"Even if you say it over and over, calling someone a freak is really rude, isn't it?! Besides, haven't pictures of him without his blindfold already been leaked?"
Unable to listen to it any longer, Karuizawa Kei stood up and spoke out against them. Her good friend liked that boy, and she couldn't stand to hear everyone insulting him.
As if that wasn't enough, she went on to mock them.
"You're just jealous, aren't you?
He's better-looking than you! His grades are better than yours, too! The teacher clearly said he got a perfect score, so what gives you the right to question it?"
Taken aback by her imposing presence, Kanji Ike seemed uneasy, as if she'd hit a nerve. But once he recovered, he spoke up again.
"But don't you think it's strange? This test was only given a few days ago.
Actually, forget a few days ago—he hasn't been in the classroom for over half a month. How could he have gotten a perfect score?!"
When Kanji Ike pointed out the problem, most of the slower students finally caught on.
That's right!
The quiz scores listed above were from last Friday. And around that time, Gojo-kun seemed to have only shown up in Class A.
They didn't know why his photo had only surfaced on Sunday, but he hadn't come to class that day. There was no way he could've taken the test!
Could the teacher be lying?
As if she'd sensed the students' doubts, Chabashira Sae revealed an astonishing fact.
"His score is correct, and he did take the tests—but not last week.
He took them on the first day of school!..."
"Why would he take tests on material we hadn't even been taught yet on the first day of school?!"
One of the few top students in the class, Yukimura Teruhiko couldn't hold back. He stood up and interrupted her.
He hated people who didn't like studying and those who were bad at it most of all. Yet here was someone who didn't study but still got absurdly high scores.
He couldn't accept it.
"Bang!!"
Chabashira Sae was furious at being interrupted. She slammed her hand on the desk and scolded him.
"Students shouldn't interrupt their teacher! Don't you have even the slightest manners?!"
The whole class was cowed by the scene and fell silent again.
"S-sorry."
Yukimura Teruhiko realized he'd lost his composure. He apologized, then slowly sat down.
Seeing that no one else had anything to say, Chabashira Sae continued.
"Because Gojo-kun's circumstances are unusual, he's the only new student at this school who was admitted without taking any written or oral entrance exams.
To assess his basic abilities, I had him take all the tests you've taken since the first day of school.
As for the specific reasons behind his unusual circumstances, those are private matters and I can't disclose them.
Now, then!
Do you understand just how incompetent you are?
He can get perfect scores without attending class, while some of you show up but keep your minds elsewhere—and can't even admit that someone else is exceptional!"
She leaned forward slightly, both hands braced on the lectern, and spoke with biting sarcasm.
She hadn't said he was invited; he'd been admitted without an exam. There was a huge difference.
Most of the students with poor grades lowered their heads. Even a few of the top students were left speechless.
"Oh? Is that so?
Well, that's certainly intriguing!
Even I, the only son of the Koenji Conglomerate, had to work my way in through the exams, though the process was quite easy.
Yet someone else managed to get in without taking them. I suppose he must have some special personal circumstances!"
Koenji Rokusuke voiced his opinion directly. After all, the Koenji Conglomerate was already a colossal force in this country.
If even he, the only son, couldn't enjoy the privilege of admission without exams, then Gojo must have some unusual ability of his own.
Then he continued, sounding impressed.
"What a mysterious boy!
His abilities and his looks both surprise me. He's truly fascinating."
But at that moment, Yukimura Teruhiko realized something—or rather, he was the first to notice and bring it up.
"But even if Gojo-kun's grades are excellent, if he keeps skipping class, neither 100 Class Points nor 1,000 Class Points will be enough, will they?"
"Right! So no matter what, we can't move up, can we?!"
"Even if we really get those 100 Class Points, we still won't earn anything next month!"
With Yukimura Teruhiko's reminder, more and more students agreed with him.
After all, if even 1,000 Class Points weren't enough to cover the deductions, what good would 100 do?
"This is an issue for the two of you to sort out as classmates. As your teacher, I shouldn't interfere. Besides, Gojo-kun never answers his phone.
But you can try looking for him at his dorm room. He's in Room 412."
She'd just finished speaking when she suddenly remembered something else and continued.
"And there's a more important issue right now.
Any student who fails even one subject in the regular exams will be expelled!
Based on your current scores, there are already more than ten of you."
After hearing that they'd be expelled for failing, the students with poor grades couldn't bring themselves to complain about Gojo Satoru anymore. Instead, unable to accept it, they began grumbling about the school.
"What kind of school expels you for failing just once?!"
"What's wrong with this school?!"
Seeing that some students had already fallen into despair, Chabashira Sae couldn't be bothered to keep taunting them.
"Quiet!
That's the situation. What you do next is up to you.
Now, let's get on with class."
Ignoring the now-silent class, Chabashira Sae began teaching from the textbook.
At the same time, in Class B.
"So that's the situation.
Now, let's all work hard together to move up to Class A!"
After speaking, their homeroom teacher, Hoshinomiya Chie, raised her right hand high.
But the mood in class seemed strange, and no one responded.
Seeing her usually cheerful, lively students acting this way, Hoshinomiya Chie couldn't help asking,
"Huh?!
Why's everyone so down? Is it because of Amikura?"
She thought of the student who'd been absent for the past two days. Amikura hadn't given a specific reason, only saying she felt unwell, and then hadn't returned to class.
"Well, the thing is..."
Kobashi Yume explained Amikura Mako's situation.
"Because of this, Mako hasn't left her dorm room in ages. She doesn't answer the phone, and when we go to her room, she won't open the door.
We're all really worried about her, but we don't know what to do."
"Yeah, we tried looking for Gojo-kun, too, but we couldn't find him."
A classmate chimed in.
"Huh?
Is that what this is about?"
She'd thought something serious had happened, but it turned out a girl had fallen apart over a breakup.
Still, seeing how united the class was made Hoshinomiya Chie feel relieved. She smiled and pointed out a solution.
"I thought it was something serious. So that's all it is.
Young girls these days... It's just a breakup.
But you seem to have forgotten one important thing. If you can't find Gojo-kun, you can always go ask Kamuro-san in Class A!"
"Right! We've been so focused on Mako and Gojo-kun that we forgot her partner is still attending classes in Class A."
Shiranami Chihiro excitedly stood up.
"See? That's what they mean when they say those involved can't see clearly, but outsiders can!"
Hoshinomiya Chie said proudly.
Most of the class was happy that they'd found a solution.
But Kanzaki Ryuji noticed something was off.
As one of the central figures in the class, he often spent time with Ichinose.
He knew Ichinose very well. Under normal circumstances, she would never stay silent when a classmate was going through something painful.
But she seemed to keep avoiding the subject. Even now that they'd found a solution, she didn't look happy. She just kept her head lowered.
Before you continue