Volume 1

Chapter 7.2

Youkoso v1c7 part 2

I looked around the classroom . Well then, what is it that I’m looking for?

If I asked “Do you want to study together after school?”, would anyone come?

Me, Sudou, and Ike were only close enough to occasionally eat together . However, they stayed far away from studying .

… I have nothing to lose . I’ll just try asking them once .

“Sudou, you free?”

I talked to Sudou, who was walking back to the classroom during the lunch break . He was sweaty and breathing heavily .

He probably went to go play basketball during the lunch break .

“What are you planning on doing for the midterms?

“That, huh… I got no idea . I’ve never studied seriously before . ”

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“Oh, really? I got something just right for you .  I was thinking of studying after school starting from today . You wanna join?”

Sudou thought about it for a while, his mouth slightly open .

“Are you asking seriously? If school lessons are troublesome for me, I don’t think I could study after school . Also, I have club activities . It’s impossible, impossible . Are you going to be teaching? Your scores weren’t good either, you know . ”

“Nah, Horikita will be teaching . ”

“Horikita? I don’t know much about her . Sounds suspicious, so I refuse . I’ll manage by cramming before the test . You can go now . ”

As I thought, Sudou rejected my invitation . He didn’t get the point .

Dammit, it was no good . If I pressed any further, he might actually punch me . Well, it can’t be helped . Let’s start with someone that’s easier . I called out to Ike, who was playing with his phone by himself .

“Hey Ike—”

“Pass! I overheard you talking to Sudou . Study group? Nah, not my thing . ”

“You know you’ll have to drop out if you fail, right?”

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“I did get red marks before, but now I’m better . I’ll do my best while cramming the night before with Sudou . ”

Is he really saying that he’ll be fine with that? He doesn’t even sense the impending danger .

“If that last short test wasn’t a surprise, I would’ve gotten at least 40 points . ”

“I know what you mean to say . But, there are some things that are left to chance, you know?”

“After school is a precious time for high school students . I won’t spend my time studying . ”

He waved his hands, telling me to leave already . Chatting with a girl over text, he was overly excited . Ever since Hirata started going out with someone, Ike was also desperate to get a girlfriend . I dropped my shoulders and went back to my seat . Appealing to Horikita, I tried to get her to give up .

“No use . ”

“… I heard you, but what are you saying?”

“I said, ‘no use’ . You’re don’t think that you’re off the hook with that, are you?”

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Dammit . How brazen of her to refuse my appeal .

“No, of course not . I still have 425 more tactics left . ”

I looked around the classroom again . Far from being nervous, the whole classroom had a relaxed atmosphere .

A method to make students who hate studying study . Also, a way to make students use up their free time, instead of class time to study . Normally, I would refuse too, but since they’re in danger of failing…

I thought Sudou, who rejected my offer, would participate in studying at the first chance he got .

I have no choice but to set up some kind of incentive . Make him believe that there will be a reward if they study . And if possible, make it easy to understand; then, the plan would be a success .

—I got it!

Receiving a divine revelation from the gods, I turned to Horikita with widened eyes .

“Even though it’s your role to help them study, it’s not easy to invite them to study . I need your power for that, though—can you help?”

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“What power? I’ll listen… but what should I do?”

“How about something like this? You’ll be their girlfriend if they get a perfect score on the test . They’ll surely bite if we add that incentive . The motivation for boys is always girls . ”

“You want to die?”

“No, I’d like to live . ”

“I listened because I thought you seriously came up something . I’m stupid for believing that . ”

No, I really thought it would work . It would probably become their biggest motivation to study . However, Horikita clearly doesn’t understand boys’ hearts .

“Fine, then . A kiss . You’ll give them a kiss if they get a perfect score . ”

“You really want to die, huh?”

“Well, I’d like to live for a bit longer . ”

A hand quickly hit the back of my neck . Dammit, Horikita is showing no signs of agreeing to my proposed reward . It would be exceptionally effective . Guess I’m back to square one .

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As I thought that, I noticed a conspicuous presence in the middle of the classroom . Not Hirata, but another person who was popular in the class . It was Kushida Kikyou .

She looks bright and lively, like always . A sociable figure that both boys and girls can freely talk to . Indeed, Ike was madly in love with Kushida, whereas Sudou and the others didn’t have a bad impression of her . Also, her test scores would be relatively high . She’s important to my plan .

“Hey—”

As soon as I called out to her to invite her, I reconsidered and gave up .

“What is it?”

“No… it’s nothing . ”

She doesn’t like being involved with other people . Last time, when I worked with Kushida during Operation Become Friends, Horikita got mad .

For this study group, Horikita probably wouldn’t accept Kushida, who didn’t get any red marks .

For now, I’ll wait until Horikita returns to the dorms before putting my plan to action .