Chapter 045 Asuka: So What If I'm a Little Calculating? / The Asuka Dynasty?
10:30 AM.
Shimizu Akira glanced at his tablet and noticed an interesting task refresh nearby.
Task: Musical Chairs. Rules: Seven chairs are arranged in a circle. Participants walk around the outer circle. School staff control the music; participants walk in one direction. When the music stops, participants must quickly grab a seat. Since there is one less chair than there are people, one person will be eliminated each round. One chair is removed after each round until a winner remains. Capacity: 8 people. Rewards: 1st Place: 10 pts, 2nd Place: 8 pts, 3rd Place: 5 pts.
Most tasks only gave 5 points for first place, but values fluctuated based on difficulty and type. Shimizu remembered a 2v2 Mountain-top Tug-of-War task yesterday that offered 15 points for first. Regardless, a 10-point reward for an 8-person competition was a solid deal.
He couldn't pass it up. After a quick route check, he headed toward the nearest task location.
Twenty minutes later, Shimizu arrived. Seven chairs were already set up, with a few students standing nearby. He scanned the group—three males and three females. He recognized a few.
Among the girls, one was Shiraishi Asuka, who had sat next to him during the rules briefing on the ship. The other had a ponytail and a cute face with a constant smile; she gave him the strange illusion of being "Horikita Suzune's face paired with Sakayanagi Arisu's temperament."
A double "substitute"? No, thinking that was too disrespectful to all three of them.
As Shimizu's thoughts drifted, Shiraishi Asuka noticed him. She whispered something to the girl next to her, and they walked over together.
"Good morning, Shimizu-kun," Shiraishi greeted softly.
"Oh, so you're the famous Shimizu-kun! I've heard so much about you!" The girl beside her smiled and introduced herself. "I'm Nishikawa Ryoko. Come to think of it, this is our first time meeting face-to-face, right?"
"Shiraishi, Nishikawa, hello," Shimizu replied simply.
Wait, Nishikawa Ryoko? That name sounded familiar. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly remembered—his Masumi had been paired with a Nishikawa Ryoko during last year's Paper Shuffle exam.
Ryoko noticed his gaze and tilted her head. "Does Shimizu-kun know me?"
"I've heard of you," Shimizu said. "You were paired with Masumi."
At the mention of Kamuro Masumi, Ryoko's smile stiffened for a split second before returning to a look of curiosity.
"Ah... Kamuro-san! We were indeed teammates. She really dragged my grades down in the second semester of freshman year. Actually, I've always been curious—how did she manage to get over 90 on every subject recently? It was Shimizu-kun helping her in secret, wasn't it?"
"Masumi achieved that through her own hard work and sweat," Shimizu answered smoothly.
In reality, he had obtained the correct answers from Ichinose Honami beforehand. But he certainly wasn't going to throw his girlfriend under the bus, so he gave a casual brush-off. Besides, he wasn't lying; Masumi had worked very hard to memorize those answers—she definitely sweat a bit.
Ryoko looked skeptical. "Shimizu-kun is quite protective of Kamuro-san. Ah, that reminds me of the Shimizu-kun in our class. He's the total opposite of you—he barely speaks to Kamuro-san, but he comes to chat with me all the time."
"What do you mean?" Shimizu didn't follow.
Shiraishi Asuka, standing aside, kindly added, "There's a boy in our class named Shimizu Naoki who is basically at Ryoko's beck and call. He confessed to her on Valentine's Day this year and got rejected. Later, Ryoko told the whole class about it."
"That last part was unnecessary!" Ryoko rolled her eyes at her friend and laughed. "I didn't mean anything by it. I just ran out of things to talk about and happened to think of him."
Leaking someone's failed confession just for small talk? Isn't that worse than doing it on purpose?
Shimizu now understood why Masumi disliked this person. Based on first impressions, she definitely felt like someone who enjoyed toy with others. Her personality was strangely similar to Amasawa Ichika.
A triple "substitute"?
"So, you two are in a group together? You've known each other a long time?" he asked.
"Mhm!" Ryoko nodded. "We've known each other since school started. Asuka really likes my voice."
Asuka nodded slightly. "I do like Ryoko's voice."
This Nishikawa Ryoko lived up to her name—her voice was clear, bright, and resonant.
Ryoko patted Asuka's shoulder and turned back to Shimizu. "Did you come alone? Where are the others in your group?"
"They went to other tasks."
"I see...!" Ryoko blinked. "Want to team up later? Even though Musical Chairs is an individual game, there are other tasks nearby afterward."
Before Shimizu could answer, Asuka spoke up first. "I think that's a good idea."
"Right, right!" Ryoko stuck out her tongue. "And with Shimizu-kun's OAA data being so impressive, teaming up with him guarantees a high score. Plus, I can tease Kamuro-san about it later—two birds with one stone!"
These two were quite proactive; no wonder they were friends.
"We'll see," Shimizu replied vaguely.
There was no way he would agree. If the Great Masumi-sama found out, she'd never let him hear the end of it. Ryoko didn't seem to mind and gaily pulled Asuka away to sign up. Shimizu watched them walk off, shook his head, and went to register himself.
.
.
.
More people signed up than expected, eventually filling the eight-person cap. Each group was allowed a maximum of two participants, so both Shiraishi and Nishikawa were on the field. Besides Shimizu and those two, there were three 3rd-year senpais and two 2nd-year girls.
After the staff explained the rules, the whistle blew.
The music started, and eight people began circling seven chairs. Shimizu slowed his pace, observing the others. Shiraishi Asuka was on his left, her steps steady, her expression unchanging. Nishikawa Ryoko was on his right; though she was smiling, her eyes were fixed on the chairs.
The three 3rd-year senpais were relaxed, chatting and laughing as they circled, seemingly not taking the task seriously.
The music stopped abruptly.
Shimizu sat down almost instantly. Beside him, Shiraishi Asuka also secured a seat firmly. Ryoko was a bit slower but grabbed the last one. The one left out was a 3rd-year senpai; he blinked and laughed helplessly. "These kouhais have some fast reflexes."
The staff removed a chair. Round two began.
Over the next few rounds, Shimizu secured a seat every time with the composure of someone taking a stroll. Shiraishi Asuka was equally impressive, precisely positioning herself every time. Ryoko, while fast, lacked their stamina; by the fifth round, she was starting to pant.
By the end of the sixth round, only four people remained: Shimizu, Shiraishi, Ryoko, and one 3rd-year senpai. There were only three chairs.
The music started. The four circled. This time, the music lasted an exceptionally long time, as if testing their patience. Shimizu noticed Ryoko's footing was getting shaky. The 3rd-year
senpai was panting but focused. Shiraishi was breathing heavily too, but her pace remained steady.
The music cut off.
Shimizu sat. Shiraishi sat. The senpai and Ryoko lunged for the last chair simultaneously. The senpai's stamina and experience won out; he sat down first. Ryoko was a split second too slow; by the time her hand touched the back of the chair, it was occupied.
"Ah!" she slapped her thigh in frustration. "So close!"
Shiraishi looked at her and smiled. "Ryoko, leave the rest to me."
The staff removed another chair. In the penultimate round, it was Shimizu, Shiraishi, and the senpai competing for two spots.
"At this stage, all three of us get rewards," the senpai said easily. "We can relax a bit now."
"You're right, Senpai," Shimizu nodded, but his pace didn't slacken.
The senpai actually did relax, slowing down considerably and even waving to the spectating students. Shiraishi was out of breath and slowed down as well. The music played for a bit and suddenly stopped.
They all moved to sit. Shimizu grabbed the leftmost chair, Shiraishi grabbed the middle, and the senpai was a beat too slow.
"Oops...!" the senpai gave a wry smile. "Guess I relaxed too much."
The staff walked over. "Shimizu Akira, Shiraishi Asuka—you both advance to the finals."
Shiraishi stood up and bowed slightly to the senpai. "Thank you for the match."
"Better skills won out," the senpai waved her off and walked to the sidelines.
Now, only one chair and two people remained. Shimizu and Shiraishi stood facing each other. Before the referee could announce the start, Nishikawa Ryoko waved her hand energetically.
"Wait! I have something to say to the two finalists!"
The staff hesitated and looked at Shimizu and Shiraishi. "Do you know her?"
"Yes." "Mhm."
Though they didn't know what she wanted to say, they both nodded.
"Fine. Only thirty seconds. Say your piece and get back."
The two walked over to Ryoko. Ryoko looked at Shiraishi first and whispered something in her ear. Whatever it was, Shiraishi shook her head uncomfortably. Then, Ryoko turned to Shimizu. She initially tried to whisper in his ear too, but the height difference was too great.
"Shimizu-kun, could you lower your head a bit?" she smiled.
"Is there something you can't say directly?" Shimizu countered.
Ryoko's smile almost cracked. Probably because Shimizu Naoki in her class was so obedient, the contrast with this Shimizu—who either brushed her off or rejected her outright—was too jarring. She took a deep breath and kept smiling.
"It's a secret. Something good for you. I definitely won't lie to you."
Shimizu grew even more suspicious. But seeing Shiraishi nod slightly, as if indicating he could trust her, he crouched down a bit.
Ryoko leaned in and whispered: "Our Asuka is actually a 'One-Hundred-Slayer' (100-man body count). If you go easy on her this round, I might let you become the 101st. Of course, no romantic feelings involved—just for fun. Well? Happy?"
Shimizu almost lost his composure. He straightened up and looked at Ryoko expressionlessly. "That's your 'secret'?"
Ryoko blinked, looking mischievous. "Yeah. Good for you, right?"
Shimizu turned to Shiraishi. Because she was standing back, she seemingly hadn't heard; she was just watching them with a slight smile.
"Aren't you afraid I'll tell Shiraishi you're talking nonsense?"
"She knows. Why else do you think I talked to her first?" Ryoko waved him off. "Anyway, that's all. What you do is up to you."
The staff cleared his throat. "Time's up."
The two returned to the circle. Ryoko didn't forget to give Shiraishi a "fighting" gesture from the sidelines.
The field went quiet. Shimizu and Shiraishi stood face-to-face. They locked eyes. Shiraishi spoke first.
"What did Ryoko say to you?"
Shimizu decided to be vague. "Nothing much, just told me not to go easy on you."
Shiraishi stared at him for two seconds and shook her head. "Liar."
"How do you know?"
"Because that's not what Ryoko just told me. She mentioned the 'One-Hundred-Slayer' topic."
She looked perfectly composed talking about the term, even taking a moment to tidy her bangs. As the sea breeze blew past, the girl looked as beautiful as a painting. If Shimizu didn't already know the "One-Hundred-Slayer" rumor was fake, looking at her charming appearance, he might have believed it.
'Is it an illusion? I feel like Shiraishi-san is being a bit provocative.'
The staff raised the whistle. "Ready?"
"Ready," they replied simultaneously.
The music started. They began circling the last chair. This time, neither slowed down. Ryoko cheered from the side: "Go Asuka!"
The music lasted a long time. One lap, two, three. Shiraishi's breathing grew labored. Her gaze was fixed on the chair with an intensity that suggested nothing else existed.
The music stopped.
Both lunged for the chair. Shimizu sat down first. Before he could react, he felt a weight on his thighs—someone had sat on him.
It was Shiraishi Asuka.
She looked perfectly unbothered. The sidelines went silent. Ryoko's eyes widened, her mouth forming an 'O' shape. The staff held the whistle, unsure if he should blow it.
Shiraishi remained seated on Shimizu's lap. He thought she truly didn't care until he saw her ears—they were bright red.
"...A mistake," she whispered into his ear, her voice so low only he could hear.
Shimizu looked down at her and noticed her neck was flushing too. "Shiraishi-san has a strong competitive spirit, but I think you should have been able to react in time?"
"I did react. I just... my leg slipped."
Shimizu was silent.
'Your leg slipped... and you slipped right onto my lap? That's some precise slipping.'
Ryoko finally snapped out of it. Instead of teasing her friend, she shot Shimizu an incredibly hostile glare.
The staff finally spoke. "Um... Shiraishi-san, according to the rules, sitting on someone's lap doesn't count as securing the chair..."
Shiraishi slowly stood up, gradually regaining her usual calm. "I lost."
The staff took a deep breath. "Winner: Shimizu Akira."
The final rankings were announced: 1st place Shimizu Akira, 2nd place Shiraishi Asuka, 3rd place 3rd-year senpai.
As the match ended and students began to disperse, Shiraishi bowed her head slightly to him. "Shimizu-kun, I caused you trouble just now. I apologize."
Shimizu waved it off. "It's not like you did it on purpose."
Ryoko walked up, staring at Shimizu as if he were a suspicious character. "Shimizu-kun, you were quite composed when Asuka-chan was sitting on your lap. Could it be you're used to it?"
Shimizu paused. He really hadn't thought much of it at the time. "You're right. I am a bit used to it. My girlfriends often sit on my lap."
"Girlfriends..." Ryoko caught the plural.
'What's going on? Does this guy have several girlfriends?'
She instinctively looked at Asuka. She knew her friend's reputation as a "One-Hundred-Slayer" was fake—could it be that a fake "slut" had run into a real "playboy"?
'This is bad. Things are getting out of hand.'
Shiraishi didn't care about Ryoko's internal monologue. She continued: "The thing I'm apologizing for isn't the lap-sitting. It's what Ryoko did."
Shimizu was surprised and smiled. "You mean the way she intentionally stalled for time to let you rest and tried to tempt me into going easy?"
Shiraishi nodded. "Yes. Ryoko's words caused you trouble."
Ryoko waved her hands frantically. "Asuka! I wasn't—"
"Wasn't what?" Shiraishi turned to her. "It's a fact you stalled for time. It's also a fact you told Shimizu-kun those lies."
Ryoko opened her mouth but had no reply. Shimizu was about to say something when Shiraishi spoke up with total seriousness.
"One hundred and one people... it's not just 'for fun.' It can include romantic feelings too. Why did you say 'just for fun' was an option?"
Ryoko froze. "Huh?" She was completely defeated by her friend's logic. "Oh... so that was the part you cared about!"
"Yes," Shiraishi nodded firmly. "That part is important. It would be terrible if Shimizu-kun misunderstood me as some easy girl." She turned to Shimizu. "Don't you agree?"
Shimizu had spoken to many girls. Among them, only Shiina Hiyori could consistently maintain control over a conversation, but she was a literary girl who spoke subtly and gently. This Shiraishi Asuka not only seized control effortlessly but also spoke with blunt, heavy-hitting directness.
'Oh no. Did I run into a pro this time?'
He thought for a moment and asked, "So Shiraishi-san's hundred previous relationships... they were all serious?"
"Mhm. Very, very serious," Shiraishi nodded without hesitation.
'Wow. This person can lie without batting an eye or changing her expression.'
Shimizu almost believed her.
"So, Shimizu-kun, would you like to go on a date with me on the ship?"
"Why?"
"Because you did go easy on me just now. It's part of the agreement."
"I didn't go easy, did I? I got first place."
"It wasn't about the result," Shiraishi shook her head. "You watched Ryoko pull her little stunts and turned a blind eye. That in itself is a form of going easy."
"You're overthinking it. I didn't have that intention."
"Then I can interpret it as: your conscious mind didn't have the intention, but your subconscious performed the action."
'What a sharp tongue!'
Shimizu cleared his throat. "I see. Well, it's almost 11:30 and I'm hungry. I'm going to get lunch. See ya." He turned to leave.
As he walked away quickly, Ryoko's voice followed him. "Shimizu-kun... why are you running...!"
Shimizu didn't look back; he just picked up his pace. His speed was even faster than when he was lunging for the chair.
Ryoko burst out laughing. "Aha! My Asuka is amazing! A fake One-Hundred-Slayer managed to tease a real one into running away!" In her eyes, Shimizu fled because he was intimidated. In other words, this was a total victory for her and Asuka.
Once she finished laughing, Ryoko turned to Shiraishi. "Asuka, you were too bold just now though. Asking him on a date directly?"
Shiraishi stood in place, looking in the direction Shimizu had vanished, looking thoughtful. "I only asked him to get coffee."
"Coffee?" Ryoko's eyes widened. "You clearly said 'date'!"
"Getting coffee is a type of date."
"That's not the same thing at all!"
Shiraishi didn't answer; she just gave a light smile. Ryoko stared at her for a few seconds. "Asuka... do you actually like him?"
Shiraishi didn't deny or confirm it; she just turned to walk in another direction. "Let's go. Time for the next task."
She was thinking about her own business. Shimizu's voice was very pleasant—that was one factor. On the other hand, Acting Chairman Tsukishiro had brought her a new mission from Shirogane-sensei.
The plan had changed. The surveillance target had shifted from Ayanokouji Kiyotaka to Shimizu Akira.
Starting today, make sure to actively contact him. Primarily observe the interactions between Shimizu Akira and Ayanokouji Kiyotaka. Analyze why Ayanokouji Kiyotaka follows Shimizu Akira's lead.
Initially, her mission was just to spend three years as an ordinary student while monitoring Ayanokouji. But over the past year, she was in Class A and Ayanokouji was in Class D; there were few opportunities to speak.
Now the plan had changed. Shirogane-sensei wanted her to take the initiative. Although the goal was still related to Ayanokouji, it had become a study of his interaction patterns with Shimizu.
To be honest, she didn't quite understand the theme of this mission. Just analyzing why Ayanokouji was obedient to Shimizu? During the VIP special exam last year when phones were collected, she had met them briefly. Back then, Ayanokouji had indeed assisted Shimizu in completing a plan. It seemed he really did listen to Shimizu.
However, thinking of Shimizu's performance during Musical Chairs, his physical specs were undeniable, but his personality didn't seem that "charming." At least, when he spoke to her, she had seized control of the conversation without even trying. He didn't seem like someone with multiple girlfriends at all.
By the way, on the cruise ship, she had intentionally left an empty seat waiting for Shimizu to come over. And this "accidental" encounter was actually her checking his GPS and pulling Ryoko along to intercept him.
"Wait! You haven't answered me!" Ryoko was still chasing her. "Asuka—Shiraishi Asuka—say something!"
At a fork in the road, Asuka stopped. "Ryoko."
"Yeah?"
"He actually knows my rumors are fake now."
"Huh? How would he know?"
"When I sat on his lap, he saw my ears turn red."
"Ah?! Is that so! Wait, speaking of which, why did you sit on his lap? There's no way you didn't react in time."
"I did it on purpose."
"Ha? On purpose?"
"Mhm," Asuka nodded. "On purpose. Because I am a virgin, and it was my first time sitting on a male's lap, my physiological response would cause my ears to flush naturally. With his level of observation, he would realize I haven't been intimate with the opposite sex. The One-Hundred-Slayer rumor would naturally be debunked.
Doing this has three benefits. First, it clears my reputation in his eyes without me having to say a word. Second, in the future, I can use the 'Slayer' label as a justification to do bold things. Third, because Shimizu Akira knows I'm a 'fake,' the more I act that way, the more cute and innocent I will seem to him. This will gradually increase his favorability toward me."
She smiled slightly. "With today's groundwork, the distance between us will close rapidly. From now on, I can boldly do all sorts of things."
It took Ryoko a long time to close her mouth. "Asuka... when did you become so formidable?"
Asuka tilted her head. "I've always been formidable."
"Not that kind of formidable!" Ryoko grabbed her sleeve. "I mean, when did you learn to do this?"
Asuka thought about it. "Probably last year, after reading dozens of books on interpersonal relationships."
"Books?"
"Mhm. The books said that the best way to make someone like you isn't to please them, but to let them discover your merits themselves. So I let him discover for himself that I am 'innocent.' It's much more effective than me explaining it directly."
Ryoko was stunned. "Then... how did you know he would definitely notice?"
"Because he's very smart," Asuka said. "Someone who can handle several girlfriends at once couldn't possibly lack that level of observation." She couldn't help but smile again. "Though, he is a bit of an airhead. He actually ran away just now."
Ryoko: "I see..."
"Also, don't you think his voice is quite pleasant?" Asuka added. "Just like yours."
Ryoko felt like her best friend would eventually play herself into a corner. If that happened, she'd be left all alone. She hated that thought; whenever a girl in class spoke to Asuka, she'd always jump in immediately.
'So... should I cause a little trouble for them?'
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