Chapter 2: “Pandora’s Box Opens Now”

It’s been a week since the deal was struck: if Airi and Yuria manage to avoid failing grades, I’ll be at the mercy of the three beautiful girls during summer vacation. The two members of the reverse-sticker group, aside from Kuroki, have been studying like they’ve become entirely different people.

Do they really want to boss me around that badly during the break?

Watching them pore over their books even during lunch, I can’t help but lose myself in thought. Airi’s intensity makes sense—her part-time job’s on the line. But Yuria? She’s got no stakes in this, so why’s she going this hard?

For me, though, being dragged around during summer vacation doesn’t feel like a penalty. If anything, it’s more like a reward. A normal person might hate having their precious break interrupted, but I’m actually looking forward to it.

Every year, my summer vacation is the epitome of sloth. I wake up at noon, laze around on my phone in bed, eat whenever I feel like it, keep messing with my phone, and crash when night rolls around. As a loner otaku with no club activities, I repeat this cycle for nearly thirty days straight. I’m at the point where I could live through some Endless Eight scenario without even noticing.

[T/N: Endless Eight refers to a famous arc from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, where the characters are stuck in a time loop repeating the same summer vacation events.]

That’s why I don’t mind someone like me, with way too much free time, getting dragged around. And if it’s by three beautiful girls? That’s just a straight-up reward, isn’t it?

“Yo, Ryouta!” Yuria, sitting to my left, pokes my shoulder, snapping me out of my reverie.

What’s up? Did she get stuck on something?

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

“So, like… you free after school?”

“After school? No plans, but are we going somewhere?”

“Nah, the test’s only a week away, so I was thinking maybe a study session or something.”

I’d half-expected her to suggest hitting the arcade in the next town over for a break, so her choice of “studying” catches me off guard.

“Then Airi too! Oh, wait, I’ve got a… uh, date with my boyfriend, so I can’t today,” Airi chimes in from the seat in front of us, turning around.

Boyfriend… right, Airi’s got her part-time job today. She mentioned before that because she took so much time off during the cultural festival, she still has to work about once a week, even during test season.

“Rui-chan said she’s got practice after school too, so it’s just you and Ryouta for the study session, Yuria? Jealous!” Airi adds.

Rui’s been tied up with track team meetings even during lunch, and apparently, she’s got practice after school despite the test season. With the inter-high coming up during the break, I guess it’s unavoidable.

“Wait, didn’t you have a study session with Ryouta the other day, Airi?” Yuria says with a sly grin, narrowing her eyes. “You’ve gotten way better at math since then, so I’m gonna suck up all of Ryouta’s smarts today too.”

Suck up… uh, that phrasing sounds a bit suggestive.

“Don’t go thinking weird stuff,” Yuria says sharply.

“Ouch!”

Did she read my mind or something? She gives me a light chop. As expected of my best buddy—she even picks up on my brain’s pervy translations. But come on, her wording was practically begging for it!

“I’m back. What’s all this fun chatter about?” Rui’s voice cuts in as she returns to the classroom, probably fresh from her meeting.

“Yuria’s saying she’s gonna have a study session with Ryouta today!” Airi replies.

“Oh? Just the two of you?” Rui asks, her tone curious.

“Yup. Since you’re busy, Rui, and Ryouta’s good at studying and seems free, I figured I’d have him teach me a bunch.”

I feel like she’s poking fun at me, but since it’s a well-known fact I’m an ultra-slacker, I can’t really argue. Yeah, yeah, I’m just a loner otaku with a pervy brain and too much time on my hands. Geez.

“Hmm… a study session, just the two of you. I see,” Rui says slowly, her eyes narrowing almost to slits.

What’s with that reaction?

“Ryouta-kun?” she calls.

“Y-Yes!” I stammer, caught off guard.

“Take good care of Yuria, okay? The condition was for all of us to avoid failing, right? So teach her properly in my place, got it?”

Rui’s smile is gentle, but her words carry a strange weight. Am I the only one feeling this pressure? She’s not mad because she’s the only one missing out on the study session, right? Rui doesn’t even need one… so what’s with this vibe?

As always, Rui’s the only one whose thoughts I can’t read at all.

☆☆

With our study session set for after school, I’m walking home alongside Yuria, her captivating, shapely thighs swaying with each step as always.

“Ryouta, why’re you staring over here? At my thighs again?” she says, catching me off guard.

“…No. I’m looking at your thick thighs,” I retort, trying to play it off.

“That’s literally the same thing! If you’re gonna make an excuse, at least try to be clever about it…”

Airi’s busty assets, Yuria’s thighs (and Rui’s belly button, which I get to see without asking) are pretty much fair game to admire, so I’ve stopped holding back. Still, Yuria’s voice carries a hint of exasperation.

“You really love my legs, don’t you, Ryouta? Look at my face a bit too, jeez.”

I guess as a gyaru, she’d prefer I notice her carefully made-up face over her thighs. Personally, I think those thighs could use some “makeup” too—like fishnet stockings or something.

“Anyway! Enough of our usual banter. We gotta hurry up and start the study session today.”

“Oh, right. So where are we doing this? The Starbucks nearby?”

“Your place, obviously.”

“…Huh.”

“What, you don’t want to?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to…”

I had a feeling it’d be my place again. This’ll be, what, the fourth time I’ve had a girl in my room? Not counting Tanaka, of course. I’m not really fazed anymore. Especially with Yuria, who knows all my secrets and shares my otaku passions. There’s nothing to hide, so it’s pretty chill. It’s the same vibe I get with Tanaka, so I don’t need to hold back… except when it comes to her body—those thighs in particular. Even with permission to look, I’ve got to keep myself in check, or I’ll end up staring.

“Alright, my room’s fine. It might be a bit messy, but don’t complain.”

“…”

Yuria falls silent for a moment.

“What’s up, Yuria?”

“Ryouta, there’s something kinda bugging me.”

“Bugging you? Like what?”

“Lately, you’ve been… kinda acting like you’re used to girls, haven’t you?”

“…Huh?”

“Like, you seem totally fine with having me over at your place, and it’s giving off this vibe like you’re way too comfortable around girls.”

Yuria pouts, her eyes narrowing with a trace of displeasure.

M-Me? Used to girls!?

“No way! No way! A guy like me, who’s 16 and never even held hands with a girl, used to girls? Come on!”

“Sure, when we first met at the arcade, you were giving off total virgin vibes, but lately, you’ve got this aura like you’ve made a bunch of girls cry or something.”

“What kinda aura is that?! No matter how you look at it, I’m just a lame-faced loner otaku guy!”

It’s depressing to admit it myself, but there’s no way anyone could mistake me for some kind of player. Yuria’s accusation stings a little.

“It’s probably just because I’m talking to you, my number-one confidant. That’s all, probably.”

“Hmm… just with me, huh?” Yuria’s expression softens, the edge in her voice fading.

“Well, if that’s the case, then fine.”

“Fine? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Good is good, alright? Anyway, Ryouta, wanna hit the arcade after the tests? There’s a new Milk-tan prize figure. This time it’s her in a cow bikini.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Where’d that grumpy Yuria go? Well, if the misunderstanding’s cleared up, I guess it’s fine.

Used to girls, huh… Could it be that, while sharing secrets with Airi, Yuria, and Rui, I’ve slowly gotten comfortable around them? I hadn’t noticed, but now that Yuria’s pointed it out, it does kinda feel that way. Does that mean we’ve gotten that close…?

“What’s up, Ryouta? Now you’re grinning,” Yuria says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

“Nah, it’s nothing. Let’s get back to talking about big-breast figures.”

Chatting like this, Yuria and I make our way to my place. But the moment we step inside, trouble’s already waiting.

“Ry-Ryouta! You…” My mom, who’s been home all day since her part-time job’s off, rushes to the entrance, her face pale.

“N-No way, two-timing…?”

“Wrong! They’re both just friends!” I blurt out, desperate to clear the air.

“Sorry for intruding, ma’am!” Yuria adds cheerfully.

“Y-Yes! Please take good care of my son for years to come!” Mom bows repeatedly, seeing us off as we head up the stairs.

Good thing I didn’t mention Rui’s been to my room too.

“Your mom’s super young and cute, Ryouta. Doesn’t look much like you, though,” Yuria teases as we climb the stairs.

“Sorry I take after my dad,” I mutter.

In my room, I set up the low table and cushions, just like when Airi came over. Yuria glances around, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Man, no matter how many times I come here, your room is such an otaku room… Oh, can I read this manga?”

“Read whatever you want, but we’re supposed to be studying today—”

That’s when it happens.

“Ah…” Yuria reaches for a manga, and a small brown box perched on top tumbles to the floor with a soft thud. My heart stops. No way.

It’s… the condoms I bought before my study session with Airi. I won’t bore you with the details of what kind they are—condoms are condoms.

Crap! I forgot—after Airi and the others found my stuff under the bed last time, I moved my hiding spot to a gap in the bookshelf! Too late now. Yuria’s eyes lock onto the fallen box, and there’s no way to hide it.

“What’s this box…? Oh! I’ve seen this character before! I think it’s Da… wait, hold up. What’s this?” Yuria’s voice shifts from curious to suspicious.

“W-Wait, Yuria! Don’t open that box!” I lunge forward in a panic, but I’m too late. The faint crinkle of the already-opened box echoes as she pops it open.

“…T-This… for real?” Yuria mutters, pulling out a string of individually wrapped things that dangle from her hand.

What have I done…?

She dumps the contents onto the low table with a dramatic flourish.

“Ryouta~? Seiza.”

[T/N: Seiza is the formal, traditional way of sitting in Japan, involving a specific kneeling posture with the body resting on the heels and a straight back, conveying respect, humility, and focus.]

“Y-Yes, ma’am,” I stammer, dropping into seiza in front of the table as ordered.

Yuria looms over me, pointing at the things with a bright smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “What are these, exactly?”

The calm in her voice is terrifying, and the pressure feels as heavy as Rui’s earlier vibe. Cold sweat beads on my forehead as I force out the words. “Those are… c-condoms.”

“What are they used for?”

“Uh… f-for naughty stuff.”

Yuria’s relentless, her smile unwavering as she grills me. This is practically a shame play session.

“Ugh… after we just talked about you being used to girls, and now this? Did you seriously do it with Airi?”

“No way! I swear we didn’t!” I protest, desperate to protect Airi’s honor. It’d be unfair to her if anyone thought she’d done something with a guy like me. “I’m telling the truth! I got those… just in case, but I’ve never had the chance to use them… or rather, there’s no way I would!”

“Okay, but this is a 12-pack, and there’s only 11 here. Where’s the missing one?” Yuria’s eyes narrow further.

“That’s… look, check my wallet.” I fumble for my wallet and hand it to her.

Yuria hesitantly opens it and pulls out the single condom tucked inside. “Oh… this.”

“I-I thought, you know, maybe I’d get a chance to use it somewhere, so I kept one in my wallet, just in case,” I mumble, my face burning.

“…Pfft, seriously, Ryouta? Hahaha!” Yuria bursts out laughing.

“Don’t laugh!”

“Keeping just one in your wallet? That’s so you, Ryouta!”

“What’s that supposed to mean!?”

She cackles, teasing me mercilessly. Yeah, yeah, I’m just a dreamy virgin guy, keeping a condom in my wallet, hoping for the impossible!

“Hah, that was a good laugh. But yeah, I figured it was something like that. Your brain’s all pervy, but you don’t have the guts to actually do anything,” Yuria says, smirking.

“S-Shut up,” I mutter, her words hitting too close to home.

“So, you got the character-themed box to hide it from your parents or something?”

“Well… yeah, kinda.” I admit, embarrassed. I was too scared to pick an obviously adult package, so I went with a mascot character collab one.

“You’re so Ryouta, through and through…” Yuria mutters, plopping down next to me. “Kinda got me a bit worked up, though.”

“W-Worked up!? Why are you getting excited!?” I blurt out, my voice cracking.

“I told you before, didn’t I? I’m kinda into that stuff too,” she says, blushing as she flicks one of the condoms on the table with her manicured finger.

Wait… is this seriously my chance to use one, right here, right now!? Me and Yuria… doing it, here, now. My eyes can’t help but drift to her boom-curvy-boom figure.

I bite my lip, swallowing hard.

“Y-Yuria, um—”

“Yo, what’s up! It’s your summer bug, Tanaka, diving into the fire!! I was sent by Ryouta-kun’s mom to keep an eye on you for improper conduct… wait, huh?”

Kanade Tanaka—aka Tanaka—bursts into my room, her oversized uniform swishing. Her glasses clatter to the floor as her eyes lock onto the condoms.

“T-Th-Those are condoms, right?”

The glasses of loli-glasses Tanaka, wearing an oversized uniform, fall to the floor with a clatter.

“N-No way, I walked in right before you were about to start…! Sorry for interrupting! Carry on!”

“Wait a sec, Tanaka!!”

☆☆

Yuria, Tanaka, and I sit on cushions around the low table, the individually wrapped things and the small brown box still scattered across it. The air is thick with awkwardness.

“So… have you two already… done it? The super naughty stuff?” Tanaka asks, her voice tinged with suspicion.

“No way we did!” I blurt out, my face heating up.

“But with these things spread out on the table, it’s not exactly convincing,” Tanaka counters, her eyes narrowing.

She’s got a point, but explaining the situation feels like it’ll only dig me deeper into this mess.

“So, Tanaka, if we were doing that kind of stuff, would it cause you any trouble?” Yuria chimes in, her tone teasing.

“W-Well, that’s…”

What are you thinking, Yuria?! That’s just gonna make Tanaka misunderstand even more! Tanaka’s face turns stern, and I brace myself.

“It would cause trouble! If Ryouta-kun stopped being a virgin… I-I’d lose my friend!” Tanaka exclaims.

“T-Tanaka…” I stammer, thrown off. So, the condition for staying friends with her is that I remain a virgin? What does that even mean!?

“Got it. Then relax, Tanaka. I really haven’t done anything with Ryouta, and besides, a chicken like him wouldn’t dare make a move on me, right?” Yuria says with a smirk.

“Exactly! It’s Ryouta-kun we’re talking about! If he could make a move on a super naughty gyaru like Ichinose-san, he’d be hooking up left and right by now!” Tanaka piles on.

Here comes the usual dissing of me, the loner virgin otaku… but calling Yuria a super naughty gyaru right to her face? She is naughty, though. And Yuria, acting all tough in front of Tanaka now—she was just a bit flustered earlier, wasn’t she? Fine, tonight I’m gonna have a blast in my fantasy world, Yuria…

“What’s that look, Ryouta? Got something to say?” Yuria asks, catching my expression.

“Nothing,” I mutter, looking away.

“Alright, alright. I’m relieved you two haven’t done anything. So, what were you planning to do today?” Tanaka asks, shifting the topic.

Oh, right… we were supposed to have a study session, not a naughty chat. All this crazy erotic drama nearly made me forget our original goal.

“We’re having a study session. Tests are coming up.”

“Ooh, a study session! Sounds fun!” Tanaka’s eyes light up.

“Wanna join us, Tanaka?” Yuria offers.

“Really!?”

“Of course. You’re super smart, right, Tanaka? Teach me some stuff.”

Somehow, Tanaka’s getting roped into this too.

“I’ll teach you too, Ryouta-kun,” Tanaka adds.

“I’m good,” I reply, brushing her off.

“Why’re you being so cold? We used to have study sessions all the time in junior high.”

“Oh? You and Ryouta were that close in junior high, Tanaka?”

“Yeah, I’d say we were pretty good friends for opposite sexes. We hung out a lot during summer breaks or after school. Though, it was mostly anime watch parties,” Tanaka explains.

“Hmm… I’m kinda jealous of that,” Yuria mutters softly, glancing at me sideways.

Jealous, huh? Yuria’s always wanted an otaku friend, so I guess that makes sense.

“Alright, before we start the study session, I’m confiscating all these condoms. Gotta make sure Ryouta doesn’t get into any impure relationships with some random girl,” Yuria declares, scooping up the things from the table.

“Good idea! Ryouta-kun’s never gonna get a chance to use them anyway, so he shouldn’t buy them until he’s an adult!” Tanaka agrees enthusiastically.

“No way…” I groan, my faint hopes crushed completely.

“Just so you know, if you try anything weird with Rui or Airi, I’m seriously gonna be pissed. Got it?” Yuria adds, her tone sharp.

“Y-Yes…” I mumble, feeling her authority settle over me.

Yuria’s gone from being my confidant to my manager at this point. I don’t mind being managed by a beautiful girl, but… why’d she bring up Rui and Airi specifically? Sure, the only girls I’m close with are the three beauties and Tanaka, but I don’t actually think I could get that close with Rui or Airi.

“Alright, let’s get this study session started.”

☆☆

What was supposed to be a study session with just Yuria turned into a group affair thanks to Tanaka’s interruption—sent by my mom, no less. And then, about ten minutes after we started studying…

“Munya… guhehe, I can’t drink anymore, Airi-tan…” Tanaka mumbles, faceplanting onto her textbook, completely out cold.

Knew this would happen.

“No way, she’s out cold this fast…? Is Tanaka really the second smartest in our grade? She doesn’t seem anywhere near Rui’s level,” Yuria says, incredulous.

“Believe it or not, Tanaka’s super smart,” I reply. “Even back in junior high, she had this superhuman memory. She can recall every line from manga or anime after one read or watch, and when it comes to studying, she memorizes textbooks in no time.”

“What kinda cheat ability is that? She’s basically an isekai protagonist. So jealous!” Yuria exclaims, her eyes wide.

Tanaka’s not just smart—her memory is insane. That’s a big reason I went to her for info about Rui back in junior high. The problem is, she mostly uses that power for her otaku hobbies.

“But if she’s that amazing, couldn’t she beat Rui?” Yuria asks.

“I’ve wondered that too, but… Tanaka’s always been second in our grade since junior high. She’s never beaten Rui.”

“Seriously? Not even in one subject?”

“Nope. Kuroki Rui’s so perfect she overpowers even Tanaka’s monstrous memory. She might just be the ultimate superhuman.”

The more you realize how incredible Tanaka is, the more it underscores just how much of a monster Rui is in every way.

“Tanaka’s fighting battles on a level I can’t even imagine,” Yuria says, impressed, as she playfully twirls the sleeping Tanaka’s hair.

“You’re pretty amazing too, Yuria. You passed the entrance exam for this high school, didn’t you?” I point out.

“Me? Not at all… I’m not amazing,” Yuria says, her voice softening. “In my third year of junior high, I had nothing else to do but study, and… I didn’t want to go to the same high school as her.”

She bites her lip, her usual bright gyaru face turning bitter, like she’s chewing on something sour.

“‘Her’… you mean that ex-best friend you mentioned you grew distant from?” I ask.

“Yeah. She called my hobbies gross and pushed me away. In my third year, I got ostracized from her group. But because of that, I could focus on studying and ended up becoming friends with Rui, Airi, and you, Ryouta… so, all’s well that ends well, I guess!”

She forces a cheerful tone, but it’s clear how tough that must’ve been for her. As a loner otaku, I pick up on the social dynamics of the class, and I’ve seen plenty of people get excluded from popular groups. Every one of them was in a rough spot. Popular groups might seem glamorous, but they can be brutal on the inside. Once you’re ostracized, you can’t just join a loner group—you end up completely isolated. If there’s even one kind person in a loner group, you might get taken in, but most loners are wary of popular kids, so that’s not realistic.

“I’m clumsy, so I didn’t even know how to make up with her,” Yuria continues, her voice tinged with self-deprecation. “I knew she was going to a nearby private school, so I had no choice but to aim for a public one. In the end, it’s just ‘running away,’ right?”

“…Yuria, you’re strong. In that situation, and in everything.”

“S-Strong? Me? I was just saying how weak I am,” she replies, her eyes widening.

“If I were in your shoes, I’d have stopped going to school the day after getting ostracized, and I’d probably hate everything. But you kept going, studied hard, and got into this high school. That’s seriously impressive, and it’s proof you’re strong.”

“Me… strong, huh,” Yuria murmurs, as if testing the idea.

She might not realize it herself, but I genuinely think her unyielding spirit is incredible—something I could never imitate.

“You’re usually just a pervy kid, Ryouta, but you say some really nice things sometimes, don’t you?” she teases.

“Hey, you don’t need to bring up the pervy part right now,” I grumble.

“But… keep that kind of kindness just for me, okay? It could, like, cause misunderstandings or something,” she adds, her tone softer.

“Misunderstandings? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. In return… I’ll always be on your side, Ryouta. Always, always.”

Yuria flashes a warm smile, different from her usual bright gyaru grin. My number-one confidant, always on my side, huh? More than reassuring… it’s kinda hot.

“Alright, if you’re gonna be my ally, how about starting with letting me use those thick thighs as a lap pillow?” I say, half-joking.

“That makes zero sense. God, you’re such a… ugh, fine, you’re banned from looking at my thighs for a week,” Yuria retorts, rolling her eyes.

“What!? P-Please, anything but that!” I plead.

“No way until the tests are over. Control your hormones a bit.”

“Nooo…!”

“Munya…! H-Hey! You two, your hands have stopped moving! You’re supposed to be studying!” Tanaka interjects, her sleepy eyes blinking open as she lectures us.

““Don’t talk about studying when you were the one sleeping!”” Yuria and I snap back in unison.

After that, we dive back into the study session.

“For history, if you memorize every single page of the test range perfectly, you can easily get a 100!” Tanaka declares.

“I can’t memorize that much all at once!” Yuria protests.

“It’s fine! If a speck-of-dust, glasses-wearing, flat-chested loner girl like me can do it, a super voluptuous, thick-thighed, gorgeous gyaru like Ichinose-san can nail it!” Tanaka says enthusiastically.

“Your self-esteem is as low as Ryouta’s… wait, that’s how you see me?” Yuria says, caught off guard.

Somehow, Tanaka and Yuria are hitting it off, and before long, they’re chatting like it’s no big deal.

“Alright… it’s almost 7 p.m., so should we call it a day?” I say, glancing at my phone’s clock. Like with Airi’s study session, time flies when you’re focused.

“Yeah, Ryouta-kun’s house always has dinner around 7, right?” Tanaka says.

“Yeah, so we should—”

“Hold up,” Yuria cuts in. “Doesn’t Tanaka know way too much about Ryouta? Knowing his dinner time, getting asked by his mom to keep an eye on him… even if you were close in junior high, it’s like you’re childhood friends or something.”

“Well~? I hung out with Ryouta-kun a lot in our first and second years of junior high, so I’ve built a pretty good relationship with his family, you could say,” Tanaka replies with a grin.

“Good relationship? That’s just you being shameless, Tanaka. Buttering up my sister, who’s also a loner girl, to get her hand-me-down clothes, or learning how to make roast pork from my mom on Sundays behind my back,” I say, exasperated.

“W-Wait, Ryouta, that’s not shameless… Tanaka, are you intentionally trying to win over his family?” Yuria asks, her tone half-teasing, half-suspicious.

“No, no, no! What are you saying, Ichinose-san!? I just want to have a good relationship with his sister and mom!” Tanaka protests, shaking her head so hard her glasses nearly fly off, her face bright red.

What’s with her all of a sudden? Tanaka’s emotions are as unstable as ever. After the noisy study session wraps up, we head toward the end-of-term tests that weekend.

☆☆

—The day of the final exams.

I wake up at my usual time, eat breakfast as always, and leave the house right on schedule. Even though it’s one of the few test days of the year, sticking to my routine keeps me grounded. Getting nervous or fidgety just because it’s test day won’t do me any good—

“Morning, Ryouta-kun! It’s test day, huh?”

Kuroki Rui’s voice cuts through my thoughts. She’s standing at the usual spot in front of my house gate, her long black hair swaying as she waves at me.

That’s the one thing that doesn’t need to be so “normal”…

“M-Morning, Rui… You came all the way here today too?” I ask, a little thrown off.

“Yup. It’s test day, sure, but keeping things normal is important, right?” she replies with a bright smile.

Normal, huh. Why’s she thinking the same thing as me…? Is it good or bad that walking to school with Rui is starting to feel like the norm? Lost in thought, I fall into step beside her, heading toward school as usual.

“You look super relaxed… Don’t you ever feel pressure to stay number one?” I ask.

“Of course not. I’m always perfect without doing anything special,” Rui says, her cute smile paired with a shameless declaration.

What’s with that “without doing anything special” nonsense? She’s already got insane talent to begin with…!

“But with the inter-high coming up, hasn’t track practice been keeping you busy?”

“True, but… you sure know a lot, huh?” she says, her tone teasing.

“Well, that’s because a certain someone keeps sending me selfies after practice. Compared to older photos, your recent selfies have this… tired vibe, or maybe you’re sweatier than before.”

“Oh? So Ryouta-kun’s been analyzing the amount of sweat in my selfies…?”

“Uh, w-well, I mean…” I stammer, realizing I’ve let slip that I’ve been scrutinizing every detail of her photos. Crap, I totally fell for it! How did I walk into such an obvious trap!?

Rui narrows her eyes, her refined smile practically screaming, Just as planned.

“Stop teasing an innocent virgin like that!” I protest.

“I’m not teasing you,” she says, her voice innocent but her eyes gleaming.

“You totally are! Any guy would stare at slightly naughty selfies sent by a female classmate! It’s puberty!” I throw a childish tantrum to dodge the situation, feeling utterly desperate.

“Hehe… At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before you can’t be satisfied with anything else…” Rui murmurs.

“H-Huh?”

“…Looking forward to it.”

I don’t know what she’s looking forward to, but does that mean I’ll keep getting photos? That’s fine, right?

“Oh, by the way, Ryouta-kun? If those two avoid failing, you’ll be at our mercy during summer break. You okay with that?” she asks, her tone casual but pointed.

“W-Well… I already promised, so there’s no helping it,” I reply, scratching my head.

“You’re secretly thrilled about it, aren’t you?”

She’s got me figured out.

“If I get to do whatever I want with Ryouta-kun… maybe I’ll have you come along,” she adds with a coy wink.

“C-Come along? Where?”

“That’s… a surprise for after the tests.”

Where the heck is she planning to take me!? That’s terrifying! I can only pray she doesn’t drag me to some remote mountain or something.

As we talk, we reach the classroom, where the usual liveliness is gone, replaced by the tense sound of pencils scribbling and textbook pages flipping. Feeling the atmosphere, Rui and I slip into the classroom without a word and start reviewing.

The focus here is on another level—the classroom vibe feels electric, almost suffocating. There are plenty of high-achieving students, but not everyone’s like that. Some, like Yuria and Airi, are fighting to avoid failing. At our school, the failing line is half the average score for each subject, and since it’s a competitive school, that line is brutally high. That’s why Airi and Yuria, who’ve been slacking since enrolling, have been racking up failing grades as part of the reverse-sticker group. But this time, they’ve been working hard, so they’ll probably do fine… Wait, hold on. Where are they?

I glance at Yuria’s seat to my left and Airi’s in front of me, only to spot them shuffling in from the hallway. But… what the heck? Both look like they’ve been through a war, with dark circles under their eyes, exhausted before the test even starts.

“M-Morning, Ryouta~” Airi greets me, her voice wobbly, like she’s running on five HP.

“H-Hey, you okay?” I ask, concerned.

“I’m fine, fine~ Airi’s full of energy~” she insists.

“Energy? Where?”

“Mornin’, Ryouta~” Yuria adds, her voice lifeless as she slumps into her seat.

“Y-Yuria… you too?”

What’s with these zombie voices!?

“A-Are you guys really okay like this?” I press.

“Totally fine, totally fine. We were on the phone studying together until morning,” Yuria explains.

“Until morning!?”

It’s great they’re motivated, but being in this state for the real thing… Rui, sitting to my right, shrugs with a dumbfounded look.

“Seriously, once this test is over, we’re gonna use you to blow off all our stress, Ryouta. Right, Airi?” Yuria says, her tone resolute.

“Totally~” Airi agrees.

“H-Hold on. Since when did I become your stress-relief toy?” I protest.

“Once the tests are done, let’s hit up every karaoke place by the station!”

“No way we’re doing that! One karaoke spot is enough!”

My loud retort earns me murderous glares from everyone around, as if they’re screaming, Shut up or else! I shrink back, hiding behind my textbook.

“Anyway, we checked our prep work last night, and we did great, so we’re probably safe from failing,” Yuria says confidently.

“Get ready, Ryouta~”

The reverse-sticker duo is dead-set on passing. Especially Airi, with her job on the line—she has to avoid failing. But their overconfidence feels like a bad omen…

With a slight sense of unease, the two-day final exams begin.

☆☆

—A few days after the final exams, it’s the weekend. Today’s the long-awaited test return day. All the tests are handed back on the same day, but for some reason, we’re supposed to check our results together after school. So, after the final bell, Yuria, Airi, and Rui stay in the classroom, slamming their test papers onto my desk with triumphant grins, as if to say, Take a look at this!

“How’s that, Ryouta! Check out our skills!”

As their confident expressions suggest, both Yuria and Airi, who we were worried about, cleared the failing line. Even though the failing line was brutally high this time…

“That’s amazing, you two!” I exclaim, genuinely impressed.

“Duh, we studied our butts off.”

“No, not just avoiding failing—Airi, you got 70 in math! And Yuria, 80 in English!? That’s seriously incredible!”

“D-Don’t praise me too much.”

“When Airi gets serious, this is a piece of cake! Now we can do whatever we want with, uh, I mean, Ryouta!” Airi says, nearly slipping up about her job but catching herself.

“Hey, Ryouta-kun? I got 98 or higher in every subject, basically perfect, and took first place in our grade by a mile,” Rui chimes in, her tone casual but pointed.

“Oh? Yeah, first again… huh.”

“F-I-R-S-T, you know~?” Rui says, emphasizing each letter with a sulky look.

Wait, is she… fishing for praise or something? I’m not sure, but if that’s what she wants…

“T-That’s amazing, Rui! Top of the class again! I bet Tanaka’s kicking herself right now—”

“Hehe… If you’re gonna praise me, could you not mention another girl’s name?” Rui interrupts, her smile sharp.

“Huh? Uh, sorry…”

I praised her, so why am I getting scolded? What’s with her? Kuroki Rui’s only ever gotten first place, so being praised for it now probably doesn’t even faze her!

“Hmm, what’s that? Rui wants Ryouta’s praise too?” Yuria teases, smirking.

“Not really? I never said I wanted praise,” Rui retorts, her voice cool.

“You’re so not honest, Rui-chan,” Airi says with a grin. “I worked hard to get praised by Ryouta! Now we can all hang out during summer break!”

Oh, right. I was so shocked about them passing that I forgot about summer break.

“Anyway, passing the tests was just the prerequisite, right? So, who gets to boss Ryouta around first… let’s decide with rock-paper-scissors.”

“Rock-paper-scissors? So if I win, I get to hang out with Ryouta first?”

“Yup. Whoever wins gets to make Ryouta do anything first during summer break—carry shopping bags, run errands, whatever. Sound good?”

“Hehe… That sounds fun. I’m in,” Rui says with a sly smile.

What’s with this “I’m in” nonsense? They’re making decisions left and right without me… Do I not get a say? At Yuria’s suggestion, the deal moves forward, leaving me, the person in question, completely out of the loop.

“Get ready, Ryouta. We kept our promise and avoided failing, so you can’t back out now. You’re stuck with us,” Yuria says, her tone firm.

“W-Well… I don’t really mind,” I admit.

Getting dragged around by these three during summer break is basically a reward event for me. Plus, it’s a rare chance to see all three in casual summer clothes. No way I’m passing that up. There’s not a single reason to say no… except for one concern.

“…Hehe, rock-paper-scissors,” Rui murmurs, glancing at me with a small smile.

No doubt she’s plotting something, so my biggest worry is what kind of weird orders Rui might give. If she says something like, “I’ll lock you up until you fall for me,” that’d be bad. It’d reveal that I’d get excited by that kind of play. As I’m thinking this, Rui’s hand suddenly reaches out and pinches my arm hard.

“Ow! W-What was that for, Rui?” I yelp.

“Ryouta-kun? If you keep thinking weird stuff, I might actually do it, you know?” she says, her voice teasing.

Wha—How’s she so casually reading my mind!?

“S-Stop reading my thoughts!” I protest.

“I can’t do that,” she replies, smirking.

“B-But you know what I’m thinking—”

“It’s just that you’ve been giving me this super suspicious look. I’m not planning to make any weird requests, you know,” she says, her tone innocent.

I’m not so sure. Last time we talked about this, she mentioned “taking me somewhere.” But with Kuroki Rui’s superhuman talents, she could probably win at rock-paper-scissors—a game of chance for normal people—without breaking a sweat.

“Alright, let’s do rock-paper-scissors.”

The three of them face each other, hands poised. I sit at my desk, watching the rock-paper-scissors battle unfold to decide who gets control over me.

“““Rock, paper, scissors!””” they chant in unison.

The moment they reveal their hands, the match is decided in a single round.

“…Huh?”