After the incident involving Sudo was completely resolved, there were still nearly two weeks left before the midterm exams.
The members of Hashima Hikaru's study group included himself, Ichinose Honami, Himeyuki Yukie, Shiranami, and Shibata. After finalizing the study session plan with Sakura Airi, he began discussing with Ichinose Honami.
"Do you have any plans for the upcoming midterm exams, Ichinose-san?" The boy tilted his head slightly as he looked at the pink-haired girl trusted by all their classmates.
"I do. Since we've already formed study groups for each class, we can use that framework to conduct more thorough reviews and fill in any gaps. After all, the benchmark for the midterms isn't the highest scores, right?"
Ichinose Honami swept her pink hair behind her shoulders, her eyes shining with confidence. "I believe everyone in our class will pass without any problems."
"That's true. Everyone has been working hard since the start of the semester, so there's no need to worry too much about that."
Hashima rubbed his chin. Since he needed to stick to his time management plan, he said to Ichinose Honami, "However, from now on, I'll probably only be able to attend study sessions for about two hours at a time."
"Eh? Why?"
Hearing this, Ichinose immediately frowned, her expression tinged with reluctance. "Hashima-kun, do you not want to study with us?"
"Of course not. My habit is to balance work and rest. Two hours in a study session is more than enough to solidify my understanding of the material," Hashima replied with a smile, his tone matter-of-fact. "Besides, Ichinose-san, you already know I go swimming every night, right? Recently, I've also discovered a new interest I'd like to spend some time exploring."
"What kind of interest?"
"Reading. It's a way to broaden my knowledge. I visited our school's library earlier, and the collection there is vast. I'd like to spend some time there."
"But..."
Though Ichinose knew she shouldn't restrict his actions, for some reason, every time Hashima mentioned having other things to do, she couldn't help but feel a pang of resistance.
It wasn't even something she could control.
"And one more thing I'd like to say to you, Ichinose-san: even if you want to maintain our class's ranking, you don't need to put too much pressure on yourself or the other classmates."
"There's still plenty of time ahead. Studying is a long-distance race. If you force yourself to stay tense all the time, you might end up burning out in other areas."
"Mm, I won't pressure everyone to spend all their free time studying. Regular study sessions are enough—I know how hard everyone's working." Ichinose nodded slightly, indicating that she wouldn't impose that pressure on the others.
After all, most of their classmates were already disciplined about studying, and the group assignments were based on complementary strengths in different subjects. Following a steady pace for review was already a reliable approach.
There would be smaller quizzes before the midterms to gauge everyone's progress.
As for the idea of score manipulation, there was no need to mention it to the others yet. They could use it as a last resort after the review period.
"Exactly. Ichinose-san, you should spend more time on yourself instead of focusing entirely on the others. If you ever have any problems, you can always reach out to me." Hashima offered his advice.
He understood her personality well—she was the type to shoulder burdens for others. While this trait had earned her immense trust and goodwill, it had also become a shackle.
Now that the class was unified, Hashima hoped Ichinose could occasionally act for herself, which would help her relax.
This also aligned with his time management plan. After all, if Ichinose focused more on herself, she'd pay less attention to him.
To become a master manipulator, Hashima would likely interact frequently with girls from other classes in the future. If Ichinose saw that... it might cause some trouble.
Feeling the warmth in his gaze, Ichinose's heart softened, and she nodded firmly. "I will. Thank you for your concern, Hashima-kun."
"Mm, don't push yourself too hard."
After finalizing the study groups, Ichinose and the class had agreed to hold study sessions three times a week, with no fixed time or location. Aside from reviewing material, they'd also go over practice questions and explanations.
Today wasn't a scheduled study session day, so Hashima bid farewell to the girl beside him and left the classroom with his bag.
He planned to scout out the library today to see if he could run into Shiina Hiyori.
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School's library occupied a large area on the artificial island. Since it served all three grade levels, its collection was vast, covering many different fields with high-quality books. Students could borrow books simply by scanning their student IDs with their phones.
Of course, those who preferred not to borrow could read inside the library. Aside from towering bookshelves, there were plenty of tables for students who wanted to study. However, silence was mandatory—a universal rule.
Though quiet conversation was allowed as long as it didn't disturb others.
When Hashima stepped into the spacious, beautifully designed library, the rich scent of books washed over him.
"This place is amazing. It's a great spot to pass the time."
Hashima observed his surroundings as he strolled between the shelves. Whether in his past life or this one, he'd always enjoyed reading. Losing himself in books helped him escape many worries.
"Hmm, I'll take a look around first. Maybe I'll run into Shiina."
With that thought, Hashima began exploring different sections of the library. If he ended up investing in Shiina Hiyori's "stock," he might become a frequent visitor.
After about ten minutes, a slender figure with gray hair appeared in his line of sight.
It was the D-class strategist who had assisted Ibuki Mio—Shiina Hiyori.
The elegant girl stood at the librarian's counter, seemingly in the middle of checking out a book.
Hashima immediately recalled the analysis results from the [Stock Analyzer], which had clearly outlined Shiina's preferences.
[Stock Rise Suggestion: Become her book-loving friend. Discuss mystery novels with her to earn her unique appreciation.]
After reviewing this information, Hashima steadied himself and walked toward the counter.
Having just finished checking out her book, Shiina Hiyori noticed someone approaching. She turned her head and was surprised to see Hashima, whom she'd met once before.
She still remembered his visit to her class to sell "hidden rules." He seemed acquainted with Ibuki and was now a key figure in Class A.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where the mystery novels are?"
Hashima pretended not to notice the gray-haired girl nearby and addressed the librarian directly.
"Mystery novels? They should be on Shelf 11. Just go straight ahead and turn right."
The librarian, an older woman, smiled warmly at the handsome boy.
"Got it."
Hashima nodded and turned to leave—only to "accidentally" meet Shiina's violet eyes.
"Shiina... san?" He feigned surprise.
"Hashima-kun, do you like mystery novels too?"
Hearing his question, Shiina's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected this boy from another class to share her interest—especially since she'd never seen him here before.
"Ah, yeah," Hashima replied, tilting his head slightly. "Do you have any questions, Shiina-san?"
"No, it's nothing."
The gray-haired girl shook her head, then offered, "I know where the mystery novels are. Would you like me to show you?"
"Really? That'd be a big help. I haven't been here much, so I'm not too familiar with the layout."
"Please follow me."