The next day during lunch break, as Natsukawa Sosuke encountered Ayanokoji in the hallway, Horikita Suzune happened to be walking from the opposite direction. Natsukawa subconsciously became wary.
However, Horikita's reaction was beyond his expectation.
She stopped in front of him, her violet-red eyes staring directly at him. Her gaze was unusually complex, with residual anger and unwillingness, but more so a kind of scrutiny and... struggle. She didn't immediately act, nor did she even utter a sharp taunt.
The air solidified for a few seconds.
Finally, as if having made some huge decision, Horikita took a deep breath and said in an extremely stiff voice, almost squeezed through clenched teeth: "Natsukawa...-kun. Regarding...how to integrate the class...I need your...help."
After saying this, her cheeks flushed slightly, not from shyness, but from the surge of blood caused by extreme humiliation. Her eyes, which always held an air of arrogance, now avoided Natsukawa's direct gaze, looking at the ground beside them.
Natsukawa understood in his heart, knowing that yesterday's "medicine" had taken effect, but he hadn't expected the results to be so good. It shouldn't have been, but even so, the effect was clearly not enough. He couldn't let her think that asking for help was such an easy matter.
He didn't respond immediately, instead sizing her up with a gaze that was almost pitying, a faint curve playing on his lips, his tone carrying a condescending scrutiny: "Oh? Wasn't it just yesterday that you swore you didn't need 'burdens' and would let them fend for themselves? What, after only one day, has our proud Miss Horikita changed her mind? Or have you finally realized that you can't even handle a few 'defective products' on your own?"
These words were like cold needles, precisely piercing Horikita's fragile self-esteem. Her fists instantly clenched, knuckles white, her body trembling slightly. She abruptly looked up, her eyes practically spitting fire. "You...!"
"What about me?" Natsukawa interrupted her, stepping closer, his voice not loud but carrying an undeniable sense of oppression. "If you want to ask for help, you need to have the attitude of someone asking for help. Recognizing your own incompetence and limitations is the first step to growth. If you can't even do that, you might as well give up your unrealistic Class A fantasy early and content yourself with staying in Class D, being the 'big fish in a small pond'."
He deliberately used the term "big fish in a small pond" to provoke her. Sure enough, Horikita's face immediately turned from red to white. For her, being unable to reach Class A, where her brother was, was no different from failure.
"…You're right." After a long pause, she almost exhausted all her strength to squeeze out these three words from her throat, her voice low and hoarse. Her usually straight back seemed to have bent slightly. Natsukawa's continuous blows and the current merciless belittlement had caused cracks to appear in her sturdy outer shell of self.
"Just admitting your mistake isn't enough." Natsukawa said slowly, seeing that the time was right. "To solve the problem, I alone am not enough; you also need help from another person—Kushida Kikyo."
"What? How could...!" Horikita subconsciously wanted to refute, her face filled with repulsion.
"Put away your useless prejudices." Natsukawa interrupted again, his tone commanding. "Don't you want to get into Class A? Then take practical action. Kushida possesses an affability and communication ability that you cannot match; this is the 'tool' you need most right now. Now, come with me to find her, and then, you, personally, will ask for her help."
He deliberately emphasized "tool" and "personally ask," both to further suppress her self-esteem and to reinforce the reality that she had to rely on others.
Horikita struggled intensely internally. The prospect of "Class A" that Natsukawa painted intertwined with her current sense of humiliation. Finally, as if recalling something, she replayed Natsukawa's words in her mind. Her longing for Class A and Natsukawa's pressing demeanor finally overwhelmed her arrogant self-esteem.
She silently followed behind Natsukawa, like a prisoner being escorted.
When they found Kushida, she was chatting cheerfully with a few girls, an impeccable, energetic smile on her face. Seeing Natsukawa and Horikita appear together, especially Horikita's extremely unnatural stiff expression, a flicker of quick surprise and amusement flashed in Kushida's eyes, but it was quickly hidden by her perfect smile.
"Natsukawa-kun, Horikita-san? Is there something you need from me?" Her voice was still sweet.
Natsukawa gestured to Horikita with his eyes.
Horikita took a deep breath, avoiding Kushida's gaze, staring at the ground, and said stiffly in an almost inaudible voice: "Kushida...-san. Regarding...Sudo and the others'...study group...I...need your...help."
After saying this, her ears were completely red.
Kushida's smile became even brighter, as if she had heard the most beautiful request in the world. "Of course, Horikita-san!" she responded enthusiastically. "I'm so happy to be able to help! Don't worry, leave it to me!"
Kushida was very efficient. By the end of the first period that afternoon, she had successfully gathered Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudo with a perfect smile. However, things did not go smoothly.
"We'll come back, but she has to apologize for her attitude yesterday!" Sudo said, one arm crossed, the other pointing at Horikita.
"Exactly, why did Horikita say those things to us!" Ike and Yamauchi echoed from the side.
Horikita's eyes had now regained their arrogance: "I have nothing to apologize for."
The situation was at a standstill for a moment, showing signs of falling apart again.
Seeing this, Kushida immediately stepped in to mediate, "Sudo-kun, Horikita-san also wants everyone to pass the exam smoothly, so perhaps her approach was a bit too eager at first... Could everyone please try again for my sake? I promise it will go smoothly this time!"
Kushida clasped her hands together, her sparkling eyes wide, revealing her signature, irresistibly cute pleading expression.
The three looked at Kushida's pleading expression, and their firm resolve immediately began to waver. They looked at each other, and finally, reluctantly mumbled things like "For Kikyo-chan's sake..." and "If it happens again, we're absolutely not doing it," grudgingly agreeing to participate again.
Horikita stood aside, observing this scene. In this extremely unwilling "cooperation," she truly experienced for the first time the dilemma that her personal strength could not solve, and... the man named Natsukawa Sosuke's precise grasp of human psychology and his uncomfortable yet irresistible control.
She turned to look at Natsukawa, recalling her conversation with her brother last night, her heart a mix of emotions... On the second day of the official establishment of the Horikita Study Group, after school, Kanzaki Ryuji arrived at the door of Class D's classroom, his expression as serious as ever. He looked into the classroom and said, "Hirata-kun, excuse me, could I have a word with you?" His voice was steady, but it instantly attracted many gazes inside and outside the classroom.
A hint of surprise flashed in Hirata's eyes. He told the students around him, "Sorry, everyone, please look after yourselves for a moment," and then stood up and walked towards the door.
The two stood in a secluded spot in the hallway. Kanzaki got straight to the point: "Hirata-kun, on behalf of Ichinose and Class B, I hope to have some academic exchange and cooperation with Class D regarding the upcoming midterm exam."
Hirata was slightly taken aback.
Kanzaki continued, "We believe that there isn't only competition between classes. In some situations, cooperation can achieve a win-win situation. This midterm exam is an opportunity. We can share some study methods and resources, supervise each other, and ensure that no students in our classes fail. At the same time, this can lay a preliminary foundation of trust for future special exams that may require class collaboration."
Hirata looked at Kanzaki's earnest expression, devoid of any pretense, and the taut string in his heart seemed to be gently plucked. He knew too well the predicament they faced—limited students willing to help, but many needing help. Just maintaining order and explaining basics already left them exhausted. If students from Class B could join... A feeling of gratitude and relief, like grasping a life raft, surged through his heart. He almost immediately nodded: "Of course! Thank you very much to everyone in Class B, and please convey my gratitude to Ichinose-san!" His tone carried genuine emotion, "As expected of Class B, adapting so quickly and willing to proactively offer help..."
Kanzaki also found it a bit odd. It was Class D who proposed it first; hadn't Hirata been informed beforehand, or was it, as always, a desire to remain hidden? But he merely nodded slightly: "We can discuss the specific details later. The preliminary idea is to mix students from our two classes who have difficulty in certain subjects, adopting a format where one student with a better foundation leads three to four students for more targeted group tutoring."
"That's truly wonderful!" Hirata's eyes lit up with hope. "With more people, we can even do small quizzes to check learning outcomes! I will fully cooperate on my end!"
Thus, the joint study group of Class B and Class D was quickly established under a tacit understanding of mutual benefit. Hirata was responsible for coordinating Class D's side, and soon, several study groups composed of mixed Class B and Class D 'teachers' and students quietly began cooperative learning in the Library and empty classrooms after school.