An Unpleasant Study Session

In the days that followed, Horikita Manabu really did send over some requests.

The tasks were generally pretty basic, and most of them involved helping the Student Council with odd jobs. Still, aside from the weekly free requests, the others came with the appropriate fees.

That gave the three girls a chance to get familiar with how things worked.

But Yorozuya was just one part of life, and there was clearly a more pressing problem at hand.

The midterm exams, which they had to pass or face expulsion!

So, to help Karuizawa, Shinjo had no choice but to join a study session that was never going to be harmonious.

To make the session more productive, Kushida suggested pairing the high scorers with a few low scorers. But Karuizawa thought she and Shinjo might get more out of studying alone together.

"Do you think Karuizawa and the others will be okay?"

Hirata was clearly worried. After all, judging by their exam scores alone, Shinjo wasn't much better than Karuizawa.

"Hirata, Shinjo's actually really smart. And haven't you noticed?"

As she spoke, Matsushita made a silly face.

"???"

"Honestly, you're so oblivious. Those two are dating now~"

"What?! Really?!"

Hirata clearly had no idea.

Only after Satō and Matsushita both confirmed it did he nod. In any case, they were the first couple in the class!

If only everyone could get along this well...

Thinking that, Hirata glanced furtively at Horikita's group in the distance. He silently prayed for things to improve, then couldn't help sighing.

"Anyway, if that's the case, let's get back to studying."

With that, he patiently began tutoring the delinquents beside him who never studied.

(After all, pretty much every girl preferred studying with Hirata.)

"That's how you do it. Got it?"

"Uh... I think so."

Watching Karuizawa struggle so hard that her features were starting to twist, Shinjo couldn't help feeling a headache coming on.

Teaching someone else was clearly harder than getting a perfect score himself.

"Hey, Katsuya, am I stupid...?"

"Why would you say that all of a sudden?"

"Because, look! You've explained this problem to me so many times, but I still can't figure it out."

Karuizawa's spirits sank lower and lower, until that familiar large hand appeared on her head again and gently stroked her hair.

"Don't get discouraged. You barely had any chance to pay attention in class during middle school, right?"

"I..."

"So, you're trying to learn several years' worth of material all at once. Isn't it normal to have trouble taking it in right away? If you didn't understand, I'll go slower and explain it again. Have a little faith in yourself, okay?"

"Yeah! Thank you, Katsuya!"

Feeling the warmth on her head and hearing his gentle reassurance, Karuizawa silently vowed that she'd study hard, even if it was only for his sake!

Just as Shinjo was about to speak, a loud bang rang out in the distance.

'Bang!'

"Ah, I knew it. There's no way this combination wouldn't end up in a fight."

Karuizawa's attention was drawn away too. For some reason, Sudō had suddenly slammed his hand on the table and was glaring at Horikita Suzune beside him.

"What did you just say, you woman?!"

Horikita Suzune wasn't some meek woman who'd let herself be pushed around. Even facing Sudō, she didn't back down at all.

"Hah, what did I say? I said, did you learn anything at all in the past, or did it all go to the dogs?"

"What are you acting so high and mighty for? Just because you're a little better at studying?! You have no respect for anyone!"

Sudō was clearly on the verge of losing it. His academic record really was a complete mess.

"You don't deserve any respect! You're a student, but instead of studying, all you think about is basketball. What a ridiculous dream!"

Horikita's words were dancing right on the other person's landmine. The thing Sudō had always been most sensitive about, ever since he was little, was probably his dream of playing basketball.

If Horikita weren't a woman, Sudō would probably have punched her in the face already.

"What did you just say, you woman?! What did you just say?! What gives you the right to mock my dream?!"

Sudō's voice grew more and more heated. He was loud to begin with, and it only got worse once he lost his temper.

Hirata wanted to step in and stop them, but Horikita Suzune had no intention of letting it go.

"Your dream? If you think getting expelled now will help you achieve that stupid dream, then go ahead and try! Let's see which basketball team would take an idiot who got expelled from high school!"

But something struck Shinjo as odd. Kushida Kikyo was always preaching unity and kindness, and she was the closest one to Sudō and Horikita, yet why hadn't she tried to intervene?

Could she have... been scared stiff?

The argument grew louder and louder, and Karuizawa couldn't concentrate on studying even if she wanted to.

Fortunately, the librarian stepped in before long and forcibly stopped the argument from escalating. But as a result, Class D's first study session came to an end in failure.

"Katsuya... could you tutor me a little longer?"

Karuizawa tugged at Shinjo's sleeve.

"Of course... I'd love to say yes, but today is 'Brunch Cake' day."

"Huh?"

"Uh... Maybe a little later. You could come to my dorm... Hmm, that doesn't seem like a good idea. How about tomorrow? I'll make sure to teach you properly tomorrow! Good night, see you, bye!"

With that, Shinjo vanished in an instant.

"Huh?"

Everything had happened so quickly that Karuizawa's mind, which had been imagining the two of them cuddling up and studying together tonight, suddenly went blank.

By the time she came to her senses, Shinjo had already run off.

"You jerk!!!!"

"Hmph! Brunch Cake... What even is Brunch Cake?! Is Brunch Cake more important than me?! I mean, I... I'm..."

"I'm your precious girlfriend, after all~~ Right, Kei?"

Karuizawa was sulkily kicking a stone at her feet when a ghostly female voice suddenly came from behind her, making her shriek on the spot.

"Ah!"

"Don't be scared, don't be scared! It's me, Satō."

"Satō? You! You deliberately tried to scare me!"

Matsushita took the opportunity to tease her. "We weren't trying to scare you. You're just way too cute when you look like that!"

"Exactly, Kei."

"Hmph! You're picking on me too."

Satō and Matsushita exchanged a glance, then each took one of Karuizawa's arms as she pouted.

"How could we dare? You're our club president's wife, after all! Basically, you're the... the boss's wife, right?"

"Hahahahahaha!"

"You two! You're teasing me too! I'll show you!"

"Run! The boss's wife is attacking!!!"