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Akira, as usual, opened his eyes promptly at 5:30 AM.
He got out of bed briskly and began his daily mandatory Saitama-style training regimen.
One hundred push-ups, one hundred sit-ups, one hundred squats—this training, which most people would find difficult to sustain, came as naturally to him as breathing.
When the last set of exercises was completed, he felt no fatigue at all. Instead, he felt an inexhaustible surge of energy within him.
"This body is truly a bug."
Akira wiped sweat from his face in the mirror, unable to help but smile.
Eight years of consistent effort had made this training as simple as eating and drinking for him.
He could even feel his muscles craving more challenges, but reason still triumphed over impulse.
Putting on the school-issued tracksuit, he gently closed the door and headed towards the school track.
The plastic track still carried the damp scent of last night's rain, and his running shoes made a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound as he stepped on it.
Now that he thought about it, these morning runs had been going on for a full month now.
Yet, the numbers on the scale remained unmoved, and the results of his physical fitness tests were still at the starting point.
After all, his physical condition could no longer improve further.
Now, his persistence in exercising, rather than being for improvement, was merely to maintain the intensity of this body.
Akira knew very well that even for top professional athletes, over ninety percent of their daily training's core objective was maintenance, not enhancement.
In a sense, maintaining his peak condition was far more difficult than the initial ascent.
He steadily adjusted his breathing, his steps still firm and rhythmic. One lap, then another.
When the finish line of the tenth lap was crossed again, he stopped.
A lap of the track was approximately one kilometer, meaning he'd just completed a ten-kilometer run.
Akira pulled out his phone from his pocket. The screen lit up, showing a countdown of twenty-nine minutes.
This was achieved without him deliberately sprinting at full speed during the last two laps.
It was a decent result, he supposed.
Akira was about to turn and leave the track when his peripheral vision caught sight of a slender figure.
—It was Kushida.
She was wearing the same tracksuit as him, standing on the inner side of the track, holding a bottle of mineral water and a neatly folded towel, walking towards him.
"Good work, Shimizu-kun! Ten laps, that's really impressive!"
"...Thank you." Akira was slightly surprised, but still naturally accepted the water and towel she offered.
The cool mineral water slid down his throat, instantly soothing the burning thirst.
He casually wiped the sweat from his forehead, only then realizing—why was she here?
Since the start of school, Akira had been running for over a month, and this was the first time he encountered a classmate.
"You are really amazing!" Kushida put her hands behind her back, tilted her head slightly, and smiled brightly. "You've been consistently morning running since the first day of school, haven't you? Horikita-san even told me that you wake up at 5:30 every day to exercise! Persisting for eight years! That's a truly remarkable habit."
However, Akira completely understood the intention of the smiling girl in front of him. She probably had another request she wanted to ask him.
"It's nothing much." Akira naturally took over the conversation.
—Wait a minute?
Horikita told her?
When did these two... become close?
No, that doesn't make any sense.
He clearly knew Horikita's almost physiological aversion to Kushida.
And Kushida? How could she genuinely like someone who always wore a "don't come near me" sour face, and had rejected her "let's be friends" declarations mercilessly, three, five, or even dozens of times, right to her face?
Akira could almost imagine Kushida privately gritting her teeth and "greeting" Horikita countless times.
"Shimizu-kun, are you keeping up with Japanese Language class lately? If you're having trouble, I can help you with tutoring!" Kushida clasped her hands together, revealing a sweet smile.
Akira quickly searched his memory—he recalled her Japanese Language score was in the eighties, and her other subjects also hovered around that range. While not top-tier, it was more than enough to tutor him, a bottom-feeder with twenty-nine points.
"Thank you, but I've already asked Horikita-san to tutor me." He politely declined, as he'd already prepaid the tutoring points.
As soon as the words left his mouth, he suddenly realized something.
"Ah, you want to invite me to a study group, don't you?" Akira suddenly understood. "Sure, I'll go sometime. That should help you get a headcount, right? It's like casting a vote for you, but as for Horikita-san, I can't help you get her vote. You know she really dislikes you."
After all, it was just a small favor.
Besides, he recalled the special photos and actions she sent him last time, and couldn't help but silently add in his heart: After all, she treated him quite well.
"Well..." Kushida gently twisted her fingers, a slightly troubled expression on her face. "It's really hard to argue with that... I do hope Shimizu-kun can come to the study group. However—"
She suddenly looked up. "The main reason I came to see you today isn't about that!"
A gentle breeze swept across the sports field, rustling the strands of hair by her temples.
Kushida took a deep breath, as if having made up her mind, and said:
"Shimizu-kun... could you go on a date with me tonight?" Her voice suddenly became softer. "Of course! I won't waste your time for nothing. Actually... I'm a bit short on points. After lending Karuizawa-kun two thousand points yesterday, I can only spare five thousand points for you at most... This is already the most I've ever offered for a date to anyone else."
At this point, she quickly waved her hands and added, "Ah! Please don't misunderstand! The date fee is the date fee, and all expenses for the date will be covered by me! As long as... as long as you can keep me company... it would be best if we could take a few photos."
Akira's expression instantly froze, as if he'd heard something out of this world.
His voice was filled with incredulous questioning. "Wait... didn't we settle everything already? Those eighty thousand points have been paid, what do you mean by bringing up a date now?"
"Do you even understand what you're saying? What kind of resolve do you have to say something like this?"
She's actually paying me points to go on a date?
Has she gone to such lengths just to maintain that "angel" persona?
First those special photos... now she's even paying points... is she even going to offer herself?
The other party is really a good person! A great person! Akira had never seen such a beautiful girl with a kind heart who gives out special benefits!
She's specifically delivering herself to give out special benefits!