At some point, the news of Akira joining the boxing club spread like wildfire in the class.
He keenly noticed a subtle change in the gazes of his classmates.
The boxing club could indeed be considered a top-tier club in this school.
These combat clubs, like the gyaru girls in class, naturally carried an inherent sense of intimidation—after all, no one wanted to end up getting knocked out with one punch over a momentary verbal dispute.
However, Akira himself was more inclined to reason with people. He would never resort to violence easily for problems that could be resolved through communication.
"Shimizu-kun!" Karuizawa Kei approached his desk with a radiant smile. "When is the boxing club holding its next match?"
Lately, this gyaru classmate always sought him out for conversation, intentionally or unintentionally.
It was clear from her sparkling eyes that she seemed particularly interested in boxing.
"Two upperclassmen are going to spar next week," Akira replied simply.
"Then, Shimizu-kun, how many ordinary people can you handle at once now?" Karuizawa propped her hands on his desk, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"..." Akira didn't understand why she was so curious about such things, but he still answered truthfully. "Three to five should be no problem."
Given his physique, even before practicing boxing, subduing a few untrained ordinary people was more than enough.
"That's so cool!" Karuizawa clapped her hands excitedly. "Then when you throw a straight punch, does it make a 'whoosh whoosh' sound like in the movies?"
"That's to coordinate breathing for power and maintain rhythm. Beginners do tend to do that."
Akira suddenly realized that Karuizawa seemed more talkative today than usual.
The girl's delicate face was filled with natural admiration, and even though Akira noticed the deliberate flattery in her words, he found it hard to feel annoyed.
After all, who could refuse an enthusiastic conversation from a cute girl? This probably confirmed the truth: a man's tolerance for women is often directly proportional to their attractiveness.
However, he vaguely remembered that on the first day of school, Karuizawa seemed to be quite close to Hirata Yosuke from their class.
Akira subtly cast his gaze toward the other end of the classroom.
That sunny guy who joined the soccer club was also surrounded by classmates, like a star among them.
As if sensing his gaze, Hirata turned his head and returned a bright, unreserved smile.
'He saw Karuizawa talking to me, but he didn't react at all... It seems they aren't dating or anything.'
Thinking this, Akira suddenly noticed a detail—ever since that conversation at the beginning of the school year, Karuizawa and Hirata seemed to have had no further interaction in class.
Instead, Karuizawa had been intentionally or unintentionally gravitating toward him lately.
'Could it be... she's looking for a bodyguard?'
This thought stirred a subtle, complex feeling in Akira's heart.
While being favored by a cute girl was indeed pleasant, being seen as someone to be used was another matter. In this era, no one wanted to be the naive, honest person.
"Karuizawa-san, are you that interested in the boxing club?" Kushida, who had been silent for a while, asked.
"Ah~ Actually, I'm not really interested in boxing itself!" Karuizawa cupped her cheeks, her eyes sparkling. "I just think boys who box and show off their muscles are super cool!"
"That's not a simple motive, is it~" Kushida blinked.
"Hehe, what's wrong with liking boys with good physiques!" Karuizawa retorted righteously, even throwing a wink at Akira.
Akira's heart, however, remained as calm as still water.
Because Karuizawa's displayed enthusiasm, in his eyes, seemed more like a deliberate approach to find a protector.
"Well then, Shimizu-kun, see you next time!" As Karuizawa left, her slender finger "accidentally" brushed his abs, and then she exaggeratedly widened her eyes, though her earlobes flushed crimson. "Wow! So firm!"
'Huh? This reaction... doesn't seem like what an experienced gyaru would show.'
'Could it be... she actually doesn't have much experience interacting with boys?'
'But then again, wasn't I just overtly groped?'
The stirrings of adolescence are never one-sided—girls are equally curious about boys' bodies.
Girls also feel a strong pull toward muscular guys.
However, Akira's gaze was suddenly drawn to a note on his desk.
The note appeared abruptly in his line of sight, as if out of thin air.
'Who put it here?'
This question flashed through his mind.
But now was clearly not a good time to investigate, because Kushida was standing next to his seat, looking at him with her clear eyes.
"What's wrong?" Kushida seemed to notice his unusual behavior.
"Nothing." Akira nonchalantly tucked the folded note into his pocket.
He decided to examine it carefully when he was alone.
Akira changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Kushida-san, do you have any good ways to relieve stress?"
Kushida's eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised by the sudden question. "...Huh? Why ask that all of a sudden?"
"No particular reason. I just wanted to hear your advice."
"Oh, I see... For me, just seeing my classmates happy makes me feel very happy. So... I don't really need to specifically relieve stress!"
Akira's mouth twitched imperceptibly. "...Alright, as long as you're happy."
Just trying to think from Kushida's perspective made him feel a wave of mental exhaustion.
It felt like she was putting on an act.
Kushida, as usual, invited Horikita. "Horikita-san, want to go for coffee together?"
"No need." Horikita's answer was crisp and direct, without even lifting her head.
Kushida's smile didn't waver in the slightest. She just sighed softly. "What a pity~" She turned and walked toward the other girls, and soon their cheerful laughter echoed in the classroom, fading away with their footsteps.
Just as Akira thought this interlude was over.
Horikita's gaze suddenly locked directly onto him, her tone calm to the point of being eerie. "What do you want to eat tonight?"
Akira's fingers paused on the desk.
He slowly looked up, wondering if he had misheard—Horikita, who was always a lone wolf, was actually asking him about his dinner preferences?