Natsukawa told Horikita's study group, which was working on the other side of the library, about the news Ichinose had brought. The scope of Class D's exam might be wrong. The study group, which had only just started getting on track, erupted into an uproar.
"W-what?! You mean we've been studying for nothing all these days?!" Ken Sudō slammed his hand on the table, making the pens jump. His face was twisted with furious disbelief.
"How can they do this to us?! They're just messing with us!" Kanji Ike and Yamauchi joined in, their faces flushed red.
Even Horikita Suzune, who was usually cool and reserved, looked even more frosty. Her fingers gripped her textbook so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
Kushida Kikyo looked shocked and worried, too. She hurriedly pulled out her Personal Terminal and sent messages to a few people to confirm. Afterward, she silently agreed that the news Natsukawa had brought was true.
The entire study group had lost the will to study, so they had no choice but to wrap up in a hurry.
The next morning, during Japanese history class, after Chabashira Sae had finished reciting a chapter from the textbook and was about to dismiss the class, Horikita Suzune raised her hand.
"Chabashira-sensei, I noticed that the scope of our midterm exams differs considerably from the other classes. Which one is correct?" Her voice rang out clearly and coldly, standing out in the silent classroom.
For a moment, every student's gaze focused on the front of the room.
Chabashira set down her textbook. There was no sign of fluster at being questioned. Instead, she seemed to have just remembered some trivial matter and answered in an almost dismissive tone, "Oh, that. Sorry, a message was sent earlier saying that the exam scope had been changed, but I forgot to tell you."
Forgot to tell us?
The offhand remark was like a lit fuse. The air in the classroom seemed to freeze for a moment, then erupted into suppressed commotion and hushed whispers. Every face was filled with anger, panic, and disbelief.
Chabashira seemed not to notice the students' reactions. She turned around, picked up a piece of chalk, and swiftly wrote the revised exam scope for all five subjects on the blackboard. Each character looked like part of a cold, merciless sentence.
"That's the scope. There are still nearly two weeks, so you have plenty of time. Make sure you study." She put down the chalk and dusted off her hands, her tone as casual as if she were talking about tomorrow's weather.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"A week isn't enough!"
"That's so unfair..."
The chorus of complaints nearly burst through the roof, but under Chabashira's cold, unruffled gaze, it quickly died down, turning into despairing silence and clenched fists. No one dared to stand up and openly defy her. Their zero Class Points shackled their courage.
The bell rang. Chabashira left without a backward glance, leaving Class D in a cloud of gloom. The classroom's mood sank to rock bottom. Some students lay motionless on their desks; others frantically copied down the new scope, their eyes vacant.
As Horikita gathered her books, she caught a glimpse of Natsukawa across from her, still perfectly composed and even finding time to read the material at the back of his textbook. Unable to hold back a frown, she walked over to his desk.
"How can you not be worried at all?" Her voice carried a trace of confusion and... a desire for answers she hadn't even realized she felt. "I remember you got pretty dangerous scores in modern society and Japanese on the last quiz."
Natsukawa looked up at Horikita, who was struggling to stay calm but couldn't hide her anxiety. A knowing smile curled his lips. "Would worrying help? Besides..." He paused, his tone confident. "I'm certain I'll pass."
"Certain you'll pass?" Horikita's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. "Is there some other way?"
But Natsukawa only rested his index finger lightly against his lips, making a shushing gesture. His eyes were teasing. "It's a secret. The fewer people who know about certain cards I'm holding, the more valuable they are."
His ease, as if he had everything under control, left Horikita with a vexing sense of frustration, yet she couldn't do anything about it. She snorted and turned away without asking further. But her back seemed to carry a hint of resentment at being looked down on and left out, unlike the pure aloofness she'd shown before.
When the lunch bell rang, students poured out of the classrooms like a burst dam. Natsukawa took his time packing up, his eyes fixed on Kushida Kikyo, who was surrounded by several girls and getting ready to go eat with them at the café.
He walked straight over, ignoring the girls' surprised looks, and spoke directly to Kushida in a tone that made it sound like the most natural thing in the world. "Kikyo, come to the cafeteria with me for lunch."
It wasn't a question. It was an announcement.
The sweet smile on Kushida's face stiffened for a moment. The girls beside her looked taken aback, their eyes darting between Natsukawa and Kushida.
"Huh? N-Natsukawa-kun? But... I already made plans with Mako and the others..." Kushida tried to keep smiling, her voice tinged with reluctance and an almost imperceptible hint of panic. Maintaining good relationships with all the girls was an important foundation of her social empire.
Natsukawa didn't say anything. He simply looked at her, his dark eyes so deep they seemed to see through every one of her disguises. There was no request or negotiation in his gaze, only a calm pressure, waiting for her to make her own choice.
A subtle tension spread through the air. The girls seemed to sense something was off, and one of them tentatively said, "Kushida, how about we..."
"What?" Natsukawa finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it had a cold edge that cut off the girl. His gaze remained fixed on Kushida. "Is having a meal with me such a hassle? Or..." Natsukawa leaned close to Kushida's ear. "Do those superficial, plastic friendships matter more to you than the 'understanding' between us?"
Kushida's heart beat a little faster. She immediately understood what Natsukawa was up to—he might not really have anything urgent to discuss; perhaps he was testing her reaction. The feeling annoyed her somewhat, but more than that, it excited her to be challenged. She, Kushida Kikyo, wasn't so easy to handle.
Kushida's mind raced. Should she refuse him? No. Until she figured out what kind of person Natsukawa was, it would be best not to directly clash with him. Besides, he'd helped her join Horikita's group—and even made Horikita swallow her pride and ask him herself... Should she agree? Though she'd be leaving these girls aside for the moment, that would be a perfect chance to show Natsukawa her "sincerity" and how "special" he was to her, creating an opportunity to grow closer. As for the girls, she had plenty of ways to make it up to them afterward—or rather, it wouldn't even count as making it up to them. A little sweet talk and one treat would easily smooth things over.
The scales tipped in an instant.
Kushida's face blossomed into a perfectly natural, apologetic smile. She said to the girls beside her, "Oh, I'm sorry, Nene, Onodera! Natsukawa-kun seems to have something really important to discuss with me, so I can't have lunch with you today~" She put her hands together and gave them a playful wink, her tone affectionate and a little helpless. "How about I treat you to one of the new parfaits tomorrow? I heard the whipped cream there is amaaazing!"
Her response was smooth and natural, and she played the perfect image of someone who had to step away, regretfully, for an important matter to a tee.
The girls were a little surprised, but Kushida seemed sincere and had offered to make it up to them, so they laughed and agreed. They gave Natsukawa a few curious, gossipy looks before leaving together.
Watching them walk away, Kushida secretly let out a breath of relief. Then she turned to Natsukawa, her perfect smile still in place, though the voice that came out of her mouth was another matter.
"Natsukawa-kun~ You'd better really have something to discuss with me." The latter half came out in her original voice.
Natsukawa smiled in satisfaction, unbothered by the latter half of Kushida's remark.
"Let's go."
The two walked side by side toward the cafeteria. Natsukawa paid no attention to Kushida's complicated expression. His gaze swept over the noisy crowd and finally settled on a senpai sitting alone in a corner, silently eating a mountain vegetable set meal that was basically just boiled cabbage.
He led Kushida straight over and sat down in the empty seat across from the senpai.
"Senpai, do you mind if we share your table?" Natsukawa flashed an innocent smile.
The senpai, who had been struggling to swallow her vegetables, looked up at the sound of his voice. Her face was somewhat thin, but she was still wearing makeup. Her eyes held clear surprise and a hint of wariness.
Before you continue