Midterm Exam Leak

Three days before the exam.

Kushida, blushing under the gossipy gazes of her female classmates, led Tsukishima into her dorm room.

"A bunch of busybodies, so annoying, always asking about my progress with you—whether we've held hands, kissed, or done anything inappropriate for minors."

The moment the door closed, Kushida's face shifted. She gritted her teeth and whispered venomously, "Bet you anything those sluts are pressing their ears against the door right now, listening. What if I suddenly screamed? How many do you think I'd scare?"

Tsukishima laughed, set down his drawing board and bag, pulled out his phone to play some music, then leaned in to murmur in her ear, "Don't. What if they get the wrong idea? Besides, isn't this your own doing?"

Without hesitation, Kushida lifted her leg and stomped hard on Tsukishima's foot. "You! Absolute! Jerk!"

Tsukishima rolled his eyes. "If it weren't for your twisted personality, would we have to sneak around like this? Like we're having an affair. I'm telling you, can't you just act normal? Why do you have to get along with them? Is that really so fulfilling?"

"If you ask me, just study hard, get into Tokyo University—that's real achievement. Then you'll have plenty of people begging for a glance from you. Why bother being everyone's emotional trash can?"

"If that doesn't work, become a psychologist. With your skills, you'd have more clients than you could handle."

Kushida couldn't be bothered to respond.

"Fine, I called you over for the midterms. That emotionless Ayanokouji found me and said he discovered the secret behind the exam..."

She looked at Tsukishima, who was now pulling desserts and paper cups of black tea out of his bag.

Tsukishima listened as Kushida's voice trailed off. "Go on, what's the secret? Don't tell me he found the answers to the midterms?"

Kushida walked to the table, picked up the black tea, and took a sip. The sugar in it slightly relaxed her brow. "Close enough. He found out the midterms are using last year's questions. We bought the test papers from a second-year senior for 15,000 points."

With that, she pulled last year's exam from her bag and handed it to Tsukishima.

Tsukishima took it casually, clinked his tea cup with hers, and glanced at the questions. "How did he find out about this? The test hasn't even started yet, and the questions are already leaked. Does having the original exam even matter anymore? Chabashira-sensei is pretty suspicious."

He put the test back in Kushida's bag. "Have some dessert. I just learned how to make these—macarons and cream puffs. Try them."

Kushida picked up a cream puff, took a small bite, and chewed with a frown. "A bit salty... a bit hard, and a bit greasy."

Tsukishima frowned too. "I thought it was fine. Maybe my taste is a bit strong? The saltiness and grease are from the cream—maybe I should use less next time. As for the hardness, it's like that when it's cold. Fresh out of the oven, it's great—really soft."

Kushida took a sip of black tea and gave her approval. "But it goes well with the tea."

Tsukishima pulled out more desserts and a few more cups of tea from his bag. "There's some left here. After I leave, you can invite those busybodies outside in for a little tea party or something. That way, they won't get the wrong idea, and you can explain our relationship."

Kushida rolled her eyes. "You're pretty thoughtful for me. Spill it—what intel do you want me to dig up? Or who are you planning to screw over this time?"

Tsukishima gave her a strange look. "The image you have of me seems a bit off. Want me to screw you over on a whim?"

Kushida shot him an equally strange look. "Don't you have any self-awareness? No way. Don't tell me you've turned into Yamauchi 2.0? No, at least you remember to bring gifts."

They chatted, and Kushida filled him in on how Ayanokouji had approached her and planned to distribute the test papers the day before the exam.

Tsukishima waved his hand dismissively. "What's that got to do with me? What do I care where Ayanokouji got his info? Just watch yourself, don't overthink it. With your brain, you won't figure it out anyway. Exams are just a check on what you've learned this term."

"Study hard, improve every day."

He wasn't interested in the topic and shifted gears, teasing her. "Speaking of which, you trust me a lot, huh? Last time I came to your dorm, Horikita threatened you, and now you're still bringing me here. Don't tell me you're trying to make this fake relationship real?"

Kushida ate a cream puff and rolled her eyes. "You wish. The first time you came to my dorm was because you were scared Ayanokouji had planted a voice recorder in yours."

"As for this time... after you leave, a bunch of sluts will definitely come asking me all sorts of nonsense. Leave a few of your sketches and some manga plot drafts behind. That'll stop them from imagining things and salvage my reputation a bit."

Tsukishima nodded, took a few line sketches off his drawing board, and pulled out a sheet of drawing paper, scribbling away. "I've got finished sketches. The plot I'll have to come up with on the spot. I'm drawing stuff like succubi and saints. Let's set the story in a Western fantasy—some generic trash about a champion venturing into another world to save it."

"If they ask for earlier plotlines, just say I took them and tell them to ask me. Let's see who dares. I'll shut them down hard."

Kushida casually tidied the sketches and set them aside. "At least this way, those sluts will tone down the rumors a bit."

Tsukishima kept writing the plot while ribbing her. "Can you stop calling them sluts? Are you some kind of Slut Knight from another world? Besides, with your popularity, people still spread rumors about you?"

Kushida snorted. "Hmph. You don't understand the world of girls. Those sluts gossip to me about others, and they gossip about me to others too. That's the world of girls, Tsukishima-kun. There are 15 girls in our class. I'm in over 30 groups, I know of over 10 groups I'm not in, plus the ones I don't know about... Heh."

Tsukishima's mouth twitched. "How do you even keep up with the chatting? What if you send something to the wrong group? Wouldn't that be a disaster?"

"Sounds terrifying. Chatting here and there, it's not just mentally draining—it's hard on your hands and your screen too. You sure don't get tired easily. Good thing my social circle is simple."

Kushida didn't reply, just quietly sipped her tea.

Tired? Duh. Of course she was tired. Girls' social circles were way more exhausting than guys'. Guys could have a fight and still grab a meal together, but girls would make you think stealing your boyfriend was for your own good.

But you get used to it. At least Kushida thought she was used to it.

She wanted to hug herself in pity, but she wasn't about to show weakness in front of Tsukishima...

She watched Tsukishima swaying to the light music and started scheming. Maybe she could use this to deepen his trust in her? And then...

Then what? Weren't they allies now anyway...

Sooner or later, I'll make this bastard lick my toes and be my footstool!