Although Yumiko's grades were not exceptional, they were still among the top in her grade.

  As for Ryuji… well, let's just say, academically, he wasn't known for being top-tier!

  "Yumiko, are you pnning to use this opportunity to do something to Ryuji-kun?" Yui teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief, while Hina stifled a chuckle, clearly amused by the thought.

  The teasing from her friends made Yumiko blush a little, feeling both embarrassed and a bit flustered.

  "No way!" she replied, slightly defehough her voice betrayed some ay. Deep down, she wasn't trying to plot against Ryuji. It was just that she felt like they hadn't had many opportuo get close. This bet seemed like the perfect ce to develop something more.

  She gnced awkwardly at Ryuji, as if worried he might reject her idea altogether.

  Seeing Yumiko like this made Ryuji smile in amusement. He was far from oblivious to her nervousness, but he enjoyed pying along.

  "Alright," he said, leaning forward, "but what if I win?"

  Yumiko's face lit up with excitement. She wasn't really ed about winning or losing. What mattered most was that Ryuji accepted the bet. She didn't want him to back out, so she blurted out, "If you win, you do anything you want to me!"

  "Well, that's a tempting offer," Ryuji replied with a teasing smirk. "I agree."

  Yumiko's face flushed even more, but inside, she felt triumphant. She had secured Ryuji's promise, and now she couldn't help but start daydreaming about what she would ask him to do if she won.

  "Maybe a nice dinner?" she mused, before dismissing it. "No, no, that's to… maybe a date? Hmm, that could work."

  But then, a more daring thought crossed her mind. Her face turned bright red, and she quickly shook her head to clear the idea.

  "What's up with Yumiko?" Yui asked, clearly fused by her friend's sudden ge in expression.

  "Maybe she's just really happy," Hina replied casually, though she had a sneaking suspi that Yumiko's mind was wandering somewhere iing.

  Meanwhile, Ryuji, still calm and collected, looked unfazed. Hina, watg him, thought, Yumiko really win this bet?

  ---

  With the arrival of the teacher, the quieted down, and the exams enced. During the lunch break, as was now his routine, Ryuji headed to the Service Club.

  "Are Rikka and Sa here again?" Ryuji asked as he stepped into the quiet room, noting the absence of the usually boisterous duo.

  Yukino, who was sippiea, calmly pced her cup down before answering, "Their club got a new member, so they've been preoccupied."

  "Ah, makes sense." Ryuji nodded knowingly. "Another ibyou, huh?"

  "Most likely," Yukino replied, a slight smile tugging at her lips.

  Ryuji, notig her smile, walked over and casually picked up her teacup, taking a sip.

  "That was…" Yukino started, momentarily stunned, but it was already too te he had already taken a drink from her cup.

  "It's good!" Ryuji said with a satisfied nod, setting the cup back down.

  For a brief moment, the room fell into a tense silence. Yukino stared at the teacup, then poured herself another cup of tea, trying to remain calm.

  Outwardly, she seemed posed, but if anyone looked closely, they'd see her ears turning slightly red. She wasn't used to such direct as, and though it flustered her, it wasn't necessarily unpleasant.

  "Do you dislike it?" Ryuji asked, tilting his head with a pyful grin.

  "No… I just…" Yukino stammered, feeling flustered.

  Before she could finish, Ryuji interrupted, "If you don't dislike it, then you must like it. So, let's skip the i part and go for a real kiss ime."

  "Eh?!" Yukino's eyes widened in shock.

  Ryuji leaned closer as if he was about to kiss her, and Yukino's mind raced. Should she refuse? But even as she thought about it, her hands balled into fists, and she closed her eyes in anticipation.

  Just then, the door swung open.

  "We're here!" Miko and Haered the club, full of energy as usual.

  But upon notig Yukino's unusually flushed face, Hana tilted her head curiously. "Yukino, your face is so red! Are you okay?"

  "Yeah, it's really red. Are you feeling sick?" Miko added, her brow furrowed with .

  Ryuji, standing a few feet away from Yukino, couldn't help but smirk.

  "No, it's nothing," Yukino quickly responded, her face still hot as she tried to pose herself. She turo the window and hastily ope, letting in a cool breeze. As the air rushed in, she finally started to calm down.

  Returning to her seat, she shot a quick gre at Ryuji, who was still smiling at her.

  This is all his fault, she thought, annoyed. Yet, deep down, she couldn't deny the flutter of excitement she had felt.

  ---

  As they sat down to eat lunch together, Miko asked, "How was your exam, Ryuji-kun?"

  Before Ryuji could answer, Yukino chuckled softly, drawing attention to herself. "Wouldn't it be ironic if the famous sorcerer was also a poor student? From what I remember, someone ra the bottom of the entrance exam."

  Yukino g Ryuji with a teasing smile, clearly enjoying the moment.

  Ryuji wasn't offended. Instead, he raised an eyebrow and grinned. "How about a bet, then?"

  "Oh? What do you want to bet on?" Yukino asked, still fident in her academic abilities. After all, she had ranked first irance exam. She wasn't oo back down from a challenge.

  "If my scores are higher than yours, you'll have to agree to one dition of mine," Ryuji proposed, his tone mischievous. His eyes glinted pyfully as they subtly drifted downward, hinting at something more.

  Yukino blushed slightly, recalling the earlier near-kiss. Still, her pride refused to back down.

  "And if I win?" she tered.

  Ryuji shrugged nontly. "You make your own dition."

  Yukino's petitive spirit fred. She was determio beat him now. "Alright, deal!"

  Ryuji grinned, clearly enjoying the game.

  Miko, watg the exge, shook her head slightly, knowing that Yukino didn't stand a ce. As Ryuji's girlfriend, she was well aware of his hidden capabilities. Despite Ryuji's carefree attitude in css, he had an exceptional memory. He could g textbooks and instantly absorb all the information. Yukino, impressive as she was, had no idea what she against.

  Still, Miko remained silent, deg to let things py out on their own.

  ---

  Just when it seemed the lunch break would end ufully, a sudden cry for help echoed through the hall.

  "Help! Help!"

  The door to the service club burst open, and in came Kawasaki Saki, the girl Ryuji had helped the night before. She smmed the door shut behind her, leaning against it as she panted heavily, clearly out of breath and shaken.

  Everyone in the room turoward her, their faces filled with fusion and .

  "What's going on?" Miko asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

  Ryuji, oher hand, was more curious than ed. He leaned ba his chair and observed Kawasaki with a calm, ied look. "Saki, what happened?"

  Saki, still catg her breath, gnced around at the group of girls in the room. Upon realizing there were others present especially several beautiful girls her expression shifted to one of disfort. Still, she straightened up and spoke, her voice quivering slightly, "I… I'm here to see you."

  Her gaze fixed on Ryuji, and it became clear that she wasn't there for anyone else.

  Miko blihen smiled warmly. "Hello, my name is Yotsuya Miko, and I'm Ryuji-kun's girlfriend."

  "G-Girlfriend?" Saki stammered, clearly not expeg that introdu.

  Before she could process the shock, another voice chimed in.

  "And I'm Yurikawa Hana, Ryuji-kun's girlfriend too!" Hana said cheerfully, raising her hand with a bright smile.

  Saki froze, her mind struggling to catch up with the information. She stared bnkly at the two girls, her eyes then drifting to Yukino, the st one who hadn't spoke.

  Yukino sighed, clearly sensing what saki was thinking. "I'm Yukinoshita Yukino," she said, slightly flustered. "And no, I'm not his girlfriend."

  Saki looked between the girls and Ryuji, her fusion deepening. "What… what is going on here?"

  Ryuji grinned, leaning forward slightly. "It's a long story."

  Trying to shake off her fusion, saki focused on the reason she had e in the first pce. "I… I didn't know where else to go," she said, her voice still shaky. "I… I ran into something again, like st night."

  At this, Ryuji's pyful expression faded, repced by a more serious look. "You entered another monster?"

  Saki nodded quickly, her hands trembling slightly. "Yes! Just like st night, but this time it was even scarier… I didn't know what to do, so I came here."

  Ryuji raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He had saved her from a cursed spirit the previous night, but he hadn't sensed anything lingering around her afterward. "Are you sure you entered a monster?" he asked, his tone calm but serious. "You don't have any residual aura on you. I 't sense anything strange."

  Saki's face fell. "You… you don't believe me?"

  Her voice wavered with a mix of fear and frustration, as though she had desperately wanted Ryuji to take her seriously. She had e to him because she thought he uood what she was going through.

  Ryuji quickly raised a hand in a pg gesture. "I'm not saying I don't believe you," he said, his tone softer. "I just don't sense anything abnormal right now. Maybe it's something different from st time."

  Miko, who had been quietly watg, stepped forward. "Do you want to sit down, Saki-san? You seem shake's talk about it calmly."

  Saki nodded gratefully and took a seat.

  Ryuji frowhoughtfully. "It's strahat I 't sense anything from you," he said. "If it owerful spirit, there would be some kind of trace left behind."

  Saki looked even more distressed now, her voice small and uain. "So… you don't think it was real?"

  Ryuji shook his head. "No, that's not it. But it's possible that whatever you entered wasn't a cursed spirit. It could be something else."

  *****

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