The Beautiful Girl Who Asked Me to Pretend to Be Her Boyfriend Didn’t Want to Break up With Me for Some Reason - Chapter 22

“This problem is solved by substituting x for this number here and y for this one—”

“…What happens after substituting?”

“I see, you’re starting from there.”

The study session started smoothly, but the content itself was very difficult.

The reason for this study session was Hanaba.

So, Hanaba is the one being taught by Shirafuji, but it seems that the progress isn’t going well.

Shirafuji is teaching patiently and carefully, but as Hanaba said, she’s struggling to keep up, and the conversation wasn’t quite clicking.

Hanaba looked apologetic, but Shirafuji didn’t seem to mind at all.

Since Hanaba had admitted she didn’t understand, Shirafuji was probably just trying to figure out how much she understood.

“It seems like it would be better to start from the basics. Hanaba’s goal was to avoid failing, but if you master the basics, you should be able to score about 60%.”

“…But doesn’t that mean you’re still below average? If you don’t get the basics, you won’t be able to do well.”

“I think that’s actually true. The class is a bit fast, so everyone probably isn’t keeping up with the reviews.”

“If Shirafuji hadn’t been teaching me, I think I would have been left behind.”

“I’m barely hanging in there myself. I study whenever I can, just barely managing.”

It’s really impressive how they’re not neglecting their studies, even though they’re busy with club activities.

There’s probably also the fact that they can’t participate in club activities if they fail.

Rin is really passionate about his club activities.

“…Rinatchi. I know I asked you for this, but if it’s too hard, it’s totally fine, okay? You have your own studies too.”

“Teaching also helps me study, so don’t worry about it.”

“Shirafuji teaches me all the time, and still manages to maintain the top grade in the year, so there’s no need to worry. I don’t really know how, though.”

“…Eh? Does Shirafuji-san have some kind of perfect memory or something?”

“Besides teaching, I study on my own as well. If I don’t explain things in a logical way, the person being taught won’t understand, right? So I organize my thoughts in order to teach, and in doing so, I think my understanding naturally improves.”

Shirafuji isn’t just relaxing in my room; she’s also studying properly.

Her posture is the same as usual, but that’s that.

Since what she’s doing is serious, oddly enough, no impure feelings mix in.

…Sorry, I admit there are a little mixed feelings, but I’ll pretend I didn’t notice.

“Anyway, Hanaba-san, let’s go over the basics again. If you don’t understand something, feel free to ask, and I’ll teach you until you understand.”

“Rinatchi-sensei…!”

Although there was a hint of joking, no one had forgotten the reason why they were here.

While Shirafuji and Hanaba started a one-on-one session, Rin and I resumed studying as well.

“—Well then, shall we take a break for now?”

“Hahhh! I’m so tired!”

Around 3 o’clock, Shirafuji suggested a break, and even Hanaba, who had been focused, stretched while groaning.

Rin and I also decided it was a good time to stop.

The study progress was going well, and during the breaks, Rin and I exchanged tips on our respective strong subjects.

I tried teaching like Shirafuji, but I wonder if it worked.

“How did Hanaba do?”

“It looks like she’ll be okay. Even in this short time, I think she understands the basics now.”

“It’s all thanks to Rinatchi! She explains everything so clearly.”

“I just listened, but I could tell it must be really easy to understand. She tackles one unclear point at a time, so nothing gets skipped.”

“Yeah, and she doesn’t get mad, so we don’t feel nervous or anything.”

“…Isn’t it normal not to get mad when teaching?”

“I don’t think it’s that simple. There are plenty of teachers who snap and say ‘Why don’t you understand?’ when they’re in the teaching position.”

I hear that sort of thing even outside of studying.

I think Shirafuji, for better or worse, probably doesn’t expect much.

If someone doesn’t understand, she just handles it accordingly.

It’s a bit cold, but maybe because she doesn’t get carried away by emotions, it leads to better results.

“That said, we can’t let our guard down. There’s only so much we can teach with the time left before the test.”

“Just the basics of the five subjects—how many hours will that take?”

“At worst, you’ll have to rely on the practice problems I’ve made and focus on those. You can also solve basic problems on your own…”

“Shirafuji’s practice problems are pretty accurate. I’ve been helped by them every time.”

“Wow… You can even make those?”

“Should I make some for Shinonome-san as well?”

“If you’re offering, I’ll gladly take them.”

“Of course. I can’t make them public, though, so it’ll just be shared among the four of us.”

Shirafuji, with a finger on her lips, gestured for us to keep it a secret.

With Shirafuji’s practice problems, we should be able to avoid failing.

I honestly don’t know how she can make such accurate practice problems every time, but she says, “If you listen in class, you can catch the key points.”

She’s not a genius, but it feels like her human performance is on another level.

…Though, maybe it’s traded off with her life skills?

If that’s the case, I can’t really complain.

“Enough about studying. I want to know about you two. Honestly, how far have you two gone—?”

“What do you want to know that for?”

“Well, isn’t it fun to hear about other people’s love lives?”

…I get where they’re coming from, but when they ask so directly, it’s hard to figure out how to answer.

“Eh? Am I the only one curious? Shinocchi, you’re curious too, right?”

“It’s not that I’m not curious, but I hesitate to get involved.”

“That’s true, but… So, really, how is it? Have you kissed yet, or gone further?”

Hanaba asked eagerly, but she wasn’t looking at me—she was staring at Shirafuji.

She probably thought I wouldn’t spill the beans.

At school, Shirafuji is the one who shows off our relationship more than I do.

As for Shirafuji, who was being cornered, she tilted her head and thought for a moment, not looking unhappy, and then answered with confidence:

“I’m in a healthy relationship with Hakuo. I think we’ve done everything a high school couple would usually do.”

She answered with pride, but without giving any specifics.

Things like kissing or going further are things high school students might experience, but for us, we’ve only done healthy things.

We’ve hugged and stayed over at each other’s place recently.

The time I saw Shirafuji naked was an accident.

…It’s way too stimulating to forget, but I’ll stay quiet about it to avoid complications.

“So what does that really mean? Can you give us a bit more detail?!”

“I guess I’ll show you an example, and hopefully that will satisfy you.”

An example? Before I could even think about it, Shirafuji reached out to me with both arms—

“Whoa.”

“This is…”

Before their voices could be heard, Shirafuji embraced me.

One hand was on my waist, the other was on my back, and her face was very close to my cheek.

Almost at the same time, I felt a soft touch on my cheek.

That was just her lips brushing against me… right?

Since there was no sound, it’s hard to think she actually kissed me.

Looking at Shirafuji’s face, she was wearing a seductive smile.

“We do this kind of thing pretty often, you know,” she said, proudly.

Without a care for leaving me behind, she looked at the two of them and said that with a satisfied expression.

She must know her lips brushed against my cheek, but I can’t ask about it now, so I’ll let it slide.

“…Shirafuji, it’s dangerous to hug me suddenly like that.”

“I thought Hakuo would catch me.”

Hearing that, I couldn’t reply.

In front of the two of them, I have to play the part of a boyfriend.

Anyway, once they leave, I’ll ask Shirafuji if that was an accident or intentional.

I’m not angry, and judging by her reaction, it was probably an accident.

“Ugh, you two are so lovey-dovey.”

“We don’t have to worry about their relationship.”

“Of course not. As you can see, we’re lovey-dovey.”