"I wouldn't be able to get rid of the class's trash, then, in case Watanabe Hayabara used it as an excuse to get close to me," Horikita Suzune joked.
Seeing Horikita Suzune let her guard down and joke around with him, Watanabe Hayabara gave her a mysterious smile.
When Horikita Suzune saw Watanabe Hayabara suddenly smile for no apparent reason, she folded her arms across her chest and eyed him warily. "Watanabe Hayabara, you're not thinking of taking advantage of the fact that we're alone to do something to me, are you...?"
Watanabe Hayabara found her amusing and played along. "No one would find out if I did something outrageous to Horikita here, would they? Here I come, Horikita Suzune." As he spoke, he spread his arms and lunged toward her, putting on the act of a lecher.
"Ah?! No! You're not really going to do something unspeakable to me, are you? I was joking, Watanabe Hayabara!" Horikita Suzune cried out.
"Hahaha!" Watanabe Hayabara laughed aloud. "Look at how scared you are. I was just teasing you, and you actually believed me. You're like a little kid."
Horikita Suzune puffed out her cheeks. "Any girl would be scared, wouldn't she? It's nighttime, and a pushy guy is about to do something outrageous to a girl. Any normal girl would be afraid! What's so funny?!"
"If a girl ran into a handsome guy like me, only Horikita would turn me down. The others would probably be happy to accept. You really don't know how to appreciate a good thing, Horikita," Watanabe Hayabara joked.
Feeling a little indignant, as though he'd insulted her, Horikita Suzune pinched Watanabe Hayabara in the kidney.
Watanabe Hayabara felt a wave of pain in his side. "Tss!"
He looked at Horikita Suzune. "Didn't you know you shouldn't go pinching a guy's kidneys, Horikita?"
"Didn't you know you shouldn't tease girls like that, Watanabe Hayabara?" Horikita Suzune said, though her face had taken on a strange blush.
His waist is so firm. There's not an ounce of fat on it. Feeling the solid muscle beneath her fingers, Horikita Suzune grew embarrassed, her cheeks flushing.
Seeing Horikita Suzune staring blankly with a red face while still holding on to his waist, Watanabe Hayabara asked, "Could you let go now, Horikita? If there's nothing else, we should head back to the dorm soon."
"Mm... oh." Horikita Suzune quickly released his waist. "Then... then let's hurry back."
"Are you sure you want to walk back with me? If anyone sees us, they'll start gossiping about us, Horikita," Watanabe Hayabara reminded her with a smile.
"Uh... well..." Horikita Suzune hesitated briefly, but didn't change her mind. "You said I shouldn't care what other people think. Let them gossip. I know what's true, don't I? Besides, we're in the same dorm building. It's so dark—are you really going to make me walk back alone? As a man, shouldn't you protect a woman? What if I run into danger on the way?"
Watanabe Hayabara smiled helplessly, though he was a little pleased deep down. "Horikita, you're not worried about people gossiping, but I am. I have a girlfriend now."
"You have a girlfriend, Watanabe Hayabara?! So you've been messing with me this whole time?" Horikita Suzune pinched his kidney hard once more, then angrily ran off toward the dorm building.
Watanabe Hayabara rubbed his slightly numb side and watched Horikita Suzune hurry away, shaking his head.
I hope I haven't turned a siscon into a yandere.
Watanabe Hayabara took his time returning to his dorm.
"Good to see you again, Sakayanagi Arisu." Watanabe Hayabara smiled and nodded politely to her.
Sakayanagi Arisu's lips curved into a faint smile. "Yes, good to see you again, Watanabe Hayabara."
They exchanged smiles, and a subtle tension hung between them. Then they each gave a slight bow and sat down opposite one another.
Kamuro Masumi hurried to Sakayanagi Arisu's side, took her cane, then gracefully sat beside Watanabe Hayabara.
Seeing this, Sakayanagi Arisu's smile deepened. She teased Kamuro Masumi, "I'm so hurt, Kamuro. The moment you finish your work, you can't wait to run off to your boyfriend."
Kamuro Masumi blushed and smiled awkwardly. "Don't tease me, Sakayanagi. Let's get down to business."
Watanabe Hayabara stepped in to rescue Kamuro Masumi again. "Then let's get straight to the point, Sakayanagi. Ryuen Kakeru has already contacted you, hasn't he?"
Sakayanagi Arisu smiled slightly. "That's right, he has. But getting the newly prepared exam papers won't be easy. The Student Council President, Horikita Manabu, may ask me to write the questions on the spot. So I'll have to ask you to persuade Horikita Manabu to make an exception, Watanabe Hayabara. If you succeed, then, barring any surprises, these will be the questions we need."
With that, Kamuro Masumi took a neatly bound set of questions from Sakayanagi Arisu's small bag and gently pushed it in front of Watanabe Hayabara.
Watanabe Hayabara picked up the questions without hesitation and began reading. He read quickly, nodding from time to time, apparently pleased with their contents.
After a moment, Watanabe Hayabara set the questions down, a look of admiration on his face. "These questions are quite ingenious, and the difficulty is just right. They'll let the students in Class A keep their scores rock-solid while ensuring Ryuen Kakeru can fulfill his end of the agreement. Sakayanagi, you've really gone to great lengths to secure Class A's Class Points after the midterms. But shouldn't you be trying to make Katsuragi fail?"
"I'll leave it to you, Watanabe Hayabara. But you don't need to concern yourself with Class A's business," Sakayanagi Arisu replied with a sweet smile.
"You're always tossing troublesome problems to me like hot potatoes, Sakayanagi. You're making things very difficult for me," Watanabe Hayabara said, pretending to look troubled.
"I'll give you 200,000 personal points in advance. Would that work? Even though Ryuen Kakeru hasn't given us the points yet." Sakayanagi's lips curved in a knowing smile.
Before you continue