After I Picked up a Notebook Filled With Intense Emotions, the Girls Started Acting Strange

After class ended and the break began, one of the boys sitting nearby came over.

He was a little nervous as he approached Kuroe-san and spoke.

“Hey, Kuroe-san. Can I ask you something?”

Normally, she probably would have ignored him.

But today, she was different.

“What is it?”

She answered shortly, never looking away from the novel in her hands. The boy flinched slightly but gathered his courage and asked again.

“Is it true that you’re dating Shindou?”

The tension in the classroom rose instantly.

At the edge of the room, the boys’ group he belonged to was watching quietly while holding their breath.

From the atmosphere, I could guess why he was asking.

It was probably some kind of dare or punishment, and he came to find out the truth about her relationship with Shindou.

“…Yeah. It’s true.”

“R-really…?”

“It’s the truth. I won’t say it twice.”

As always, she didn’t look at him at all while keeping her cool, but her words were shocking enough to make everyone doubt their ears.

The classroom suddenly became noisy. Boys and girls alike were curious, trying to act uninterested while eavesdropping.

“Hehe. It’s not something to be surprised about. Rei and I are dating. That’s a fact. Right, Rei?”

At that moment, Shindou walked in from outside the classroom. The boy had been trying to ask while Shindou was gone, but he unfortunately returned from the bathroom quickly.

Behind him, Imaoka watched with a worried expression. Somehow, seeing Imaoka struggle like that made the boy feel a little sympathetic.

“Yes, that’s right. We even studied together yesterday, just the two of us.”

─So, it was true.

Seeing Kuroe-san confirm it, someone muttered quietly. A hope that it was just a rumor disappeared instantly.

Even though she seemed distant, there was a kind of admiration surrounding her. The cold aura she gave off made it hard for anyone to approach her, and combined with her appearance, it made her seem mysterious. Both boys and girls felt the same way.

And now, she has a boyfriend.

This news shook many of our classmates.

“Hehe, that’s how it is. From now on, support me and Rei. I’ll try not to show off too much in front of everyone.”

Shindou spoke proudly to those around him. People might normally have congratulated him, but rumors about him had spread lately, and the classmates’ reactions were hesitant.

─Well, he’s good-looking…

─But I’ve heard his personality is a bit…

─Does Kuroe-san care only about looks?

─Well, not sure if the rumors are true…

─But it seems kind of true?

Voices like that could be heard from somewhere.

“Yes. He even promised yesterday that he’d get a good rank for me.”

“Of course. I need to show that I’m different from the others.”

His words were a little irritating.

“Yeah. I’m expecting it. Even if you can’t surpass me, at least… the top five in the year, right?”

“Huh?”

“You’ll do fine, Shindou. I’ve been teaching you. It’s only natural. There’s no way my boyfriend can’t get a rank like that, right?”

“…”

Shindou froze at Kuroe-san’s words.

The atmosphere suddenly felt strange.

“W-wait, Rei. I can’t keep up with what you’re saying…”

“I want you to get in the top five to show your love for me. That’s all.”

“But I’m smart, but the top five in the year is still…”

“If you want to be worthy of me, it’s only natural. Or is your love for me really that small, Shindou?”

“N-no, I didn’t mean that. Are there other ways to show my love!?”

“Yes. But you said it yourself. ‘I’ll do anything you want.’ So show me you’re better than everyone else. You can do it, right? You even said yesterday that I’m special.”

“F-fine! I’ll do it for you, Rei! There’s no way I’ll lose to anyone else in class! My brain is just on a different level! My brain!!”

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it. And as you can see, everyone in class knows. You’ll definitely be in the top five. Those who were above you before might drop a bit. I’m sorry about that.”

“…W-wait, Rei? You didn’t have to tell everyone…”

Shindou looked around, and everyone in the class was glaring at him. At that moment, everyone was probably thinking the same thing.

He’d better fail.

“Hehe. This is getting fun.”

Kuroe-san whispered, and I didn’t miss it.

“Hey, the bell’s ringing. Everyone, go back to your seats… what’s with this atmosphere?”

Just then, our homeroom teacher and English instructor, Gozen-sensei, walked in. Everyone returned to their seats at the teacher’s confused words.

After the greetings for class were done, we sat down.

“…”

I stole a glance at the silver-haired girl sitting next to me.

…What could she be thinking?

“What’s wrong?”

“─Gasp.”

“Do you need something? Did you forget your textbook?”

“No… was that earlier on purpose?”

She whispered, and I was startled while trying to think carefully before answering her.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb. Shindou. Stirring things up like that… Do you really think he can do it?”

Apparently, Shindou was ranked 26th in the year. With around 240 students in a grade, that’s pretty good. But the top ranks are a tough wall to climb.

Getting into the top ten is hard enough, and the top five is even harder. Only students aiming for elite universities are at that level.

There’s the top student, and even Sena-san is up there. That leaves just three spots. Shindou’s current rank isn’t bad, but jumping that high… Well, it depends on how much he works for it.

“Hehe. Are you worried about him?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then you don’t need to worry. And it’s fine. I’ll be teaching him. He has to reach that rank, or else it would be a problem.”

…Huh? She seems pretty serious about Shindou.

“Do you know an easy way to control someone?”

“…Control someone? That sounds dangerous.”

“Hehe, it’s nothing too serious. In a relationship, one side always has a little advantage.”

“…So, what’s the method?”

“Carrot and stick. That’s all there is to it.”

Simple enough. In this case, the stick is setting strict goals for his rank. But the carrot?

“If you dangle a small reward, he’ll surely work hard. Like giving him a kiss, for example.”

Devilish. Or rather, mischievously playful, she smiled.