Living in Tokyo, starting with a lifestyle-related job

Shiina Shoko shook Maejima Rika anxiously:

"Mirai-chan is number one!"

"But two people tied for first place in this midterm exam!"

"There are two first place winners?" Maejima Rika was stunned for a moment. She raised her head and squinted to take a closer look. When she saw the name that was tied for first place with Chitanda Mirai, her eyes widened in disbelief, and she stood there dumbfounded for a long time.

After she came to her senses, she looked at Shiina Shoko with a shocked expression, and tremblingly extended her finger, saying:

"Wow... Kamishiro-kun is also in first place?!"

Shiina Shoko nodded frantically, her eyes sparkling with joy, and said:

"Kamidai-kun is so awesome!"

"They were only rated C before, but now they're in first place!"

Rika Maejima covered her head, still unable to believe that Shiro Shiro was actually in first place.

She stamped her feet in frustration, shaking Shiina Shoko's shoulder and complaining:

"wrong!"

"How can this be!!!"

"Why is Kamishiro-kun number one?!"

"I've been in the Literature Club for so long, and I've never seen him study at all!"

"I spend my days either reading novels or working."

"I even heard Erina say that he doesn't study when he gets home."

"How could his grades be so good under these circumstances?"

Shiina Shoko scratched her head and stammered:

Even if you ask Xiangzi like that.

"Xiangzi doesn't know either."

"However, Xiangzi thought it might be better to ask Jinshiro-kun himself; perhaps then he would know the answer."

As Maejima Rika looked at Kamishiro Hakufu's score, her breathing became increasingly rapid, and her eyes became somewhat dazed and unfocused.

I've worked so hard for so many days, spending my time after school either studying at a coffee shop, attending tutoring classes, or getting tutoring from Sister Gaoyuan.

I really worked hard for many, many days!

She has never studied this hard before!

Rika works so hard so that she can beat Kamishiro-kun in grades and then go on a date with him!

But now they're saying that Kamishiro-kun actually got first place?!

It also

This is amazing!!!

A wildly joyful smile slowly spread across Rika Maejima's face as she excitedly grasped Shoko Shiina's hands:

"Kamishiro-kun is number one! Number one!!!"

Shiina was a little confused.

I don't quite understand why Rika Maejima is so excited.

Didn't Rinka-chan lose her bet with Kamishiro-kun?

Shouldn't we be sad now?

After all, if I lose, I won't be able to go on a date with Kamishiro-kun alone!

But why am I so happy now?

Shiina Shoko looked at Maejima Rika with some concern, thinking that perhaps she was too heartbroken to be acting like this.

Seeing Pear Blossom like this, Xiangzi felt a pang of sympathy and suggested:

"Pear Blossom, what's wrong?"

"Would you like Xiangzi to take you to rest for a bit?"

Maeshima Rika said in confusion:

Why should I rest?

"I'm in great shape right now!"

Shiina Shoko was also dumbfounded:

"Coco, you lost your bet with Kamishiro-kun, shouldn't you be sad?"

Rika Maejima shook her hand and chuckled:

"No way!"

"On the contrary, I should be happier that his current grades are so outstanding!"

"Because in that case, he would have no reason to say that women would only affect my studies."

Shiina Shoko scratched her head, somewhat confused:

"Why do you say that?"

Rika Maejima patiently explained:

"After all, look, he got first place!"

Shiina Shoko was still scratching her head:

"But even being number one requires studying to maintain that level."

Rika Maejima retorted irritably:

"I know."

"But have you seen any study guides besides literature books during this period?"

Shiina Shoko was stunned:

"It seems there really isn't."

Rika Maejima chuckled:

"That's right."

"In other words, Kamishiro-kun is already very good. I estimate that he is at the same level as Mirai-chan, so good that he only needs to study in class and his grades are already good at home without having to study."

Shiina Shoko exclaimed in surprise:

"Yes!"

"Mirai-chan is usually either reading literature or chatting and playing with us."

"From the first day Xiangzi met Mirai-chan, he never saw her study."

"According to what you said, it seems that Kamishiro-kun and Mirai-chan have really been the same lately."

“He spends his days either working or reading literature.”

"They haven't studied it at all."

Maejima Rika nodded emphatically:

"Correct!"

"At first, I also thought that Kamishiro-kun had given up on studying because he was too busy with the shop and had recently become obsessed with writing."

"But now it seems that it wasn't that he was giving up, but that there was simply no need for him to learn!"

"Since your grades are already this good, why would you even bother studying?"

Even if I had such good grades, I wouldn't study!

Shiina Shoko tapped her index fingers together, her eyes flickering beneath her long bangs, and stammered:

"Since Kamishiro-kun's current situation truly makes it impossible to refuse using this excuse anymore..."

"So, Rinka, what are you planning to do?"

Rika Maejima's eyes seemed to be filled with Shiro Kaede Kamishiro, and she excitedly raised her hands and shouted:

"I want to find another opportunity to confess to Kamishiro-kun!"

She made no attempt to hide her affection for Shirafumi Kamishiro, and openly expressed it in front of everyone.

Because it was so dazzling, even Shiina Shoko, who suffers from social anxiety, was stunned for a long time after seeing it, then pursed her lips and her expression became somewhat bitter.

Shiina Shoko recalled that in the past few days, Maejima Rika's eyes were filled with the image of Kamishiro Hakufu every day. In addition, Rika studied so hard, all for the sake of getting Kamishiro Hakufu to go on a date with her.

Thinking back on these past scenes.

Shiina Shoko felt an increasingly sharp pain in her heart.

She genuinely likes Kamishiro-kun, but she also really likes Rika.

She felt that if she actually used her mother's methods to date Kamishiro-kun, Rika-chan would definitely be very sad when she found out.

Xiangzi had been hesitant about whether or not to do this for a while.

Even her mother urged her to quickly use that method to woo Shindai-kun.

But because she didn't want to hurt the pear blossoms, she hadn't done it yet.

Because Pear Blossom was genuinely good to her.

Even though she herself wasn't very good at chatting and didn't understand social etiquette, Pear Blossom would still find topics to chat with her every day and even try to make her happy.

He really was Xiangzi's best friend!

Today, seeing that Pear Blossom actually lost, she was not discouraged, but even became more determined after the setback.

Shiina Shoko felt that if she did that, it would be incredibly despicable and a terrible disservice to Rika.

Seeing that Rika Maejima was still excitedly talking to her about Shinobu Shimashiro, Shoko Shiina felt like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat, and her expression became increasingly bitter.