My New Life

Chapter 25: Sneaky Kitsune

I couldn't help but smile.

I just couldn't.

All of the members of the study group, excluding myself, just got back to class after all heading to the staff room to confront Chiyabashira-sensei.

There was confusion, and irritation on all of their faces, while Horikita was going over the things she'd likely been given by Chiyabashira-sensei.

Everybody slowly got back to their own seats, but one person came to a stop beside my desk.

Horikita spoke to me as Kushida walked up to the front of the class, beginning to tell everyone about the changes made to the test.

"Shizukana-kun, did you do something?"

"Pardon?"

"Did you do something? The material for the test apparently changed last Friday, and yet, you don't seem so surprised. What's more, I'm going through the material now, and have noticed it's actually not all that different from what we've been studying. While it's true that some of the things we need to study aren't on the test, other things clearly are."

I brought a finger up to my lips, smiling still.

"A magician doesn't reveal their tricks. T-takes away from the fun."

"So you did something after all."

She began to walk back to her desk, but stopped again.

I looked back at her, and she glanced back at me, a small blush on her face.

"Thank you."

I only smiled, and she walked back to her seat.

"Excellent work as always my adoring fan."

I felt the smile vanish from my face in a snap, and immediately sighed.

I looked back forward, to see that Koenji had once more shifted in his seat so he could look back at me.

"So, how did you do it?"

"D-do what?"

"Come now. You figured out almost instantly once the test material was changed, how'd you do it? I'm curious if you did it in a different way than I."

In other words, he wants to see if I figured out a better way, a worse way, or the same way to do what I had done.

I figured there was no real reason to not tell him, besides, I've already built up this much trust with him, no point in blowing him off, he wouldn't take it the way Horikita did.

"Well. W-when we were first starting to study, there was another group in the l-library I'd noticed. The reason I'd noticed them and d-decided to keep tabs on them was unrelated, but if anything I got lucky. Last Friday, after m-my study group started, I noticed that this other group began to study completely different material. This c-continued the next day, so I switched out some of the q-questions my study group was practicing with others. Only e-enough to not really tell it happened."

The reason I'd been keeping tabs on them, well, to put it simply, was because of a girl.

I had no doubt about it either, she had noticed me, perhaps she was doing this on purpose?

No, she couldn't have known that class D wasn't informed about the test.

Then, a way to cover up being able to see me again, even if we couldn't talk?

If so, why would she do that, and why wouldn't she just approach me directly?

It wasn't just today though, during my free time, I've noticed her at the corner of my vision, also in a place of relaxation, like Pallet or the cafeteria.