“Ugh, today too, it’s studying again. I know getting a failing score is bad and I get that I have to work hard but…”

I, Karuizawa Kei, can’t exactly say I’m smart, even as flattery.

So if I don’t study properly, it’s going to be bad but…

'It feels like the way Horikita-san looks at Kiyotaka has changed.'

I was already really wary before.

But now it feels way more dangerous than before.

“No no, this is bad, this is bad. I need to focus properly…”

In the afternoon, Kiyotaka is holding a study session, so I can’t see him, but at night, it’s studying in Kiyotaka’s room.

Studying with your lover is actually a pretty nice situation, I think but…

'Sudō-kun is there most of the time too. If it’s like this, even if I expected something, nothing would—no no, I’m not expecting anything at all!!'

While thinking if there isn’t some good way around it, I head to Kiyotaka’s room.

“…The door’s unlocked? That’s rare.”

Normally it stays locked until I arrive, so it stays closed until I open it with my spare key.

Then a voice calls out from inside.

“You’re late, Ayanokōji-kun. I’ve been waiting so long.”

Huh???

Why is Horikita-san here!?

“Hey, what is going on!? Why is Horikita-san here!?”

“Oh, it was Karuizawa-san. I’m intruding. Though this is Ayanokōji-kun’s room, so maybe it’s strange to say that to you.”

“No, if there’s another girl in your boyfriend’s room, that’s intruding, isn’t it!?”

“I don’t think I meant it in that way. Anyway, calm down, Karuizawa-san. I already know, so you don’t have to treat him like your boyfriend.”

What!? How do you know!?

No, she might just be testing me. I should watch how this goes.

My head, which was heating up, cools down in an instant.

“…What do you mean, Horikita-san? Kiyotaka and I are dating.”

“…That quick thinking of yours and the fact you serve as the girls’ leader. He probably wanted someone like that by his side, didn’t he? Ah, don’t worry. He knows I’ve already found out. This information is the truth, so you don’t need to doubt it.”

“…Say that first. But don’t tell anyone else, okay?”

“I’m not going to do something like that when it could cause the class to fall apart. So relax, Karuizawa-san.”

If Kiyotaka knows she knows, then it shouldn’t be a problem.

Wait, what were we even talking about?

“Nooooo way! I can’t relax at all! So why are you here, Horikita-san!!! Kiyotaka isn’t even here and it should’ve been locked for sure!?”

“You’re loud, Karuizawa-san. The answer is simple. Like you, I had them make me a spare key. It was so easy to make that I was almost disappointed. Do they not have a concept of privacy?”

Yeah, I thought that too, but that doesn’t matter.

That’s not the important part.

“Stop dodging. I’m asking why you’re here.”

“You could call it settling a debt. Since he toyed with 'my body' (tickling her) so much, I thought that would cancel it out. But he’s not satisfied with just that and seems like he still intends to demand something from me. It’s depressing. I wonder what he’s going to demand.”

He toyed with Horikita-san's body!?!

Even I haven’t had him lay a hand on me yet!?!

N-No, I’m not saying I want him to lay a hand on me or anything!!

And calling Horikita-san to his room to settle a debt is totally out of bounds!!!

I heard the front door open.

“It’s fine if you arrive first, but at least lock the door. It’s way too careless.”

“Kiyotaka! Lay your hands on me too!”

“…Huh?”

* * *

I’m sitting in the corner of the room in a gym sit, bright red.

Kiyotaka and Horikita-san are playing chess.

Apparently it’s to boost Horikita-san’s thinking ability.

Just like the training with Sudō-kun, this chess with Horikita-san is something they do basically every day.

Where does my time with him even go…

“Kei. I get that you were embarrassed about misunderstanding things, but make sure you study properly.”

“My apologies, Karuizawa-san. Somehow, when I look at you, I feel like teasing you. I’m sorry.”

“You’re definitely not apologizing!”

This woman… I’ve heard even Kushida-san dislikes her and I don’t feel like I can get along with her either!

“Even so, I think you and I will probably be involved for a long time and deeply. So we should exchange contact information. A time may come when it’s useful.”

“…I don’t want to be involved with someone who says they want to tease me. But yeah, it probably is better to have your contact info, so I’ll go along with it.”

“By the way, Horikita. Haven’t you been messing with me too much lately?”

“I can only beat you with words, so it can’t be helped, can it? Besides, seeing Ayanokōji-kun’s troubled face is pretty amusing.”

See, it’s suspicious after all!

There’s no way I can focus on studying like this!

* * *

After finishing chess with Ayanokōji-kun, on my way back to my room, I think.

'The truth is, I have high expectations for Karuizawa-san.'

Ayanokōji-kun clearly has very few emotional parameters.

He seems to feel things like finding something interesting or getting flustered, but when it comes to love, he seems to have almost none.

Does he even have likes and dislikes?

'Right now, Ayanokōji-kun is looking forward to fighting others. Then what happens if he wins everything? If there are no enemies left?'

If that happens, I don’t know what will occur.

Even so—

'If we can make Ayanokōji-kun become attached to Karuizawa-san. No, it doesn’t have to be Karuizawa-san specifically. If we can make him strongly attached to someone in Class D.'

Then our class won’t suffer any losses.

For that, we need to cooperate well with Karuizawa-san and increase his emotional parameters.

'And I’m interested in Ayanokōji-kun myself. Karuizawa-san seems to see right through it, so it’ll be easier to move if I just accept it openly.'

To begin with, Ayanokōji-kun is the only non-familial male I have any close relationship with.

And he comes with the extra of being a monster who might surpass my brother.

It can’t be helped that I’d become conscious of him.

'Or rather, dealing with that abnormality alone might be difficult. Better two than one and better three than two… It might be best to surround him with a large group.'

Thinking thoughts that Karuizawa-san probably wouldn’t be happy about, I returned to my room.