You're Not Even as Good as Sakayanagi. Sakayanagi: ???

If Kijima Tsukur didn't notice her, she'd just refuse to give him the food and transfer the points to him later.

He was asking someone to bring him breakfast and still acting so high and mighty!

What kind of attitude was that?

She had to make Kijima Tsukur ask her himself!

Tap, tap, tap~

With that thought, Yamamura Miki hurried into the classroom through the front door.

From the podium, she could see the whole room: five columns and eight rows in Class A, with forty students in total and four aisles.

She sat in the last row of the first column.

Normally, the back door would have been the most convenient entrance. If she came in through the front, the first aisle would have been the closest.

And yet,

Yamamura Miki, as if under some strange spell, chose the second aisle and headed toward Kijima Tsukur, silently praying to herself:

Come on, ask me already! If you don't, you'll go hungry today~

As soon as she reached Kijima Tsukur's side, she heard him ask in an even voice,

"What did you bring?"

"Chicken cutlet sandwiches and green tea."

Yamamura Miki gently placed the shopping bag on his desk. Only then did the others notice her, but they merely glanced at her before looking away.

"Try to come earlier tomorrow."

Kijima Tsukur opened the sandwich wrapper, then frowned and added,

"And in the morning, I prefer milk. Don't forget next time."

"Oh..."

Yamamura Miki lowered her head and silently returned to her seat. She hung her schoolbag to one side, clasped her hands around her little head, and softly tapped her feet against the floor.

She stamped her feet, fuming with embarrassment in her heart:

"What is this, what is this? Miki, you big dummy! He's bossing you around again! And what do I care if he likes milk?"

"Aaah~ I'm so mad!"

"I'm such a useless idiot..."

And yet,

No one around her noticed her resentment.

At most, they occasionally glanced her way and remarked, "Oh, you're here," before going back to chatting with their friends.

Yamamura Miki secretly pouted and flopped onto her desk like a lazy fish.

She couldn't help glancing at Kijima Tsukur's detestable back in the seat diagonally ahead of her. He polished off a sandwich in just a few bites, and she couldn't help thinking:

One sandwich really wasn't enough for a boy.

Then Yamamura Miki suddenly caught herself. Why did she care whether he'd had enough?

You little pig. Go ahead and eat yourself sick.

Bleh~

Yamamura Miki stuck her little tongue out at Kijima Tsukur's back.

Chapter 9: You're Not Even as Good as Sakayanagi. Sakayanagi: ???

First day of classes.

Most of the teachers simply explained their teaching policies.

The one thing the students found different was that

the teachers here had a much more relaxed atmosphere. They seemed friendlier and more cheerful, nothing like the middle school teachers who always wore stern expressions. They didn't even suddenly rap on the blackboard.

Thanks to Kijima Tsukur's warning, along with their own guesses,

everyone had a general idea:

Their individual performance might affect next month's points!

So all the students looked like they were paying close attention, even frowning as they struggled through subjects they weren't good at.

As for the material,

Kijima Tsukur had already studied most of it. After a brief review, he turned to a book he liked.

After class.

A boy came over to the desk in front of Kijima Tsukur and patted the student sitting there on the shoulder:

"Sanada, sorry to bother you. I have something I'd like to discuss with Kijima. Could I borrow your seat for a bit?"

"Oh? Hashimoto? Sure."

"Sorry, I'll treat you to lunch later."

"It's just a small thing. No need to make a fuss."

Only when he heard his own name did Kijima Tsukur look up.

A blond boy with a slicked-back hairstyle and a frivolous air stood before him. He held up a hand and gave Sanada, the student in front, an apologetic look.

The fact that he could easily get the student in front of him to give up his seat spoke to Hashimoto Masayoshi's ability.

Whether it was his standing in the class, his social skills, or some kind of favor, getting a classmate he'd known for only a day to do him a favor was a form of ability in itself.

"Hey~ Kijima."

Hashimoto Masayoshi straddled the chair and smiled at Kijima Tsukur:

"You're pretty amazing. Your theory yesterday and your introduction at the end were both so unique. And thanks to your theory, I can say today was the most well-behaved class I've ever had."

"Heh..."

Kamuro Masumi snorted from nearby.

Given Class A's caliber,

they wouldn't have slacked off even without Kijima Tsukur's theory or the points. But it wasn't as if he deserved no credit at all.

Since it might have something to do with next month's points, this really was the most well-behaved class she'd ever attended. Still, Hashimoto Masayoshi's flattery was hard to miss.

In any case, she didn't like frivolous guys like him.

What about Kijima Tsukur? Surely he'd be so dazzled by the praise that he'd lose his head.

Kamuro Masumi rested her cheek on her right hand and stole a glance.

Kijima Tsukur's expression was calm as he looked at Hashimoto Masayoshi—though it almost seemed like he was glaring at him.

Come to think of it,

Kamuro Masumi always found Kijima Tsukur's gaze a little unsettling.

It was like a deep pool, perfectly still and nothing special. It seemed perfectly normal, and yet she always felt as if he were glaring at people all the time, giving her an inexplicable sense of fear.

"Ah, sorry."

Hashimoto Masayoshi looked a little uncomfortable under his gaze, though he couldn't quite tell what was wrong. He spread his hands and continued,

"I almost forgot. You didn't stay for introductions yesterday, so you probably don't know my name. I'm Hashimoto Masayoshi. I was in the soccer club in middle school, and I haven't decided whether to join anything in high school yet. So if there are any activities, feel free to ask me~ I'm always happy to help~"

"..."

Seeing that Kijima Tsukur still didn't respond, Hashimoto Masayoshi covered his mouth with his right hand and lowered his voice teasingly:

"Kijima, are you interested in that girl—what's her name... Yamamura? Don't worry, I'm not interested in her. I just mean, if you need help with anything, I can help you out."

"Hmm..."

Kijima Tsukur gave him a long look, pinched his chin, and studied the boy in front of him before speaking:

"Leaving that aside, after hearing my analysis yesterday and seeing my introduction, don't you think I'm a weirdo?"

So you know it yourself... Kamuro Masumi rolled her eyes from nearby.

"Well... I'd be lying if I said no. You are a little strange."

Hashimoto Masayoshi spread his hands and sighed. "But on the other hand, it took a lot of courage to do that in front of everyone. I personally think it was pretty impressive. I certainly couldn't do it."

"So you can appreciate what I did..."

"Of course."

"You're lying."

Kijima Tsukur rejected his claim without hesitation:

"The only person who could possibly relate to me is that weirdo, Morishita Ai. You're not!"

Tap, tap, tap.

Just then, Morishita Ai came twirling over to them.

She planted her left foot on the floor, kicked her right leg back, and stretched her slender right arm forward.

"Morishita Ai makes her entrance~"

Holding a pose like a ballet arabesque, Morishita Ai turned to look at Kijima Tsukur:

"I'm not a weirdo. Kijima Tsukur is the weirdo! What are you and Hashimoto Masayoshi doing?"

"..."

You're both weirdos.

Kamuro Masumi muttered to herself. Sakayanagi Arisu stood behind her, and some of the other Class A students watched the scene with amused expressions.

After Kijima Tsukur had left yesterday, everyone had introduced themselves.

This girl called Morishita Ai had addressed everyone by their first names. Now she was hanging out with Kijima Tsukur, and watching two weirdos put on a show was pretty entertaining.

"He's trying to suck up to me."

Ignoring Hashimoto Masayoshi's stiff expression, Kijima Tsukur pinched his chin and scrutinized him:

"From a normal person's perspective, I'm a weirdo. It would make sense to avoid me, or even bully and ostracize me."

"Only three kinds of people would ever approach me."

"Weirdos like Morishita Ai, genuinely kind people with a strong sense of justice, and people with some sort of ulterior motive. Sakayanagi, standing behind me, would fall into that last category."

"But you..."

Before Morishita Ai or Sakayanagi Arisu could object, Kijima Tsukur continued in an even tone:

"You're obviously not a weirdo. And that comment you just made, which was a little insulting to women, couldn't have come from a genuinely kind person..."

"Insulting to women..."

"Don't be nervous."

Before Hashimoto Masayoshi could explain, Kijima Tsukur reconsidered and amended his words:

"I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I even like women myself, and I like playing with them, especially pretty women. If that bothers you, I'll revise what I said. What you said doesn't quite count as insulting women. At most, it was a little lewd. But the conclusion doesn't change: you're definitely not a genuinely kind person..."

"Uh..."

As soon as he said that,

Hashimoto Masayoshi wasn't the only one who looked dumbstruck. The Class A students, who'd been chatting quietly just moments before, all stared at them in astonishment.

Holy crap. That's insane.

Who would dare say something like that so openly in this day and age? Just how bold was Kijima Tsukur?

No matter what, he'd just completely ruined his chances of finding a date at school.

Even Kamuro Masumi beside him and Sakayanagi Arisu behind him frowned slightly. As girls, they felt insulted too.

At the very back, Yamamura Miki was trembling with fear.