Kaoru-chan.
The nickname almost made Kaoru think he'd run into some onee-san.
Yet as he looked at Haruka before him, she did possess that mature physique—her huge chest far exceeding her peers', slender waist giving way to plump, fair thighs.
Her delicate face were gradually blossoming too, offering glimpses of the captivating woman she'd become.
"Good afternoon, Hasebe-san." Kaoru found it a bit odd but didn't dwell on it.
Judging from the direction Haruka Hasebe had come from, she must have just visited the restroom and happened to see him here.
"While it's a bit unexpected to see Kaoru studying in the library, that's not too hard to understand. But why is Sakura-san here?" Haruka seemed to have noticed Airi Sakura immediately, her eyes sparkling with some inexplicable light.
"I-I was... a-asking Mitoma-kun to help me with..." Airi Sakura's face turned bright red as she stammered incoherently.
Being discovered alone with a boy by a classmate was undoubtedly a shockwave to her brain—it was impressive she hadn't completely shut down on the spot.
"Hmm~" Haruka looked blatantly between Kaoru and Sakura, saying nothing, but her suggestive gaze was impossible to ignore.
"I saw Sakura-san studying alone and asked if she wanted to study together." Kaoru didn't let the conversation linger on himself.
"Are you here for Class D's study group, Hasebe-san?"
Of course, one could study alone in the library, but given Haruka Hasebe's direction toward Class D's study session, it wasn't hard to guess why she was here today.
"Horikita-san and the others are taking the final exams very seriously. They're making all the lower-scoring students attend study sessions, and I got dragged into it too." Haruka twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, looking somewhat disinterested.
"But honestly, given my grades, I might actually get expelled."
The expulsion rule stated that if either a student or their exam partner scored below 60 in any subject, both would be expelled.
Unfortunately, neither she nor her partner could guarantee passing every subject above that threshold.
After a moment of thought, Kaoru suddenly said, "Would you like to study with us instead?"
Haruka Hasebe froze for a second, giving him a strange look before glancing at the two girls beside him.
"Well... I don't doubt your academic abilities, Kaoru-chan. You're from Class A after all and even have time to tutor others. But I'm from Class D—would that really be okay?"
"If it were a problem, I wouldn't have invited Sakura-san, who's also from Class D."
"Fair point. But Kaoru-chan, you're not imagining yourself as some light novel protagonist, are you?"
"?"
"Look at you—one girl on your right, one on your left, and if I sit across from you, doesn't that seem a bit odd?"
"I see your point, but I can't exactly have you sit on my lap. That'd be even weirder."
"?"
Haruka Hasebe fixed him with a deadpan stare and he quickly surrendered.
"Alright, I thought you'd appreciate me playing along with your joke."
"That wasn't a joke—it was borderline harassment." Haruka Hasebe crossed her arms and tilted her chin up slightly, as if looking down on him with disdain.
Just as Kaoru thought the offer was off the table, she suddenly asked, "Are you sure teaching me too... won't be a burden?"
"Do I strike you as the type to give empty pleasantries?" Kaoru replied smoothly.
Haruka flashed him a smile.
"Kaoru is being so assertive. I really can't help it, so I'll reluctantly agree for now."
Despite her words, she obediently walked back to Class D's study group, clearly intending to retrieve her bag and return.
At that moment, Airi Sakura quietly tugged at Kaoru sleeve.
"Sorry, did I upset you?" Kaoru assumed her social anxiety was acting up again.
"N-no, that's not it..." Airi shook her head hurriedly, her gaze conflicted as she stared at Kaoru's face.
"Why... why does Hasebe-san call you by your first name? And so... so intimately too, calling you Kao... K-K-Ka..."
By the end, her face was beet red, completely unlike Hasebe Haruka who could casually say Kaoru's name without hesitation.
"Maybe that's just how she refers to friends. This is actually the first time I've heard her call me that," Kaoru replied, feeling a bit odd himself as he fell into thought.
"But if Hasebe calls me by name, should I do the same for her?"
Airi's breath hitched.
After a while, Hasebe Haruka finally returned, her expression noticeably more relaxed—likely from being extremely uncomfortable at the study group earlier.
"I thought Horikita-san would get angry, but she just froze when I mentioned your name." Haruka remarked as she sat across from Kaoru, though the distance made her frown slightly.
"This spacing isn't ideal. Maybe we should try a café next time?"
Cafés had round tables that allowed closer seating, unlike the library's long tables which felt awkward to her.
Kaoru glanced toward Class D's area where one figure stood out—Horikita Suzune expressionlessly tutoring her classmates, her face was unreadable.
"Is this classmate of yours from your class?" Haruka studied Miki Yamamura before introducing herself.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Hasebe from Class D, Kaoru's friend."
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yamamura," Miki replied with a slight nod, though her eyes darted away nervously.
"Yamamura-san?" Haruka smiled. "You're really cute. Are you Kaoru's exam partner?"
Miki realized she was dealing with the exact type of person she struggled with most, her expression turning awkward.
"She is my partner," Kaoru confirmed. "Mind if I ask about your situation, Hasebe-san?"
"Oh, I'm good at sciences but terrible at humanities—subjects like classical literature and world history," Haruka quickly pulled out her textbooks and notes.
"It's annoying that the school won't return our test papers. We can only check answers."
"No problem, I'll verify them with you later," Kaoru said, noting how neat her handwriting was—typical of a girl's notes.
Haruka blinked, slightly puzzled, but she would soon experience the joys of a certain nation's study methods.
When in doubt, do a practice test first.
No review method compares to the sea of questions strategy.
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