Knock, knock, knock.

“Go away.” Kouji is heard through the door, but the banging at his door remained persistent. He already knows who’s standing at his front door, which is exactly why he doesn’t want to open it.

“Come on, I thought you said it was fine if I came over sometimes?” It was Moku, who wasn’t planning on giving up. In one arm, a notebook. The other, his drawing tools.

“Yeah, but don’t you think it’s not a good time right now?” It was already dark, and with school the next day. Most people would want to be sleeping for the early morning. “Plus, exams are coming soon. Shouldn’t you be worried about that?”

“Well why else do you think I’m here?” Moku was hoping that his friend could help him out here. Especially knowing how smart this boy was. Hearing this, Kouji finally opened his door, but only a tiny bit.

“You’re not that dumb.” He told him with a straight face. “Besides, I got too much to be concerned with the girls. That I don’t need you to add to that stress.”

“It won’t take that long. I just want you to check my homework from today.” He held up the notebook as proof. “Please?”

“...Fine.” He was allowed into the humble abode. Quickly taking a seat, but coursework wasn’t the only thing he wanted to talk about.

“So, how are the girls anyway?” Moku asked him, cracking open the papers he had for his friend.

“They’re girls all right.” He responded sarcastically. When he was at home, the girls were the last thing he wanted to talk about. Especially since he had to think about lesson plans for them all the time anyway. “You don’t know them, so I don’t know why you care so much.”

“Well, you’re my friend, and aren’t they yours?” That statement made him laugh out loud. It was so untrue, that the sheer ridiculous just made him lose it. Anastasia was probably the closest one to that, and it was only because she was nice to him. The other four on the other hand…

Teru’s was a delinquent that never knew when to quit bugging him. All Waa ever does is tease and insult him. Himawari acted all high and mighty to him. And while Yuma wasn’t mean, she was always testing his patience. If friend meant annoying him to no end, then pretty much anyone could fit that bill.

That was that. As promised, he gave some pointers to Moku for help on his own exams. Kouji wouldn’t call himself a super smart individual. The only reason why he knew so much for the future tests, were because he needed to know all this already to teach the girls. On the bright side, at least that meant he was fairly prepared for his own exams.

***

“So this is all the things you need to prepare everyone for exams.” Isako gave him a very large book, along with an equally large stack of papers. This was going to be the prep work if the girls were going to have any level of success.

“Th-thanks.” He struggled to lift everything she gave him. There was no way she thought he could get all this into their brains in a week, right? It took a while to get to the study room, and when he did. Kouji immediately dropped it down to the table. A huge thud was produced from the weight of everything. The table looked as though it was about to collapse.

The girls were awestruck at all the work he was expecting them to do. It seemed far above what anyone else needed to do. Even Kouji didn’t give them a real show of confidence when he informed them that this needed to get done.

“You can’t honestly expect us to do all this?!” Himawari was the first to complain to her. While it might’ve been annoying to hear her whine to him. Kouji was a little relieved that what Isako told everyone hadn’t affected her behavior towards him.

“Just looking at this makes me tired.” Waa slumped back into her chair, drooping her head backwards. “I just want to take a nap now.”

“Come on, the less complaining and more working we do. I’m sure this will be over before we know it.” He tried to maintain morale among all of them. Though the success of that was pitiful.

“I think our lives will end before that happens.” Teru mumbled to herself.

“Like I said, less talking, more working.” This couldn’t honestly be what the other teachers had to go through, right? They had actual classrooms worth of students to teach while he only had five girls. Guess it was just quantity vs unquality.

And so that’s what they did, though it wasn’t without a lot of talk from the girls. Really, he hoped that maybe some people would want to stay focused on the task at hand. But other than Yuma, pretty much everyone had a lot to say.

It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, at least they were asking for his help on this work. Yet that looming question stayed in the back of his mind. This sudden interest couldn’t simply be from learning a love of studying. Though he didn’t bring it up, because that wasn’t an elephant he wanted to address right now.

If there was anyone who acting most strange from this group, it had to be Anastasia. She didn’t have that usual cheerful manner he had grown accustomed to. Much more quiet now, more serious. Which felt unusual to him, as she was never against him in the first place.

At the moment, he was thinking over the possibility of success with them. According to Isako, they all needed to just pass their exams. Which in this case, is getting at least a 60 out of a 100. If it was him doing it, that would be easy. But most of the scores he had seen from these girls were lucky enough to barely reach above 30. So getting more than double that was looking rather slim.

“Kouji…” He was too much in thought over this. Missing out on the important matters at hand. “Kouji?” So much so, that he wasn’t paying attention to his name being called. “Kouji!”

That snapped him back to earth. Immediately, he turned his head over. It was Anastasia calling out to him. Just as sudden as she yelled out to him. She had a hand over her mouth, realizing just how loud that was.

“Sorry.” He apologized for not responding sooner. “What did you need?”

“Actually… I just need to go to the bathroom.” Without saying anything else, she got up from her seat and rushed out the room. Given the way she left, he was certain it wasn’t because of any physical needs that required her exiting.

“…” Anastasia splashed water over her face, calming her nerves. Her heart was still racing, she took a deep breath. It was time to go back. However, as soon as she exited the restroom. A person greeted her there.

“You all right?” It was Kouji, leaning his back on the wall while he was waiting. She took a step back from the shock of running into him.

“Oh, uh. Of course I am fine.” She put on a fake smile. “We should get back to the course work. It would be bad if we do not get it finished.” He can clearly tell that she isn’t fine at all. It was like he was talking to a girl different than the one he had gotten to know over the past month.

“Are you sure?” He asked her. “Nothing’s troubling you?”

“Well…” She paused, clutching her arm. “Is it true? I mean, if any of us fail our exams. That you will be kicked out of this school?”

“That’s what the deal was.” He answered. “That’s why I’ve been tutoring all of you.”

“But…” She almost didn’t want to say it. “That is what scares me. I am worried, I think that I might be the one to mess up. And then... That means we will have to say goodbye…” This was exactly what he was worried about. Having people concerned over his status, thinking that they have to put it on their shoulders.

“Look, I already told you to not think about it. It’s my problem, so I’ll do my best on making it work.”

“Do you honestly expect us to not concern ourselves over that?” A new voice entered this conversation. It was Himawari, along with the other three.

“Not you guys too.” He facepalmed. “How many times do I need to tell you to do your work while I’m gone? And how many times are you just going to ignore that?” Seriously, he felt more like a babysitter with these girls than a tutor.

“Well, are you gonna answer the question.” Teru ignored his complaints. “It’s like you don’t even want to be here.”

“Of course I want to go here.” After all, this is a prestigious school, even if some of the people weren’t. “But how many times do I need to tell you. I don’t want any of your pity. Besides, we’re not really friends. In face, some of you don’t like me, so I would think that you’d want me to leave.” It wasn’t even that long ago since his battle with Teru, when he put his enrollment on the line against her.

“…” For a moment, that shut the girls up. But it’s Yuma that speaks up first.

“The truth is, we all want you here.” That prompts a couple of responses against her.

“Speak for yourself.” Teru turned her head away from looking at everyone, crossing her arms.

“Agreed.” Himawari followed up. “But, you probably need this opportunity more than any of us. So it’s not like I want you to leave either.” She said, hinting at his parental situation.

“Yeah, this school would be, like, 10 percent less cooler with you gone.” Said Waa.

“Fine…” He relented. “You’re free to put that in mind if you want to take your studies seriously.” It wasn’t like Kouji could erase their memories, though he resented the fact that Isako told them in the first place. “But honestly, I don’t want any of you to do it because of me. If anything, it should be for yourselves.”

“What do you mean?” Anastasia asked.

“I mean, how can you expect to take care of others, if you can’t even take care of yourself.” That was the entire reason he moved out here. To get away from all that. To take care of himself, and make sure other people minded their own business.

“If that is how you want us to work. Then we will try our best.” Anastasia latched onto his arm, smiling. Unlike before, this was a genuine show of happiness.

“Right.” He smiled lightly, though also was aware that what he said was going to fall on deaf ears. “Let’s just get back to work. Maybe if we finish early, then we grab a bite to eat.” Kouji laughed, as if he could afford something like that.

But it appears that it was motivation enough to get them to actually get their stuff done.