Lunch break ended.
The math teacher, who had extended the class for a while, specifically used the last bit of time to praise Satoru, saying that he had made significant progress and had been very diligent recently.
He also encouraged all the students to learn from him.
Satoru smiled, quite shyly.
You see, this time there was no accountability for sleeping in class.
This was the powerful privilege of an honor student.
Higoshi didn't understand.
He originally thought his buddy was just a little bit more handsome than him, which was why he was popular with girls.
He didn't expect that this time, even his grades were a little bit better than his.
He stared blankly at the three test papers, whose average scores steadily exceeded the huge number 'fifteen'.
Actually, the gap with his buddy wasn't that big: one was first, and the other was last.
"Yo yo yo Higoshi, haven't seen you in a few days, so weak?" Sakito mocked with a laugh.
"Ghost!" Higoshi retorted angrily, "What are you?!"
Sakito proudly waved the math test paper in his hand, with a huge '60' score on it: "By the way, my average score is as high as '17', which is a full two points higher than yours!"
Higoshi felt something was off, but he couldn't quite figure it out at the moment.
Sakito ignored him.
He looked at Satoru, who had stood up: "Kobayashi-san, what would you like to eat? Would you like me to buy it for you?"
He was completely acting like a sycophant.
He had indeed been subservient to Satoru because he was threatened by Kurashiki Reina.
But after being subservient a few times, he actually found it quite enjoyable; he found pleasure in the process.
And as Satoru's reputation soared, Sakito became even more diligent in his flattery, not for anything else, but just to brag in front of others later:
"You know Satoru, right? Number one in his year, the one that Miyajima-senpai from the Kendo Club has to show favor to? Oh my god, I'm so close with him! I just talked to him!"
If Kobayashi-san's current position in the food chain was T0, Sakito believed that by fiercely licking his butt, he would soon reach T1 level.
Ten thousand yen? Just consider it an admission fee!
"Who said it's your turn?!" Higoshi slammed the table. "Aibo is going to have lunch with me. Right, Aibo?"
"Heh, what good things can you treat Kobayashi-san to? I brought enough money this time!" Sakito coolly pulled out his wallet.
"Fine! You have money, I have money too!" Higoshi immediately became displeased, then started fumbling in his pants.
Satoru watched these two old men speechlessly.
Are you guys really fighting over a girl? How disgusting?
"…Um, Kobayashi, someone's looking for you," a boy at the door said timidly.
Higoshi and Sakito simultaneously glared over.
Their strategy was clear: unite against the outside, then begin internal conflict.
Then they first saw the person standing at the door, speaking to Kobayashi.
Their gaze then gradually shifted to the right, where they saw a tall girl, almost as tall as the person, with a refreshing short haircut and a dignified appearance, possessing the demeanor of an ice beauty.
"…Th-this isn't 'Ice Beauty Manager' Akane from the Baseball Club?" Sakito recognized her immediately, still marveling.
Higoshi, however, was already smiling smugly.
You see, this is the deviation in intimacy between people. I already knew about Nanao's illicit… ahem, 'love', 'love' affair with my buddy!
How can you compete with me for my buddy?!
Higoshi smiled proudly, then, under Akane's smiling gaze, he immediately slung his guitar case over his back:
"W-well, as a musician, I need to practice my fingerings at noon. Aibo, you'll have to get your own lunch today, okay?"
With that, he even kicked Sakito, who was nearby.
Sakito, realizing it belatedly, scratched his face and said, "…I, I have to go to the Japanese teacher's office to be scolded. This time, for the essay topic on the test, I wrote 'My Two or Three Things with the Teacher'… As a result, my Japanese score was '-10' points… It set a new record for the lowest score in our school's history, so it looks like I'll have to write two or three self-reflection essays to get by… Kobayashi-san, you'll have to eat alone at noon. Ganbadde!"
Satoru smiled kindly:
"Go to hell."
Higoshi and Sakito quickly left.
Akane was very satisfied with their perceptiveness, then waved at Satoru like a kitten:
"Let's eat, I made sushi today."
"You make multiple portions every day, it makes things difficult for me," Satoru sighed.
Akane giggled foolishly, then joyfully skipped alongside Satoru, who was slowly walking out of the classroom door: "What can I do~~ I can only ask you to help me eat it all~~"
The certain person watched the backs of this celestial couple, clenching his fists, unsure whether to be happy or sad.
His few opportunities to talk to a girl recently had been Akane asking about someone three times.
The certain person had learned to answer quickly, so this time, seeing Akane approaching him, he stiffly and numbly replied before she even spoke: "Higoshi is in the classroom."
But Akane said, "I'm not looking for Higoshi."
The certain person's eyes immediately lit up.
Damn it, could it be that this great beauty finally saw that that cow dung head was nothing special, and then her heart stirred?
Would the beauty, after opening her eyes, find him quite pleasing to the eye and actually be looking for him this time?
Then Akane's next sentence completely shattered his fantasy: "I'm looking for Kobayashi."
The certain person: …
J-just as I thought!
But, wait!
At this moment, a certain individual realized something: Akane approached Ayaka through Higoshi, which meant that when trying to win over a girl, one should start with her best friend!
The individual was overjoyed and immediately formulated a series of plans.
To win over Sakura, one must start with Ayaka!
To win over Reina, one must start with Arisa!
To win over Suzuka, one should start with Akane!
The individual suddenly felt a wide, open road awaiting his arrival.
A bright future, a bright future indeed!!
...
"How about the courtyard this time?" Akane asked.
Having shed her past self, she hoped to stand confidently beside Satoru.
"I want to nap, not go to the courtyard," Satoru replied with a lazy yawn. "The rooftop it is."
"...Alright," Akane answered with a smile.
Where they went wasn't important; what mattered was the person accompanying her.
They walked side-by-side down the corridor.
Akane carried a bento box, while Satoru had his hands in his pockets.
As they passed three girls, one of them suddenly turned around:
"Hey, is that the 'Nanao' person?"
"Yeah, the Baseball Club's Ice Queen manager... but I heard she quit recently."
"Do you think Higashi getting caught has something to do with her?"
They began to whisper and discuss.
Although they were 'whispering', these three girls were clearly not afraid of being overheard, and their voices weren't particularly low.
Satoru and Akane could clearly hear what they were saying.
Satoru glanced at the gesturing trio from the corner of his eye, then looked at Akane:
"Should I go talk some sense into them?"