"Oh, Asano, I think boys might be better at teaching math, don't you think? Isn't Shirakawa over there?"
Shirakawa Sawahei lifted his head expressionlessly, pretending not to notice the hopeful look in Ise Yu's eyes.
Considering how she never likes to trouble others, this Ise Yu really doesn't seem like a typical Neon person.
In the end, he sighed and said, "Let me see it."
Asano Nazuki was stunned for a moment and glanced sideways at Ise Yu. She initially intended to randomly pick a question to dismiss them, just to achieve her purpose and leave quickly.
Never did she expect that Ise Yu would actually get that pretty boy to act!
Damn, I got intercepted halfway!
Even though we all transferred here together, where exactly is the problem? Is it that my charm doesn't match hers?
No, impossible! It must be that pretty boy's aesthetic that's off!
Asano Nazuki immediately dismissed this idea and resolutely thought.
The problem-solving process quickly concluded as Shirakawa Sawahei casually drew a few auxiliary lines for Ise Yu and outlined several hidden conditions, making the entire problem clear.
After pondering for a while, Ise Yu suddenly realized.
There's a difference between academically weak and academically poor; if you place food in front of the academically weak, they can still manage to feed themselves. But the academically poor seriously consider whether they should eat with their nose or mouth.
Sigh, teaching overachievers is better; they get it immediately, the efficiency is amazing.
"Hey, Asano, I get it now," Ise Yu nudged the deeply conflicted Asano Nazuki.
"Oh... oh oh..." Asano Nazuki snapped out of it, pretending to listen to Ise Yu's explanation enthusiastically, yet her thoughts were still tangled up in "how much better is B compared to A."
"It's unscientific..." Asano Nazuki murmured softly.
When it was time for dismissal, Asano Nazuki was the first to leave the classroom. Ise Yu, who was still dawdling and packing up, rushed over to Shirakawa Sawahei's side.
"Thank you! Shirakawa! You were a huge help!"
Shirakawa Sawahei took a step to the side, avoiding a collision with Ise Yu's bowing head at his chest, and casually replied, "It's nothing."
"But your grades shouldn't be that great either, so why choose to teach Asano?"
"Well..." Ise Yu said somewhat embarrassedly, "I think classmates should help each other, and besides, Asano is my friend..."
Shirakawa Sawahei noncommittally hummed in agreement, not commenting on whether this was right or wrong. He said, "Try to solve it yourself in the future; if you really can't, then come find me."
He's not the type to completely keep to himself. Helping someone occasionally without compromising himself isn't a big deal.
Back in their first year, people would bring him their cram school problems for guidance.
What? Freeloading? In the world of study, can that be called freeloading?
If Ise Yu can improve her grades because of such a simple friendship-based intention, it might not be a bad thing.
Thinking so, he said, "Keep up the good work."
"Thanks! Shirakawa! I will do my best to become Asano's support!" Ise Yu was fired up, feeling like the protagonist of a shounen manga, radiating justice.
Considering the Chuunibyou aspect, Ise Yu really is a typical Neon person.
Shirakawa Sawahei hesitated for a moment and asked, "Do you really think... Asano... needs help?"
"Of course, she said she had a history of sabbatical leaves, right? No matter the reason, Asano is such a cute girl, alone at home without friends, she must feel lonely..."
Ise Yu felt like she was radiating maternal warmth again.
"Don't you have a protective urge when you see Asano, Shirakawa?"
"None at all." Feeling that Asano Nazuki's sweet appearance was a bit suspicious, Shirakawa Sawahei replied as such.
Ise Yu was stunned: "Shirakawa! You might be a siscon!"
Shirakawa Sawahei: "..."
I'm so dumb, really, why even think to warn her...
However, if Asano Nazuki is merely pretending to be an academic failure, then it might not be necessary to expose her act.
Shirakawa Sawahei finished packing and noticed Ise Yu hadn't moved, curiously asking, "Aren't you going home?"
Ise Yu blinked her alluring eyes and matter-of-factly said, "No."
"Then why are you still here?"
"I'm waiting for Miyajima to come back and take me to join a club, we already agreed on it." Ise Yu curiously asked, "Shirakawa, are you also going to a club?"
"Yeah." Shirakawa Sawahei responded, politely saying, "Then enjoy your time at the Art Club."
Finishing his words, Shirakawa Sawahei picked up his bag to leave the classroom, but Ise Yu, hearing his words, first froze and then perplexedly asked, "What Art Club? In my self-introduction, I clearly said I wanted to join the Light Music Club..."
Shirakawa Sawahei: "..."
He suddenly realized that he hadn't been paying attention during their self-introductions and had instinctively assumed she wanted to join the Art Club by looking at Ise Yu's skill panel.
Should he tell her he has a system capable of seeing her skill levels, and that's how he concluded?
This isn't even about whether to say it—it's about whether it would mark him as having severe Chuunibyou!
Ise Yu's pretty face grew a bit serious as she stared into Shirakawa's eyes for a moment and said, "Shirakawa... did you remember it wrong?"
"Yeah, I remembered it wrong."
"Did you really remember it wrong?"
"Sorry, I did remember it wrong."
Ise Yu suspiciously questioned, "Shirakawa, do you know something?"
"I don't know." Shirakawa Sawahei swiftly played dumb.
"Then why did you think I should go to the Art Club?"
"It's just a coincidence."
"But there are so many clubs at school, why suggest the Art Club?" Ise Yu's heart tightened as she persistently suspected him.
It makes no sense, right? Could I really be recognized here? No, no... it must be a coincidence...
Shirakawa Sawahei thought for a moment and said, "I felt your temperament matches well with the Art Club."
He didn't know what else to say, so he vaguely attributed it to something as intangible as temperament. After all, such subjective assessments can't really blame him if they're incorrect.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Ise Yu was startled and immediately tightened her grip on her school uniform collar and lowered her voice, "Temperament... You've seen me before, haven't you!"
"Shirakawa, you definitely know something, right!"