The dismissal bell rang as usual, but for Class D, it was like a decree, breaking the deathly silence that had lasted all afternoon. However, what followed was not relief, but rather a key that unlocked the panic and confusion suppressed in everyone's hearts. For over a month, the atmosphere had been extremely oppressive due to everyone's points being deducted and no personal points being added. As everyone's personal points gradually dwindled, the atmosphere in the class became even heavier. The figures who used to rush out of the classroom eagerly were now few and far between. Most people just numbly packed their bags, their faces shrouded in an lingering gloom.
In this suffocating silence, Hirata Yosuke stepped forward. He took a deep breath, his handsome face showing undeniable determination, and walked to the front of the classroom. His voice was as gentle as ever, but carried a hint of seriousness not usually present.
"Everyone, please listen to me for a moment."
Everyone's eyes, whether confused or expectant, gathered on him.
"I know everyone is very uneasy about the current situation." Hirata's gaze swept over the dispirited faces. "Without points, life will be very difficult. However, Chabashira-sensei also said that class points can be increased! Our most urgent task now is to ensure that no one is expelled for failing the upcoming midterm exams!"
He paused, his tone becoming more earnest: "Therefore, I propose that starting today, a study group be organized by me and a few other classmates with good grades! It's mainly to help those who are struggling with their studies. The location will be in the classroom after school. I don't want to see anyone from Class D leave! Please... for yourselves, and for this class, let's work hard together!"
His words were like a stone thrown into stagnant water, stirring ripples in the hearts of the classmates. Most of the students who knew their grades were precarious also saw a glimmer of hope in their eyes, and they stood up one after another, gathering towards Hirata. Hirata's girlfriend, Karuizawa Kei, and several girls who were close to Hirata also expressed their support, inviting their friend circles to join.
However, some reacted coldly. Kōenji Rokuosuke, as always, was immersed in his own world, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him, humming an unknown tune, looking in the mirror, and was the first to leave the classroom. There were also some who, perhaps out of some inexplicable confidence, or a natural aversion to group activities, just watched silently, then picked up their bags and slipped out the back door.
In the corner of the back row of the classroom, Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki exchanged glances, their faces showing clear interest. Ike nudged Yamauchi with his elbow, lowered his voice, and said with a wink, "Hey, the study group... Kushida-chan will definitely go, right? And maybe we can even meet other girls..."
"That's right!" Yamauchi's eyes lit up, but then he hesitated, looking at Sudo Ken, who was packing his things on the other side, intending to go to his club. "But, Sudo that guy..."
The two of them looked at Sudo in unison, with a probing look in their eyes. They both knew that Sudo had a bit of a grudge against Hirata, who always played the role of the "good guy," because of something that happened at the beginning of the school year. However, Sudo just gave a cold glance at the crowd gathered around Hirata, let out a cold 'hum' from his nose, then slung his bag over his shoulder and strode out of the classroom without looking back.
"Tsk..." Seeing this, Ike and Yamauchi felt as if a basin of cold water had been poured over them, and their rekindled enthusiasm instantly extinguished by more than half. They stood awkwardly in place, caught between a rock and a hard place.
Horikita Suzune remained quietly in her seat the entire time, like an aloof ice sculpture. She coldly watched Hirata form the study group, watched the group split, and then saw Ike and Yamauchi's expressions, a hint of sarcasm flashing in her raised eyebrows. As her gaze swept over the class and came to Natsukawa and Ayanokoji next to her, her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, her gaze merely shifted, moving to Ayanokoji, then she retracted her gaze, picked up her book, and also got up and left.
Ayanokoji silently looked at Classmate Natsukawa, then poked his back with a pen. "Are you joining Hirata's study group? I remember your scores for the Japanese language and sociology quizzes weren't very good, were they?"
Classmate Natsukawa turned around and shook his head at him. "Hirata's method isn't for me. I plan to study at the Library later. You go back to the dorm first."
Ayanokoji then silently picked up his school bag and, like a ghost, quietly blended into the departing crowd.
The classroom gradually quieted down, with only the dozen or so people gathered around Hirata still discussing the details of the study group, and... Classmate Natsukawa's gaze passed over the now empty desks, landing on the figure still huddled in the back row.
Sakura Airi.
Her head was bowed, and her thick glasses reflected the light from the window, making it impossible to see her eyes. Her hands tightly gripped the straps of the school bag on her lap, her knuckles white from the effort. She was like a forgotten sculpture in a corner, and between her and Hirata's group in front, there seemed to be an invisible, thick wall.
Classmate Natsukawa got up and walked towards that corner forgotten by the sun. His footsteps were light, but in the almost frozen air, they were still clearly audible.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, Sakura's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and her head dropped even lower, almost burying itself in her chest.
"Sakura." Classmate Natsukawa stopped by her desk, his voice very gentle.
"Ah... yes, Classmate Natsukawa..." Sakura, like a startled rabbit, suddenly looked up, her bright blue eyes behind the glasses filled with panic and helplessness. Her cheeks quickly flushed, and her gaze darted around, not daring to meet Classmate Natsukawa's eyes.
"Why didn't you go to Hirata's side?" Classmate Natsukawa gestured with his eyes to the group in front. "Are you very confident in your grades?"
"No, it's not that..." Sakura quickly shook her head, her voice as thin as a mosquito's buzz, with an almost imperceptible tremor. "I... my grades aren't good either... but, so many people... I..."
Her words were broken, and her hands unconsciously twisted the strap of her school bag, almost wringing the poor strap into a braid. That appearance, as if she wished to shrink into a ball and completely hide herself, clearly explained everything—for her, who was extremely afraid of crowds and unfamiliar environments, joining a study group of more than a dozen people was as difficult as having Bocchi-chan perform a guitar solo at a cultural festival without joining the Kessoku Band.
Well, that's pretty heavy too.
Classmate Natsukawa looked at her shoulders, which were slightly rising and falling due to nervousness, and at her helpless expression, like a chick drenched in rain. He actually understood Sakura's situation from the beginning, but to lead to the next step, he still had to go through this process.
"I understand." He nodded, his tone calm, without any blame or coercion. "In that case, I'll help you with your tutoring."
"Eh?" Sakura suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with disbelief. Those blue eyes, always hidden behind her glasses, were now slightly widened in shock, like two sapphires wiped clean of dust, sparkling with a faint but moving luster in the dim light. "Classmate Natsukawa... tutoring... me?"
"Mm." Classmate Natsukawa's tone was matter-of-fact. "I can't just watch you get expelled for failing, can I? Besides, aren't we friends?"
"Friends..." Sakura murmured the word, the blush on her cheeks deepening, like the evening glow staining white snow. She lowered her head, nervously picking at the fabric of her school bag, clearly engaged in an intense internal struggle. On one hand, she was afraid of troubling others; on the other hand, Classmate Natsukawa's suggestion was like a beacon in the darkness for her, full of an irresistible temptation.
After several seconds, she finally asked timidly in an almost inaudible voice, "B-but... Classmate Natsukawa, your own grades... are they okay? I... I saw your previous quizzes..."
Her words carried cautious probing, clearly remembering Classmate Natsukawa's not-so-excellent performance in certain subjects. She didn't want to drag Classmate Natsukawa down because of herself.
Hearing this, Classmate Natsukawa's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. Of course, he couldn't say he had opened it. So he found a reasonable excuse: "It's fine. I also need to consolidate my basics. We can go to the Library together; I'll study while teaching you, and we can supervise each other."
He paused, looking at Sakura's eyes, which still held hesitation and unease, and added, "The Library is very quiet, and there won't be many people. Just the two of us."
"Just... the two of us..." Sakura repeated softly, as if these few words held some magical power. She secretly raised her eyelids, quickly glanced at Classmate Natsukawa, and seeing the calm and serious expression on his face, the thick barrier in her heart seemed to be pried open with a tiny crack.
A warm current, accompanied by an indescribable sense of relief, quietly surged through her heart, dispelling the long-standing panic and coldness. She pursed her lips tightly, as if having made some huge decision, and finally gathered her courage to nod gently.
"Mm... Th-thank you, Classmate Natsukawa... Really... thank you very much!" Her voice was still very soft, but much clearer than before, with a hint of choked relief and pure, heartfelt gratitude.
The sunlight happened to shift a bit at this moment, casting a soft glow through the window onto her slightly upturned face. Even her thick glasses couldn't completely conceal the subtle glimmer in her eyes at this moment—a complex emotion mixed with hope, trust, and dependence. Her entire being seemed enveloped in a faint golden halo, and the previous taut, fragile feeling, as if she might shatter at any moment, quietly melted away somewhat, replaced by an indescribable... vibrancy.
Classmate Natsukawa watched this scene, his heart stirred slightly. He seemed to see a flower bud that had been cautiously curled up in a dark corner for a long time, finally tentatively stretching its soft petals towards the ray of sunlight filtering through a crack.
"Then it's settled." Classmate Natsukawa's tone lightened. "You pack up first, and we'll go to the Library. Remember to bring your textbooks and exercises."
"O-okay!" Sakura quickly responded, busily tidying up the items on her desk. Her movements, though still a bit flustered, were no longer as helpless and stiff as before.
Classmate Natsukawa turned around, his gaze sweeping over the setting sun outside the window. Helping Sakura was partly out of compassion for her purity and vulnerability, and partly to fulfill the system's requirement of "four hours of daily study." After all, there were many distractions in class, and Classmate Natsukawa still had nearly an hour of reading to complete. This was killing two birds with one stone.
And he didn't notice that the moment he turned around, Sakura, who was hurriedly stuffing a notebook into her school bag, secretly looked up at his tall yet somewhat slender back. In her eyes behind the glasses, that gratitude was like a stone thrown into the heart of a lake, spreading circle after circle of gentle ripples that lingered for a long time.