"So this is the secret behind being first in the grade—talent plus hard work."
Tanaka Masao sighed with emotion.
"With Yukinoshita-san helping me, I really feel lucky."
Hearing Tanaka Masao's praise, Yukinoshita Yukino was clearly quite pleased.
"It's good that you understand."
Tanaka Masao looked a little smug.
"When you compare it like this, I'm way better off than Jahy."
"Jahy?"
Yukinoshita Yukino immediately caught the keyword.
"What's going on with Jahy?"
Hearing information related to Jahy made Yukinoshita Yukino a bit curious.
"Well, Jahy, you see…"
Tanaka Masao explained how Jahy had never studied before, had just entered school directly as a third-year student, and—despite having zero foundation—was aiming to get first place in the midterm exams happening in a week.
The difficulty of that goal went without saying.
After listening, Yukinoshita Yukino frowned slightly.
"If she has no foundation at all, then the difficulty really is quite high…"
Seeing Yukinoshita Yukino worrying about Jahy, an idea suddenly popped into Tanaka Masao's mind.
"Yukinoshita-san, would you like to come to my house this weekend?"
Hearing that, Yukinoshita Yukino looked at Tanaka Masao with clear suspicion.
"Tanaka-kun, what are you planning to do? Have you finally failed to suppress your animal desires and decided to lure me to your house to make a move?"
Seeing Yukinoshita Yukino hugging herself defensively, Tanaka Masao felt a bit helpless.
"Yukinoshita-san, look me in the eyes. Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"
Their gazes met—or at least, he tried. After hesitating for a moment, Yukinoshita Yukino replied,
"Sorry, I can't see your eyes."
The lenses of his glasses perfectly concealed Tanaka Masao's not-so-clear and definitely-not-pure eyes.
Tanaka Masao coughed awkwardly.
"I invited you over this weekend because I wanted you to tutor me then. And if possible, I was hoping you could also teach Jahy while you're at it."
Although Jahy was a bratty little demon girl, she did have her cute moments now and then.
And since she was his sister in name at the moment, Tanaka Masao figured he should help if he could.
As for why he wouldn't tutor Jahy himself—
Come on. In his mind, Jahy was firmly categorized as an idiot type: the kind you could teach forever and she still wouldn't get it.
Teaching someone like that would probably end with him getting so angry he'd die on the spot.
He himself was no good, but Yukinoshita Yukino was patient and highly responsible—she should be able to handle such a difficult mission.
[You really are bullying an honest person to death.]
Unaware of Tanaka Masao's internal thoughts, Yukinoshita Yukino considered it for a while, then nodded.
"That sounds like a good idea. I agree."
She had been worrying about not having a chance to interact with Jahy anyway, and Tanaka Masao had just handed her the opportunity.
"However, if it's only the weekend, the time might not be enough. How about we start tomorrow after school?"
"I don't have any objections."
After a brief discussion, the two settled the matter.
...
The next day.
Instead of going to the Service Club, Tanaka Masao and Yukinoshita Yukino met directly under the school building.
Unlike the usual quiet atmosphere after club activities, the campus right after school dismissal was bustling with people everywhere.
Seeing this, Tanaka Masao subconsciously slowed his pace and walked a few steps behind Yukinoshita Yukino.
The two walked in silence, one in front and one behind, until they had left the school grounds and gone some distance. Only then did Yukinoshita Yukino stop.
After Tanaka Masao caught up to her side, she asked,
"Tanaka-kun, why are you walking behind me? Do you have some ulterior motive?"
Tanaka Masao sighed helplessly.
"Yukinoshita-san, can't my image in your mind possibly be that of someone pure-hearted, righteous, and kind?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not the kind of person who lies. In my heart, you have absolutely nothing to do with those words."
Lies don't hurt people—truth is the sharpest blade.
Yukinoshita Yukino's blunt honesty dealt Tanaka Masao a bit of emotional damage.
Well, even he wouldn't believe that kind of nonsense himself.
"Ahem. The reason I was walking behind you is because there are too many classmates around.
You see, if a guy and a girl walk home together after school, it's easy for people to misunderstand, right?
Yukinoshita-san is a well-known figure at school—rumors would definitely start spreading."
Yukinoshita Yukino nodded in agreement.
"You're right. These hormone-fueled adolescents love this kind of thing.
Besides, there's nothing shady between us. I don't really care about rumors, and there's no need to mind other people's foolish talk."
Yukinoshita Yukino had been surrounded by all kinds of rumors since she was young.
Some weren't even rumors, but her private matters.
Others were speculation and imagination about her.
And the most common were malicious, baseless slanders filled with ill intent.
Living in such an environment, she could be said to be immune by now.
Just pretend not to know and ignore them. After all, these people only dared to talk behind her back.
As for confronting or condemning them—
They would shrink away when faced directly, but only become worse behind the scenes. It was completely pointless.
...
Hearing that Yukinoshita Yukino didn't care about rumors spreading between the two of them, Tanaka Masao scratched his head awkwardly.
"Uh… actually, I kind of care."
Yukinoshita Yukino glanced at him and asked teasingly,
"Being involved in unclear rumors with a top-tier beauty like me—"
"As a normal adolescent male, shouldn't you feel extremely proud and honored?"
"What, could it be that Tanaka-kun is actually gay?"
Yukinoshita Yukino wasn't wrong.
During school days, if you could be rumored to be dating the school idol, most boys—even if they denied it out loud—would be secretly thrilled inside.
Because it was proof of popularity and attractiveness.
"No, I am absolutely not gay!"
Tanaka Masao's stance on this matter was rock-solid.
He explained,
"It's precisely because Yukinoshita-san is so popular that I'm worried others will get jealous of me."
If Tanaka Masao were what people called a riajuu—someone with decent presence in class, good relationships, and plenty of friends—then rumors about him and Yukinoshita Yukino would mostly bring envy.
But right now, in others' eyes, Tanaka Masao was at the very bottom of the social hierarchy—someone anyone could step on.
If someone like that got rumored to be involved with the school idol, what he'd receive wouldn't be envy, but jealousy.
They would think, [Why does trash like him get to be with the school idol? I'm so much better than him—why not me?]
And then they'd start constantly picking on Tanaka Masao, trying to show off their presence and attract the goddess's attention.
The current Tanaka Masao wasn't actually afraid of these people.
Even if they came at him in groups and he couldn't beat them, he still had the Mark armor.
Once he put on the armor, everyone in the entire school combined wouldn't be his match.
Still, he disliked trouble.
All he wanted was to peacefully enjoy a beautiful school life.