Classroom Of The Elite: Excitement for the Genius

Chapter 10: Midterm

Kiyotaka's PoV

Shiroi has this uncanny ability to find the right buttons to push to get me to do whatever she wants. Her requests are becoming too frequent, and I'm starting to feel like my peaceful life-chan is slowly slipping away. But... as much as I hate to admit it, the sweet rewards she offers - like delicious food and desserts - are pretty tempting. The worst part is, she knows it. I'm torn between wanting to maintain my independence and enjoying the benefits of being her assistant.

But how can one say no to that cute face and those big, pleading eyes? I always end up agreeing to their ridiculous requests, and my life is starting to feel like one big circus act, with me as the unwilling star of the show!

Shiroi's request seemed harmless at first, but little did I know that it was actually a disguised form of torture! Shiroi asked me to help organize a study group for the entire class, with the promise of sweet treats if I succeeded. 

Not only was I spending countless hours helping everyone study, but I was also being treated like a personal tutor to solve every single problem that came up. 

It was a never-ending barrage of questions and requests, with Shiroi's pleading eyes always watching my every move. And the worse part? I couldn't say no because I was bribed with her homemade ice cream.

Despite my attempts to maintain a low profile, my popularity has somehow soared in recent weeks. I've been making new friends left and right, and Karuizawa's group even seems to be taking a liking to me.

Oh, and on an unrelated note, Hirata and Karuizawa are now a couple. It was pretty obvious that they would end up together since both are popular.

Anyway.

However, deep down, I knew I was sacrificing my peace of mind for a little bit of food, and that's when I knew I had to put my foot down and set some boundaries. But that's easier said than done when you're dealing with someone as persistent as Shiroi.

But as if things couldn't get any worse, Horikita's icy attitude towards me had reached a new level of cold. Her stares were like a dagger through my heart, and her expressions were like a slap in the face. 

I couldn't understand why she had grown to hate me so deeply, and I was too scared to ask. I knew that it had something to do with Shiroi, but I had no idea what she was saying to Horikita.

I could only imagine what kinds of harsh words Shiroi was whispering in Horikita's ear. Whatever they were, they must have hit a sore spot, because Horikita's coldness towards me seems to be growing exponentially.

I felt like I was being pulled in a million different directions, trying to please everyone and keep my sanity all at once. It was a total circus act, and I felt like the ringleader...

Also, I couldn't help but wonder if Shiroi's influence was behind the sudden change in Horikita's attitude. 

She had always been so fiercely independent, so it was surprising to see her accepting help from others, especially someone like Kushida. 

I had tried to convince Horikita to let Kushida join her group numerous times, but she had always adamantly refused. But now, it seemed like she was willing to put her differences aside in order to get ahead. I had to wonder if Shiroi was pulling some strings, or if Horikita had come to her senses and realized that she needed all the help she could get in order to succeed.

Or maybe she just acts like a real tsundere?

As I continued to help the three idiots, I couldn't help but notice how frustrated they seemed with the studying process. It was like pulling teeth just to get them to focus on the material for even a minute. But their frustration seemed to be easing a bit, thanks to Kushida's bright presence. She was like a ray of sunshine, lighting up the whole group with her positive and optimism.