First Collaboration with Hirata

Shangguan Che stared at the messages from the boys' group chat on his phone screen.

Someone had just been bragging in the chat about buying a fifty-thousand-yuan gaming console, and his fingertips tapped the tabletop unconsciously.

No, I have to act sooner. He muttered to himself; if Class D continued like this, Shangguan Che felt his future days would be difficult, so he had to think of a way first.

The afternoon sun shone through the glass windows of the school building, cutting bright patches of light onto the corridor floor.

Shangguan Che grabbed Hirata Yosuke by the wrist and walked with rapid strides, the playful chatter of the girls behind them like a stretched rubber band, gradually fading away along with the two figures.

"Shangguan, why do you have to snatch Hirata away even during lunch? Isn't hogging him all afternoon enough?" The girls' voices drifted over, filled with mock complaints.

"Sorry, sorry, from now on, Hirata's afternoons are all yours to command." Shangguan Che waved his hand without looking back, his tone carrying a perfunctory apology.

"What's that supposed to mean? Even if Hirata wanted to go to the Soccer Club, I wouldn't stop him."

"It's that none of us would stop him!"

Listening to the bickering behind him, Shangguan Che finally stopped and let go of Hirata's wrist, a helpless smile appearing on his face: "Sorry, Hirata, with all this fuss, I've probably ruined your romantic prospects."

Hirata Yosuke shook his head gently, his tone candid: "I only have a normal classmate relationship with everyone, it doesn't affect anything."

"Is that so." Shangguan Che responded nonchalantly, his gaze drifting toward the distant playground.

Noticing Shangguan Che's distraction, Hirata didn't mind at all and instead took the initiative to ask: "I wonder if there is anything I can help you with, Shangguan-kun?"

Shangguan Che turned his head, his eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny: "That depends on your answer."

"What do you mean? Could you be more specific, Shangguan-kun?" Hirata tilted his head slightly, his face full of confusion.

"If a classmate in our class falls into trouble in the future and asks you for help, will you help them?

Or will you decide based on the situation?"

Shangguan Che stared into Hirata's eyes; although he already had the answer in his heart, he still wanted to hear Hirata say it himself.

"Of course I will help. No matter the situation, I will help any classmate in need, and that goes for you too, Shangguan-kun." Hirata's tone was firm, without a hint of hesitation.

Shangguan Che's heart skipped a beat: This guy, he doesn't think my question was setting the stage for a request for help, does he? He didn't want to say goodbye to his laid-back life so easily.

So, Shangguan Che hurriedly followed up: "Let me ask you one more thing: what if that classmate doesn't take the initiative to ask you for help?"

"Then I will still do my best to help them. We are all classmates, after all." Hirata's smile was as warm as the afternoon sun.

Are classmates really such an important existence in his eyes?

Shangguan Che felt he had dug up a key piece of information that could "work Hirata to death," so he cleared his throat and said solemnly: "Then I really do have something I need your help with, Hirata."

As expected of my best friend, he cares so much about every classmate. Shangguan Che sighed inwardly and began to state the information he had observed and deduced one by one.

The more Hirata listened, the more serious his expression became. When he heard "the classroom has fewer than 40 students," he finally couldn't help but interrupt: "Did some seniors leave?"

"They didn't leave voluntarily; they were expelled." Shangguan Che corrected him in a calm tone.

"Is there no way to avoid such things?" Hirata frowned, his tone filled with worry.

"Class A of the third year, which is the class of the current student council president, Horikita Manabu, hasn't lost anyone; they are still at the full capacity of 40."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Shangguan Che regretted it—wasn't this just implying that Hirata should join the student council? Given how much Hirata cared about his classmates, he might actually give up the Soccer Club for the sake of the class.

But thinking about it carefully, Shangguan Che had the Clairvoyance skill, which could obtain all the information Hirata could get, and the student council certainly wouldn't reveal first-year exam information to a first-year student council member.

In this way, Hirata joining the student council wouldn't yield any results, and he would have to give up his hobby. Shangguan Che felt secretly annoyed: his way with words was still lacking; he needed to practice properly.

"Should I join the student council?" Hirata's voice suddenly rang out.

Shangguan Che was startled, almost shouting out loud: Sun, stop shining! My inner darkness is about to be exposed! What about your love for soccer? Are you just going to give it up so easily?

He feigned composure and quickly waved his hand: "No need, I'll just go and try it out."

"What about the Soccer Club?" Hirata asked.

"It doesn't matter, I don't love soccer anyway." Shangguan Che said dismissively.

"Then I'll go with you." Shangguan Che felt a warmth in his heart; this guy was quite loyal, knowing how to share the burden.

But then Shangguan Che thought again, the difference in benefits between joining the student council and not joining was actually very small; there was no need for both of them to go through the trouble.

"No need, both of us are quite naive." Shangguan Che made up an excuse.

"What do you mean? I don't quite understand, Shangguan-kun." Hirata looked blank.

"Oh, at the club recruitment fair, the student council president said they don't recruit naive people.

Think about it, you and I are both naive; whether one of us goes or both of us go, the result is the same."

Shangguan Che prayed in his heart: I hope this excuse can fool Hirata; don't let him actually join the student council and end up with nothing to show for it while losing his hobby—that would be bullying an honest person.

But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, a strange idea popped up: Should I just let him try?

No, no, Hirata is my best friend, I can't bully an honest person! Shangguan Che struggled fiercely in his heart, finally able only to shout internally: Trust me, Hirata!

"Alright, then if you have any needs, Shangguan, you can always come to me." Hirata didn't think too much about it and readily agreed.

"That's for sure. Come, let me continue; listen carefully and don't get distracted." Shangguan Che breathed a sigh of relief, secretly regretting: If I had known, I would have taken Hirata's overly sunny nature into account when drafting my plan.

"Okay, I will definitely listen carefully; after all, this is a conclusion you reached with a lot of effort, Shangguan-kun." Hirata sat up straight, his eyes full of seriousness.

Shangguan Che began to continue explaining the analysis he had originally thought would be cool, while sighing in his heart: This is too hard for me.

As I was talking, a thought suddenly popped into my head: could I sell this information to other classes?

But then I reconsidered. Classes are in a competitive relationship; if I took points, I'd become a traitor to Class D. If I didn't take points, wouldn't that make me an idiot? I'd be damned if I did and damned if I didn't.

Shangguan Che glanced at Hirata Yosuke, who was deep in thought beside him, and ultimately abandoned the idea. Thinking about this kind of stuff is too annoying. I really am a great guy; everyone in Class D should be thanking me.

"I think I understand. Shangguan, you want me to be the one to announce these things you've observed, right?" Hirata suddenly spoke up.

"Exactly." Shangguan Che nodded.

"May I ask why you don't want to say it yourself? Of course, if you don't want to say, it doesn't matter. I will definitely handle this well, as it concerns the entire class." Hirata's smile remained warm, as if he were glowing.

"It's not that I can't say it. Hirata, think back to when you initiated the self-introductions." Shangguan Che prompted.

"The self-introductions?" Hirata was taken aback.

"Right. Wasn't there someone who left the class without participating?" Shangguan Che asked.

"So, I want you to announce these things to the class, and if anyone wants to leave, don't stop them. I'll be on the sidelines recording your speech, and I'll send it to the students who leave, as well as to the class group chat." Shangguan Che added.

He muttered to himself: I never expected my photography skill to be used for something like this for the first time. Who could have guessed?

"So that's how it is." Hirata realized with a start.

"Besides, I don't want others to think I'm all that impressive." Shangguan Che scratched his head. In reality, he knew he wasn't impressive at all; he was just benefiting from his skills.

Seeing the skeptical look on Hirata's face, Shangguan Che had to add, "Otherwise, just consider it as you owing me a favor."

"?" Hirata looked completely confused.

"Think about it. You must think I'm doing a good deed without seeking credit and handing the glory over to you, so you must feel a bit guilty, right?" Shangguan Che explained.

"More or less." Hirata nodded honestly. In truth, he was just purely curious; if Shangguan Che hadn't said anything, he wouldn't have asked.

"Since you know everything now, just consider it as owing me a favor. That way, you'll feel better about it. Isn't that great?" Shangguan Che felt his idea was simply perfect, making all the time he spent drafting it worth it.

However, he didn't know that the real Hirata Yosuke was actually a bit different from the "good guy" image he had envisioned in his mind.

"Alright, I understand." Hirata didn't overthink it and agreed immediately.

"Oh, right, Hirata. When you tell the classmates, make sure they keep it a secret. Don't tell anyone from the other classes." Shangguan Che cautioned.

"That? Oh, I understand." Hirata nodded immediately.

Shangguan Che praised him in his heart: My best friend's brain works pretty fast.

After finishing everything, Shangguan Che patted Hirata on the shoulder, and his stomach growled at an inopportune moment. "Let's go, let's grab some food. I'm practically starving to death."