Supplementary Lessons (Part 3)

“So… exactly what do you need me for?” On the other side of the screen, an angry Tsunagi raises her voice. And this time, I have no other leverage to defend myself.

Well, I almost never have the leverage, actually.

“… It’s… basically like I said just now. I need you to tutor us for the next supplementary lesson test.”

“And you asked me instead of our class’s number one, or your class B friend because…”

“… Shiraku is the type to only study for himself in bursts, and Rei is busy with his part-time job…”

“So you’re saying I’m not even second-fiddle, but third-fiddle, and you still have the guts to ask me?”

Yup, she’s angry all right. Now, whether or not it’s warranted is another tale, but I’m the one who needs her help right now. Beggars can’t be choosers.

“Uh… are we allowed to be here?” From another window, a confused Hayato sounds.

“It’s not like that.”

“I don’t know, sounds pretty much like it,” Michinari jumps into the conversation.

“I don’t get how you of all people could fail,” Tsunagi exclaims – I can easily picture her shaking her head in disappointment on her end. “I get that Math is pretty much the only subject you excel at, Michinari-kun, but shouldn’t it be enough to at least get you above the failing mark?”

“Not if the rest are all zeros…” the math genius lets out an embarrassed laugh.

“… Right.”

Good, the mood seems to be lighter now. Maybe now I can ask again.

“Anyway, Tsunagi…”

“Okay, I’ll be honest,” not letting me finish my question, the redheaded girl has already answered. “I can’t help. The Mass Media Club is having an on-site trip the next week… Though, I thought Mikaza-kun would have told you already before you contacted me?”

“Hayato?”

I raise my voice towards the window where he is on. After a few seconds of silence, Hayato finally answers, but in the kind of awkward laughter of someone messing up.

“I, uh… just saw Senpai’s message… she sent it yesterday… sorry…”

“Well, there you have it,” Tsunagi lets out a sigh and concludes. “I can give you guys my notes for the subjects, but other than that, you’re on your own.”

“Thanks anyway, Tsunagi.”

“Yeah, yeah. Later, guys.”

“Bye.”

As Tsunagi’s icon turns from a bright green to a dull gray, the remaining people in the group call all have their last hope dash away before their eyes.

“Now what?” Asks Hayato.

“We’ll just have to study like our lives depend on it.”

“We’re not gonna die, man. Stop being a drama queen.”

“With that thing, we might as well be.”

“… Damn it, you’re right,” it doesn’t take long for the rest to remember the horrific experience that happened to me just a few days ago. “Though… are you alright?”

“Of course not,” I complain. “Do you have any idea how bad that hurt? I couldn’t even feel my face for a whole day.”

“Yikes,” Hayato (allegedly) shrugs at the thought. “We’re definitely not letting ourselves get hit by that.”

“Which leads us to the current problem at hand,” continues Michinari. “Tsunagi’s notes might be useful, but I don’t think that’s enough.”

“Can’t you teach us at least Math though, Michinari?” I raise the question. Obviously, since we’re all flunkies on average, having one to teach everything would never happen. But if it’s just one subject, there’s a chance that we can improve our scores.

“Math? Sure, if it’s only Math. But that’s not enough to bring up…” Michinari pauses for a second. From the other side of the screen, I can hear some faint mumbling. “Wait… isn’t our class…”

“That’s it!” The pink-haired boy strikes his fists from the other side of the screen. “Of course! It might work!”

“What might work?”

“Suzuki-kun, do you remember who’s in our supplementary classes?”

“The class?” I stutter before the sudden question, trying to rack my brain for the piece of information I need. “Let me see now…”

Slowly but surely, familiar faces start popping up in my head.

“Well, there’s the three of us, and also… Sakaki-san from class E, and… Mikami-kun from class D, right?”

“And their clubs? Do you remember them?”

“Of course. Sakaki-san from the Literature Club, and Mikami-kun from the Movie Club…”

“I get it!” only as I speak the fact out loud do I realize Michiniari’s intention. “We can have Sakaki-san cover Japanese, and Mikami-kun’s various movie knowledge could help with Social Studies!”

“Bingo,” a snap of the finger from the math genius as he continues. “But that’s only three out of five. We need two more.”

“I can do English,” Hayato suddenly interrupts with the kind of news I never expect to hear from someone like him. And it seems like Michinari has the same idea.

“You? English?” Both of us sound at the same time.

“I, uh… have some… new part-time work lately,” neon boy scratches his nose, making some sniffling sounds from his window. “Basically, it requires me to have some foreign language skills. And from my days of competing in track-and-field, I’ve had my fair share of international conversation too.”

“I thought Shiraku was always the first spot in junior high?”

“He never accepted the invitations,” unfazed by the remark, Hayato continues. “So they would always ask for the runner-up to compete.”

“Well, in any case, that’s four covered,” Michinari comments. “Suzuki-kun, think you can do Science?”

“Me? Science?” The sudden question catches me off-guard.

“It’s the only subject left, after all.”

“I… Well, Science is my highest-scoring subject on the last test… But it’s still barely above average, so…”

“Well, that settles it!” Both of them gleefully conclude. “The five of us will tutor one another! We’ll all pass this damn test, and not let that damn slap machine get the better of us!”

The two then even shout out a battle cry. “For survival!”

“For survival…” I have no choice but to follow suit, but I can’t shake this feeling of anxiety off me.

Relying on me for Science… is it actually going to work?