Return gifts

"Everyone, I need a list of niche hobbies you're proficient in."

Horikita's remarks were as tactless as ever.

"Who do you think you are, demanding niche hobbies? Are the things you can do really that mainstream?!" Shinohara shot back mercilessly.

"I don't have time to argue with you. Gathering this information is important right now. After all, our opponent is Class A."

"And whose rotten luck got us that draw?"

The situation briefly descended into chaos, and Kushida desperately suppressed the upward twitch of her lips.

Nice work, Shinohara. That's it, keep laying into her. Really let her have it.

"Everyone, please hear me out." Hirata walked up to the podium.

A few days earlier, Hirata had still been losing control of his emotions over Yamauchi's expulsion, but fortunately, he had pulled himself together-at least, that was how it looked to everyone else.

"Although Horikita had bad luck this time, no one will be expelled even if we lose."

"That's right. Having Ike, who has Protection Points, serve as commander is the safest option." Although Kushida was inwardly reluctant, she needed to maintain her persona.

With Hirata and Kushida backing her up, the collective anger Horikita had provoked quickly subsided, and their discussion got back on track.

The Student Council Activity Room.

"President Lezheng, what do you think of the OAA System?" Tsukishiro wore a kindly smile.

"I don't approve of this system," Lezheng replied.

"Wouldn't it be good to make everyone's ability ratings public like this, President Lezheng?"

"Chairman Tsukishiro, if that's what you're proposing, where would each student's ratings come from?"

"Naturally, they would come from a comprehensive assessment of the students' records and their performance over this semester."

"Doing that would distort a person's contributions."

"Well, since President Lezheng disagrees, we won't implement the OAA System." Tsukishiro sighed.

In the end, with Lezheng dissuading him, Tsukishiro failed to introduce the new system.

After seeing Tsukishiro off, Lezheng returned to his dorm room and continued studying how to make cookies.

He was the sort whose brain understood but whose hands hadn't caught on yet. Making cookies for the first time, he suddenly understood that joke online: "Too much water? Add flour. Too much flour? Add water."

Fortunately, he was still a fairly quick learner, and after two failed attempts, he successfully made the cookies.

The cookies Lezheng made weren't the kind with eye-catching, cute shapes. They were just the usual plain squares.

"The return gifts for the Giri-choco are ready. What should I give in return for the Honmei-choco? Jewelry... I gave a hair clip last time."

Lezheng flopped onto his bed and browsed his phone for inspiration.

Girls only had to give chocolates, while boys had a lot more to consider when giving return gifts.

It was winter now. Unfortunately, Lezheng wasn't good at handicrafts, or he could have given hand-knitted gloves, scarves, or other things to keep warm.

Soon, the day to give return gifts arrived.

Lezheng personally handed his homemade cookies to the girls who had given him Giri-choco.

"Yamamura, this is for you." Lezheng crouched beside Yamamura's desk.

Yamamura accepted the gift box with both hands, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"Can I open it now?"

"Of course."

She opened the gift box. Inside were a bag of candy, a little plush toy, and a keychain engraved with the name Lezheng Youyan.

"I had this keychain specially made at a key shop," Lezheng explained.

"Thank you, Lezheng. I really like it." Yamamura picked up the keychain and examined it.

Lezheng returned to his seat, took another gift box out of his desk, and handed it to his deskmate.

"Kamuro, here's your return gift."

Kamuro's gift box was noticeably larger than Yamamura's.

"You didn't put bugs or anything in here, did you?"

They had been deskmates for almost a year and both knew exactly what the other was like, which was why Kamuro was so cautious.

"Tch, what kind of person do you take me for? Go ask around. Who doesn't praise me when they hear my name?" Lezheng clicked his tongue.

"I'll trust you this once." After mentally preparing herself, Kamuro opened it.

Inside the gift box was nothing but a hair dryer wrapped in foam.

"Your hair is so long. If it won't dry after you wash it at night, you can use this."

"...You've developed some humanity?" Kamuro found it unbelievable.

"That mouth of yours is just as sweet as honey." Lezheng was speechless.

"Thanks. Why is there more?"

Kamuro had only just put away the hair dryer and thanked him when Lezheng handed her another gift box. It contained the same things as Yamamura's, only in different colors and styles.

"You gave me two sets of chocolates, didn't you? I had to give you return gifts."

"Hss... Something's off. Something's very off."

"Give it back if you don't want it."

Lezheng found Ichinose in the Student Council Activity Room.

Ever since she had become the student council president's secretary, her attendance had consistently been the highest. Even Lezheng didn't necessarily visit the activity room every day.

"Ichinose, guess who." Lezheng loosely covered her eyes from behind.

"Ah! Lezheng, what brings you here?" Ichinose, who had been engrossed in her work, jumped in surprise.

"I'm here to give you your return gift." Lezheng set down his schoolbag and took a gift box out of it.

"Wow! What a cute plush toy!" Ichinose opened it as soon as she accepted it.

Lezheng's return gifts for Ichinose were candy, a plush toy, and a bracelet.

"Lezheng, could you put it on for me?" She held out her hand.

"It has my name on it." Smiling, Lezheng picked up the bracelet and put it on her.

"Thank you. I have a gift for you, too."

Ichinose took a knitted hat out of her schoolbag. It had a little pom-pom on top.

"Since you already have gloves and a scarf, I'll give you this."

"Thank you, my angel," Lezheng teased.

"D-don't call me that." Ichinose flushed slightly.

Lezheng: "Are you free right now?"

Karuizawa: "Yes."

Lezheng: "Come over to my room."

Karuizawa: "I'll be right there."

Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

"What's up, Lezheng?" Karuizawa left off "Cousin."

"Your return gift, of course." Lezheng handed her the gift box.

Karuizawa's return gifts were candy, a plush toy, a hair ribbon, and a hair tie.

"I noticed you like wearing a high ponytail, but I didn't know whether you preferred ribbons or hair ties, so I got both."

"Thank you. I really like them." Karuizawa closed the gift box and held it against her chest.

"You're welcome."

"Horikita and Shinohara argued in class again today..."

"Let's not talk about that now. Let's talk about something you're interested in."

Karuizawa nodded and sat down in a chair.

"Sorry for the wait."

At the mall, Lezheng jogged over to Shiina.

"I just got here too," Shiina replied with a smile.

"I found somewhere fun." Lezheng put on a mysterious air.

"Then I'll go check it out with you."

The two arrived at a shop called Universal Purikura.

Inside the enclosed little room, Lezheng and Shiina struck various poses and pressed the shutter button. In the last photo, their cheeks were pressed together, and both were slightly flushed.

Shiina's return gifts were candy, a plush toy, Flipped, and photo stickers.

Meanwhile, in a dorm room, Kamuro had just finished bathing and picked up the hair dryer Lezheng had given her to try it out.

As soon as she switched it on, air blew out of the back of the dryer. Kamuro frowned and pointed the back toward her hair, only for the air to start blowing out of the front instead.

"I knew it."

Kamuro rolled her eyes and grumbled.