“Hey~ Isn’t it just so pitiful? I think Izumi-cchi can do it if he tries~”
“You’re like a goddess. Ah geez, if Amane says so, I can’t really argue.”
The others said things like “Amane is so kind~” as they left the classroom.
And then Izumi and Amane were alone together.
For a while, the sound of footsteps from students in other classes could be heard in the hallway. Eventually, the presence of people faded away, and the voices from club practices at the distant grounds began drifting in……
—Izumi crossed his arms, while Amane gently laid herself over the desk.
“Sorry for making you seem pitiful?”
“No, I’m sorry! Please teach me again today, Amane-sensei!”
Their positions were reversed.
If their classmates had witnessed this transformation, they surely would have been stunned. Izumi flipped around the textbooks that had previously been arranged for Amane benefit.
And then Izumi said in a befuddled tone:
“Why don’t you drop that perfect honor student act?”
“But! I can’t stop it now!”
“Well, I wonder why everyone is so fooled by that pretty facade.”
“Amane wants to know that too~!”
It all started during the summer vacation of their first year.
Amane was on the verge of having to repeat a year due to failing grades on tests. Izumi began tutoring her, which kicked off these regular “study sessions.”
“But first off, maybe it wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t brag to the class that you’d ‘teach them~'”
“But when my grades got better thanks to Izumi-cchi, everyone started saying ‘teach me~!'”
“You should work on kicking that inability to refuse when asked before you graduate high school.”
“Ugh! I know, but when they look at me with those sparkling eyes~!”
Amane lamented, and Izumi told her with a snicker:
“You gotta have a good grasp of your own capabilities~”
“I’m already swamped just practicing my routines, when would I have time for school work~?!”
“Fair point, but isn’t that putting the cart before the horse……”
Izumi took out a notebook.
The cover read “For A ⑮”. A refers to Amane.
“Here are the materials for today’s lesson.”
“Thank you, Izumi-cchi sensei~!”
“That sounds weird.”
Amane opened the notebook with sparkling eyes.
It contained a compilation of the lessons she missed, focused on her weak points and explained in an easy-to-understand way based on Amane’s learning tendencies.
It was original teaching material edited by Izumi specifically for Amane.
Izumi pointed at it and said:
“You absolutely must memorize this formula. It’s guaranteed to be on the midterm exam this time.”
“O-Okay, I’ll take notes.”
“It’s not just the midterms. This will also be the basis for the formulas coming up. If you get stuck, applying this formula should get you through most problems.”
“For Izumi-cchi maybe, but it’s difficult for Amane……”
“Then drill it through repetition. Don’t try to memorize it with your brain, instill it into your body. Studying is like a sport. The more you do it, the more it sticks in your body. But studying is easier since you just need to focus on the key points.”
Though the rationale was a bit puzzling, it seemed to resonate with Amane.
They continued studying for about two more hours until the final chime for the end of club activities rang out. Izumi closed hisnreference book and checked the time on hisphone.
“Alright, we’ll do the other subjects next time.”
Amane slumped over her desk.
“Thank you as always, sensei~”
“Stop with the sensei thing.”
“The midterms coming up seem really tough~ Dad’s been taking on a lot of work, so I’m wondering when I’ll even have time to study…”
“Yeah, must be hard with your actual dad as your manager.”
Izumi said it like it wasn’t his own situation, as he packed his reference books into his bag.
“I’m just teaching you the key points, the rest is up to your own efforts.”
However, Amane seemed unsatisfied.
“It’s such a waste for you to be content just barely passing~”
“Getting used to playing dumb can be easy too. Not having expectations is the ultimate life weapon, you know.”
“Are you saying that to me~?”
“My bad, my bad. That’s for me.”
Izumi gave a wry smile, and Amane gave her an ambiguous look.
“But still, it kinda feels like I’m cheating or something…”
“Not at all. Like I said, it’s thanks to your own efforts.”
There was not even a hint of a lie in Izumi’s words.
he had seen how Amane prepared for the short quiz this morning.
Being able to teach something to others means you’ve truly made it your own, rather than just scoring points yourself.
Amane is actually quite bright. The issue is she doesn’t have enough time to study properly. Izumi’s approach in these limited after-school sessions was to drill her on the key points.
“Just watching you work so hard makes me happy.”
“…..!”
Amane’s cheeks flushed red, but Izumi didn’t seem to notice as he……
Slipped his bag over the shoulder and told Amane:
“You pick things up quickly and are a good learner, Amane. For now, the only issue is not having enough time for studying. But by the time you graduate high school, you’ll be in good shape.”
“Graduate…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Ah! No, nothing…!”
She seemed a bit uneasy.
But Izumi didn’t think much of it.
“Well, I’ve got a part-time job to get to. Lock up for me, will you?”
“Y-Yeah…”
And as he grabbed his bag—the avant-garde puppy keychain Amane gave as a souvenir glinted in the evening sunlight.
The moment she saw it, Amane impulsively tugged on his sleeve.
“Amane?”
“Um, you see…”
She hesitated briefly, but soon made up her mind. Then, her cheeks flushing redder than the setting sun, she pleaded in a voice barely audible:
“Can you please not tell anyone that you’re tutoring me like this? You’re the only one who gets to see this weak side of Amane…”
“……..”
Receiving that moistened gaze, Izumi smiled softly.
“I understand.”
At that smile, Amane’s face flushed an even deeper crimson.
“Y-Yeah. …That’s it.”
“See you tomorrow then.”
With that, Izumi left the classroom.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.PAGES.DEV
After Izumi left the classroom.
Amane hugged the original notebook he had edited for her, kicking her legs wildly.
(Izumi-cchi definitely likes Amane!)
This was already the 15th notebook. Despite the hassle, he kept devotedly making them for her. There’s no way his feelings were just [as friends]. Replaying their interactions in her mind made her face go all mushy.
And whatever ulterior motives Izumi might have…for Amane, they felt welcome.
In other words, a case of mutual pining. If one of them made a move, it would be a simple path to a happy ending.
Yet neither could take that first step.
Amane was afraid that taking their relationship further would make things awkward. Moreover, she had never dated a boy before and didn’t know how to act as a girlfriend.
More than anything, the thought of confessing and being rejected by sheer chance filled the real Amane – not the popular model everyone knew – with trepidation.
But even so, that was fine.
It was enough that only Izumi knew the real Amane. And only she knew the true worth of Izumi.
(Ahhh geez! Even with no other rivals, this is too frustrating!)
Amane kicked her legs wildly again.
Amane Amasaki
Unrequited love history: [over half a year].
If it were to liken Amane’s lovestruck situation to some kind of entertainment title, it might go something like this:
[The School Idol Who Only Wants to Be Pampered When It’s Just the Two of Them]
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