"Kazehara Group" was established half-heartedly and half-on-the-spot under Ichinose Honami's almost forceful sales promotion.
However, as Kazehara Tetsu expected, the ideal is full and the reality is very skinny.
In the next two weeks, this so-called "learning Small Group" actually gathered only a handful of times.
Ichinose Honami is really too busy.
As Class B's undisputed spirit Leader, she is drowned in the ocean of class affairs almost every day.
Today she helps this classmate with tutoring, and tomorrow she mediates the conflict with that classmate. Coupled with Class B's own pressure to prepare for the exam, she is almost in a state of continuous rotation.
Therefore, in these two weeks, "Kazehara Group", composed of five different class members, had only three opportunities to truly come together.
Most of the time, Small Group members are in a state of "three are missing and two are missing".
Ichinose and Shiratori always act together. Once they are absent, only Kazehara Tetsu, Yamamura Miki and Shiina Hiyori are left.
Therefore, the corner of Library by the window is more often like the joint point between Class A and Class C.
It's a weekend morning.
The sky has just turned white, and most of the students in Campus are still immersed in sleep.
There was a hint of chill in the air, and every breath condensed into a white mist in front of my eyes.
Kazehara Tetsu put his hands in the pockets of his coat and walked slowly on the path covered with dead leaves in the park.
At this moment, from the corner not far ahead, a figure was running towards him at a constant speed.
She was wearing a professional sports tights, and her long black hair was tied high and swaying behind her head as she ran.
The cold face was flushed from the exercise, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. Although his breathing was a little rapid, he still maintained an excellent rhythm.
Horikita Suzune.
The two met at the intersection of paths.
Almost at the same time, Horikita Suzune slowed down and finally stopped. While adjusting his breathing, he looked at Kazehara Tetsu with his eyes that always had a sense of scrutiny.
"What a coincidence, Horikita."
Kazehara Tetsu stopped, there was not much surprise in his tone, as if he had met his neighbor in his backyard.
"I didn't expect to meet you while walking in the park."
Horikita Suzune picked up the towel hanging around his neck and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"It's quite rare."
"After all, if it were normal, most people would be dreaming in Bed on such a weekend morning. The probability of meeting him in this place at this time is indeed very small."
After looking up and down Kazehara Tetsu's casual outfit that was not suitable for sports, a trace of doubt flashed in her eyes.
"You... are here for a morning jog too?"
"How is that possible?"
Kazehara Tetsu shrugged his shoulders and let out a breath of white air.
"I'm not as self-disciplined as you. I just got up early and couldn't fall asleep after waking up, so I just went out for a walk to get some fresh air. I planned to go back and take a nap after my body completely wakes up."
"Go back to sleep..."
"I will actually enjoy it. When everyone is so worried about Final Exam, I can still have some time to think about returning to the cage to sleep."
"It's okay."
Kazehara Tetsu didn't pay attention to her sarcasm, but sat down on the bench by the roadside.
"This is the so-called 'calmness of the strong'. I think you can understand it, right?"
He looked at the girl standing in front of him who was still panting slightly.
"It's you, Horikita. How have you prepared recently?"
"This time Final Exam is going to be a difficult time for Class D."
When the exam was mentioned, Horikita Suzune's originally slightly relaxed expression suddenly solidified.
She did not answer immediately, but picked up Water Bottle and took a sip of water to moisten her dry throat.
"If it is a simple 'passing', it is no longer a problem."
Her tone was very calm, as if this was a matter of course.
"But... maybe, I can Expulsion."
These words came out of her mouth lightly, but they carried a frightening weight.
Expulsion.
This is the heaviest topic in This School.
But Kazehara Tetsu didn't show any shock.
He just tilted his head slightly, still maintaining the lazy sitting posture, and his eyes scanned Horikita Suzune's face, which did not show much panic.
"Oh?"
"Although you are saying such serious things, I look at the relaxed look on your face, and you don't look like someone who is ready to pack up and leave."
He even laughed out loud.
"If you are really on the verge of Expulsion, given your personality, you should be formulating hundreds of response plans in your room now instead of taking a leisurely morning jog here."
"Who knows."
Horikita Suzune turned his head and looked at him.
"Perhaps this is just my self-defense mechanism at work, pretending to be calm."
"After all, if you don't pretend to be nonchalant here, do you want me to cry in front of you and ask for comfort?"
"Are you pretending to be calm..."
Kazehara Tetsu nodded noncommittally.
"Maybe. But..."
He slowly stood up and walked to Horikita Suzune.
The distance between the two people narrowed.
"To allow someone like you to force yourself onto the gambling table of 'Expulsion'..."
"It seems that something terrible happened between you and Kushida Kikyo, right?"
Although this is a question, the tone is affirmative.
Horikita Suzune's pupils shrank slightly.
"You do understand very well."
"That's right."
Now that she had been guessed, she had no intention of continuing to hide it.
In other words, hiding it in front of this man is a thankless task in itself.
"I have made a 'bet' with Kushida Kikyo."
"The content of the bet is simple: Single Subject Math Score versus Final Exam this time."
"If my score is lower than hers, then I will take the initiative to apply for Expulsion."
"If her score is lower than mine... then she must stop all interfering behavior against me and never pursue those past matters again."
"Moreover, in order to ensure the fairness and irrevocability of the bet, I specifically asked my brother... to confirm it as a witness."
"Oh..."
Kazehara Tetsu whistled.
"Even Student Council President has moved out. It seems you are serious this time."
"However, since you dare to place such a big bet, it means that you should be very sure that you can win her."
"Although that guy Kushida usually pretends to be harmless, and his academic performance is not bad, but compared with a real academic master like you, there should be a gap, right?"
"But..."
Kazehara Tetsu changed the topic and his eyes became meaningful.
"Since you just said 'maybe Expulsion', it means that there is some kind of 'cheating method' that makes you feel troublesome."
"It seems that you already know what Kushida Kikyo did, right?"
Horikita Suzune was silent for a moment.
"That's right."
She finally spoke, her voice low.
"Kushida Kikyo... she has most likely made a transaction with Ryuen Kakeru."
"She will leak the Mathematics question that our Class D gave to Class C to Ryuen Kakeru in exchange..."
Horikita Suzune's fists were slightly clenched at his sides.
"Ryuen Kakeru will give her a copy...Class C will give us the answers to the Mathematics exam questions given by Class D."
This is the biggest variable in this gamble.
If Kushida Kikyo gets the answer in advance, then it is almost certain that she will take the Perfect Score exam.
As for Horikita Suzune, no matter how strong he is, facing an unknown Class C test question, it is simply impossible to guarantee that he will get Perfect Score.
"In this way, as long as she and I don't get the same score, as long as I lose even one point..."
"I just lost."
"After all, for the questions that Class D set herself, I have the authority to apply for replacement to prevent the impact of her leaking the questions."
"But as for the questions asked by Class C, that is Ryuen Kakeru's territory. I can't interfere in any way."