A Blurred Past, An Unclear Future

"Hey, how do you solve this problem?"

Chiba Yu turned his head to see Karuizawa Kei leaning toward him with her workbook in hand, her expression looking somewhat... awkward?

Chiba Yu cast a casual glance at it, but his expression immediately soured. He looked surprised, and the way he stared at her grew increasingly strange.

"What... what is that look for?" Feeling uncomfortable under Chiba Yu's "looking at an idiot" gaze, Karuizawa Kei flushed and retorted.

Chiba Yu stood his ground, unable to help but ask, "I'm genuinely curious how you even got into this school. I've explained this type of problem to you twice already, and now that they've just changed the phrasing, you're stuck again?"

Facing Chiba Yu's inquiry, Karuizawa Kei could clearly feel her face burning, but she raised her voice to bluff, "I—it's not like that! I just misread it! A problem like this is something I can solve in an instant, okay?"

"Are you sure?" Chiba Yu tilted his head, his face practically screaming, "I don't believe you."

Feeling belittled, Karuizawa couldn't take it anymore. She sat back down abruptly and focused with all her might, like an ancient soldier about to charge into battle, ignoring every little disturbance and keeping her eyes locked solely on the problem before her.

Whether she wanted to prove herself or simply didn't want her image tarnished, Karuizawa Kei was currently being exceptionally diligent.

"I really appreciate it, Chiba. I knew I was right to leave her in your hands."

Hirata came over to Chiba Yu's side and patted his shoulder. Watching Karuizawa study so hard, his eyes filled with a sense of relief, much like an old father watching his own daughter.

Chiba Yu didn't see Hirata's expression, so he just felt puzzled. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Hirata didn't answer Chiba Yu's confusion, offering only a faint smile before continuing, "It's nothing. Let's keep up the good work."

"...How bizarre," Chiba Yu muttered, though his gaze drifted toward the library entrance.

Just as he was fantasizing about when he could escape this place and return to the comfort of his dorm, a large group of people came marching through the library doors.

"Is that... Ichinose from Class B?" Hirata noticed the situation just as Chiba Yu did; he kept himself well-informed about the leaders of each class.

"Looks like it." Besides Ichinose, there were several other students from Class B. They were likely here for a study session as well.

Beyond that, Chiba Yu spotted a figure in the crowd even more familiar than Ichinose, but he had no desire to go over and say hello, lest he invite unnecessary trouble.

Yet, despite Chiba Yu's desire to avoid any entanglement, Ichinose and her group noticed them.

"Good afternoon, Hirata. Are you here for a study session too?"

The enthusiastic Ichinose walked right up to greet Hirata, then shifted her gaze toward me.

"Oh, this student looks a bit unfamiliar. Is he from your class?" Regarding Ichinose's curiosity, Hirata, knowing Chiba Yu disliked these kinds of scenes, stepped forward. "Yes, this is Chiba Yu from our class."

"Honami! Hello, I didn't expect to see you at the library too." Seeing Ichinose arrive, Kushida Kikyo took the initiative to divert her attention.

While Ichinose and Kushida were chatting, that man ignored everyone else and walked straight toward Chiba Yu.

"Long time no see. I didn't expect to run into you here, Chiba."

Ah... trouble really is coming one after another today.

But since the man had already taken the initiative to greet him, Chiba Yu had no reason to ignore him.

"...Long time no see, Kanzaki."

Kanzaki Ryuji—the name of the man before him. He was a former schoolmate and classmate from Chiba Yu's middle school, and one of the few people Chiba Yu knew before starting at this school.

"Eh? Does Kanzaki-kun know Chiba-kun?"

The situation naturally drew the attention of others, including Hirata and Kushida, who had been talking to Ichinose. Ichinose, in particular, looked the most surprised.

At the same time, Horikita Suzune and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who were sitting nearby studying quietly, also silently observed the situation.

Kanzaki nodded and replied calmly, "Yes. Simply put, we attended the same middle school."

"However..." His tone shifted, and Kanzaki paused noticeably before adding with a hint of disbelief, "Compared to you coming to this school, I'm more curious why you're in Class D."

Kanzaki's words immediately piqued the curiosity and confusion of everyone present. Ichinose asked directly, "Kanzaki-kun, why do you say that? Do you think there's something wrong with the school's evaluation system?"

Moreover, based on what Kanzaki had just said, anyone could see that he held Chiba Yu in high regard—so high that he believed he didn't belong in Class D.

"What? With me like this, where else would I be if not in Class D?" Unexpectedly, Chiba Yu directly refuted Kanzaki's claim.

Kanzaki didn't accept this explanation, his tone remaining flat. "Don't lie to me. If we're talking about who understands you best in this school, there aren't many besides me, are there?"

Chiba Yu didn't take Kanzaki's words to heart, instead essentially showing him the door. "Alright, if you want to chat, let's do it later. This is a library, and quite a few people are looking at us right now."

Kanzaki scanned the room and noticed that almost everyone studying in the library had shifted their gaze toward them.

Seeing this, Kanzaki followed Chiba Yu's lead and ended the conversation.

But just as they were about to leave to find another spot for their study session, Kanzaki suddenly turned back, his tone carrying a seriousness that most people wouldn't notice.

"If you ever have thoughts of transferring classes, you're welcome in Class B. If needed, I promise in my own name that I will help you raise the 20 million private points required for a transfer."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present gasped. Ichinose's eyes widened, and she looked at Kanzaki in disbelief.

Compared to the reaction from the Class B students, the people from Class D were no better.

Hirata and Karuizawa Kei were the most shocked, while Ayanokoji Kiyotaka... he remained his usual poker-faced self.

"..." Chiba Yu was silent for a moment before brushing it off. "I'm doing just fine in Class D for now. As for transferring, we'll talk about that later."

Having said that, Kanzaki didn't intend to press the issue further. He led Ichinose and the others away to find a place where their class could study.