Chapter 401

"What are you going to do during the break, Tetsuya-kun?"

Miyuki was too kind.

To give a loser like him an opening to talk by asking a question like that.

He had just finished talking with a friend and was staring blankly at the whiteboard. He shot a quick glance at me—wedged between him and Miyuki—before answering.

"I don't really have... anything planned."

"Why not? There are so many ways to improve yourself. Instead of doing nothing, let's meet up now and then to study."

Not "often," but "now and then."

Before she met me, she hung out with Tetsuya almost every day. This was a refreshing change of pace.

Miyuki also wasn't inviting Tetsuya over to her house for meals anymore.

Even though she used to invite him over quite often to eat with her family.

Thinking about how much her shifting mindset turned me on, I silently listened to their conversation.

"Yeah. I'll do that."

"It'd be great if the three of us studied together with Matsuda-kun like we used to. Right?"

"...Yeah."

Did it bother him that Miyuki always included me?

The guy's expression contorted for a fraction of a second before returning to normal.

How dare he make a face like that?

I was the one who should be disgusted, yet here he was, throwing a silent fit.

That clueless bastard probably felt relieved that he could at least still spend some time with Miyuki, but I was going to crush that hope.

"The grades are out!"

While everyone was enjoying a peaceful moment, the Vice Representative burst through the back door of the classroom to announce the news.

At that, the students who actually cared about their studies quickly stood and rushed out to the bulletin board in the hallway.

Miyuki wasn't quite part of that stampede, but she stood the moment she heard the shout.

Then, grabbing my wrist, she pointed outside the classroom.

"Let's go look. Hurry."

"I don't want to."

"Are you scared?"

"No."

"You chickened out, didn't you?"

Where did she learn to provoke people like that?

Did she catch it from Hiyori?

Dumbfounded by such aggressive words coming from Miyuki, I put on a reluctant act and pushed myself out of my chair as she giggled and grabbed my arm with both hands.

Soon after, we stood behind the clusters of students, craning our necks to check the rankings.

I stood on my tiptoes to get a glimpse of the bulletin board, but with everyone's heads in the way, I could only see the top ten.

And my name wasn't in the top ten.

Did I fail to reach my goal? I hadn't studied all that hard, so it was a natural outcome.

"What rank did you get?"

Being much shorter than me, Miyuki couldn't see the board at all. She patted my back excitedly, urging me to quickly check the rankings.

I glanced at the very top and saw Miyuki's name proudly displayed.

First place. A given.

"You got first."

"Not me, I'm asking what rank Matsuda-kun got."

"I'm not in the top ten."

"Then what? Eleventh? Twelfth?"

Peering carefully through the gaps between black-haired heads, I caught sight of a few letters of my name right below tenth place.

"Looks like I'm eleventh."

"Really? You did great."

I expected her to tell me to study harder over the break, but surprisingly, she praised me.

Eleventh place was decent enough to save face.

With that in mind, I headed back into the classroom and sat down.

I leaned way back, stretching my torso over the backrest.

Spotting my slack posture, the Vice Representative spoke up.

"What are you doing?"

"Back exercises."

"That counts as exercise?"

"Yeah. Try it."

"Feels like you're messing with me..."

Despite the suspicious look she shot me, her expression was bright.

Probably because she had maintained her spot in second place.

Come to think of it, Bread Girl got fourth... I knew she was smart, but her grades went up even higher this time.

I was sure her sexual appetite was just as voracious as her academic drive.

It wasn't long before Tetsuya returned, looking like he had just chewed on shit.

Miyuki was comforting him; they must have looked at his rank together.

Normally, I couldn't care less about what rank the guy got, but seeing him make a face like that, anyone would be curious.

Poking Miyuki in the waist right after she sat down next to me, I asked quietly.

"What rank did Miura get to look like that?"

Miyuki cast a quick, cautious glance at Tetsuya before tracing a number on the desk with her finger.

Watching her long index finger sketch out a 1 and an 8, I figured as much.

It was the perfect rank for Tetsuya, who was mediocre at everything.

If he just dropped about two spots next semester, it would suit him perfectly.

"Matsumatsu!"

Lunchtime.

I was walking alone down the well-kept path between the athletic field and the school building when that distinct nickname called out from behind made me turn around.

Hiyori was trotting toward me.

She wore a bright, utterly carefree expression.

Did she do well on the exams? No, whatever else might be true, that was definitely not it.

I figured she'd probably landed around thirtieth place. I had to ask.

"Did you eat?"

"Just now. Today's lunch was terrible."

"I thought it was fine."

"You look like it. Taking a walk to digest?"

"Something like that. Did you get your test scores?"

"Yep."

"What rank did you get?"

"Thirty-fifth."

She was five spots lower than I had expected.

I had vastly underestimated her.

"How many people are in your class?"

"Thirty-eight."

Thirty-fifth out of thirty-eight...

Wouldn't someone get that rank if they just guessed on everything and got a bit luckier than the people below them?

Nodding slowly at her for never failing to meet my expectations, I spoke.

"There are actually three people below you."

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I should have been dead last?"

"Wouldn't that have been better? You could have claimed a mental victory by saying you were first from the bottom."

"Wanna die?"

The way she raised her hand over her shoulder in mock anger was incredibly cute.

When I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight, Hiyori smiled back and continued.

"What rank did you get, sunbae-nim?"

"Eleventh."

"Pretty similar to me."

"Don't be so shameless."

"Sorry."

Miho was definitely in first place just like Miyuki, right?

Usually, if you hung around a friend like that, wouldn't you naturally end up studying and see your grades rise?

I didn't know if Hiyori was a special case or the norm.

Anyway, I had thought this before, but Yeboni Academy was too cruel.

They should just let people check their ranks privately... By posting everyone's grades on a public bulletin board, the lower-ranked students could get teased.

Though in Hiyori's case, no one would ever try to tease her, and she herself wouldn't care anyway.

"Ask Mitsushima to teach you how to study over the break."

"Miho actually offered a bunch of times, but I always told her I didn't want to."

"Why do you say that so proudly?"

"What can I do? I hate studying."

When Hiyori or Miyuki came over to my house, it wouldn't be a bad idea to call the other one over to study together.

It would create the perfect picture: last year's study group, but with Tetsuya out and Hiyori in.

Plus, it would be a good opportunity for them to become friends.

"Don't your parents say anything?"

"They yell at me a lot. So then I just pretend to play with my younger brother."

"Didn't you say your brother was little?"

"Yep."

"Why would you use an innocent kid like that?"

"Innocent? What part of him is innocent...! He's a total devil."

"Don't talk about him like that."

"Why are you taking my brother's side when you've never even met him?"

"Because you're badmouthing your little brother."

Tap, tap.

My hand ruffled the top of Hiyori's head a couple of times.

At that, she covered her crown to protect her precious antenna and said, "I'm leaving."

"Where to?"

"The classroom."

"What's the occasion?"

"What do you mean, 'what's the occasion'...! You're annoying today, sunbae-nim."

"Glad to hear it."

"So annoying. I'm going to change my skirt."

She meant she was going to change into a shorter skirt.

Dumbfounded by Hiyori, who mixed rebellion and threats in such a trivial, cute way, I scolded her.

"Go ahead and try it. See what happens."

After bickering a bit more with a pouting Hiyori, I sent a message to Chinami to check her grades.

[Master, the test scores are out, right? What rank did you get?]

[Second place.]

[You did amazingly well. Congratulations.]

[Thank you. I aimed for first, but it wasn't easy.]

[You can aim for it next semester. I'll give you a prize during club activities today.]

[I'm looking forward to it. What kind of prize?]

[A massage.]

[Ah.]

Why did that single word turn me on so much?

The other heroines often let out that same gasp, but for some reason, whenever Chinami did it, it felt incredibly erotic.

Resolving to grope Chinami's body to my heart's content during club activities, I sent a message to Renka next.

[What rank?]

[Probably better than you.]

Renka's academic ability was average.

For her to give an answer like that when she already knew my previous rank?

She must have placed somewhere around fifteenth.

[Higher than eleventh?]

[Die.]

Letting out an easy chuckle at the curse word that popped up immediately, I looked up at the sky.

It was completely clear. It would have been perfect if it weren't for the heat, which was a bit of a shame.

[My, my. You should study a little more.]

[Are you mocking me right now?]

[Didn't the President mock me first?]

[You broke my concentration. If we don't win the tournament, it's your fault.]

[Is today the tournament? You're spouting utter nonsense.]

[Shut up.]

Unlike Chinami, whom I planned to gently massage, I'd have to give Renka a few good smacks.

Having checked the heroines' report cards, I spent the next few days having quiet, peaceful times with them, fully savoring the rest period that had carried over from the school trip.

And just like that, the second summer vacation arrived.