I packed my bag to go home, still riding the high.
People kept glancing my way, but I was used to it by now.
(This midterm's a chance to earn extra points. I should earn as many as I can to make up for the expenses on things like the TV...)
Lately, I'd spent nearly 200,000 points on a television, game console, VCR, digital camera, voice recorder, and mini camcorder. They were necessities, but it was still a huge expense, so I wanted to earn as much back as possible.
So for the next two weeks, I planned to study like my life depended on it and aim for first place in the year in Japanese, social studies, and English.
If I managed to come first in all three, I'd earn 90,000 points. That massive reward was more than enough to motivate me.
Just as I was about to get up, I suddenly heard a series of claps.
I looked up to see Hirata, our class leader, clapping to get everyone's attention.
"Everyone, as Chabashira-sensei said, exam prep starts today. You all know that anyone who fails will be expelled immediately. To help everyone avoid that, I'm planning to organize a study group and recruit members."
How noble... He was the complete opposite of someone like me, who only cared about passing.
"And studying hard won't just help you avoid expulsion. It can also earn us points."
Hirata was right. According to a senior in the Chess Club, if the class average improved on midterms or finals, we could earn up to 100 Class Points.
"A few students who did well on the last quiz and I have already prepared study materials, so anyone who needs help should definitely join."
As he spoke, Hirata looked toward Sudo, who had the worst grades in the class and the worst attitude in lessons.
It seemed he understood that Sudo was the biggest risk in the class.
"Tch..."
"We'll meet for two hours after school every day from today until the day before the exam. Feel free to join whenever you like. If you decide you're doing fine and want to leave early, that's okay too. That's all I wanted to say."
As soon as Hirata finished speaking, the students hovering around the passing line hurried over to him.
Quite a few students with decent grades joined them, too.
But the "class idiots"—Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudo—didn't seem interested in joining.
The two besides Sudo looked hesitant, but in the end, they didn't go over to Hirata.
Maybe they were afraid Sudo would get angry, or maybe they just didn't like Hirata. Either way, those three would probably be expelled.
But what did that have to do with me?
I had no intention of joining the study group.
Hirata had said that he and a few students who did well on the last quiz had prepared study materials. In other words, the students with good grades were expected to tutor everyone else.
I'd ranked fourth on the last quiz, so there was a good chance I'd be assigned to teach someone.
I could manage being a student, but teaching strangers?
No thanks.
※※※
Thirty minutes later...
"If you use this formula... it should work like this. Still, I never thought I'd feel lonely, too..."
As I studied math in the library, I couldn't help muttering to myself.
With exams approaching, the library was almost completely full, and I was sitting alone in a corner.
Neither Sakanayanagi nor Hiyori was there.
Sakanayanagi was running the class study group.
Unlike our class, where the goal was just to help everyone pass, Class A's study group was meant to raise the average and earn Class Points.
The difference between Class D and Class A was obvious in that respect.
Hiyori had gone to the Tea Ceremony Club to find out about their activities after the midterms.
She'd probably be back soon.
Just as I was thinking that, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
Looks like she's here.
"Hey, Hiyori. That was quick."
I turned as I spoke—
"Yahaha~ Sorry, I'm not Shiina~"
It wasn't Hiyori standing there, but Ichinose.
"Sorry, I mistook you for someone else. Did you need something?"
"It's less that I came looking for Hikigaya-kun and more that I came looking for a seat. Every other spot is taken, and there's room around you. Mind if I sit here?"
I looked around. The library really was packed during exam prep.
Besides, I'd already saved Hiyori a seat.
"Go ahead."
"Thanks."
Ichinose thanked me, sat down beside me, and took out her stationery to start studying.
She was here to prepare for the exams, too.
After we'd studied in silence for a while, Ichinose suddenly spoke up. "By the way, aren't those two usually with you?"
"Sakanayanagi's busy with class matters, and Hiyori will be here later."
"I see. I thought you three were always together."
"It's less that we're together and more that they drag me around... Hey, you got that part wrong."
I suddenly pointed to her workbook.
Ichinose was reviewing classical literature, and I'd spotted a mistake.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"I wouldn't say the same if it were science, but I'm pretty confident in the humanities. You filled in the conjugation like this, but actually..."
As I spoke, I wrote the correct answer in my notebook and handed it to her.
"It should be like this. I remember the textbook mentioning it in a sidebar."
At that, Ichinose flipped through her textbook and finally nodded.
"Oh, you're right! Thanks for pointing that out."
"No problem."
I casually replied to her thanks.
Come to think of it, it'd been a long time since I'd had a normal conversation like this.
In middle school, my interactions had been full of malice. Since coming here, my conversations with Sakanayanagi had been a series of provocations, while Hiyori would suddenly come out with some airheaded remark.
Having an ordinary conversation with Ichinose felt surprisingly refreshing.
As I was thinking that, I noticed Ichinose staring intently at me—or, more precisely, at the notebook beside my hand.
"Hmm~ You could solve this proof faster with the Pythagorean theorem, you know?"
"Really?"
"Yep. Look..."
She showed me how to solve it on the spot.
My approach followed the textbook exactly, but Ichinose's solution worked even with one step omitted.
"I see... That would definitely save time on these kinds of problems. It's a big help that you took the time to teach me."
"It's no big deal. If you have any other questions about math, I can help with those too."
Ichinose offered.
For this exam, I planned to focus on the humanities and English. I wasn't aiming for first place in the year in science.
But she explained things so clearly that maybe I should try to improve my math, too.
After all, I'd studied science like my life depended on it while preparing for the exams, so my foundation was pretty solid. The midterm covered some review material from middle school, too, so the scope wasn't too broad. With a good tutor, it might really be possible.
"Then I'll take you up on that."
"Sure, but in exchange, you have to teach me Japanese."
"...Deal."
I wasn't worried about teaching Japanese, and the material on this midterm wasn't difficult.
"Okay, then I'll teach you first. What are you having trouble with?"
"This..."
"Here, you see..."
Whenever I asked a question, Ichinose explained it patiently and thoroughly.
With her help, the parts I hadn't been able to focus on because my classmates were making so much noise at the start of the school year suddenly made sense.
After thirty minutes of gratefully accepting her tutoring—
"Oh, Ichinose's here today, too?"
Shiina walked over with an expression like she'd discovered a new continent.
"Hey, Shiina. Well, the library's almost full."
"Yeah. Nice to see you, Ichinose."
"Likewise."
Shiina bowed, then took a seat. She glanced at the notes I was working on and nodded.
"That's a concise solution. Though it'd be more proper to write 'by such-and-such theorem' instead of just writing the formula."
"True~ I got points taken off for that in middle school."
Ichinose clearly agreed with Shiina's mutter.
Shiina was a top student, too, so her advice was persuasive.
As I was thinking that, Shiina suddenly moved her chair and sat down beside me.
That left me wedged between Ichinose and Shiina.
"...What's this all of a sudden?"
"Nothing. It's awkward to tutor you from across the table."
It seemed Shiina was joining in, too.
That made me feel even more confident. I should take this chance to study hard.
"...Look over there."
"Hikigaya again."
He was sandwiched between Shiina and Ichinose...?
"Showing off from the very first day of exam prep?"
"Now the members of the 'Support Committee for Shiina' and the 'Alliance for Obtaining Vitality from Ichinose' are going to riot."
"If that happens, he's done for."
...I'd better ignore all that gossip.
Two hours later...
"Fifteen minutes until closing. Please begin gathering your belongings."
"Mm~ It's about time."
Ichinose stretched luxuriously.
Her ample chest swayed with the motion, and I hurriedly looked away.
"Yeah, sorry for taking up your time while you helped me study."
Though I'd been focused on studying, I hadn't realized how numb my backside had gotten until I heard the announcement.
"Same here. Hikigaya-kun and Shiina helped me, too."
"I got to brush up on what I know, too."
Seeing how satisfied Shiina looked put me at ease.
"Since we're all here, want to go grab something to eat together?"
Ichinose suggested as she packed up.
She'd tutored me, so it didn't feel right to turn her down.
"I don't mind..."
"I'm fine with that."
"Then it's settled. Let's go?"
"Okay."
Just as I started to get up—
"Whoa!"
My leg had gone numb, and I stumbled...
"Ah!"
I went down, taking Ichinose with me.
"Ow... Hm?"
As I winced in pain, something soft pressed against my right hand.
What was this?
The moment I realized what I was touching—
"Ah... Mmh!"
My right hand was gripping the considerable softness of Ichinose's chest.
(A huge moon... Crap! I'm so dead!)
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