Carrying a heavy box over her petite arms, Iino was full of sweat, yet her face was as stubborn as ever. There was no thought of giving up on her face, and she also didn't even ask anyone to ask for help. Her expression clearly told everyone that even if she had to do this alone, she didn't care and would do everything until she finished.
Despite her determination, the weight of the box was taking its toll, leaving her breathless and weary. Yet, in a moment she never anticipated, a glimmer of kindness unexpectedly found its way to her.
"Iino."
"Huh?" Iino turned and saw Ishigami walking toward her, but naturally, she didn't think that he came with a good intention. "What? I am busy! Go away if you want to bother me!"
More importantly, when she thought about how close and chummy Ishigami and Tsubame had been yesterday, her stomach churned, and her heart felt tight, feeling so uncomfortable.
Was it love?
Was she jealous?
No, she just simply felt annoyed that her enemy could be so close to a gentle senior!
Yes, that was it!
This was what she thought, and due to that, she also didn't think that Ishigami came with good intentions, and as expected—
"Hold my bag."
"Ha?!"
Not only was she annoyed by the feelings in her heart, but she was also so exhausted after moving a few heavy boxes from one place to another, so her anger was at the maximum level!
Only—
Ishigami took the heavy box from her hands naturally, then put his bag in her hands.
"Where should I bring this?"
"..."
Iino blinked her eyes as she stared at him.
"Iino, we might be late if we're not in a hurry, you know? Even if you are a good student, there is also a limit to me using you as an excuse for our lateness."
Iino felt her face was a little hot, but fortunately, Ishigami's bag could make a good cover for her expression. "I-It's to the warehouse near the field."
"Okay."
They didn't waste their time and walked toward the warehouse together, but then, Iino couldn't help but peek a glance at him. Even though he appeared thin, she could tell that he was rather strong, especially when he held that heavy box with ease, and she could see his arms were different from hers, manly, especially with some veins that were visible on the back of his hands and wrist.
"What?"
"W-What do you mean?"
"You have been staring at me. If you want to ask something, then ask."
"Well... I'm just surprised that you are strong..." Iino felt a bit embarrassed to praise him, so she added a few spicy words to hide her embarrassment. "You are so thin like a bean sprout before, after all."
"...bean sprouts are a bit too much, right?"
Glancing at her petite body, Ishigami felt that she was worse than him in terms of nutrients, but he kept quiet since it wasn't manly to mock a girl's insecurity.
"...did you start a sport again?"
The two of them had known each other for so long, so naturally, she knew that he joined a football club in the past, and she thought that he joined something similar.
"Yup."
"What is it?"
"I joined a gym."
"Gym? Huh? Really? The place to build muscle?!"
Iino was dumbfounded and couldn't imagine the otaku who always spent his time playing a game would join a gym.
"...is it so weird?"
"It's weird!" While she felt uncomfortable, she couldn't help but say, "...was it because of Tsubame-senpai?"
Ishigami glanced at Iino strangely and asked, "Why did you think so?"
"I mean... I can't think of any other reason than because you have fallen for her... after all."
If Ishigami didn't fall in love, then would he do all of this?
Yet, while Iino felt happy about his improvement and his willingness to change, she felt bitter since the reason why he did all of that wasn't because of—
'Wait, why is it like I like him?!'
Iino felt her face hot before she shook her head furiously, causing her two loose pigtails to sway left and right.
"What's wrong? Is my bag heavy?"
"No, no. It isn't heavy. It is rather light." When Iino said this, she lifted Ishigami's bag up and down, feeling strange how light it was. "Did you even put books inside?"
"No, I left all of them on my table."
There was no homework, and even if there was, he could just bring some and leave most of his books on his table so his bag could be filled with something else.
"...is that something you should say to me who is a Public Morals Committee Member?" Iino was speechless and said, "Aren't you afraid that I will confiscate all of your games?"
"Don't Iino. I have helped you, right?"
"I will let you go this time."
"Thanks."
"...."
Watching his smile, Iino looked away, feeling her face was hot again, but then—
"But then, you should work harder since if you want to get Tsubame-senpai's heart..."
After she said those words, she felt regret and intense bitterness. Their previous conversation made her recall the time during their middle school when the two often stayed together, talking softly when no one was around, but in the end, she ruined everything by asking him this question.
"Do you think I like her?" Ishigami asked weirdly.
"Aren't you?"
"I am not."
"Don't lie!"
While she said so, her face was strangely excited by his answer.
"I am not." Ishigami shook his head and said, "You know that I helped her before, right? She just wanted to repay me by helping me study."
"Really? That's all?"
"It is." Ishigami nodded calmly and asked, "She might appear like that, but she is ranked 7th in the entire grade, and she is also good at teaching, so why should I refuse her help?"
"I wonder..."
"What do you mean?" Ishigami looked at Iino strangely.
"I mean... you must be thinking that you are lucky to have a gentle and beautiful senior to teach you, right?"
"Well, yes."
"That's it!" Iino had an expression of "as expected" and said, "With such a beautiful senior, how can you focus on study?! You must be thinking... thinking... something lewd..."
"Something lewd?" Ishigami looked at Iino with a speechless expression. While it was true that he expressed himself as a monkey at a heat, he wouldn't do something that would make him enter jail or others to disgust him, okay?
He didn't want to die socially or trouble his parents, after all.
"Such as?"
Still, he couldn't help but wish to tease Iino.
"D-Don't make me say it!"
Iino was furious; her face was so red, and she felt that she was being teased.
"You are the one who started it, right? Why did you get embarrassed now?"
"T-That's..." Iino's eyes were dodging, but she felt a little bit annoyed by his calm response. While she lost her calm, he was watching her amusingly like a human who watched an otter in the zoo. "Anyway, if you don't have such a thought, prove me!"
"Prove? How?"
Iino thought for a while, then said, "How about you try to get into the top 10... no, top 50 on the next mid-term exam!" She felt it was a bit hard for him to enter the top 10, so she reduced her requirements. Regardless of her spunky and prickly attitude toward him, she was still soft toward him.
"No, don't reduce it. I will try to get into the top 10."
"Huh? Really? Are you sure?" Iino was surprised by his bold answer.
"Yeah." Ishigami nodded, then said, "But if I do, can I have a request from you?"
"R-Request?" Iino's head was filled with many unhealthy thoughts that usually happened in the manga and novels that she had confiscated from the students in this school, but then, she gritted her teeth and nodded. "Okay! If you can reach the top 10, then I will grant you any request!"
"Really?" Ishigami was surprised and asked, "Any kind?"
"A-Any kind!"
"Okay, you said that. Don't take it back when I really reach the top ten."
"Say that when you get to the top ten!"
"Okay, okay." Ishigami nodded, then asked, "By the way, if I ask you to help me study, is that okay?"
"...you sure have thick skin, but I don't mind."
"Thanks, Iino."
"Um..."
"But it won't be unfair for me if I don't get any punishment, so if I can't do it, you can have to make a single request from me."
"Huh? Really?" Iino was stunned but also secretly felt happy.
"No, perverted request, okay?"
"I WON'T ASK SOMETHING LIKE THAT!"
Iino's face flushed red, thinking this guy was as bad as ever, but when she looked at him for a while, she couldn't help but ask, "By the way, Ishigami."
"Hmm?"
"Have you thought of cutting your hair in buzzcut?"
"Ha?"
As they bickered, someone suddenly came.
"Iino, sorry for being late. I have something to do earlier."
"Ah, Koba-chan." Iino was surprised, but then she nodded. "It's fine. You are also busy, right?"
"No, I will help you." Osaragi shook her head and asked, "Have you moved all of those things away?"
"Not yet. We have just moved some." Iino looked at Ishigami with a bit of hesitation, then said, "But Ishigami is rather strong, so he can move a lot of boxes at once."
"...are you going to work me like a cow?"
"Why not? Just think of it as a cost of me teaching you!" Iino somehow felt happy when she saw his speechless expression.
"Let me help. It will be faster that way," Osaragi said calmly.
"Oh, okay."
Still, Osaragi's strength also wasn't much different from Iino's, so she couldn't lift the box.
"Are you okay, Koba-chan?" Iino asked worriedly.
"It's fine."
As Osaragi said so, a bead of sweat formed on her smooth forehead and then trickled down into her soft cheek, slender neck, and round collarbone.
Ishigami quickly looked up, thinking that he should ask whether there was a Buddha sutra in the library Osaragi, but before he asked, his vision turned dark, and a familiar feeling was felt on the back of his head.
"Try to guess who I am!"
---
Sweet...