บท 99: I Just Want a Single Ending [99]
It was there he made an interesting discovery.
When Ikuyo said her grades had been "less than great" recently, she actually meant "slightly dropped"—the kind of decline caused by dedicating too much time to the band. Her performance was still safe from failing, at least.
Hitori's, on the other hand, was… another story altogether.
"Hitori, your notes are incredibly neat! They're almost as organized as mine," Kamigawa said, flipping through her notebook, visibly impressed.
"Hehe…"
Hitori scratched her cheek, flustered from the compliment.
On her other side, Chihaya Anon glanced at Hitori's quiz sheet and remarked, "Every question's so carefully written… except… not a single one is right."
"Ah—!"
Hitori's smile froze in place.
Kamigawa offered his own assessment, "You're working hard and really putting in the effort… but for some reason, it's just not clicking, is it?"
Hitori's gaze grew vacant, and she nodded, her spirit seemingly drained.
"So, which part are you struggling with?" Chihaya asked gently, trying to identify where to begin.
"I… I don't know what I don't know. I just… don't get it," Hitori admitted.
Anon blinked, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
"Looks like I'm destined to fail," Hitori muttered, staring into her bleak future.
"Hey, it's not the end of the world! We're in a band; our grades don't have to be perfect," Ikuyo said quickly, trying to reassure her.
"Oh… uh, you're right," Hitori agreed, forcing a laugh. "Grades don't mean much for us, anyway… hahaha…"
But Taki, lifting her head, reminded her, "Grades actually do matter. Failing means mandatory remedial classes, which would mean no time to play in the band."
"So… dropping out is my only option?"
Hitori, surprisingly serious, seemed to weigh this possibility.
"Don't give up just yet," Soyo advised, looking up from her notes with a gentle smile. "There's still some time before the exams. If you give it your best, you can pass."
"You can do it!" Takamatsu added with an encouraging nod.
Kamigawa chimed in, "If we start reviewing from the basics, we'll eventually figure out where you're stuck."
"Um… I mean, we only have today's study session, and… the exams are next week…" Realizing everyone's eyes were on her, Hitori began nervously counting the days on her fingers, as if doing so could somehow make their attention disappear.
"Are you worried that the study session won't be long enough?" Nijika asked, watching her reaction. "Or maybe… that you don't have enough review time?"
"Um… both, I guess," Hitori replied with a slight nod, saying whatever she thought would move the focus away from herself.
After all, she was just an awkward girl. What did these popular kids see in her anyway?
Not that their concern didn't feel… nice, but still…
"Yeah, a single afternoon session might not be enough to cover everything." Ikuyo agreed, mirroring her concerns.
Then, a choice box appeared before Kamigawa:
[Offer to Tutor Hitori One-on-One]
[Ignore the Situation]
He knew exactly what these options implied.
Choosing the first would mean spending a significant amount of time with Hitori before exams, building their rapport. Choosing the second would mean… well, nothing would happen.
It was a tough call. Usually, he'd go with any option that increased bonding time. But with Hitori… her path seemed so straightforward.
After all, in a typical game, not all characters were equally challenging to win over. Some required multiple choices and long hours of focus, while others practically fell into the story's path with just a little extra attention.
Hitori, he suspected, fell in the latter category. The truth was, if he kept offering extra help, her story could easily unfold into a romantic route. If he didn't want that, maybe it was best to let someone else help.
But then again, her grades… she did need the support.
Just as he was weighing the options, Chihaya Anon spoke up, "I'll help tutor Hitori. I've got extra time now that our band's on break."
"R-Really?"
Hitori's eyes widened with surprise.
"Of course. You've helped me so much. Just consider this me returning the favor."
The help she was referring to was Hitori's guitar lessons. Since her whole band was present, she'd decided to keep her explanation vague.
Hitori understood immediately, though. After all, helping with guitar lessons was really all she'd done for Anon. She wanted to explain that she'd been paid for her time and didn't need any special thanks, but she'd promised Kamigawa she'd keep quiet about that arrangement.
Kamigawa gave her an easy smile. "I can pitch in with tutoring here and there, though my schedule's tight in the afternoons."
Now, he could help Hitori without the pressure of being her primary tutor. Anon would carry most of the load, giving him a way to help indirectly.
Perfect, he thought, she'll be grateful to Anon, and I'll only get a small share of the gratitude.
[Stamina +10]
Hitori stole a glance at him, then quickly looked away.
Isn't it kind of… indulgent to have Kamigawa as a tutor? He was, after all, the top student in their year.
But why did that make her feel so… excited?
"T-Thank you. I'll do my best," she murmured, unable to say no, especially with Kamigawa involved.
"With me and Kamigawa both helping, you won't have to worry about passing," Anon said, though her gaze never left Kamigawa.
---
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