Tutoring and New Skills

After a short rest, around two in the afternoon.

You En arrived at the library. Their study room was in a corner on the third floor, a shared space, but since the school library was quite large and had plenty of study rooms, there was generally no competition or occupation issues.

"Class D people come to study too? Who are you, You En?"

Komiya Yogo from Class C was loudly interrogating Shinohara Teruhiko.

You En passed by, feeling innocent. And why was he picking on Shinohara, who was just quietly studying? Didn't your class's Ryuen know me? It was probably just deliberate provocation.

Shinohara seemed annoyed too, but showed no emotion. He pushed up his glasses and said flatly, "Your Class C's average score isn't even as good as our class. Instead of studying, what are you doing here?"

"What did you say!!"

Komiya Yogo shouted deliberately loudly, clearly looking to stir up trouble.

You En glanced over. A certain silver-haired girl in the library, who had been reading, had already placed a bookmark between the pages and stood up, walking this way. Looked like he wouldn't need to step in.

"Komiya Yogo,"

Shiina Hiyori's usual gentleness and calm vanished. Though her tone was still a bit soft, it was impossible to ignore: "You should go back."

Komiya Yogo saw Shiina like a mouse seeing a cat. Without daring to say a word, he turned and left.

You En guessed it was a status gap in the class. Class C had a strict hierarchy. If Komiya Yogo provoked Shiina in the library today, he'd probably get a taste of Ryuen's wrath when he went back.

"Thank you..."

Shinohara seemed a bit shy.

Shiina Hiyori replied politely, "You're welcome. The library is a place for reading and studying. Leave everything else outside the library."

"...Oh."

Shinohara Teruhiko took a while to react. By the time he thought to ask the girl's name, she had already returned to her seat.

You En watched this scene and chuckled. This was youth.

He walked into the elevator, pressed the button for the third floor. Just as the doors were about to close, someone barged in abruptly.

He recognized the person. "Why are you so slow today?"

Horikita Suzune took a few light breaths first, steadying her breathing, before speaking: "I lost track of time."

You En thought about Horikita losing track of time. It probably wasn't from sleeping, but from studying. "Did you not rest at noon?"

"I slept for fifteen minutes."

Horikita Suzune answered honestly.

The elevator stopped at the second floor. The automatic doors slid open, revealing Ibuki Mio.

Ibuki looked at the two of them, didn't greet them, and walked straight in.

You En broke the silence first. "Haven't seen you in a few days, Ibuki."

Ibuki played with her fingers. "Yeah. I heard someone's been popular lately."

You En was curious. "Who? I'd like to meet them too."

"Hmph, still playing dumb with me."

Ibuki Mio didn't believe this guy. She still remembered what happened when they were alone that day. But she didn't dwell on it and shifted to another topic. "Forget it. Next week's elective class is supposedly two periods in a row. Have you seen the notice?"

"I haven't checked yet. When was the announcement?"

"Just look at your schedule."

The third floor arrived. Ibuki stepped out of the elevator first, shot a somewhat provocative glance at Horikita Suzune, then said to You En, "See you then. The Survival Class should just be us left."

"Yeah, see you then."

You En waved, then turned to see Horikita Suzune looking displeased again.

She said, "You're pretty close with her."

You En countered, "Is there anyone I have a bad relationship with?"

Horikita Suzune thought it over and realized that most people at the school had a decent relationship with this guy in front of her.

Whether it was subject teachers, homeroom teachers, homeroom teachers from other classes, or students from other classes, in the end, only two people probably had a poor relationship with him.

"Aren't there those two idiots?"

"Oh, you mean Yamauchi. I've already erased him from my memory. As for Ayanokoji, he actually..."

You En's view of Ayanokoji wasn't exactly bad, though it certainly wasn't good either. The other guy didn't treat anyone as human, but he didn't treat himself as human either.

If this were a peaceful campus, he'd probably just coast along, playing the fool while hiding his strength—generally harmless.

But on this campus, sensing the crisis, he'd start pulling all sorts of moves, which would stir up a lot of trouble. For instance, Horikita Suzune had become one of the victims.

"We're here."

Horikita Suzune reminded him, pulling him back from his thoughts.

At a desk not far away, Ando Sayo and the others waved at them.

Horikita Suzune added a warning: "I'm going to the teaching side. Take this seriously and don't just fool around with them."

You En wasn't worried as he walked toward the cute girls.

"Relax, this is fun teaching."

Study time began.

Through evening practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus going out together this morning, You En had already gotten familiar with Ando Sayo and the others. From the start, he'd been finding ways to build their trust in him.

In his past life, he'd worked as a tutor for a while, though he hadn't stuck with it.

"You En-kun, why isn't chromosome the only factor determining sex?"

Tsube Hitomi looked puzzled at the true-or-false question she'd gotten wrong.

"Because sex is determined jointly by genes and environmental conditions,"

You En said, looking at her.

"Think about it—if the genes are male, is it necessarily male? If the genes are female, is it necessarily female?"

Tsube Hitomi felt like You En was asking why "1" was "1" and why "2" was "2."

She was very confused.

"Why wouldn't it be? I'm a girl, you're a boy—isn't that determined by genes?"

You En glanced at Ando Sayo, who gave her friend a hint.

"There's also sex reassignment surgery."

Tsube Hitomi was shocked. "Huh?!"

"There are many environmental factors that influence sex, not just this one.

This question considers the relationship between traits and genes. Sex is a trait determined by multiple complex factors. In the end, it results in what you and I are, but the process is very complicated."

Hearing You En's explanation, "Oh, I see."

Tsube Hitomi finally understood. Ando Sayo and the others also gained something, because they only knew the answer was wrong but didn't know how the question writer was testing it. You En analyzed the question from another angle.

Ando Sayo and the others felt time flew by. They weren't the type of students unwilling to study; they just hadn't found much joy in it before.

"Alright, let's take a break."

You En checked the time and said to the girls.

"How is it already two hours?"

Tsube Hitomi also checked the time, but she didn't dwell on it and went to the restroom with Kobashi Yume and the others.

You En looked at his personal panel and found that he'd actually gained a new skill, and it was already at the mastery level from the start.

"Teaching (lv1, Mastery)"

"Note: Teaching is not about reciting from a textbook, but guiding and uncovering a person's own interests, nature, talents, etc. Carefully guide at the front of the path, and finally let the student walk their own road."

"You En-kun, there's something I want to ask you, but I'm not sure if it's appropriate."

Ando Sayo's light-colored eyes showed some hesitation.

You En nodded. "It's just casual chat anyway. We're friends, so why wouldn't there be something to say, right?"

Ando was usually straightforward and independent; he rarely saw her act like this. What exactly did she want to tell him?

"Since Tsube and the others aren't here, I'll tell you, You En-kun."

It seemed the word "friends" had steeled Ando Sayo's resolve.

"Does your class not know that this month's weekly assessment results will be compiled at the end of the month?"

"What's the point of compiling the assessment results? For an overall ranking?"

You En paused mid-sentence, a thought suddenly striking him—was someone about to be expelled?

Ando Sayo took a breath and continued:

"The student at the bottom of the class who fails any subject will be expelled. That's what Hoshinomiya-sensei told us. The Class A and Class C homeroom teachers also said it, but it seems your class's homeroom teacher didn't mention it."

"...We were all asked by Kanzaki to keep it a secret and not tell you."

You En said gratefully:

"Thank you, Sayo."

Ando Sayo shook her head slightly, then chuckled, mimicking his tone from earlier:

"We're friends, aren't we?"

"What secret are you two whispering about!"

Tsube Hitomi suddenly popped out, slapping Ando Sayo's shoulder and startling her.

"You!"

The two of them tussled for a bit, brushing off the previous matter and diving back into a new round of studying.

You En finally pulled out a test he'd made with Horikita, handed it to them to try, and retreated into his own thoughts.

No wonder the course of events differed from the original...

Why had Ichinose approached them, asking them to tutor her classmates? It was because poor grades posed a clear crisis—not starting from the beginning of next month, but with the expulsion threat occurring at the end of the month.

No wonder he'd spotted Ibuki Mio in the library today; Class C was probably holding a study session there too.

Komiya Yogo must have been one of the students Shiina Hiyori was tutoring, otherwise he wouldn't have been so accommodating.

"What is Chabashira Sae even doing? How can she still be so laid-back? To put it bluntly, compared to the other three homeroom teachers, does she deserve to be one?"

You En's mind was far from calm—not because he feared failing the end-of-month assessment himself.

But because of Chabashira Sae's attitude and actions. Failing to notify them of information she should have shared might later put him in a passive position too.

"Finally done!"

Tsube Hitomi was the last to finish writing.

You En collected her paper, glanced at it, handed it to Ando Sayo, and pulled out several copies of the answer key for them to grade each other's.

After grading and going over everyone's mistakes, the week's review was just about wrapped up.

"That assessment over there doesn't seem to be over yet. Want to chat a bit more?"

Tsube Hitomi pulled out her Student Terminal and contacted one of Horikita Suzune's classmates.

"Alright, then I'll teach you all some... wilderness basics."

You En had originally planned to tell some interesting stories or crack a few jokes to bond with the girls, but in the end, he chose something relatively dull.

Still, coming from him, it was pretty engaging.

When Tsube Hitomi heard him describe eating those bugs, she said, "Teacher You En, you're going into too much detail. Ugh, I won't be able to eat dinner tonight."

You En didn't stop there; he even pulled up pictures online for them to identify.

"No way, I'm retreating!"

Tsube Hitomi stood up and shouted.

Ando Sayo gave him an odd look, her eyes conveying:

"Your hobbies are really weird."

Kobashi Yume reminded everyone: "Suzune-sensei's lesson is over too."

Tsube Hitomi, full of energy, completely forgot the "nasty" things You En had just taught them:

"Oh hoho, time to go sleep!"

Ando Sayo sighed helplessly, "Don't forget to eat, you idiot Hitomi."

She looked up at You En and suddenly noticed a deep, lingering worry in his eyes.

"You En-kun, what's wrong?"

You En shook his head, making an excuse: "Nothing, I just have to go eat another free dinner."

"Then let's all go eat together,"

Ando Sayo said, knowing he'd refuse. "Let's go buy ingredients and cook dinner ourselves. That way, the cost is low too."

Tsube Hitomi raised her hand: "Yeah!"

You En figured this was acceptable, "Then I'll look forward to seeing what you can cook, Ando-san."

"Leave it to Sayo—she's really good at cooking,"

Tsube Hitomi pinched her own cheek, thinking. "Oh, that skill on the Student Terminal... the panel, right? Sayo's cooking is at the Mastery level."

"Cooking? What are you guys talking about?"

Horikita Suzune walked over, followed by four other girls from Class B. The two groups gathered together, chattering and discussing.

"They're planning to go buy ingredients and cook later. You coming?"

You En asked.

Horikita Suzune nodded. She'd had the same idea before, but inviting You En alone always felt a bit awkward. Going along with others was perfect.

You En nodded, looked at the Class B girls, and asked:

"How's it going with them?"

Horikita Suzune's expression softened slightly.

"They're all really nice. Completely different from what I thought before."

"That's good."

You En knew that Horikita Suzune's words probably had a hidden issue in the second half.

Only by making more friends could you recognize who was bad, and at the same time meet people who shared your interests. Horikita might have missed out on a lot of lovely people simply because she never intended to connect with others before.

But the past was the past. As long as she was gradually improving now, that was a good thing.

The group cheerfully headed to the school store to buy ingredients, then went to Ando Sayo's room.

Fortunately, the dorm rooms the school provided were big enough to fit everyone.

You En looked around the room full of youthful, beautiful girls and felt very at ease.

Mm, this was a pretty nice experience too.

Ando Sayo walked over and asked, "A little excited?"

You En admitted he was enjoying this space. "Of course. Any guy would be happy here."

Ando Sayo blinked. "But we won't be as happy."

"Oh, forget it then. I'll just enjoy it by myself."

You En put on a reluctant expression, which drew a light smile from Ando Sayo.

"Ha, there's something I forgot to tell you earlier."

Ando Sayo leaned close to You En's ear, a faint fresh floral scent drifting from her.

"Teacher Hoshinomiya also said something to us. That is..."

You En grew serious. "What?"

She mimicked Hoshinomiya Rie's tone, a hint of seductiveness in her voice:

"The expulsion at the end of the month isn't a punishment.

--It's a reward."

A reward?

Teacher Hoshinomiya actually told them that expulsion was a reward?

Under what circumstances would expulsion be a reward?

You En felt he was one step closer to his hypothesis.

Seeing him lost in thought, Ando Sayo got up and left.

"That's sugar, not salt."

In the kitchen, Horikita Suzune sighed, grabbing Tsube Hitomi, who was trying to be more of a hindrance than a help.

"Let Tsube try herself? If it turns out bad, she can eat it herself."

Ando Sayo walked over from the living room, smiling.

"Hmph..."

Tsube Hitomi snorted twice but was still aware of her own skill level.

"Forget it."

Ando Sayo turned, glanced at the kitchen door, then peeked at You En still sitting on the living room sofa. She lowered her voice to the others.

"Don't you guys think You En seems really stressed?"

Tsube Hitomi blinked. "Does he?"

Horikita Suzune thought about You En's usual carefree demeanor and shook her head.

"I don't sense any pressure."

Ando Sayo couldn't help but wonder—was it just her imagination?

Kobashi Yume suddenly spoke up. "I... I think he's worried about us."

"Worried? What's there to worry about?"

Tsube Hitomi said. "This school is so safe."

"Safe?"

Horikita Suzune recalled the poisoning incident from a few days ago. The school still hadn't dealt with it, and the Student Council hadn't issued any notice either.

Tsube Hitomi said, "It's probably just our imagination. Even though a school that's closed off for three years and treats its students this well is a bit strange, it should still be within normal bounds."

Ando Sayo let out a breath. "It must be my imagination. Alright, let's finish the remaining dishes and get ready to eat."

Another seven or eight minutes passed, and they finally finished. The food was brought to the table, and as they sat down, Ando Sayo realized that ten people sitting at this reception table was still a bit cramped. It was a standard eight-person table—three on each side, and one at each end.

"What do we do?"

You En and Tsube Hitomi came in from the doorway, each carrying a chair.

Tsube Hitomi set her chair down and said, "You En came to find me just now, asking to go to my room. It scared me for a second, but it turned out he just wanted to grab a chair. Kind of a letdown."

You En adjusted his chair. "Your room really is a mess. You should tidy it up properly."

"Don't say it, please don't say it!"

Tsube Hitomi recalled the look of surprise on his face when he entered her room, and she wanted to bury herself in her bowl right then and there. Clothes were strewn all over the bed, including her underwear.

Ando Sayo thought of the disaster that was Tsube's room and couldn't help but smile.

"I'll start eating!"

You En began to enjoy his dinner.

"Come to think of it, this is the first time I've had dinner with so many people."

Ninomiya Yui spoke up. She was one of the girls Horikita Suzune was responsible for, and she usually said very little, but the scene before her made her speak from the heart.

"When I was little, my parents were never home. When I got a bit older, they divorced. Neither of them wanted me, so in the end, I was sent to my aunt's house.

By the time I reached high school, I thought I couldn't keep being a burden to them, so I applied to this school."

"Yui!"

Tsube Hitomi shouted, then lunged at her, hugged her, and after saying a few words, started sobbing.

Ninomiya Yui held her in her arms, patting her back and comforting her.

Amikura Mako also spoke:

"...I didn't want to stay in that house anymore, so I thought about being independent, but I didn't know what to do. I heard that graduating from here could lead to a good future, so I came."

She seemed reluctant to bring up her past, and no one pressed her. They simply shared their own stories and motivations with each other.

Horikita Suzune had gradually come to accept the friends before her. When it was her turn, she spoke:

"I came to catch up to someone. I don't care about my family."

After everyone had finished, their gazes converged on You En.

He took a light breath, then said with a smile, "I've always been alone."

The chopsticks in Horikita Suzune's hand hovered in midair. After a long moment, she set them down and listened intently to his past.

"At the orphanage, a lot of people came wanting to adopt me, but I didn't want to go with them...

It wasn't that I thought they were bad people or had ulterior motives. They were all good people, really. I just wanted to walk my own path, so I tried to make some efforts on my own."

Kobashi Yume asked, "That must have been really hard, right?"

"Hard? Maybe,"

You En said. "But walking your own path brings a sense of fulfillment. A feeling of happiness wells up from within."

Dinner went on for a long time. Everyone's floodgates opened, and they talked about the school, about the outside world, teasing each other... about which café they'd visited that morning was affordable and tasty, which dessert shop had interesting designs, and which places they'd originally planned to go to but hadn't.

After it ended, the warm afterglow still lingered. Everyone washed the dishes, put things back in their places, and did a quick clean of the dorm before calling it a night.

You En said goodbye to the girls, and one by one, crisp and lovely replies came back.

He hoped his guess was just a delusion.

This school—

Don't let it be so cruel.