Classroom of the Elite, I Really Just Want to Collect All the CGs

"Wait for me outside for a moment, and don't you dare sneak off~"

Shikime Natsu flashed a relaxed smile at Kamuro Masumi before heading over to the beverage section to browse.

Kamuro Masumi kept her head slightly bowed, the blush on her cheeks yet to fully fade. She clutched the hem of her skirt in a panic, unsure whether she should follow Shikime Natsu's instructions and step outside. Would leaving make her look like she had a guilty conscience?

After a brief internal struggle, she finally took a step forward and walked out of the convenience store.

The April breeze was still gentle. As soon as Kamuro Masumi stepped out, the wind brushed against her face, cooling the burning sensation on her skin.

That guy... what exactly is he trying to do?

Kamuro Masumi instinctively wanted to pull out her phone and report herself to the school, but... she hadn't even taken action yet. She was just scouting the situation... how could she get caught for that?

She felt distressed now. And, if she said she wasn't nervous, that would be a lie. She hadn't been calm enough at the time, but that also had to do with Shikime Natsu's performance; that guy was completely convinced she was the one stealing.

The breeze helped calm her mind a little. She needed to organize her words; she couldn't let that guy Shikime Natsu lead her around by the nose again.

"Here, I bought you some water. It's cold. Consider it my treat."

Shikime Natsu walked over and casually tapped the water bottle against Kamuro Masumi's hand. It had cost him a hundred points.

"I don't need it!"

Kamuro Masumi's tone turned slightly harsh. Sure enough, once her mind cooled down, her temper flared up.

"Alright, alright. Now... let's talk about what you were planning to do just a moment ago."

Shikime Natsu didn't force the bottle into her hand. Instead, he set it aside, twisted open his own, and took a gulp. As expected, cold water was refreshing.

"I didn't do anything!"

The moment the topic was brought up, the emotions Kamuro Masumi had just settled began to churn again.

"What was the reason you wanted to steal the beer?"

Ignoring her answer, Shikime Natsu spoke on his own, his pale gold eyes fixed directly on her, forcing her to swallow the excuses she had been about to make.

Silence...

"Are you planning to report me to the school?"

Kamuro Masumi suddenly raised her eyes to look at Shikime Natsu. He couldn't tell what kind of emotion was hidden in that gaze, but her voice had softened, losing its earlier edge.

"No, I won't. First of all, you're my desk mate. I don't want to do something so excessive to a cute desk mate. Besides, you didn't actually do anything. Even if I reported you to the school, it would be meaningless, right?"

Shikime Natsu picked up the water from the ground again and placed it in front of Kamuro Masumi.

This time, she took the water. Cute desk mate? That was a total lie; the latter part was the truth.

"Thank you..."

The voice was pitifully small. If Shikime Natsu didn't have good hearing, he probably wouldn't have caught it.

"So, were you planning to warn me?"

"If that's the case, I understand. I won't do it again."

Kamuro Masumi spoke, offering a solemn promise.

"Kamuro, do you remember what I said back in the classroom?"

Shikime Natsu spoke softly, as if mentioning a trivial matter.

Hearing this, Kamuro Masumi remembered. Shikime Natsu had asked the students of the class to act like good students, and theft clearly violated that identity.

"After the opening ceremony, I will go and apologize to them!"

The fingers Kamuro Masumi used to grip the bottle turned slightly white, and her expression looked grim. If she had to admit what she did today in front of her classmates, she probably wouldn't be able to hold her head up for the next three years.

Of course, this was entirely self-inflicted, and she would accept the consequences.

"I think it's enough that you recognize your own problem. We can keep this matter as a secret between the two of us."

Shikime Natsu held up two fingers and offered a smile, but in Kamuro Masumi's eyes, it didn't look good at all.

"However... there has to be a punishment. After all, you almost dragged our class into the abyss."

Dragged into the abyss? Wasn't that a bit of an exaggeration?

Kamuro Masumi silently complained in her heart but didn't voice a rebuttal. She wanted to see what this guy was planning to say.

"So, become my person."

"Is that the kind of motive you had, you jerk? That's truly pathetic. I will absolutely not agree to that!"

Upon hearing Shikime Natsu's words, Kamuro Masumi's face filled with undisguised contempt, looking at him as if he were a parasite.

So this guy, who seemed quite sharp, was actually this kind of person. She really had misjudged him.

"Cough, cough. I didn't phrase that correctly. What I meant was, work for me. In this school, I might need your help with quite a few things."

Shikime Natsu tried to recruit her, his expression showing no embarrassment for his slip of the tongue. He really was thick-skinned.

"Hmm... let's put it another way. Become my friend, how about that?"

Hearing this, Kamuro Masumi's eyes were filled with doubt and confusion. Why would this guy want to be friends with someone like her? He really was a very strange person.

"I will work for you, but... I will not become your friend."

Kamuro Masumi's face wore its usual cold indifference. After this exchange, the previous incident could be considered water under the bridge. My own emotions... they really are easy to influence, leaving behind so many openings.

"Then it's a pleasure to work with you, Masumi. May I call you that?"

Shikime Natsu reached out his hand toward Kamuro Masumi.

"Do whatever you want!"

Kamuro Masumi didn't take his hand; she simply crossed her arms over her chest and turned away.

It seems that building a good relationship with my desk mate is going to take a bit more time.

There are still three years left, so there's no need to rush.

"Are you not coming? There are only ten minutes left until the opening ceremony. Didn't you say not to be late?"

Seeing that Shikime Natsu hadn't followed, Kamuro Masumi couldn't help but turn her head and glare at him.

[Ding~]

[CG5: A Secret Between Two People (Kamuro Masumi)]

[Before you figure this person out, try listening to what he has to say for a change.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the skill card: Master Thief (You are now a master of petty theft. Anything you set your sights on is as good as yours; even Kaito Kid would be left in the dust. Silent and traceless, what is yours is now mine.)]

Chapter 8: Simply Like an Angel

I actually possess the Master Thief skill that even Kamuro Masumi couldn't achieve. If she found out, she'd surely be green with envy.

Two CGs triggered in a row; my desk mate really isn't half bad. Looking at the slightly disgusted expression on Kamuro Masumi in the CG, Shikime Natsu couldn't help but smile. Even her disgusted look is quite cute.

Upon entering the gymnasium, Shikime Natsu quickly found his class's designated area. Mashima Tomoya was already standing there. Since there was still some time before the opening ceremony, the class lines hadn't been formed yet.

"Shikime, Kamuro."

Seeing the two arrive, Mashima Tomoya let out a sigh of relief. He also noticed the water bottles in their hands, realizing they had gone to the convenience store.

"We aren't late, are we, Teacher Mashima?"

Shikime Natsu said nonchalantly, his gaze beginning to scan the surroundings.

"No, you aren't."

Mashima Tomoya nodded. It seemed Shikime Natsu was the type of person who arrived just a few minutes before the deadline.

However, as long as they weren't late, the biggest problem was avoided.

One had to realize that as a class leader, if one were to demand that classmates not be late, only to end up being late themselves, it would shake their standing.

"That's good."

Shikime Natsu's gaze landed on a cluster of people. Who exactly was this person in the crowd to be so popular?

Considering school had just started—strictly speaking, not even five hours had passed—it was unbelievable that someone was already this well-liked.

Is this what a social expert looks like?

Soon, the crowd dispersed slightly, and Shikime Natsu could see the person inside clearly.

It was a girl with strawberry-blonde hair. Her facial contours were very soft, giving off an innate sense of approachability. Her blue-violet eyes appeared frank and sincere whenever she interacted with those around her.

The smile on her face was equally infectious, making it very easy for people to let their guard down.

Of course, there was also that rather exaggerated figure. Even compared to Kushida Kikyo, whom he had seen on the bus, the girl before him was on another level. The quality of that uniform is truly something else.

Just as Shikime Natsu was observing her, the girl's gaze shifted over and caught his. However, contrary to his expectations, she flashed a very gentle smile at him.

It was completely unexpected.

After all, he had been questioned on the bus just for looking at someone three times, and he had been glared at fiercely while observing Kamuro Masumi. Yet, this girl was smiling at him—she was practically like an angel.

[Ding~]

[CG6: First Meeting (Ichinose Honami)]

[I love everyone in this class very much. I will become everyone's support, so please, trust me.]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining the skill card: Twice the Result with Half the Effort (In any study, you only need to spend eight hours to achieve the results of sixteen.)]

Shikime Natsu returned her smile. Just then, the voices of Mashima Tomoya and other teachers rang out, instructing the students to line up in separate rows for boys and girls.

First came the speeches from the school faculty. It must be said that speeches are boring everywhere, and this one was quite long to boot.

"Next, we invite the student council president to give an address."

The student council president wore glasses and had a clean, short haircut. His expression was very stern, and he looked like a rather rigid person.

"I am the student council president, Horikita Manabu."

Horikita?

Shikime Natsu caught the surname with great sensitivity. The "obsessed" lady he met on the bus was also named Horikita—Horikita Suzune. Could there be a connection between the two?

Siblings?