Living in Tokyo, all I want to do is laze around.

He took out the homework assigned by the school that day from his schoolbag and began to write skillfully.

After my intelligence level increased to 8, all the text in the questions became clear in my mind.

Reading it word by word, the originally dry text becomes as smooth as a movie, giving people an immersive experience.

Quick and clear.

Is this how top students view the questions?

Kai Uesugi, who built his grades by doing countless practice problems, couldn't help but envy those who were born with such intelligence. What others could easily achieve, he had to put in ten times the effort to achieve.

It makes one lament the unfairness of so-called "talent".

Haneda Nozomi's voice suddenly came:

"Since today is a study session, I haven't prepared any materials or exercises. Everyone, please write down what you learned today. My idea is that in the future, based on your respective weaknesses in each subject, you can develop remedial plans to improve quickly and help each other progress."

"Under these conditions, I hope that all five of you can strive to be in the top ten of the grade."

[Beep beep... beep beep...]

[New task detected]

[Task Difficulty: Level 1]

[Task objective: To rank oneself in the top ten of the grade]

[Task duration: one month]

[Task Restrictions: None]

[Task Penalty: None]

[Task Supplement: For each member of the study group who ranks in the top ten of the grade, the reward increases by 1.]

"Um..."

Kai Uesugi paused, pressing a black pen against his chin, somewhat confused.

A system task was triggered?

After all these days, he still hasn't figured out the mechanism for triggering system tasks. It seems that these tasks suddenly appear every time someone sets a goal for him.

Let's leave those aside for now.

What does "+1 reward" mean? Does it mean an increase in quantity or an upgrade in quality?

"Mr. Haneda, won't this be a bit difficult?"

Rie Ayaka asked tentatively, feeling somewhat insecure about her grades.

There are ten classes in the second grade, with about 35 students in each class.

Because this is a private school, the tuition is expensive and there is an entrance exam. Most students study with the goal of getting into university, so there is not much room for academic rigor.

Ayaka Rie's grades have always hovered in the middle to upper range of the entire grade. You can imagine how difficult it would be to raise her total score to the top ten within a month.

“It’s precisely because it’s difficult that it’s worth the effort,” Haneda Nozomi said to her. “Of the five of you, only Uesugi’s score is close to the top ten.”

"As your mentor, of course I need to keep you on your toes. You're all aiming to get into university, right?"

"Ah."

Everyone nodded, except for Uesugi Kai, who was focused on his problem.

Haneda Nozomi continued, "With your grades, getting into university is naturally not a problem, but it's not enough if you want to get into a top university. Besides, our school doesn't accept 'ronin,' which means you won't have the opportunity to retake the exam here."

"Many students have chosen to attend private tutoring this semester and study during their free time in the evenings, which has increased your pressure. This is the purpose of this study group."

"Although the number of people is relatively small at the moment, this study group is still in the trial stage, and you are my first batch of students."

The first batch?

That means there will be a second batch.

The selection will likely be made within the class, and every student will probably get a turn.

Uesugi Kai couldn't help but feel sorry for Goto and Tsubokawa; given their personalities, it would be difficult for them to stay at such an evening study session.

......

......

It was around 7:30 p.m.

By this time, the five members of the study group had completed their respective assignments under the guidance of Haneda Nozomi.

The sky was already dark and gloomy, but the constant flow of vehicles on the streets and the pedestrians going home from get off work in the evening made this stretch of road not seem deserted.

As the daughter of a current member of parliament, Rika Kyuu is naturally picked up and dropped off by her butler at times like this. The bespectacled girl, Hitomi Kiyohara, is going the same way, so she is also picked up and dropped off at home.

Watching the Honda luxury car gradually disappear into the distance at the school gate, Uesugi Kai didn't pay much attention. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and followed behind Hanamaru Hanabi and Ayaka Rie.

The two walked ahead, chatting and laughing as usual, just like any other day.

After walking a distance, they took the East-West Line tram. Once they got off the tram, it was a private journey home for the two of them.

Hanabi Hanamaru carried her handbag in both hands, placing it in front of her, her black pleated skirt swaying gently with her even steps.

Uesugi Kai walked beside her, occasionally stealing glances at this incredibly familiar girl next door.

For some reason, he felt that the way he looked at her lately was a little strange.

The sounds of cars, footsteps, and phone conversations constantly fill the cramped streets of Tokyo as people hurry toward their respective destinations.

The neon lights were particularly bright that night. Steam rose from the izakaya across the street, and a middle-aged man in a suit and tie, with a ruddy complexion, sat in front of a row of wooden benches.

They raised their beer glasses high, cheering that another day of leisure had finally arrived.

The shadows of the two appeared to be of varying lengths under the orange streetlights.

Kai Uesugi glanced at Hanabi Hanabi's rounded profile beside him, recalling what had happened that afternoon. Looking at the crossroads ahead, he said softly:

"Hanabi, I'm sorry I couldn't come to stop that guy this afternoon. I just watched from the sidelines..."

There was silence for a moment.

"Uh-huh,"

Hanabi Hanamaru gently shook her head, her soft, short hair swaying slightly under the light.

"It had nothing to do with Uesugi-kun, it's just that Riei-chan was very angry at the time, and it was because of the fireworks..."

She paused for a moment.

"Uesugi-kun didn't mean to stand there waiting... He just wanted Hanabi to be braver and learn to say no, just like when they were little..."

Upon hearing this, a happy smile suddenly appeared on Uesugi Kai's face.

Hanabi Hanabi's blushing face was filled with confusion as she looked up at him:

"Uesugi-kun... what are you laughing at?"

The girl's gaze lingered, her eyes sparkling with a gentle light.

But instead of answering her question, Uesugi Kai asked her in return:

"Hanabi, can you tell me your thoughts on being confessed to this afternoon?"

Chapter Thirty-One: Above the Sky Bridge

Hanabi Hanabi blushed and turned her head away, burying her head deeply, her eyes fixed on the small hand holding her handbag under her pleated skirt.

Bright eyes blinked under the light, as if embarrassed to bring up the topic, as quiet as a snail climbing on green leaves in spring.

She gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and said in a soft voice:

"That classmate... his name is Terai Hideo, he's in class 3 of the second year. He left a letter in my shoe locker a long time ago. I'd never seen him before, and I had no idea anyone liked me..."

"Hanabi... has always been clumsy..."

The words came to an abrupt end, and Hanabi Hanabi fell silent again. The cool evening breeze blew in front of the two of them, and Uesugi Kai's tired mind cleared up a little.

"Did Ayaka help you refuse before?" Uesugi Kai asked as the two stepped onto the narrow sky bridge together.

To his surprise, Hanabi Hanamaru shook her head:

"No, that time... I was the one who rejected him..."

Kai Uesugi looked at her with some surprise. Refusing was something she rarely did; she always had to muster up the courage to say "sorry."

“But… I didn’t expect him to come to the club today,” Hanabi Hanamaru added.

That's how the scene that happened in the afternoon came about.

Kai Uesugi understood what she meant.

Repeated refusals made her stance clear, but it was still difficult for Hanabi Hanabi, with her timid personality, to clearly refuse someone in front of everyone.

In the past, she would politely agree to help her classmates whenever they asked, and she would do her best to complete the task, regardless of whether it was something she was obligated to do.

Hanabi Hanabi suddenly turned to look at him and smiled: "I remember everything Uesugi-kun said to me when I was a child."

"Uesugi-kun said that Hanabi should learn to say no, and that she should know not to be afraid of others disliking her because of it."

The surprise on Uesugi Kai's face gradually disappeared. He looked at the brightly lit steps in front of him and a smile appeared on his face.

These were indeed words of encouragement I had given her.

How long ago was this?

It was when I was in elementary school, and I never expected that Hanabi Hanamoto would still remember every single word of that sentence so clearly.

Back then, the two were even mocked by a group of elementary school classmates for being a couple because she always liked to follow behind him.

Speaking of this, I also have some bad memories.

As the two walked into the classroom together, the students would always grin, make faces, and let out a series of whimpers.

Their youthful faces displayed unbridled mockery as they chanted the names of the two children in unison.

Their names were written on the blackboard, on the desk, and even on their textbooks were drawn two crooked little figures holding hands.

While the two of them were out.

Kai Uesugi really disliked those guys.