After Fuyuka had paid off her debt in full, Asahi realized that they had reverted back to their previous relationship; one of minimal interaction. No longer were there any mutual greetings if they crossed paths, nor did they spark up any random conversations.
Her demeanor at school hadn’t changed—she was as cold and aloof as ever. Rumors about her continued to spread, just as they always had.
Had it all been a dream? Asahi wondered. He could recall her embarrassed expression when her stomach growled that day, as well as the sensation of his heart skipping a beat when she showed him that beautiful smile of hers.
A week had passed, and Fuyuka and Asahi had regressed to being nothing more than strangers. Everything had returned to how it was before.
“Damn, dude—I had no idea you were that smart.”
“Well, next to you, anybody’d be considered a genius.”
“Pfft. That’s a low blow, buddy. At least try comparing yourself to someone who doesn’t struggle to pass.”
Asahi, Chiaki, and the rest of the class had gotten their tests returned earlier that day, and everyone was looking at their scores and comparing them. They were finally starting to relax after what had been a brutal exam week. When he scanned the class, Asahi could see a wide variety of emotions ranging from absolute despair to pure elation. Chiaki’s case was somewhat unusual—his grades were terrible, but he couldn’t help but chuckle the moment he received them.
“You ended up 30th out of the 300 students in school, though. Pretty insane, if I do say so myself. Did you use some kinda special technique to study or somethin’?”
“I guess you could call it that.”
“Come on, dude, fill me in—I gotta know how to rack up those easy points.”
“Let’s just say I had someone help me out a bit.”
“Oh, I see. Then how about you help me next ti—”
“Hey, don’t push it. Just be happy that I told you my secret.”
Asahi examined his score sheet while he drowned out Chiaki’s endless ranting. They were the best marks he’d managed to receive so far that year. Although his standard studying methods were enough to ensure that he passed with satisfactory grades, they were nothing spectacular. He wasn’t the biggest proponent of Chiaki’s method of cramming the week before—or, hell, even the day before—an exam in an attempt to barely pass. Instead, he preferred to study a small amount each day. That way, he could ensure that his grades would be good enough to pass, but he could also avoid being showered with any unwanted attention.
This time, things were different, however—his grades were significantly higher than they normally were. It had been enough to grant him a spot in the top 10% of the entire school, a feat he’d never pulled off before. The reason was obvious: Fuyuka had helped him study math a week ago. Having the genius who consistently ranked at the top of the school assisting with one’s studies would certainly make a difference. But he figured divulging his “secret studying method” to Chiaki would end up being more trouble than it was worth, so he decided to change the topic.
“Anyways, it’s no wonder your grades blow—all you do is waste time with your girlfriend.”
“What can I say, dude. Gotta give my cutie the attention she deserves.”
“Whatever floats your boat, I guess, but you’re only proving my point.”
To enter any specific Japanese high school, it was required that you pass their entrance exam with a minimum score. Since Asahi and Chiaki attended the same school, it meant that both of them were capable of achieving the same grades. The reason behind their staggering difference was the priority each was willing to give to their studies. After all, Chiaki was a clever and witty guy. If he made an effort, he was certainly capable of doing as well as Asahi... or even better. His main priority was his girlfriend. That caused both him and his girlfriend to be in sync when it came to their grades—hers also weren’t the highest, to say the least.
“If you had a girlfriend, you’d get my struggle. We’d definitely be taking the same supplementary classes.”
“God. If that ever happened, my parents would force me to live with them again. That’d be rough.”
“Wait... that’d mean I couldn’t crash at your place anymore, right?”
“Pretty much.”
“Okay. Sorry to break it to you, man, but I ain’t letting you get a girlfriend.”
That was pretty apparent to Asahi already. It wasn’t like he was actively seeking a girlfriend at the moment, anyway. He didn’t have a crush on anyone, and he didn’t feel the need to get all cozy and lovey-dovey with someone else, unlike Chiaki. For the time being, studying and getting good grades was his number one priority; he could find a girlfriend later.
“Gotta say—you give me serious “Ice Queen” vibes when you say stuff like that.”
“What does Himuro have to do with anything?”
“I just feel like you two are lackin’ some lovin’, if you catch my drift. You need to work on yourself a little more if you want to achieve that goal, though.”
“Would you shut up already? You’re being a real pain right now.”
“That’s what I’m talking about! Just try smiling a little more, y’know? The hair needs some work, too. I mean, you’re a pretty good-looking guy, man. Don’t let yourself go like this.”
Didn’t know you were the expert on beauty now, Chiaki. Man... I’d love to tell him that, but I’ll just shut up, Asahi thought.
He was well aware that he was weird, and that he wasn’t looking to be in a relationship. The truth was, Asahi wasn’t the chatty type. He disliked long discussions, and the thought of forcing himself to act differently just to try and hook up with someone was off-putting. It would be strange for both him and everyone else if he suddenly became a social butterfly, so he preferred to stay true to himself... even if doing that meant being compared to The Ice Queen.
Not to mention that he had no idea how Chiaki had assessed that he was “good-looking.” No one but his friend had ever told him that. He didn’t think of himself as someone who was outstandingly attractive.
To sum things up—Asahi didn’t want a relationship. The thought of spending time or money on someone else was unappealing, since studying was his main concern. Add to the fact that he’d likely have to change his attitude to please someone else, and his mind was basically set in stone. All in all, he understood where Chiaki was coming from, but he simply wasn’t interested.
“Let’s not talk about this anymore. I’m exhausted.”
“Oh, come on! You’re such a buzzkill. And I was just getting to the good part where I give you a crash course on how to become the school’s lady killer.”
“That alone is already scaring me a bit. I’m done with this, at any rate.”
“Don’t be like that, man. I bet there’re tons of girls out there ready and waiting for you to follow my guidelines.”
“Quit making shit up. You’re the only one who wants me to do that.”
“You just need someone to tell yo—oh, speak of the devil.”
Chiaki grinned, which gave Asahi goosebumps. He had a bad feeling about what was to come next. He turned around only to spot his “greatest enemy,” sapping what little remaining energy he had left.
“Chii-pie! Asahi! How were the tests, guys? Mine turned out horrible!”
“Perfect timing, Hina. You gotta help me formulate a plan so Asahi can become a ladies’ man!” Chiaki said.
“That... sounds super fun, actually! Don’t tell me that Asahi finally has the hots for someone!”
“Would you two just calm down?” Asahi grumbled.
The girl that had just entered their class was none other than Hinami Aiba. She’d burst in with her usual cheerful smile plastered on her face. Her appearance was rather charming in its own way—she had a cute brown bob which perfectly framed her small features. She was always incredibly upbeat and energetic, and could easily make herself the center of attention with her rowdy antics.
Since she was the complete opposite of Asahi, she was the type who drained his energy at an alarming rate. If it weren’t for the fact that she was Chiaki’s girlfriend, Asahi would never even dare approach someone like her. And although Asahi considered her to be his “greatest enemy,” the two actually had a good relationship.
“Since the tests are already over, I bet you two have nothing to do after school today. How about we go to that family restaurant nearby and hang out?” Chiaki proposed.
“Can I refuse?”
“Obviously not!”
“Then why even ask me in the first place...?”
When the couple teamed up against Asahi, he could do nothing to stop them. Since he knew he couldn’t escape from this situation, he figured the best course of action would simply be to sigh and go along with their proposal.