178: Crisis, Major Crisis~

If Nino found out that Hakuto got his ears pierced for another girl...

Damn! What kind of NTR plot is this?! This is pure love taken to the extreme!

If Hakuto knew what Nino was thinking, he would definitely be in tears. After all, he is a true believer in pure love!

Damn it! What kind of pure love is this?!

"Let's put the whole ear-piercing thing aside for now..." Hakuto waved his hand. "Since we're already here, let's go ahead and do the test I carefully prepared."

The moment the word "test" was mentioned, Yotsuba was instantly unwilling.

"Huh? I was thinking we could play a few rounds of Three Kingdoms Kill together, sensei..."

"You've wasted your entire life on that game!"

Hakuto grabbed Yotsuba's bunny-ear headband instinctively, as if it had become a muscle memory at this point.

"I kind of expected this..." Ichika sighed. "But I'm still curious to see what kind of gift you prepared for me."

"As long as you get first place this time, Ichika, you just need to beat four people."

"What?! No way, I have to be first this time!"

Yotsuba waved her hand at Hakuto. The psychological counseling from last time still lingered in her mind, making her especially determined to get first place.

And if Hakuto successfully brainwashed her, there was a real possibility she might actually win.

"Oh, right, the test questions I prepared for each of you are different, but the difficulty is about the same. It's fair and just."

The Nakano quintuplets had different levels of academic ability, so tailored approaches were necessary.

That meant Hakuto's test papers were different for each of them. But since there was a reward system in place, he had to clarify things beforehand.

"Let me think... Where did I put the test papers..." Having been busy for the past few days, Hakuto couldn't remember where he placed them.

After a long while, he suddenly froze.

(●—●)...Wait, damn, the test papers are in my room.

Hakuto's room didn't contain anything inappropriate. As for the magazines under his bed, they weren't really a big deal—he was just a normal guy, after all.

But the situation is different now... Right now, in his room, there was a white-haired girl holding a camera!

Damn it! He should have locked Nao in the bathroom earlier...

Hakuto grumbled in his heart, but there was nothing he could do. He had to retrieve the test papers, and he could only hope that no one followed him.

And if someone did follow him, hopefully, it was just one person. After all, Nao's invisibility trick was still in play.

"Hey, hey, what are you spacing out for?" Nino poked Hakuto's stomach with her finger.

"Nothing..." Hakuto shook his head. "I'm going to my room to get the test papers."

"Need my help?"

"It's just a few test papers. No need to trouble anyone."

"Tch, whatever..."

Hearing this, Nino rolled her eyes at him. She wasn't sure if Hakuto was playing dumb or actually dumb.

But since he had already refused, she wasn't going to insist on tagging along.

Seeing that no one was following him, Hakuto let out a sigh of relief.

"There are some textbooks under the coffee table. You can review them while I'm gone."

"As for Ginko, once I get the test papers, I'll play a game of shogi with you. You can set up the board in the meantime."

Ginko nodded, accepting the offer. The fact that Hakuto still thought of her while working made her irritation fade significantly.

But thanks to the law of conservation, if Ginko was happy, someone else was bound to be unhappy.

And that person was Nino. She was not in a good mood! 

She didn't know what was going on between Hakuto and Ginko, but they were clearly close.

As the locomotive of romance, Nino practically had "murder" written all over her face!

Meanwhile, standing beside her, Miku silently glanced at Ginko without saying a word.

Ichika looked at Hakuto's back as he entered the room and slowly spoke.

"Sora Ginko, also known as the 'Snow White of Naniwa,' the queen of the shogi world. Am I right?"

"Yes, that's me."

Ginko nodded—there was no need to deny it.

"Huh? 'Snow White of Naniwa'?"

"Yotsuba, you seriously need to go online more often..." said Itsuki, pulling out her phone and looking up Ginko's basic information.

Ginko was famous in the shogi world, and her title as the top female player wasn't just for show.

Plus, she had recently been promoted to professional 3-dan, making her even more popular.

"Wait... Shiratori-sensei is going to play against a professional shogi player?" Yotsuba couldn't help but worry after looking at Ginko's information.

"Shiratori-sensei is probably just an amateur..."

"Yotsuba, you're giving him too much credit. I don't even know if he can play shogi."

Amateur? You actually have to know how to play to even be an amateur!

At least in Nino's eyes, Hakuto was good at studying and fighting, but shogi...?

Ginko didn't bother explaining Hakuto's true skill. There was no point in talking—it was better to let the game speak for itself.

And in less than a year, the name Shiratori Hakuto would shake the entire shogi world! He would be leagues ahead of everyone else!

Meanwhile, inside the room, Hakuto had no idea that the others were debating whether or not he even knew how to play shogi.

Not that he had the time to care—he had more pressing matters to deal with.

"Yo? Back from the battlefield?"

Nao had already taken off her shoes, revealing her black stocking-clad feet as she lounged on Hakuto's bed.

"Look at the way you're talking..." Hakuto didn't want to argue with her. "Wait... what's that in your hand?"

"Oh? You mean this?" Nao waved the manga in her hand. "I found it under your bed... By the way, do all guys keep their 18+ manga there?"

"Maybe, probably, something like that?"

Hakuto wasn't particularly surprised that Nao had found his stash.

In fact, when he locked her in his room, he had already expected this to happen.

Seeing Hakuto's calm expression, Nao suddenly felt a little bored.

She thought he'd at least be a little embarrassed...

But then, she glanced at the slightly open door and suddenly smirked.

"Hey, Shiratori, what do you think would happen if I showed my face out there right now?"

"Don't do it!"

Hakuto immediately panicked. If she stepped out now, he'd be doomed!

The tense balance outside had just been barely maintained—if Nao went out, the whole situation would explode!

"Oh~? That's all?"

"I'm begging you! Please don't go!"

"Too quiet~ I can't hear you."

"Beautiful and kind-hearted student council president! Your humble servant begs you!"

A real man knows when to yield and when to strike! There's always a next time!

If Han Xin could endure humiliation under another man's crotch, then Hakuto could endure this too!

He swore—after this was over, he'd make sure to get back everything he lost to Nao!

Next time, he'd put a bell around her waist and see which was louder—her apologies or the bell!

Wait... why did that sound so weird...?

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