On the first morning of the study camp's official start, I was already seated at the lectern early, brows tightly knit as I sank into thought.
"Urgh…" The pink-haired girl who called herself an elite of the JTF wore a tearful expression, her will utterly crushed. "Everything was seen… I'm already done for…"
Azusa, on the other hand, showed a puzzled look. "Koharu also saw my naked body, so there should not be any problem."
"That's not the issue!" Koharu shouted in agitation. "You actually stripped me by force! Forcing someone like that is not okay!"
Beside them, Hanako smiled faintly. "Then next time, shall I be the one to help Koharu wash her body?"
"Hah!?" Koharu's delicate body trembled as she cried out in horror. "N-no! Anyone but you, absolutely not!"
So… does that mean the friendship between the girls of the Make-Up Work Club has already progressed to the point where they can bathe together?
When will you add me in too?
That is indeed a question worth thinking about seriously.
"Um, uhh…"
Standing beside the lectern, her usually smooth hair sticking up a little as if she had not slept well, Hifumi hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and raised her voice.
"Everyone! Please look this way!"
After successfully drawing the curious gazes of her companions, who had just been chatting casually, Hifumi paused briefly, then began speaking in a firm tone.
"…Today is the first important day of the Make-Up Work Club's training camp. Because we are in a very bad situation, everyone might feel flustered… but there is no need to think about it too deeply. All we need to do is pass the second evaluation exam one week from now, that is all!"
These words not only made the other girls nod in agreement, but also earned a look of relief from me.
Just last night, Hifumi had been anxious and seeking comfort from me, yet after only a single night, she was already able to pull herself together and step forward to lead everyone.
It seemed that our heart-to-heart talk last night had indeed been quite effective.
Of course, this also had much to do with Hifumi's own resilient personality.
"So… now, let's do a mock exam!"
"W-what, an exam all of a sudden!? Why!?"
Koharu, whose grades were the worst, immediately turned pale when she heard the word exam.
Hifumi explained patiently, "Even if we study blindly, it is not very efficient. In order to truly reach our goal, we need to know what we can and cannot do, and where we stand right now… I think it is necessary to grasp these things first. So, I prepared this yesterday!"
As she spoke, she took out a stack of papers from her Peroro backpack.
"These are last year's Trinity exam questions and reference answers! Although they are not complete and I could only gather part of them… Sensei also helped until very late last night… We made a mock test modeled after the second special academic ability exam!"
I rubbed my nose, recalling how I had been handling Schale business when my door was knocked on again, and the feeling of opening it to find Hifumi standing there once more.
In any case, after hearing her request, I was not all that happy.
"The exam time is 60 minutes. Out of 100 points, 60 or above is a pass. It is exactly the same as the real exam."
After explaining the rules, Hifumi paused. "All right, let's try solving this first!"
And so, as the girls straightened up in their seats, I imitated a formal exam, handed out the papers, confirmed that everyone was ready, and announced the start of the Make-Up Work Club's first mock exam.
For the next stretch of time, I sat at the lectern working, while the girls below scribbled away furiously. Soon, the one-hour time limit was up.
I spent some more time grading the papers, then announced the results to the girls, whose expressions varied widely.
Compared to last time, the scores of Hifumi, Azusa, and Koharu all fluctuated slightly, but remained within a normal range, and the overall results did not change. Only Hanako, who was clearly controlling her score, still had that intriguing 69 points.
"This is our current reality. If things continue like this, there will be no bright future ahead of us…"
After hearing the scores, Hifumi spoke solemnly to everyone. "From now on, in the remaining week, in order for everyone to surpass 60 points, we must use the remaining time with maximum efficiency!"
Fortunately, only Koharu and Azusa were failing, and the exams they had to take were both first-year papers.
"I and Hanako-chan will tutor you!"
Hanako gave me a subtle wink, then smiled and nodded. "Hehe, I'll do my best."
"Thank you!" Hifumi thanked Hanako, then clenched her fist to encourage everyone. "Let's do our best! If we work hard, we will definitely find a way for everyone to pass together…!"
As her words fell, the slightly gloomy atmosphere that had set in when I announced the scores was completely swept away.
It felt that, at least in entrusting Hifumi with the role of club president, Nagisa's decision had been the right one.
Despite considering herself ordinary, or perhaps precisely because of that, Hifumi truly possessed the ability to lead others and inspire them.
Azusa smiled and replied, "…Understood. I will follow instructions."
Koharu shyly pressed her lips together. "I-I understand…"
Seeing this, Hifumi proceeded according to plan, further boosting everyone's motivation.
"And also, we have prepared various rewards!"
Immediately after, she quickly took out several plush toys from her bag, filled the entire desk with them, and proudly introduced them to everyone.
"Please look! Students who get good results can receive these [momofriends] goods as gifts!"
However, she did not seem to receive the enthusiastic response she had expected.
Hanako repeated in confusion, "Momofriends…?"
Koharu tilted her head. "…What is that?"
Actually, I had thought from the start that rather than character merchandise, it might have been better to choose something else as prizes.
But I noticed that when Azusa saw these plush toys, her eyes suddenly widened, and the next moment, her gaze became sharp.
Meanwhile, Hifumi was already starting to panic. "Ah, huh…? It's that really popular [momofriends] recently… You all don't know it…?"
"I'm seeing it for the first time…" Hanako, looking slightly awkward, quickly changed her wording considerately. "No, it feels like I might have seen it somewhere a little…"
Hifumi let out an incredulous cry. "Eeh!?"
"What is this, it's so weird…" Koharu stared at the Peroro plush. "A pig? Or a hippo…?"
"N-no!" Hifumi hurriedly defended it. "Peroro-sama is a bird! Look, these beautiful wings! And this dignified beak!"
But that explanation only made things worse.
Koharu showed undisguised disgust. "…The eyes are scary. And the name also feels kind of gross…"
"Eeh…!? I-it's true that some people say that… b-but please look closely. If you look long enough, you will unconsciously start to find it pretty cute…"
I felt that rather than Peroro being cute, Hifumi earnestly recommending her hobby to her friends was even cuter.
"Ah, I remember now," Hanako said as realization dawned. "Come to think of it, Hifumi-chan's backpack and phone case are both this character. Is it the kind of character that sticks out its tongue, drooling, while crying and saying please spare me…?"
…There is really no need to imagine Peroro like that.
"Eeh, that's not it, the latter half is wrong in all sorts of ways!?"
It looked like Hifumi was still trying to salvage Peroro's image in everyone else's eyes, but after Hanako's embellishment, at least Koharu had completely lost interest in these plush toys.
"I-I don't want them…"
Koharu said with distaste, eyeing the plush toys warily.
"Awu…"
Seeing that the thing she loved was not acknowledged, Hifumi looked a little hurt.
At that moment, she also noticed Azusa's odd behavior and called out tentatively. "A-Azusa-chan…?"
"…Cute."
Uttering a single syllable, Azusa took a step toward the plush toys.
Hifumi repeated in confusion, "…Cute?"
The next moment, her confusion was answered.
Azusa's face suddenly bloomed into a brilliant smile, her voice filled with excitement and joy. "So cute…!!!"
This reaction was unprecedented for Azusa, who usually showed little emotional fluctuation, and it startled everyone present, myself included, even though I had anticipated it.
Eyes wide open, Azusa was now completely unable to tear her gaze away from the momofriends goods, like an ordinary girl who had found something adorable, and she could not stop talking.
"S-so cute…! What is this, this round, fluffy creature…! These eyes, this expression, I cannot read it at all… I have no idea what it is thinking…!"
As she spoke, she even squinted her eyes, as if trying to imitate it.
"As expected of Azusa-chan!" Hifumi's eyes sparkled. "You actually noticed Peroro-sama's cuteness! That's right! That is exactly the cutest part!"
"T-this one? What is this long one?" Azusa hurriedly asked, pointing at another plush. "A salamander… no, a giraffe? It feels like it would be really warm if you wrapped it around your neck…!"
"That is Wave Cat! Although it is a cat that is always dancing the wave dance, just as you said, it recently came out as a neck pillow…"
"And this one? This small one?"
"That is Mr. Nikolai! He always says philosophical things, so people look at him with mysterious eyes!" Hifumi picked up a book from the desk. "As part of the rewards this time, there is even Nikolai's 'Beyond Good and Evil,' and it is a first edition!"
"Amazing, amazing…!"
Azusa asked excitedly, "Is this also a prize? C-can we choose freely?"
Hifumi nodded. "Yes! If Azusa-chan wants it, please take it!"
These two like-minded enthusiasts chatted away, completely oblivious to their surroundings.
Hanako and Koharu, who did not understand where momofriends' cuteness lay, showed awkward and shocked expressions respectively.
Finally, having received confirmation, Azusa let out a long breath of satisfaction and her expression turned solemn.
"…There is no helping it. I will have to give it my all. This is a very good way to motivate people, Hifumi. I promise you. I will definitely complete the mission, and then I will get that mysterious fluffy creature and show it to you!"
"O-okay! Do your best!" After saying that, Hifumi let out a slightly silly, cute laugh. "Ehe, ehehhehe…"
Seeing this, Hanako, infected by the atmosphere, could not help but laugh. "Oh my, Hifumi-chan looks very happy. Even her expression has become like one of the plush toys…"
I added from the side, "She is probably happy to have momofriends companions."
In any case, just as Hifumi had hoped, everyone's enthusiasm for studying had risen a bit compared to before.
Everyone except one person.
Koharu let out a small eh, then fell silent with a sullen face, still looking unable to accept it.
I knew that at times like this, it was time to bring out the backup plan I had prepared, in case I worried that Hifumi's plan would fall through and to ease the awkwardness and liven up the mood.
"Ahem," I cleared my throat. "Actually, I also prepared a reward!"
Hearing this, the girls reacted differently.
Hifumi asked instinctively, "Eh? Sensei too?"
"Oh my," Hanako seemed interested, her eyes gleaming. "Is Sensei planning to give everyone a very amazing reward?"
Azusa took on a ready stance. "Could it be that we can also obtain fluffy animals from Sensei?"
As for Koharu, she became even more guarded. "Ugh… You are not going to take out something weird, are you!"
"Of course not."
Feeling the girls' expectations, I smiled mysteriously.
Without dragging it out, under everyone's gaze, I took out a stack of items from my pocket and held them up high.
"The reward is actually the one and only handsome man in all of Kivotos, namely Sensei's own selfies!"
In an instant, the air seemed to freeze.
Taking in the girls' stunned looks, I nodded inwardly. It must be that this sudden surprise was simply too shocking, leaving them all dumbfounded.
"…Ah, ahaha." Finally, Hifumi laughed politely, though awkwardly. I felt she was so excited she could not find the words.
Perhaps out of jealousy, Hanako's mouth twitched slightly. "Sensei, you are really quite humorous…"
Koharu, who had clearly misunderstood, flushed bright red. "Lewdness is not allowed! Death penalty!"
"You misunderstand," I explained. "They are just normal selfies."
Koharu choked for a moment, then pressed on. "Just… normal clothes?"
"Of course."
"…Oh."
On the surface, Koharu seemed to have lost interest, but I knew she was simply trying hard to restrain herself.
"…Although I do not really understand," Azusa hesitated for a moment and said in confusion, "can this even be called a reward?"
Azusa definitely… forget it, I really could not keep this going.
"Do you not like it?" I asked in confusion.
The girls of the Make-Up Work Club only looked at each other, without answering.
Seeing this reaction, I could not help feeling a bit disheartened. "All right… then just pretend I did not…"
"Sigh." Hanako suddenly sighed, interrupting me. "Since it is Sensei's heartfelt intention, we students can only accept it, right?"
As she finished speaking, she gave the others a meaningful look.
The others either nodded hastily in realization, or nodded slowly after some thought.
What is this, so they really were still coveting my good looks.
Ignoring the other possibility, I happily gave each of them one in advance.
Regardless of their earlier reactions, everyone in the Make-Up Work Club carefully kept my photo close to their person.
After this little episode, it was once again time to study hard.