『』『』『』『』『』
After the homeroom began at 6 p.m., Chabashira-sensei left the classroom. Hirata glanced sideways at the perplexed students. It was supposed to be time for lessons, yet the teacher had simply walked out.
No more time for games.
They were about to have a serious discussion.
"During homeroom today, I'd like to discuss our strategy for the short quiz tomorrow. I've received Chabashira-sensei's permission. First, Horikita-san, could you please come up?"
As if she'd been waiting for that cue, Horikita stood and walked over to Hirata. Some students found it strange to see the two standing together. Hirata had always been open to working with her, but until now, she had never accepted. Horikita had always fought alone.
However, after the crushing defeat in the sports festival, she seemed to understand her limits. It was as if she had changed.
That didn't mean she had become perfect, of course.
After all, no one is perfect in every aspect.
"First, there's something I'd like to say. Please allow me to apologize. My performance during the sports festival was disappointing. Even though I acted confident in front of all of you, in the end, I didn't contribute anything to Class D. For that, I apologize."
Horikita bowed her head deeply. The sudden gesture stirred the class. It felt as if she was taking full responsibility for their defeat. Onodera, who had grown a bit distant from her since the early days of the sports festival announcements, spoke up.
"B-but it's not like it was all your fault that we lost, Horikita-san. Please, don't bow to us. You don't have to."
"That's right, Suzune. I mean, Haruki and the Professor weren't exactly helpful either." Sudou's words were blunt, but not wrong. Yamauchi and Sotomura shot him annoyed looks.
"Whether we win or lose, having a humble attitude makes it easier to move forward. But that's not what I mean here. I contributed almost nothing to any part of the festival."
She kept her head slightly lowered as she spoke.
Then, for just a moment, she glanced at Sudou. The meaning behind that look was clear. The one thing she had gained was standing beside him as an ally. Sudou didn't miss it. He scratched his cheek, looking embarrassed, but a slight smile formed on his face.
"But I'm done apologizing. From here on, I want to focus on the upcoming short quiz. Unless we come together as a class, we won't overcome this."
"I get that, but do you even have a plan? We don't even know how the pairs are decided yet," Yamauchi complained.
He wasn't the only one.
Voices of frustration began to spread. It wasn't exactly about the difficulty of the exam itself, but more about how unclear the system was. The school had revealed almost nothing about how the pairs would be formed, and that uncertainty was what bothered them most.
"Before that... did all of you actually study during this time?"
Horikita spoke without directing it at anyone in particular, yet her gaze swept across the entire class. It was clear she was addressing everyone.
Since this was Class D, she couldn't expect most students to take initiative on their own. Especially people like Ike and Yamauchi. As for Sudou, Horikita had been building an alliance with him over the past week, and had even spent time teaching him herself.
But she didn't expect the response the class would give her.
"Heh, don't underestimate me! I've been grinding like crazy. Honestly, I haven't put in this much effort since my third year middle school final exams!" Yamauchi declared, puffing out his chest with a smug grin.
"Tell me about it... I didn't even know my brain was capable of working that hard," Ike added, leaning back with a lazy, self-satisfied smirk.
Of course, while their response was not something to be proud of, considering they were students, several boys and girls also gave the same response to Horikita's question. They had genuinely been studying for this exam.
Seeing their responses, Horikita quickly understood what made them have such initiative.
Her eyes looked toward the back of the classroom. Second row from the back.
Without paying attention to the class discussion, Kumagawa Misogi had already opened his Shounen magazine the moment he noticed Chabashira-sensei had no intention of conducting further lessons. The instant she left the classroom, he took it out as if it were the natural conclusion to the situation.
This was probably why Ayanokouji had told her not to reveal how the pairing system worked, even though they already had a rough idea of it.
Horikita had reached the same conclusion back then as well. However, she had been slightly skeptical about whether Class D would truly take initiative on their own for this exam. Especially after observing how the class usually functioned, and their general attitude toward studying.
But it seemed the threat of expulsion was a stronger incentive than she had expected. Without anyone directly instructing them, they had begun studying on their own.
"That's right, Horikita-san. Even Ike-kun and Yamauchi-kun sometimes came to me asking questions about subjects they're weak in," Hirata said with a slight smile.
"I... see..."
Horikita felt slightly offended at the fact that no one had come to her during the past week. Still, she pushed the feeling aside. It seemed the fear of being paired with Kumagawa had been enough to make them aware of their own risk of expulsion.
"Actually, the partner selection process has already been made clear. If we handle things properly, each student could feasibly end up with their ideal partner. Hirata-kun, if you would."
Hirata, now acting as Horikita's support, turned to the blackboard and began writing out the rules.
Deciding How Pairs Are Formed:
After the school looks at the class as a whole, it will pair the highest-scoring and lowest-scoring students.
This process will continue with the second-highest and second-lowest, then the third-highest and third-lowest, and so on.
For example, the student with one hundred points will pair with the student with zero points. The student with ninety-nine points will pair with the student with one point.
"So, that's the method, and the meaning behind this short test. Simple, right?" Horikita looked across the entire class.
"W-whoa! You cracked it, Horikita! That's amazing!"
"So that's it! We won't end up paired with Kumagawa!"
"Yeah! I'm safe from Kumagawa!"
The class burst into cheers, simply from the fact that they wouldn't have to be paired with Kumagawa.
While the situation could be seen as humiliating, even cruel to someone who cared even a little about their social image, Kumagawa didn't seem bothered at all—if anything, he looked like he never cared from the start.
"I'd like the students who are confident in their grades to support those who are struggling. However, looking at our current situation, we can't cover everyone perfectly," Horikita said.
Eleven students had an average score of eighty or higher. Only six students had ninety or more. It was far from ideal. Less than half the class could be considered strong academically. On the other hand, more than half the class had an average of sixty or below. In short, it would be impossible to pair every low-scoring student with a high-scoring one.
Therefore, Horikita's plan was to stabilize the system by controlling the top ten and bottom ten students directly.
Hirata began listing the lowest-scoring students on the blackboard, one by one.
Kumagawa's name, unsurprisingly, was written at the very bottom of Class D, out of all thirty-nine students.
"Now that we know who the lowest-scoring students are, I want those ten to aim for zero points on the exam tomorrow. Since your final evaluation won't directly reflect this score, it won't harm you. On the other hand, the ten highest-scoring students should aim for eighty-five points or higher. The remaining twenty students will be divided into two groups of ten. The higher group should aim for a maximum of eighty points, while the lower group only needs to score one point. By doing this, we can control the distribution and ensure the intended pairings. I will confirm the details with you again later, since there may still be unforeseen issues."
The important thing was to ensure that the students who scored zero and the students who scored one had to be carefully separated in a way that forced the school to match the largest possible gap in ability.
Then, someone raised their hand—It was Akito Miyake.
"But what about the student who ends up without a partner? We've got an odd number of students in our class."
"Regarding that," Horikita replied calmly, "the school will likely pair the highest and lowest as usual. If we follow that pattern, the student who scores right in the middle will be left out. Which is why..."
Her gaze slowly looked toward another student. Someone who always seemed to be in his own world. And, in a different way, just as troublesome as Kumagawa.
Kouenji usually refused to participate in anything, yet he didn't seem to support or reject the plan either.
That said, if Class D could get Kouenji to take the exam alone, he would likely manage just fine. In other words, even if he wasn't interested, he could still be relied on. However, no one could tell whether he was actually cooperating or simply acting on a whim. His behavior can be unpredictable at times.
"No. What a nonsensical question. Naturally, I fully grasp the situation." He rested his long legs on the desk and began combing his hair, as usual.
"Then, would it be appropriate for me to expect you to score somewhere in the middle?" Horikita asked.
She was essentially telling him to take the exam alone.
"Well, I'm not so sure about that. Wouldn't that depend on the contents of the test?"
"If you intentionally score zero and get paired with one of the higher-scoring students, or if a average-scoring student ends up without a partner, you would destroy the balance we're trying to create. Do you understand that?"
It was a necessary compromise. While it was a loss to have Kouenji take the exam alone, considering he was one of the most capable students in Class D, the risk of disrupting the entire pairing system was far worse.
Still, Kouenji briefly glanced toward the back of the classroom, at a certain student, before returning his attention to Horikita.
"I will consider it carefully, girl."
His answer was vague, as always.
Even so, Horikita couldn't push him any further. There was no way to control his actions, and no method to manipulate the exam scores themselves.
『』『』『』『』『』
The day of the short quiz arrived. The students expected it to begin immediately, but it seemed Chabashira-sensei had something to say first.
"We will begin shortly, but I'd like to inform you of something. You nominated Class B as the class you wanted to attack for this test. Since there were no conflicts with other classes, your nomination was approved," Chabashira-sensei said, looking over her students.
"Did Classes A and C both nominate Class D, then?" Horikita asked.
"Not quite. While Class A did nominate Class D, Class C instead nominated Class A."
"Class C nominated Class A? Why?"
Normally, Class C should have targeted either Class B or Class D, considering their position. Yet for some reason, they chose to aim at Class A instead, leaving Class D and Class B to face each other directly.
Whathever the case, it seemed they had cleared the first obstacle. Horikita felt a small sense of relief.
So the matchups were decided. Class D againts Class B, and Class C againts Class A.
"In any case, being able to challenge Class B, with their weaker performers, is a big advantage for us. It's an ideal matchup," Horikita said.
In the end, the higher classes had chosen to target their closest rivals. Each class aimed either to close the gap or drag the others down.
Sakayanagi had likely chosen to target Class A to lower Ichinose's class points. While targeting Class B or class D was logical, she must have had her own reason. Katsuragi would probably have preferred targeting Class D for a safer win, but he no longer had enough influence for that to matter.
Class B would be their opponent, just as Horikita had planned.
Chabashira-sensei scanned the room. "Well then, let's begin. I don't need to remind you that cheating is strictly prohibited. If anyone is caught, there will be no mercy."
She handed stacks of papers to the front row, and they passed them back. Since the test hadn't officially started, all the papers were placed face down.
"Aren't you worried that your assumption about the pairing system is wrong?" Chabashira-sensei asked.
"Not at all. I'm confident I'm right," Horikita replied without hesitation.
She didn't waver. Seeing that, the rest of the class straightened slightly, supported by their leader's confidence.
Class D was changing. The shift was small, but noticeable. Chabashira-sensei had likely seen it as well. After all, she had been watching them every day.
"Begin."
At her signal, the test started.
The students flipped over their papers.
"...Hmm?"
Similar murmurs spread across the classroom as the students looked at their test papers.
The difficulty was far lower than expected. It was almost too easy. Even children could answer most of the questions. There were a few harder ones, but even someone like Kumagawa could score around sixty or higher without much trouble, as long as he didn't panic.
It was a tempting trap. If they had approached this test carelessly, it could have led to disaster.
But that was exactly why Horikita had prepared her strategy.
Thankfully, she had grown.
『』『』『』『』『』
Fast forward to the next day, the test ended without any incident. The results were going to be announced today.
Putting aside the pairing system, having to create test questions, and the competition that was to come, the simplicity of these rules was a real godsend. It was simple now: take the test, achieve the necessary grade. They had been doing the same thing over and over during the nine or so years they been in school anyway.
"The best part is that it looks like I didn't need to get involved," Ayanokouji muttered. He really was grateful for that.
『Hmm? Did you say something, Ayanokouji-kun? 』
"Nothing... how did you even hear that?"
『Huhu, I have -20/20 hearing. 』
"..."
That was obviously a lie.
Human hearing didn't work like that. Anything below zero would be beyond normal limits. At that point, you'd be hearing things like your own heartbeat and pulse constantly. It wouldn't be something anyone could tolerate. Ayanokouji briefly considered it. Was that why Kumagawa was so abnormal? The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it as nothing more than a passing joke.
Even so, putting the lie aside, Kumagawa's hearing was undeniably sharp.
Ayanokouji had always considered his own senses to be above average since childhood. But compared to Kumagawa, he really was lacking.
"Well then, I will now show the pairings for the final exam," Chabashira-sensei said as she pinned a large white sheet of paper onto the blackboard, listing every student and their assigned partner.
The results of the short quiz were as follows: Horikita Suzune with Sudou Ken, Hirata Yousuke with Yamauchi Haruki, Kushida Kikyou with Ike Kanji, Yukimura Teruhiko with Inogashira Kokoro. As for Kouenji, his score was exactly in the middle, leaving him without a partner.
The pairings were almost exactly as predicted.
And Ayanokouji's partner was... Kumagawa Misogi.
『Ahaha, it seems God really has a terrible sense of humor, doesn't it, Ayanokouji-kun? I'm afraid this might be the end of our high school life at this elite school. 』
"...Don't say it like that. Can you at least try before giving up?"
Even though he had expected it, seeing his name next to Kumagawa's still made Ayanokouji feel slightly uncomfortable.
『Since you always score around the average, I don't have much hope for you, you know? Let's be realistic. 』
"...You're one to talk."
In the first place, Kumagawa was the one who dragged every partner down toward expulsion. Ayanokouji could say with confidence that he would be safe if paired with almost anyone else. So, hearing Kumagawa say that was irritating.
"Then who would you rather be paired with?"
『Paired? Well... if I had to choose, probably Kouenji-kun? 』
Both of them glanced toward Kouenji, who had his legs resting on the desk despite the teacher's presence. That would probably earn the class a small penalty.
"The results indicate that some of you understood the purpose of this short quiz," Chabashira-sensei said, tapping the board lightly to draw everyone's attention. She sounded slightly impressed as she looked over the list. "Students were paired based on the difference in their scores. The highest scorer with the lowest, and so on. The student in the middle remains unpaired if the class has an odd number. If scores were identical, the pairing would have been decided randomly. It may not have been necessary to explain, but I thought I would clarify."
Chabashira-sensei continued explaining a few additional details about the exam that had previously been left vague, though none of it was particularly important.
"Well then, that's all from me. You may use the rest of homeroom to discuss the exam."
As soon as she finished speaking, Chabashira-sensei left the classroom, leaving the students on their own.
"Ayanokouji, why'd you end up paired with Kumagawa? Are you actually like, smart?" Ike asked from his seat, sounding genuinely confused.
Several others voiced similar questions.
Since Ayanokouji normally scored around the middle of the class average, seeing him paired with Kumagawa felt strange. Of course, the quiz itself had been easy, so it wasn't impossible for weaker students to have high scores.
But this situation was different.
Most people expected Ayanokouji to score somewhere around average again and end up paired with another average student. Yet somehow, he ended up with Kumagawa.
It was clearly intentional.
Especially after Horikita had already explained the strategy beforehand.
But before Ayanokouji could answer, Horikita stood from her seat, immediately drawing the class's attention as she walked toward the podium.
"Everyone," she said, addressing the class, "until the final exam begins, I plan to hold study sessions to raise our average scores. If Hirata-kun and Kushida-san agree, I'd like to organize two sessions per day. The first will begin at 4 p.m., immediately after classes end, and continue until 6 p.m. The second will be held from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. We'll take turns leading them. I'll be counting on you, Hirata-kun."
"Because of my club activities, I'll handle the second study group. Let's all work together and do our best," Hirata replied.
Horikita and Hirata discussed the study sessions in more detail until the structure was finalized. Horikita and several others would handle the first session, while Hirata and also several others would manage the second. This way, they could support the entire class while also helping the more anxious students individually.
Kushida would attend both sessions, taking on a unique role by tutoring students who were worried about reaching fifty points.
Quite a few girls fell into that range, including Onodera and Ichihashi.
That said, the plan still had its problems. Compared to the study group from the first semester, far more students now needed help, while only a handful could realistically teach. Naturally, the more students assigned to each tutor, the lower the quality of instruction would become.
When lunchtime arrived, Kushida approached Horikita.
"Ah, Horikita-san, can I ask you something about the study sessions?"
Looking up from her desk, Horikita answered calmly, "What is it, Kushida-san?"
Despite their somewhat antagonistic relationship, neither of them showed it openly. Considering what had happened during the sports festival, their self-control was impressive.
"It's about Kumagawa-kun—huh? Where is he?"
Kushida glanced to the side. At some point, Kumagawa had already disappeared without anyone noticing. Letting out a small sigh, Kushida continued anyway.
"Anyway, it's about Kumagawa-kun and the study sessions. Are you planning to teach him together with the other students?"
"Of course," Horikita replied, looking at Kushida as if the question itself was strange.
What would be the point of holding study sessions if she excluded Kumagawa from them? Besides, among all the weaker students, Horikita had already decided to prioritize Kumagawa over the next few weeks. If she could somehow raise his scores to around average, then Ayanokouji would likely be able to handle the rest.
"I was just wondering... since there are already a lot of people who need help during the sessions, can you really handle all of that while teaching Kumagawa-kun at the same time?" Kushida asked, tilting her head slightly with an innocent smile.
Horikita immediately wanted to answer yes.
However, the words stopped midway. Her mouth remained slightly open before she slowly closed it again and began thinking seriously.
As someone who had previously taught the idiot trio along with Kumagawa, she understood better than anyone just how disastrous Kumagawa's academics truly were. Calling it terrible almost felt insufficient. It was closer to a natural disaster.
While Horikita was capable of tutoring several students at once without lowering the quality of her teaching, Kumagawa was a different matter entirely. She wasn't even sure she could keep her composure while teaching him and simultaneously helping others.
No, she could say with certainty that the quality of the session would immediately begin to fall because of him.
Horikita slowly turned her eyes toward Kushida.
"Judging by the way you're asking, do you already have a suggestion in mind?"
"This is only a suggestion, but if you want, I could tutor Kumagawa-kun myself. Though because of that, my flexible role during the study sessions might become a bit more limited."
"You? Teaching Kumagawa-kun?" Horikita tilted her head slightly.
"Academically, I might not be as capable as you, Horikita-san, but I think I can manage if it's Kumagawa-kun. After all, we're childhood friends," Kushida said with her usual gentle smile. "Of course, if you don't want that, then it's fine."
"..."
Putting aside the childhood friend part, what Kushida said did have some merit.
While it was true that her flexible role during both study sessions would become more limited, the biggest obstacle, Kumagawa himself, would at least be somewhat contained by this arrangement.
Horikita was also painfully aware of Kumagawa's reputation within the class. While having him participate in the study sessions would normally be the correct choice, there was also the risk that his presence alone could make the sessions unbearable for everyone else.
This exam placed academic ability above everything else. If the study sessions failed, it would be disastrous for Class D, which was already weaker academically compared to the other classes. In that sense, being matched against Class B was already fortunate enough.
After remaining silent for a while, Horikita finally spoke, "I can agree to your suggestion. However, can you tutor two or three other students alongside Kumagawa-kun?"
If Kushida focused entirely on Kumagawa, her usefulness in supporting the rest of the sessions would decrease significantly. Since she was one of the smarter students in the class, Horikita wanted to ease her own burden at least slightly.
"Hmm... I can do that," Kushida replied. "But I'd prefer taking students with average scores. I'll probably end up focusing on Kumagawa-kun most of the time."
"I can accept that." Horikita nodded.
With that, it was decided that Kushida Kikyou would privately tutor Kumagawa over the next few weeks leading up to the Paper Shuffle exam.
If Ike and the others who adored Kushida ever found out about this arrangement, they would probably turn Kumagawa into the class's public enemy without hesitation. And considering his reputation, it wouldn't even be difficult.
After discussing the study sessions a little longer, Kushida excused herself and left the classroom.
As she reached the door, she noticed Sudou and Hirata approaching Horikita, likely to discuss the study sessions further. She also saw Akito Miyake, who rarely involved himself in class matters, walking toward Horikita for some reason.
However, Kushida had no interest in that.
Without stopping, she quietly left the classroom and headed elsewhere.
On the way to her destination, many students greeted her in the hallways. First-years, second-years, even third-years. Kushida's social circle was large enough that she knew almost everyone in the school to some extent.
She returned their greetings naturally, chatted with them for a bit, and occasionally brought up small secrets or topics they wanted someone to listen to. Her nice mask, her friendly personality, and her comfortable presence made her always know the right thing to say, the right thing to share, and the right thing to know.
And because of that, everyone treated her kindly.
After arriving at the top floor near the rooftop entrance, Kushida slowly opened the door, only to find the place empty once again.
She climbed the ladder leading up to the bulkhead roof and found the person she had come to see.
『Hello, Kushida-chan. You're pretty early. I didn't know you were the type to break rules so easily. 』
"Rules? What rules?"
『Well, school rules say you have to be on time. Since you arrived early, that means you're breaking the rules. As the vice president, I can't just ignore that. 』
"Does the school even have a rule like that?"
『Well, even if it doesn't, the vice president's words are basically the rules, right? If I told you to wear a naked apron, then naturally you should obey because it's an order from the vice president. Isn't that common sense? 』
"What kind of common sense is that...?"
Without any hesitation, Kumagawa casually said something completely nonsensical that somehow turned into harassment halfway through. It was already bad enough that he could say things like that without the slightest embarrassment. The fact that he was the student council vice president only made it worse.
Kushida had hoped that gaining a position of power would at least make him fix that personality of his.
Apparently, that hope had been completely pointless.
"Anyway, I already talked with Horikita-san, and she agreed to let me tutor you privately."
『Privately... 』
Kumagawa slowly repeated the word, but said nothing more afterward.
With that oddly serious look on his face, it almost seemed like he was genuinely thinking about something. Though knowing him, Kushida wouldn't have been surprised if he was simply having some kind of perverted delusion over the word "privately."
Deciding not to think too deeply about it for the sake of convenience, Kushida continued, "With this, it should be easier for you to help me, right?"
『Help? Who's helping who? 』
"You, obviously. Kumagawa Misogi, the vice president of Advanced Nurturing High School, helping Kushida Kikyou from Class D because of her circumstances." As she spoke, Kushida pointed one hand toward Kumagawa and the other toward herself.
『I don't remember agreeing to help you, though? 』
"Well, I just decided you should help me this time. In exchange, I'll tutor you... privately, as payment."
It was completely one-sided reasoning on her part. Whether Kumagawa actually intended to help was still unclear. Still, hearing herself say "privately" over and over in front of him somehow felt wrong for all sorts of reasons.
『Oh well. 』
Kumagawa merely shrugged. However, judging from his tone, it seemed he intended to cooperate with whatever Kushida was planning for the upcoming exam.
Then, something suddenly crossed Kushida's mind. It had little to do with the current conversation, but her curiosity got the better of her.
"Hey, hey, Kumagawa-kun, Kumagawa-kun."
『What is it, Kushida-chan Kushida-chan? 』
"About the pairing. You got paired with Ayanokouji-kun, right? Since you talk to him more than anyone else in class, is he secretly smart or something? Are you going to be okay?"
As far as Kushida knew, Ayanokouji was neither particularly smart nor particularly stupid. His academic scores were always average. Even his physical ability appeared average at first glance. But after the sports festival, it was obvious he had been hiding his true ability. Because of that, Kushida couldn't help but suspect he might also be concealing his academic skill.
『Ayanokouji-kun? I don't know. Aren't his scores perfectly average? Well, if things go badly, we'll probably just get expelled together. Ahaha. 』
"It's not something to laugh about. What do you think will happen to me after you dragged me into all those student council problems?"
Kushida stared at her partner nonchalant attitude with visible annoyance. Since she had already been associated with him for a while now, the student council president had likely taken notice of her too.
If Kumagawa got expelled now, it would definitely cause trouble for her later.
『I mean, what can I do? I'm completely powerless here. 』 Kumagawa spread his arms proudly.
Of course, there was nothing admirable about his situation. Yet somehow, he genuinely sounded proud of how powerless he was.
『But honestly, I really wanted to pair up with Kouenji-kun for this exam. Even if I scored zero in all eight subjects, he'd probably somehow get ninety-five or above anyway with that personality of his. 』
"If only Sakura-san hadn't been expelled, that might've happened."
Since Sakura Airi had been expelled during the first semester, Class D now had an odd number of students. That was what created the current situation where Kouenji had to take the exam alone.
『Anyway, when you say "plan," what exactly are you planning to do? 』
Before Kushida could answer, they suddenly heard the rooftop door open.
Since the rooftop was usually deserted, seeing someone other than Kumagawa, who treated this place like one of his personal hideouts, or Kushida, who occasionally came looking for him, was unusual.
"Is anyone here?"
Both of them, sitting atop the bulkhead roof, peeked over slightly to see who it was.
It was Ayanokouji Kiyotaka.
"Ayanokouji-kun? What are you doing here?" Kushida asked from above.
Hearing her voice, Ayanokouji looked up toward the bulkhead roof and noticed both Kumagawa and Kushida sitting there together.
"I was looking for for him, actually." Ayanokouji then pointed his finger at Kumagawa, "since we're both paired for the exam, I just want to talk with him first."
『Ahaha, don't be so nervous, Ayanokouji-kun. Even if one of us fails, what's the worst that could happen? It's not like we're going to die, right? Hahaha. 』
"..."
Seeing his assigned partner acting like this was honestly worrying.
At this moment, Ayanokouji genuinely felt that pairing up with Kumagawa had been a mistake. If he could turn back time, he definitely would have chosen someone else. Unfortunately, given his situation, he never really had that option to begin with.
"Right, you were paired with Kumagawa-kun, weren't you? Even though it was part of the plan from the start... are you going to be okay, Ayanokouji-kun?" Kushida asked, her tone carrying a hint of concern.
Hearing that, Ayanokouji felt slightly touched. However, whether it was genuine concern or simply another carefully crafted mask, he couldn't tell. Rather, it felt like Kushida's mask was becoming more flawless each time.
"Well, like I said, I can manage somehow, though it's definitely going to be a burden. Because of that, I'll need to focus on studying for a while. I'm confident in my memory and learning ability."
"So you're not secretly smart or something?" Kushida tilted her head slightly.
"...What gave you that impression?"
"I mean, you hid your physical ability during the sports festival. So I thought maybe you were secretly smart too."
"...I'm not that smart. You could say I'm completely average. I just have a good memory, that's all," Ayanokouji answered.
He really did have a good memory. Once he learned something, it was difficult for him to forget it. Aside from a few things he strangely had no recollection of, there was very little in his life that he couldn't remember.
『So? What did you want to talk about, Ayanokouji-kun? Since you came all the way here searching for me, then as vice president, I'm obligated to hear your concerns. 』
However, instead of answering immediately, Ayanokouji turned toward Kushida, who had been sitting beside Kumagawa with that same amiable smile the entire time.
"Kushida, do you remember what you said back then during the three-legged race at the sports festival?"
"Of course I remember. There's no way I could forget, especially after you found out about my plan, right?" Kushida replied casually, without the slightest hint of her smile faltering.
"....."
Honestly, Ayanokouji couldn't tell what she was truly thinking.
She didn't seem bothered at all that he had discovered her role as the traitor. In fact, she didn't even look frustrated that her attempt to sabotage Horikita had failed. Whether she genuinely didn't care about the result, or simply refused to show her frustration outwardly, even the emotions she gave off didn't feel particularly shaken.
Either way, it was troublesome.
Then Ayanokouji turned toward Kumagawa.
"Kushida mentioned that you have a recording from that day."
That day, when Ayanokouji had learned about Kushida's true nature.
Apparently, Kumagawa had kept some kind of record of it on his phone. Without specifying exactly what recording he meant, Ayanokouji simply wanted confirmation that it existed. Of course, there was no guarantee Kumagawa would answer honestly, but he still wanted to confirm it.
『Eh? Did you tell him, Kushida-chan? 』
"What else could I do? Ayanokouji-kun found out about my involvement back then. If he exposed me as the class traitor, my social image would completely collapse. So to prevent that, I told him you had a recording from that day, just to make sure he wouldn't sell me out." Kushida shrugged lightly.
『Hoho, that's pretty shrewd of you, my blue-butt assistant. 』
"Can you stop with the harassment already? Ayanokouji-kun is watching us."
"..."
While Ayanokouji watched their exchange with a straight face, what bothered him wasn't their banter itself. What bothered him was the fact that Kumagawa had somehow been involved in the sports festival incident, or at the very least, was fully aware of it.
Kumagawa getting involved...
For some reason, Ayanokouji found that sentence horrifying.
Kumagawa then pulled out his phone while adjusting his sitting position, letting his legs dangle from the edge of the bulkhead rooftop.
After tapping the screen several times, he showed the recording to Ayanokouji from where he sat.
— Did you hear?
— Would you believe me if I said I didn't?
— I see...
— If you tell anyone what you just heard, I won't forgive you.
And it wasn't just an audio recording.
It was a full video recording.
If it had only been audio, Ayanokouji could probably have managed somehow with Chabashira-sensei's help. But a video was different. Even if the footage clearly showed Kushida threatening him, Kumagawa could simply display certain parts out of context as still images.
If that happened, Ayanokouji's school life would effectively be over.
"...Aren't you going to do something about this, Vice President Kumagawa?"
If Kumagawa truly acted as a student council member, then perhaps he could intervene. In this situation, Ayanokouji was clearly the victim of blackmail.
But—
『Well, it's true that as vice president, it's my duty to uphold school regulations and enforce the rules... but knowing you already grabbed Kushida-chan's chest makes me so jealous that I'd probably side with Kushida-chan instead if it came down to it. 』
"But aren't you the vice president?"
『Then that just makes you my enemy. 』 Kumagawa said with a smile.
"..."
Ayanokouji couldn't tell what he actually meant. However, one thing was obvious.
Kumagawa had absolutely no intention of upholding justice, protecting regulations, or acting fairly in this situation.
Ayanokouji wanted to point out that such behavior was inappropriate for a vice president, but his opponent was Kumagawa. Even if Ayanokouji's argument was logically and morally correct, Kumagawa would probably trample all over it simply because he felt like it.
Between Kushida and himself, Kumagawa would unquestionably choose Kushida.
Then he turned to Kushida again.
"Kushida, what are you going to do about Kumagawa then?"
"Hmm?" Kushida tilted her head in response.
"Kumagawa is aware of your true nature, So, do you plan to have him expelled as well? Just like you're attempting with Horikita because of your past?"
Ayanokouji already knew Kushida had no intention of expelling Kumagawa because of what she once described as 'suicidal.' However, he still didn't fully understand what she meant by that. It probably had something to do with Kumagawa's unsettling nature.
But now, with Kumagawa sitting right beside her, and the evidence itself right there in front of them, Ayanokouji wondered what kind of answer she would give.
Hearing that, Kushida's smile disappeared. Not because she was offended, nor because her expression turned cold. Rather, she simply looked like she was seriously thinking about how to answer. After a short silence, Kushida finally spoke.
"Well, in Horikita-san's case, it's because she knows about my past, right? In that situation, it's obvious she needs to be expelled. As for Kumagawa-kun, since he's my childhood friend, I guess it doesn't really count. Besides, he doesn't actually know the details of what happened back then, so everything's fine."
And with a smile, she said those words.
Then what about me...? Was what Ayanokouji wanted to ask, but this was clearly a two-against-one situation.
Even if the childhood friend excuse was legitimate, Ayanokouji doubted Kushida would spare Kumagawa for that reason alone. Which meant their relationship, aside from simply being childhood friends, was far more complicated than it appeared on the surface.
After all, Kushida was acting unusually casual despite the fact that the student with the worst reputation in the school knew her secret.
But there was nothing Ayanokouji could do about it.
He was completely powerless here.
No one was on his side.
As for Kushida, since she had already become deeply involved with Kumagawa, she had more or less accepted the fact that he knew about her rotten personality. Considering their relationship, it no longer bothered her that much.
Besides, Kumagawa had already given her valuable information regarding Ayanokouji's weakness.
For Kushida, that alone made the exchange worthwhile.
"In that case, how about we make a deal?" Ayanokouji looked toward Kumagawa.
Seeing that Kumagawa had no intention of upholding justice, protecting regulations, or acting fairly, Ayanokouji decided to move directly to the main point.
『Deal? 』
"Before that, if you were to take next week's exam, how confident are you in scoring at least two digits?"
While it was somewhat humiliating to ask a high school student a question like that, this was Kumagawa. It was a necessary thing to confirm.
Adopting an exaggerated thinking pose, Kumagawa answered seriously. 『If it comes down to it, I could probably score two digits in several subjects... probably? 』
"...What do you mean probably? Can you or can you not?"
『Well, who knows? I can be more optimistic than you might think. 』
"..."
『Hey, hey, don't look at me like that. I'm always trying as hard as I can, desperately trying to win, and it's just that my efforts aren't bearing fruit. 』
Ayanokouji honestly couldn't tell whether he was being serious or simply messing with him again.
"In that case, I'll score as high as possible myself to make sure we meet both the overall score requirement and the sixty-point threshold. In exchange, I want you to delete that recording and every backup copy if one exists."
In other words, Ayanokouji was offering to carry Kumagawa entirely through the exam.
For most students, that would be an impossible burden. However, Ayanokouji didn't really have a choice. More than anything, he needed that recording erased. As long as it existed, it would remain like a thorn stuck in his back. That was why he intended to use this exam as leverage to get rid of it.
In fact, the moment he learned about the pairing system, Ayanokouji had already started considering this possibility. That was one of the reasons why he convince Horikit and the others to let him paired with Kumagawa.
Even if this became troublesome later on, deleting that recording took priority.
『That's what he says, Kushida-chan. What do you think? 』 Kumagawa turned toward her.
"Huh? Why are you asking me?"
『Ahaha, Kushida-chan. Since the recording involves you, your opinion obviously matters more than mine, right? Since your voice matters more, naturally you should decide. 』
"But you're the one who recorded it. What kind of weird self-imposed restriction is that...?" Kushida waved her hand. "In any case, do whatever you want."
That recording...
Honestly, it would be better if it disappeared.
While Kushida believed Kumagawa wouldn't use it against her due to the nature of their relationship, she still preferred not having something like that saved on his phone. She had already done enough embarrassing things. Letting Ayanokouji touch her chest was bad enough, and Kumagawa occasionally harassed her about it even now.
As a girl, having that kind of recording preserved forever was simply embarrassing.
Besides, if Kumagawa truly wanted to threaten her with it, he would have done so long ago.
At times, Kushida even forgot the recording existed.
"So? What do you say?" Ayanokouji asked once more.
『Okay. 』He agreed.
However, the fact that Kumagawa agreed so easily without hesitation made Ayanokouji feel slightly uneasy instead.
『Just to confirm, the important point here is that Ayanokouji-kun will use his superhuman brain to carry me through the exam without me needing to do anything. In other words, Ayanokouji-kun will need to score above ninety in all eight subjects in case I get zero on any of them. 』
"That's right... though it would still be better if you at least tried."
『Do you want a contract, Ayanokouji-kun? Do you have paper? 』
Ayanokouji nodded and pulled out a blank sheet of paper from beneath his uniform vest.
He had already predicted how this conversation might go if Kumagawa accepted the proposal. And since he couldn't fully trust Kumagawa under any circumstance, he prepared the paper beforehand just to be safe.
He handed it over.
『Then the details... 』
Kumagawa placed the sheet on the ground and pulled out a fountain pen and began writing.
If Kushida remembered correctly, that fountain pen had once belonged to the former student council president. As for why Kumagawa had it, she didn't particularly care. Still, she genuinely hadn't expected Kumagawa to know how to use a fountain pen. Honestly, once the ink ran out, he would probably assume it was a disposable item.
『It's probably better to properly establish all the contract conditions first, right? 』
After finishing, Kumagawa handed the paper to Ayanokouji.
What was written on it was surprisingly simple.
Party A: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka
Party B: Kumagawa Misogi
Clause One — Party A shall fulfill his responsibilities as Party B's assigned partner during the Paper Shuffle Examination and obtain examination results sufficient to prevent both parties from receiving any penalties under the rules of the exam.
Clause Two — In exchange for the cooperation stated in Clause One, Party B shall permanently dispose of and refrain from disclosing the material previously discussed between both parties regarding Party A. Following the fulfillment of Clause One, said material shall be considered resolved, and Party B shall make no further use of it against Party A in any shape or form.
Clause Three — Party B guarantees that no copies or substitutes of the aforementioned evidence shall be retained following fulfillment of Clause Two.
Clause Four — The existence and contents of this Agreement shall remain confidential between both parties unless disclosure becomes necessary by mutual consent.
Even though Ayanokouji never had much confidence in Kumagawa to begin with, he still hadn't expected him to produce such a straightforward contract in such a short amount of time. To the point that Ayanokouji almost suspected Kumagawa had anticipated this entire situation beforehand.
But that would be impossible.
At that point, it would be closer to foresight than prediction.
Ayanokouji slowly reread each clause one by one, making sure not to overlook any troubling loopholes.
After all, this was Kumagawa Misogi he were dealing with.
『To think I need to start preparing to withdraw from the Student Council Office now... and after that, from Advanced Nurturing High School itself. Aw man, what school should I attack next? I mean, what school should I visit next? 』 Kumagawa spread his arms wide as he spoke, which gained Ayanokouji attention. Perhaps it was his way of showing how open-minded he was being.
Of course, Ayanokouji didn't particularly mind open-minded people. In fact, he preferred them that way. The problem was that his own future was currently tied to Kumagawa. If Kumagawa got expelled, then Ayanokouji would naturally be dragged down with him.
"You make it sound like my failure is already guaranteed."
『Ha ha ha. Don't be so petty, Ayanokouji-kun. You're going to lose friends acting like that, you know. 』
"I don't have enough friends to lose any." At first, Ayanokouji thought that sounded like a cool line. Then he realized it was actually kind of depressing—the sky was starting to grow bright as he spoke.
"Anyway, can I add one more clause?" Ayanokouji immediately changed the subject before he had to think too hard about how pathetic his school life currently was.
『Sure! 』
With that, Ayanokouji add the fifth clause, and incidentally the last one.
Clause Five — Party B shall participate in the Paper Shuffle Examination in good faith and shall not deliberately neglect his studies, sabotage, or intentionally lower his own performance during the examination.
With this addition, Ayanokouji eliminated the possibility of Kumagawa intentionally sabotaging his scores just to make things harder for him. While he still didn't expect Kumagawa to score beyond one digit, at the very least, this would prevent him from intentionally scoring zero in all eight subjects.
Seeing the newly added clause, Kumagawa didn't seem to mind it at all. His expression barely changed from how it normally looked.
『Are you done? 』 he asked.
"Yeah."
With that, both Ayanokouji and Kumagawa signed the contract, sealing the agreement between them.
『』『』『』『』『』
"How cruel."
After making the deal with Kumagawa, Ayanokouji immediately left the rooftop, saying he still had things to handle regarding the study group.
That left only Kushida and Kumagawa behind.
『Ahaha, don't think about it that way. It's cooperation between partners. In what way am I even being cruel? We even signed a contract to make it legitimate. 』
"....?"
Kushida seriously wondered if he even understood what cooperation meant.
Even if it looked like cooperation on the surface, it was closer to coercion.
Of course, it was because of Kushida's own revelation that things had reached this point in the first place. That was why Ayanokouji ended up accepting such a disadvantageous contract.
Ayanokouji would now have to work desperately during the exam for Kumagawa's sake so neither of them got expelled, while also securing the deletion of the incriminating evidence Kumagawa possessed.
Now that she thought about it carefully, Ayanokouji's situation was actually terrible.
『What's wrong, Kushida-chan? You suddenly got quiet. Did you die? 』
"No. Why would I die? I was just thinking."
『You really shouldn't overthink things. It's bad for brain development, you know? Sometimes it's best to just follow your instincts. Teal, don't mink, as they say. 』
"You mean feel, don't think."
『It's the same thing—reach for the skies and don't stay too grounded. Your thoughts should be free. Besides, why are you thinking so hard anyway? Did you start feeling bad for Ayanokouji-kun? 』
"I do feel bad, but not that bad."
Objectively speaking, Kushida did feel somewhat sorry for his situation. At the same time though, she also found herself enjoying it a little.
Enjoying someone else's suffering.
Honestly, it was slightly surprising that she had discovered something new about herself right now. Still, it was probably the kind of thing she would never openly acknowledge, and perhaps never fully accept either.
What did people call it these days?
Schadenfreude, was it?
Yeah, that sounded about right.
"Hup!"
Without hesitation, Kushida jumped down from the bulkhead roof.
It was a rather tomboyish move coming from someone who usually acted so girly all the time, but since nobody else was on the rooftop, and the height wasn't particularly dangerous, she didn't care much about it.
『Hmm? Where are you going? 』
"I promised Horikita-san that I'd take care of two or maybe three average students and tutor them for a while, in exchange for tutoring you privately. Ah, I forgot to mention it, but since I'll be tutoring you privately, you won't need to join the others during the study sessions."
Her decision would probably improve the quality of the study sessions and even raise the class's average score simply by removing Kumagawa from the group entirely.
In a certain sense, what she was doing could almost be considered saintly.
Of course, in reality, it was nothing more than part of her own scheme, but considering that the person she was dealing with was Kumagawa, it should still count as a saintly act to some extent.
When she was at the door, Kushida then stop as she looked at Kumagawa who is dangling his legs at the edge of the bulkhead roof. "By the way, now that you've made an agreement with Ayanokouji-kun, why don't you make one with me too, Kumagawa-kun?"
Now that she would be helping Kumagawa with his studies, she thought it was only fair for him to help her in return.
After all the trouble he constantly dragged into her life, he should at least be obligated to do that much.
After all—
He was supposed to be the ally of the weak.
『END』
『』『』『』『』『』
Here you go, peasants. Another chapter.
Ah, by the way, this volume will focus a lot on Kumagawa and Kushida's relationship. Like, really a lot. So there probably won't be many other characters appearing for now, at least not the ones I currently have in mind.
I also noticed that the story has been focusing pretty heavily on Kushida lately instead of the other characters. But before I can properly develop Kumagawa's relationships with the rest of the cast, I feel like I need to flesh out Kushida's character first, especially as preparation for Year 2 later on... (If I actually decide to write it. I really want to write Ichika, frfr.)
So, if that ends up being a bit of a turn-off for some people, please bear with it for now. Tehe :p
Anyway, that's it for today's chapter.
Hope you enjoyed it.
[Thanks for Reading ]