After-School Tutoring

Luckily, the other person had no proof. In the end, it was only a guess, so there was no way she'd go spreading it around.

But...

Kushida Kikyou turned back with complicated feelings and glanced in the direction where Mikage Touji had disappeared.

Could there really be a student at this school who wore a mask just like hers?

After-School Tutoring

In Japan, public schools had adopted "relaxed education," with relatively easy classes and early dismissal. As a result, students found it difficult to prepare for entrance exams through schoolwork alone.

Thus, things like "cram school" and "private tutoring" had come into being.

According to a survey by the Ministry of Education, even among elementary school students, more than fifty percent attended cram school!

And in Class A, where academic ability reigned supreme, a legendary figure had emerged: someone who joined an after-school tutoring class just one week into the school year.

"So, for high school students, going to cram school isn't something to be ashamed of. On the contrary, it proves they're motivated to improve. Do you understand, Morishita Ran?"

In the classroom, Mikage Touji sat backward on his chair, reading aloud from the answers he'd found on his phone as he earnestly explained the benefits of tutoring to Morishita Ran.

Morishita Ran nodded with deep understanding. "I see. If you can't handle the exams, you should go to cram school. I learned something new today."

"..."

Mikage Touji was tearing his hair out. "Anyway, I'm going into seclusion to study for the next few days. Go find Yamamura yourself for now. Call me if anything comes up. That's all."

Humiliated, Mikage Touji grabbed his bag and turned around. Shiraishi Asuka had already packed her things and sat quietly with her hands on her knees, waiting for him.

"Let's go, Shiraishi-san."

"Nope~"

Most of Shiraishi Asuka's snow-white hands were tucked into her sleeves, with just a few fingers peeking out as she gently wagged them at Mikage Touji. "We have to wait a little longer. Another classmate is joining us for tutoring."

Another classmate? Tutoring together?

"Could it be..."

Mikage Touji's eyes gradually lit up. "Someone in class is just like me?!"

"I'm sorry that I'm just like you!" A slightly forceful voice cut into their conversation.

A purple-haired girl appeared beside them. She wore a shoulder bag, had her hair tied in a half ponytail, and sported two hair clips.

"What did you get in Japanese Literature?" His hopeful voice trembled a little.

"Huh? Nine points. Is that weird? You got nine too, didn't you?" Kamuro Masumi looked thoroughly annoyed, as if she'd bristled.

"Nothing."

Mikage Touji suppressed his excitement. His heart was in turmoil, and a thousand thoughts came down to a single phrase: "My guy!"

"Are you making fun of me?" Kamuro Masumi unconsciously lowered her arms, which she'd been crossing over her chest.

"No, my guy..."

"Tch!" Kamuro Masumi clicked her tongue in irritation. "Everyone in class was right. You're a weirdo."

Mikage Touji was at a loss for words. "That's right, I'm a weirdo. I don't know your name, but it doesn't matter. Once you team up with me today, you'll automatically become a member of the Class A Weirdo group."

Shocked by Mikage Touji's behavior, Kamuro Masumi quietly took two steps back and instinctively assumed a defensive stance.

"Who wants to team up with you?!"

"Aren't we in the same group? Going to tutoring together is a rare friendship in student life."

"What kind of friendship is that? I don't accept it!"

"Okay, okay."

Shiraishi Asuka smiled as she stood up and stepped between them, separating them. "Let's follow the original plan and go to the library."

"Let me make this clear: I have no interest in graduating from Class A. Don't try to use that to order me around. I'll do what I want."

Kamuro Masumi glared at Mikage Touji in deep annoyance. Then, after dropping those words, she strode away on her long legs without looking back.

Another girl who insisted on doing things her own way. The girls in Class A really were independent women of the new era.

"Then let's go too."

Shiraishi Asuka smiled warmly and waved to Morishita Ran, who was still seated. Her eyes glimmered with amusement. "See you tomorrow, Morishita."

"See you."

Morishita Ran sat with her back to them, propping up her chin with one hand, as though captivated by the clouds outside the window.

"Come on, Morishita," Mikage Touji said softly.

"Please hurry up and leave, Mikage Touji, who got nine points!"

"I'll meet up with you for dinner later. Where are you going?"

"Conveyor-belt sushi."

"Save me a seat."

"Got it."

"I'm trying to tame a pigeon that can do a backflip. I'll take you to see it in a few days."

"Liar..." Morishita Ran muttered.

"You can choose the time."

"Saturday at four in the afternoon."

"Okay."

The library at Advanced Nurturing was well stocked, and it covered a correspondingly large area. It didn't take Mikage Touji and the others long to find a spot.

After setting down his bag, Mikage Touji glanced around and spotted Ichinose Honami greeting him with a bright smile.

He smiled back, then roughly counted the Class B students around her. He recognized more than ten of them.

Class B's ability to get organized was truly impressive. They were far more united than Class A, too.

?? 　? 　 ?　?? 　 ????　? 　??? 　 ???　 ??　 ????

He continued scanning the area. It seemed that no one from Classes C or D had shown up. Had they not organized themselves yet?

Horikita-san, your goal of rising to Class A seemed a long way off.

"Then, let's get started."

With an easygoing tone, Shiraishi Asuka took two test papers out of her bag and handed one to each of them.

"I don't know your actual levels, and the quizzes only had a few questions. So today, try taking this test. Do your best not to look up any reference materials. Then I'll use your mistakes to figure out where you're weak and help you work on those areas."

"As expected of you, Shiraishi-san. You've got a plan," Mikage Touji said, taking the test and praising her.

"Thank you for the compliment." Shiraishi Asuka raised a hand to hide the corner of her mouth.

"I'll leave blank anything I can't answer," Kamuro Masumi said concisely.

"Mm-hmm~ That's the best way."

Mikage Touji glanced at Kamuro Masumi, who sat two seats away from him in silence. The girl seemed a little tense.

"We don't know how long the tutoring will take. The goal is to get you both to the point where you can score seventy. That way, even if the tests suddenly get harder, you should still be able to get over fifty."

Mm-hmm... She'd thought this through very carefully. No wonder she was Mother Shiraishi.

"I have last year's Japanese Literature exam here. This will be the final test. Once you can score seventy on it, the tutoring will be over."

So that was the plan: use last year's exam as the benchmark. The difficulty shouldn't differ much after just one year. If they could pass last year's test, they'd definitely pass this year's. A flawless plan.

Mikage Touji listened and nodded to himself.

Wait!

Was something wrong here?

A flash of insight struck Mikage Touji right between the eyes!

He raised his head with a mechanical creak. His mouth twitched as he watched Shiraishi Asuka calmly organize her bag, then he asked cautiously:

"Shiraishi-san, where did you get that past exam?"

"You mean this?" Shiraishi Asuka showed him the exam paper, smiling. "I got it from a senior I know. When she heard I was preparing to tutor you, she gave it to me."

"..."

In an instant, Mikage Touji's mind went through the astonishing process of the Big Bang, the evolution of planets, and the birth of life.

At that moment, he had only one thought.

Your senpais and my senpais seemed to be different...

After a long silence, Mikage Touji finally decided to tell her the truth.

"Um, Shiraishi-san..." Mikage Touji edged closer, a hint of resentment in his voice.

"Hmm?"

Shiraishi Asuka looked at Mikage Touji as he leaned toward her, her expression unchanged. At some point, her sparkling earring had taken on a faint pink hue.

"Actually..."

"Huh?" Shiraishi Asuka covered her lips in surprise and fluttered her eyelids a few times. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Mikage Touji nodded, fighting back his grief.

"Then... how did Mikage-kun find out?" Shiraishi Asuka stared at him with a faintly amused smile.

"Well..." Mikage Touji stammered.

"Can we start?" Kamuro Masumi suddenly asked, sounding impatient.

"Ahaha, of course..."

Mikage Touji gave Shiraishi Asuka a look, signaling that they could talk about it later.

Shiraishi Asuka nodded gently.

The two of them lowered their heads and began answering the test. With nothing else to do, Shiraishi Asuka didn't leave; she picked out a novel from the shelves and quietly sat down beside Mikage Touji to read.

Those slender fingers, that focused expression, and that familiar scent...

The bright sunlight outside gradually turned golden. Kamuro Masumi finished first, handed in her test, picked up her shoulder bag, and left.

Her purple half ponytail swayed freely in the air, leaving behind a faint fragrance.

"Is she always like that?" Mikage Touji asked, watching Kamuro Masumi's retreating figure.

"She's considered a bit of a loner in class. In fact, if Katsuragi hadn't asked her on the messaging app, she wouldn't have come. But she's very athletic. She's one of the best among the girls in our class."

"Then maybe she's the type who's cold on the outside but kind on the inside."

"Why do you say that?"

"She says she doesn't care about graduating from Class A, and she did seem pretty impatient just now. But she still came because of a single message from Katsuragi. She also didn't look very comfortable in the library, but she still finished the test before leaving."

"That's true—"

Shiraishi Asuka stopped speaking, her gaze fixed on a woman's notebook on the table.

"She's a little careless too. We can give it to her in class tomorrow," Mikage Touji said with a sigh.

"I don't think that's a good idea..."

A smile appeared on Shiraishi Asuka's lips. She moved the notebook aside, revealing a key card underneath.

It must have been Kamuro Masumi's room key. If it went missing, even getting a replacement right away would take a long time.

"That's a bit of a hassle. But we can message her, and Shiraishi-san can return it to her on the way back to the dorm."

"I'm meeting Ryoko to go shopping tonight." Shiraishi Asuka blinked and politely declined.

"Then I'll go." Mikage Touji made the decision quickly. "It won't take long to catch up with her if I go now."

Shiraishi Asuka was a quiet girl, so she probably wasn't very athletic. Judging by Kamuro Masumi's long legs and brisk stride, Shiraishi might not be able to catch up with her.

Mikage Touji immediately grabbed the key card and ran toward the library exit.

"Good luck."