"So you work out too? Then why didn't you invite your senpai along? I work out too, you know."
"I don't think that's necessary. I don't want to trouble you, senpai." Yagami Shizuka just wanted to turn her down.
"What's there to worry about? It's not like it's a difficult thing to do. You're not afraid your little girlfriend, Sakayanagi Arisu, will get jealous, are you?"
"Yeah." Yagami Shizuka nodded without denying it.
"Hehe, underclassman, how can you give up an entire forest for the sake of one willow tree? It's a disgrace to men everywhere! If you're already afraid of your wife now, what are you going to do later?
"You have to learn to stand up for yourself. Marriage should be free!
"There's more to this forest than drooping willows. There's me, Fuka, too." She pointed to herself with a smile.
She was talking about herself, right?
[Wow! Romance! Romance! Congratulations, young man, on winning the heart of your beautiful upperclassman, Kiryuin Fuka! What a joyous occasion! What a joyous occasion! Hurry up and take her hand! Then you'll win yourself a bittersweet romance prompt.]
[1. Take Kiryuin Fuka's hand and enjoy the day together.
"Afterward, she'll tell you she was joking and only thinks of you as a little brother.
"You don't know it, but a girl is watching you through a telescope from 120 meters away. The moment you make a move, she'll shoot at you with the bow she borrowed from the Archery Club.
"If you choose Kiryuin, you'll definitely be shot dead in the future.]
[2. Having your feet in two boats is way too dangerous, gua-gua-gua-gua. Just stick to one boat and behave yourself.]
Reading the information in front of him, Yagami Shizuka broke out in a cold sweat. Had Sakayanagi Arisu really borrowed a bow from the Archery Club?
Why would the school have something so dangerous?
Senpai, this wasn't a joke. You were playing with your life.
He had to admit, he was overthinking things. Kiryuin wouldn't be that easy to win over.
"Senpai, let's get going. It's almost dark." Yagami Shizuka set off at a run.
"Hey, don't change the subject, underclassman! I worked so hard to learn that line."
"Hurry up, senpai!" Yagami Shizuka called, waving from farther ahead.
"Fine, you just wait. Sooner or later, I'll make you fall at your big sister's feet." Kiryuin Fuka chased after him.
"Ah! Don't run!"
Yagami Shizuka ran ahead, with Kiryuin in pursuit. They soon reached Keyaki Mall.
They chatted and laughed as they walked around, then went into a karaoke room.
After picking a few songs, they started singing.
Once they'd had their fill of fun, Kiryuin brought up what had happened the previous month. "I borrowed 2,300 points from you last time. I can pay you back now."
She was worried she'd spend the money if she didn't give it back to Yagami Shizuka soon. She'd been meaning to bring it up for a while.
"Senpai, there's no rush to pay me back," Yagami Shizuka said, refusing her. "It's not that many points. Just think of it as a gift to celebrate meeting you. You don't have to pay me back."
"How could I do that? A debt is a debt. I won't be able to sleep soundly until I pay you back." Kiryuin was rather firm about returning the money.
There were people whose money she could borrow without any intention of paying it back. If they asked for their money, she'd give them nothing but excuses.
Then there were others who were different.
After spending this time together, she'd come to consider Yagami Shizuka the only friend she had at this school.
She had to pay back a friend.
Yagami Shizuka took a sip of his drink, then waved a hand. "No, senpai. Do you consider me a friend? If you do, then let's not talk about money. Friends help each other when they're in trouble, right? Talking about money just makes things awkward."
Yagami Shizuka had had friends before.
He used to love making friends, and he understood the saying that one became like the company one kept.
But some friends, even if you treated them like friends, didn't necessarily treat you like a person.
Over time, he'd come to see people for who they were.
In the end, he'd been left all alone.
Eventually, he'd learned one thing: friends shouldn't lend each other money. If you did, you had to be prepared to never get a single point back.
That could tear a friendship apart.
So, depending on your circumstances, either give the money outright or don't lend any at all.
That was the only way to build a real friendship.
When someone like Kiryuin truly regarded him as a friend, Yagami Shizuka wasn't about to quibble over a little money.
Kiryuin stared at Yagami Shizuka for a long time without saying anything. Then she nodded. "All right. If you ever have trouble, tell me. If I can help, I will."
"Exactly. Actually, there is something I'd like to ask you, senpai."
"Oh? So this is what you were waiting for." Kiryuin smiled as she set down her glass. She'd already guessed that Yagami Shizuka would ask her for a favor.
"Just say it. What do you want your big sister to do for you?" If it was too difficult, she'd consider saying no. She wasn't about to let a few sweet words from an underclassman go to her head.
"Well..." Yagami Shizuka hesitated. "I'd like all your midterm and final exam papers from last year. If that's inconvenient, photos would be fine."
Kiryuin took a sip of her drink, then set down her glass and thought for a moment. "You think this year's midterm will be the same as last year's, don't you? The same thing happened when I took the exam last year, but the questions were so easy that even with the answers in hand, they couldn't beat me."
"You're amazing, senpai!" Yagami Shizuka said, deeply impressed. "You guessed right. I could buy them from someone else, but I thought it'd be better to ask you. You get good grades, so your answers are the model answers. And most importantly, we're friends."
"Hmm, you're right to ask me. You came to the right person. So how many points are you planning to pay?"
"Then you set the price, senpai. I don't want you to lose out."
Kiryuin hesitated. "Your class shouldn't even need these exam papers. What do you want them for?"
"I..."
"If you tell me your plan, I'll give them to you for free."
"Well..." Yagami Shizuka thought for a moment. He'd expected Kiryuin not to charge him, but he hadn't expected her to want to know his plan.
He glanced around to make sure there were no cameras, then turned up the volume on the speakers before explaining his plan to Kiryuin.
"Here's the deal. I've already pooled all the points in my class and set up an R System. The top scorers will get points as a reward.
"I've already decided who'll be in the top places, and then..."
The more Kiryuin listened, the more bewildered she became. "You've already decided who'll be at the top? Are you sure? How can you be certain you'll come first? Even having the practice papers wouldn't be enough, would it?"
"I don't need to explain that part. Anyway, that's the plan."
"Wait, let me get this straight. You're going to give the exam papers to the whole class and make them think they have a shot at coming first, even though you've already decided who will? Is that what you mean?
"Wouldn't it make more sense to keep them for yourself and secure your own place at the top that way?"
"You heard me right, senpai. I've already decided who'll come first, second, and third. Even if I give them the practice papers, they won't make it."
"But how could you possibly pull that off? You..." Kiryuin Fuka thought of herself. "Are you saying you're as good as I am?"
Before you continue