Ichinose's Study Session

Inside the school cafeteria.

Amikura Mako set her tray down and sat across from Horikita Etsuka.

Horikita Etsuka glanced at her tray and said in surprise, "Amikura, are you eating so little?"

"Hehe, not really." Amikura Mako rested her chin on her hands and explained, "This is enough for me. Besides, I'm not like some people who can eat whatever they want without gaining weight, so I have to watch my diet."

Etsuka looked at her tall, slender figure and laughed, "You could afford to indulge a little, Amikura. You're still a long way from being overweight."

Amikura's eyes curved into crescents, and she said happily, "Then I'll just take that as a compliment from Horikita-kun."

Horikita Etsuka continued eating his meal, unfazed: "I was just stating the truth."

Seeing Etsuka act this way, Amikura was even happier. She propped her head up and watched him eat in silence: "Horikita-kun really is different from everyone else."

"Different?" Horikita Etsuka stopped eating, looked up, and asked curiously, "How am I different?"

Amikura Mako looked thoughtful: "In short, the impression I get from you, Horikita-kun, is that you speak very earnestly and feel very genuine."

"Is that so." Horikita Etsuka smiled and then asked, "But what is it you actually wanted to ask of me? I'm quite curious now."

"Actually, it's nothing major. It's just that Ichinose asked me to get you to join our study group. After all, if we fail the next exam, we'll be expelled. Ichinose wants to help everyone improve their studies, and since your academic ability is so good, she thought of inviting you."

"Inviting me?" Horikita Etsuka looked at the purple-haired girl sitting across from him and asked curiously, "Then why didn't Ichinose ask me herself instead of troubling you, Amikura?"

"It's no trouble, no trouble at all!" Amikura waved her hands quickly, then began rubbing them together under the table, her face flushing slightly:

"Ichinose actually has some things to take care of, which is why she asked me."

Horikita Etsuka raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Amikura, you really are warm-hearted. The class is lucky to have you."

Amikura Mako lowered her head slightly: "It... it's nothing."

"Amikura."

"Hm? What is it?"

The next moment, Horikita Etsuka suddenly leaned in close; Amikura could even feel the breath he exhaled against her.

Her heart rate quickened, and her pupils wavered.

Horikita Etsuka said slowly:

"Why do I get the feeling... that you're a bit nervous?"

Amikura tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and turned her head slightly:

"No... I don't think so. I don't feel nervous at all."

Horikita Etsuka smiled and sat back in his seat: "I'm just joking, Amikura."

For some reason, Amikura let out a sigh of relief. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and said indignantly, "Whether you were joking or not, I wasn't nervous!"

"Fine, fine, you weren't nervous." Horikita Etsuka laughed, but his eyes caught two familiar figures: "Oh? Aren't those Ichinose and Shiranami?"

Amikura Mako immediately became nervous and followed Horikita Etsuka's gaze.

She saw Ichinose and Shiranami sitting down arm-in-arm, and Shiranami even used her own spoon to feed Ichinose a bite of food. The expression on their faces looked as intimate as could be.

Seeing that Ichinose and the others hadn't noticed them, Amikura finally breathed a sigh of relief.

But Horikita Etsuka asked curiously, "Are you girls all like that with each other? You look very close."

"Eh? Of course not!" Amikura shook her head immediately to deny it; she didn't want Etsuka to have that kind of impression of her.

"Um... it's just that Shiranami is like that, and Ichinose is just so, so kind that she can't bear to refuse others, which is why you see this scene."

"Ah, I see." Horikita Etsuka had a sudden realization. He leaned forward slightly and whispered:

"Does Shiranami... like girls?"

"Shh!" Amikura immediately made a gesture for him to be quiet: "Horikita, don't go around saying things like that. If it spreads through the class, it won't be good for Shiranami, and besides, we can't jump to conclusions yet."

"Mm, understood." Horikita Etsuka made an OK sign to show he understood.

After eating, the two walked back toward the dorms. The sun was about to set, and the twilight made the campus feel even more tranquil.

Amikura Mako walked with her hands behind her back, taking playful steps beside Horikita Etsuka.

Horikita Etsuka couldn't help but sigh.

[This is school life. Thanks again, Sis, for getting me assigned to Class D.]

"Horikita, is there any girl you like?" Amikura's voice suddenly rang out out of the blue.

Horikita Etsuka turned his head and found Amikura walking on her own, as if she hadn't said those words.

He smiled and said calmly, "A girl I like? Not at the moment."

Hearing his answer, a visible wave of joy appeared on Amikura's face. She asked again, "Then what kind of girl do you like, Horikita?"

"What kind of girl do I like? I'll have to think about that." Horikita Etsuka rubbed his chin and said, "I like girls who aren't unreasonable."

"And what else?" Amikura asked curiously.

"I like girls who aren't gluttonous."

Amikura blinked: "Is that all?"

"I like girls who aren't pretentious."

Hearing Etsuka's answer, Kurakara's mood improved instantly, as she felt she fit those traits perfectly!

Horikita Etsuka glanced at the rather cheerful Kurakara, the corners of his mouth twitching upward uncontrollably.

Although what he said was indeed true, if one were to think about it carefully, wouldn't any normal woman fit those characteristics?

It could only be said that Kurakara was a lively, simple, and easily deceived girl; if it had been Ichinose or Suzune, they would have realized something was off within seconds.

"Horikita, are we friends?" Kurakara asked.

Horikita Etsuka shook his head slowly: "Not friends, but good friends. So, Kurakara, may I call you Mako?"

Kurakara was overjoyed. Horikita Etsuka had said exactly what she wanted to say, and she nodded vigorously: "Okay, Etsuka!"

Then, she pulled a lemonade from behind her back and handed it to Horikita Etsuka: "Here, Etsuka, for you!"

Horikita Etsuka was stunned, and he slowly took it with one hand: "Mako, when did you go buy this?"

Kurakara smiled, tapping her index finger against her cheek: "Hehe, during the time you were waiting for me to use the restroom."

Horikita Etsuka looked at the lemonade in his hand and smiled: "Kurakara, you're really lucky, managing to buy exactly what I like to drink."

"That's not it!" Kurakara shook her index finger and said: "It's because I noticed you like to drink it!"

"You noticed?"

"Yeah, I saw you specifically go buy it at the last gathering!"

Thump-thump...

Horikita Etsuka suddenly felt his heart begin to race uncontrollably.

The two chatted like this as they walked into the elevator.

Arriving at the fifth floor, Kurakara waved her hand in a gesture of goodbye, not forgetting to remind him: "Etsuka, remember to come to the library for the study session tomorrow afternoon."

"Don't worry, I won't forget," Horikita Etsuka replied.

Just as he turned around to head back to his room, he found Suzune standing there, leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed.

The two of them just stared at each other in silence...