Bad Grades

"Brother Fuyumi, when did you wake up?"

"A little after seven. Why?"

"Oh, nothing... that's quite early."

The morning sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows connecting the living room and the garden, softly illuminating the white dining table.

Seated beside Sasaki was a girl in a JK uniform.

Perhaps because she had recuperated well, Rinka Okino didn't look as tired and listless as Sasaki had expected; instead, she seemed radiant and energetic as always.

Even her already delicate skin appeared even more lustrous and fair.

This real yet almost surreal appearance made him reach out and pinch the girl's soft cheek in curiosity.

Hmm... it feels even better.

"Fuyumi-nii, what are you doing?"

Feeling his outstretched hands, Rinka, in the middle of eating her toast, pouted in displeasure and kicked him lightly.

Seeing her coquettish eyes, which seemed out of place for her age, Sasaki felt a rush of warmth.

After taking a quiet glance at Otome, who was serving rice, and making sure she wasnt looking, he leaned down and kissed her soft, petal-like lips.

Of course, his intention was to simply show his affection and not to do anything too provocative behind Otome's back.

However, Rinka, who was now somewhat addicted to the taste, obviously misunderstood his movements.

And just as Sasaki tried to pull away after the kiss, he felt her soft, white hand gripping his collar tightly like a mangosteen.

Feeling her desire, he responded briefly but then gently pushed her slender waist.

Though reluctant, Rinka knew better than to overdo it with Sister Otome present in the same room.

Even though she knew their secret would be discovered eventually, she wanted to delay that day as much as possible to avoid seeing her sister's disappointed look.

Once they were both seated again, eating their toast, Sasaki, who was growing fonder of Rinka by the minute, reached out to stroke her leg:

"Did it hurt when you got up this morning?"

Feeling her now-official boyfriend's concern, the girl rubbed her slender legs in black over-the-knee socks, together slightly and shook her head with a smile:

"It didn't hurt, I just felt a bit numb."

Then, glancing at Otome, who was serving a second bowl of rice, she leaned towards Sasaki, her breath warm against his ear, and whispered:

"Why? Did it hurt a lot for Otome back then?"

"Speaking of which, Otome-nee didn't come to school that day."

Recalling Otome-nee's weakness that day, Rinka Okino couldn't help but feel a slight sense of superiority, and she straightened her small chest:

"Otome-nee, aren't you going to be unable to hold on soon? Compared to me, aren't you really bad?"

You?

Turning his head and looking at the girl, who seemed like her tail was about to wag itself to the sky,

Sasaki, supporting his chin with his right hand and leaning forward, while resting his left hand on her lap, lightly patted Rinka, his tone carrying a faint smile:

"Otome is bad? So, you're saying you're very brave?"

The girl couldn't help but shiver from the pat.

Feeling that Sasaki's tone was a bit strange, sge scratched her head and glanced at him.

However, knowing Otome-nee's level, Rinka, who felt that she was just so-so, quickly put this discomfort aside and nodded confidently:

"Of course! I'm super brave, didn't you know that last night?"

Indeed.

When it comes to having a thick skull, Otome can't compare to Rinka.

At least for the first time, Otome wouldn't be two-faced while dancing and fighting.

But if it's about endurance...

With her endurance stats maxed out, that girl could take on five Rinkas.

Although comparing them this way seems a bit disrespectful to Rinka.

But Otome wouldn't be like her, ending the second round, not even starting the third round, and acting like a cat on anesthesia.

'I hope one day when she plays together with Otome, she can be just as brave.'

Imagining that day in his mind, Sasaki turned his head and took the rice porridge that Otome handed over.

Him and Otome Sakuragi didn't have the habit of talking while eating.

So, when there was a third person present, the two would quietly eat their meal without any intimate gestures.

Although Rinka wanted to tease Sasaki, her legs were unfit today, so she ate this breakfast peacefully.

After dressing up and heading to school, the day was no different from usual.

It wasn't until they entered the classroom that Sasaki noticed something slightly different.

No, it wasn't different, it was twofold.

The first difference was the atmosphere in the class was slightly off.

Although there weren't many people in the class, the atmosphere felt a bit heavy and oppressive today.

It was somewhat like the calm before a storm, as if something bad was going to happen.

The second difference was that when Sasaki entered the class through the back door, the gaze directed at him changed from one to two.

One gaze was obvious, coming from the idiot Chifuyu sitting in front of him to the right.

And the other...

Turning his head, Sasaki glanced at the black-haired girl sitting in the center of the class who had just turned around.

However he just took a look without stopping his steps, and then took his seat.

"Chifuyu, why does the atmosphere feel so strange today?"

He waved to the idiot Chifuyu who was looking at him and quietly asked from the edge of his desk.

"Today, huh."

The plump thighs, wrapped in pure white stockings, were tightly pressed together.

Her soft skirt was nestled between her large bottom and the cold chair, and her small, snow-white hands were placed on her lap, covering the gap between her thighs.

Sitting properly and neatly, Tsukimi Chifuyu responded softly to Sasaki's inquiry:

"Today, they're releasing the results of Wednesday's exam, so..."

"Are our class's overall grades that bad?"

Looking at their dejected expressions, Sasaki didn't think this was the main reason.

"It shouldn't make them this... low-spirited."

Based on his observations when he had nothing better to do, this class had quite a few good students.

Just from the rankings Ayato had mentioned before, the top students in the class were all among the best, even ranking well within the entire grade.

With these pillars holding up the class, the overall grades shouldn't be too bad.

Not letting him wonder for too long, the idiot Chifuyu said:

"Maybe it's because the parents need to sign."

"Pa... parents' signature?"

Attacked by this long-forgotten term, Sasaki couldn't help but widen his eyes.

When was the last time he heard this term?

Was it in his past life, in elementary or middle school?

'I've been reborn, why am I still hearing this?'

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

However, Sasaki wasn't particularly alarmed by Chifuyu's words.

The only person who could be considered his guardian was one and only:

Tachibana Kyouka.

As for Hisato Au... his sister, he truly just considered her his sister.

Since he wasn't close to Norihito and their relationship was cold, there was no need to force any familial ties.

And having Aunt Kyouka sign for him was something he wouldn't mind at all.

Seeing Sasaki's surprised expression, Tsukimi Chifuyu, thinking he was like the others who didn't want their parents to know their grades, blinked and asked:

"Is Fuyumi afraid of having the parents sign? Is it because of your grades?"

"My grades are indeed bad, but I'm not afraid of getting them signed."

"Bad? Just how bad are they?"

"You'll know when the results come out."

"Ugh~ You always say that."

Tsukimi Chifuyu, who had asked him many times before, couldn't help but puff out her white, smooth cheeks.

However Sasaki, unaffected by her cute act, simply smiled and said, "You'll know soon enough."

When the papers were handed out, Tsukimi Chifuyu's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the scarlet "12" on his math paper.

Sasaki had hinted that his grades weren't great, so she had a rough idea of what to expect, but she thought his grades wouldn't be worse than her boyfriend's.

Before seeing the paper, she believed this.

But seeing that Sasaki's score was even lower than her boyfriend's, Chifuyu looked at him with the same bewilderment she felt when seeing an English test paper, as the boy scratched his face awkwardly.

Her reaction also caught the attention of Haruno Ayato and Yasui Sara, and thet also couldn't help but look.

And after glancing at Sasaki's score, they all looked surprised.

Yasui Sara was fine.

She knew on the first day she sat next to Sasaki that Sasaki's grades wouldn't be very good.

But such a low score was still beyond her expectations.

Although her childhood sweetheart's grades were not very good, they were definitely not this low.

As for Haruno Ayato's expression, it was more complicated.

There was the joy of seeing comrades, the gloating of seeing friends who were lower than oneself, and also a hint of worry with a smile.

He knew how strict Kasumi-nee was with him.

Once she found out about Sasaki's grades, she would insist on tutoring him,

Then there will be no need to torture him alone anymore.

With this thought, the boy smiled and gave Sasaki a supportive fist bump.