A/N: We're getting close to the end of this fic. Also, I finally changed the rating to M—probably should've done that earlier. And yeah, looks like I messed up the ordinal numbers in my chapter titles. Still have no idea why I did that.

For example, after "twentieth," it should be "twenty-first," not "twentieth-first"—but that's what happens when you try to act all-knowing without being a native English speaker. Maybe I will fix it someday! But im too laaaazzzyy now.

Edit: I actually did that right. My brain is just not thinking cuz im writing it at night.

ㅤ

The library was quiet. Peaceful, even.

To any normal person, it would be the perfect environment for studying.

For me, it was a battlefield.

I sat at the desk, staring at the blank notebook in front of me. The pen in my hand felt unusually heavy, almost as if it knew that it was about to be used for something it hadn't touched in over a month—actual studying.

Across from me, Ayanokouji flipped through his textbook at a steady pace, as if none of this was a big deal. As if he wasn't currently witnessing me in my desperate hour.

I exhaled slowly, pressing my fingers against my temples.

Alright. Let's think about this logically.

Yes, I had completely neglected my studies for an entire month. Yes, that was objectively a disaster. But at the same time—

I was intelligent. Naturally gifted. It wasn't as if I had suddenly lost my ability to understand things just because I had been an idiot for a month.

I just… needed to approach this rationally.

I straightened up, flipping open my textbook.

I would review the key concepts first. Identify what I didn't know. Then, I'd break everything down into manageable sections, focus on the most essential subjects first, and—

My eyes landed on the first page of notes.

My eyes landed on the first page of notes.

…

…What was I even looking at?

I squinted.

Numbers. Formulas. Words that should have made sense, but instead looked like they were written in some long-lost language.

I turned the page.

More numbers. More words.

I turned another page.

Graphs.

Another.

More graphs.

I turned one more.

Physics!?

I slammed the book shut.

Ayanokouji raised an eyebrow. "Already done?"

I inhaled through my nose.

"…P-Processing."

He hummed in acknowledgment, flipping to another page in his book.

I placed my hands on the table, steadying myself.

Okay. This was fine. I just needed to think.

Analyze, adapt, execute. You've done this before. Your intellect is sharp. It's just a matter of catching up.

Yes. Catching up.

It wasn't like I was bad at studying—I was just out of practice.

With renewed determination, I flipped open my notebook, pen hovering over the first line.

Alright. Time to take notes.

…

…What was I even supposed to write?

I stared at the blank page.

This was a disaster.

Unacceptable.

I gritted my teeth.

I would not be defeated.

If I wanted to regain my standing, I had to be smart about this. Efficient. I had no time for distractions—no unnecessary thoughts—

My eyes drifted to Ayanokouji.

…

No. No.

I shook my head violently, snapping my focus back to the book.

I was not going to let my own incompetence ruin my chance to spend time with him. I would conquer these midterms.

No matter what.

I gripped my pen.

Let the battle begin.

…

I gripped my pen tightly, my knuckles turning white.

This was ridiculous.

I was intelligent. I knew I was intelligent.

And yet—

I glared at the textbook in front of me, barely holding back the urge to throw it across the library.

Was it even possible to become this much dumber in just a month? No, that shouldn't have been possible. I wasn't losing brain cells—I wasn't!

And yet, I felt dumber.

Had my mind been so preoccupied with understanding the game world that I had unknowingly sacrificed my actual academic knowledge?

That thought was terrifying.

I clenched my jaw.

No. That wasn't the issue. I wasn't struggling to understand what was written in this textbook—I could still process the information. The problem was…

I had no point of reference.

A textbook was never meant to be a teacher. It was a supplementary tool for students who already had some foundational understanding of the material. The explanations inside weren't bad, but they weren't comprehensive. They assumed that the reader already knew the basics, that they had prior lessons and context to fall back on.

And I?

I had nothing.

I had skipped everything.

Every class. Every lesson. Every single fundamental explanation that should have built the foundation for these concepts.

It was like trying to solve an advanced math problem when I hadn't even learned how to add and subtract.

My chest tightened in frustration.

I swallowed hard.

I had spent an entire month doing nothing academically. If I wanted to fix this, I wouldn't just have to study—I would have to relearn everything from the ground up.

From zero.

I slammed the textbook shut.

Oh no.

I was going to be sick.

S-System!

[Oh?]

Explain.

[Hah! Now you want my wisdom? How amusing! Let me get this straight—you, in your desperation, have come crawling to me for advice?]

I gritted my teeth.

I am not crawling.

[No, no, of course not! You're merely, let's see… on your hands and knees, clutching at the dirt, begging for guidance?]

I am not begging!

[Oh? Then why do I hear the unmistakable whimper of an academic failure, lost and confused?]

I barely contained my anger, enough not to slam my fist onto the desk. I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to remain composed.

[How cruel of you, dear protagonist! Just hours ago, you declared that you wanted to delete me! And yet, here you are, seeking my infinite wisdom. Truly, what happened to that so-called pride of yours?]

Pride? My pride?

I still had some fragments of it. That was precisely why I refused to admit he had a point.

I don't ask you for your so-called infinite wisdom. I simply want to confirm something.

[Ohhh? Do tell.]

I crossed my arms.

Is it possible that my extensive knowledge of this world as a game occupied so much of my brain that it resulted in a severe drop in my academic ability?

[Hah! So you do admit you've grown dumber.]

I did not say that!

[No need to be embarrassed! It's simply fascinating how your once-proud intellect has been devoured and overwhelmed by your previous nature! You truly are a tragic case.]

Just answer the question.

[Hmm, let's see… Pondering, pondering…]

…He was doing this on purpose.

[Ah! After much consideration, my expert analysis concludes—yes! You, my dear protagonist, have successfully exchanged real-world intelligence for game-world mania! A fair trade, wouldn't you say?]

Fair? Fair?! How is this fair?!

[Well, you did treat this world like a game. And what happens when you ignore the tutorial? You get lost. You suffer. You panic. And then, you die—]

I am not dying!

"Horikita. Are you okay?"

Ayanokouji's voice suddenly broke through my thoughts.

I blinked, realizing I had been staring blankly into space.

"Ah—" My voice caught in my throat for a second. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine."

I turned back to my notes—or, rather, my completely empty notebook.

[Ohhh? That little stutter just now… was that embarrassment? How delightful.]

I ignored him.

[Well then, I suppose this concludes our little conversation. I shall now take my leave—]

Wait—!

Silence.

Not just normal silence, but the petty, smug kind of silence. The kind that knew I wanted something but refused to give it to me.

He was ignoring me.

I clenched my fists, feeling something dangerously close to anger bubbling up in my chest. This… This was unfair. I had been doing so well before! But now, here I was—stuck in the library, barely understanding these textbooks, and my own System was refusing to help me?!

I… I felt like I could actually cry.

No—wait. I had to think. If I didn't have my own notes, then—

A thought clicked into place.

Ayanokouji.

If I didn't have my own notes, that just meant I needed his.

I turned to him, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Ayanokouji."

He looked up from his book, unreadable as ever.

"Do you have your notes with you?"

That was it. That was the solution! Ayanokouji was a diligent student so he had to have good notes. If he just let me borrow them, I could catch up in no time!

"I don't have any notes."

I stared at him.

"…W-What!?"

A sharp glare from one of the students made me immediately shrink back, cheeks burning. I lowered my voice.

"Why don't you have notes?"

"I don't need them."

That was it. That was all he said.

"What do you mean you don't need them?" I whispered sharply.

"I remember most of it just by listening,"

He didn't elaborate.

I wanted to scream.

I tapped my fingers against the blank notebook, my mind racing for another solution.

Alright. If Ayanokouji didn't have notes, then maybe...

The internet.

Yes. Surely, there had to be resources online. If I could just look up proper explanations, I could piece together what I was missing.

I reached for my phone.

A soft sigh interrupted my thoughts.

I looked up just in time to see Ayanokouji pushing back his chair and standing up.

My heart nearly dropped.

"W-Where are you going?" I asked, my voice a little more nervous than I intended.

Was he leaving? Had he already gotten tired of this?

He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he simply picked up his chair, carried it over, and placed it right next to mine.

I froze.

"Wait…" My face was warm. "Are you… Are you going to teach me?"

He sat down beside me, his expression unreadable as always.

"Since you're struggling this much," he said, "I see no reason not to help."

I tried to ignore the way my heart did a weird little thump.

Then, he continued, his voice as calm and patient as ever.

"One of the most effective ways to learn is by ensuring that you don't just memorize information, but actually understand it in real time. If you only copy notes without comprehension, you're just storing meaningless symbols. That's why passive learning—such as rereading a textbook—tends to be inefficient. The brain retains information better when it's forced to engage with the material actively."

I blinked.

"So, to make sure you actually learn this, I'll dictate the information to you while explaining key points. That way, you won't just be writing words—you'll be processing their meaning while you take notes. It's an active form of studying that improves both retention and comprehension."

That… actually made a lot of sense.

I hesitated for a second before nodding.

"Alright."

Even though I felt a little embarrassed, there was no denying it—this was probably my best chance to catch up.

And so, with his voice guiding me, I finally picked up my pen and started writing.

Hours passed before I even realized it.

The once-empty notebook in front of me was now filled with neatly written notes, and to my surprise, I actually understood most of it.

His method had worked—by listening, processing, and writing at the same time, I had absorbed the material much more efficiently than I would have on my own.

I set my pen down, stretching my fingers. My brain felt full, but not in a bad way.

With a quiet sigh, I glanced at him, who looked just as calm and composed as he had at the beginning. Had he not gotten even a little tired?

I hesitated, then finally forced myself to say it.

Still...

"…Thanks."

He raised an eyebrow.

I quickly averted my gaze, my fingers gripping the edge of my notebook.

"I-I mean," I muttered. "It's not like I couldn't have done this myse—"

I stopped that thought.

He didn't respond, simply watching me with his usual unreadable expression.

The silence made me fidget.

"What I mean is…" I stole another glance at him, then quickly looked away again. "T-Thank you very much."

After a moment, I cleared my throat and added, "S-Sorry for taking up your entire day."

He blinked. "Not really."

I stared at him.

"Huh?"

He tilted his head slightly. "You did say in the cafeteria that you wanted to spend more time with me. So I didn't make any other plans."

Wait—did I really say that? I mean, sure, I technically did, but—!

"Besides, nothing particularly interesting is happening right now. Everyone's busy studying for midterms. Hirata is managing the study groups, and fortunately, they seem to be cooperating well."

I opened my mouth to respond—only to pause when I noticed someone approaching.

A girl with soft white hair and gentle eyes stopped beside our table, her presence calm and unintrusive.

Shinna Hiyori from the game.

She hadn't been a particularly important character in the grand scheme of things, but she had a very dedicated fanbase. After all, her route was quite popular. If you spent enough time in the library, she would eventually approach you, starting a conversation out of curiosity about what book you were reading. The player could answer with just about anything to get the dialogue going, but actually unlocking her route required a significant time investment. Of course, doing so meant sacrificing interactions with other characters.

"Excuse me," she said politely, her tone carrying a quiet curiosity. "I hope I'm not disturbing you, but I noticed that you two have been here for quite a while. I was wondering… are you perhaps reading an interesting book? If so, would you mind if I joined you?"

Her voice was smooth and pleasant, the kind that naturally put people at ease.

I found myself automatically staring at her.

Her posture was relaxed, and her expression carried a soft smile. I couldn't help but notice…

She was really pretty. Even more than in the game.

…Not that it mattered. It was just an observation. A purely logical observation.

Before I could say anything, Ayanokouji spoke up.

"Unfortunately, we're just studying for the upcoming midterms," he said, "So we haven't had time to read anything recently."

She blinked, then nodded in understanding.

"I see," she said with a small smile. "That makes sense. Midterms are important, after all."

He gave a small nod. "But perhaps after they're over, we'll consider it."

Her expression brightened. "That would be wonderful. I'd love to hear your thoughts on books sometime."

I quietly observed their exchange.

Then, the girl clasped her hands together gently. "Ah, I should introduce myself properly. My name is Shiina Hiyori. I'm from Class C."

Ayanokouji nodded slightly. "Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Class D."

I hesitated for a fraction of a second before speaking. "Horikita Suzune. Also Class D."

Shiina smiled warmly at both of us. "It's nice to meet you, Horikita-san, Ayanokouji-kun."

Then, she glanced toward the great clock. "Oh, it's getting quite late, isn't it? I should be heading back. But it was lovely speaking with you both, even if only briefly. I hope we meet again soon."

With that, she gave a polite nod and turned to leave, her steps light and unhurried.

I watched her retreating figure for a moment, then sighed softly.

He glanced at me, "It seems you know Shiina as well."

I crossed my arms, considering his words. "In terms of class competitions, she isn't particularly relevant. She's a quiet type."

He gave a small nod, "I see. If she spends most of her time here after school, it's no surprise that she isn't too invested in Class C's affairs."

Silence settled between us.

I shifted slightly, gathering my things.

Then, after a moment, I found myself speaking again.

"…Anyway," I muttered, feeling a bit awkward, "thank you for h-helping me. You didn't expect anything in return, yet you still—"

"Who said I don't expect anything in return, Horikita?"

The low, darker tone of his voice sent a jolt down my spine.

I stiffened.

"W-What do you mean?" I asked, my voice betraying a slight stutter.

Ayanokouji regarded me calmly, his expression unreadable.

"I did tell you that I had no other plans today, so I helped you," he said evenly. "But I never said I wouldn't want something in return."

His words echoed in my mind, unraveling my thoughts faster than I could stop them.

N-No way.

That couldn't mean what I was thinking… r-right?

"M-Mm…"

My lips parted, but the words tangled before I could form them.

"Horikita."

"H-Here…? I-In the l-library…?" I barely managed to whisper, my voice breaking into a stutter. "I-I mean… t-this isn't… I can't just—"

"Almost everyone's already gone," he cut in smoothly. "Shiina was likely one of the last. And we're in a corner barely visible from the main area."

His words sent a fresh wave of heat through me.

Then, he moved.

Before I could react, his hands found my waist, firm yet unhurried.

I let out a soft, startled gasp as he effortlessly guided me forward—closer, closer—until suddenly, my legs bent, my balance shifted, and I was—

I was—

Sitting on his lap again.

W-Why is he always making me sit like this!?

In places like t-this!?

My knees rested on either side of his hips, my hands gripping his shoulders without thinking.

Uncontrollable heat surged up my spine, burning into my face, my ears, and my entire body.

I squeezed my eyes shut, my face burning, my breath unsteady.

Our lips met.

A shiver ran down my spine, my fingers tightening around his shoulders as warmth spread through me, deeper than before. His lips moved against mine with an effortless, unhurried precision, sending a rush of heat through my body.

I-I shouldn't be this—this breathless already.

My thoughts tangled, slipping further away as his hand pressed gently against my lower back, keeping me steady. My pulse pounded in my ears, my senses clouded by his warmth, his touch—him.

We kissed for what felt like forever and yet no time at all, the world outside of us fading into irrelevance.

Then—

I gasped softly, breaking the kiss, my chest rising and falling as I struggled to catch my breath.

But before I could fully regain control, his lips found mine again.

A soft whimper escaped me as he deepened the kiss effortlessly as if he had known the exact moment I would need air—only to steal it away again.

I barely had time to think—to breathe—before he stole another kiss.

It's like he knew how to make my mind blank.

I couldn't keep up.

Somewhere between all the chaos, between the fleeting moments of stolen air, my strength faltered. My body trembled slightly, and finally—finally—I broke away, my forehead resting against his shoulder as I panted softly.

I-I'm… I'm r-really done this time.