Classroom of the Elite: The Eroge

Everything was returning back to normal for the students of Class D. After their midterms were over, everyone celebrated getting a passing grade in all of their subjects, which also meant that none of them got expelled.

Of course, this didn't mean that they were back to their old ways of being the class of defectives. Hirata, Horikita, and the rest of the student tutors reminded everyone that they aren't safe yet, because they are surely being monitored until now. Plus, they were still waiting for their allowance for the next month, and none of them wanted their already-low points to get worse.

But for now, they deserved to enjoy the rest of the week and treat it as a moment of rest after weeks of preparing and studying for the midterms. It was now Friday, and everyone was ready for the weekend to arrive... at least the ones who arrived at the classroom early. There's still about half an hour before their first period begins.

Surprisingly, Ayanokouji Kiyotaka didn't feel like he was deprived of sleep hours like he always does. Why? Because he had two relaxing slumbers in the past days to the point that he felt completely rejuvenated today. He didn't even feel like taking his usual nap before Chabashira-sensei arrived.

How was this possible?

Ever since their midterm results were released two days ago, the system had been quiet again and it didn't activate out of nowhere in that span of time. Actually, it didn't activate at all, even when he interacted with the heroines who were also his classmates. It allowed him two days worth of early and uninterrupted slumbers, which were probably the best he's had ever since the school year began.

Just like before though, he didn't trust the sudden halt in the system. Sure, it's only been two days since it last activated but considering the fact that he now had a total of 10 heroines, Kiyotaka wasn't taking any chances.

For now, he was spending his time searching up 'eroge visual novel walkthroughs' online and watching how each game was played, particularly the choices that had to be made similar to how he does it whenever his own superpower provides him with the three choices.

Hey, he may have some knowledge about the genre itself, but he still had a lot to learn... who knows? Maybe learning from these games would help him adapt to his situation, especially now when he could tell that the system was planning to do something big... it just was, and he could feel it. That's how these things normally work.

Meanwhile, the person beside him was reading a book in peace, ignoring how two of her female classmates were having an engaging conversation right in front of her desk. It was interesting yet bizarre to see Horikita Suzune not minding such a scenario happen right in front of her, perhaps she was already used to it?

"Ne, ne, Horikita-san. Have you ever taken a bath in an onsen before?" came Kushida's voice, snapping the black-haired girl out of her own little world and making her look up to face her friend.

Kushida and Matsushita both had curious looks on their faces, as they waited patiently for a response from her. Somehow, Horikita was able to understand what their question was about and didn't have to ask the two to repeat what they said.

"An onsen?" Suzune blinked as she thought about that particular question for a few moments. She then tried to remember an instance where she went to a hot springs spot in the past. "I believe I have, when I was younger and with my family. However, I don't remember much from it. Why do you ask?"

Kikyo flashed an eager smile. "Me and Matsushita-san were thinking... what if our school had a bathhouse which also had an onsen? If there was, then I'd go there at the end of every week to relax, especially when it's a busy one. I don't know what it feels like to take a bath there since I've never been to one, but I think it'll be really fun!"

"That doesn't sound bad, as long as an hour or two in the water doesn't cost too much," Chiaki nodded in agreement. She and her family had been to many private bathhouses at this point, yet she never grew tired of the feeling of cleaning herself while being submerged in steaming water.

"Well, I think I've read that an hour is equal to 500 yen, which also means that it would cost 500 points if we want to go to one... assuming the school builds a bathhouse, of course!"

"That's not a bad deal. I don't spend that much points, anyway." Chiaki smiled. Spending 500 points every week in exchange for a relaxing time in an onsen was worth it, and it's not like they'd run out of points to spend since they had a monthly allowance. "I might even go for two hours if I'm feeling really tired."

"Two hours sounds even more fun!" Kikyo agreed, before turning towards their other classmate. "What about you, Horikita-san?"

Suzune raised an eyebrow in slight confusion. She listened to the two and answered Kikyo's question, yes, but she didn't expect to be a part of their conversation.

"Pardon?"

"Would you spend 500 points for an hour in the onsen?"

Suzune stared at her for a moment before shaking her head. "A pointless question. I don't believe it's possible for this school to have one."

"Oh, come on! Just imagine that we have a bathhouse within the school premises. Wouldn't it be fun to go there and relax?"

"There would be no point in imagining it if there's no chance of it happening in the first place."

"Why wouldn't it be possible, Horikita-san?" asked Chiaki, wondering if there's a specific reason why their classmate didn't want to answer a question that was purely hypothetical.

"Bathhouses might be found in public, but they are nothing more than places for people to rest and stay clean. Our school might house other places of interest like the mall, but I don't believe it would have a site such as a bathhouse."

"But why?" asked Kikyo.

"Is it not obvious? Bathhouses require people to shed clothing in order to use them, and I doubt that the school would let its students do such a thing in a public place. Furthermore, they are more popular with tourists and there are none around here, only students and instructors."

"But bathhouses are also popular with regular citizens, Horikita-san. There isn't a weekend where bathhouses aren't filled with people because they want to relax after a long week of working or studying."

"That is also true," Suzune conceded. "Of course, I could be wrong and that the higher-ups of the school could be planning to establish one. But as far as we know, there's no such place."

"Seeing Horikita being like this towards other people is still something I have to get used to," Kiyotaka said in his thoughts. He had been paying attention to them ever since Kikyo and Chiaki included the black-haired girl in their conversation and was interested in how it would play out.

"What about you, Ayanokouji-kun?"

Hearing his name being called snapped the young man out of his thoughts and brought him back to reality, as he noticed that all three girls have now turned their attention towards him.

"Huh?"

"How would you feel if our school built a public bath that we could visit whenever we want?" asked Kikyo.

"Why are you asking me?" he asked in return, wondering how the hell did he get roped into this conversation.

"Because I want to hear your opinion...?" she chuckled nervously. "Come on, just imagine it!"

Kiyotaka rubbed the back of his neck as he thought about the scenario that she painted in his mind. "Hmm... I've never been to a public bath before, but I would like to try it. It should be a pleasing experience," he answered honestly.

The concept of a public bath that is open for everyone was something that interested him, but he never put much thought about it before.

Right now, though? After Kikyo told him to imagine it for himself?

Now he hoped to be able to try going to one, whether it be inside of the campus or outside. A relaxing bath in a steamy onsen? Just the sound of it was tempting enough and it would be a good way to alleviate himself from the stress and headaches that he experiences on a regular basis.

"I'm sure it would be, especially if you clean yourself in a mixed bath with girls around~" Chiaki teased.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "What do you mean by that, Matsushita?"

Before he could get any kind of response from her, however, a new voice entered the scene and left the three other girls with looks of shock on their faces when the newcomer wrapped her arms around Kiyotaka's neck and hugged him from behind.

"Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun!"

Karuizawa Kei had slid into the scene with a big grin and tightened her hug around the young man's neck. When he tried to look back, he was only met with a smile that's so cute, there's no way he could be mad at her for surprising him with such a bold move.

And with this, Kiyotaka finally came to the conclusion that Kei... is a hugger.

Which meant that she likes to hug.

Yesterday, she hugged him after seeing him when they were coincidentally about to leave their floor together, and she did it before Suzune and Kikyo came out of their dorm rooms. She hugged him again before leaving their classroom for lunch break, where they were, somehow, unseen by their other classmates. Nobody saw Kei hugging him for a few moments before separating from him happily, and he couldn't even respond.

The girl hugged him yet again in the evening, when he was about to leave for the convenience store to buy a few milk cartons. She caught him off guard that time and was almost tackled to the ground as a result. When he asked what her problem was and if she wanted something from him, Kei only winked and giggled before going back to her room.

It was so bizarre.

Honestly, it's either that or it's the system's influence again since he did 'unlock' a new skill after sharing a moment with Kei a few nights ago... and it involved hugging. A lot of hugging. Like, Kei didn't seem afraid of being caught hugging him by other people at all. They were only fortunate that they were never seen by other people in the past few days

And now, that lack of fear led to them being caught in the act... which must be another one of the system's schemes because why else would she hug him in front of other people? Knowing the blonde girl, she wouldn't even attempt to do such a thing because she gets flustered easily and reacts rather strongly after getting embarrassed... but she hasn't acted that way even until now.

"Cat got your tongue? When someone greets you with a 'good morning', you're supposed to do the same!" she smirked, before bopping his nose in a scolding manner.

"Good morning," he said in a deadpan tone.

Although she felt a bit disappointed with his bored response, Kei felt satisfied that he said something in return and let go of him afterwards.

"Good enough."

"Why did you hug me out of nowhere?" he asked. He wanted to ask her why she kept on doing the same thing in the past few days, but there's no way he would say that out loud in front of the three other girls with them.

"I just felt like it," she shrugged.

Kiyotaka resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Like with Suzune and Kikyo, he was not angry at her. He's not stupid to shift the blame on Kei because he knew that it's because of the system's influence that she is acting this way.