Classroom of the Elite, I Can Issue the Master's Tasks

"Since we want to show our gratitude to Nangong, it would naturally be rude to show up bare-faced, wouldn't it?"

Horikita Suzune still wore a frown.

There was nothing wrong with what she had said, but she had a feeling that tonight's gathering wasn't as simple as she had imagined.

For now, though, all she could do was wait for Nangong Cheng to arrive.

Another ten minutes passed.

Apart from Sakura Airi and Haruka Hasebe, all the girls had arrived.

"Horikita, do you need everyone to introduce themselves again?" Kikyo Kushida slipped into the role of temporary host.

Horikita Suzune nodded.

There was nothing embarrassing about it.

On the first day, before she knew the circumstances, she had simply recognized everyone's faces without listening to their introductions because she had never intended to interact with this group.

"Then I'll go first."

Kikyo Kushida repeated the self-introduction she had given on the first day of school, after which the other girls stood up and repeated theirs one by one.

When the last girl had finished speaking, someone suddenly knocked on the private room's door, and then walked in.

It was Nangong Cheng.

"Looks like I arrived at just the right time."

He openly swept his gaze across the girls in the room. It was obvious that they had all taken their makeup and outfits seriously after returning.

They could not exactly be called a hundred flowers in bloom, but they were certainly pleasing to the eye.

"Nangong, you're here~"

"Sit anywhere you like~"

Kikyo Kushida's voice sounded even more saccharine than usual, and Nangong Cheng honestly found it hard to bear.

But this was not the time to expose her.

So he walked toward Horikita Suzune's seat.

He had only a few choices, really—Karuizawa Kei, Kikyo Kushida, or Wang Meiyu.

But Horikita Suzune was the nominal protagonist of this gathering, so he naturally had to support her, while also putting a dent in Kikyo Kushida's little schemes.

"We just got reacquainted with Horikita. You arrived at the perfect time, Nangong."

"Now we should move on to the next activity—karaoke and interaction~"

Kikyo Kushida was indeed very enthusiastic.

After all, this was a rare opportunity.

"But before that, we should formally thank you, Nangong, for standing up for justice on our behalf and ensuring that we no longer have to worry about being verbally harassed in class~"

"Clap clap clap~"

The girls below applauded simultaneously.

The scene was undeniably corrosive to a person's willpower, but fortunately, Nangong Cheng was no ordinary man.

"No need to thank me. We're classmates, after all."

"However, the girls will indeed have to trouble Kushida and Karuizawa to put in some extra effort. We'll need everyone to work together for the upcoming exams!"

Anyone could exchange a few pleasantries. The only difference was in their skill.

Nangong Cheng did not forget Horikita Suzune, either.

"Horikita, say a few words, too."

"..."

Horikita Suzune stood up. She first looked around the private room, then said, "Although I have no experience tutoring anyone, I'll do my best."

"If anyone has questions outside of tutoring hours, you're welcome to ask me anytime. As long as it isn't too late, I'll reply promptly."

"I look forward to working with you."

"Clap clap clap~"

This time, Nangong Cheng led the applause.

Everyone else cooperated enthusiastically. Regardless of the other issues, Horikita Suzune was Nangong Cheng's chosen person and someone who could whisper into his ear. They naturally could not afford to offend her.

Besides, Horikita Suzune's attitude was indeed different from before, so there was even less reason to target her.

"Hi~ The thank-you segment is over, too~"

Seeing how deliberately Nangong Cheng was supporting Horikita Suzune, Kikyo Kushida's dark, gloomy feelings grew heavier, but her face still wore that perfect smile.

"Then let's move straight on to karaoke~ Who wants to go first? Anyone volunteering?"

The girls below looked at one another.

Karuizawa Kei included, and she really wanted to create some ambiguity with Nangong Cheng while almost all the girls were present.

But she could not figure out Nangong Cheng's thoughts. If he rejected her, wouldn't it be awkward?

So she did not want to be the first to step forward.

Seeing that none of the girls seemed willing to volunteer as the first singer, Nangong Cheng simply took action himself.

[Target: Kikyo Kushida]

[Task Issued: Invite Horikita Suzune onstage to sing a love song]

[Task Reward: 200 Points]

[Penalty for Task Failure: Publicly reveal her dark history from middle school]

Kikyo Kushida's expression stiffened.

Looking at the task displayed on the panel in her field of vision, she felt nothing but deep malice.

Have her sing a love song with Horikita Suzune?

You might as well kill me!

But then again.

Compared with singing a love song with Horikita Suzune, publicly revealing her dark history was an even less acceptable outcome. So...

"Everyone seems a little embarrassed. In that case, I'll go first."

"But as today's main guest, Horikita, would you be interested in singing a duet with me?"

Horikita Suzune froze.

She instinctively glanced at Nangong Cheng, only to find him nodding encouragingly.

"...I'm not very good at this."

"It's fine, Horikita. You've heard a few songs before, right? Just pick one you know."

Kikyo Kushida's smile grew even brighter.

Not good at it? Excellent.

You need to be bad at it. Otherwise, how am I supposed to embarrass you?

Horikita Suzune had no choice. Under everyone's watchful eyes, she followed Kikyo Kushida onto the stage and chose the song she remembered most clearly.

As expected, her performance was terrible.

But Nangong Cheng could not help sighing—

"What a pair of ill-fated lovers~"

Volume One: 53, Kikyo Kushida: I Have Depression

But how should one put it?

Apart from people with especially strong jealousy, when normal people discovered that someone more outstanding than themselves also had something they were bad at, they instead became more favorably disposed toward that person.

It was precisely because she was imperfect that she seemed real.

So Nangong Cheng had not issued the task solely to create an entertaining spectacle. He had gone to considerable effort to help Horikita Suzune integrate into the girls' group.

Kikyo Kushida, however, was unhappy.

Was she here to watch this?

She had endured her disgust and sung a love song with Horikita Suzune, only to help Horikita integrate into the group?

But it was not over yet.

She watched Karuizawa Kei walk toward Nangong Cheng.

"Nangong, if you don't mind, could you sing a duet with me later?"

After Kikyo Kushida and Horikita Suzune had gotten things started, the other girls had also gone up in pairs and trios to sing.

The reason Karuizawa had been left alone was naturally because the girls' group had helped eliminate all the other candidates internally, specifically so she could pair up with Nangong Cheng.

"Sure."

Nangong Cheng had actually found it strange that no one had invited him. After all, seeing how meticulously these girls had dressed themselves up, it could not really have been solely to please themselves, could it?

As it turned out, they had been waiting for this moment.

"But I'm not good at singing, either."

"Huh? But your voice is so nice!"

"Someone strong isn't necessarily good at fighting. The two things aren't directly related."

"Oh, oh~ That's fine. Nangong, just pick the song you're best at. I'm okay with anything~"

Karuizawa Kei had never cared about such a trivial matter.

The duet was merely a pretext. Her true goal was to create a little ambiguity and pave the way for her to rise to the position of girlfriend later.

Their turn came next.

The two of them discussed it briefly.

The melody soon began.

Below the stage.

Kikyo Kushida, sitting on the sofa, still wore that sweet and adorable smile. She applauded along with everyone else, helping to liven up the atmosphere.

But her mood had grown even worse.

As expected, that bitch Karuizawa can't be relied on. The way she threw herself at Nangong Cheng was so damn ridiculous.

"Kushida, care to talk?"

"Huh? Horikita... What did you want to talk about? If it's about tutoring, didn't we say we'd discuss it tomorrow?"

Kikyo Kushida was in no mood to chat with Horikita Suzune. If she could, she would have gone and kicked a railing right now.

Horikita Suzune shook her head. "It's not about tutoring... I want to get to know you."

"Huh?"

"What do you mean by that, Horikita?"

Kikyo Kushida's heart gave a sudden jolt, and she thought her dark history had been discovered.

No. Horikita Suzune had publicly suspected from the beginning that she was hiding some secret. Is she trying to confirm it now?

"Exactly what I said."

Horikita Suzune brushed back her hair, then explained, "Kushida, didn't you say at the beginning of the school year that you wanted to become friends with everyone?"

"If we're friends, we obviously can't know nothing about what each other likes and dislikes, can we?"

Hahaha... So we're friends, huh?

Since when did I know about this?

Nangong Cheng, you bastard. Look at what you've turned Horikita Suzune into. Is this really something she could say?