Classroom of the Elite, Keima Katsuragi's Love Brain Battle

Among them, only Elsie could be considered to have relatively good social skills, though she was, after all, Keima Katsuragi's sister.

They were all the type of people who drifted on the fringes of the class.

Airi Sakura, standing to the side, was somewhat surprised; she hadn't expected Haruka Hasebe to say something like that.

However...

It didn't seem wrong, either.

"That is true. Rather than having too many friends, I think having people you can actually talk to is more important than anything else."

Hiyori Shiina responded softly, her purple eyes shifting toward Keima Katsuragi.

Airi Sakura noticed the change in Hiyori Shiina's gaze and nodded repeatedly, letting out an "un."

"I completely agree with that! Come to think of it, I never expected your study group, Keima, to be so well-organized! I actually thought this would just turn into a little group for playing games!"

Haruka Hasebe looked at Keima Katsuragi with a smile, her words incredibly blunt.

She was a person with a very distinct personality; her way of speaking and interacting with others was entirely based on her own feelings.

If it were someone she disliked, Haruka Hasebe wouldn't pay them any mind at all.

But if it were someone she deemed decent, Haruka Hasebe would show her straightforward and lively side.

At the very least, based on her first impression, Haruka Hasebe thought the members of this study group were quite alright.

It seemed they were all people in the class who didn't have many friends.

"If only that were the case."

As Keima Katsuragi spoke, he sighed and then glanced at Elsie.

"After all, some people are quite exhausting to tutor!"

"Big Brother, why are you looking at me! I've been working really hard, okay!"

Elsie pouted, looking somewhat unconvinced.

"Elsie has indeed been working very hard."

Hiyori Shiina said gently from the side, and Elsie patted her chest with a look of triumph.

Watching the few people in front of her, Haruka Hasebe narrowed her eyes slightly; these people were indeed different from the other idiots in the class.

After a few seconds of contemplation, a smile appeared on her face once more, and she spoke up:

"So, can I join this study group?"

"Of course you can, Po-chan!"

Elsie nodded vigorously.

"Also, that thing we agreed on earlier! Are we starting that now?"

"I originally intended to wait a while, but now is fine too."

"What thing?"

Keima Katsuragi's instincts told him that nothing involving Elsie ever led to anything good.

"It's giving each other nicknames!"

Elsie suddenly switched to an incredibly serious expression.

"Po-chan told me that making friends always starts with nicknames! So, this afternoon, Po-chan and I gave each other nicknames!"

As she spoke, Elsie wore an incredibly proud expression, as if the nickname for Haruka Hasebe were a masterpiece that had cost her a great deal of effort.

"No wonder you two have been calling each other Po-chan and Elsie-chan just now."

"Since we'll be together from now on, I've actually come up with nicknames for you all, too."

"So that's what you were thinking about during those few seconds of silence earlier?"

"Hiyo-chan, Airi-chan, how do those sound?"

Haruka Hasebe seemed impatient to share her ideas.

"This is the first time someone has given me a nickname. I like it."

Hiyori Shiina nodded thoughtfully.

She didn't know much about interpersonal relationships.

Giving nicknames, she supposed, must be one of the ways to bring people closer together.

"I..."

Airi Sakura lowered her head, unable to help but think of her other identity.

Shizuku.

If she were truly Shizuku, she could interact with them openly and honestly.

She could also be brave enough to give a gift to Keima Katsuragi.

"Do you not like it?"

"No, no, no, I like it very much."

Airi Sakura hurriedly shook her head.

"I, I was just, f-f-first time, b-being given a nickname by someone... Thank you, Haruka Hasebe..."

"You can't call me that! If friends still use surnames, it feels too distant! You have to discard unnecessary titles!"

Haruka Hasebe said with extreme seriousness.

Volume One: Chapter Fifty-Eight: The God's Nickname, Naturally, is God!

Although they hadn't known each other for long, Haruka Hasebe could sense that Airi Sakura was the type of person who was very bad at socializing.

That was why she thought of using this method to close the distance with Airi Sakura and reduce the pressure in the other girl's heart.

"Using nicknames can be put on hold for a step, but Airi-chan, you at least have to use our first names!"

Haruka Hasebe extended a slender, fair finger toward Airi Sakura.

"It was Airi-chan just a moment ago, and now it's become Airi-chan again; you're just doing whatever you want."

Keima Katsuragi muttered a retort from the side.

Listening to Haruka Hasebe's words, Airi Sakura could only nod in a dazed manner, using all the strength in her body:

"Ha, Ha, Ha... Haruka Hasebe-san!"

After saying the other person's name, Airi Sakura felt as if she had used up all the strength in her entire body, and she felt a bit limp.

But in Airi Sakura's heart, she felt a little happy.

This was the first time she had used a first name to address someone else.

"Well done, Airi-chan!"

"It's become Airi-chan again?"

"From now on, you at least have to use our first names to address the rest of us!"

Hearing Haruka Hasebe's words, Airi Sakura nodded, but her gaze subconsciously fell onto Keima Katsuragi's face.

Address Keima-kun by his first name?

Airi Sakura's brain spun at high speed, constantly imagining such a scene.

...%＆

Her brain felt as if it had overloaded, almost to the point of emitting smoke, and her cheeks were so red they were about to explode.

Airi Sakura hurriedly lowered her head, burying her face in her hands.

"Airi-chan, are you okay?"

"I, I, I'm fine..."

Only then did Airi Sakura take a deep breath, adjust her state, and lift her head once more.

"I, I understand! Hiyori-san... Elsie-san... Kei, Kei, Kei..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Airi Sakura's head overheated again, and she slumped onto the table like a ball.

"Airi-chan?"

"Maybe Airi-san studied too hard just now! Let her rest for a moment!"

Elsie, who was to the side, said.

"Alright—then there's only one person left now!"

Haruka Hasebe's gaze moved to Keima Katsuragi's face.

"Spare me, you—"

"How about Koma?"

"That's not good at all!"

Keima Katsuragi sighed helplessly.

Since Haruka Hasebe joined the study group, the atmosphere here had undergone a very obvious change.

It was heading in a strange direction!

"Po-chan! Big Brother actually has an exclusive nickname!"

Just at this moment, Elsie looked at Haruka Hasebe with a serious expression.

"What?"

Haruka Hasebe asked curiously.

Shiina Hiyori's gaze focused on Elsie's face, and Airi Sakura, who had almost lost consciousness, also turned her head slightly, aiming her ear in that direction.

"Wait a second, wait a second!"

Keima Katsuragi seemed to realize something.

"The God of Conquest!!!"

Elsie shouted out Keima Katsuragi's nickname with immense pride.

"..."

The moment Keima Katsuragi heard that voice, he immediately pulled out his handheld console and started playing.

I can't hear anything! I can't hear anything!

Although Keima Katsuragi had always styled himself as the God of Conquest—

Having Elsie shout that name so triumphantly in front of outsiders was truly mortifying.

"Haha, I know that name."

Beside them, the corners of Shiina Hiyori's mouth curled upward.

"Oh?"

"After all, Katsuragi-san—my apologies, should I be calling you Keima-san now? Keima's online handle is 'God', isn't it!"

Shiina Hiyori had absolutely no experience with this sort of thing.

Even though she felt a bit shy inside, under the influence of Haruka Hasebe, she was gradually adapting to the situation.

Shiina Hiyori actually wanted to address those she was close to by their first names as well.

It was just that she never knew how to express her thoughts; after all, while she was slightly better off than Airi Sakura, Shiina Hiyori's social skills were still below those of an average person.

"So you gave yourself the nickname God? That really fits your style perfectly!"

As Haruka Hasebe spoke, she pressed her palms together and gave a nod toward Keima Katsuragi.

"Amen, Amitabha, bless me, God."

"..."

With the addition of Haruka Hasebe, the atmosphere of the study group became much more relaxed.