The bell signaling the end of PE rang, marking the end of the school day. Like birds returning to their nests, the students began gathering their things and preparing to leave the field.
However, Horikita Suzune had no intention of returning to the dorm right away. She hurried over to Akiyama Shin, while searching for Hirata Yosuke and Kushida Kikyo.
"Hirata! Kushida!"
She called out to the two, who were about to leave with a few friends, her tone decisive and leaving no room for argument.
"Since we have time this afternoon, let's gather everyone and start the study group at the library now. The earlier we begin, the better our chances."
She thought it was only natural. The crisis was imminent, and every minute and second had to be put to good use.
The plan had been to start today from the beginning. They had only left out the details during class because of Sakayanagi Arisu's sudden intervention. Now that they had free time, they shouldn't waste it.
Hirata Yosuke looked a little troubled. He smiled gently and explained.
"Horikita, I understand how you feel."
"But we've already agreed with Class B to start the Joint Study Group tomorrow, and we've told everyone in class that, too. If we suddenly ask them to go this afternoon, some might resent it. They could feel that we're packing their schedules too tightly and not giving them a chance to breathe."
He tried to put it more tactfully.
"Why not give everyone this last half-day off to make their own plans and take care of personal matters?"
"Or just let them relax a little. Starting tomorrow, we can give it our all. That might make everyone more willing to participate and help the study group continue in the long run."
Kushida Kikyo nodded in agreement with Hirata, wearing a reassuring smile.
"That's right, Horikita. Hirata has a point. Changing plans so suddenly might make some people uncomfortable. Half a day won't make that much difference."
Horikita Suzune's brow furrowed at once, her cool face plainly showing her disapproval.
"Half a day is still time! The Midterm Exam is right around the corner. Every little bit of review helps!"
"And this was the original plan anyway. Class B only made us change how we announced it at the last minute!"
"I don't see what the problem is. Anyone who wants to study will stay, and those who don't may not take it seriously even if we wait until tomorrow!"
There was a hint of impatience in her voice, along with her displeasure toward those who were slacking off.
Hirata Yosuke patiently tried to reason with her.
"I understand, Horikita, but keeping the class harmonious and motivated is important, too."
"If we force this through and some people start to resent it, we could end up worse off. I think people will participate more effectively if they choose to join us of their own accord."
Seeing Hirata Yosuke insist on putting class harmony first, and Kushida Kikyo's clear support for him, Horikita Suzune knew it would be difficult to change their decision on her own.
She pressed her lips together and said nothing more, but anyone could see how unhappy she was.
On the way back to the dorm, Horikita Suzune walked beside Akiyama Shin. Clearly still brooding over what had happened, she couldn't help complaining to him.
"I just don't understand!"
"Why worry about irrelevant feelings when time is so short?"
"Hirata is far too softhearted!"
"He's always putting other people's feelings first and ignoring the most important thing: efficiency!"
"And Kushida knows how serious this is, too, but all she does is smooth things over! How is Class D supposed to catch up with the other classes if we keep this up?"
"Opportunities have to be seized for yourself. They don't come from waiting around or having someone hand them to you! Someone might fall behind because we wasted half a day!"
Her cool voice was unusually animated.
Akiyama Shin listened quietly to her complaints, gazing straight ahead. Only when she paused did he speak, his tone as calm as ever.
"That's just how Hirata is. He cares too much about the group and thinks about other people too readily. He instinctively tries to keep the peace. It's both a strength and a weakness."
"But given the state Class D is in right now, forcing your plan through really could lead to a backlash. His choice to play it safe is understandable."
He spoke as if stating an objective fact, taking neither side.
Even so, his thoughts about Hirata Yosuke didn't stop there.
Hirata Yosuke really was sunny and cheerful, and seemed genuinely kind.
At least, that was how he had acted ever since they enrolled. He was always willing to help, good at smoothing things over, and quick to put the class's overall atmosphere and other people's feelings first.
For the sake of so-called class harmony, he was willing to lower himself to play peacemaker and soothe people who were obviously causing trouble.
People like Yamauchi, for instance.
Sometimes, Akiyama Shin couldn't help wondering whether he was being too suspicious and extreme.
He was always in the habit of dissecting everyone too thoroughly to get the results he wanted.
He saw other people's goodwill as an investment with some ulterior motive, then coolly calculated its pros and cons.
Then he decided whether to accept it and how to use it.
Thinking this way was certainly more exhausting than being an ordinary person. It was as if he were always wearing glasses that let him see into people's hearts, revealing the motives and calculations hidden beneath the surface.
But he didn't dislike it.
Or rather, he was used to it.
Only by keeping everything under control and seeing things coming could he feel at ease. And deep down, he did feel a little admiration for someone like Hirata Yosuke.
He acknowledged that this kind of genuine, altruistic kindness was rare, but he didn't like people like him.
Why?
Because he couldn't understand them.
He didn't understand why kindness had to come at the cost of exhausting and compromising yourself.
Hirata Yosuke was a perfect example. He seemed to enjoy being needed. Anyone could turn to him with any problem, and he almost never refused, seeming to take endless pleasure in helping.
That was different from Kushida Kikyo. Her kindness and willingness to help were rooted in her ability to maintain her image as a little angel and secure the ideal school life she wanted. They were strongly motivated by self-interest—a refined form of it. But Hirata... His motives seemed purer?
Akiyama Shin had always categorized every action according to its motive, whether that motive was good or bad.
But he often found himself wondering whether Hirata Yosuke really did enjoy helping people because their gratitude and approval made him feel happy and fulfilled.
If so, that was still a motive—a desire for emotional fulfillment. It was just that, in Akiyama Shin's eyes, such a motive was too intangible and easy for others to exploit.
At the moment, he really couldn't see any deeper hidden purpose behind Hirata Yosuke's actions.
But could someone without strong personal desires or a clear goal really lead Class D far?
His thoughts tangled into a messy knot.
After parting from Horikita Suzune outside the dorm, Akiyama Shin returned to Dormitory 501 alone.
He shut the door, cutting off the noise outside, but didn't feel any more relaxed. A familiar headache crept in, brought on by something he couldn't quite figure out.
Whether it was Sakayanagi Arisu's seemingly well-intentioned but mysterious assistance, or Hirata Yosuke's altruism, so pure that Akiyama couldn't understand it, both were complex puzzles before him. Yet he couldn't find the key motive that tied everything together.
He couldn't see the most fundamental force driving their actions, nor could he accurately infer from the limited clues how their past experiences had shaped their personalities.
That feeling of curiosity, yet never being able to reach the truth...
It was like a feather lightly tickling his heart, an unbearable itch that left him feeling intellectually defeated and uncomfortable.
He was used to controlling information and seeing into people's hearts.
When he met someone he couldn't easily see through, the loss of control made him intensely uneasy.
Just then, his Terminal vibrated.
A message from Kushida Kikyo.
[Kushida Kikyo]: Shin~ Want to have dinner together tonight? Or... should I come down and see you? (｡･ω･｡)
Akiyama Shin looked at the screen and rubbed his still-aching temples before replying.
[Akiyama Shin]: No thanks. I'm a little tired today and want to go to bed early.
He needed some time alone to sort through his tangled thoughts.
Sixth floor, girls' dormitory, Kushida Kikyo's room.
When she saw Akiyama Shin say he was a little tired, she froze for a moment. Then an incredibly bright, even somewhat smug and sly smile slowly spread across her face.
She set down her Terminal and couldn't resist a little excited hop around the room. Then she flopped onto her soft bed, buried her face in the pillow, and let out a laugh she could barely hold back.
"Heehee... Hahaha..."
She lifted her head, her cheeks flushed with excitement. As if calling out to the opponent who had always beaten her, she spoke to the empty air.
"You finally got yours!"
"Akiyama Shin!"
"So you get tired, too!"
"Usually, you act like nothing can faze you... like you never get tired!"
"Every time... every time, I'm the one who ends up begging you to stop..."
"This time, you're the one who said you were tired! That means I finally won! Hmph!"
"Looks like I really have gotten stronger! Tomorrow, I'll strike while you're down and finish you! No, wait... not while you're down! I'll make you even more tired! Hehehe..."
Lost in the childish joy of finally evening the score, she felt as if she had won a great battle.
She had no idea that Akiyama Shin was tired for an entirely different reason than the one she imagined.
As night grew darker, Akiyama Shin sat in the quiet dorm room, gazing at the lights twinkling outside the window as he continued his endless thoughts about people's hearts and motives.
Meanwhile, Kushida Kikyo was gloating over a victory that had never happened in her own little world, secretly resolving to keep up her efforts in their future battles!!
Before you continue