Joint Study Group

UTOMIYA POV

October was about to end and a lot of things already happened.

Since there were only three remaining members in the council after the 3rd years resigned and there's no other candidate for president, no general election happened, thus making Horikita Suzune the newly-appointed student council president. Ichinose was the new vice president while I'm the new secretary.

Horikita took the opportunity to recruit new members during the handover ceremony. Because of it, we gained two new members which are Takahashi Osamu and Ishigami Kyou from first year Class A.

I was actually very glad upon hearing the news that Ichinose no longer wanted to run for president. Guess me working hard in sports festival was more beneficial than I thought. I did not only manage to make Horikita become comfortable around me by helping her win but it also resulted to Ichinose losing interest in the president position as her class was demoted to class D.

If Ichinose continued, it would be hard for me to take countermeasures just to make Horikita win the election. Ichinose was close to the former pres. Nagumo, that means the entire 3rd year would definitely vote for her. She's also a very friendly person, so I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of 2nd year and 1st year students will vote for her.

I don't know how popular Horikita is among the 2nd years, but for the first years, I could have asked for help from Amasawa and Yagami just to gain voters for Horikita which was the worst option I could think of. I don't want to owe one from them. I don't even want to imagine the favor that they're gonna ask in return, especially Amasawa.

But who knows, there might be students who would vote logically by thinking that Horikita would be a better leader as she overtook Ichinose's class recently. But for this school where connection is very important, I don't really know if that's possible.

I might be able to think of some strategies here and there but no use worrying for that as Horikita was officially the new Student Council president.

Now, my plan is heading in the right direction.

I am currently in the student council office and was about to head out as my work was already done.

"Utomiya-kun."

I turned around as I was called by the girl who was about to leave the office also.

"May I ask where are you going after this?"

"To the dormitory."

"I'm actually heading to the library, can we talk as we walk?"

Well, I'm gonna walk pass the way to the library anyway.

"Sure."

Horikita and I went out of the office and walked together. How should I say this...... this was such a good development huh.

I wonder if she just wants to talk about something trivial...... No, this is definitely about the exam.

"How's your exam?"

And then she asked.

An exam was announced a week ago. Unfortunately,.... No if I think about it, it's fortunate actually, we're having a written exam where we don't have to get involved with the other year level. So asking for cooperation with them was not needed.

"It's okay. We somehow got to know how to deal with it."

"Though that sounds good but...... Are you saying that you don't need some help from us?"

".... Help?"

I looked at her, feigning ignorance of what she's asking. She then looked back at me.

"Please don't misunderstand. It's not like I'm underestimating your class. It's just, we already had this cooperative relationship and you told me that you wanted to ask some help from us in the upcoming exams but it's been a week since an exam was announced and you never approach us."

"I did not approach you because we're dealing with different exams."

Not really. I'm just being wary of Ayanokoji. I know he's being suspicious of me as the one who was sent to expel him, probably more than Amasawa and Yagami. I even suspected that he already had the idea that there's something that I'm after Horikita. Though I'm sure that he really won't get it.

I need to refrain from making constant contact with her. If I won't be careful, Ayanokoji might warn her about me.

And also, Horikita was still in second year. There's still more than one year before she graduates so there's no reason for me to hurry.

"We might be dealing with different exams but we could still help each other."

"Like how?"

"Like a study group."

Study group? How exactly can our class help on that matter though?

"Since we have different exams that means our class is making different strategies. But we both have written exams, so the only way for us to help each other is to have a joint study group."

"But isn't our class the only one that benefits from it?"

As I asked that to her, her expression did not change. So despite knowing that they won't gain anything from us, she still proposed to have a joint study group .

"Though you could help us on our studies cause you 2nd years already encountered the topics that we're studying, we first years can't help you at all. Aren't we just gonna slow you down?"

"I see. So the cooperative relationship that you said before was only applicable if the exam involves all year levels."

"Not really. Even if we have different exams, as long as we could help each other, then we would be glad to cooperate. But this time, the help is pretty one sided."

"If that's what you worry, then you should not, cause later if we have the same situation as this and we're the only one who needed help, we also wouldn't worry asking for help from you as we already helped you in the past."

Now, I couldn't find any reason to reject her.

"I get your point senpai. I will tell our leader about this."

"Please do and I hope I'll get a good answer."

If you say that, I couldn't help but persuade them to agree.

"..... I thought that you and him are pretty similar but both of you are actually very different."

She suddenly said that to herself.

"Who?"

".... Sorry. It's nothing."

AYANOKOJI POV

After my impressive 100 points in Math on our first exam, I unfortunately became part of our class' teaching staff on our study group along with Horikita, Keisei, Yosuke and other smart students in Class D.

I only agreed since Horikita told me that I will only teach in Math.

Though I agreed to teach, I told her that I shouldn't be alone as I'm not good at communicating with my classmates. And so, I proposed that I should be part of Keisei's study group instead. But unexpectedly, she refused my offer and insisted on participating in her study group instead. Since I couldn't win against her unreasonable argument, in the end, I agreed.

As we entered the library, Ike immediately sat on an empty seat near the entrance and then Sudo followed. I was about to sit also but then Horikita suggested to move somewhere else.

"Let us sit there."

She walked to the empty seats in the middle. Ike and Sudo were confused but followed her anyway. The seats that they chose were actually not that bad, it's just the tables around it were already full of students who were having a study group also.

We were busy preparing ourselves by taking out our study materials one by one.

After a moment, Horikita raised her hand as if signaling someone where she was. All of us looked in the direction where her eyes were looking. We saw a couple of first year students coming in our direction.

Upon seeing a certain student, Sudo's face darkened and immediately lost his smile.

"Good evening Horikita senpai. Good evening senpais."

After Utomiya greeted Horikita, he turned his attention to us and greeted us.

"Good evening. You can sit there."

Horikita motioned her right hand to the empty seats and table on her right side.

So, this was the reason why she wanted us to move here.

"You told me that there's actually someone who can teach you?"

"Ah... yes. She hasn't arrived yet but her academic ability is A. And we also have someone here with B+."

"That's good to hear. If there's something you don't understand, don't hesitate to ask us okay."

"....Yes."

Utomiya then sat with his classmates.

"Did he ask you to teach them Suzune?"

Sudo who sat across Horikita leaned on the table and asked her.

"No. It was me who asked this joint study group."

"You?"

Sudo couldn't seem to understand what Horikita was saying. I then inserted myself.

"So you decided to help them."

"I was just so thankful to them that they rejected the former pres. Nagumo's invitation to the sports festival and chose us. And you see, we also have this cooperative relationship so it's not that surprising to help each other."

"But why is it that they seem like they want to study on their own?"

Horikita sighed.

"Utomiya-kun actually rejected my proposal to have a joint study group yesterday because he thought that they can't help us at all and they will only give us trouble. So I instead suggested that they can have a study group on their own and we can only intervene the moment they ask for help."

Upon hearing that, Sudo sat back on his chair with a troubled expression.

So Utomiya actually rejected Horikita. Was he trying to misdirect me?

**********

A couple of minutes had already passed but Utomiya's study group still hadn't asked for help until......

"Utomiya-kun, I..... I don't know how to answer this problem."

"Let me see."

Utomiya took the questionnaire from his classmate. After reading, he was only staring at the paper, motionless.

"Sorry..... I also can't answer this. How about you? Do you know?"

He then passed the questionnaire to the student who had a B+ in academic ability in OAA, but he also seemed to be troubled and didn't know how to answer.

"Utomiya-kun. It's definitely okay for us if you ask for help."

Horikita, who was listening to their conversation, told Utomiya.

".... Sorry senpai. It's just that, my classmate who was supposed to teach us eventually ditched us."

Utomiya offered an apology and asked for help. The student that he said a while ago who had an A in academic ability and was supposed to teach them did not arrive.

But why do I get a bad feeling about this?

"Ayanokoji-kun. Can I leave the rest to you? I'm going to the other table to teach the first years."

I was right.

So this was the reason why she forced me to participate in her study group instead of Keisei's.

"Horikita, I thought I already told you the reason why I shouldn't be alone."

"I actually thought that you wouldn't have any problem communicating with them since they are your friends. Sudo-kun, Ike-kun and Hondou-kun. And also, you're only gonna teach them in Math, something that you're much better than I am."

So foolish of me to agree with her and fall into her trap.

"Sudo-kun. Please listen to Ayanokoji-kun okay. I'll come back in a minute."

"... O.. Okay..."

Horikita seemed to notice the low spirited Sudo and assured him that she won't stay there until the end of the study session.

With that, she just stood up and moved to the other table to teach Utomiya's study group. Sudo was staring at her until she sat next to Utomiya. I too was staring at her.................... in disbelief.

AYANOKOJI POV

The study session came to an end. The other students left already and went to their respective dorms.

"Thank you very much and let me apologize for the trouble."

"You're welcome and seriously, you don't have to apologize. You did not give us any trouble at all."

Maybe not to you.

I silently said that in my mind.

"We actually had a problem about our classmates who don't like to study before, but I'm proud to say that some of them managed to change and even got to learn to study on their own. So you were not really giving us trouble like you think."

I could feel Sudo's spirit rising up, who was looking down just a second ago, when Horikita said that as he knew that she was talking about him.

I believe he's going to study again in his room after this. She really knows how to handle him.

"Is that it? So I guess, I don't have to worry."

"Suzune."

Horikita and Utomiya turned around and stopped walking as Sudo called her.

"What?"

"Ahh.. you see...."

Sudo moved to Utomiya's side and put his arm around his neck.

"We boys actually had something to talk about so you can go ahead. Right Ayanokoji?"

It took me a moment to realize what Sudo was saying.

".....Right."

"What is it?"

"Ahh... like I said it's a boy thing."

Sudo answered Horikita in panic while Utomiya was looking confused by Sudo's actions.

Instead of Sudo, Horikita was looking at me with suspicious eyes. It's as if I was the one who wanted to talk with Utomiya.

Stop looking at me like that.

"........ Okay. I'll go ahead then."

With that, Horikita left the three of us.

"I'm sorry senpai but.... I don't get this."

"Ahh... sorry."

Sudo removed his arm from Utomiya and then looked at me.

Why are you looking at me? Don't tell me, you want me to ask him not you?

Upon seeing that I don't have any plan of opening my mouth, Sudo turned his attention towards Utomiya again.

"Utomiya.... you see... there's something that I'm curious about. So will you please answer me honestly?"

"What is it?"

He looked at me again as if asking for help. He seemed embarrassed of what he's about to ask.

I couldn't believe that I'm seeing Sudo like this. Is it really hard to ask?

Steeling his resolve, he looked at Utomiya and asked.

"Uhmm.... do you perhaps..... like Suzune?"

".... Like?"

"I mean, do you have feelings for her?"

"Me? Like Horikita senpai? You mean romantically?"

Utomiya was asking Sudo like he wasn't sure if what he heard was correct.

Sudo then nodded and looked at him straight in the eyes as if threatening him to answer honestly.

"I don't know how you came up with that but...... I don't have."

Sudo seemed like he wanted more assurance as he did not stop looking at him in the eyes.

"For real. I really don't have."

Utomiya answered once again. Sudo seemed satisfied.

"Okay. I'll trust you."

"Sudo senpai. Could it be that you....."

"Yeah.... I like her."

"Oh."

Suddenly Utomiya looked at me and said

"Isn't Ayanokoji senpai more suspicious than I am?"

Come on. Why did you have to say that? Sudo already forgot about me. Don't remind him.

"I also suspected him but he already said multiple times that there's nothing going on with them."

"Sudo. I thought that you're fine if Horikita will date anyone she wants, but why are you acting like this?"

"I... I know... it's just, I don't like it if someone was hiding it from me. You!... don't you dare hide it from me 'kay."

".. O-okay."

Utomiya couldn't help but answer that.

Authors note:Nagumo's policy is something I just couldn't get. It was something that I was actually looking forward to in the official LN as I want to know how meritocracy would change the school. And I also think that if I apply it to my fanfic, my future events would be all over the place.

Anyway, I would like to thank my loyal readers and also to my new readers 😂😂 I already released 9 chapters and you all still read it. So thank you.

I also want to thank again for those who does not hesitate to vote and leave comments. You actually motivate me to continue writing this fanfic especially knowing that someone actually enjoys and appreciate my work😊😊 though this is such a weird ship that was created out of nowhere.😂😂

Thank you and hope you enjoyed reading.