Chapter 8

Even after the morning’s small commotion, the day proceeded as usual.  

“Alright, I’ll now be handing back the results of the academic assessment test that was conducted at the start of the new school year. Come up in order of your student number to collect them.”  

As instructed, students made their way to the teacher’s desk in numerical order, receiving small slip-like papers.  

Each slip contained their scores for each subject, the average score, deviation value, and overall ranking.  

“This test isn’t like the regular exams, where each class has different content based on the teacher. Since this was a standardized test for the whole grade, rankings have been calculated across the entire year. The top performers will also have their names posted on the school bulletin!”  

Regular exams varied between classes due to differences in subject teachers, preventing a direct comparison across the entire grade.  

However, the school held a few unified mock exams each year, ensuring all students were tested under the same conditions.  

“And… we have something to celebrate! The top scorer for this test came from our class!”  

At the teacher’s cheerful announcement, the classroom immediately buzzed with excitement.  

“It was Hatsune-san! Wow, I didn’t expect our class to take first place. Everyone, let’s use this as motivation to level up together!”  

The moment Reika’s name was mentioned, murmurs of “Of course it’s her” spread through the class.  

She had consistently maintained first place in these grade-wide mock exams since the first year.  

“As expected of Hatsune-san, huh?”  

Holding up his score slip like a waving flag, Seiya turned to Satoru.  

He didn’t seem the least bit concerned about others seeing his grades, as if he had completely given up caring.  

“Yeah.”  

“But with someone that smart, doesn’t it feel even more impossible? I mean, girls like that probably think, ‘Ugh, guys are just dumb,’ right?”  

“Can’t say you’re wrong.”  

It was well-known that Reika had zero interest in guys and had even scoffed outright when approached before.  

“By the way, what rank did you get? Bet you did pretty well, huh?”  

“Eighth.”  

“Excuse me, what? You’re a freak too!”  

“Honestly, if I wasn’t at least in the top tier despite being in no clubs and having all this study time, wouldn’t that be pretty disgraceful?”  

Given Seiya’s club commitments, there was a clear difference of several hours a day between how much time club members and non-club members could dedicate to studying.  

If Satoru had ended up with just a mediocre rank despite having all that extra time, he didn’t even want to imagine what adults around him would say.  

“Even so, dude, that’s insane. There are over 300 students in our grade, you know?”  

“Well, this is something I can manage. So, if you need help avoiding red marks on the regular tests, I got you.”  

“Are you a god?”  

“Unlike lazy old me, you should be putting in some effort.”  

At Satoru’s remark, Seiya clasped his hands together as if praying to a deity.

Satoru glanced at Seiya, who was still in awe at his ranking. If he were to learn that the eighth-ranked student in the grade was actually dating the number-one-ranked, stunningly beautiful Reika—and that their relationship had already progressed physically—  

Yeah… I think I could knock him unconscious with the sheer impact of that revelation…  

If it were a conventionally attractive and sporty couple, people would accept it as natural, even if they were that close.  

But this particular pairing would undoubtedly cause some serious mental short-circuiting among their peers.  

Here I am, acting all superior in front of Seiya… but I really need to at least make it back into the top five… 

Reika had been keeping her place at number one, while Satoru had recently slipped below fifth place.  

It was only by a rank or two, but he couldn’t afford to keep sliding down.  

*(Gotta get my act together…)*  

As he chatted with Seiya, he made a quiet vow to himself.  

______________

“You know, your grades have been dropping a bit.”  

“Yes… I’m aware. I’m sorry.”  

On their way home, inside a local train, Satoru found himself being lectured by Reika.  

“It’s still a single-digit rank for now, but if this keeps up, you’ll be in the double digits soon.”  

“Yeah,I know … I’ll take things more seriously.”  

“Hmph, to think you used to be the one supporting me back in middle school…”  

“I have no excuse…”  

This time, it wasn’t her usual teasing—she was genuinely scolding him.  

“Honestly, you let your guard down too easily… Should I give you seven hickeys to match the gap in our rankings?”  

“Uh, please don’t. People will definitely look at me weird.”  

She’d left hickeys on him before, but he had always managed to brush them off as mosquito bites.  

But seven? That would be downright alarming.  

The only excuse he could think of was, Uh, I might have hives?—but that would just make people concerned rather than convinced.  

“If I can pull myself back up next time, will you let this one slide…?”  

“Hmm… I wonder~?”  

As Satoru desperately bowed his head in apology, Reika smirked, resting her fist against her cheek in thought.  

“…Maybe you should be the one leaving me with a hickey instead?”  

“…Come again?”  

He needed a second to process what she just said.  

“It wouldn’t be such a bad thing for me to start subtly making it clear that I belong to someone, don’t you think?”  

“Uhh… I’m not exactly thrilled about that idea…”  

“Oh? And do you think you have the right to refuse, given your declining performance?”  

“Urgh…”  

She had him there. He had no real counterargument.  

“It’s nothing difficult. Just do it like you always do.”  

“Don’t phrase it like that. And don’t bring it up.”  

“Fufu. So, that’s a yes?”  

“How did this get decided without my input…? You’re not gonna make me do seven, are you?”  

“I wouldn’t mind~.”  

“One. Just one, okay?”  

In the end, he caved, letting her have her way yet again.  

Right then and there, he swore to himself—Next time, I’ll get my act together for real.