Chapter 8 Pt. 2

Monday

As I walked my sister to school, eyes were on us. Ever since I exposed some of my physical abilities in public, everyone had their eyes on me. I walked Yuki-chan to her class and then headed to my own. As I was walking, a couple of boys blocked my path. 

"Can I help you guys?"

"We are just curious about that soccer game. I never saw you on the team, so I was wondering how well you can play."

By the sounds of it, this wasn't a friendly invitation, but a threat. 

"Ehh, I know how to play a little, but there was no goalie, so I had that on my side."

I tried to walk past, but they didn't allow me.

"Don't run. I have a couple more questions to ask you."

Just when the scene turned tense, another student came walking up.

"Guys, guys. Let the man through. We all have classes we need to go to."

This man. I've seen him before. Where do I know him from?

"Oh, c'mon Teshima-kun. We are just asking questions. We aren't doing anything wrong."

"Still man, you can't corner him. If you want to ask him something, you have to do it differently."

The way he spoke, it seemed friendly and like he wanted to ease the situation. 

"Sorry, Teshima-kun."

"I think you should apologize to him since he's the victim here."

The boys bowed in front of me and apologized. I said it's fine, and then the boys left. Teshima-kun, huh? So that's his name. He then offered to walk me to my class as compensation. I was going to reject it, but I was curious to see who this person was, so I accepted and we started walking. 

"I'm sorry about that. Those are my classmates, and they are curious about that soccer match. It was pretty amazing."

"Well, I can't deny that. But it wasn't anything special."

"Are you kidding? That was totally astonishing. You must be part of a sports team, or have some pretty heavy physical training."

So that's how it is.

"I'd like to think I'm average built."

"Nah, it couldn't be. Shooting a soccer ball from 85 meters, that's no small feat."

Is he trying to gather information on me? He is, isn't he? Well, if he wants to play that game.

"I wanted to have some fun. This is school, after all, we are allowed to have some fun once in a while."

"Oh, there's no denying that. I personally am not that athletic, so seeing something like that is fascinating."

"I got lucky. Ya know, adrenaline pumping through my veins, and I made a gamble. To be fair, I shouldn't have taken a risk like that."

"I wouldn't know since I don't play sports. But I wonder, why against your own class? Why not against other soccer club members?"

"I know these people. It would be strange to ask a stranger if they wanted to play a game with me."

"Hmm, I guess so. If I was a club member and you asked me, I would probably decline your request."

He let out a soft chuckle. He sounded so friendly, like he genuinely cared, However, something was off. 

"Thank you for saving me back there. That was uncomfortable."

"Oh, it's no big deal. I get your situation, and it was wrong, so I decided to help you out. 

I hate it when people corner me, so I'd assume others feel the same way. Plus, I knew them, so it would be easier if I got involved and helped."

We arrived at my class and I turned to face him.

"Well, here you are."

"Here I am."

"If they bother you again, just let me know and I'll sort them out."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

He was about to leave, but he then stopped and outstretched his hand.

"Oh, I almost forgot. My name is Shichiro Teshima. I'm pleased to meet your acquaintance."

I shook his hand back. 

"The pleasure is all mine."

"Well, I hope to see you around school and that we can get along."

"I hope for that as well."

He then took his leave. Yoshikawa-kun came out and looked down the hall at Teshima-kun. 

"I see you met Teshima-san."

I wanted to see if Yoshikawa-kun knew who he was.

"Yoshikawa-kun, what do you know about him?"

He turned to me.

"I honestly don't know much. He took command of his class early on, but he seemed to get along with everyone quite easily. If you're friends with him, then that should make your life easier."

"Are you friends with him?"

"We haven't talked that much since we've both been busy with the upcoming midterm. It's surprising to see you two together though. I never would've thought that you would talk to him."

"What makes you say that?"

"You don't seem like a conversationalist, while Teshima-san is very sociable."

"Well, I was being harassed by a couple of boys and then he stepped in and diffused the situation."

"Classic Teshima-san. He's always trying to make everyone get along with each other."

We both then walked into class. Before it started, he continued to speak to me.

"So, I didn't realize how athletic you were."

"Athletic?"

"The soccer match you played on Friday. You are a very exceptional soccer player. Do you play professionally?"

"Nah, that was a rush of adrenaline. If I played them again, I would most likely lose."

He didn't seem too convinced with that answer. He then continued.

"Well, if you say so. I know I keep beating this dead horse, but how are things coming along on your front? My group is making steady progress, but I have no idea what the situation is with your study group?"

"It's going fine. Although, it's a process."

"Are you sure you'll be able to get everyone to pass? I mean, Hisao-kun and the other boys' grades are pretty…yikes."

It seemed like he was concerned about my group. Even though it was true that the boys weren't growing to the extent I had hoped, that doesn't mean they will fail. If everything goes according to plan, then I believe that we will all pass. However, for them specifically, they will just barely manage to get by. I highly doubt that they will throw trick questions in the first test, but it's nearly impossible to anticipate that situation…nearly.

"I believe that we will all pass. They've shown exceptional commitment to the study sessions, and have been improving. Not to the extent I had hoped, but they have been growing."

He looked satisfied with that answer.

"Well, if you believe so, then I'll leave them to you. I apologize if I continue bringing up the topic, but we can't allow anyone to be expelled, so I'm hoping that you understand that and are putting effort into making sure that doesn't happen."

"You can ask the girls; they can tell you that I have been putting in effort and resources to make sure all of them are growing academically."

I understand his concern, but it seemed like he was more worried about it than the last time he brought up the topic. It could be because the mid-term is in a couple of days. 

However, I wonder. Does he know about the expulsion consequence? Does he know about the 300 CVP debt? If he does, then it would make sense why he seems more distressed. I don't know how he would know unless someone told him. I know I didn't tell him, and I'm pretty certain that the teacher wouldn't tell him. That only leaves…Tsuchida-san. I wouldn't be surprised if she told him since I didn't tell her to be tight-lipped about it. That was my mistake, but even if I said something, I highly doubt that she would keep it a secret. It would also raise suspicion of me if I asked her to keep something as important as that secret. In the end, I guess I picked the best option by forgetting. Lucky me. After that, he nodded and accepted my answer. The teacher came walking into the classroom and both of us followed. We took our seats and she began her lesson.

8.5

The day was almost over and I was walking Yuki-chan to her dorm room. Today, she seemed less energetic than usual. In fact, it seemed like she was distracted by something. I know that I wasn't supposed to ask her about her personal feelings, but I needed to make sure that she was alright. As we were walking, I gathered up the courage and spoke up to her. When I turned to face her, she had a look of concern and worry. A look that I have never seen her wear…ever. 

"Is everything alright…Yuki-chan?"

When I spoke to her, it seemed to have snapped her out of whatever trance her thoughts had on her. She then responded to me.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Brother. I was lost in my thoughts."

She smiled gently at me when she said that, as to ease any concern of mine. That trick wasn't gonna work though. I gave her a look that suggested that I didn't believe her. She saw and responded.

"I swear Brother, everything is fine. I really was just lost in my thoughts."

She shot me a smile, but her eyes told me to leave the topic alone. Being the overprotective brother, I couldn't leave it at that. I decided to tease her a little. I smiled back and started needling her.

"Oh? Your thoughts? What about your thoughts make you so detached from reality? It's unlike the perfect princess to be acting like that."

She shot me a serious look, saying that I should stop. Whatever was going through her mind was serious, serious enough to not blow off my comments. I realized that immediately, so I stopped with my teasing. I responded with an apologetic tone.

"I see that you are not in the mood, and I apologize. Do you mind telling me what's got you so down?"

I said it in a nice and calm tone, to indicate to her that I wanted to understand why she was acting off. She looked down for a moment, contemplating whether she should say it or not. Finally, she looked at me and began speaking.

"I'm worried about you."

I gave her a perplexed look.

"I told you already, it's not your job to be worried about me. I can protect myself just fine."

She immediately forced us to stop. She turned her entire body around to face me and looked into my eyes, shooting me a worried look.

"I get that, but we are still siblings. We are still family, whether you are my bodyguard or not. I can be worried about my brother, and you can't stop me."

The way she said that was with a sense of determination, that her mind was made up and nothing could change it. I sighed.

"Okay, I know better than to try to convince you otherwise. But it works both ways. I don't want you to go putting yourself in harm's way just to protect me. I won't let you."

I gave her a stern look. She smiles and then chuckles a little. Then she spoke.

"Okay, okay. I won't get too involved. But, just be careful, okay?"

Her eyes twinkled a little when she said that. I looked at her with determination.

"Always."

She nodded, stepped back, and we continued walking towards the dorms. When we got to her room, I was curious about what prompted that entire conversation. Before she entered her room, I asked her about it.

"Can I ask what made you worry about me?"

She stopped walking and just stood there. I stared at her, waiting for a response. After what seemed like ages, she turned around and flashed me a big smile, slightly leaning forward and looking at me.

"I was just worried about my big brother, that's all."

Even though her body language suggested that she was sincere and that she was telling the truth, the way her eyes flickered told a different story. I could tell almost immediately that she was hiding something. Generally, I would needle her and try to extract information, but I didn't want to do that to her. If it was something dire, she would tell me. This means that it has to be a school-related matter, and could be related to her class. I pretended that I believed her. I flashed a smile back. Something I learned is that smiling lowers people's guard. They feel safer and more likely to believe you.

"If you say so, then I won't pry." 

She nodded, straightened herself out, and then continued to walk into her room. She gets about halfway in before she turns around again and faces me. 

"Well, it's getting late Brother, and I should be getting ready for bed."

Based on her tone, she wanted me to leave. I obliged and shut the door behind her. I then walked away from the dorms. I should've mentioned this sooner, but throughout the last week or so, I've felt like I'm being watched from multiple angles. I tell you this now because I'm getting that feeling right now. I have a pretty good idea where they are, as I feel their presence and am making a mental map. As I am walking, the feeling gets stronger and stronger. I can't see where this person is, not really, but their aura is giving me a pretty good approximation. I pass a small wooded area, and as I pass it, I feel the direction of the aura changing, like hands on a clock. Before I came to the area, I felt it at my 11:00. As I was halfway through, I felt it at my 9:00. When I left, it was at my 7:00. Whoever was watching me was definitely in that area. I could confront them, but it was the end of the day, and I had a lot of things to do, so I wanted to go to bed. Besides, I felt like someone else would confront that person at my behest. 

8.6

My sister watched me as I left the wooded area from her window, and when I wasn't within sight distance, she left her dorm and walked to the wooded area. She then scanned her surroundings and then spoke.

"I know you're out there. Come on out and show yourself."

There was russling behind some bushes and a tall girl with long, blond hair came out. She started walking towards Yuki-chan and Yuki-chan took a step back instinctively. The girl then looked at Yuki-chan and began speaking.

"Well, you found me out. Isn't that swell."

She had a smirk on her face, but Yuki-chan wasn't amused. She spoke directly to the girl.

"What are you doing here, Kawasaki-san?"

The person who was watching us was Kei Kawasaki-san. She was Hitoshi-san's spy, and Yuki-chan knew that. She knew that Kawasaki-san was a spy and that she was spying on me. Yuki-chan wanted to know why. Kawasaki-san tried to not answer the question.

"Ah, I was just looking at the stars. It's quite beautiful outside."

She began to look up at the sky, but Yuki-chan wasn't buying it. 

"Cut the shit, Kawasaki-san. I know who you are. You didn't come here 'just to look at the sky'".

Kakawaki-san looked down, amused. 

"Oh? Then what do you think I'm doing here?"

Kawasaki-san wanted to know what Yuki-chan was getting on. She wanted to know how much Yuki-chan knew. Yuki-chan responded.

"You're here spying on my brother, aren't you?"

Kawasaki-san was slightly impressed but decided to piss off Yuki-chan since she was already compromised.

"You got me: I was watching your brother. He is a cutie, so maybe I was seeking him out so that I could confess my feelings for him but got cold feet."

Yuki-chan still wasn't buying anything that Kawasaki-san was saying.

"Kawasaki-san, I'm warning you now: stay away from my brother."

Yuki-chan said with a very stern look on her face. Kawasaki-san started snickering and then responded.

"Wow, you are something else, Yuki-san. Don't tell me the younger sibling has a brother complex."

As much as Yuki-chan wanted to hide it, you could visibly see her get annoyed by that comment. However, instead of defending herself, she decided to go on the offensive. She took Kawasaki-san's tease head-on.

"Oh, Kawasaki-chan. I wouldn't be saying that given the fact that you are nothing more than Hitoshi-san's plaything. It must suck that he won't look at you as anything more than a pawn."

Kawasaki-san bolted and grabbed Yuki-chan by the collar, looking deep into her eyes with anger. Yuki-chan was just standing there, smiling smugly, knowing that she won this bout. You can almost visibly see the sparks between these two clashing with each other. After a few seconds of that, Kawasaki-san let go and backed off. She then spoke to Yuki-chan.

"I'll admit that you won this confrontation, but don't think this is over. I don't care who you are, I will make you pay."

She said that while looking at Yuki-chan with a stern and determined look. Yuki-chan continued with a smug smile.

"Well, if you think that you can, then I'm rooting for you. But I don't think that'll happen anytime soon."

Kawasaki-san didn't say anything in response and started to walk away. Before she left, Yuki-chan said one last thing to her.

"Oh, one more thing, Kawasaki-san."

Kawasaki-san turned around to face Yuki-chan. When she looked back, Yuki-chan's demeanor changed from smugness, to seriousness.

"Tell Hitoshi-san that if he continues spying on my brother, then I'll do more than just pay him a friendly visit."

Kawasaki-san scoffed and continued walking away. After Kawasaki-san was out of sight, Yuki-chan sighed and walked back to her dorm. On the way, she thought to herself about the entire situation.

Oh, Brother. Why did you just have to play that soccer match? Why did you intentionally make yourself a target for the other classes? I know you said to not get involved, but it appears that you aren't doing anything about it. I hope you know what you're doing.

After that, she arrived at her dorm and got ready for bed. Before she slept, she looked out her window again, to see if Kawasaki-san was still watching her. She wasn't. With that, Yuki-chan packed it in for the night.

8.7

Kawasaki-san left Yuki-chan and when she was certain she was out of Yuki-chan's sight, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and began calling someone. After a few rings, the phone connected. The person on the other end began talking.

"I was expecting your call, Kawasaki-chan."

Kawasaki-san responded with annoyance.

"Don't pretend like you anticipated this, Hitoshi-san."

Although she couldn't see it, Kawasaki-san could tell that Hitoshi-san was smiling mockingly.

"Oh, but I did anticipate this. I knew that you would call me tonight. Let me guess, you want to tell me that Fukushima-chan found you out?"

Kawasaki-san was initially confused.

"How did you know?"

Hitoshi-san chuckled.

"Well, you wouldn't call me just to make small talk. I know that you only talk to me when it's something important, and the only thing I can think of that's important right now would be if you were found out. Now, since I don't believe that Fukushima-san would confront you and that the siblings travel together every day, that leads me to conclude that the sister confronted you. Am I wrong in that assumption?"

Kawasaki-san was shocked.

"N-no. You are exactly right. I was following them, and the sister confronted me when the brother left the area. I failed, and I'm sorry."

"No, you didn't fail. In fact, you gave me very valuable information."

Hitoshi-san didn't sound mad, or angry, or saddened. Kawasaki-san didn't understand why this phone call was important.

"Excuse my question, but I don't get what's important about this?"

Hitoshi-san answered her question.

"Well, we now know how much the sister cares for the brother."

Kawasaki-san was still confused.

"But didn't we already know that since they are siblings?"

"Not necessarily. Siblings sometimes don't like each other, and they generally wouldn't get involved with the other's social life. But in this case, she knew that you were watching them, but instead of letting it be known, she decided to deal with you personally. That's very interesting."

Then, like she was hit with a bolt of lightning, Kawasaki-san realized what he was doing.

"Wait, are you telling me that all of this was to see if the sister…was lying?"

Hitoshi-san responded in jest.

"Why of course. You don't think I fully trusted Fukushima-san just at her word. She's given me no reason to believe a single word coming from her mouth. So, I had to see for myself whether she was telling the truth or not."

Kawasaki-san was impressed that Hitoshi-san would do all of this for something she thought of as minuscule but was also irritated at the fact that she was the one who had to get her hands dirty. 

"This wasn't something you could've done yourself? Why did I have to do this for you?"

Hitoshi-san chuckled.

"I'm not as good at concealing my presence as you, and I am not as physically able as you are."

That didn't make Kawasaki-san feel any better. 

"Ugh, I don't get it, but I trust you enough to know you know what you are doing." 

Hitoshi-san was glad of that answer.

"Well, it looks like my job here is done. You are relieved for the night, Kawasaki-chan."

Before Kawasaki-san could refute that, Hitoshi-san hung up the phone. Kawasaki-san looked at it and began exclaiming.

"You big jerk! Let me at least vent out my frustrations with you."

After Hitoshi-san hung up the phone, Kawasaki-san stood there, looking up at the sky. She was thinking about what the future held for her. She then looked down and started chuckling. Chuckling then turned to laughing, then turned to cackling. 

"Oh Hitoshi-kun, I can't wait to see what you have planned."

She then started walking towards her dorm, and that was the end of Monday.

Tuesday

I entered the class and immediately felt tension in the air. I guess it was expected since tomorrow was the midterm exam, and my classmates were concerned about whether they would be able to pass. Hopefully, I'll be able to calm their nerves. I saw Tsuchida-san walking in and I looked her in the eyes. She gave me a slight nod, and that was all I needed to confirm that she did what I asked. The rest of the students walked in, as well as the teacher, and she began her lesson for the day. When the class broke for lunch, I looked at Tsuchida-san and gave her a nod, letting her know to start passing out the third-year test. She noticed and did exactly what I asked. She got up and began to speak.

"Um, if I can have everyone's attention, please."

The entire room looked at her. She continued.

"Um, a third-year student about a week ago was kind enough to share with me the midterm he took while they were in their first year, and I made copies to share with all of you."

There was a pause before people immediately got up and started walking toward Tsuchida-san as if their lives depended on it. In a sense, I guess that was true. As she began to pass them out, she continued speaking.

"I don't know if the answers here are the same as the upcoming midterm, but it should be within the same curriculum, so studying it should help us a lot."

The entire class started excessively thanking Tsuchida-san. Based on her facial expression, I could tell that she was getting overwhelmed. Just as I was about to get up to help her, Yoshikawa-kun got up and started speaking.

"Guys, I think you are making Tsuchida-san uncomfortable, so it would be best if we all calmly and collectively grab the study guides in an orderly fashion. I'll help expedite the process."

He walked over to Tsuchida-san and she gave him half the stack. Together, they were able to pass the test to everyone in an orderly fashion. I gave a warm half-smile and then got up to walk over to the cafeteria. I walked about twenty steps before Yamane-san yelled at me. I turned around and it looked like she was out of breath. I responded.

"What is it, Yamane-san?"

She looked up and was at a loss for words for a second.

"O-oh. I, uh, I noticed that you didn't grab one of the study guides that Tsuchida-san and Yoshikawa-san were passing, so…"

She grabbed one out from her bag and pushed it forward to me.

"I thought that you forgot to grab one, so I grabbed two to give one to you!"

She said that so forcefully like she was trying to overcome some sort of anxiety. I gave her a warm smile and took it from her.

"I didn't necessarily forget about it. I figured that I didn't need to use it."

Her face turned red from embarrassment.

"O-oh, I see. Well then, I guess I jumped the gun, huh?"

She chuckled nervously, like to hide her embarrassment. I put my hand on her shoulder, she made her jump a little.

"Thank you for thinking of me. I'm glad that you gave me a copy. Now we have an outline for our study session later today."

Her eyes lit up a little.

"Today? Wait, we are meeting up today?"

I nodded.

"The midterm is tomorrow. It'd be silly to not meet up before then to get you all up-to-date with the curriculum."

She looked down to hide her emotions, but I could tell that she was smiling ear to ear when she heard that.

"I see. Well then, see you tonight."

She hurried back to class, even though it was lunchtime. With that, I turned and walked towards the cafeteria. As I was walking, I could faintly hear girls giggling from the classroom. It wasn't loud enough to distinguish the voices, but loud enough so that I could hear that there were still people in that room.

8.8

I entered the cafeteria and saw Yuki-chan sitting at a table with a bunch of A-Class students. I grabbed my food and sat with her. Before, they were hesitant about me sitting with them. Now, they seem to welcome me, a little too easily. I could tell that something was up, but I wasn't too concerned about it. I was in the middle of eating when I felt a presence behind me. I felt this presence before…Tanaka-san. She approached me from behind and began speaking. 

"Fukushima-san, can I speak with you for a minute?"

I didn't look back when I responded.

"I'm eating right now. Can't we do this later?"

"No."

She responded in a serious tone. Her attitude was ruining my appetite. 

"Make it quick."

I got up and followed her into the hallway. Once she made sure the area was clear, she began speaking.

"What are you planning to do about the midterm?"

Of course, it was this again.

"This again? Listen, lunch is the only time I get to spend with my sister, and that's being interrupted for something like this? I don't have time to deal with you now."

I started to leave, but Tanaka-san grabbed my wrist before I could get far. Her grip was strong, but firm. She definitely was no weakling and had the strength to prove that. She continued speaking.

"I saw you and Tsuchida-san nodding with each other, just before she passed around that study test. What are you two planning?"

She was starting to get annoying, constantly wanting to know my plan.

"What I'm planning is helping the class out. I'm tutoring a big portion of the class and advising people who need it. That's all I'm doing."

Even though her expression hadn't changed, I could tell she didn't believe me. She then spoke up.

"Whatever you're doing, I hope you get it right. Otherwise, our class will fall, and I'll hold you directly accountable." 

The way she said that made it seem like she knew I was behind everything. I don't think I gave myself away, but then again, I haven't done this before, so it's not impossible. Still though, if someone like her were able to see through me, then that'll be a problem in the future. I responded.

"I'm not entirely sure what you are getting at, but I understand. If the class fails, then you can blame me all you want."

With that, she let go of my wrist but continued to look into my eyes.

"You better know what you're doing."

She then left. What a strange girl. I'm still unable to read her completely, but I know for a fact that if she can shield herself from me, then she is a threat. I walked back to the cafeteria and sat back down with my sister. When I started eating, she gave me a look like she wanted to know what happened. I noticed and responded.

"Yes?"

She answered.

"Who was that Brother?"

An obvious question.

"She is a classmate of mine. We were discussing an internal classroom affair."

The look she gave me suggested that she didn't believe me, like I was hiding something. She then gave a smug smile.

"Oh? Just a classmate? Are you sure?"

I was confused at first, not understanding what she was getting at.

"What are you talking about?"

She then turned completely to face me, looking intently into my eyes.

"Brother, you best not lie to me. You have a relationship with that girl, don't you?"

She is frightened when she gets like this. With such determination, I wouldn't want to cross her when she is like this. I responded with a similar attitude.

"I have no romantic interest in her."

I looked back with seriousness and honesty. After a minute of us intently looking at each other, she backed off. She then said one last thing before she continued eating.

"If you get a girlfriend without telling me first, you will pay."

She was not joking when she said that. 

"Believe me, on the off chance I do get a girlfriend, you'll be the first to know."

She grinned quietly.

"I hope so."

With that, we both finished eating our lunch and when the bell rang signaling the end of lunch, I escorted Yuki-chan to her class.

8.9

Before I came to class this morning, Yamane-san was sitting in her seat thinking about life, mostly about today and tomorrow.

"This is it. Tomorrow is the midterm exam. I'm freaking out, but I have to keep my composure. Fukushima-kun said that I'm improving, which gives me a little hope. Although, he hasn't given me an exact estimate of how much I've grown academically. All he said was that I would pass the midterm. I hope that it's true. I don't want to get expelled; it'll be too soon. I wouldn't be able to experience the things a normal high schooler would be able to experience, like bonding with people, making friends, and…romance. No, I can't be concerned about that stuff now. I got to focus on the midterm, on the stuff that Fukushima-kun has been tutoring me on. Fukushima-kun. Now that I think about it, this might be the last time we would get to be together outside of school. Just thinking about that, time sure does fly by fast."

As Yamane-san was thinking about this, her face started to turn red from embarrassment. 

"No, no, no, no. Why am I thinking about that?"

She took a minute to compose herself, even slapping her face as a way to shake loose of the thoughts in her mind. Then, a familiar voice came from behind Yamane-san.

"Hey, Yamane-chan!"

Yamane-san felt a firm pat on her back, which startled her to the point where she almost jumped out of her seat.

"H-hey Hironaka-san."

It was Hironaka-san. She had a big friendly smile on her face, but once she heard Yamane-san, friendly turned into smugness. 

"You daydreaming, Yamane-chan?"

Yamane-san responded a little sheepishly.

"N-no. I'm not…daydreaming."

Hironaka-san was not buying it. She continued to press Yamane-san.

"That's not what it looks like to me."

She leaned into Yamane-san, which Yamane-san moved away from Hironaka-san.

"Let me guess, you were dreaming about Fukushima-kun, weren't you?"

"No!"

Immediately, Yamane-san denied what Hironaka-san suggested. She said it so loudly that the rest of the class looked in her direction. Out of embarrassment, Yamane-san sank into her seat, covering her face with a book. Hironaka-san continued to tease Yamane-san until another voice chimed in.

"That's enough, Hironaka-san. Leave Yamane-san alone."

"Aw, c'mon Okimoto-san. I'm just playing around."

Okimoto-san, who was just watching this spectacle taking place, finally came over to stop it. She watched over both of them with a stern look. Yamane-san felt a sense of relief, but fear as well. Hironaka-san was completely unfazed by Okimoto-san's aura. She continued flashing a smug smile. Okimoto-san was not impressed.

"Even if you were, she is obviously uncomfortable."

Hironaka-san decided then to direct her teasing toward Okimoto-san.

"Don't tell me you're getting jealous that Yamane-san likes Fukushima-kun?"

Okimoto-san turned away.

"Now why would I have feelings for someone like him?"

Okimoto-san walked to her seat, which was in front of Yamane-san. This caused Hironaka-san to sit in her seat, which was to the left of Yamane-san. When Okimoto-san sat down, she immediately noticed the book that Yamane-san was hiding behind.

"Yamane-san, what book is that?"

Yamane-san sat up in an upward position and looked at Okimoto-san.

"Book? This is just…the textbook."

Both Okimoto-san and Hironaka-san both looked surprised. Hironaka-san was the first to speak up.

"Since when did you start reading the textbook on your own?"

She said that in a sort of teasing attitude, but not nearly as extensive as how she was sounding a minute ago. 

"Well, Fukushima-san has been saying that my academic ability has been improving, but he hasn't said anything about whether I'll be able to pass, so I've been doing some studying on my own to make sure that I'll pass."

Both Hironaka-san and Okimoto-san were impressed to see Yamane-san take a little initiative. They both looked at each other, which Yamane-san noticed.

"What?"

Okimoto-san responded first this time.

"It's nothing much. It's just that we generally don't see you take the initiative like this before, so it surprised me."

Hironaka-san cut it.

"That's because she likes Fukushima-kun."

Yamane-san got embarrassed and Okimoto-san looked at Hironaka-san.

"Hironaka-san."

She responded in disapproval of what Hironaka-san was suggesting. Hironaka-san started chuckling.

"Sorry, sorry. Anyway, I'm glad you are putting in some commitment to your studies. I can't help but wonder what the true motivation is."

Hironaka-san continued to tease Yamane-san, and Okimoto wasn't having it.

"Y'know, if you put in as much effort studying as you do teasing Yamane-san, then you wouldn't have to be stuck in a study group with us."

Hironaka-san replied.

"Ok, first of all, ow. Secondly, tell me if I'm wrong, but aren't you in our study group as well?"

After Hironaka-san snapped back with that remark, Okimoto got a little embarrassed. She responded defensively.

"W-well, I just couldn't let you two be alone with a stinking boy, so I came along for your protection."

After reading the room, Hironaka-san decided to reel in her attitude a little.

"It's okay to admit you're not the best. I'm sorry for the constant teasing."

Okimoto-san looks at Hironaka-san and sees that she is being honest. Okimoto-san then sighs.

"It's okay. Let's drop it now."

Hironaka-san nodded and the group was quiet for a moment. Then Yamane-san started talking.

"About the study group."

Yamane-san was hesitant at first, and both Okimoto-san and Hironaka-san noticed. However, Yamane-san was the first to respond.

"What about it?"

Yamane-san was silent for a moment but then began speaking again.

"After the midterm, would we still be a study group?"

Okimoto-san and Hironaka-san both looked confused, but then Okimoto-san caught what Yamane-san was saying.

"Are you worried that after the midterm, our study group would dissipate?"

Yamane-san nodded her head quietly. Okimoto-san continued.

"I see. Well, it would make sense since the study group was formed just to pass the midterm. It wouldn't make too much sense to keep it afterward."

This made Yamane-san a little sad, and Hironaka-san noticed.

"I guess, but we don't know how Fukushima-kun feels about this, right?"

Okimoto-san replied in agreement.

"That's true; we don't know how he feels about this. I mean, from his attitude in the beginning, he didn't seem interested in tutoring us. He might end it tonight for all we know."

The more Okimoto-san talked, the sadder Yamane-san got. Hinaka-san decided to cheer up Yamane-san.

"Well, let's ask him."

"Huh?"

Yamane-san responded in confusion. Hinaka-san continued.

"When he comes in, why don't you ask him?"

Yamane-san got flustered.

"W-w-what? W-why me!?"

Hinaka-san continued to speak.

"Well, you are the only one out of us three that is passionate about this study group."

Okimoto-san cut it.

"Hinaka-san."

Her tone sounded more stern. 

"Okay."

Yamane-san finally spoke up.

"I'll do it. When he comes in, I'll ask him."

Hinaka-san smiled.

"There ya go. That's the spirit. If you express how passionate you are, even if Fukushima-kun decided to disband the group, you'll convince him otherwise."

When Hironaka-san said that, Yamane-san's eyes lit up with determination. Hironaka-san flashed a smile at her like her mission was accomplished, and Okimoto-san had a somewhat pleased look on her face. With that, the girls decided to let me know of their intentions when I came into class. 

8.10

My name is Mizuki Yamane. Throughout my life, I haven't been good at anything. It's a wonder how I got into this school since I suck at sports, academics, and socializing. My family paid a ridiculous amount of money for me to be able to enroll at this school. They said that it was worth it for me to make new friends and that if I graduated from this school, I'd have the whole future ahead of me. I think they were expecting too much from me. As I said before, I'm not good at anything. In fact, the only fries I made were Miki Okimoto-chan and Kasumi Hironaka-chan, but it was mostly out of pity. I thought that my life was gonna end up the same as it was during middle school, that was until I met him. Tetsuo Fukushima. I didn't even register him as someone that I would be able to talk to. He sat towards the back of the class. He was tall but looked lanky. He had long brown hair with brown eyes. I thought that he was like me: quiet and reserved, but then he got up on the first day and gave us a warning about the school's point system. I followed along because I wasn't going to spend points anyway, but after a month, he was right. Then he pushed us to study for the midterm for our class to succeed. I had no choice, but after the first study session with Fukushima-kun, he complimented me and gave me advice. I took it and every time, he said that I was growing. That made me happy and the motivation to continue to study grew. But now, a day before the midterm, I wonder whether he'll continue the study group. I have to find out. He's the only one that actually helped me out. He's the only one who can actually tutor me. 

When Fukushima-kun entered the classroom, I was just about to go up to him, but the teacher walked in as well and began the lesson, so I didn't get the chance. After class ended, Tsuchida-san spoke up about passing out a study guide for the midterm. Everyone got happy and excited, and I couldn't talk to him due to the commotion. Hironaka-san immediately got up and took a copy of the study guide. Everyone got one, everyone except Fukushima-kun. He got up and left the room. Hironaka-chan noticed what I saw, and she handed me her copy.

"Here, give it to him. This is your chance to ask him about the study group."

She said that with a wink, which gave me the motivation to follow Fukushima-kun. I quickly left the room and saw that Fukushima was still in the hallway. Like it was on instinct, I called out to Fukushima-kun. I immediately got embarrassed realizing what I had done. He turned around and responded to me. A sense of nervousness overwhelmed me. My heart was pounding so that it felt like it would pop out of my chest. But I have to be confident. I began speaking to him. I mentioned that I saw him not grabbing a copy of the study guide, and I pulled one out of my bag and kinda forced it on him. He responded by saying that he didn't need it, which made a sense of dread wash over me. I got embarrassed and fell silent for a second. Then Fukushima-kun, probably seeing my attitude change, grabbed the study guide from my hand and reassured me. I looked up at him, and he smiled at me. For some reason, I felt a sense of relief, and the anxiety I was feeling left me. He put his hand on my shoulder, which made me jump. I didn't expect that at all, but I didn't mind it. He then said the thing that I was going to ask in the first place like he predicted what I was going to say. He was going to continue the group, at least for today. Even though it wasn't exactly what I was going to ask, I didn't continue to push because I already was happy with that answer. I looked down to try and hide my excitement, but I felt like Fukushima-kun knew what I looked like. Out of embarrassment, I hurriedly went back to class. When I got there, both Hironaka-san and Okimoto-san were by the door, watching me. Hironaka-san was the first to talk to me.

"So, how'd it go?"

She said that in a teasing tone. I didn't even care enough to pay attention to her tone, but I responded.

"Well…the study group is meeting up tonight."

Hironaka-san's face lit up and she shrieked loudly, so loud that I wasn't sure if Fukushima-kun heard it. It was so embarrassing that I covered Hironaka-san's mouth as a way to get her to stop. She did, grabbed my hands, and then giggled.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just so happy for you."

Hironaka-san was beaming with joy, but on the other hand, Okimoto-san wasn't sharing the sentiment. 

"All he said was that the group was meeting tonight?"

The mood changed after she said that. I responded.

"Y-yeah. He said that the group was meeting tonight."

Okimoto-san's demeanor changed.

"If your goal was to find out if he'll keep the study group, then no offense, but you failed. It's still technically before the midterm, and this study group is for the midterm, so it wouldn't make sense to end it right before the test."

After she said that, my mood darkened, after realizing what she said. Hironaka-san countered.

"Well, I guess you'll have to ask him tonight when you two are alone."

I got embarrassed fast.

"A-alone!?"

Hironaka-san smirked.

"Yes, alone. Don't worry, we'll help you out."

I chuckled nervously. Usually, I welcome any help. However, the look on Hironaka-san's face gave the impression that she had mischievous intent. I wonder what plan she's concocting in her head.

8.11

This is it, the last study session before the midterm tomorrow. Everything is prepared and I truly believe that the entire class will pass it; I'll make sure of it. It was around 5:30, the time I requested for the study group to convene. The girls were the first ones to enter, then Tsuchida-san. The boys came about 5 minutes later, and finally, Tanaka-san entered. I was surprised to see that Yoshikawa-san didn't enter as well. I asked Tsuchida-san about it and she said that he was busy with the other study sessions. I guess that made sense since it was literally hours before the midterm. 

After we all exchanged greetings, we took out the study guides that Tsuchida-san gave us, and I took out the one that Yamane-san gave me. In addition, I took out other paperwork as well. Yamane-san was the first to notice, and she said something.

"Fukushima-kun, what is that?"

She said it in a curious tone. The rest of the group looked at me. I respond to their questions.

"In addition to the study guide that Tsuchida-san gave you, I also want us to look at this as well."

I began passing out the study guide I created. The boys started complaining, and so did Hironaka-san. I tried to ease their concerns.

"Believe me, I don't like doing more work than I have to, but I think that if we memorize both of these study guides, then all of you should pass the midterm with very decent grades."

They all had disappointing looks on their faces, so I tried a different tactic.

"Think of it like this: after today, I won't bother you guys again with all of this extra work and studying."

Yamane-san immediately responded.

"W-what do you mean by that?"

I answered her honestly

"After today, I'm ending the study group."

The entire table fell silent. Yamane-san looked sad, and the others looked shocked and confused. Hironaka-san spoke up.

"Why?"

I again answered honestly.

"This group was formed to help you guys pass the midterm specifically. After the midterm, there isn't a reason to continue with this group."

After I said that, I could feel that the air got heavy due to the pressure of the group's emotions. This isn't good. If they continue to feel this way, then their mental state will be affected, and that will affect their performance in the midterm. So, I had to say something to boost their confidence.

"The reason I'm ending it is because I don't see a reason to continue. All of you have shown exceptional growth in your academic abilities. If and when you pass the midterm which, based on what I've seen, you'll pass, all of you will have grown so much that this study group would be meaningless. As long as all of you continue to review the material set forth, you'll all do just fine."

This seemed to work. All of their faces lit up, all of them except Yamane-san. Even though she tried to act happy, I could tell from her eyes that she was still saddened. However, it didn't matter. What's important is that all of us commit both study guides to memory so that we will be able to pass the midterm. And with that, all of us began studying. 

8.12

The entire group studied for about two hours, ending at around 7:30 pm. Everyone, including myself, was tired and mentally exhausted. I saw that, and I ended the study session.

"Well, I can tell that all of you are tired, and to be honest, I'm feeling it as well. So, let's end the session for the night."

Everyone gave a sigh of relief, happy that they no longer had to study. Me and Tsuchida-san began packing up while everyone else got ready to leave. Before they left, I gave them some encouragement.

"All of you have done well, and I'm glad that I was able to see your growth, truly. I hope you all do well in the midterm, and I would wish you guys luck, but from what I've seen, you guys don't need it."

Everyone smiled and looked confident. No, they were confident, and I am confident that they will all pass the test. However, one person didn't share that same enthusiasm. Yamane-san still looked down. She was going to leave with the girls, but Hironaka-san looked at me, whispered something in Yamane-san's ear, and then exclaimed that Yamane-san was staying behind.

"Hey, Fukushima-kun. Me and Okimoto-chan were going out to do something, but Yamane-chan wasn't feeling too well. We were wondering if you'd be willing to walk her home."

The way she looked at me, and the tone of her voice, gave the impression that it was non-negotiable. I sighed.

"Well, it appears that I have no choice. C'mon Yamane-san, let's get you home."

Yamane-san nodded and the both of us left and began walking to her dorm. While we were walking, there was an uncomfortable silence that followed. I was walking in front, and Yamane-san was behind me. Because of that, I couldn't see her face, but I just felt like she wanted to say something to me, but it was dead quiet the entire walk. Finally, we approached her dorm. It was getting annoying, this feeling of anxiety, so I broke the silence.

"Well, looks like we arrived."

She responded in a meek voice.

"Y-yeah."

She began to walk into her dorm. I was just about to leave, but Yamane-san stopped me. She began speaking, but she was hesitant about it.

"Fu-ku-Fukushima-kun. Would you…I mean…can you…"

"Hmm?"

I didn't know what she was trying to say, but she finally managed to get it out. She turned around to face me and bowed down in front of me.

"Can I talk to you about the study group!?"

She said that so loudly and forcefully like she spent all of her efforts just getting that question out. I wondered what she was getting at, but I complied.

"Sure. What is it you want to talk about?"

Her face was beat red and I could tell that she was super embarrassed.

"Oh…um. It's getting cold out. Do you…can we talk about it in my room?"

Well, that's a shock. I never would've expected her to say that. Even though this would generally be a bad idea, I wasn't gonna stick around forever, especially alone with a girl. I made that point obvious to her.

"You do realize that a boy and a girl alone in a room doesn't mix too well."

It appeared that she knew, but she took a deep breath and responded.

"W-well. It should be fine, right? I mean, you don't have any ulterior motives, do you?"

She's getting bold. These aren't her words though. I'm willing to bet that Hironaka-san was the one who told Yamane-san to say that to me. Well now, it appears she's smarter than she looks. I answered.

"Okay, but I'm not sticking around forever."

She nodded and invited me to it. As I walked in, I could immediately tell that I was in a girls' room. She had a small kitchen to the left of the doorway, and a bathroom to the right. In front was the main room, which was like a mix between a living room and her bedroom. There were a bunch of stereotypical girl items: Her bed was full of stuffed animals, she had a bunch of idol posters, the whole nine yards. She put her stuff on her bed and sat down on it. She looked down at the floor, again like she wanted to say something. To break the silence, I asked her what she wanted to talk about.

"So, about the study group, what is it that you want to know?"

She answered me almost immediately but didn't look up when she responded.

"Are you really considering disbanding the study group?"

I guess she wanted to confirm I meant what I said.

"Yeah."

She didn't respond. Because of this, I thought that I would explain my reasoning to her, to make her understand my intentions.

"The study group was formed to get you guys up to date with the midterm. Its only purpose was specifically for that. Also, I've seen exceptional growth coming from everyone in the group. If you guys continue studying on your own, I believe that the group will become redundant." 

Her appearance didn't change at all. Maybe I made her mad, so I changed tactics.

"I also know how much the people in the group dreaded being there, so I didn't want to force you guys to participate in something you don't want to do."

"That's not how I feel."

I heard her whisper that, but I didn't make out the words.

"What was that?"

"That's not how I feel!"

She immediately got up, looked into my eyes, and put her hand on top of her chest, like she was proclaiming something.

"I want you to continue the study group!"

She was on the verge of tears when she said this, her voice trembling. Throughout the month or so that we've interacted with one another, I've never seen her this passionate about something, so assertive about her goals. I wonder why she was acting like this.

"Why?"

Her face changed to a shocked expression.

"'Why?'"

She repeated what I said in disbelief like she couldn't grasp why I asked.

"Yes. Why do you want me to continue with it?"

"Oh, w-well…you see…"

She was stuttering like she wasn't prepared for me to ask for her reasoning. After a minute of her stuttering and not saying anything of value, I threatened her.

"Listen, it's getting late and I have to prepare for the midterm tomorrow, so if you can't explain to me your reasoning, I'm gonna head on out."

After I said this, I turned around and started heading to the door. I couldn't see what she looked like, but I could imagine that she was freaking out. My prediction came true when she quickly caught up to me and told me.

"I-I enjoy studying with you!"

I stopped in my tracks and turned around. As I did that, she also stopped and straightened herself out. I responded to her.

"What makes my tutoring enjoyable to you?" 

She looked surprised when I asked that like she wasn't expecting that question to come up. She stuttered, but after a little while, she calmed down and gave me a direct answer.

"I don't really know. When you are tutoring us, I feel like I'm able to understand it better than anyone else. The way you explain things, you make it sound so easy to understand. I just feel like I'm getting better with you teaching me."

She sounded so sincere when she said that. The look in her eyes, she was telling the truth. I started to walk towards her. As I did this, she started acting frantic, not knowing what to expect. I stopped when I was a few feet away from her and began talking.

"You said a few days ago that you wanted to get better, right?"

She nodded in agreement. I responded to it.

"Let's discuss this more in-depth."

I signaled her to take a seat on her bed, and she complied. I sat in a chair across from her. I began speaking.

"If I remember correctly, the last time we talked one-on-one, you were saying how you weren't good at anything, and that you want to catch up with the others, am I correct?"

"Yes."

I continued speaking.

"I don't know how many times I've said it, and I don't know how many times I'll continue to say it, but you have grown a lot, and have made exceptional progress in your academics in a very short amount of time. If you continue studying on your own, then-"

"No!"

She exclaimed that before I could finish my sentence.

"I…the only way I'm able to study is with you, with you tutoring me. No one else, no matter how hard I tried, has been able to get me to retain the information. You are the only one who can help me!"

She said it with such passion and assertiveness that I was taken aback. Yamane-san, who up until now, remained quiet and kept to herself, was now showing immense confidence. After she was done, she was breathing heavily, like she spent all of her energy making sure her point got across to me. I sat there, thinking about what to say next. I must've taken a while to respond because she then said:

"Well, what do you think?"

I couldn't answer her right away.

"You've given me a lot to think about, Yamane-san. I can't give you an answer right now, but I will take it to heart and give you a more definitive answer after the midterm since we all have to focus on that. I promise though, I will give you an answer after the midterm. You have my word."

She nodded like she understood what I was saying, but she did look disappointed. I got up and began to say my goodbyes.

"It's getting late, and I want to get to bed so that I can be at my best, and I suggest you do the same as well."

"Y-yes. Of course."

She responds sheepishly, like how she would usually answer. With that, I nodded and then left her room and started to head back to my dorm. As I was walking, I started thinking about what she was saying. I didn't lie to her, not once. I didn't have a reason to, but for some reason, she has a personality, an aura that makes a person feel comfortable being with her. Maybe it's because she is the least threatening person I've encountered so far. But she also has the most potential, since she seems to be the most passionate about growth. Maybe continuing the study group isn't the worst thing in the world. However, all of this would mean nothing if she can't pass this midterm. If that were to happen, then not only would she be expelled, but our class would be 300 points in debt and would never climb up to A class, no matter how hard we try. We must pass this midterm, that's non-negotiable.