Classmates in Sync

During Monday's math class, Chabashira Sae was explaining a complicated probability problem. Horikita Suzune sat by the window in the third row, taking notes with focused attention. From his seat diagonally behind her, Fūki Ran could clearly see her straight back and the meticulous way she wrote.

It was their third week as classmates, but they still only spoke when necessary for schoolwork. Horikita kept to herself, and Fūki had no intention of disrupting their unspoken understanding.

When the bell rang, Teacher Chabashira assigned them a problem to work on after class. "This problem requires you to apply everything we covered today. Turn it in before class tomorrow."

A chorus of groans immediately filled the classroom. Horikita, however, had already packed her bag and left without looking back.

Fūki noticed the slight frown on her face as she left. The problem was indeed difficult, even for an honors student like Horikita.

That evening, while looking up references in the library, Fūki unexpectedly spotted Horikita. She sat alone in a corner, several reference books spread out before her as she worked through calculations on Draft Paper without pause.

Fūki took the seat across from her. She didn't look up, seemingly immersed in her own world.

About half an hour later, Horikita let out a quiet sigh, put down her pen, and rubbed her temples. It seemed she'd hit a roadblock.

"Need any help?" Fūki asked softly.

Horikita jerked her head up, only then noticing Fūki across from her. Her expression immediately returned to its usual cool reserve. "No need. I can solve it myself."

"The key to this problem is understanding when Bayes' Theorem applies." Fūki continued as if he hadn't heard her refusal. "You're making your approach too complicated."

Horikita's fingers paused slightly. She really had gotten stuck at that step.

Fūki picked up his pen and drew a simple diagram on the Draft Paper. "Look. If you approach it from this angle, the problem becomes much simpler."

Horikita watched his demonstration in silence. The resistance in her eyes gradually gave way to concentration. There was no denying that Fūki's solution was much clearer and more concise than the approach she'd been taking.

"I see..." she murmured. "I was too fixated on one approach."

"Sometimes, a change in perspective is all it takes to solve a problem." Fūki put down his pen. "That goes for more than just math."

Horikita looked up, sharply catching the deeper meaning in his words. "What are you talking about?"

"For example, the state of our class." Fūki lowered his voice. "Class D seems calm on the surface, but there are undercurrents swirling beneath it."

Horikita's expression turned serious. "What have you found?"

"Ike and Yamauchi's group have been acting suspiciously lately," Fūki said. "I suspect they're planning something."

Just then, a sweet voice cut in. "What are you two talking about?"

Kushida Kikyo had appeared beside them without their noticing, wearing her trademark bright smile.

Horikita immediately fell silent, her expression growing even colder. But Fūki replied naturally, "We're discussing a math problem. Kushida, you're just in time. What do you think of this one?"

Kushida leaned over to look at the problem, then glanced at Horikita. She caught on at once and smiled. "This one really is tough. But I'm sure Horikita can solve it."

She winked at Fūki, then turned to Horikita. "Horikita, if you ever need help, just ask me. We're classmates, after all. We should help each other."

Horikita frowned slightly, seeming uncomfortable with Kushida's enthusiasm. "Thanks, but I don't need any help."

After Kushida left, Fūki spoke softly to Horikita. "Kushida can be trusted."

Horikita looked at him in surprise. "You're sure? She's so fake—"

"I'm sure." Fūki cut her off. "There are things I can't explain just yet, but please trust my judgment."

Horikita considered this for a moment, then finally nodded. "All right. What about Ike and the others...?"

"I've already asked Kushida to keep an eye on them," Fūki said. "According to her, they've been spending a lot of time with students from Class C during lunch lately."

"Ryuen..." Horikita's gaze sharpened. "He must be plotting something."

"And I've also noticed," Fūki added, "that these people's personal points have been increasing unusually fast."

Just then, the lights in the library flickered, warning them that closing time was near. They began packing up their books.

"The Special Exam is coming up soon," Fūki said quietly. "We need to be extra careful."

Horikita nodded slightly. "Understood. Let me know if you find anything else."

As they left the library, the cool night breeze greeted them. Unusually, Horikita didn't leave at once. Instead, she stopped and looked at Fūki. "Why choose to work with me? You could have gone to Hirata. He's better at leading the class."

"Because I believe in your abilities and your principles." Fūki's answer was brief. "Besides, neither of us wants Class D to fail because of internal divisions."

His reason moved Horikita slightly. After a moment's silence, she said softly, "See you tomorrow."

Watching Horikita walk away, Fūki knew it would take time to change the stubborn girl. But at least they had established a measure of trust.

The next day in math class, Teacher Chabashira went out of her way to praise Horikita's solution. "Horikita's approach was very creative. She thought outside the box."

Horikita glanced at Fūki without thinking. Their eyes met briefly.

After class, Kushida naturally went over to Horikita. "Horikita, I didn't quite understand part of the explanation just now. Could I ask you about it?"

At Fūki's subtle signal, Horikita reluctantly nodded. "Sure."

While Kushida was asking Horikita questions, Fūki noticed Ike and Yamauchi whispering together in a corner of the classroom, wearing strange smiles from time to time. He discreetly caught Kushida's eye.

Understanding his signal, Kushida immediately put her natural warmth to use. "Horikita, you explain things so clearly! By the way, why don't we study together this weekend? I know you're great at math, so you could help everyone out."

The suggestion clearly put Horikita in a difficult position, but under Fūki's encouraging gaze, she finally nodded. "...All right."

After Kushida left, Horikita went over to Fūki, her tone tinged with irritation. "Why did you agree to this pointless social event?"

"It's a good chance to observe what's going on in the class," Fūki explained softly. "Besides, group activities now and then can improve your standing with your classmates."

"I don't need to—"

"You do," Fūki interrupted. "In a competition where classes are the basic unit, isolating yourself is the most dangerous choice."

Horikita wanted to argue, but when she thought of all the strange things she'd noticed lately, she fell silent.

After school, as Horikita walked back to the dorms alone, she found herself seriously considering Fūki's words for the first time. Maybe she really should try looking at the class from a different perspective.