Translator: RaidenTL
What's the point of understanding Japanese if I don't know the formulas?
I want Miyuki to teach me how to study, and fast.
Resisting the urge to rip my math test to shreds, I guessed on all the multiple-choice questions and laid my head on the desk.
I still had five more exams to go. It was better to get some rest and prepare for the next one than to keep struggling with something I couldn't do.
Even so, since I'm terrible at studying to begin with, I was bound to fail anyway.
Ding-dong! Ding-dong!
I was deep asleep, but I shot up the moment the bell rang.
The girl sitting to my right giggled when she saw me.
My dazed eyes and the imprint of my arm on my cheek must have looked funny.
"What's so funny?"
She flinched at my thuggish tone but then gave a small nod.
"No... I'm sorry. It's just that your face was all pressed... You must have been really sleepy. Want some gum?"
Since I've been acting tamer lately, even students who would have avoided me in the past would occasionally talk to me.
Smacking my lips like someone dead tired, I held out my hand.
"Gimme one. No, wait... Just one, please."
"Yeah. Here..."
She held it out timidly.
I took the gum, popped it in my mouth, and started chewing. It was blueberry flavored.
But have I ever even had a blueberry before?
Well, as long as it tastes good.
Deciding not to overthink it, I thanked the girl.
"Thanks. Let's be friends."
At that, the girl's face went pale.
It looked like she'd misunderstood something I said... What was it?
Surely she didn't think saying 'let's be friends' meant I was going to do something shady to her, right?
Just as I was thinking that, the middle-aged professor came over and collected my test paper.
"Matsuda-kun. No chatting until all the papers are collected."
"Yes, sir."
Maybe because I've been so obedient lately, the professor's gaze was friendly despite my mistake.
I have a feeling he'll turn pale and start cursing when he sees my score, which makes me needlessly anxious.
During the break after the exam was completely over.
I jutted my chin toward Miura, who was focused on his workbook.
"Hey, Miura."
"Yeah?"
"How'd you do?"
"I... think I got about half of them right."
This guy wasn't exactly a great student.
That's why there's a study event with Miyuki in DokiAka.
"Half is pretty good. I'm surprised."
"Surprised? I'd say getting only half is pretty bad, isn't it...?"
"So what does that make me, who guessed on everything? A complete moron?"
"No... That's not what I meant. I'm sorry."
Ever since Miyuki told me to apologize to Tetsuya in the nurse's office and get along with him, he and I had been on speaking terms, more or less.
Of course, I never actually apologized.
Even so, Tetsuya seemed to hate me less than before.
It was probably because I'd stopped bullying him every day and was making small talk instead, but trying to have a conversation with this guy was frustrating enough to make my head explode.
And I couldn't stand the shaggy hair he kept, even in the middle of summer.
Still, I put up with it for the sake of improving my relationship with Miyuki.
I glanced to the front and saw Miyuki discussing the exam questions with her friends.
She'll be at the top of the class, no doubt.
"Did the exam go well?"
It was the professor I'd met during the pervert incident.
I scoffed and retorted.
"What do you think?"
"No."
"Then why bother asking when you already know the answer?"
"Always so cynical... Today's your last day of cleaning duty, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"I thought you'd give up after a few days, but you even came in on the weekend to clean. I was honestly surprised. It just goes to show how scary prejudice can be."
"Is that a compliment?"
"A heartfelt one. Good work today. Next semester, try to study hard and maybe join a club."
A club? Of course I'm joining one.
I'm going to join the Kendo Club, where Renka, a second-year and one of the main heroines, is.
Our dear Renka, who's about to get a delinquent freshman right after recovering from her shoulder injury... I can't wait to see her.
"I'll think about it. This worthless student will be on his way now."
"So you do know. Alright, off you go."
Would it kill him to deny it?
Grumbling, I left the faculty office and headed for the bathroom.
On the way, I ran into Miyuki.
She was walking toward me with an armful of books, and she broke into a bright smile when she saw me.
"Hi, Matsuda-kun."
She's been showing me that smile a lot lately, and it always puts me in a good mood.
"We already said hi this morning. You're doing it again?"
"Is there a rule against it?"
"No, but it's a pain to respond."
"It's not that hard to say one word, 'hi.' Talking with you, Matsuda-kun, makes me feel like you're from a different planet. We don't click at all."
"You expected us to?"
"See? There you go again with the sarcasm. You should try to fix that. How did your exams go?"
"Are you seriously asking?"
"Ah... my mistake. Sorry. Of course you did terribly."
Even if I'm bad at studying, that's just prejudice.
Though, I did do terribly.
But I think we've gotten quite a bit closer, haven't we?
Enough to have little chats like this.
Should I ask her now? In fact, if not now, I might not get another chance.
I scratched the back of my head and carefully began, speaking to Miyuki, who was staring at me with wide, curious eyes.
"Hey, Hanazawa."
"Yes?"
"Could you... maybe teach me how to study?"
"Huh...? Study...?"
Miyuki's already large eyes seemed to double in size.
She was speechless for a moment, but after seeing my earnest expression, she grew serious as well.
"It's admirable, but... are you serious?"
Of course I'm serious.
And you should think about it carefully, too. Summer vacation is long.
What do you think I'll be doing for two months without a mentor to guide me down the right path?
I'll be hanging out with delinquents, drinking and smoking will be the basics, and I'll just be acting like a punk.
When vacation ends and school starts again, there's a very high chance I'll have reverted to being the complete trash Matsuda Ken.
You need to consider all those complex factors.
You're smart. You can figure that much out, can't you?
"Yeah. Tutor me or something. I'll pay you."
"Ah, no... It's not about the money... Were your midterm results that much of a shock?"
"Hey, hey. Forget it. I'm leaving. I'm being serious here and you're just making fun of me... How annoying."
Frowning, I started to walk past Miyuki, but she quickly caught up and said.
"I-I wasn't making fun of you! I was just trying to think, why are you leaving?"
At that, I stopped in my tracks and turned back to Miyuki.
"So you'll do it?"
"I just said I'm thinking about it. One of your problems, Matsuda-kun, is that you have no patience. So wait."
"For how long?"
"Matsuda-kun."
"Fine. I'll wait."
I grumbled and leaned against the hallway wall.
After about a minute of waiting for Miyuki in a slouched posture,
Miyuki, who had been deep in thought with her head tilted slightly, asked me.
"Are you confident you'll take this seriously?"
"Probably."
"Be sure about it. I don't want to waste my time on someone who has no will to improve."
"What do you think? Do I look like I'll take it seriously? Give me your objective assessment."
"Why should I be the one to assess that? You should be asking yourself, Matsuda-kun."
She doesn't give an inch.
Of course, I get it, since I'm the one who just made this out-of-the-blue request to be tutored.
I stood up straight in the hallway and looked down at Miyuki.
Then, without a hint of hesitation, I said.
"I'll take it seriously."
"Really...? Okay."
She hesitated, but she agreed more readily than I expected.
Barely suppressing a grin, I asked.
"Where should we do it? Should I come to you?"
"Hmm... It'd be good to meet in the middle... Where do you live, Matsuda-kun?"
"The southern part of Nerima Ward."
"Really...? That's close... I'm in the northern part of Suginami. Should we study at a cafe halfway between us, then? The library isn't great since we have to be quiet..."
She'd rather die than invite me to her house. How sad.
"Don't you have to be quiet in a cafe, too?"
"That's true. Hmm... It's too hot for a park..."
"Why don't we check a map, and if our houses are reasonably close, we can just do it at my place? The house is empty."
"Huh...? That's a bit... Your parents will be there..."
"They're dead."
"....."
When I said it so casually, Miyuki's lips pressed into a thin line.
Seeing her pupils tremble as if there were an earthquake, she must have been pretty flustered.
"I-I'm sorry... I didn't..."
"Sorry for what? I don't even care. They died so long ago I can't even remember their faces."
"M-Matsuda-kun...! Could you please... soften your words a little...?"
She's cute when she's flustered.
Letting out a small laugh, I held out my phone.
"Give me your Line ID. We can talk about the details later. I have to go clean the bathroom."
"Oh, right... Okay..."
"You're really going to teach me, right?"
"Yes. I'll teach you... But you have to work really hard. If I see you slacking off even a little, I'm quitting right away."
"I got it."
Tetsuya will also ask Miyuki for the same favor.
Miyuki will naturally agree, and then she'll suggest the three of us study together.
It was a shame I wouldn't get to be alone with Miyuki, but it didn't really matter.
All sorts of events were going to happen starting from summer vacation.
All that matters is that I'm there instead of Tetsuya.
Or that the three of us experience them together.
I just have to make sure Tetsuya isn't alone with Miyuki.
The early stages of DokiAka are for circulating funds to use in the playthrough or gathering information about the game.
In other words, it's the tutorial.
And you could say I've just finished that tutorial.
This is when I can start enjoying DokiAka in earnest.
"Wow... This house is nice... right, Tetsuya-kun?"
"Yeah. It's huge..."
Tetsuya and Miyuki were chatting quietly outside the main gate.
In the end, we decided to meet at my house.
The merit of it being an empty house where we could be loud was a big factor, and the location was convenient, too.
Just as I'd predicted, Tetsuya joined the study group, and the result was the two of them visiting my house.
After blasting the air conditioner, I came out of the living room in my slippers.
I was about to walk down the weed-covered stone path to open the main gate when,
"Matsuda-kun! We're here!"
Miyuki called out in a loud voice.
Letting out a dry laugh, I opened the gate.
Then I chided the two of them, who were looking around with curious eyes.
"There's a doorbell, you know. Why are you yelling? You made it, Miura?"
I jutted my chin at Tetsuya, and he awkwardly raised a hand.
"Hey, Matsuda."
Hey, my ass... You spineless bastard who can't even choose one of the three heroines.
Cursing him internally, I stepped aside.
"Come on in."
Miyuki stepped inside with a bright expression.
Miyuki's outfit today was a white t-shirt and a skirt that came down to just above her ankles.
The flash of her pale, slender ankles as she walked stirred something in me.
"Which way should we go?"
Miyuki asked, turning her head.
I snapped out of it as I was walking with Tetsuya and answered.
"Just follow the path. It leads to the living room."
"Isn't the homeowner supposed to lead the way? And Matsuda-kun, don't you take care of the weeds?"
"Do I have to?"
"That's so like you, Matsuda-kun. But..."
Miyuki trailed off, looking toward the flower bed.
Seeing the drooping plants, she made a fuss and scolded me.
"Matsuda-kun...! How can you just leave the plants like this? They're all dying...!"
Dying? Weren't they already dead?
"Then how should I leave them? Throw them out?"
"That's not what I meant...! And why is the watering can so old?"
"Because I don't use it?"
"I really don't understand you..."
Miyuki looked around, found the outdoor faucet, and headed over with the watering can.
She meticulously washed the watering can and checked the condition of the plants.
It felt strange, like she was a girlfriend who'd come to live with me.
If I could just do something about this vermin next to me, this would be perfect... but I guess it can't be helped.
"What are you doing? Let's go inside."
"Oh, right."
I took Tetsuya to the living room, and together, we started to set up the round table where we would study.