Tanaka Yukishin turned around and stared at Karuizawa Kei, his face full of suspicion.
"I remember that on the first day of school, I threatened you—no, forced you to make a choice."
"Then you shut yourself away, and I brought you back. After that, you just gave yourself to me."
"And you call that saving a damsel in dis—"
Before he could finish, a figure pounced on him and cut him off.
"Stay out of girls' business."
Karuizawa Kei clung to his back like a koala.
She would never tell this jerk that she'd fallen for him because of a single look.
That was way too embarrassing.
With that, she sank her teeth into Tanaka Yukishin's neck.
Tanaka Yukishin sighed and patted the back of her knees.
"Get down. You've gotten heavy."
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt her sink her teeth into his neck—not too hard, but not exactly gently, either.
"Ow, what are you doing?" He sucked in a dramatic breath. "You're old enough to know better than to bite people. Are you a puppy?"
"Hmph!"
Karuizawa Kei nimbly flipped down in front of him, her chestnut hair gleaming like honey in the sunlight.
With her hands on her hips and her chin raised, she looked just like a smug little fox.
"I'm not just going to bite you up here..." She suddenly poked him in the stomach. "I'm going to bite you down there, too!"
In an instant, she turned into a beautiful snake and slid downward.
The battle began, and a fierce struggle unfolded.
A week passed.
Because of his deal with Horikita Manabu, Tanaka Yukishin had spent some time observing Horikita Suzune.
She really was as difficult as Horikita Manabu had said.
In theory, a beautiful girl with a graceful figure and excellent academic credentials should have been popular.
But Horikita Suzune's standing in the class was hardly any better than that of a stray dog. She was practically ignored.
The reason came down to her personality.
Her classmates could talk to her normally when they spoke with her.
But her icy, unapproachable manner kept them at a distance.
Only Kushida Kikyo kept trying, tirelessly, to get closer to her.
Teaching such a difficult kid was a real hassle. If he hadn't already agreed, Tanaka Yukishin wouldn't have bothered.
After giving it some thought, he decided to talk to Horikita Suzune first.
After class, Tanaka Yukishin turned around.
Horikita Suzune had taken out the textbook for her next class and was about to review it.
Seeing him, she asked, "What is it, Tanaka?"
Her tone was a little better than the one she used with other people.
But she was still as cold as ever.
Tanaka Yukishin sighed and decided to get straight to the point.
"I made a deal with your brother. He asked me to guide you a little, because your personality gives him a headache."
Her brother!
The first thing Horikita Suzune focused on wasn't the deal.
It was that her brother had been keeping an eye on her.
"What did my brother tell you?"
"A brother-obsessed little sister and a big brother secretly looking out for her."
"You two really are the perfect siblings."
After making that quip, Tanaka Yukishin told Horikita Suzune about his conversation with Horikita Manabu in the Student Council room a week earlier.
"Just as I said, he asked me to teach you—or, more accurately, guide you a little. To correct your awful personality."
"Tanaka, you may be capable, and my brother may approve of you, but I consider my personality perfectly normal. It's not awful."
A hint of displeasure crossed Horikita Suzune's face, and her words carried a note of stubbornness.
She really had no self-awareness.
He'd have to point out the problem with specific examples.
Looking at her, Tanaka Yukishin decided to let the facts speak for themselves.
"If you won't accept it when I say it outright, then I'll give you a few examples."
"You have ambitions to move up a class, but your actions don't match your intentions," Tanaka Yukishin stressed. "Doesn't saying one thing and doing another count as an awful personality? You, Hirata, and Kushida have accomplished nothing."
Horikita Suzune's attitude didn't change. She acknowledged that Tanaka Yukishin was capable, but she considered herself someone who took action.
"I think I'm better than some people who sit back and reap the rewards."
"I'm not like you. Did you forget what I said on the first day of school? I have no intention of moving up a class."
After saying that, Tanaka Yukishin didn't give Horikita Suzune a chance to respond.
"Do you really think Ayanokoji Kiyotaka randomly assigned you, Hirata, and Kushida to gather information?
"He observed the situation and thought it through before choosing the best solution.
"In terms of intelligence alone, you might be better than Hirata and Kushida.
"But when it comes to social skills, it's the other way around.
"At first glance, it seems like all you needed was Kushida.
"But Ayanokoji still added Hirata.
"Why do you think that was?
"First, if you and Kushida got into a conflict, he could mediate.
"Second, having both boys and girls in the group would help you interact with more upperclassmen and avoid unnecessary problems.
"So what happened?
"Your personality got in the way, and you couldn't work well together.
"You accomplished nothing.
"Do you still think there's nothing wrong with you?"
He'd spoken in one breath, and Tanaka Yukishin was a little thirsty.
Just then, Sakura Airi and Karuizawa Kei each handed him a bottle of water.
Tanaka Yukishin couldn't be bothered to think about it, so he took the nearest one.
Karuizawa Kei watched Sakura Airi with an amused smile. She was hurriedly hiding her furtive glances beneath her bangs, her earlobes so red they looked ready to drip blood.
Koenji Rokusuke had been watching from the sidelines, but seeing no love-triangle drama, he asked, "Tanaka, what made you suddenly start talking to Horikita girl?"
He was a little too far away to hear everything.
"I made a deal with the Student Council President. I'm supposed to guide Horikita Suzune a little in exchange for a favor."
"Koenji, are you interested? I can let you have the job."
Koenji Rokusuke waved a hand.
"No, thanks. I heard from an upperclassman about how intense the competition at this school is. There's no chance I'll be expelled."
"Keep that troublesome business for yourself."
As the only son of a zaibatsu family, Koenji had no chance of being kicked out in disgrace.
So Horikita Manabu's favor was worthless to him.
"I..."
Horikita Suzune had just recovered from her confusion and started to speak.
Ring, ring. Class was starting.
Chabashira Sae walked in with a textbook.
Another day's work began.
As time passed, even though they already knew the exam rules, the many oddballs in Class D gradually started to show their true colors and let loose without anyone keeping them in check.
Tanaka Yukishin and Koenji Rokusuke joined in.
They let loose together.
Neither of them had any need to move up a class.
And when it came to earning Personal Points, they weren't as dependent as the others on the monthly allowance distributed according to Class Points.
Just like that, Class D's Class Points began to plummet.
After class, Horikita Suzune stood in the aisle with her math textbook in her arms. Her black hair was tucked neatly behind her ears, and her posture was so straight it looked as if it had been measured with a ruler.
"Tanaka," she said, her voice as cool as chilled mineral water. "About what you mentioned during the last break..."
"Hold it." Tanaka Yukishin raised a hand. "I'm not in the mood to lecture you right now."
He noticed that Horikita's fingertips were whitening as she gripped the corner of her textbook, apparently holding something back.
But he was more concerned with the arms that had suddenly tightened around him from behind—Karuizawa Kei had wrapped her arm around his neck, her canine teeth pressed threateningly against his artery.
Leading the two girls out of the classroom, Tanaka Yukishin suddenly spotted someone sneaking around by the back door.
"Matsushita, take your stuff and get it out of here."
As he spoke, Tanaka Yukishin quickened his pace.
He chased, and she ran.
"Club President, I'm a founding member of the club. I've made great contributions and shed blood for it. You can't be so cruel to me!"
"Can you exaggerate any more? You're just a ghost member, and you make it sound like you've made some noble sacrifice."
"I don't care. I'm not quitting. Nya-nya-nya!"
Seeing how fast Matsushita Chiaki was running, Tanaka Yukishin couldn't be bothered to chase her.
Ever since Sakura Airi joined the club, Matsushita Chiaki seemed to have suddenly become more sensible.
Since she'd stopped nagging him, there was no harm in keeping a spot open for her.
She was just mooching off the luxurious hideout he'd spent a fortune furnishing. What was the big deal?
Behind them, Karuizawa Kei and Sakura Airi laughed as they watched the two chase each other.
"Sakura, you actually have feelings for Yukishin, don't you?"
Sakura Airi's gaze darted away.
Before you continue