Class D Students

"Let me tell you guys, when looking for a partner, you absolutely have to find someone smart." Haruki Yamauchi shook his head, looking utterly helpless. "My ex-girlfriend, she wasn't very bright. She couldn't even do multiplication or division."

Kanji Ike listened intently. "Ah, that's really not sharp at all. The teacher must be pretty bad too, not being able to teach multiplication and division."

"Ah, no, can't blame the teacher. Her teacher isn't teaching that until next semester."

"..."

"?"

"Damn, you're really something, Yamauchi. You're practically begging for a prison sentence!"

They shouted these vapid boasts so loudly that it was impossible for anyone nearby not to hear them.

"So, Yamauchi, you must have a lot of experience chasing girls, right? Can you share some with me?" Kanji Ike actually believed Yamauchi's obvious bragging and foolishly asked him for dating advice.

"Heh heh~ naturally. I am a professional lady-killer, known for the fact that there isn't a girl I can't conquer within three days!"

"Wow, that's amazing! You'll definitely find a girlfriend soon, Yamauchi. When you do, you have to help your brother out!"

"That goes without saying. Look, Ike, brothers are like limbs, women are like clothes. If I don't have a girlfriend, it's because I gave up the opportunity for your sake. It's a symbol of our brotherhood!"

"A guy as outstanding as you, actually doing this for me... I... I'm so moved!!!" Kanji Ike was nearly choking up.

"Ike!"

"Haruki!"

Not everyone was indifferent to their cringeworthy behavior. Shinohara Satsuki, a member of Kei Karuizawa's gal group, spoke up with a nasty, sarcastic tone:

"You've been blowing hot air for so long, aren't your cheeks tired? 'No girl you can't conquer within three days,' huh? It's been almost a week since school started, how come I haven't seen you with a girlfriend yet? Could it be—that it's all just talk?"

"Hah? You actually dare to call me a liar?" Yamauchi clenched his fists, gritting his teeth as his face flushed slightly. "Fine, then I'll prove it to you! The masculine charm of Haruki Yamauchi is enough to make any girl swoon, as long as I want it to!"

"Oooooh~" The girls in Kei Karuizawa's group burst into laughter.

Kei Karuizawa rolled her eyes. "In that case... if you're so capable, why don't you go confess to Kushida-san?"

"Ki... Kikyo-chan?" Yamauchi seemed startled, but quickly pretended to be unfazed. "Fine, then Kikyo-chan it is. But confessing is too low-class; that's what inexperienced guys do! Someone with experience like me naturally attracts Kikyo-chan instead!"

As he spoke, he struck a pose, raking his hand through his hair in what he thought was a cool gesture. His self-confident smirk looked incredibly greasy.

He slowly walked over to Kushida Kikyo, who was chatting with Wang Meiyu, Onodera, Mori Nene, and other girls.

The topic of their conversation seemed to be about a certain boy from Class A and his childhood friend.

This caused the heart of Haruki Yamauchi, which had been a bit nervous from being put on the spot, to be instantly overwhelmed by jealousy.

It's these damn normies again. Whether it's Yosuke Hirata or this guy from Class A, they're the ones hogging all the female resources!

If you have a girlfriend, just date her properly. Isn't having a childhood friend enough? Why do you have to attract the attention of every single girl before you're satisfied?

If it weren't for them, someone as excellent as me would have found a girlfriend a long time ago!

"Haruki Yamauchi, is something wrong?" They noticed him.

Haruki Yamauchi hurriedly snapped out of his internal rant and scratched the back of his head. "Ah... well... um... Kikyo-chan, are you free? There's something I want to talk to you about in private."

"Eh?" The girls around Kikyo Kushida widened their eyes, looking at Haruki with surprise. Then, their gazes toward Kikyo shifted, filled with a bit of pity and sympathy, and perhaps a faint hint of wanting to watch a show.

Kikyo Kushida's smiling expression didn't change in the slightest. "I'm sorry, Yamauchi-kun, but I'm chatting with everyone right now. Is there something you can't say here?"

Although Kikyo Kushida was smiling on the surface, she was thinking: Who would want to talk to an idiot like you in private? It's probably just a confession or an invitation anyway. I've already had several losers confess to me over the past few days.

Can't you see the girls are all looking at me with mockery? If they misunderstand and think I'm being confessed to by someone like you, my reputation will drop even if I reject you on the spot!

I'm telling you to say it right here so you'll get the hint. If you have any shame, just get lost.

However, Kikyo overestimated Haruki's ability to understand and underestimated the thickness of his skin.

"Ah, is that so? It's fine to say it here? Then I wanted to ask if you're free after school today, Kikyo. I heard there's a really nice cafe at Keyaki Mall. Would you like to go grab a drink together after school?"

It was too late for Kikyo Kushida to stop him. This pig-headed idiot. Kikyo Kushida suppressed the urge to scream and struggled to maintain her smile.

"Sorry, Haruki Yamauchi, I actually went to that Palette cafe yesterday. Plus, I'm going shopping with friends this afternoon, so I don't have time."

"Ahaha, is that so? No worries, no worries. I guess I'll just have to go alone this afternoon. That's fine, I can just drink two cups of coffee by myself! Ahahaha!" Haruki laughed to cover up his embarrassment and turned to leave.

Huh, that's strange. It's not like this in the galgames. Shouldn't she have accepted happily? Is my affection level not high enough? But I even called her by her first name. If only there were an affection bar in real life, then I'd know exactly when to unlock special scenarios!

Haruki returned to his seat, enduring the mocking gazes from Satsuki Shinohara and the others. "What do you guys know? A pro doesn't win the first round. I only make one move a day; that's the rule I set for myself. The rest of the time is for self-reflection and optimization."

"Yes, yes, the sky could fall and your mouth would still be holding it up."

After Kei Karuizawa and the others finished mocking him, they lost interest in Haruki and went back to their own conversation.

"Hey, Kei, why did you tell Haruki to go find Kikyo? Were you trying to make him look like a fool on purpose?" Maya Sato asked.

"Hmph, I just can't stand that goody-two-shoes act of hers. Sending that idiot Haruki to find her lowers both of their reputations at the same time. Now that's a good show."

"Wow, Kei, you're so mean!"

"Hehe, let's not talk about that. I bought a new necklace yesterday and spent twenty thousand points all at once. I'm running a bit low on points lately, so why don't we go ask those girls for some?"

"Ooh, Kei, who are you targeting?"

"Anyone is fine. Like Meiyu Wang over there, Inogashira, or Sakura—they all look like fair game. Hey, make sure you help me corner them after school later. Don't worry, you'll get a cut of what we get."

"Wow, Kei, you're the best!"