Study Session

"There are quite a lot of people here!" Honami Ichinose said with a hint of surprise.

"Well, after all, nobody wants to get expelled for no reason," An Xiao said with a shrug. "Besides, if you do well on the exams, you can earn some points."

"That's true."

"Alright, stop looking around and let's find a spot to start studying," An Xiao said, turning back to Soh Shibata and the others who were still glancing around, beckoning everyone toward the empty seats.

For this study session, Honami Ichinose had organized the students from Class B who were willing to participate into several groups based on their previous quiz results to carry out their study activities.

Because most students in Class B had fairly good grades, there were really only one or two people in the entire class who actually needed remedial help.

An Xiao's group consisted of five members: An Xiao, Honami Ichinose, Ryuji Kanzaki, Yuki Himeno, and Soh Shibata.

The first three were at the top of the class, and from what Honami Ichinose had told him, Yuki Himeno's grades weren't great, but they definitely weren't bad either; she would certainly pass, so that meant...

Yes, that's right, it's you, Shibata, you are that one in a few.

"Hm? What's wrong, An Xiao? Why are you looking at me like that?" Shibata asked, scratching his cheek, feeling confused by An Xiao's gaze.

"It's nothing, I was just feeling a bit sentimental."

"Alright, alright, everyone, let's get started early," Honami Ichinose said, pressing her palms together and clapping lightly.

Everyone didn't say anything more and began today's review.

Time passed quickly, and everyone gradually got into the zone.

However...

"Are you saying I'm both ignorant and incompetent?"

"Huh? You bastard, say that again if you have the guts!"

An Xiao paused in the middle of explaining a problem to Shibata and turned around, looking bewildered.

Wait, who is that? Did someone have a mental breakdown from studying?

It wasn't just An Xiao; Honami Ichinose, Ryuji Kanzaki... the eyes of most people in the library were drawn to the sound.

There was curiosity, disdain, irritation...

An Xiao originally didn't want to get involved, as the pressure of expulsion meant it was understandable for people to be a bit irritable.

He picked up his pen and was just about to continue when Honami Ichinose, who was sitting on the other side of him, poked him with her pen and said uncertainly.

"An Xiao, look and see if that's the girl who was sitting next to you during the swimming class."

Hm?

Because he hadn't looked closely before, An Xiao hadn't noticed who the red-haired boy was yelling at, but looking carefully now, who else could it be but Suzune Horikita sitting there.

Beside her sat Ayanokoji, whom he had just seen last time, and another girl who looked somewhat familiar, while across from the red-haired boy sat several other boys.

Are they here for a study session too?

An Xiao scratched his cheek, his brain unable to process this for a moment.

Although over the past month, An Xiao had often offered her guidance during lunch, and while the changes weren't drastic, they were still somewhat effective.

At least her extremely selfish personality had softened just a little bit, enough that she wouldn't be teased by An Xiao as 'Horikita the Baby'.

But looking at her current dissatisfaction with that group of people from Class D, she didn't look like the type to participate in this kind of study session at all.

At most, she would do as An Xiao had suggested last time and find a few reliable people to get through the school's exams.

"I'll go over and take a look; after all, she's someone I know," An Xiao said, standing up and speaking to the classmates from Class B around him.

"I'll go too," Honami Ichinose said, also standing up.

The two quickly arrived near the table where the shouting red-haired youth was.

But as soon as they arrived, An Xiao's brow couldn't help but twitch.

He saw that after Suzune Horikita, who was sitting there, said something else, the red-haired youth's anger grew significantly. He reached out and grabbed the hand Suzune Horikita had been holding her pen with, pulling her slightly upward along with it.

"Seriously, you can't even solve a system of equations. Just imagining your future makes one feel terrified."

Suzune Horikita's expression didn't change after her hand was grabbed, and she continued her verbal assault.

"You!"

The red-haired boy's grip tightened, and a look of discomfort appeared on Suzune Horikita's face, but she still kept a cold expression.

"That's enough, let go of her hand," An Xiao said, quickly stepping forward to swat the red-haired youth's hand away.

Just kidding, given the situation, An Xiao wouldn't have been surprised if the other side had started a physical fight right then and there.

If that really happened...

Thinking of a certain tsundere sister-complex, An Xiao couldn't help but shiver.

"Hey, who the hell are you guys?"

Sudo looked at An Xiao, who had come over to swat his hand away, with a hostile expression.

"I suppose... we're friends of hers... right?" An Xiao said uncertainly, tilting his head to look at Suzune Horikita sitting beside him to confirm.

Suzune Horikita didn't say anything, but her expression was clearly better than it had been a moment ago upon seeing An Xiao arrive, and she began to straighten the clothes that Sudo had ruffled.

"You can take it that way if you want," An Xiao said, feeling somewhat helpless as he saw Horikita's reaction.

"Who cares if you think so or not!" Sudo's temper, which had just begun to subside, flared up again. He clenched his fist and slammed it hard against the tabletop before glaring at the indifferent-looking Horikita Suzune.

"What's the point of studying?"

"I'd be better off practicing basketball with that time, aiming to become a professional player..."

"Um, actually, most national or state-level professional athletes don't have low educational backgrounds," An Xiao couldn't help but retort. "After all, even professional players need a certain level of education."

"Take Jordan, the most famous one in the United States, for example. Besides being great at basketball, he also holds a bachelor's degree in geography from a university."

"And then there's 'Shaq' Shaquille O'Neal. Don't let his size fool you; he's a man who holds a bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University, an MBA from the University of Phoenix, and a doctorate in education from Barry University."

"You'd better come up with a different excuse."

After An Xiao finished speaking, Sudo, sitting opposite him, was clearly stunned, and the others around them were equally dumbfounded.

"Th-th-this, you..." Sudo stood there stammering for a long time, unable to form a complete sentence. The color of his hair seemed to be spreading downward, and his face turned bright red.

Glancing at the people around him, Sudo gritted his teeth, dropped the bag he had already half-lifted back onto the floor, picked up the book in front of him, and began to read it with resentment.

His expression was as ferocious as it could possibly be.

This kid... did he just have a mental breakdown?!!

An Xiao thought to himself as he watched the scene unfold.