Mob Character Reincarnation Loner: As a Result of Supporting the Heroine Who Had Been Rejected, I Ended up Being the Recipient of Her Heavy Emotions…
9 PM.
I was about to start our study session with Hiyori, just like we’d agreed, while on the phone.
Until just recently, Hiyori would only call me out of the blue when she was in her emotionally unstable mode. I never imagined we’d become close enough to actually make plans and call each other beforehand.
Feeling a bit sentimental, I dialed Hiyori’s number.
โAh, hello? Bun-kun? Good evening.โ
“Good evening. Shall we get started right away?”
When I casually said that, Hiyori’s voice rose in alarm.
โH-Hey!? Starting already!? What about the icebreaker stuff!?โ
โHuh? But we’re supposed to study while the call is on, right? Do we need it?โ
โโฆBun-kun. You didn’t seriously think we’d just study in silence, did you?โ
โHuh? Yeah. Isn’t that the idea? Like, listening to each other’s pens scribbling to boost our motivation?โ
โNooooo!! That’s the kind of thing you do while having fun chatting!!โ
โโฆIsn’t that just distracting from studying?โ
“You don’t get it, Bun-kun, you just don’t!!ใYou enjoy chatting, empathize with each other about how tough it is, share tips like โThe teacher said this part will definitely be on the test!โ or teach each other your strong subjects! You exchange info and have casual conversations like that!! That’s how girls maintain their motivation, okay!?”
โOhโฆ I seeโฆ So that’s how it is.โ
Personally, I think studying silently on my own is way more efficient, but apparently girls are different.
Guess I’ll have to step up and help Hiyori boost her motivation.
โUm, so what subjects are you good at, Hiyori?โ
“..W-Well, if I had to pick one, maybe Japanese?”
โJapanese is my strong subject tooโฆโ
So that option of teaching each other our subjects was out the window.
“โฆO-Oh, I see. Same as Bun-kunโฆ Ehehe. I kinda like that.”
I thought she’d be more awkward, but Hiyori actually seemed happy about it.
โUm, let’s just start studying for now. I don’t wanna go to school during summer break anyway.โ
“Yeah. School during summer breakโฆ”
Hiyori suddenly fell silent.
โHiyori? What’s wrong?โ
‘Ohโฆ So because it’s summer break, I won’t get to see Bun kun at all anymoreโฆ I don’t like that.’
โHiyori?โ
โHuh? Oh! N-nothing! โฆCome to think of it, Bun kun, are you doing anything to prepare for the history test?โ
โI haven’t really touched history yet.โ
‘I see, I see, Bun kun. Actually, I have a brilliant idea.’
โโฆHuh.โ
โAsk Hana-chan to tell you the parts most likely to be on the test! Last time she helped me, even I got a high score!โ
โSo, basically, you want Hana-san to give us the hot spots for history?โ
โPretty much!โ
โWell, if Hana-san agreesโฆโ
But knowing Hana, she’ll probably agree gladly.
โYeah. I’ll ask Hana-chan. Oh, but keep this a secret from Mii-chan and Hoshino-chan, okay?โ
โHuh? Why?โ
โYou two think of us as the โfailing grade avoidance squad,โ right? I want to show them by getting a great score right here. Take that! How about that?!โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆI see. That’s good. Let’s do it.โ
I’ll prioritize Hiyori’s motivation here. She’s so fired up right now, no need to deliberately pour cold water on it.
โAlright! Let’s aim for it together! 60 points!!โ
Hiyori, 60 points isn’t generally considered a good score, you know?
โWell then, let’s finally start studying this time.โ
โOkay!โ
โ
The final exams ended without incident, and all the tests were returned.
We’re currently at a family restaurant celebrating the end of exams. We are celebrating, butโฆ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ.โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ.โ
I’m sandwiched between Misuzu and Hoshino, both giving me glare-filled stares.
โYou were weirdly confident about literature and history. When I offered to teach you the types of questions that come up often, you gave me this smug look and said, โIt’s fine!! I’m already prepared for history.โโ
โYeah. When I asked you if you were really prepared for history, you gave me this super confident look and said, โWell, just wait and see.โโ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โโฆSo? What was your score?โ
โ25 pointsโฆโ
โFailed. Summer remedial classes for both literature and history are confirmed.โ
Ah, ah, please stop. Don’t pull my tie. Don’t kick my shoes.
Hiyori, sitting across from me, sees me being bullied by the Misuzu-Hoshino duo and gives a hesitant, troubled smile.
โUm, Hoshino-chan, Mi-chan, I’m sorry? Even though you helped me study, I alsoโฆ failed history.โ
โHiyori studied really hard, so don’t worry about it.โ
The Misuzu-Hoshino duo is way too lenient with Hiyori.
โBungaku.. I want a parfait.โ
โโฆI want pancakes.โ
Menus and call buttons were handed to us from both sides.
The Misuzu-Hoshino duo is way too strict with me.
On the way home after the wrap-up party, Hiyori spoke up beside me.
โBun-kun. Umโฆ wellโฆโ
โAh, it can’t be helped this time. Even Hana-san misses the mark sometimes. Let’s work hard together on summer tutoring!โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆYeah, I guess so.โ
That’s right. No one was at fault. If anything, it was just bad luck.
โBun-kun.โ
โHm?โ
โThis means we’ll get to see each other a lot over summer break, right?โ
Hiyori said this with her usual smile.