2 Chapter 1 The Price of Victory
INTRODUCTION
The unanimous special exam was over, and the week began after the weekend, September
20th.
I woke up around 6:30 a.m., turned on the TV, and started preparing breakfast.
A new Monday has arrived, and it will be a very different routine than the one we had last week.
It's not hard to guess why that is.
There are two main factors responsible. The cracks in the relationship between the classmates
caused by Kushida's revelations and by overturning the precondition of limiting dropouts to
traitors, that is, Kushida, trust of our classmates in me and Horikita has been broken.
The choice was to expel or not expel the traitor, and I got everyone to vote in favor of it,
promising that only the traitor would be expelled. I then used my previous strategies to push
Kushida into a corner, and after she confessed to being a traitor, I carried out my plan to expel
her.
Kushida was protected by the students who wanted to believe in her and those who liked her,
but their trust was lost when she finally revealed her true nature and started revealing their
secrets.
She was one step closer to being expelled, but then something unexpected happened.
It was Suzune Horikita, after knowing everything, she appealed that Kushida was a necessary
resource for the class.
To top it all off, she even went so far as to say that she would never agree to expel Kushida.
Originally, I promised to drop out only the traitor, and Horikita only agreed to it, but I was still
surprised that she defended Kushida.
With the little time we had left, we could either leave Kushida and accept the penalty of the
exam, or let someone else leave the school and pass the exam.
Anyway, as mentioned above, the trust of my classmates in Horikita, who changed her policy,
and I, who accepted it and decided to drop out someone else, was greatly shaken.
A person who is genuinely hurt by the revelation of a faint love affair.
A person who has become suspicious because he has been slandered by his friends behind his
back.
A person who loses a friend and now resents others.
The list of reasons for the seriousness of the situation in the class are endless.
The impacts of this, on the other hand, are not a cause for concern; rather, they were
anticipated from the start.
It was an unavoidable and necessary task to bring down Kushida, a person of trust in class.
It's easy to pass off if you think of this as just a disadvantage.
But I don't see it that way. You can't gain experience if you take that approach. It is a loss of
opportunity to miss the chance to grow.
Airi was the only one of the four classes to drop out of school. Her classmates were deeply hurt.
In return, we gained class points.
No.
It is important to change the perspective of the situation.
We shouldn't just stop here, but look beyond it.
We must assume that this hurting situation has given us an opportunity to strengthen our bond.
By doing so, Horikita's class can become even stronger.
It's unclear how many students are aware of this, but they need to face the problem, not run
away from it.
The special exam for Horikita's class is still going on.
The weight and preciousness of 100 class points. It's a good way to reflect on and learn about
your own actions.
Of course, we need to be careful because if we let it go, we could throw away all the advantage
gained. If left untreated, the wound could only spread further.
I finished my breakfast and checked my phone with my toothbrush in hand.
It seems that there has been no new communication made since midnight.
"And yet…"
Anyway, I am still surprised that the special exam took an unexpected turn, as this was not the
ending I had originally planned. From a variety of perspectives, including rationality, consistency,
and objectivity, there was no choice but to expel Kushida Kikyo, who had continued to insist on expelling, plunging the class into chaos.
I had decided that her withdrawal would leave the least damage to the class and we could shift
everyone's mind immediately to the sports festival.
In other words, from my subjective point of view, Horikita's choice not to expel Kikyo Kushida,
the traitor, is unreasonable, irrational, and a mistake.
Even though I felt that it was a clear mistake, I supported Horikita in her decision to expel Airi. In
other words, I chose to resign myself to an irrational failure.
At least, it's an option that I never would had before I came to this school.
So what is the reason for accepting it now?
A student named Suzune Horikita had stronger feelings for Kushida than some of the other
students.
Kushida was undoubtedly a close friend to Horikita, even if the expression "close friend" is not
quite correct. It is natural to want to keep those who are special to you, but if you make
judgements based on that, it will remain unfair.
In addition, it could be seen as an abuse of her established position as a leader.
It would be easier to understand if we take the perspective of Haruka, who was Airi's best friend,
as an example.
From Haruka's point of view, Kushida's persistence on the option of 'expelling a student' was evil
and she should be eliminated. And initially both I and Horikita were also proceeding on the premise of eliminating that traitor. That's why she cast a vote for the expulsion. Nevertheless,
her best friend left the school because of Horikita's preferential treatment of Kushida.
Even if she were told to start working hard again next week, she would never be able to
convince herself to do so.
But let's not forget that Horikita's choice was not an easy one either.
In that special exam where she was forced to make a difficult choice, Horikita came up with a
clear answer for herself.
And at the risk of getting herself in harm's way, she declared that she would keep Kushida.
This alone is an impossible decision for an ordinary student. Even though she was prepared to
be accused of being unfair, Horikita believed that keeping Kushida was in the best interest of the
class.
"Of course, that doesn't mean it's the right answer at this point."
Before the unanimous special exam, Kushida was clearly more valuable than Airi in bringing
benefit to the class. Even after the revelation, Kushida still had the upper hand, but the gap that
had been so large had definitely narrowed. In addition to that, Kushida herself has not changed
her mind and is expected to continue to be uncooperative with the class in the future.
In other words, there was no guarantee that keeping Kushida would benefit the class.
Horikita's idea seems to be going wrong at this point.
Only that conclusion remains unchanged. Still, I supported Horikita's idea for only one reason.
To put it bluntly, I want to see Horikita's growth, direction, and results.
What lies at the end of an action that cannot be chosen by the human being Kiyotaka
Ayanokoji?
I wanted to see the class chemistry that would result from leaving Kushida behind.
Horikita
Will you prove your choice right by grabbing Class A by a narrow margin?
Or
Will the Class collapse and you learn the error of your choice?
Or will it bring other unexpected changes?
At least, I think it's more likely to create negative changes…
When I activated OAA from my phone, I found that Airi Sakura's name had already been deleted
from the class list. It was as if such a student had never existed in the first place.
I put my phone in the right pocket of my uniform, then grabbed my shoes and headed for the
door.
Apart from the situation in the class, there was also a strange unusual movement in other
classes.
It was the fact that Ryuuen and Sakayanagi wanted to fight each other in the final exam. It was
not strange for Ryuuen to nominate Class A to take away class points. But what about
Sakayanagi? I'm not sure why she would want to nominate the lowest ranked Ryuuen class at
that point. She judged that it would be better to fight Ryuen.
I wonder if the "promise" made between Sakayanagi and Ryuuen has anything to do with it. It's
worth paying attention to. So we've got the best situation for Horikita's class…
I left my room at the same time as usual and headed out of the dormitory.
When I got off the elevator, I saw Horikita sitting on the sofa in the lobby, waiting for someone.
She took one look at me, but didn't seem to be trying to get up.
However, perhaps because there was exactly no one around, she stood up somewhat late and
approached me.
"Are you waiting for Kushida?"
Before Horikita could speak, I asked her, and she replied, stammering for a moment.
"Y- You have a good idea. Yeah. I went to her room several times on weekends …"
It seems that she tried to take care of her mentally, but she couldn't even make contact with her.
It would've been the most humiliating thing she'd ever experienced in her life. Kushida wouldn't
be ready to face Horikita right away.
Perhaps Horikita had been waiting here for Kushida to come down from a very early hour.
But what bothered me more was that I could easily see the lack of sleep under Horikita's eyes.
"Looks like you're pretty distressed about Kushida."
"What? Oh, no. It is lack of sleep, but this is a little different reason. She never got out of the
room. No matter how many times I visited, she was away. Still, I've been on the lookout for her."
"You mean you were waiting by the front door?"
Even if it was only on weekends, it would be a big deal if she was out from morning till night.
"I repeatedly pressed the bell and waited. Still, it was quiet, not a single sound."
It was no surprise that there was enough food in Kushida's room to last her for a couple of days.
"And we need to be careful about our surroundings, don't we? It wouldn't do us any good if the
other class knew about Kushida-san ."
Her nerves were on edge as she waited in the hallway for her to come out. It was truly a hard
day.
An ordinary student would have been defeated by Horikita's passion, but Kushida was the
opposite student for this.
"After what happened the other day, she can't be what she was before."
"Since you made the choice to keep Kushida, it's only natural that you would certainly follow
through."
Horikita nodded with a hint of determination, but I'm sure she wasn't entirely without her
thoughts.
"How was your... weekend, Ayanokoji-kun?"
What was it about, oh of course, the Ayanokoji group. Since Airi was expelled, Horikita should
see that there are more problems than leaving Kushida.
"I've had brief contact with Keisei and Akito, but that's all."
That, too, was not part of the conversation, especially about Airi. And when it came to Haruka,
there was no sign that she had read the message. I'm not an expert on how to use apps, but I
wouldn't be surprised if she blocked me, even if she didn't leave the group.
"I take it you haven't had a chance to talk to Hasebe yet."
"Well, yes. I couldn't muster up the courage to get in touch with Haruka."
After showing an apologetic look, Horikita bowed her head.
It's impossible to talk to each other now, even if we meet forcibly.
Instead of trying to fix the relationship, it is more practical for the three of them to maintain the
group relationship with me out of it.
In other words, keeping an eye on things for now is the best option.
Even if Haruka still holds a grudge against me in the process, it will eventually come out at
some point.
It would be better for the class if that were to happen, but we have to be prepared for it if it
doesn't. If she continued to hold a grudge against me, Horikita, and the class, it's possible that
Haruka could harm the class for her personal reasons.
Her specs are not essential to the class, but missing one reasonably useful piece and reducing
the class maximum value even by one is of course a disadvantage.
Along with this, this could also affect Akito and Keisei in the process.
"I don't think anything I say will get through now. We'll just have to wait."
First of all, this is not the place to discuss it, that's for sure.
After confirming each other's situation, Horikita quietly took a deep breath.
"By forcing you to make the choice to keep Kushida-san, I've changed your relationship."
I was the one who directly handed Airi over to her, but it was a role I took upon myself.
It's my responsibility, at least for that part.
"You don't have to apologize twice for the same thing. If you thought it was the right thing to do,
so be it."
"But you covered for me. No, that's not all..."
She spun her words carefully, as if trying to clear her head.
"Even if I had induced Sakura-san to leave the school in that situation, I'm sure Hasebe-san
would not have relented until the end. In other words, the penalty for running out of time was
unavoidable."
Thanks to the time this weekend, she'd got a good idea of what's going on.
The burden of the role of pronouncing expulsion and the difficulty of carrying it out are different.
The fight against the limited time was tougher than imagined.
She was relieved that we had avoided the worst of it, but her eyes looked somewhat anxious.
A small number of us are seeking salvation to a path where no one has ever left the class
because the time ran out.
A world where 39 people were there, not a single one missing. Despite losing class points, she
was able to bond and aim for Class A again by protecting her friends.
Horikita knows that this is an escape thought.
That's why, deep down, she holds back the thoughts.
"That test, it was as if you had it all figured out from the start."
"I didn't foresee the future. I just went into it with all kinds of assumptions."
"Still, It's amazing. Creating some images of situations in mind, trying to read through them
perfectly. The content of the assignment, what kind of statement will make the other person
move as you want. It was all based on calculation."
Little by little, she began to notice the world I was seeing and thinking about.
"Reflections and analysis are all well and good, but right now we have to solve the problems in
class first, don't we?"
"Yeah, yeah. Right..."
"Don't expect things to be the same as they were the other day."
"Of course I'm prepared for that. I'm sure Hasebe resents me, and I'm sure Yukimura and
Miyake-kun feel the same way. And there are students who are not convinced that I made a
strong move to keep Kushida-san."
You say you're prepared, but that's still not a true understanding of the situation.
How long can you remain calm about the changes that your decisions lead to?
It would be fine if this was just a positive change, but this time it is almost the exact opposite. It's
a negative change.
You won't be seen as a meritorious person who has increased class points.
"I think it's time to go to school now."
I don't see the point in having a long conversation here, since Horikita is too busy dealing with
Kushida right now.
"And there's no good in standing out."
This isn't just a dormitory for the students of Horikita's class.
Students of other classes, such as Sakayanagi and Ryūen, live in the same dorms.
I don't believe that we can keep a lid on things related to Kushida's true nature, but that doesn't
mean that there is any need for us to expose it ourselves.
The class certainly scored big points.
It will be up to the students in the future to successfully deal with the cost.
But before that,
it's a problem for the class to solve, and that's what we're going to do.
PART 1
When I entered the classroom, I instantly noticed that the mood had remained unchanged since
the special exam.
There were a few students who looked at me at first. This is an unusually high number of
students who I do not have close friendships with on a daily basis, but it should come as no
surprise.
Considering that I've spent the majority of my time without getting involved in things, I've taken
quite a few steps.
They don't comprehend a lot of things about Kushida's relationship and her previous outward
attitude. Not many of them are able to come and talk to me directly, even though they care
about it.
"Good morning Ayanokoji-kun"
In the midst of all this, Matsushita approached me, looking happy to see me.
"Good morning."
Everyone's glances shifted to astonishment at her unexpected behaviour.
Although Matsushita had waved at me from a distance, this was probably the first time she had
approached me like this after I had just reached the class.
Was it out of concern for what happened the other day, or was there another purpose?
Matsushita has a high opinion of my abilities. The fact that I attempted to expel Kushida and the
manner in which I confronted her may have enhanced rather than lowering my reputation. Even
in the process of expelling Airi, Matsushita was one of the students who vocally agreed that it
was inevitable.
"Are we finally on our way to Class A?"
"I don't know."
I avoided it, and then, simply withdrew, as if there was no need to go any farther. After that, she
shifted her gaze to the side.
"There might be a lot going on for a while, but I don't think you need to worry about it."
After she said that, she added,
"Since it's Ayanokoji-kun, I'm sure he doesn't mind."
She's going to be honest with me.
"The important thing is that it is not Ayanokoji-kun or Horikita-san."
Matsushita seems to have a better understanding of my feelings than Horikita when it comes to
how I feel about this outcome.
The problem would be Shinohara, Haruka, Mii Chan and Kushida.
The students I've just named are those who were particularly damaged by the unanimous
special exam.
A painful gaze from Shinohara sometimes turns to me.
It was not directed at me, but at Matsushita. However, she seems to be unconcerned.
"I tried to make it work this weekend, but she canceled on me."
She whispered, perhaps noticing Shinohara's gaze.
"Girls tend to linger in these situations."
"It's hard."
"Well, I'm the one to blame,"
It originally started when Kei, Matsushita and others made fun of Shinohara and Ike as a couple.
It was only natural for Shinohara to be angry, since she had been bad-mouthed behind her back
about her looks.
"It's just an everyday thing. There have been times when things were worse."
The dynamic relationship between girls is something that boys who only have a superficial
relationship with girls cannot understand.
I don't think I want to know.
After that, no student in particular approached me, and time passed by.
Horikita also came to school late, but there was no sign of Kushida.
Sudo and some of the students tried to talk to Horikita, but since it was just in time for school,
the bell rang and they each took their own seats.
Kushida, who did not appear in front of Horikita over the weekend, seems to be still hiding from
her.
There were several empty chairs in the morning homeroom.
When Chabashira-sensei came to the classroom, she immediately noticed the empty seats.
"Kushida, Hasebe, and Wang will be absent. That seems like a rare occurrence."
We don't know the details of their absence, but Chabashira-sensei does.
"As for Hasebe and Wang, they have notified about their illnesses and it's being accepted. As
for Kushida, we have not heard from her, so we will call her later to confirm. I'm sure we'll soon
find out if she just overslept or if she's too sick to get up."
Although she used a somewhat exaggerated expression, she was probably making a statement
based on the assumption that she was suffering from a temporary illness.
It's not uncommon for students to be absent for long periods of time in school.
But this is the first time in the past year and a half that all three of them have been absent at the
same time. Until now, even when someone was absent, Chabashira sensei had never said
anything. It's different from the past where she just went about her business. If this were a
normal school, the cost of the absences would all come back to that person; if you were absent
for a week, it would affect your internal evaluation score, and you might even be left behind in
class.
However, in this school, one person's responsibility is also everyone's responsibility.
All of them are not saying anything, but I'm sure Chabashira-sensei understands what they're
worried about.
"Don't look so anxious. A day or two off won't affect your class points. It just so happens that all
three of them got sick at the same time."
She assures everyone that there will be no impact on the class at this moment.
Everyone must have been relieved to hear her clear words.
"But that's not the case if this vacation lasts too long. And if it turns out to be a malingering
illness, the problems will gradually come to the surface."
[Malingering means here, to feign illness or pretending to be sick]
She stares at Kushida's seat, who is not in contact with the school, and responds.
"Well, perhaps the term 'malingering illness' was a bit of an exaggeration, but there is a limit to
how long you can be ill without any specific details. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery, if
possible."
Even if she didn't want to, the eyes of everyone would be drawn to Horikita. In the unanimous
special examination, she declared that she would put her own ideas first and prevent Kushida's
expulsion. Naturally, most of the blame was directed at Horikita.
While receiving the pressure of the stares, Horikita does not move an inch.
After looking at the situation, Chabashira-sensei coughed once and forcibly pulled the students'
attention away from Horikita.
"I'm concerned about the absentees, but we can't afford to dwell on that. The unanimous special
exam is over, and you must turn your attention to the next exam."
She lightly placed the palm of her hand on the monitor behind her to bring up the screen.
"I would like to explain the details of the Sports festival and the special rules that will be applied
this year. Please listen carefully."
The sports festival that awaits us will be the same as last year's. That's what the students were
thinking.
"Special rules... Are you saying we're going to have a different sports festival than last year,
sensei?"
Chabashira-sensei nodded once in response to a question from Sudo, who was more
enthusiastic about the sports festival than anyone else.
"The new way of this school proposed by the student council president is being accepted,
including the uninhabited island test. An attempt to strongly incorporate a plan that emphasizes
individual ability, and it will be a sports festival that represents it."
In the desert island examinations, Koenji, with his high academic ability and above all his
outstanding physical ability, performed very well and earned class points as well as a huge
amount of private points individually.
It was a true representation of a meritocratic school. On the other hand, students who were not
good enough were in danger of being expelled. This was a sports festival where the same
emphasis was placed on individual abilities as at that time. If we were to take the words alone, it
would be a tough test for students like Keisei, whose academic ability was their strong point, but
who were worried about their physical abilities.
"However, this year's sports festival has been coordinated in such a way that no individual
student will be expelled or suffer any damage due to lack of individual ability. Because not
everyone is able to perfectly embody both literacy and athletics."
Perhaps to avoid a mild panic, Chabashira-sensei explained gently.
Some of the students looked at each other in surprise at the softer tone of voice that was
different from last week.
Needless to say, the monitor displayed the outline and rules of the athletic festival.
Outline and Rules of the Sports Festival
Overview :
A sports festival for all grades, consisting of various events.
A sports festival for all grades, consisting of various events, held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
(with a break from noon to 1:00 p.m.) Students are free to participate in any event of their
choice, score points, and compete in class for the overall score.
Rules :
● Each student will be given 5 points at the start.
● Students participating in the athletic festival need to participate in 5 different events.
● 1 point will be given as a prize for participation in each event.
● Winners will receive additional points depending on the event.
● After the 6th event, you can participate every time you pay 1 point (you cannot get 1
point of the participation prize).
● The maximum number of events that can be participated in is 10 per person.
● If an athletic event ends with less than five events, all points earned will be forfeited.
● Non-participation or Absence from entered competitions except for unavoidable reasons
will lose 2 points.
● Students who have completed their competitions should be in several designated areas.
The above was displayed on the monitor.
Just by reading this overview and the rules, you can see that this is something completely
different from last year.
"This is the outline and rules of this year's sports festival. Unlike the usual event where the
whole school watches a single event, this year's event will be held at the same time in various
locations."
"Well, it looks like it will be a busy day."
Sudo was puzzled by the rough image of the day in his head.
"Participating in competitions and aiming for high rankings is a top priority, but it requires a
detailed schedule. If you plan to participate in many events to win, it will be a busy sports
festival. There are two main types of competitions : the first is called the basic competition.
These are competitions that can be participated in by one person, and all the basic competitions
have a fixed reward of five points for first place, three points for second place, one point for third
place, and one point as a participation prize. The other type of competition is called "special
competition," where two or more people can participate in a team competition. The rewards are
higher in the team competition, and all participating teams receive equal points. While the
rewards are attractive, they also have drawbacks such as the need for coordination and longer
time constraints."
There is a clear distinction between individual and team competitions,
and the team competition seems to be given more points.
There is no risk of getting the lowest rank, which is a nice consideration for students who are not
good at sports.
"The rewards for team competitions vary from event to event, so be sure to check them out
separately."
It's a simple rule once you understand it, but there's a surprisingly large number of things you
have to do.
The initial five points and the five points for participation, a total of ten points, can be obtained
by participating in the sports festival and completing the competition regardless of the grade. If
there are any students who fail to meet the minimum requirements due to some kind of
accident, the points will be reduced by 10 for each student.
If we assume that everyone will participate, Ichinose, who is in the 40-person class, currently
has 400 points, and this class, which is missing two students, has 380 points. We will be fighting
with a handicap of 20 points at the start.
The reward for individual battles that is known now is 5 points if you take 1st place. Four more
are required to take first place. It might not seem that much, but only up to 10 competitions can
be played by each person.
In other words, it is impossible to have Sudo work full-time and participate in 15 or 20 events
and make a lot of points. It will be a heavy burden on him.
"It's up to the individual and the class to decide whether they want to pay their points and
participate in the sixth and later events. The overall score at the end of the festival will
determine the ranking of each grade."
The monitor switches to show the rewards by grade.
Rankings by Class
Ranking reward by class
1st place
150 class points
2nd place
50 class points
3rd place
0 class points
4th place
-150 class points
In terms of regular exams, I feel that the class points fluctuate somewhat.
But
I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that it's a big overall event, the Sports Festival,
and the fact that the currently announced Cultural Festival has relatively slow fluctuations in
class points.
"These were the rewards for each class. I will now announce the rewards for individuals."
The class-based rewards alone are motivating enough, but it doesn't stop there.
As this was a sports festival that was meant to test individual abilities, it was inevitable that
individual rewards would also be prepared.
As Sudo leaned forward, he waited while holding his breath for the monitor to switch.
He knows better than anyone else that this is the event of the year where he can shine.
Individual competition Rewards (by grade and gender)
1st place: 2,000,000 Private Points or Class Transfer Ticket (limited)
2nd place: 1 million private points
3rd place: 500,000 Private Points
Sudo gasps at the reward of high private points.
In addition to that, it also contained a statement that I had never seen before.
"Class transfer tickets," no way!?"
The class buzzed with surprise like never seen before.
"The school was also very cautious about implementing this new system; the introduction of
protection points was also unheard of, but it was implemented not long after; yet it's also a
natural right for students who have demonstrated their individual qualities to advance."
The only winners in this school are those students who are able to graduate with an A grade.
It's no wonder that if you're the number one student in your grade in a physical education exam
that requires a great deal of physical ability, you deserve the right to move classes.
As a matter of fact, the sports festival doesn't seem to fall under the category of a special exam.
However, what's interesting is that 2 million private points and class transfer tickets are treated
as equals. Originally, the number of private points needed to move classes was 20 million. In
other words, there's a lot missing. Nevertheless, the right to move classes is given. The answer
to this disproportion may lie in the limited text mentioned on the class transfer ticket.
"What do you mean by limited... like you have to move and come back sometime?"
"No, you don't, do you? That doesn't make any sense."
Sudo and Ike, confused by the word "limited", started talking from their seats.
"It'll give you the right to move classes. But it's also true that we can't make everything definite
at this point. Therefore, the term "limited" refers to the period of use. The right can only be used
during the second semester. In other words, if you don't use it before the third semester starts, it
will be invalid."
Limited class transfer tickets are with a period of use, so to speak.
This makes some sense why it is considered equal to 2 million points.
If you can hold onto your ticket until after graduation, it's practically an A-class ticket, but since
there is a deadline, you need to have an eye for the class that will ultimately be the Class A.
If you move from your current class to another class, but eventually the original class graduates
from class A, you'll be worried for a long time that you've fallen into the trap of temptation of this
ticket.
Even if you don't suffer such a worst case scenario, still it takes a certain amount of courage to
use it.
Because abandoning your own class, which you've been used to for over a year and a half, is
not an easy thing to do.
Even if Sudo won the right to do so, when I objectively thought about whether he would leave
Horikita and his friends and go to Class A, I couldn't easily imagine him moving classes.
Even though it was a high-profile sports event, it didn't mean that a single success would
guarantee you a spot in Class A.
It needs to be kept in mind.
However, that's only for the second year.
If you are in a different grade, the value changes.
If you are a freshman, you may abandon your current class, which you are not so close to yet,
and move to a class where you feel you have a better chance of winning, or simply to A class.
On the other hand, for the third-year students, it is the strongest right to move to Nagumo's
class.
The reason is that it is the same as graduating with an A class. Since you can use it right before
graduation.
The right to move classes in any grade, and to be given that very limited choice, is huge.
It will be interesting to see how this will affect the future.
I'm sure the school will see the response and decide if they want to offer the same kind of
tickets again.
I think it's an interesting reward with an interesting balance overall.
"The students who come in first place, male and female, will be asked to choose between them.
Sudo, if you plan on taking the top spot in the individual competition, you'd better think twice."
I could see Sudo's back stiffen.
Instead of delusionally prioritizing your friends and jumping to 2 million points, look further.
Will you choose Horikita's class, where you are now, or will you move to Sakayanagi's class A?
You have the right to face your future and consider it carefully.
"Now let's move on to a more detailed explanation. There are two types of competitions: those
that are open to the public in advance and those that are not open to everyone until the day of
the competition. In other words, there will be a certain number of events that you will have to
tackle on the spot."
In addition to the basic events such as the 100-meter run and steeplechase (obstacle chase),
there are also some unusual events that looks interesting such as penalty kicks, basketball shootouts, tennis singles and mixed doubles. You won't find any of these events at a normal
sports festival.
There are a lot of competitions that you won't see in a normal sports festival.
"You may not be able to participate in all the competitions you want due to the limited number of
participants or the time of the event. If you force yourself to make a schedule that doesn't fit the
time schedule, you may not be able to participate in time and may be treated as absent. Don't
forget that you also run the risk of losing your points."
It is necessary for students who have excellent physical abilities in the school as a whole to
participate in many events where they can efficiently earn points. In this sense, there is also an
aspect of using one's head, and one's luck or ability to guess who will be able to participate in
which event.
However, if the sports festival were to be held in this state, the students would panic. On the day
of the event, if all the students crowded into a particular event at once, it would be impossible to
compete.
Of course, the school would be aware of it.
"To participate in the open events, you can make a reservation on the dedicated app from 10
p.m. today. The earlier the better for all grades. We will accept cancellations up to one week
before the event, but you can only cancel three times. The last reservation deadline is two days
before the event, and if you haven't registered for the maximum of five events by then, you will
automatically be assigned to an available spot."
Then a timetable that appeared to be an app screen was displayed.
"Let's say you want to try out for the 100-meter dash."
The screen switches.
This is an event for up to seven participants of the same grade and gender. Four races in total.
You can register for any race. You can register for any race, or participate on the day if there are
seats available. Participants must arrive 5 minutes before the start of their race to complete their
entry. There's no need to wait until the end of the race. Scheduled start time for the first race:
10:15 a.m.
Because of this, the maximum number of boys and girls who can participate in the 100-meter
run is 56 combined. No matter how many races you participate in, the competition starts at
10:15, which means that you must arrive at least five minutes before the event. From the
explanation that there is no need to wait after the competition, if you participate in the first race,
you can start moving on to the next competition in a short time. On the other hand, if you
participate in the fourth race, you will be detained for a long time. Same competition, same
reward, but you lose some time.
"It is also important to note that students who are currently enrolled or have been enrolled in a
club at least once during the school year will not be allowed to participate in the relevant event.
Example Hirata, you can't participate in soccer, and Sudo, you can't participate in anything
related to basketball."
The students who are involved in club activities are simply at an advantage. So there are these
restrictions. Certainly, they want to avoid having a confrontation between students who have
experience in club activities, since it is unlikely that any student can beat a real professional like
Yosuke or Sudo.
If Sudo is playing soccer and Yosuke is playing basketball, the other students will have a good
chance to win.
In junior high school, you devoted yourself to club activities, but did not choose it as a club
activity in high school. Then you have the upper hand.
There will be a small number of such students.
There may be some disadvantages in that area.
"But the app is… it's like reserving seats… like for a movie."
Sudo, who had been taking the explanation seriously, was right on point.
"I'd say the system is similar, for sure. The system is designed to reflect in real time who
chooses which events and at which time slots."
"That means some students can cancel because they don't want to play against me, right?"
Crossing his arms proudly, Sudo mutters.
"Yes. But those students will sooner or later hit the three cancellation limit."
Since the number of people who can participate in each competition and the time are fixed, you
would want to choose your strongest events and specific races as soon as possible in order to
plan your schedule. However, the earlier you get there, the higher the risk of being targeted by strong opponents. However, once the number of 'withdraw' limits has been decided, students
will hesitate to even make a reservation this time.
There will also be a battle to check and explore.
It's like the beginning of a sports festival, where the competition takes place online.
"Also, if there is a tie in the individual competition results, private points will be split equally and
no class transfer tickets will be available."
If students were to collude to create a large number of ties for first place and win a large number
of class transfer tickets, the system would collapse. I guess this is a measure to avoid that.
Anyway, if you play an active part and get all the rewards by yourself, you will get a lot of money
or a class transfer ticket. It is a reward worthy of the ability.
Even if you don't plan to move classes, 2 million can be used for a variety of purposes. It is also
possible to accumulate 20 million points and set the stage for Class A.
On the other hand, students who are not confident in their athletic ability should be allowed to
participate in the five compulsory events as much as possible. If they don't win in the sixth or
later events, they will lose a point. That's a big disadvantage in a class battle. However, it also
depends on how you fight. As soon as Chabashira-sensei finished her explanation and left the
room, the classroom became as heated as boiling water.
"Okay, Suzune, let's get this meeting started."
The first one to shout out loud was Sudo. He was suddenly very motivated after hearing the
rules.
Yosuke naturally sat up and started to walk towards Horikita. Up to this point, it was the same
flow as usual.
However, some of the students were beginning to look coldly.
Doubts swirled around whether it was okay to really leave it to Horikita.
"There is one thing I need to tell you before we start discussing this sports festival."
Moving before anyone was able to say anything. She stood up from her seat and turned around
so that everyone could see her face.
"During the special examinations held last weekend, I made the choice not to expel
Kushida-san, in violation of my promise to everyone. Let me first apologize for that."
Horikita bowed her head after that. When she looked up, though, she had a fierce will in her
eyes.
"But I think I made the right choice. She's a great asset to the class."
"I don't think so."
Shinohara was the first to deny Horikita's words. She was one of the victims of Kushida's
revelation.
"Now that I know Kushida-san is like that, I don't trust her. I don't feel like anyone is talking
about her to the rest of the classes right now, but it's only a matter of time, isn't it?"
Shinohara cuts into an important factor that should be put on the table and considered whether
you like Kushida or not.
We can't change the fact that Kushida will continue to exist as a classmate, and if we're going to
proceed on that basis, it's better to keep the inconvenient "truth" to ourselves as much as
possible.
In other words, to go around telling the enemy class Kushida's true nature is to strangle
yourself.
It's a simple thing about the benefits of keeping quiet, but it's surprisingly difficult to do so.
In particular, Shinohara, who is protesting now, has been directly hurt by Kushida.
It is something that would not be surprising if it had already spread, but for the moment it seems
to be contained.
Shinohara doesn't seem to understand its advantages. If that is the case, it is no wonder that
someone smart enough to understand this, someone like Yosuke, would have urged her to keep
quiet about it beforehand.
However, it is doubtful that this will continue indefinitely. When the doubts and insecurities about
Kushida reach their limit, they will break down at once.
"Hey, Horikita-san. Can you really say you were right to not expel Kushida-san? Answer me."
Shinohara's words made Horikita, who had only been looking at her, numb and rush her answer.
"It's not something that can be answered at this moment. It's the same for me, Shinohara-san,
and the rest of our classmates. We need to make our presence felt for the rest of our school
life."
"What's that? I want an answer now. In all likelihood, Kushida-san will get in the way of the class
no matter what."
"Indeed, the unanimous special examination may have hurt you. It may have hurt Wang-san and
Hasebe-san, who are absent now. But the fact that Kushida-san has contributed to this class for
a year and a half will never disappear. Or do you think that you have achieved more than her?"
Causing major problems doesn't make past achievements go away.
She has been influential in bringing the class together, caring for everyone and raising the
academic and physical averages.
At least Shinohara personally has not achieved more than Kushida.
"I can't blame you for not taking kindly to my change in decision and Kushida-san's persistence
in sticking up for the drop out option. But if you had expelled Kushida-san, how could you say it
was the right thing to do? How can you be okay with your class average dropping and losing the
special exam?"
"That's... You don't know that until you try it."
"You're right. Then what I'm about to do is something you won't know until you try it."
Either way, it's still an uncertain future.
For Shinohara it won't be easy to argue with Horikita.
"Can I have a moment?"
As Horikita and Shinohara stared at each other, Yosuke stood up, raising his hands.
"There's something that's been bugging me. If we are to make the most of Kushida-san's skills,
we need to keep her secret within the class. That's why I've been asking everyone in the class
to keep quiet about it."
"That's right. If someone hadn't given instructions behind the scenes, it would have been spread
everywhere by this time."
Horikita was wondering the same thing, as the rumors about Kushida had still not circulated
anywhere.
"But Horikita-san never asked to keep quiet. Why is that?"
"Because it doesn't matter how many words you put up against someone who wants to bring her
down. The only difference is whether the school finds out about it sooner or later."
Regardless of the process, this will help the students make a decision. Will they let their
emotions take over and make their true nature known to get back at Kushida, or will they keep it
a secret for the sake of the class?
"I wouldn't talk even if Hirata-kun doesn't ask me. We had a chance to get together on our day
off, and we were discussing how it wouldn't do any good to leak this out. Of course, I'd be lying if
I said I didn't have thoughts for the current Kushida-san."
Matsushita is smart. Although she was one of those affected by Kushida's revelation, she
understands the disadvantages of spreading the word on her own.
You've been exposed, so you expose back. The only thing you get from doing that is a
temporary sense of accomplishment.
"I will bring her back. And if I can't... I'll take whatever responsibility I have to."
The students, who were looking coldly, at her strong determination to take responsibility, clears
their throats and gasps.
Shinohara is no exception.
"Are you really going to take responsibility?"
"It was with that resolve that I chose to keep Kushida-san. If it comes to that, you people can
judge me."
Akito and Keisei also stared silently.
It's not hard to imagine how they must be feeling listening to this.
Anyway, with a strong word from Horikita, the conversation was settled and idle time arrived.
Horikita's gaze was not on me, but on someone else. That person also looked back at Horikita,
and eventually Horikita left the classroom. At the same time, Koenji, who was sitting across from
Horikita, stood up and walked out of the classroom as well.
I was curious about what was going on, so I decided to go to the door, opening it a little to check
it out.
"You acted like you wanted to talk to me about something, what was it?"
"I just want to make sure everything's okay with the upcoming sports festival."
"Huh. I don't have to cooperate with you, am I right?"
"Of course. I just want to be sure of your intentions. Can you tell me that much?"
Whether or not to include Koenji's activities in the calculation. Depending on that, the strategy
will change.
When asked, Koenji grinned and put his hand on Horikita's shoulder.
She was annoyed by this and tried to get rid of it, but Koenji's arm did not twitch.
"You seem like a very lucky girl."
With his hand still on her shoulder, she questioned him about the true meaning of his words with
a slight frown.
"Does that mean you're motivated?"
"I've made some money from the desert island trials and the treasure hunt, but now it's time to
spend some more money. I see no reason why I shouldn't participate."
Koenji, who had shown overwhelming power in the deserted island test, was not expected to
move in the future, but if it was a special test that would bring in a huge amount of money for the
individual, he would get fired up.
For Horikita, it's great. As long as she earns as many points as possible, she has nothing to
complain about. And with Koenji, there is a good chance that she could easily earn 10 or 20
points.
However, she may be worried about this reward.
Horikita seemed to hesitate for a moment at this, but then asked.
"If you get the right to move to a class ... what would you do?"
Koenji is undoubtedly the most problematic in the school, or rather, the most free spirited.
If he decided he wanted to, he wouldn't hesitate to abandon the current class. Whether Koenji
would be good for the class in the future was another matter, but at least Horikita wouldn't
consider the loss of students from the class as a positive thing.
Besides, he may take seriously the special exams that cost a lot of money, such as the desert
island exam and the sports festival. If that happens, he could stand as a strong opponent.
"That's a no-brainer. I don't think the other classes are attractive enough at the moment for me
to give up my contract with the Horikita girl."
"For now…"
In other words, depending on the conditions, there is always the possibility of class transfer.
"As of right now, it's safe."
I don't think that would lead to safety at all, but well, I'm skeptical about how many classes
would want to bring in Koenji. I'm sure it has its advantages, but it also carries disadvantages.
"Okay, I'll take your word for it. It's just that I don't trust you either if you're swayed by whims.
You'll get enough points to take the top spot, is that correct?"
"You can take that as a yes, although I won't be working with anyone else."
It seems that he is only going to score points in competitions that he can participate in
individually. I wouldn't be surprised if Koenji got first place in all the events. It means he is likely
to get a maximum of 55 points.
"Are you sure you're not interested in moving up to Class A?"
Koenji answered the question with a smile and returned to the classroom.
"Do you enjoy eavesdropping?"
Perhaps he had guessed from the slightly open door, or perhaps he had known all along.
Koenji stops behind me and asks.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious about what's going on with the sports festival."
"Yeah...Let's put it that way."
"May I ask you a question, Koenji?"
"'I'm in a good mood right now, my mind is racing with the rewards of the sports festival. I'll
answer it for you."
"Horikita and you made a promise. It isn't, however, a 100% guarantee. There was a possibility
that you might be cut off, just as she let Kushida stay behind antagonizing the class. Do you
have any thoughts on that?"
I asked to see whether he's worried about his promise being kept or not.
Even though Koenji had the purpose of extracting private points behind her back, he was in a
position to take a strong stand and he voted in favour to expel the students in the unanimous
voting.
"It's all a matter of calculation. If there was ever a situation where I was the final candidate for
expulsion, I would vote against it before it happened. The talk about trusting the Horikita girl is
also based on that assumption."
"I see. You didn't fully trust Horikita, did you?"
"I would never put myself in the hands of another person. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Maybe."
Koenji seems to be precise and carefree, but there is also a calculated thought behind it.
I couldn't get a read on this man no matter how much I tried to analyze and arrive at an answer.
PART 2
"Ayanokoji-kun. Do you have a moment?"
Just after the lunch break, Horikita approached me, saying so.
"For the time being—"
"We're supposed to eat. Sorry, okay? I can't lend you Kiyotaka."
Kei dashed in between us and forcibly intervened to block Horikita's invitation by spreading her
hands to say no.
"I don't think asking a guy out who already has a girlfriend is a good idea."
"Yes. But it's not me who wants to borrow him, it's someone else. And it's not a girl either. But
would you still allow him to go?"
She pointed her cell phone at me, and Kei looked at the screen before I could.
"Yagami... Takuya? Who?"
"It makes no difference who sends the message. It is the text that is important."
The text sent from Yagami to Horikita seemed to have been sent about an hour ago.
"Can you call Ayanokoji-senpai to the student council room during lunchtime? The student
council president has requested it. If it's too difficult for you, please let me know and I'll do it for
you."
That's what was written.
"As a member of the student council, I have a role to play. If they tell me they have something to
do, I can't refuse their request."
Even though she had no choice, she came to tell her side of things.
"I think student council president Nagumo wants to see you. What did you do again?"
"I didn't do anything."
Not recently, at least... I added in my mind.
"If you refuse, Yagami-kun will come here. If you still refuse... maybe the student council
president Nagumo will come here himself. So, how should I respond?"
Horikita is just an intermediary. Regardless of how I respond, she will simply proceed with the
process.
"Sorry, Kei. If I ignore the student council president's orders, I'll be in trouble later."
"Hey!! Well, if it's the student council president, you can't help it ... Sato-san, let's eat together?"
Understanding that she had no choice but to accept this situation, Kei quickly ran over to Sato
and the others.
"She's quick to switch. Your girlfriend, I mean."
She muttered something about being impressed or disappointed.
"I will be going now"
"Then I'll report that to Yagami-kun."
"If you're exchanging contact information at the student council, wouldn't it be quicker if the
student council president contacted you directly instead of going through Yagami?"
"The only person in the student council who has exchanged contact information with me on the
app is Yagami-kun, who requested it directly."
Horikita followed me out into the corridor after I was convinced and left the classroom.
"I don't know what the reason is, but I recommend that you don't offend as much as possible."
I had no choice but to go to the student council room after parting ways with Horikita, who had
given me some advice.
It's far more convenient for me to go out there myself rather than have someone come to me.
I arrived in front of the student council room and knocked quietly on the door.
Shortly after, I opened the door after confirming that I could hear Nagumo's voice in the room.
As expected, there was no one else in the student council room but Nagumo.
"Hello, Ayanokoji. Have you noticed any changes in your life lately?"
He starts off with a light poking.
The only person who is disrupting my life is the student council president himself.
The pressure of the stares I receive from the third-year students every day has not weakened at
all.
The third-year students, who didn't know me well, remembered me without hesitation. I am
without a doubt the most famous junior among the third year students.
Even though they don't know the details, I am known as a junior who challenged Nagumo.
"There isn't much of a difference. That is something I would like to convey, but there are some
concerns."
It's simple to act as if you're not aware of anything, but if you don't show that you're
overwhelmed, it could escalate the situation even more.
"As the student council president, I'm happy to help you with your problems."
"It may just be a misunderstanding. I'll ask for help when I'm really in trouble."
If you make him feel good to some extent, you can leave the possibility that Nagumo will back
off.
...No, that's too optimistic. Nagumo's main desire is for me to be defeated in a direct manner. I'm
sure he will not be satisfied with this.
Nagumo has a strong feeling about something, but he can't end the conversation with it, so he
shifts the focus.
"You've heard the rules of the Sports Festival, right? That means it's time for a direct
confrontation, Ayanokoji. Some of the events in the festival are open to all grades. You can fight
me in it."
"Strict Competition for a Junior? I've seen Student Council President Nagumo's OAA. Unless it's
a competition with a large element of luck, there's no way I can win even if I stand on my head.
The results are clear as day."
Even though there was no other choice but to play it down, Nagumo would not be satisfied with that.
"That's what you'll say. You're the kind of guy who thinks he can satisfy me by playing it down.
No, I can't blame you for that. You have no choice but to play it down now."
He doesn't appear to be a man who can't see through nonsense.
"I know you're not enthusiastic about it and I don't want to waste my time with you. So, if you win
one match against me in this sports festival, I'll let all this stuff slip."
"One win?"
It was much easier than I had imagined.
"You seem to be wondering if only one win is enough. Is it that easy for you?"
"That's not the case, but I think it's a possibility."
"Then you have to win all the games. No, it'd be a disgrace to the student council president if I
confronted you with the condition of winning all the games."
I don't believe it's just a case of pride getting in the way. In reality, he's using his arrogance as a
shield to lure me into the fight.
"But there are conditions. Participate in all five competitions I specify, regardless of whether you
win or lose. If you miss even one, you lose."
"What happens if I lose? Wouldn't the winning student council president be satisfied with that?"
"I hope so. Otherwise your worries will never go away, and you'll probably get repeated calls
from me like this. Or maybe you'll have to deal with it more often than before."
"There is a class policy for registration in events. Can you give me some time?"
"Well, that's all I can say for now, I'll give you a week's time. Call me by next Monday."
"I understand. Is it okay if I leave now as we've finished talking?"
"Don't be in such a hurry. Or do you have plans after this? Since I called you, you didn't make
any plans, did you?"
"Yes, well. I don't have any plans."
"It's good to hear that."
Nagumo was talking while checking something on his cell phone from time to time.
It seems that he has no intention of letting me go yet.
"Excuse me."
From the other side of the door, I heard a voice I hadn't heard in a long time.
"Yes—"
Ichinose was holding a plastic bag in her hand.
"...Thank you for waiting, Nagumo-senpai."
"I'm sorry. I couldn't go buy it with you today."
"Er…"
"Oh, this? For the past few days, Honami and I have been having lunch together in the student
council room. I've been busy with student council work. My secretary keeps me busy."
I had thought that the chances of passing each other or running into each other during lunch
break were decreasing, but I guess that's not the case.
Normally, If you were in the student council room, which is off-limits to normal students, you
wouldn't have seen me.
"When we're together, we hear about all kinds of things. Right? Honami."
"Yes, yes."
"I told her I was expecting a visitor today. You should join us for lunch, Ayanokoji."
There are three lunch boxes peeking out of the bag.
He seemed to have planned to have us eat here from the beginning while he finished talking
with me.
It's easy to say no to this.
It would be emotionally painful for Ichinose to be in the same room with me now.
However, there's no way to escape since I already told him I don't have any plans.
"You said you didn't have plans for the rest of the day, right? Then you should sit down."
In a situation where I was surrounded If the student council president orders you to do
something, it's almost as if you don't have the right to refuse.
I sat down on a seat away from Nagumo.
Ichinose, who always eats next to Nagumo, handed him a plastic bag and sat down next to him.
She didn't look at me, but started to prepare her lunch with a slightly downcast look.
It was impossible for Nagumo not to notice the unnatural behaviour, and he would think back to
the exchange on the ship.
"The rules of the sports festival are very different from last year's, aren't they?"
"You should be thanking me. Because if we did the sports festival with the exact same rules as
last year, I was pretty sure I'd win."
The rules of the previous year's sports festival had been to divide the students into red and
white teams to fight.
Nagumo is in control of the entire third year. This means that he was able to intentionally make
the students in the groups he did not belong to lose.
No matter how much the remaining first years and second years struggled, their chances of
winning would be zero.
The conversation that was supposed to take place between the three of us soon turned into a
convocation between Nagumo and Ichinose, and I silently kept eating my lunch.
I finished my meal with the two of them not even halfway through, and I closed the lid and held it
in my hand.
"What, you're done eating? You can leave it there."
"Thank you."
I replied, but Nagumo was already looking at Ichinose, not at me.
Ichinose was also facing Nagumo, perhaps to avoid focusing on me.
"Excuse me."
There was no point in staying here, so I left the student council room.
"A strategy to demonstrate superiority/dominance, huh?"
It may look like humiliation to the casual observer, but it's meaningless if it doesn't cause
psychological damage to me. If he wanted to achieve that effect, he should have prepared a few
more members of the student council to watch from the sidelines.
That way, at the very least, For them I could be labelled as pathetic.
Nevertheless, judging from the way he was acting, Nagumo would probably continue to contact
Ichinose in the future.
It's no wonder that in some cases, events might happen that can change their relationship.
As I started to walk away, I started to think about the effects of this.
Will becoming a part of Nagumo lead to Honami Ichinose's growth?
If all goes like this, she may be able to get the favor of taking over the position of student council
president.
The confidence that comes from that - no, that idea is a little too naive. If Nagumo's obsession
with Ichinose was caused by me, he might as well cut Ichinose off at the last moment. If she
couldn't become the student council president after devoting her heart and soul to the cause,
and if instead Horikita is recommended, who had made lesser contributions, her spirit would be
crushed within a year.
In that sense, I wouldn't underestimate Nagumo's position.
I need to keep Nagumo in mind, but there are other things I should be doing right now.
We need to prepare for the upcoming sports festival, but we also need to prepare for the cultural
festival that is just around the corner.
I've asked Sato, Matsushita, and Maezono, who came up
with the idea, to be on hold, but we need to make preparations to secure a staff for the maid
cafe.
Airi's participation, which I originally wanted to include in my calculations, is gone, and Haruka's
participation is also not expected at this point. The strong point of Kushida has also
disappeared.
Besides, I can't rely on my classmates to get around to learn the ins and outs of this field.
If you bring up the topic of maid cafes in the midst of this class situation, you risk being shunned
and having your information leaked because of it.
"Maid cafe…"
It's a thing that I don't know the ins and outs of, but the budget calls for big sales.
To
win, you'll need
a
strategy
as
well as
research in
to
what
your
competitors
are
offering and
doing.
PART 3
The morning homeroom started, the day after the specific rules for the sports festival were
explained.
Just like yesterday, the atmosphere in the class was not very cheerful.
The reason for this is the absence of three of my classmates. They are absent today as they
were the other day. It's not uncommon for anyone to miss school due to illness or health
problems. But in the case of these three students, I think everyone thinks that they are all
absent for other reasons.
In case of consecutive absences, it is usually necessary to go to the hospital in the Keyaki Mall
to have a medical certificate written. On the other hand, as long as you have a medical
certificate, it's not a big problem.
In other words, even if you don't have a fever, if you complain of any kind of discomfort, the
hospital will probably take care of you for a couple of days.
However, according to what Chabashira sensei said in the homeroom, none of the three had
been examined at the hospital.
Two of them, except for Kushida, have been in touch with the school, but it is still unclear how
long school will allow them to do so. The problem is if the three of them continue to be absent
after tomorrow.
Haruka's absence is related to Airi's expulsion from school. Wang's absence was due to the
revelation of her love for Yosuke. Kushida's absence was due to the revelation of her true
nature.
All of these are unrelated to illness.
What will happen if this continues for three days, five days, or a week? It would not be surprising
if the school did not think this was just a coincidence and started to investigate. As
Chabashira-sensei said, it will eventually start to have a big impact on the class points.
Furthermore, some cracks are beginning to appear in obscure regions.
Wang is not the only casualty of Kushida's revelations. The two new couples, Ike and
Shinohara, are also affected, which is a matter of concern. In fact, Shinohara doesn't seem to
be talking to Kei, Matsushita, or Mori, who are said to have been bad mouthing her.
Although other names were not called at that moment, we cannot exclude the possibility that it
was for the same reason that Shinohara did not talk to other students such as Sato and
Maezono.
Even though the groups I usually interact with are different, it was originally a class with strong
parallel connections between girls.
It is obvious that this has now created a huge gap.
It's time to start deciding on the members of the team to play team games to earn points, but we
haven't reached that stage yet in this class.
If we try to divide the teams as we are now, the internal division will be even worse. Knowing
this, Horikita is unable to take the next step. On the other hand, it's impossible to bring about cooperation and harmony at this moment. Not only Horikita, but also Yosuke is well aware of
this.
But time flies, and the morning homeroom is over.
Shortly after, I received a message on my tablet.
"I need to talk to you for a minute. Follow me."
It was a short instruction from Chabashira-sensei.
Not long after Chabashira-sensei left the classroom, I left my seat as if I were going to the
bathroom.
The advantage of sitting at the end of the hallway was fully demonstrated, and no one could
notice me.
As I rounded the corner of the corridor to the staff room, I spotted Chabashira-sensei standing
with her back to the wall.
"It's unusual for you to call me like this. Is it something urgent?"
For a moment, I thought it was about the three of them being absent, but apparently that wasn't
the case.
"Yes. There's something I have to tell you. It's about Sakura."
"You mean Airi?"
Airi had been gone from this school for a week, and time had flown by.
Is there anything to tell now?
"When she was expelled, the school of course followed procedures. Packing up her belongings,
collecting her private points. You know… It's called post-processing"
She was straightforward in her expression, but she stuttered her words a bit.
I wondered if it was because of the emotion of missing one of the students from her own class..
"The items pre-purchased in the school are basically the property of the students, and It is up to
the student to decide what to do with them. There is no problem with leaving them behind or
taking them with you. The official acceptance of the expulsion is done in the staff room… and
Actually, one unexpected thing happened before that."
" 'Unexpected,' you say."
"Yes, after the unanimous special examination, Sakura was found to have used about five
thousand of her private points, and it would be better to say that she was unable to decide what
to do with 'it'."
"Aren't the private points of dropouts taken from them?"
"Yes. But, as I said before, it is only valid when it is officially accepted. However, the school
believes that this is also an extremely gray area. For example, they don't allow the transfer of
private points to certain students."
"That's right. If I were to transfer all my private points after my expulsion was decided, it could
be a problem. But if Airi used 5000 points for something?"
"No, it's not that. Sakura…"
I was told how to use my private points in an unexpected way.
In the midst of the explanation, I simultaneously realize that I am not an irrelevant person for this
thing either.
"-So I thought I'd give you a call as the person in charge. Of course, you are under no obligation
to take on this case. If you refuse, I'll handle it myself."
Airi's actions took place in the short time after her expulsion was confirmed.
With a certain hunch about the answer, I decided what I should do.
"It's not that big of a sum, so leave it at that."
"You mean you'll pay for it?"
"That won't be a problem, will it?"
"Yes. It will be your private points that you utilize, thus the school will not consider it a violation."
"I understand."
I will confirm with her that this will not be a problem.
"Let me ask you something. Is this something you're involved in? Is this about you too?"
She asked me while giving me a slightly keen look.
"No, it's not. It was a conclusion I had thought and drawn in that limited time."
Of course, I don't know the details at the moment, but as time goes by, I'm sure we'll find the
answers naturally.
"It's good news for me that I've solved one problem, albeit a small one. I'm not all that happy
about the class situation."
As a homeroom teacher, she can't help but worry about her class.
"What's with the eyes?"
"No. It's true, as you said, the class is unstable right now. I was going to forcefully correct some
of it, but maybe that's not necessary."
"What do you mean?"
"For now, please watch over them. Watch each student grow and develop."
Chabashira-sensei looked a little dissatisfied, but nodded gently.
