บท 9: Chapter 9 – Hiyori Shiina is not good at communicating

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"Why is it like this? The zero-score strategy is also a form of meritocracy, right?" Understanding the hint from class teacher Sakagami, Ishizaki immediately expressed his discontent.

After finally finding a safe and effortless solution for everyone through Yukio's suggestion, it turned out to be infeasible! As a student with very poor grades, Ishizaki naturally couldn't be happy about it.

Sakagami looked at Ishizaki strangely. Zero score is a form of strength? Well, that's something only you, the class's bottom rung, could say.

Yukio accepted the school's rules, as studying is a student's duty. No matter how much one wants to find a shortcut, learning is indispensable.

Even after graduating from Class A, no matter the future job or position, learning is always required.

Thus, Yukio's gaze shifted to the right side of the blackboard, where the class's best-performing members were listed, one being Shiina Hiyori and the other Kaneda Satoru.

These two had outstanding grades, clearly a cut above the rest of the class members.

So, after the class teacher Sakagami outlined the scope of the mid-term exam and left, Yukio first approached these two. Kaneda Satoru was a slim boy with glasses.

Shiina Hiyori was a solitary girl. Yukio remembered her well because she always seemed lost in thought, her amethyst eyes often unfocused and daydreaming.

Her seat was in the first row by the window. The sunlight streaming through the window illuminated her shoulder and cheek, making her waist-length light blue hair shine. When Yukio approached her, he could clearly see the fine hairs on her soft earlobes.

Her pale, swan-like neck was elegant, her figure plump, making her seem like a fluffy cotton candy, exuding a delicate and pitiable aura.

Perhaps due to her artistic nature and lack of exercise, her slightly plump legs under her willowy waist were beautifully wrapped in thin stockings, enhancing their symmetry and making Yukio curious about how her legs would look without the stockings.

"Yukio-kun? Do you need something?" Shiina's voice was as soft as a small piece of cotton candy, insubstantial yet sweetly endearing.

Yukio, with Kaneda Satoru, sat down in a space vacated by the other students: "There are three weeks until the mid-term exams. I hope you two can organize study sessions during this time to tutor our classmates who are struggling."

Kaneda Satoru immediately nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, Yukio-san. I'll do my best to help our classmates."

His eagerness was evident. As a top student assigned to Class C, he was frustrated and now saw an opportunity to prove himself.

Compared to Kaneda's decisiveness, Shiina was reluctant: "Ah? But I don't have any experience tutoring others..."

Yukio wasn't surprised. Shiina Hiyori had been a loner for a month, not making any friends, so it was expected that she lacked tutoring experience: "That's why this is an opportunity."

"You probably have a mild communication disorder, Shiina, not adept at interacting with others." Yukio was accurate in assessing people. Although this was his first time interacting with Shiina, he had already analyzed her well: "The important thing is..."

"Communication disorder simply means you're not good at interacting, not that you don't want to. You're only mildly affected, which is already good. I know someone with severe communication issues who can't even make normal conversation."

Shiina opened her mouth in surprise, looking at Yukio, astonished that he understood her so well.

Shiina Hiyori had no friends, always alone. As Yukio said, she wasn't disinclined to make friends, just not good at it.

This traced back to her childhood, surrounded by books at home. She loved the various stories in books, learning about the many flavors of life.

In elementary school, she eagerly tried to share these stories with new classmates, but no one knew what she was talking about, and nobody had read the books she liked.

In junior high, Shiina tried again but couldn't keep up with other girls' topics. She gradually became more introverted, spending more time reading.

At Advanced Nurturing High School, Shiina thought it would be the same, so she chose not to interact with others. She never expected to be approached by Yukio and have her innermost thoughts revealed.

What caught Shiina's attention was Yukio's mention of someone with severe communication issues, unable to even converse normally. That sounded so pitiable.

She didn't want to become like that...

"Then, I... I can try." Did she just say that? Did she agree to tutor her classmates? Shiina herself was surprised by her proactive and sincere response.

Feeling anxious and somewhat regretful after agreeing, Shiina wondered if she could really be effective in tutoring.

Seeing her reaction, Yukio directly addressed the class: "Alright, going forward, Kaneda will lead most of the study sessions, and a few girls can seek help from Shiina. That's settled."

Faced with Yukio's directive, the students of Class C readily agreed. The violence and water torture on the opening day, coupled with the school's anticipated deduction of points, made them realize that obeying Yukio was their best option for surviving and thriving in this school, and perhaps even advancing from Class C.

Shiina felt touched, realizing that Yukio's arrangement was for her sake. Knowing she couldn't handle too many people at once, he had limited the number of students coming to her for tutoring, making it less overwhelming for her.

"Yuk..." Shiina started to thank him, but found that Yukio, along with Ryuen, Ishizaki, and the others, had already left swiftly. Feeling a bit anxious, she thought to herself that she would thank him next time.

...

"What does Yukio-san want to eat?" In the cafeteria, Ishizaki, playing his role as the junior, tried to serve Yukio.

However, Yukio shook his head and approached a senior student who was eating a free vegetable meal, sitting directly opposite him.

With a glance, he signaled Ryuen, Ishizaki, and Albert, three muscular men, to surround the senior, instantly creating immense psychological pressure!

Their appearance, aura, and formidable physiques screamed violence, delinquency, and danger.

As for Ibuki? Yukio had sent her to study properly. Intimidation and persuasion weren't really her forte.

"What... what do you guys want to do? There are cameras in the cafeteria! If there's an issue, we can talk it out properly!" The senior was visibly startled.

Despite being older, he was clearly outmatched in physique and knew he couldn't take on any of them, so he immediately showed submissiveness, emphasizing that there were cameras in the cafeteria.

"Senior, no need to be nervous. We're not bad people. We're just here to buy the answers for the mid-term exam. Name your price," Yukio said straightforwardly, startling Ryuen and Ishizaki. They both widened their eyes in surprise. This senior had the answers for the mid-term exam?

How did Yukio find out? Was he cheating somehow?!

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