Kushida's True Feelings

[Shinomiya: This is how I solved it. If I weren't helping them, I wouldn't even write out the steps—I'd just write the answer.]

Shinomiya looked at Kushida beside him. She frowned slightly.

[Kushida: Don't forget today's task.]

[Shinomiya: Roger! Angel Officer!]

[Kushida: Huh? What are you talking about?!]

Shinomiya directly covered his phone and said to the trio, "Why don't you ask Horikita too? She might be better suited to teaching than I am."

The trio had never wanted to study in the first place, and Shinomiya's hardcore teaching had made them all want to give up.

They now decided to ask Horikita for help instead.

Horikita looked at the trio and began teaching them.

Teaching...

"Who are you calling ignorant and incompetent?" Sudo slammed his hand on the table and rose to his feet.

"Hmm, you can't even solve a set of simultaneous equations. I don't even dare imagine what you'll do in the future." Horikita faced Sudo calmly, but her words showed no mercy.

Sudo was so furious that veins bulged on his forehead. He grabbed Horikita by the tie.

Kushida hurriedly stood up and tried to stop him with her words.

"Sudo-kun..."

"So what if I can't solve problems like this? What's the point of studying anyway?

Rather than burying myself in books, isn't it better to set my sights on becoming a professional basketball player?"

Sudo argued angrily.

"Is that so? How childish. Becoming a professional basketball player? What dream in this world is so easy to achieve?

Someone half-hearted who gives up at the first sign of trouble will never become a professional." Horikita refuted Sudo without holding back.

"I even took leave from club activities to come here. What a waste of time." Sudo packed up his things and prepared to leave.

"I'm done too. Horikita might be smart, but starting with something this hard? Who could keep up?"

Ike and Yamauchi also said they were leaving and began packing their things.

"If getting expelled means nothing to you, then do as you please." Horikita did not try to stop them, merely speaking indifferently.

Watching this unfold, Ayanokoji felt somewhat helpless. He could only hope Kushida would handle it.

Then Kushida spoke.

"Horikita-san, no one's going to study together like this."

Shinomiya wanted to take Kushida's words back right then and there. He had no idea what had gotten into her.

How could she say that when dealing with Horikita?

Did she think Horikita was ordinary? She was incredibly stubborn!

This was absolutely the wrong choice!

Kushida, you shouldn't be making a mistake like this.

It seemed her old habits were still influencing her too strongly.

"It seems I really was wrong. I realized I'd been doing something pointless."

"You mean..."

Shinomiya kept tugging at Kushida's sleeve, signaling her to stop, but Kushida remained unmoved.

"I mean these deadweights should leave while they still can."

"I see. I'll figure something out.

I absolutely don't want to part ways with everyone so soon. I don't want to give up on them.

That's why Horikita-san organized this study group too, right?"

Kushida looked a little dejected—an act—and began packing up her books as well.

Shinomiya said nothing. He thought leaving quickly was the best option, so he packed up too.

"If you really think that, then that's fine, but...

No, what exactly did you come here for?"

"Huh...?" Kushida froze.

"Did you come here to interfere with me?" Horikita spoke calmly, but Shinomiya felt that this was already a sign of her anger. She was starting to take it out on Kushida.

Kushida should have left first just now, then said those things after Horikita had calmed down.

Wouldn't that have brought them closer?

"What are you talking about? I don't understand.

How can Horikita-san calmly say something so hurtful?

That... makes me sad."

The more Kushida spoke, the more aggrieved she sounded. By the last sentence, there was even a hint of tears in her voice.

Kushida quickly left, with Shinomiya following close behind.

"Sorry, I'll go check on her first. Let's meet again another time." Shinomiya said this as he walked away.

Only Ayanokoji and Horikita remained, and silence fell over the room for a moment.

Shinomiya quickly caught up with Kushida.

"Kushida, how are you?" Shinomiya asked in a deliberately casual tone.

"How do you think I am? Why didn't you say a word!"

Kushida's voice was clear now, without the slightest trace of grievance, as though the person on the verge of tears earlier had not been her.

"I knew you wouldn't cry that easily!" Shinomiya said with a laugh.

"Tch! Don't dodge the question. Why didn't you help me at all just now?" Kushida demanded unhappily.

"Before I answer, you answer my question first." Shinomiya's smile faded as he asked more seriously.

"What question?"

"Do you really want to be friends with Horikita?"

"Of course!" Kushida answered without hesitation.

Seeing her reaction, Shinomiya realized he had phrased the question wrong.

"Let me put it another way. Do you hate her?"

Kushida froze and did not answer.

Seeing her like this, Shinomiya already knew the answer.

"I knew it." Shinomiya sighed.

"Kushida, Horikita isn't an idiot like Yamauchi. She can tell that you hate her.

Someone who hates you but keeps trying to be your friend—that's strange, isn't it?"

Kushida fell silent.

"Then what should I do? If I don't do this, I...

What if she tells everyone about what happened in middle school?"

Shinomiya smiled.

"Were you planning to do what you did before—find out her secret and use it to threaten her into dropping out?"

Kushida nodded.

"I can help you. You can threaten her without becoming friends with her."

Kushida's eyes lit up, though she still hesitated somewhat.

"Don't worry. I'm your servant now, aren't I? Isn't it only natural for me to help you?"

In the end, Kushida decided to try Shinomiya's method.

Shinomiya revealed a satisfied smile, stepped in front of Kushida, and hugged her.

Kushida did not react at first.

"What are you doing?! Let go of me!"

Kushida struggled hard, trying to push Shinomiya away, but he was too strong.

"Don't move around. Just think of it as comforting Angel Kushida, who was about to cry earlier."

"I... I wasn't about to cry~"

Kushida struggled symbolically a few times before slowly stopping, allowing Shinomiya to hold her.

She pressed a hand against Shinomiya's chest, slowly rested her face against it, closed her eyes, and began enjoying his embrace.

Kushida felt that Shinomiya's embrace was different from before. It had become warmer, somehow closer to her.

Shinomiya did not know whether Kushida had truly wanted to cry earlier, but the danger of her past being exposed and the plan that had run into trouble in reality had been tormenting her over and over.

She must have been feeling terrible.

Shinomiya wanted to keep holding her like this.

He wanted Kushida to know that she wasn't alone.

Shinomiya enjoyed this moment very much.

When Kushida encountered trouble, she chose to rely on him. He liked the feeling of being needed by Kushida.

Whenever Kushida had problems before, she never let him help. Now that their positions had been reversed, she had begun allowing him to help her.

So had his approach been wrong before?

The sun sank in the west as a gentle breeze brushed through their hair, while leaves on both sides rustled softly.

Their overlapping shadows, cast by the fading sunlight, stretched long and far.

Shinomiya felt something he had never felt before, as though his heart had been filled—warm and sweet.

Without realizing it, Shinomiya lowered his head and rested his chin atop Kushida's head, revealing a faint but genuine smile.

Kushida froze for a moment when she felt Shinomiya's movement, but quickly relaxed.

Neither of them spoke or moved.

They simply held each other quietly.