tatsuya, a slacker who just wanted to lie low for three years?

Once Hirata finished speaking, several students who had failed or barely passed gathered around his seat.

And just as Kamio Tatsuya had predicted, Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudo remained unmoved. They even looked disgusted.

It seemed they had no intention of joining Hirata's study group.

At lunchtime, Horikita Suzune looked over at Kamio Tatsuya.

"Are you free at lunch? Would you like to eat together?"

At Horikita's question, Kamio Tatsuya shuddered.

Overseas, asking that usually meant you were offering to pay.

Horikita Suzune was going to treat me to lunch?

Good heavens!

"I already have plans for lunch. Thanks."

Kamio Tatsuya got up and promptly left the classroom.

When someone who never shows you any kindness suddenly does, they're up to no good. You think I'd go eat with you? As if.

After school, Kamio Tatsuya went to the library as usual. Horikita Suzune came along and sat across from him.

"I can only tutor you in the afternoon or evening tomorrow. During the day, I'm planning to invite Ike and the other two to the study group."

Kamio Tatsuya looked at Horikita Suzune, doubt written all over his face.

Of course, he wasn't questioning whether Horikita Suzune had actually invited them. He was wondering whether she could get the three of them to show up.

Chapter 45: Kamuro—Take This Elbow!

Horikita Suzune was displeased by the undisguised doubt on Kamio Tatsuya's face.

"What's that look for? You think I can't do it?"

No way!

You actually guessed right!

You're amazing. Here's a verbal pat on the back!

"Let's put that aside for now." Kamio Tatsuya changed the subject at once. "You're not obligated to help them study, are you? After all, it's their choice not to join Hirata's study group."

"I take it you're surprised."

"Yeah, I am."

Watching Kamio Tatsuya's completely serious expression made Horikita Suzune feel as if her breath had caught. She was annoyed.

"They left the classroom as soon as school ended today, so I doubt they'll join Hirata's study group later, either. If this keeps up, they're very likely to fail.

"But this exam will affect our Class Points. I don't want them dragging us down."

Kamio Tatsuya nodded, quite sincerely.

That said...

Compared to a lower average score, losing the students themselves was more likely to put Class D at a disadvantage.

"Are you sure you can get them to join your study group?"

"That's why I asked Ayanokoji."

Whoa, you asked Ayanokoji.

He seemed close to Ike and the others, but they only treated him like an errand boy. They didn't respect him at all.

Horikita, how could you not see that?

And what was wrong with Ayanokoji? How could he stand being summoned and dismissed by them like that? Any normal person would've fallen out with those guys by now.

"What will you do if Ayanokoji can't bring them?"

"Then he won't need to be alive anymore."

Heh. Horikita Suzune, did you think you sounded cool when you said that?

So you hadn't even considered what you'd do if Ayanokoji failed.

You're not thinking three steps ahead—you can't even see the next step. With that feel-your-way-across-the-river approach, you still think you can lead this bunch of deadweight in Class D to Class A?

Aren't you a little too confident?

No, maybe it wasn't confidence. Maybe it was arrogance.

"Good luck, then."

Horikita's decision didn't affect Kamio Tatsuya's study plans.

He could study just as well without Horikita. She was mostly just a tool to him.

The next day was Saturday.

After getting up and eating breakfast, Kamio Tatsuya went to the library alone. Lately, he seemed to have slipped back into his university entrance exam days.

He was always ducking into the library.

Studying took perseverance. Plenty of sayings made that clear: "Learning is like rowing upstream; if you don't advance, you fall behind."

And then there was, "Go three days without reading, and your brains turn to mush."

So Kamio Tatsuya headed for his usual seat, only to find someone else already there.

Just as he arrived, the other person looked up.

Their eyes met. Kamio Tatsuya walked over and sat down across from her.

"I thought you'd run away."

"Ha. Who do you think I am? I'm not going to run away from someone like Kamuro."

Kamio Tatsuya's expression was full of disdain.

As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a foot step on his under the table.

He leaned back and looked underneath. Sure enough, Kamuro's foot, in a black-stockinged leg and indoor shoes, was on top of his.

But the sole of her indoor shoe was soft, so it didn't hurt at all.

Come to think of it, her legs were pretty nice. I wonder how they'd feel...

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." Kamio Tatsuya looked away from Kamuro's legs and replied with some regret.

Kamuro stared at Kamio Tatsuya for a while, then said, "Pervert."

What?

"How am I a pervert? You'd better explain yourself. Even I won't accept being slandered for no reason."

"Were you not looking at my legs just now?"

What?

She noticed?

Kamio Tatsuya was horrified, then immediately turned the blame on her without the slightest justification. "Well, it's your own fault for wearing a skirt. If you wore pants, I wouldn't be able to see them."

Kamuro wasn't moved. Her expression turned scornful. "Creep."

Damn, I really couldn't argue with that.

Did a guy who wasn't a pervert even exist?

To keep the conversation from going any further, Kamio Tatsuya quickly changed the subject. "By the way, you're the only one here today. Isn't that White Hair girl with you?"

"How much do you hate her that you won't even say her name? Besides, I'm not obligated to stay with her twenty-four hours a day. She's just a cripple, not someone who can't take care of herself."

Kamuro pulled her foot off the top of Kamio Tatsuya's and spoke with clear annoyance.

Kamuro's words made Kamio Tatsuya laugh.

"Fair enough. But I don't think her problem is with her legs."

"Not with her legs? Then why does she use a crutch?"

"If her legs were really the problem, the muscles should've atrophied more. I've looked at her legs. They're still fairly well-rounded, so she doesn't seem completely unable to move them."

After he finished speaking, Kamuro looked at him with scorn again.

"Pervert."

Damn it.

Kamio Tatsuya was furious. He could handle sharp-tongued girls like Horikita and Sakayanagi with ease, but Kamuro somehow had him on the back foot.

Was this just a case of opposites attracting?

No, I have to hit back!

Kamio Tatsuya stood up, slid the book he'd just taken out over to the seat diagonally across from him, then sat down beside Kamuro.

"Kamuro, we're pretty familiar with each other by now, right?"

His sudden move put Kamuro on alert.

"What are you trying to do?"

"Obviously, what a pervert would do."

Before the words had even left his mouth, Kamio Tatsuya reached out and placed his hand on Kamuro's leg, which looked so soft he couldn't resist touching it. He even gave it a squeeze.

He wouldn't have dared to do that with anyone else, but Kamuro was different. He had leverage over her.

Kamio Tatsuya's reasoning was simple: I've got something major on you. The fact that our relationship hasn't ended up in a dirty comic already means I've shown remarkable restraint.

Now you dare provoke me? Then you can think carefully about what you've done.

Yeah.

So this was what a sixteen-year-old girl's thigh felt like?

It felt great. She must work out.

The instant his hand landed on her thigh, Kamuro's body went rigid, and her mind went completely blank.