Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e

Volume 9, Chapter 2: “A Changing Relationship” Part 2

The Ayanokōji Group assembled in a cafe with all its members present save for Akito, who’s headed off to his club. Haruka started the conversation.

“So, what do you think is the truth behind that little farce between Yamauchi-kun and Sakayanagi-san earlier?”

“Can we really call it a farce though?”

Keisei asked Haruka that once again.

“That’s- I mean, right Airi?”

“I… I think that was, umm, that…”

Airi said so with a slight blush.

“Ehh? But I mean, wasn’t that a bit sly?”

“Yeah, her gestures looked that way but… like Keisei-kun said, maybe she’s trying to investigate Class C so she can do something bad.”

“That’s that thing where you make someone think that.”

By boldly showing up, she’d try to make us think it’s not a trap because it’s overwhelmingly simple. There’s some truth to that as well.

“Kiyopon and Yukimu~, what do you think? Do you really think romance is a possibility?”

Haruka asked us again.

“I’m not very well-versed in that area. Please don’t ask me that so many times.”

Not wanting to talk about romance any further than this, Keisei refused to answer.

Inevitably enough, Haruka and Airi turned this way.

“Yamauchi and Sakayanagi haven’t interacted until now, it’s too abrupt. Isn’t it too much to call it romance?”

“That’s a rational opinion, Kiyopon. Romance does require a foundation but it’d be a different case for someone like Hirata-kun. Of course, the same doesn’t hold true for Yamauchi-kun.”

In the end, we couldn’t continue with the conversation with only the information we have at hand. Eventually, the topic changed from Yamauchi and Sakayanagi’s romance to the situation in Class C.

“Ahh, speaking of Hirata-kun… He broke up with Karuizawa-san, right?”

“I’m not surprised, or maybe I should say I always thought they’d break up one day.”

“Ehh, r-really?”

“You might call it appropriate for the boys’ leader and the girls’ leader to be a couple but they don’t really go well together, do they? How should I put it, Hirata-kun seems like he’d appreciate a quiet, beautiful girl more.”

“Karuizawa-san is also cute… Don’t you think so, Kiyotaka-kun?”

Airi asked me a question that’s truly difficult to answer.

Or rather, I should say she asked me because she wanted to hear the answer to that.

“I’m not sure. I’ve never really paid attention to Karuizawa after all.”

I don’t know what Airi’s thinking but that answer is all I can give.

“Well, I suppose that’s true~ Anyways, Karuizawa-san aside, the problem is that Hirata-kun is now free.”

Haruka deliberately changed the topic back to Hirata.

“Quite a lot of girls in our class like Hirata-kun. I wonder what’s going to happen.”

“Really?”

“Ehh- You didn’t notice? For example, Mii-chan definitely likes him.”

“Ahh...now that you mention it, she looks over at Hirata-kun from time to time.”

“Right, right?”

Keisei took out his notebook, perhaps because he’s grown tired of the romance talk.

“I’ll study.”

“Ahh, it’s almost our end-of-year exam… I just remembered something depressing.”

“I need to come up with something for Haruka and the others to use as well.”

Haruka lowered her head towards the table as though bowing.

Chabashira didn’t give us any explanation in particular regarding the end-of-year exam. In other words, it’s going to be a written exam as usual.

If a student gets a failing grade, they’ll be expelled immediately. That’s probably how it’ll be.

“Around when do we start up our study group?”

“Let’s see… Let’s start as soon as the practice test on the 15th is over. If we start there, we’ll have roughly 10 days until the end-of-year exam. If we focus on past problems and trends, we should be fine.”

“As expected of Yukimu~, perfect plan. I agree I agree.”

Haruka seemed happy, maybe because she didn’t want to start studying right away.

“The last special exam of the school year will probably be held after the end of school year exam ends in March.”

“Last special exam of the school year… I see, the 1st year is almost over.”

“A lot of things happened but when it’s all over, it seems like time flew by.”

Airi and Haruka both look back on the past year.

“It’s still too early to be reminiscing. If you flunk the end of school year exam, it’s expulsion for you. And it still depends on the contents of the special exam.”

Keisei brought them back to reality. It’s probably because he wants what’s best for Haruka and the others.

“Ahh.”

Right after Keisei started studying, Haruka noticed something.

When I followed her gaze, I saw Ichinose there.

She was together with several boys and girls, all of them Class B students.

They’re probably gathering much like we are but from what I can see, their expressions are stiff.

It looked like they’re attempting to protect Ichinose from the slander and defamation she’s receiving. But Ichinose herself probably doesn’t desire a situation like this.

She’s acting the way she usually does, chatting with her friends and cheerfully calling out to people as she went along. But if there’s something worrying about this, it would be the fact that Kanzaki isn’t there.

As Ichinose’s second-in-command, I get the image of them frequently being together.

“Quite the problem now, isn’t it?”

Haruka looked at Ichinose coldly.

“…Weird rumors, is what it seems to be. I don’t know who’s spreading them around but that’s awful…”

“It’s not that unusual, is it? This time it went too far but similar things happen occasionally, don’t they? I guess that’s the burden popular girls have to bear?”

“Really?”

Airi looked perplexed, as though she had no idea about that.

“If Airi were the aggressive type like Ichinose, I’m sure there’ll be people envious of you right now though?”

That certainly may be the case. But still, it doesn’t look like Airi can even imagine herself as the aggressive type.

She tried to think of it but it would seem she’s failed at that.

“Well, isn’t it best to not worry about it?”

Ichinose probably understands that too, Haruka said.

I continued to listen to Haruka and Airi’s conversation without joining in.

(Part 2 End)