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

A girl's voice suddenly rang out in the classroom, carrying a hint of deliberate reminder.

"In that case, Kushida-san won't be able to continue as class president this month, right?" another girl immediately chimed in, her tone carrying a hint of hostility.

"It's Hirata's turn this time!" Several girls who supported Hirata chimed in.

Although Kikyo Kushida is known as the "little angel" in her class, Yosuke Hirata's gentleness and reliability have also attracted many fans.

Some girls voted for him in the last election, and they certainly won't let this opportunity pass them by.

"Well... I don't really care, anyone can be the class monitor..." Hirata Yosuke said with a gentle smile, trying to ease the tension.

"No, that won't do!" Kikyo Kushida lowered her head slightly, then smiled understandingly. "Since the homeroom teacher has said so, it's better to be fair. Besides... to be honest, I'm a little uneasy about being the class representative all this time."

She paused for a moment, then suggested in a lighthearted tone, "How about this? This time, we'll decide the class monitor based on who attends the study session, okay?"

"OK!"

"Then I'll go to Hirata's study session!"

"I choose Kushida's study group!"

The class quickly split into two factions, each taking their own team.

Kikyo Kushida lightly patted the podium with both hands. "Anyway, the most important thing right now is to prepare for the midterm exams! Hirata-kun and I will each organize study sessions after school, for all the students who aren't confident about their studies—"

Her gaze inadvertently swept across the back row of the classroom, lingering subtly on Shimizu Akira for a moment.

"Especially for those students who didn't pass, although participation isn't mandatory, it would be best if you could come three or four times a week! Shimizu-kun!"

(...So I was on the "unqualified" list too.)

This realization made him belatedly twitch the corner of his mouth—the feeling of being called out in public was indeed a bit awkward.

(Huh? Did I offend her or something? What does it mean when she calls my name?)

Chapter 96: 094 I spent the money, got a good deal, and now I'm being forced to pay extra?

Then, Kikyo Kushida walked up to Akira Shimizu with a bright smile. "Shimizu-kun, would you like to come study with us tonight? My Japanese is excellent, you know, I can definitely give you some great tutoring."

Before she could finish speaking, Horikita Suzune's gaze shot like an arrow towards the suddenly appearing Kushida.

(What exactly is Kikyo Kushida up to?)

A strange sense of unease welled up inside her.

After all, she had been in charge of tutoring Akira Shimizu for the past two weeks.

However, before she could even speak, Shimizu Akira beside her casually declined, saying, "I'm sorry, I already have plans with Horikita today, so I can't go."

He had already made plans with Horikita Suzune this morning—which is why he could only apologize to Kushida Kikyo.

Kikyo Kushida seemed completely unprepared for the rejection. A flicker of surprise crossed her ever-smiling eyes, but it vanished in an instant, replaced by her perfect smile: "I see... That's such a shame."

"Kushida-kun? Why are you so fixated on Shimizu? His grades are pretty average too."

After the two left the classroom one after the other, Haruki Yamauchi leaned over, his tone clearly sour.

"Yamachi-kun..." Kushida turned around and said very politely, "Shimizu-kun is different from you! He only failed Japanese; all his other subjects are above 90. Especially math, he's the only one in the class to get a perfect score! Inviting him over can also help him tutor the other students; in other words, it's a win-win situation."

"So this is ah!"

Yamauchi scratched his head awkwardly.

But something just doesn't feel right.

(Damn it! Could it be that even Kushida...)

The image of Shimizu Akira's cold gaze as he grabbed Yamauchi's collar flashed through his mind on the day of the opening ceremony. The oppressive aura emanating from that person still sent chills down his spine whenever he thought about it.

(But...but this is just too unfair!)

Horikita Suzune is one thing, but now even the class's universally acknowledged angel, Kushida Kikyo, is against that violent maniac...

The consequences of offending Haruki Yamauchi are severe!

He subconsciously glanced at Shimizu Akira's empty seat and glared at him fiercely.

Well! Haruki Yamauchi knew he was powerless to do anything about it.

Offending him is the same as not offending anyone.

"By the way! Kushida-kun? Didn't Shimizu-kun win the vote last month? I heard he got four votes for you. Did you two go on a date afterward?" Ike Kanji suddenly remembered this and asked with great interest.

"Hey! Ike! Why are you suddenly bringing this up!" Haruki Yamauchi's expression changed drastically. He grabbed his arm and dragged him to a corner, his voice low and gritting his teeth.

What on earth is this guy thinking?!

She clearly has feelings for Kikyo Kushida just like me, doesn't she?

"Yamachi, you're the idiot! Don't you understand yet? With our circumstances, there's no way we could possibly win over Kikyo Kushida through normal means!" Kanji Ike moved even closer and retorted urgently in a breathy voice.

"Wh...what?! I really can't win over Kushida-kun?!" Haruki Yamauchi froze on the spot as if struck by lightning.

These words struck him like a bolt from the blue, making his eardrums ring.

"Yeah! You're so ugly and you love to brag, how could anyone like you! Our only chance is to win the competition when Kushida-san makes those bets! Look, isn't this another great opportunity? As long as we keep working hard to get votes for her, the date will be ours!" Ike Kanji's eyes shone, and he became more and more excited as he spoke.

"But!" He suddenly lowered his voice, his expression turning serious, "Before that, we need to make sure Kushida-kun really keeps his promise. So sending Shimizu first... these are necessary sacrifices! I feel the same pain as you!"

“This…” Haruki Yamauchi was stunned again. Kanji Ike’s words were like a blow to the head, forcing him to admit that there was some truth to them.

Thinking back, from the first day of school, he had been extremely attentive to Kikyo Kushida, greeting her morning, noon, and night without fail for a whole month—good morning, good afternoon, good night, without missing a single word. But what was the result? Forget about special treatment, she didn't even allow him to address her more intimately; to this day, she still politely calls her "Kushida-kun."

Could it be... just as Ike Kanji said, that their only chance is to win a date through this bet?

Thinking of this, Haruki Yamauchi felt a surge of resentment.

Saying he's ugly? Saying he's all talk and no action? Are you kidding me!

At home, relatives and friends all call him "Uncle Yamanouchi," and everyone praises him for being handsome and successful.

"So, we have to make sure Shimizu can successfully go on his date with Kushida!" Kanji Ike patted Yamauchi's shoulder forcefully and said in a low voice, "After all, it might be our turn next time."

"Wh...what?! We have to help him too?" Haruki Yamauchi's eyes widened, and his voice changed.

Wait a minute! What is this guy, Kanji Ike, talking about? This suggestion doesn't sound right at all, does it? But... why does it somehow make a lot of sense?

Suddenly, Yamauchi felt that his classmate, who usually seemed silly, was now radiating an amazing light of wisdom!

......

"Kushida-san...please keep your promise and go on a date with Shimizu-san!"

Before Kikyo Kushida could react, Haruki Yamauchi and Kanji Ike bowed solemnly to her under the watchful eyes of the entire class.

(What are these two idiots doing?! Are all the people in Class D out of their minds?!)

Kikyo Kushida's perfect smile nearly crumbled; she simply couldn't understand the thought processes of these two people.

He usually fawns over me like a lapdog, but now he's helping someone else out? Is he out of his mind? Or did he eat shit?

(Could someone be so naive as to think that my dating Shimizu Akira means they also have a chance?)

(Keep dreaming! Being in the same space as two paramecia like you makes me nauseous!)

But with everyone watching, she knew she was in a bind.

(Even though 80,000 personal points have already been paid to Shimizu Akira!)

(...he even touched me openly several times...)

(And now I actually have to go on dates with him?! How many times has he taken advantage of me for free?!)

(Isn't this a double loss—money was spent, a bargain was taken advantage of, and in the end, you even have to pay out of pocket?!)

Kikyo Kushida's fingertips dug deeply into her palms, but a smile more radiant than spring cherry blossoms bloomed on her face: "Hmm... I understand, Yamauchi-kun, Ike-kun! Since it's a promise, I'll definitely have a good date with Shimizu-kun~"

(Once this is over... I'm going to make those two meddlesome idiots pay the price!)

(I'm so angry! Those two idiots!)

Chapter 97: 095 Horikita Suzune: It's time to show some sincerity.

Learning is actually quite fascinating.

Especially when the instructor is a beautiful girl like Suzune Horikita.

She is not only pleasing to the eye, but her teaching style is also straightforward and efficient—she never says anything unnecessary and can always pinpoint misunderstandings.

When Horikita Suzune explained the polyphonic phenomenon of Japanese kanji, she specifically used the character "明" (ming) from Shimizu Akira's name as an example.

Its kun'yomi reading is "akarui," which describes a bright state of light.

"And the on'yomi reading is 'myo'..." she paused slightly.

Shimizu Akira was secretly surprised by this linguistic coincidence when he heard her voice suddenly soften: "However, when used as a name..."

Horikita Suzune looked up at him and softly uttered two syllables: "Akira".

In that instant, Shimizu Akira suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

It was just a normal pronunciation demonstration, but when she pronounced my name in that tone, I had the illusion of being specially called upon.

In Japanese interpersonal communication, the way of addressing someone is also a complex art.

Ordinary friends usually address each other by their surnames, and only when the relationship is close enough will they call each other by their first names.

Between opposite-sex peers, such rules of address are even more subtle—unless they are childhood sweethearts who have grown up together, if a girl addresses a boy by his name, it most likely means that the two are dating, or at least one of them has ulterior motives.

“Focus, I’m just telling you the third way to say your name.” Horikita Suzune coughed lightly, her voice returning to its usual cool tone.

"Did you know that the character '回' has four different ways of being written?"

"???"

...

"That's all for today." As the clock struck 4:30, Horikita Suzune suddenly closed her notebook.

Akira Shimizu, engrossed in the grammar points he had just grasped, looked up in surprise at the question: "Isn't it time yet?"

The girl did not answer immediately.

"Come to think of it..." her voice was softer than usual, "we've been studying like this for half a month now."

"And today is May 1st." She suddenly raised her eyes, and her outstretched palm appeared exceptionally white.

Shimizu Akira thought for a moment, then reached out to touch her slightly cool skin, before suddenly pulling his hand back as if he'd been electrocuted. "Not again?"

He shook his head helplessly. "I've said it many times, I won't be your partner. You should abandon your naive plan now—if you don't have enough chips, you simply don't have enough."

"You've misunderstood!" Horikita Suzune suddenly gripped his fingers tightly. "I agreed to tutor you last time to repay those 16,000 points. Now two weeks have passed, and it's a new month..." She narrowed her eyes. "Isn't it time for you to show your sincerity?"

"Oh?" Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow, slowly bringing his index and middle fingers together and gently tapping them on her palm. "Is this enough?"

Horikita Suzune stared at the two fingers, then suddenly grabbed his wrist and forcefully pried his thumb open, pressing it onto her own hand. "...Add one more."

"Wow, so greedy?" Shimizu Akira's eyes widened dramatically. "Three hundred thousand points? You dare to take that?"

"...You've misunderstood." She abruptly pulled her hand back. "It's 30,000, not 300,000. My tutoring isn't worth that much."

Akira Shimizu couldn't help but chuckle: "So it's 30,000."

Thirty thousand points a month—he calculated quickly in his mind.

Last month, he only received 16,000 in two weeks. This is practically a discount for him, and it even saved him 2,000 points.

Horikita Suzune, this shrewd top student, surprisingly doesn't know how to fight for herself when negotiating prices.

At first, the other person would be sarcastic and critical of him, but now it seems like Shimizu Akira's personality is becoming more and more innocent.

With a "ding," he directly transferred 100,000 points.

"You!" Horikita Suzune stared at her phone screen. "What is this? Charity?"

Akira Shimizu couldn't help but rub his temples. "Seventy thousand of that was hush money. After all, only you and Chabashira-sensei know that I sold information to Class D...that's how I got that million points. This was also as insurance; I don't want anyone else to know about this."

He actually trusted Horikita Suzune's character and was unlikely to reveal the matter.

But regardless of whether it's for the sake of prudence, proposing a transaction is always the right thing to do.

However, there is another reason for this—she charged too little for tutoring.

“…Is that so? I see.” Horikita Suzune visibly relaxed a lot and nodded heavily. “I promise you, I will never tell anyone about this.”

...

After having dinner, Akira Shimizu returned to his dormitory.