"So that's how it is, oh well~"
The light in Kitagawa Marin's eyes dimmed slightly.
[I thought I finally found some chances, what a shame!]
Later, after the next class ended, the teacher on the platform reminded Saiki that it was his turn for classroom duty today and he should remember to erase the blackboard.
Saiki had just walked up, picked up the eraser, and started slowly wiping away the chalk that the math teacher had covered the entire blackboard with.
Kitagawa Marin [( ᵒ̴̶̷̤໐ᵒ̴̶̷̤ ) Perfect chance]
Kitagawa Marin stepped forward bit by bit. Just as she reached to pick up a second eraser to kindly help Saiki,
someone else snatched it away even faster.
Akazawa Itsuki rested his hand on Saiki's shoulder. "Saiki, you're on duty today. That math teacher filled the whole board earlier, so cleaning it must be a pain. Let me help you. Then afterward, come with me to the back of the school. I heard Sakuragi got confessed to — let's go watch."
(Who's Sakuragi? No idea, but whatever. Since you're being so nice about it, I guess I don't mind going to take a look.)
Saiki glanced at the stunned Kitagawa Marin behind him, then turned back to Akazawa Itsuki and nodded in agreement.
"Alright then, I'll help you."
Akazawa Itsuki quickly finished wiping the blackboard for Saiki, and the two left the classroom together.
Kitagawa Marin watched their departing backs. Standing next to the podium, she looked especially disheveled.
"Ah, damn it ◑▂◑, so close!"
Again, when Saiki left the classroom to head to the bathroom, Kitagawa Marin sneaked after him, planning to call out and stop him.
"Saiki!"
Tsuchiya Kouta suddenly appeared beside Saiki and called out while walking alongside him. "Where are you going?"
[To the bathroom.]
"If you don't have anything going on, come with me for a sec. I'll take you to a special place."
[To the bathroom.]
"I bet you're looking forward to it. The girls' swimming club is recruiting a manager right now — guys or girls are fine. We can go check it out."
[To the bathroom.]
"After we finish in the bathroom, let's go take a look together!"
[Why did it end up like this?]
Kitagawa Marin scratched her head. "Does Saiki-kun really never get a moment alone?"
During break time.
Saiki sat at his desk, pen flying across the page as he wrote answers to some math problems, finishing next week's homework ahead of time — this was Saiki's basic daily routine.
[Oh? No ink left?]
Saiki shook the pen a few times, scribbled on the paper again, but still no ink came out. He flipped open his desk, pulled out his pencil case, and found there were no spare black gel pens inside.
Kitagawa Marin [Great chance]
Kitagawa Marin opened her own pencil case, found an extra gel pen, stood up, took one step forward, ready to lend it to Saiki.
"Saiki, what's wrong? Pen out of ink again? Let me see."
Yoshii Akihisa suddenly appeared, blocking Kitagawa Marin.
[Never mind, I'll just buy one downstairs later.]
"It's fine, I have a way. Let me help you."
Yoshii Akihisa took Saiki's gel pen, opened the cap, saw there was still half a cartridge of ink, and shook it vigorously.
"Mm mm mm!!"
(Don't make weird noises.)
Then he blew hard at the end of the cartridge.
"Puff!! Puff ah~"
(What an old-school trick!)
After blowing hard several times, Yoshii Akihisa put the cartridge back in and handed the pen to Saiki.
"Here, try it now — it should work for sure!"
Saiki scribbled a few lines on the blank paper, and ink actually came out.
[This trick still works no matter the era.]
"See? Told you it would work."
Saiki picked up the pen and wrote a few characters, but then it stopped flowing again.
[Guess it doesn't work every single time.]
Hearing this, Kitagawa Marin's originally dissatisfied expression instantly relaxed.
"Saiki-k—"
Just as she stepped out from behind Yoshii Akihisa, about to say something, she was interrupted again.
"Use mine!"
Kitagawa Marin ⊙_⊙
Sakamoto Yuuji reached out and handed Saiki a gel pen.
[Thanks.]
Saiki took the pen and looked at Kitagawa Marin, who was still frozen in her previous pose beside them.
Yoshii Akihisa: "What's up, Kitagawa-san?"
"Just now he seemed to call out to Saiki. Did you need something from him?"
Sakamoto Yuuji leaned against the window, looking at Saiki questioningly.
Saiki shook his head to indicate he didn't know.
The three of them stared at Kitagawa Marin, whose smile had stiffened.
"I…"
For a split second, panic flashed across Kitagawa Marin's face, but the next moment she thought of something, walked over to Saiki, broke into a bright smile, and asked like a caring big sister,
"Saiki-kun, I see you're doing homework. You look troubled. How about it? Want me to help? Don't judge me by appearances — I'm actually really good at math! In elementary school the teachers called me the Little Princess of Science!"
"…"
(Do you even realize what you're saying?)
Kitagawa Marin broke out in a cold sweat. The moment she finished speaking, she regretted it. Didn't he already know her level? How could she say something like that to the guy who was first in the grade with perfect scores in every subject?
Yoshii Akihisa scratched his head in surprise. "There are problems even Saiki can't do? I never knew you were that amazing, Kitagawa-san — you can even solve stuff Saiki can't!"
Sakamoto Yuuji propped his head on one hand. "Idiot, stop talking!"
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
Yoshii Akihisa looked totally confused, completely unaware that their conversation was making Kitagawa Marin's face burn red with embarrassment.
"See you."
Kitagawa Marin quickly returned to her seat, buried her face on the desk, and covered her head with both hands. A layer of mist gathered in her eyes.
Kitagawa Marin [Aaaah!! What am I doing!!]
(You're not doing anything. You just wanted to kindly tutor me on problems, right, Little Princess of Science!)
Kitagawa Marin [Uuuugh~ No way, I can't face Saiki anymore.]
Even by the time PE class came and Saiki left to change in the locker room, Kitagawa Marin was still slumped over her desk.
"Kitagawa, what's wrong? Next period is PE — time to change!"
A nearby female classmate patted her.
"Ah! Oh~"
Actually, Kitagawa Marin had almost fallen asleep earlier, desperately trying to treat everything that just happened as a bad dream.
But whatever. Kitagawa Marin quickly pulled herself together. She wasn't going to be defeated by something this small.
Kitagawa Marin slapped both cheeks with her hands to pump herself up. [Come on, come on! Don't give up — there's definitely still a chance.]
…
Nishimura Soichi: "This period we're doing long-distance running. Just a little test."
"Ehh!"
"No way, long-distance running again!"
"Ugh, I've been lazing around too much lately and haven't trained properly. I'm gonna end up dead tired like a dog again."
"Ironman-sensei, how about next week instead?"
The students sighed. Long-distance running was the thing they hated most.
"Less whining, hurry up and get over here."
"…"
Nishimura Soichi didn't care at all. Given this group's usual behavior, delaying it a week wouldn't matter — they'd have to run sooner or later anyway. Putting it off had no meaning.
Huff~
After finishing his run, Saiki walked to the water fountain "covered in sweat" and started washing his face.
Kitagawa Marin [This time it's definitely a good chance]
(This girl still hasn't given up!)
"Saiki-kun! Saiki-kun!"
Kitagawa Marin ran over cheerfully with a bottle of mineral water.
"Here, you must be thirsty! Drink up, drink up! Why aren't you drinking!"
"…"
(You're shoving it right into my face — how am I supposed to drink?)
Saiki was instantly speechless.
"Oh, right!"
Kitagawa Marin thoughtfully twisted open the mineral water bottle and held it out to Saiki.
…