Chapter 101: -100- The elite route
After that, as if the previous waves had disappeared, a stable campus life began to emerge.
Due to Hori's revelations, Sakura Airi suddenly became popular in the class and would occasionally be approached by various people.
However, Sakura Airi still appeared very shy, just like before, and despite making efforts to reply, she never showed any signs of deepening friendships with others, which disappointed Hori.
Even Kushida Kikyou, who had recently started talking to Sakura Airi more often due to Hori's influence, still found it difficult to engage with her despite her popularity.
It was evident that curing Sakura Airi's communication disorder would take considerable time and effort.
Sakura Airi seemed to feel frustrated about this more than once, but she still tried to stay positive.
"It's... it's okay... I still have Nanaya-kun..."
Hori often heard Sakura Airi muttering like this, her face flushed red.
But if he acknowledged hearing it, Sakura Airi would probably blush even more and faint, so Hori pretended not to hear.
However, sometimes Sakura Airi would hesitate and show a hesitant expression towards Hori.
Specifically, when Hori and Kushida Kikyou seemed to be getting along well on their way to school, Sakura Airi would show this expression when she saw Hori entering the classroom from outside.
Seeing this, Hori couldn't help but ask Sakura Airi about it, but she would shake her head vigorously every time and brush it off.
Unable to do anything about it, Hori could only pay more attention to prevent any further mishaps.
"I feel like ever since I met Sakura, I've become like a nanny..."
Realizing this, Hori found it both amusing and ridiculous.
Of course, Hori didn't think this change was a bad thing.
"Sometimes, it's nice."
If things were still the same as they were in that clan, where people basically had no contact with each other and even fought each other, it would be quite dull.
Hori came to this school precisely because he was tired of the unchanging pattern of behavior in that clan and wanted to seek out new experiences, namely campus life.
Given this, Hori didn't feel uncomfortable about the change; on the contrary, he enjoyed it.
Apart from Sakura Airi, Hori didn't have deep friendships with anyone else.
Even though he almost always went to school with Kushida Kikyou, it was an action initiated unilaterally by her, and their relationship didn't deepen as a result. To others, it seemed like they were secretly dating, but only Hori and Kushida Kikyou knew that their relationship hadn't progressed and remained at a very subtle stage.
As for Horikita Suzune, who was Hori's second desk mate, they did have some communication, but both of them were such troublesome personalities that any interaction between them felt like a battle of wits, worse than when Hori was with Kushida Kikyou. However, it was authentic, and it didn't make Hori feel particularly uncomfortable.
In summary, Hori's social circle remained narrow, but gradually, people no longer saw him as a recluse.
Moreover, Hori would occasionally encounter Ichinose Honami and discuss various things with her.
Unconsciously, the students in the class noticed that Hori's social circle, although narrow, consisted entirely of the highest-level beauties around him.
Horikita Suzune, despite her strong personality, is indeed impeccable in terms of appearance.
As for Kushida Kikyou, needless to say, she's the unique little angel of Advanced Nurturing High School, and countless men admire her secretly.
Sakura Airi used to be quite inconspicuous, but now she has undergone a transformation, revealing her identity as a gravure idol, and she is recognized as top-tier in terms of both appearance and figure within the school.
Ichinose Honami is also highly trusted by ordinary people; she's cheerful, helpful, and her appearance and figure are no less appealing than Sakura Airi's. Whether male or female, she has admirers.
"That guy, I thought he was so solitary, and that apart from kind-hearted people like little Kushida, no one would pay attention to him, but I didn't expect him to be like this..."
"Unlike Hirata, who is welcomed by all the girls, it turns out he's just following the elite path, and he's underestimated..."
Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki gradually began to see Hori as a major adversary, and their eyes were filled with deep resentment every day, making Hori wonder if he had accidentally killed their loved ones in the past.
In short, the environment around Hori is indeed undergoing changes.
Moreover, these changes are slowly taking place.
In this situation, the entire Class D is also approaching the end of the first semester as time passes.
And since it's the end of the semester, naturally, final exams are awaiting everyone.
With the painful lesson learned from the previous midterm exams, this time, led by Kushida Kikyou and Hirata Yousuke, the entire Class D once again ignited a passion for studying in the month before the final exams and spontaneously organized study groups.
It is worth mentioning that this time, Ike Kanji, Yamauchi Haruki, and Sudou Ken did not dare to rely on last-minute cramming like last time but earnestly joined the study groups and started studying hard.
Similarly, Hori didn't spend this time alone like last time.
Because Sakura Airi's grades were also neither good nor bad, she approached Hori for help.
"The study group in the class is too big, so I can't join."
With teary eyes, Sakura Airi came to Hori for help like this.
So, when the study group was held in the class, Hori and Sakura Airi also held study sessions together.
Sometimes it was in Hori's room, sometimes in Sakura Airi's room, basically alternating between the two.
And sometimes, Kushida Kikyou would also join them, but because of her obligations to the class study group, she didn't participate very often.
Regarding Sakura Airi's grades, Hori also provided ample guidance.
This seemed to surprise Sakura Airi.
"I didn't expect Nanaya-san's grades to be so good!"
During the midterm exams, Hori's grades were actually not much different from Sakura Airi's, but now that he could guide Sakura Airi so well, she was surprised, and that was understandable.
Hori didn't make any comments, just smiled indifferently and continued to assist Sakura Airi's studies.
In this way, Class D welcomed the end-of-term exams.
And this time, everyone passed smoothly.
Class D at Advanced Nurturing High School thus announced the end of the first semester.
Then, summer vacation arrived.
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