[Cram school]

In one of the most important business districts in Tokyo, a neighbourhood surrounded by miscellaneous buildings located at the edge of the city. 

A Coffee shop, sunshine through the trees. 

The tea is not good. The coffee is also bad. No outstanding products. The interior is dull, the manager is dull. Thanks to this, the customers are far away and the shop is deserted. It's the kind of place where the locals often wonder why it hasn't gone out of business. 

In the back of the restaurant, Rose and Francisca were facing each other. 

It's almost sunset, and Rose is wearing a school uniform while Francisca is wearing a suit. In her hand is a bag filled with textbooks and a lunch box. It seemed that they had visited a cram school after finishing her classes. 

"So what's this about last night?" 

"Didn't I explain it to you on the phone in the morning? It was a measure to save him."

"But does that mean you have to marry him? When you bring someone into your organization, you impose a much stronger contract than marriage. Do you really think that your boss would suggest such a thing himself?"

"Do you think you can tie him down with the unilateral contract we are offering? It's difficult to do that, which is why we're talking about getting rid of him. On the other hand, he's often willing to make sacrifices for people he recognises as his friends."

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"But that's only if he loves you, isn't it?"

"It may be uncertain, but it's better than him being gone, isn't it?"

Rose frowned at Francisca's words. 

As a woman who loves Nishino, it was not an interesting conversation. 

The words that followed were naturally harsh.

"Assuming that's the case, you've done something about it, haven't you? " 

"Yes, of course."

Today, in particular, Rose was more energetic than ever. You can feel her determination to take on the person in front of her. Francisca is also very serious, as she believes that answering poorly would affect the trust between them. 

"By the way, isn't your other roommate with you today?" 

"No? She went out early this morning, out of nowhere." 

"Well, then maybe the problem will be solved in a little while."

With a short mutter, Francisca brings the cup to her lips.

Immediately remembering the taste of the coffee, she puts it back on the table without sipping it. Instead, she moistens her throat with the cold water that is placed next to it. The ice clinked dryly as the glass tipped.

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"Do you think she listened to you?" 

"No. I didn't tell her anything." 

" ... What do you mean ? " 

"I thought that if I brought it up in front of her, she would respond in some way, but it seems that she is more interested in him than I thought. I didn't expect you to make a move on the same day."

"So why did she turn up at such an odd time last night ......"

"It's not natural. " 

Francisca says with an accusing look on her face. 

It seems that the events of last night were intended. Not only Rose, but also the surveillance cameras that she has installed in the share house. It is the blonde Lolita who has decided to investigate and remove them in the near future. 

"The fact that the two of them are under the same roof makes it very easy. The only thing that made it easier yesterday was the fact that he was asleep and there was no one around to disturb him."

"You weren't watching him the whole time, were you?"

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"I've been sleeping nearby for several days now." 

"I'm in the mood to punch you in the face."

"Oh, I'm scared. But if I tell you the truth about the situation, there's not much I can do. It's impossible to help him unless she does. That's why I want you to be friends with her."

"What an unpleasant story!"

"If it's going to help him, why not compromise?"

"...... "

Rose fell silent as Francisca spoke. 

The act of saving Nishino's life is very appealing to her. It was a great opportunity to ingratiate herself with him. But the fact that it was going to be done not by her, but by her rival, did not amuse the blonde Lolita here. 

"That's why it looks like Rose won't be joining us this time." 

"You're a real pain in the ass, aren't you?" 

It was Rose's inability to play when he wanted to. 

It was natural for her to speak harshly.

"I just want to make sure that all this talk about marrying him was just to get his attention? Or was it really just an honest complaint you made to your boss? Don't tell me you're joking at this point."

"Well, I don't know."

"........."

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Francisca dodges Rose's question. 

Then, as if the conversation was over, she got up from her seat. 

"Well, I'll leave you to it then." 

"Wait a minute. I'm not done talking to you yet." 

"I have other work to do. I don't have time to look after you all the time." 

"......."

Francisca leaves the restaurant in front of Rose, who is still in her seat. 

◇ ◆ ◇

At the same time that Rose and Francisca were arguing in the coffee shop, Nishino was visiting the cram school where he had applied for admission last night. He was going to be busy for a while, which was a change from his original plan. With this in mind, he went to the school to cancel his application. The process itself could have been done with a single phone call, but I was a virgin who thought to at least have a glance at the site.

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" ......Here?"

The school was housed in a building facing a large, busy road. The signboard outside the building was flamboyant, and he was able to reach his destination without getting lost. As it was after school, many students in school uniforms could be seen at the main entrance. 

Naturally, there were some girls among them. 

The ratio of boys and girls was about 50/50. 

You can also find a few pretty girls here and there who are not as plain as Nishino prefers. 

"........" 

He stares at them as if to burn them into his mind. 

To the casual observer, he looks suspicious. 

Normally, he would have been one of them. Maybe he would have made friends with some of the girls from other schools that attend this cram school. It's the kind of thing that makes his heart ache, and he don't have to say anything. 

The significance of the school as a place of learning had completely disappeared from hismind. 

This sorrowful thought led to an unexpected encounter at the cram school. 

 

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"Why are you here, Nishino-kun?" 

Suddenly, from the side of the road facing the building, I heard my name called out. 

The voice sounded familiar. 

I turned around and saw Shimizu there. 

"It's strange to see you here, Chairwoman." 

"What do you mean by strange, how did you ......" 

"I'm not sure if I've ever seen you in a cram school before." 

Nishino glanced at the building that housed the cram school. 

It's a cynical attitude, but it's also a casual one. 

In response to this, a look of astonishment appeared on Shimizu's face. 

She hadn't expected to see the face of the Futsumen in a place like this. As Nishino had pointed out, he was making haste towards the school in front of him. He spotted a familiar face in the direction he was going and shouted out. 

"Do you go to this cram school, Nishino-kun?" 

"I applied yesterday." 

"......" 

After a few more words, the chairwoman finally felt fear. 

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The presence of the Futsumen is intruding not only on campus but also on her private life. She was horrified by this fact. The thought that she was being stalked after school was a natural one. 

Compared to other students of her generation, the chairwoman is not very concerned about such things. However, the encounter was enough to make even her feel unsafe. She is well aware of Nishino's hunger for the opposite sex. 

She felt that she was in danger of falling into his range.

"That's right, maybe ... " 

"But I decided to cancel it for some reason." 

"Eh ? " 

But what followed was the opposite reaction to what she expected. 

Immediately afterwards, the first thought that came to her mind was: Is it possible that Nishino-kun doesn't like me? I don't know. That's what annoyed me. It made her feel indescribable. I've hit him many times, you know, she said. 

The chairwoman is a woman who can reflect on her own actions.

"Hey, why did Nishino choose this cram school ? " 

Nevertheless, Shimizu decided to check it out just to be sure. It's an important piece of information to consider when deciding how far to go with him in the future. I don't expect a straightforward reply, but I thought I might get some kind of response.

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"I was looking for a school with a relatively calm atmosphere, as I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself. This, combined with the geographical location of the school and the fact that I would be commuting after school, led me to this school."

" Oh.... "

This was not an amusing reply to the chairwoman, who was going to put down her roots today at a school with a relaxed atmosphere. At the same time, she said, Oh, I knew it was Nishino-kun, and decided to maintain the status quo in her evaluation of him.

"So you wanted to meet girls from other schools and get to know them." 

"...... I would never dare to deny it."

In a brief exchange of words, the Futsumen purpose as a woman hunter was spotted. 

◇ ◆ ◇

On the same day, Nishino decided to cancel his application to the cram school, as he had originally planned. The sight of the chairwoman left him wondering what to do, but it made him feel even more determined to draw the line. He was also aware that he could not put his friends at risk. 

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This was the near future he had in mind when he thought about leaving school. After Gabriella's advice, he went to school as usual today, but he thought he should refrain from doing so as well. And so, walking alone through the night, he returned home to the share house. 

At the same place, Rose welcomed him with dinner. 

The dining table was covered with untouched food, steaming hot. It seems to have been waiting for him without eating. But there is no sign of the other housemate. The rest of the day passed without Gabriella. 

The next day arrived. 

Nishino visited the school with a somewhat solemn heart. 

After school that day, he decided to apply for a leave of absence from school. He had downloaded a template from the internet and had filled it out and stamped it last night. He folded it neatly, sealed it in a brown envelope and slipped it into his bag. 

When he arrives in the classroom, he goes to his seat in silence. 

As yesterday, there was no morning greeting exercise. His classmates began to whisper to each other about this fact. Regardless of this, he sits down in his seat and begins to prepare for his first period class. 

Two seats away from him, Risa approaches the chairwoman again today. 

The former, who had come to school a little early, walked towards the other's seat as the latter came to school. She has a big smile on her face and seems to be enjoying the moment.

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"Good morning, Chairwoman! " 

"Huh? Oh, um, yeah. ...... Good morning, Risa." 

"What's the matter? You don't look so well." 

"I was up late studying last night."

As the girls watch them greet each other in the morning, they begin to whisper to each other. It's a casual exchange that never reaches the girls themselves. Some of them are the same ones that Nishino and Rose confirmed yesterday. 

And then there is the chairwoman, who is finding it difficult to cope with Risa-chan, and Risa-chan, starved of conversation with the chairwoman, is hard at work on her own. The girls lacked consideration for the changes in their classmates that they might normally have noticed. 

"You've been working so hard lately, don't you think you could do with a break? "

"Really?" 

"If you want, why don't you come and hang out with us after school today?"

"Eh ... " 

"I'm sure you'll have a great time."

"No, uh ... " 

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Every day, Risa gives him an enthusiastic invitation to join her. The chairwoman struggled to think of how she could have refused. They had a similar conversation the day before yesterday, was what came to mind. 

But today, there was a voice that interrupted them. 

"Hasn't the chairwoman been cold towards Risa lately?" 

It was a girl who belonged to the same group of good friends as the chairwoman. 

Normally, they would spend their morning homeroom chatting with each other. 

"Is that so ? " 

"Didn't you turn down Risa's offer the day before yesterday?" 

"No, I had a cram school the day before yesterday......." 

"Studying is important, but don't you feel sorry for Risa?"

The chairwoman was at a loss for a response when she pointed out the very thing she was concerned about. I can't help it, was the honest thought muttered in her chest. 

Shimizu fears that if he accepts Risa's invitation, she may pinch more sensitive areas than her nipples.

This is a situation that the other students would never have thought of. 

However, Risa immediately followed up. 

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Class harmony is also important to her. 

If the Chairwoman is also involved, she can't overlook it.

"No, it's not like that! I'm sorry that I'm the one who kept asking you out again and again. I understand that you're busy, but I've always put my words first."

"Oh, no, it's just that ......"

In this case, the atmosphere in the classroom is such that the chairwoman appears to be inferior to the others. In addition to the original existence of the upper and lower caste in the school, if students who do not know the situation witnessed it, it would appear that Risa is concerned about Shimizui. 

The chairwoman also begins to understand the danger of her position. 

She doesn't think that Risa-chan has any bad intentions. 

However, her quick-witted classmates have already started to make their move. 

"Um, sorry, I need to go to......" 

Unable to come up with a good answer, the chairwoman decided to withdraw temporarily. 

She settled into her chair and left the classroom early. 

In the meantime, her eyes glanced at Nishino. 

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The chairwoman also noticed that she was behind Risa. Shimizu was exasperated and took it out on the Futsumen, thinking that she was the one who had put her up to it. She had no idea that Gabu-chan's advice was the reason. 

Suzuki was the one who noticed the slight moment. 

While chatting with Takeuchi, the handsome man noticed a change in the chairwoman's expression. It's not just that he's not usually aware of the chairwoman. And when he thought that the haters of Class 2A had something to do with it, he immediately got up from his chair. 

He immediately gets up from his chair and goes straight to the Futsumen, who is sitting in his seat getting ready for first period. 

"Ah, hey ... " 

Takeuchi called out to him, but he didn't care and continued on his way.

"Hey, Nishino" 

" ... What ? Suzuki-kun" 

Nishino was somewhat absent-minded as he answered. 

Normally, he would have been happy to take the opportunity to speak to his classmates. But on this occasion, he seemed to be acting, and seemed to be giving off an aura that said, Don't come any closer. 

But today, he seemed to be acting as if he was giving off an aura of this is irritating. 

"You know something, don't you? About the chairwoman?"

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"What are you talking about?" 

Compared to past exchanges, the narrative was strangely unhurried. 

According to him, he was pushing for business. 

The reason for this is, of course, the letter that he carries in his bag. He was cynical about the fact that he had been warned not to get too close to his classmates. He acted as if he were Marquis in a bar in Roppongi. 

"What are you talking about? I'm talking about the chairwoman. " 

"Why don't you ask the chairwoman about the chairwoman ? " 

"Wha ... " 

Nishino is trying to keep as much distance as possible from his opponent. 

For Suzuki, the question and answer is nothing more than an incentive. It's like being sold a one-sided fight by someone from the bottom caste. In his heart, he was not only worried about the chairwoman, but also angry at Nishino. 

The Futsumen continued to speak to him. 

"Stay away from me, or you'll get hurt." 

"........."

A frustration that he had never experienced before hit him mentally. 

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I hate Nishino. The fist that was clenched on the spur of the moment was raised firmly. 

"Hey, Suzuki !" 

It was Takeuchi who stopped it. 

He stood up from his seat and took Suzuki's wrist, which was swung up. 

"Don't want to get into a fight here, do we?" 

"Uh, yeah....... Sorry"

"Totally....... " 

"But Nishino might have been talking with the chairwoman ......" 

"How can that be? Think about it. How does Nishino know about the chairwoman? If there was something wrong, the chairwoman would tell us.  What's the problem with the relationship between the chairwoman and Risa? "

" ...... Oh, oh" 

Ever since Matsuura-san 3P news, nothing has been going well for Suzuki-kun. 

In the meantime, the princess of Class 2A, the one who caused the ruckus, is enjoying a game in her seat. No matter how the caste pattern of the class changes, Matsuura-san has nothing to do with it. The title of Matsuura of the knife, which she had acquired in the clear, gave her a comfortable solo life. 

 "Oh, super rare!"

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A few tenths of a percent chance of a dropped item appears on the screen of the phone in her hand. With all the money she has saved in her bank account, the double-digit amount of money she spends every month doesn't hurt her wallet in the slightest. With a game in one hand, she watches from a high vantage point as the classroom goes wild in the morning. 

It's a great way to keep your mind off of everyone and enjoy the slow life on campus without having to worry about the teachers warning you about your behavior. This is not so bad, she says, her humiliation a thing of the past. 

Matsuura-san is now a princess in both name and reality. 

◇ ◆ ◇

At lunchtime that day, Gabriella came to Class 2A. 

She looked around the room and saw Nishino in his place and walked up to him. On closer inspection, she could see that she had a few dark circles around her eyes. Her uniform is wrinkled everywhere. Her hair is also shaggy. 

Regardless of her appearance, as soon as she arrived at the classroom, she went under the wing of the Futsumen. 

She'd been away from the share house since early yesterday morning. Curious as to where she had been and what she was doing, Nishino was about to open his mouth. Just before he did, he smelled the scent of sweat on the tip of his nose. She hadn't had time to take a shower, and she smelled like a sweaty mess. 

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Nishino hesitated in his following words, wondering at the appearance of the person ahead of him. 

In the meantime, she looked at him and tried to tell him in a straightforward and loud voice. 

"I've solved your problem" 

" ... problem ?"

The Futsumen tilted his head in question. 

As he was doing this, he was approached by another person. 

"Oh, you look pretty terrible,"

It is Rose. 

In her hand is a package that looks like a lunch box. 

She seems to have come to take Nishino out to lunch. In the silhouette of the bulky package, you can see the presence of several large stacked boxes and a small box of rice prepared separately. The food is as elaborate as ever. 

"Sister......" 

"If we're going to talk, why don't we do it over a meal?"

Muttering briefly, Rose looks around the classroom.

In the same place, her classmates were paying attention to their appearance. 

After confirming the numerous eyes gathered on them, Gabu-chan gave a small nod. 

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" ... I understand." 

"If it comes to it, I'm happy to share my food with you." 

"I'm not really happy to hear you say that now."  

They walked out of the classroom, arguing and arguing. 

It is not possible to ignore them, so Nishino also followed their backs. 

The three of them disappeared into the corridor for a while. 

When he could no longer hear the footsteps, Suzuki-kun spoke up.

"Hey, isn't there something fishy about Nishino after all? "

"What's suspicious about him?" 

In the front, there is the figure of Takeuchi-kun. 

In addition, around the two of them, several other students who are at the top of the school caste can be seen. It's lunch time and everyone is sitting around the seat of the number one handsome guy in the class. This is where Rose and Gabriella come in. 

"Did you see Gabriella's outfit? And her hair was all messed up......."

" ........ " 

Takeuchi is weak when he says that.

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In fact, until last month, he would have agreed with Suzuki's opinion. But now that Francisca has confirmed the situation, he has not been able to give a good answer. He hesitates because he knows that if he talks about it too much, he will get into a lot of trouble.

On the other hand, the students who were there all agreed with Suzuki's opinion. They said, Yes, yes, definitely. 

It's becoming more and more likely that Rose and Gabriella are being held by Nishino. There are a lot of rumors out there that he's having them make lunches, or that he's having them take care of in class groups. 

"Hey, Takechi. Why don't we go and talk to those two? " 

"Yeah, sure......."

Takechi could only give a vague nod to Suzuki's suggestion.

Takechi could only give a vague nod to Suzuki's suggestion. I beg you, do it well,was the inarticulate appeal from the handsome man to the Futsumen. 

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