This Happened in the Very First Class? (Continued)

Airi Sakura bit her lip, as if locked in a fierce internal struggle. But soon, she raised her head.

"Um... Katsuragi... if your study group needs more people... c-could I join?"

On the one hand, Airi Sakura knew that her grades weren't good. They weren't terrible, but she still wasn't sure whether she'd pass her midterm exams.

On the other hand, Airi Sakura also wanted to repay Keima Katsuragi somehow.

She'd finally worked up the courage to invite Keima Katsuragi to eat with her, only for Horikita Suzune's appearance to ruin everything.

Now Keima Katsuragi needed to start a study group, so perhaps she could help a little.

At the very least...

She could make up the numbers.

Besides, Airi Sakura didn't mind spending time with Keima Katsuragi.

"Of course! Thank you so much, Sakura!"

Keima Katsuragi smiled at Airi Sakura, and her cheeks flushed even redder.

"But there might be other students at the study group. Would you be okay with that, Sakura?"

"I..."

Airi Sakura's mind raced.

If she said she wasn't okay with it, would that mean she couldn't join Keima Katsuragi's study group?

For some reason, a certain thought in Airi Sakura's heart grew stronger and stronger—

She absolutely couldn't let this opportunity pass her by!

"I-I'm okay with it!"

Airi Sakura did her best to tell Keima Katsuragi,

"After all, w-we're all classmates... It's f-fine..."

"If you're forcing yourself..."

"I-I'm fine!"

Her voice was incredibly firm.

After saying those words, Airi Sakura was surprised herself. She'd never imagined that one day she would say something like that, let alone with such conviction.

Even more surprising was that she'd chosen to join a group activity like a study group of her own accord.

Maybe...

She'd grown a little, too...

Even if it was only a tiny bit.

"I understand. Then let's meet at the library after school today."

"Okay!"

Airi Sakura nodded vigorously.

After parting ways with Airi Sakura, Keima Katsuragi returned to his room, with Elsie following him inside.

"Big Brother, are you sure this is a good idea? Making that kind of bet?"

Elsie still sounded a little worried.

"Don't worry. I won't lose."

Keima Katsuragi answered as he played his game.

"Why are you so confident, Big Brother?"

"Because there's no way Horikita can succeed if she doesn't change that attitude of hers."

Keima Katsuragi told Elsie everything he was thinking.

"I see!"

"Unlike Sakura, who's simply socially anxious, to win Horikita over, I have to find out what matters most to her. That's true of all the difficult-to-get-along-with types. Their sharp words are just a shell they use to protect themselves. I have to crack that shell to truly understand them. Even if it hurts, that's a necessary part of the process."

Keima Katsuragi continued,

"I need to make Horikita truly realize what her problem is so she can change. That's why I said those things to her."

"So even though they're both difficult to get along with, Sakura and Horikita are completely different... Humans really are complicated. No wonder you're the God of Conquest, Big Brother. You know exactly how to deal with them."

"Compared to the characters in games, they're nothing. There are even more complicated characters in games. To figure out what they really think, you have to keep trying different things and go through every option, slowly piecing together what's in their hearts."

Keima Katsuragi shook his head slightly.

"But I think girls in games are much more interesting than girls in real life, especially girls like Horikita."

"Now that Sakura has joined your study group, won't there be too few people?"

"Maybe. But when I made the bet with Horikita, I didn't set any limit on the number of people. So technically, if I wanted to win, I could just invite a few students with good grades to join the study group. But that wouldn't be any fun. Since I chose to bet with Horikita, I have to make sure she loses fair and square."

As he spoke, Keima Katsuragi put down his handheld console and picked up his phone, apparently sending someone a text.

He'd need this person's help to start the study group.

After sending the message, Keima Katsuragi put down his phone and sighed.

"What's wrong, God of Conquest? You still look like something's on your mind."

"There is one thing I'm worried about."

"What are you worried about, God of Conquest?"

"There's one unpredictable factor in this bet."

"What is it?"

Elsie hurriedly asked, but Keima Katsuragi only looked at her in response.

"The biggest unpredictable factor is you! You useless demon! Didn't you hear what Horikita said? She thinks you deliberately got such a low score! You could've gotten ten points even by guessing! And what do you mean you filled in E when the choices were A, B, C, and D?!"

"I-I didn't look at the questions carefully. I thought it was a word-chain game..."

"If you come in last place on the next monthly exam, I might as well destroy this whole world!"

"No, God of Conquest! Waaaaah, I'm sorry! I'll study hard, I promise!"

Afternoon came, and the students gradually returned to the classroom.

Keima Katsuragi didn't head straight to his seat. Instead, he leaned against the hallway wall, absorbed in his handheld console.

"Katsuragi! Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Just then, a lively voice rang beside him.

Keima Katsuragi looked up. It was the person he'd texted earlier.

Kikyo Kushida.

Kikyo Kushida had asked Keima Katsuragi for help earlier, but he'd turned her down.

As a result, Kikyo Kushida's fondness for Keima Katsuragi had fallen below zero.

Even so, Keima Katsuragi knew that if he asked Kikyo Kushida for help, she would definitely come through.

She seemed to care a great deal about maintaining her image as a "perfect social butterfly."

If it was something like this, Kikyo Kushida would definitely agree.

"Katsuragi, are you planning to hold a study group?"

Kikyo Kushida looked up at Keima Katsuragi with a concerned smile.

In truth, though, she was already somewhat annoyed with him.

This guy had refused to help me before, but now he's coming to me for help?

Of course, Kikyo Kushida didn't let any of those feelings show.

She had to maintain a perfect image in front of everyone.

"That's right. Horikita and I made a bet."

"A bet?"

Kikyo Kushida grew curious. This had to do with Suzune Horikita, after all.

"Yeah."

Keima Katsuragi told Kikyo Kushida about the bet.

"I see! But you and Horikita are both doing this for the good of the class, right?"

Kikyo Kushida held her hands lightly against her chest, her face showing some concern.

"Still... Horikita's personality really is strange. I feel like if she held a study group, something unpleasant might happen."

"You're right. That's why I've decided to start my own study group. If I beat Horikita this time, she'll have to cooperate with me afterward. Maybe I can get her to spend more time with you."

At Keima Katsuragi's words, a glint seemed to flash in Kikyo Kushida's eyes.

"I understand! Is there anything I need to do?"

"You don't have to go to any particular trouble, Kushida."

Keima Katsuragi spoke calmly.

"I just need you to join my study group in name."

"Huh? Don't you want me to go ask the other students?"

"No need."

Keima Katsuragi's gaze fell on the girl in front of him. Kikyo Kushida had a cute face and a friendly, outgoing personality. If she asked, the others would probably be quick to join his study group—

That would be a problem.

Keima Katsuragi's agreement with Sae Chabashira did include improving the class's ranking, but he thought that having too many people in the study group would make the tutoring less effective.

Keima Katsuragi suspected that Suzune Horikita might ask someone else to help her run her study group. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, sitting on her other side, was the most likely candidate.

There was almost no chance that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka would invite Ken Sudō and the others to a study group on his own. But if he asked Kikyo Kushida for help, things might be different.

That was why Keima Katsuragi wanted to cut off that possibility in advance.

Besides, Kikyo Kushida's grades were decent enough. Having her join the study group would raise the average—

Especially since Elsie, an absolute disaster, was on his side.

"All right! I look forward to working with you!"

Kikyo Kushida nodded with a smile.

The first afternoon class ended, and it was time for a break.

Keima Katsuragi continued playing his game, his handheld console never moving an inch.

Meanwhile, Suzune Horikita turned around and said something to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

"Got it."

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka simply nodded, then left his seat.

After parting ways with Keima Katsuragi at lunchtime, Suzune Horikita had quickly calmed down.

She had a fiercely competitive streak and refused to lose to Keima Katsuragi. What's more, she didn't think her own approach was wrong.

So Suzune Horikita tried the same tactic she'd used with Keima Katsuragi: offering to buy Ayanokoji Kiyotaka a meal as a "bribe" to get him to help her prepare the study group.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka quickly went to find the students who'd scored near the bottom on the last quiz: Ken Sudō, Haruki Yamauchi, Kanji Ike...

But they all gave the same answer.

They rejected him without hesitation.

Ken Sudō was even angered by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's invitation, feeling that he was being looked down on.