The Villainess Reika-sama

[120]

In order to maintain Mao-chan's image of me, I was going to work hard at cram school once again.

Next time I was aiming for rank 25. For now I was just taking little steps. But one day...

With renewed determination in my heart I opened my exercise book. It was around that time that Umewaka-kun and his friends arrived.

"Hey Kisshouin-san," he said, "I just heard but apparently the guy over by the door, second row from the front, is actually from Zui'ran too. Do you know him?"

"Eh?"

This was the first I'd heard of any Zui'ran student going to my cram school. I squinted to get a better look at him but I had no idea who he was.

"I cannot say that I do... I suspect that we have simply never had a class together."

"Really? But he seems to know you, Kisshouin-san."

"Truly?"

"I hear he only started coming to this cram school this year. If you're from the same school, maybe you could talk to him?"

"I suppose I could."

Since he was from Zui'ran I decided I should at least greet him.
It wasn't possible now that our teacher had arrived but I could do so during the break.

When that break came around, I walked over to him but when he saw me his expression turned obviously frightened. Eh? How come?

"I have been told that you attend Zui'ran. Might this be true?"

"Ah! Yes..."

Apparently this diligent and somewhat plain-looking boy was named Tagaki-kun, and had entered the high school as an External.

"My name is Kisshouin Reika. May we get along."

"Yes, I know who you are of course..." he said oddly fearfully.

Come on, is there really a need to be like that?

"What class are you in, Tagaki-kun? Who do you attend Zui'ran with?"

"Ummm... I'm in Enjou-san's class..."

"Enjou-sama?"

Didn't that mean he was in the same class as Wakaba-chan?

"Then that would place you with Takamichi-san. Are you close with her?"

"Eh!? No, not particularly..."

"I see. What is she like in class? Does she have friends?"

"Ah... I think she does..."

So she made friends too. Thank goodness. I was worried she would be completely isolated. It made sense though, since it wasn't like the whole school hated her. Only some people hated her. Some rather troublesome people, though.
Before I returned to my seat, I told him to talk to me if he had any questions since he was attending here alone.

"He was from Zui'ran, right?"

"Yes. But because our classes are different he is honestly little more than a stranger. He seems to know of me, however."

"What's this? Kisshouin-san, are you famous at your school?"

"Kisshouin-san stands out after all~"

"Actually," I explained, "I have been attending Zui'ran since primary school, which is why I am better-known than those who joined later."

By some chance my eyes passed over Tagaki-kun's back. Maybe he noticed somehow because he turned around and our eyes met before he quickly turned away. Hmmm~ I wonder how he saw me...