Classroom of the Elite, Oh No, I've Become a Substitute

"Oh~ so it's already come to this? You actually need something like that? Are your grades that bad, underclassman?"

Mikage Touji remained expressionless: "I got a nine on my Japanese Literature exam."

The next second, unbridled laughter surged through the phone and straight into Mikage Touji's brain.

"So, Senpai, please, if you don't help me, I'll have to drop out." Mikage Touji attempted to launch an emotional appeal.

"No!"

Kiryūin Fūka's voice was firm and decisive, without a hint of hesitation.

Mikage Touji said in disbelief: "I'm about to drop out and you still won't help me? Didn't you say I was an underclassman who admired you?"

"Then do you admire me?"

"..." You really killed the conversation there, Senpai.

"Haha, just kidding. I really don't have that kind of thing. As for exam answers, it's faster for me to just write them myself than to go through the trouble of memorizing them."

"Senpai, that really stings..."

"Don't worry, I won't let you drop out. I'll tutor you and get your grades sorted. In exchange, you're taking me shopping this weekend. That's that!"

Mikage Touji's body gave a violent jolt, and he hurriedly replied: "Senpai, you don't need to trouble yourself, I've already-- Hello? Hello!"

"Beep... beep... beep..."

The heartless "beeps" on the phone left Mikage Touji feeling thoroughly chilled.

Senpai, I hadn't finished speaking yet.

Please, spare my pathetic life...

Chapter 32: The Perfect Youthful Angel Won't Meet the Chuunibyou Comedian

Why doesn't my ability come with any physical enhancements?

Why didn't System-chan just give me a super body when she ran away back then?

Why is it that even though Senpai looks so slender, she can knock me flat with one punch?

Mikage Touji looked at the hung-up phone and let out a triple-question.

For the past few weeks, he had been working hard (in his own opinion) on physical training, but his physical fitness couldn't exactly be called leaps and bounds; it was more like better than nothing.

Even if he could fly one day, he wasn't sure he could beat Senpai with raw physical strength alone.

"Yahallo!"

A vibrant, energetic greeting interrupted Mikage Touji's thoughts. Ichinose Honami had finished chatting with Hoshinomiya-sensei and was walking out of the faculty office.

"Oh, it's Ichinose-san. Have you finished asking your questions?" Mikage Touji slowed his pace to strike up a conversation.

"Just call me Ichinose. I originally wanted to ask Hoshinomiya-sensei about joining the Student Council, but she just brushed me off by saying, 'If it's you, you can definitely do it'." Ichinose Honami's cheeks puffed out slightly as she spoke with a hint of distress.

"You want to join the Student Council too?"

"Too? Is Mikage-kun also joining?" A look of anticipation appeared on her face.

"No, not me." Mikage Touji waved his hand, "It's Katsuragi-san from our class."

"So it's Katsuragi-kun..."

"Though, honestly, I don't think either of you is a good fit."

As they walked, Mikage Touji's expression turned strange.

He remembered a certain blond-haired guy in the Student Council who was obsessed with Horikita Manabu.

That guy still hadn't given up, sending him messages from time to time to harass him, while simultaneously promoting his fated battle against Horikita Manabu.

"Eh? Why?"

"Well," Mikage Touji felt this girl beside him was quite nice, and it was better not to drag her into the annual melodrama between those two men.

"Speaking of which, two years ago, there was a freshman named Horikita Manabu..."

With Mikage Touji's vivid and emotional storytelling, the three years of love, hate, and grudges within the Kouiku Student Council, along with the Asura-like relationships, were portrayed in full detail.

"You mean, third-year Senpai Horikita and second-year Senpai Nagumo had a disagreement over their philosophies, so the Student Council is currently under high pressure, and Senpai Horikita won't easily let anyone pass the Student Council's assessment?"

Ichinose Honami skipped over the annual melodrama of the Student Council and extracted the current situation with pinpoint accuracy.

"That's about it. If you go, you'll probably be rejected by the Student Council President. What he wants is someone who can stop Senpai Nagumo and maintain the status quo of the Student Council."

"What about Senpai Nagumo's side? Mikage-kun said Senpai Nagumo also has recommendation slots, right?" Ichinose clearly wasn't ready to give up.

"He and you are a terrible match. He advocates for individual ability above all else, which is the exact opposite of your type, who leads the class forward."

"Is that so..."

Ichinose Honami suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" Mikage Touji turned back.

"Why..."

"Hm?"

Ichinose Honami lifted her fair face, her large, azure eyes staring straight at Mikage Touji, who had his hands clasped behind his head.

"Why does Mikage-kun know so much inside information about the Student Council?"

Mikage Touji's heart skipped a beat.

"You mean this stuff?" Mikage Touji pulled out his phone with a nonchalant expression, opened his contact list, and gave it a little shake toward her. "Nagumo-senpai told me. He added me a while back, and we actually get along pretty well."

"I see..."

Ichinose Honami looked at the phone screen, noting that the last chat with Nagumo Miyabi was from a day ago, and then withdrew her gaze.

"That's why, Ichinose, you really shouldn't get involved in Student Council business. Most of the things in your own class already require your attention."

Mikage Touji observed Ichinose's reaction without giving anything away, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.

Nagumo-san, although I find your constant pestering annoying, I have to admit you do have your unique uses.

It was also fortunate that Ichinose Honami was a girl who understood boundaries well and wouldn't scrutinize the actual content of his chats with Nagumo Miyabi.

Otherwise, she would have discovered that most of it consisted of Nagumo Miyabi's cryptic, self-confident declarations.

"I've decided!" Ichinose Honami pondered for a moment, then clenched her small fist. "I'm still going to give it a try. If I don't even try, I'll feel regretful. If Horikita-senpai refuses, then so be it."

"Then good luck."

Seeing Ichinose so determined, Mikage Touji stopped trying to persuade her.

"But Mikage-kun is really amazing. I also added Nagumo-senpai, but he's never spoken to me."

"Ahaha..." Mikage Touji let out two dry laughs.

You're better off not knowing that guy.

"Speaking of which... I went to see Hoshinomiya-sensei because of the Student Council, but what was the issue you had with Mashima-sensei just now, Mikage-kun?"

Mikage Touji's laughter came to an abrupt halt.

We could still be friends if you didn't bring that up.

"Eh?" Ichinose Honami covered her mouth, looking disbelieving. "Failed Japanese Literature? You, Mikage-kun?"

"You don't all have to be so surprised." Mikage Touji was now too exhausted to even retort.

"Because Mikage-kun looks like the type who doesn't study at all but still gets high scores on exams."

"Where did that trope even come from? I wish I had that kind of setup," Mikage Touji said, his eyes half-closed.

"Do you need me to help you?" Ichinose tilted her head, then smiled at Mikage Touji. "I have a little bit of confidence in my own grades, and it would be a good way to thank you for telling me so much about the Student Council."

"That won't be necessary. Besides, didn't you take me to buy kitchenware last time? On another note, don't the students in your class need your tutoring? I doubt you have much time yourself."

"Hmm... I have some free time on Sunday afternoon or evening."

"..."

Should I call her kind-hearted to a fault, obsessed with helping others, or is it something else entirely?

Mikage Touji raised a hand to rub his temple. "I've never met someone like you before. I thought your schedule might be tight, but I didn't expect it to be to this extent. What about your own time?"

"Me?"

Ichinose Honami was startled, then reacted, her face still beaming with a smile.

"I'm fine, really."

"Are you really fine?" Mikage Touji stared into Ichinose's large, azure eyes and asked softly.

Ichinose Honami's lips trembled slightly. After hesitating for a long time, she finally nodded.

"Yes!"

Mikage Touji sighed.

Fine!

I'll just treat it as repaying the favor for the kitchenware. I really hate owing people things.

"Alright then." Mikage Touji was direct and turned to walk away.

"There is indeed something I need help with, but it's not tutoring—someone has already agreed to help me with that. I've been troubled by something lately, so if you want to help me, come along."

"Eh?" Ichinose Honami, who had been feeling down, hadn't yet realized what was happening before she heard the sound of Mikage Touji's brisk footsteps. She had no choice but to hurry after him. "What is it that could trouble you, Mikage-kun?"

"You'll know when you get there. Either way, it's a much easier job than tutoring me in Japanese Literature."

Behind the school building, the trees in the small grove intertwined, filtering the sunlight into golden fragments that spread across the grass, giving off a warm, cozy feeling.

The winding path through the woods was covered in fallen leaves and moss, and from time to time, birdsong echoed through the gaps in the leaves, making the surroundings exceptionally quiet.

"Um... Mikage—"

"Shh! Don't be so loud, you'll scare it away."

Mikage Touji sat on a bench with a drink beside him, his eyes constantly scanning the nearby branches, muttering to himself.

"I've been wanting to capture that pigeon for a long time, but I could never track it down. I asked you here today because I need your help to take it down in one fell swoop!"

"But pigeons don't usually appear in places like this, do they?" Ichinose Honami lowered her voice and asked skeptically.

"That's where you're wrong. It's not an ordinary pigeon; it's a very special kind of... I can't really describe it. Anyway, just keep an eye on the surroundings for me. I have a feeling it's going to show up today."

"Oh."

Ichinose Honami withdrew her gaze and sat quietly on the bench. She tucked away the sweet smile she usually wore, held a can of sweet milk in both hands, took an occasional small sip, and watched the clouds drifting across the sky.

During this time, the two sat on opposite ends of the bench, neither speaking, simply listening to the chirping of birds in the woods and the rustling of the wind through the treetops...

"Hey, Mikage-kun." Gazing at the swaying leaves in front of her, Ichinose rubbed her thumb against the rim of the aluminum can and spoke softly.

"Hm?"

"Thank you for bringing me here."

"No need to thank me, just help me capture that pigeon."

"Does that pigeon really exist?"

"Of course it does. I came here a few days ago and almost got attacked by it mid-flight. Such a rare and powerful Pokémon must be under my control."

Mikage Touji clenched his fist in indignation, his desire for revenge evident.

Ichinose covered her mouth as she laughed. It was different from the gentle smile she usually showed others; it was a relaxed, genuine, and heartfelt laugh.

"Really, believe me, that pigeon is real." Mikage Touji emphasized once more.

"It's not that. I was just wondering, Mikage-kun... are you perhaps a very impressive person?" Her voice was even softer than before, carrying a faint, imperceptible trace of wistfulness.

Cold sweat broke out on Mikage Touji's forehead, and he took a guilty sip of his drink. "Why would you think that, Ichinose?"

"Because, look," Ichinose loosened her grip on the can slightly and leaned her head back against the bench, "Mikage-kun... didn't you see right through the fact that I was hiding something? And you get along so well with Nagumo-senpai, too."

"That's because I'm actually pretty good with interpersonal relationships. I'm not bragging, but in Class A, I'm known as a social butterfly." Mikage Touji, known as a weirdo, had already started telling lies with a straight face.

"Is that so? I hadn't noticed at all..."