COTE: Koenji What if

Vol. 1 Chapter 9.2 - Group studying

"What even are simultaneous equations?" asked Ike.

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Horikita stumbled a bit upon hearing this. Her brain cells were degrading from this conversation.

Wow, these guys had really never studied at all, it seemed. Sudou slammed his mechanical pencil onto the desk.

"Stop. I'm done. This isn't going to work."

Sudou had quit before we could even begin. He looked dejected. Horikita quietly seethed at this pitiful display.

"W-wait, everyone. Let's give it a shot. If you learn how to solve these problems, you can apply what you learn to the questions on the test. Okay? Okay?" Kushida said.

"Well, if Kushida-chan says so, I guess I can try. But if Kushida-chan were teaching, I'd probably try even harder."

"U-um..." Kushida seemed ready to ask Horikita about that, but Horikita stayed silent. Her refusal to even answer "Yes" or "No" was troubling. If she kept quiet much longer, then everyone would be forced to leave, so Kushida took it upon her own hands instead. She attempted to explain the problem again, but to no avail.

"I'm sorry, you're far too ignorant and incompetent," said Horikita, who'd been silent until now. "If you can't solve this problem, I seriously shiver at the thought of what the future will bring."

"Shut up. This has nothing to do with you." Sudou slammed the desk, understandably irritated by Horikita.

"You're right. This has nothing to do with me. Your suffering won't influence me at all. I just pity you. You must have spent your whole life running from anything that presented a challenge," she said.

"Say whatever you want. Academics will be useless in the future anyways."

"Academics will be useless in the future? That's an interesting argument. How do you justify that?"

"I don't care if I can solve this problem. Studying's useless. Aiming to become a pro basketball player will help me a lot more."

"Incorrect. Once you learn how to solve problems like these, your entire life will change. It will help you solve the problems that you will inevitably face. Same principle for basketball, do you run away from it like you do with studying? I doubt you take basketball practice seriously. You're a natural troublemaker, someone who always causes a disruption. If I were your adviser, I wouldn't let you on the team."

That one really hit a nerve for Sudou. I've seen Sudou work tirelessly, causing him to get tired at school and doze off.

"Tch!" Sudou got in close to Horikita and grabbed her by the collar.

"Sudou-kun!" Kushida grabbed Sudou's arm quickly.

Despite Sudou's intimidations, Horikita didn't flinch. She simply fixed Sudou with an icy glare.

"You don't interest me in the slightest, but I can tell what kind of person you are just by looking at you. You want to play professional basketball? Do you honestly believe you can make such a childish dream come true? A simpleton like you who gives up right away could never hope to go pro. Furthermore, even if you managed to become a pro, I doubt you'd earn a livable income. You're a fool to have such unreasonable aspirations."

"You!"

It was clear that Sudou was on the brink of losing control. If he raised his fist, I'd have to wrestle him down.

"I had taken time off from exercising and club activities for this. I guess it was nice not dozing off in class today. I actually learned something there. But this ended up being a complete waste of time. Later!" Sudou calmed down and went off.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kushida asked Horikita.

"I don't care. It's pointless to care about someone who lacks any motivation whatsoever. Even though he's facing expulsion, he has no will to fight." Her deductions were simply untrue. Ike and Yamauchi could see this as well.

"I thought that it was weird for someone like you, who doesn't have any friends, to put this study group together. You probably just wanted to call us stupid. If you weren't a girl, I'd smack you."

"So, you lack the courage to hit me? Don't use my gender as an excuse," Horikita said.

The newly assembled study group was already falling apart.

"I'm quitting, too. Partly 'cause I can't deal with studying, but mostly 'cause I'm annoyed. You might be smart, Horikita-san, but that doesn't mean you can act like you're better than us." Ike, clearly fed up, threw in the towel as well.

"I don't care if you get expelled. Do what you want," Horikita shot back.

"Well, I'll just pull an all-nighter."

"Interesting. Didn't you come here becasue you can't study?"

"Tch..." Even the typically easy going Ike stiffened under Horikita's comments.

And now it was just me, Satou, Kushida and Horikita.

"Horikita-san, we're not going to be able to study with anyone if things continue like this..." Kushida murmered.

"I was certainly mistaken. Even if I'd helped them avoid failure this time, we would've faced a similar dilemma soon after. I don't have the time for it."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"I mean that it's better to get rid of dead weight."

That was Horikita's ultimate conclusion. Even though I told her there would be consequences for such an action, she still chose this. Her desire to beat me in the midterms as well must also be driving her decision forward.

"Tch..." Kushida's expression darkened, before brightening up again.

"I'm going to do something, I'll be going on my own. Please don't follow me." Kushida said before quickly packing up her stuff and leaving.

"You say that you are their friends, yet all you did was sit back and watch? How incredibly selfish." Horikita said this to me. It looks like it was my turn.

"Don't you think you went too far, Horikita-san?" Satou muttered.

"Hardly, those need a reality check sooner than later. Also Ayanokouji, don't bother trying to get this study group together. I already find you a nuisance just to sit next to."

"Tch..." Satou muttered. Even she got mad.

"Hey Satou-san, I will be needing to go somewhere, I just realized I forgot something incredibly important. I call you once I am done with it."

"O-oh, well aright then." Satou replied.

As soon as I was out of their sight, I started running to try to find Kushida. While doing so, I called that person.