Midterm Exams

"How was your decision?"

A café.

A man and a woman sat facing each other in a corner of the shop, each holding a cup of coffee.

"So, Suzuki, why did you choose me?"

"Shouldn't you have considered Horikita first for something like this?"

The girl's face was full of interest, but she still instinctively guarded herself against Suzuki Tsubame.

"Sigh..."

With a helpless expression, Suzuki Tsubame sighed and said:

"There's no need to be so wary of me, is there?"

"After two months, can't you tell that I don't harbor the slightest ill will toward you?"

Rubbing his coffee cup, Suzuki Tsubame was certain that Kushida was recording them.

If he said something like, Horikita isn't as good as you, she would definitely use it against him.

"I didn't mean it like that... I just wanted to know why you chose me, Suzuki."

Kushida looked utterly innocent. Playing dumb was her specialty.

Though she was always seen through.

"Because Kikyo is cute, and I have a favorable impression of Kikyo."

Suzuki Tsubame spoke with a calm expression, enunciating every word clearly.

Although she could clearly tell he was brushing her off, Kushida was still quite happy.

In interpersonal relationships, leaving behind a few insignificant weaknesses was quite useful.

Especially when dealing with someone this impervious, it could build trust while making their cooperation last longer.

"Um... Suzuki, you still haven't answered me. Why did you choose me first instead of Horikita?"

"..."

Looking at Kushida's innocent face, Suzuki Tsubame felt a headache coming on.

Could this little scheme really accomplish anything?

Even if he said it, Suzune probably wouldn't believe it.

"...Because Kushida's boobs are bigger than Suzune's."

Well... speaking from a generally rational perspective, Suzuki Tsubame wasn't wrong.

Suzune seemed to be a C, while Kushida was at least a D. In that regard, she had beaten Horikita for once.

"Oh my~ Did it feel good when you touched them last time, Suzuki? Since you helped me so much this time, I can reluctantly... let you touch them once more."

Kushida sounded intimate, but there was not the slightest smile on her face.

There's actually an offer like that? I won't hold back.

Although that was what he thought, what Suzuki Tsubame said was completely different.

"Huh? Did that happen? Why don't I remember?"

It seemed as though anyone could play dumb.

Early morning in Class D's classroom. There were only two days left until the exams.

The classroom was filled with a heavy atmosphere of tension, exhaustion, and despair.

Kushida, who wore her usual businesslike smile, saw that everyone in the class had finally arrived.

The corners of her eyes lifted slightly, revealing a more genuine delight.

"Everyone, may I have a moment? There's something very important."

With an apologetic smile toward everyone, the girl bent down and took a neatly stacked pile of test papers from her drawer.

Her movements were smooth and fluid, without the slightest hesitation.

"Little Kikyo, what are these?"

Shinohara looked curious. At a time like this, who still had the mood to work through test papers?

The rest of the class shared roughly the same view. They whispered among themselves, unable to understand Kushida's actions.

Kushida took a deep breath and walked up to the podium.

"Everyone, please quiet down."

She clapped her hands, instantly drawing the class's attention.

"I got word from a second-year senior that the school's first-year Midterm Exam papers don't change. So..."

She paused briefly before dropping the bombshell.

"The papers in my hands are last year's Midterm Exam papers!"

The classroom instantly fell silent...

"Is that real?"

"Little Kikyo, is that true?!"

After a long numb silence, everyone's first reaction was not cheering, but doubt.

"It's all real."

Kushida explained with a smile.

Whoosh—!

"That's amazing! We finally don't have to worry about getting expelled!!"

"Little Kikyo! I love you!"

"We're saved, sob... I don't have to go home and get whipped with a belt!"

The joy of surviving a desperate situation nearly blew the roof off the classroom.

Dozens of grateful, admiring, and relieved gazes gathered on Kushida like spotlights.

[Ding! Long-Term Task: Kind Mask. Completion: 10%. Reward: Lie Detector. After binding a target, the light will automatically turn red whenever the target lies. (Note: This item is visible only to the host.)]

Was this a Kushida-exclusive weapon rewarded to Suzuki Tsubame? It countered her perfectly.

The test papers were quickly handed out.

The students of Class D clutched them tightly as though they were priceless treasures.

"Thank you, Little Kikyo."

"Kikyo, you're practically an angel."

Praise filled the room without end.

A satisfied smile hung at the corner of Kushida Kikyo's lips.

An indescribable warmth washed over her entire body, making her cheeks heat up beyond her control.

On the other side of the classroom.

Horikita Suzune watched the scene with cold eyes.

After glancing at the test paper, she casually set it aside.

Contempt flashed through her eyes. She had no interest in relying on such a trick to muddle through.

Suzuki Tsubame watched Horikita's little movements the entire time.

He knew exactly what was going through her mind.

"Suzune, Kushida really stole the spotlight this time. I'm guessing quite a few people will remember her kindness."

Suzuki Tsubame's words carried a hidden meaning, but Horikita Suzune clearly did not catch it.

Without even raising her head, she replied calmly:

"You said it yourself... they'll only remember it in their hearts."

"..."

Suzuki Tsubame looked at the girl before him, who was single-mindedly occupied with her own affairs.

For a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Though most of them truly were more trouble than they were worth.

But... if three men make a tiger, public opinion can melt gold.

Sometimes, a group of fools was far more useful than a group of smart people.

Forget it, forget it.

She was still just a child. It was normal for her not to understand these things.

May 1st.

After two days of frantic catching up, the Midterm Exam finally began.

The nerves everyone had kept taut for a month would finally relax after these exams.

What would replace them was a celebration of surviving a catastrophe.

The exams ended.

For the students of Class D, it felt as relieving as being declared innocent on the execution grounds.

"How do you think you did this time?"

"I feel like this exam was way too easy. Even without memorizing the papers, it would've been easy to handle."

"Right? I think so too, hehe..."

"..."

Was it really okay for you to say that so bluntly in front of Kushida?

Your emotional intelligence was on par with two potatoes.

Suzuki Tsubame noticed that Kushida, sitting in the front row, stiffened for a second.

Fortunately, most of the students still had some humanity and stepped forward to thank Kushida.

Kushida accepted it all with a smile.