In fact, after the information is refreshed, they always want to attack me!

Jumping rope and jumping jacks are the most basic physical fitness exercises.

Practice the footwork of forward and backward sliding steps.

According to the coach, Akira Shimizu is making rapid progress, and if he continues to train at this pace, he can be scheduled for a real match next month.

The school bell rang, and Shimizu Akira was stuffing his textbooks into his schoolbag when he suddenly heard light footsteps behind him.

"Shimizu-kun!" Kikyo Kushida leaned over, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Have you bought your boxing gloves yet?"

"Not yet," Shimizu Akira replied, zipping up his backpack and turning to answer. "I plan to buy it next month."

"Can I come watch Shimizu's match next month?" Kikyo Kushida asked, her hands clasped together, her eyes sparkling. "I've never seen a boy box before!"

"Of course," Shimizu Akira nodded, "but I heard you have to spend points to buy tickets."

According to the head of the boxing club, although boxing is relatively unpopular in other high schools, it is a popular club at this school. It is equipped with a professional-grade ring and occasionally holds performance matches, with the audience seats often packed.

The school administration tacitly approved of the boxing club's activity.

The minister once told him that this was because a previous boxing minister had spent a lot of points to obtain special privileges from the school.

(Of course, all viewing requires paying points.)

As for the specific point allocation mechanism, Akira Shimizu was not very clear about it either.

All I know is that boxers who go up to fight have a basic appearance fee, and they can also get extra personal points as a reward after winning.

Akira Shimizu decided to join because of the dual benefits—it could improve his health and earn points at the same time, a win-win situation.

"Damn it! I really want to join the boxing club too!" Haruki Yamauchi pounded his chest in frustration. "But the captain said all the spots are already filled!"

"Yeah, that's right," Chi Kanji chimed in, his eyes gleaming with longing. "Putting on the boxing ring so coolly would definitely attract a lot of girls!"

The two hid in a corner and whispered to each other.

In fact, the boxing club has fewer than twenty active members.

The performance competition, which has been conducted by the same group of performers for a long time, has caused serious aesthetic fatigue among the audience.

It was this sense of crisis that prompted the minister to make up his mind to find some truly promising talents among the new students.

Of course, the selection criteria are very strict.

The primary requirement is a long-term athletic foundation—those applicants whose punches were weak or who failed the physical fitness test were all politely rejected by the minister on the grounds that "there is no shortage of people at the moment."

Chapter 24: 024 Could it be that Karuizawa Megumi has taken a liking to me as her bodyguard?

Before anyone knew it, the news that Shimizu Akira had joined the boxing club spread like wildfire throughout the class.

He keenly noticed a subtle change in the way his classmates were looking at him.

The boxing club is indeed a top-tier club at this school.

These fighting clubs are like the hottest girls in a class, naturally intimidating – after all, nobody wants to be knocked out by a single punch because of a verbal argument.

However, Akira Shimizu himself prefers to persuade people with reason. He would never resort to violence if a problem could be solved through communication.

"Shimizu-kun!" Karuizawa Megumi approached his desk with a bright smile. "When is the boxing club holding a match recently?"

Lately, this hot girl in his class has been trying to strike up a conversation with him, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

It's easy to tell from her sparkling eyes that she seems to be particularly interested in boxing.

"I have two seniors to spar with next week," Shimizu Akira replied simply.

"So, how many ordinary people can Shimizu-kun handle at the same time?" Karuizawa Megumi asked, her hands resting on his desk, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"..." Shimizu Akira didn't understand why she was so curious about this kind of thing, but still answered truthfully, "Three or five shouldn't be a problem."

With his physique, even before he started boxing, he could easily subdue several untrained ordinary people.

"That was so cool!" Karuizawa Kei clapped her hands excitedly. "When you throw a straight punch, does it make a 'whoosh whoosh' sound like in the movies?"

"That's to coordinate with your breathing and maintain rhythm. Beginners do that."

Akira Shimizu suddenly realized that Megumi Karuizawa seemed more talkative than usual today.

The girl's delicate face radiated natural admiration, and even though Shimizu Akira noticed the deliberate flattery in her words, he found it difficult to feel any aversion.

After all, who can resist the enthusiastic chatter of a cute girl? This probably confirms the truth that men's tolerance for women is often directly proportional to their looks.

However, he vaguely remembered that on the first day of school, Karuizawa Kei seemed to be very close to Hirata Yosuke in his class.

Shimizu Akira subtly shifted his gaze to the other end of the classroom.

The handsome, sunny guy who joined the soccer club was also surrounded by his classmates like a star.

Seemingly sensing his gaze, Hirata Yosuke turned around and returned a hearty smile without any reservations.

(When I saw Karuizawa Kei talking to me, she didn't react at all... It seems like they don't have that kind of relationship.)

Thinking about this, Akira Shimizu suddenly realized a detail—since that conversation at the beginning of the semester, Megumi Karuizawa and Yosuke Hirata seemed to have had no interaction with each other in class.

On the contrary, Karuizawa Kei has been intentionally or unintentionally getting closer to him lately.

(Could it be... that she wants me as her bodyguard?)

This thought stirred a subtle, complex feeling within Shimizu Akira.

While it's certainly pleasant to be admired by a cute girl, being used as an object of manipulation is a different story. In this day and age, nobody wants to be that naive, honest person.

"Is Karuizawa-san so interested in the boxing club?" asked Kikyo Kushida, who had been silent for a long time.

"Ah~ Actually, I'm not really interested in boxing itself!" Karuizawa Megumi cupped her cheeks in her hands, her eyes sparkling. "I just think it's super cool when guys who box show off their upper body muscles!"

"The motive isn't so simple~" Kushida blinked.

"Hehe, what's wrong with liking guys with good bodies!" Karuizawa Megumi retorted confidently, and even winked at Shimizu Akira on purpose.

Akira Shimizu's heart remained as calm as a still pond.

Karuizawa Megumi's enthusiasm seemed to him more like a deliberate attempt to approach someone seeking a "protective umbrella."

"Well then, see you next time, Shimizu-kun!" As Karuizawa Megumi was leaving, her slender fingers "casually" traced his abs, then she exaggeratedly widened her eyes, though a blush crept onto her earlobes. "Wow! So muscular!"

(Huh? This reaction... doesn't seem like something a seasoned, hot girl would do.)

(Could it be... that she actually has little experience interacting with boys?)

(But then again, wasn't I blatantly groped?)

The stirrings of adolescence are never one-way—girls also harbor curiosity and desire for boys' bodies.

Girls are also very attracted to muscular men.

However, Akira Shimizu's gaze was suddenly drawn to a note on the table.

The note appeared abruptly in his sight, as if it had appeared out of thin air.

Who put this here?

The question flashed through his mind.

But this was clearly not a good time to investigate, because Kikyo Kushida was standing right next to his seat, staring at him with her clear eyes.

"What's wrong?" Kushida seemed to notice his unusual behavior.

"It's nothing." Shimizu Akira casually put the folded note into his pocket.

He decided to examine it more closely when he was alone.

Akira Shimizu changed the subject: "Speaking of which, Kushida-kun, what are some good ways you relieve stress?"

Kushida's eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised by the sudden question: "...Eh? Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"

"There's no particular reason, I just wanted to hear your advice."

"I see... For me, just seeing my classmates happy makes me feel happy. So... I don't really need to try to relieve stress!"

Akira Shimizu's lips twitched almost imperceptibly: "...Fine, whatever makes you happy."

Just trying to think from Kushida's perspective made him feel mentally exhausted.

The other person seemed to be putting on an act, like a con artist.

As usual, Kikyo Kushida extended an invitation to Suzune Horikita: "Horikita-san, would you like to go for coffee?"

"No need." Horikita's answer was crisp and decisive, without even raising his head.

Kushida's smile remained unchanged; she simply sighed softly, "What a pity~" She turned and walked towards the other girls, and soon their cheerful laughter echoed in the classroom, gradually fading away with their footsteps.

Just when Akira Shimizu thought this episode was over.

Horikita Suzune's gaze suddenly locked onto him, her tone eerily calm: "What do you want to eat tonight?"

Akira Shimizu's fingers paused on the table.

He slowly raised his head, wondering if he had misheard—the usually solitary Horikita Suzune was actually asking him about his dinner preferences.

Chapter 25: 025 Horikita Suzune Wants to Buy Information

Shimizu Akira narrowed his eyes slightly, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table: "I see... so you want to buy information from me?"

Horikita Suzune's expression froze for a moment, then returned to her signature cold demeanor: "...Yes."

—She has indeed thought a lot about this these past two days.

The densely packed notes of thought on the notebook are proof enough of this.

Asking senior students for advice is undoubtedly the most direct way, but for Horikita Suzune, who hates socializing, it's an unsolvable problem.

(Instead of doing this...)

Her gaze refocused on Akira Shimizu.

(It would be better to just trade directly; at least this person is someone I know who sat next to me at the same table.)

......

Akira Shimizu stood in front of the order window, his eyes scanning the menu.

"A hamburger steak with curry rice," he said without hesitation.

Since the other party was paying, he naturally didn't need to be polite.

The plate was quickly brought over—golden curry sauce coating the rice, topped with a thick hamburger patty, the fat slightly seeping out and emitting an enticing aroma.

As Shimizu Akira picked up his plate and turned around, he caught a glimpse of Horikita Suzune's movements.

After she helped pay the bill, she sat quietly at the corner table, taking a tuna dumpling out of her uniform pocket with slow and restrained movements.

The dumpling looked shriveled and was clearly not a delicate dish, but she remained calm, as if she was already used to it.

He raised an eyebrow, ordered two bowls of miso soup, and walked towards her with the tray.

Akira Shimizu pushed a steaming bowl of miso soup in front of Suzune Horikita, the bowl tapping softly on the table.

"Here you go." He said calmly.

Horikita's gaze lingered on the soup bowl for a moment, then he shook his head: "This time it's my treat."

"100 points, transfer is fine," Shimizu Akira quoted the price.

"Shimizu-kun... do you really want to add me as a friend?" Horikita suddenly looked up.

Akira Shimizu's lips twitched, and he casually pulled out his phone. The moment the screen lit up, his entire contact list was displayed.

"You're overthinking it. I just think dinner should be something hot." He swiped his finger across the screen, and a dense list of contacts scrolled by rapidly—the names of almost all of his classmates were on it, including Sakayanagi Arisu and Kamuro Masumi from Class A, and Ichinose Honami from Class B.

"Look, do I need one more friend like you?"

Horikita's gaze swept over those names, and the corners of his lips tightened almost imperceptibly for a moment.

Akira Shimizu ignored Horikita's reaction and picked up his spoon.

He skillfully opened a packet of ketchup and squeezed a vibrant spiral pattern onto the hamburger patty—the deep red sauce slowly slid down the curve of the patty and seeped into the gaps of the curry.

Pick up a piece of steak covered in sauce and put it in your mouth. The sweet and sour tomato flavor immediately explodes on your tongue, perfectly neutralizing the greasiness of the meat.

Take another spoonful of rice soaked in curry, the rich, spicy aroma mixed with the sweet, sticky rice filling your mouth with a steaming sensation.

(Not only is it delicious, but its nutritional value is also impeccable.)

The food on the plate was visibly decreasing, while Horikita, sitting opposite, was still taking small bites of the shriveled rice ball.

"Be careful, or you might not even be able to step into the ring next month."

"Amateur boxing clubs don't have weight classes."