Is this the world of top students, this feeling of knowledge being poured into the brain, Hasebe Haruka, who had been sitting next to Hachiman, suddenly snapped out of her immersed state. She glanced at the few people who were already almost lying face down on the table, and at Karuizawa Kei who had already grabbed Hachiman's arm. She pulled the shy, hesitant Sakura Airi who hadn't dared to lean in on the other side up onto her thigh, and the two of them sat together beside Hachiman to listen to his lecture.
"Ah? Haruka, This! This! Ugh!"
Sakura Airi, who had not expected Hasebe Haruka to do this, blushed from head to toe and tried to struggle, but she did not expect Sato Maya and the others all not to look at her. Each of them was listening to Hachiman's lesson with extreme seriousness.
Sakura Airi stole a few glances at Hachiman and found her brain passively absorbing the knowledge. Understanding why everyone was behaving like this, she gradually quieted down and stared without blinking at Hachiman, who was concentrating on teaching them.
———
In the distance.
Kushida Kikyo's small group was watching the commotion over at Karuizawa Kei's group.
And Sakayanagi Arisu, who was teaching Kamuro Masumi, was also staring at Hachiman in Karuizawa Kei's group.
They could all see that Hachiman was tutoring Kei and the others.
But seeing Sato Maya, Shinohara Satsuki, Hasebe Haruka, Karuizawa Kei and the others surround Hikigaya so completely that you could barely see him, even Sakayanagi Arisu, who knew Hikigaya could do magic, was confused, not to mention Kushida Kikyo, Shiina Hiyori and the others who did not know him well.
'Is this really tutoring? Why do they all look like they are enjoying themselves?'
"Kamuro, go over and take a look."
"I'm not going. The exam is tomorrow. I have to study."
"You don't want me to tutor you?"
"If you're not going to tutor me and instead want me to go do errands, what use is listening to you!"
Sakayanagi Arisu, with pale skin, a cute face and high-quality silver hair, withdrew her gaze and turned to the bent-over Kamuro Masumi beside her, ordering her to go find out what was happening with Karuizawa Kei's group and Hachiman.
As expected, her order was refused without hesitation.
Although Kamuro Masumi had always been under her control, acting like a dog for her, Kamuro Masumi was always unwilling and not very obedient.
Like now, she would agree to listen if it meant getting tutoring help, but ask her to sacrifice study time to do something else and she would refuse for the sake of studying.
'She really doesn't learn.'
There are still more than two years left, yet her eyes are fixed only on this one exam.
Sakayanagi Arisu showed a faint smile, looking at the sulking Kamuro Masumi, deciding she would deal with her later and first go over to see what Kei's group was up to.
But at that moment, she noticed movement in Kushida Kikyo's group with the corner of her eye. She put down the cane she had just picked up and placed it across her frail white-laced legs.
Better to let Kushida Kikyo go check things out first.
She had long suspected that Hachiman was the one who had suddenly healed Karuizawa Kei's abdominal wound.
She just did not know how it got better, or what price Kei might have paid.
All she knew was that the outwardly flashy, gyaru-acting Kei had not only had the hidden wound in her abdomen healed that day, but the spiritual wound inside seemed to have been treated as well.
She looked like a tamed pet, or like a little dog who had gained the backing of a master.
To be cautious, she decided to let Kushida Kikyo, who wore a false mask, go probe Hachiman's attitude before making plans.
She always wanted to cure her own frail body, born with a heart illness, which made everyday walking a hassle and required a cane. It was truly annoying.
Hachiman, who was friendly with the Elf Princess and the mermaid songstress and favored by demi-humans, had a high chance of being able to solve this problem.
But what would the cost of solving it be?
'The whole class of beautiful girls, would Hikigaya be satisfied?'
Besides the demi-humans who had high status, there was also the student council president who was his childhood friend, the daughter of Representative Ichinose, the daughter of Representative Yukinoshita.
These are not girls who are easy to deal with.
As class rep, Sakayanagi Arisu watched from afar as Kushida Kikyo walked over toward Hachiman. Her delicate hands rested quietly on her frail white-lace strapped legs while she lightly pressed the fine cane.
Contrary to her fragile, cute appearance, Sakayanagi Arisu was aggressive and competitive; she wanted to be first in everything. If she did something, she wanted to do it perfectly.
"Sakayanagi, how do you solve this problem?", Seeing that Sakayanagi Arisu did not go find Hikigaya, Kamuro Masumi continued to ask her to explain the problem.
"Please shut up. Disobedient dogs don't get fed."
Sakayanagi Arisu did not turn her head. She kept her eyes fixed on Hachiman.
"...", Hearing what sounded politely phrased but dripping with contempt, Kamuro Masumi's face showed even more disgust.
That trait of Sakayanagi Arisu irritated her the most.
She was a disabled person who needed a cane to walk and yet acted so arrogant, and treated her like a dog when asking for help.
But seeing Sakayanagi Arisu ignoring her, Kamuro Masumi decided to rest for a bit. She put down the problem in her hand and turned to look at Kushida Kikyo walking past them.
Sakayanagi Arisu wasn't only teaching Kamuro Masumi.
As class rep, she sat between Karuizawa Kei's and Kushida Kikyo's small groups. Anyone who needed help could come ask her.
Besides these people, there was also Horikita Suzune, who had no friends at all and was studying alone in a corner.
She also wanted to be alone and not suffer Sakayanagi Arisu's attitude, but her study ability was a bit lacking. Even studying all day, she couldn't get as good results as Horikita Suzune.
"Hm? Why did she suddenly fall?"
Kamuro Masumi watched Kushida Kikyo walk up to Hachiman with a smile and greet him. Before she could say a few words, Kushida's body went limp, she fell to her knees, and her head hit Hachiman's thigh and stopped, preventing a full collapse.
Sakayanagi Arisu also noticed the strange sudden scene and narrowed her eyes.
"Kushida?"
"Kikyo?"
"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly fall?"
Karuizawa Kei, Hasebe Haruka, Sato Maya and the others saw Kushida Kikyo fall to her knees after only saying a few words and hurriedly stood up, worry written all over their faces as they looked at her trembling body.
They had no idea what had happened.
She had been fine just a moment ago. She came over to greet them and had not said two words yet when she suddenly knelt.
"Hah! Hah! Ha! Ah!"
Kushida Kikyo knelt on the floor with her head against Hachiman's thigh, breathing rapidly and deeply. Her face flushed so red it seemed like it was bleeding, sweat poured down and soaked her hair.
In truth, Kushida Kikyo wanted to know why she suddenly became like this.
She only felt as if someone had bumped her and then she had fallen.
No, it wasn't being shoved. It was that her whole body suddenly went weak.
Just a touch and all her muscles seemed to give out.
As if her consciousness blurred, her vision and hearing dulled.
'This feeling... this feeling...'
Kushida Kikyo bit her lip hard and buried her face deep in Hachiman's thigh, using the last bit of strength in her body to stop herself from making a sound that would ruin her image.
After a long while, Kushida Kikyo finally came back from her daze, panting heavily and barely regaining some strength as she lifted her head from Hachiman's thigh.
But as soon as she raised her head, Kushida Kikyo's pupils contracted sharply. With a shocked look she stared at the small silver-haired figure suddenly standing in front of Hachiman.
When did another person appear here?
The distance between the two was only a few centimeters?
Kushida Kikyo stared blankly at the little black bow on the other person's head and how the distance to it kept changing, wondering if she was hallucinating because of her physical discomfort.
Sato Maya and Matsushita Chiaki seemed not to have seen the white-lace l*li in front of Hachiman and were still worrying over Kushida Kikyo, who had finally come around and whose body was no longer trembling.
Shirakawa Chihiro, Shiina Hiyori and Ibuki Mio also noticed Kushida Kikyo's condition and came over, concerned.
"Kushida, is this low blood sugar?"
"But I think Kikyo ate lunch too."
"Let's not get into that now. Kikyo, I'll help you up and we'll take you to the infirmary to check."
Although not in the same small group, Kushida Kikyo still had a decent number of classmates who liked her. Even if some disliked her style, they would not pick a fight at a time like this.
"No! No need! I'll rest a little and I'll be fine!"
Hearing them want to help her up and take her to the infirmary, Kushida Kikyo tensed and quickly refused. But the recent incident had left her exhausted, and she did not even have the strength to raise a hand to stop them.
Just as she thought she would never be able to show her face again, Hachiman, who had not spoken, patted the silver-haired white-lace l*li's head while taking out a small glass vial and handing it to her.
"It should just be low blood sugar. I happen to have a small bottle of glucose water. Drink it and rest and you'll be fine."
"Kushida's grades should be pretty good. Could you help tutor Kei and the others later?"
"Ah? Thanks, Hikigaya. Of course. I came over to ask if there was anything I could help with anyway."
Though she did not know how Hachiman happened to have glucose water on him, Kushida Kikyo accepted the vial of clear liquid he handed over and drank it in one gulp. She then nodded and agreed to help tutor them.
When out and about she normally would not drink something handed to her by someone else.
But here were so many of her friends. She was not afraid Hachiman would do anything to her.
'Huh?'
'Is this glucose water really that effective?'
Just after drinking the slightly sweet clear liquid, Kushida Kikyo felt tiny warm currents surge through her body, as if lubricating her dehydrated frame.
"Kushida, you're just sitting on the floor? I'll bring a chair over."
Ibuki Mio, with twin tails, saw Kushida still sitting on the floor and offered to get a chair.
She was Kushida's good friend and had been cared for by Kushida at Advanced Nurturing High School. Seeing Kushida unwell, she could not just stand by.
"No need, no need. Sato and the others are all lying on the table. If I bring another chair and squeeze in it will disturb their studying."
Hearing Mio's well-meaning but naive offer, Kushida Kikyo immediately waved her hand. To avoid anyone else trying to lift her up and take her to the infirmary, she quickly looked at Karuizawa Kei beside Hikigaya to change the subject.
"Karuizawa, you don't mind me resting on Hikigaya's thigh for a bit, do you?"
Although at first she only came to probe Hachiman's purpose for appearing and to see if she could befriend someone with Hikigaya's special status to feed her vanity, she could not worry about that now.
Rather than stand and have everyone see her compromise in public and then be labeled pervert, maniac and so on, she preferred to rest briefly against Hachiman.
"That's fine, I'm not Hikigaya's girlfriend. If you want to rest, rest."
Karuizawa Kei was momentarily taken aback by the question and gave Kushida Kikyo a strange look as if she had mistaken Kei for being in a relationship with her master.
Maybe others who had no experience did not understand what Kushida Kikyo's reaction meant. They just thought she had low blood sugar and had knelt down to rest.
But Kei had personally seen many girls' reactions to him from a third-person viewpoint at her master's side.
How could she not know what Kushida Kikyo's reaction had been?
It was just that she genuinely did not expect Kushida Kikyo to do something like that.
Though she knew Hikigaya's charm was enormous, and she had seen Ichinose Ayano, the daughter of a representative, fawn over him on first meeting, Kushida Kikyo's appearance, gentle attitude and helpful nature did not scream someone who would act lovestruck.
Strong social skills and a powerful affinity with people, Kushida Kikyo was not someone who would seek a master's protection from past bullying like Kei had.
After all, Kushida had so many friends. If she had been bullying others she would be fine.
"O-okay."
"If you feel unwell again, call us immediately."
Though Ibuki still found it odd that Kushida's pale skin had gone so red and that she had seemed faint and feverish rather than low blood sugar, Kushida herself insisted there was no need to go to the infirmary and seemed a bit better. Ibuki did not know what else to do and just nodded, following Shiina Hiyori and the others back to their books.
[🥳 New novel guys—"Online Game: SSS-Tier Skills From Scratching Tickets". It is from the same author who wrote "Awoke As a God After Auto-Battling For 100000 Years". Do give it a try and hope you all had a great year.]
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