Special Exam 8

Manabe stared at Horikita Etsuka with a wary expression: "What... exactly do you mean by that?"

Horikita Etsuka spread his hands: "It's simple. You tell me the Secret Key, and in exchange, you won't have to drop out."

"But if Ryuen finds out, I'll be in big trouble!"

"Is it really worse than dropping out?" After saying this, Horikita Etsuka looked at Yamashita and the other girl: "Don't think you two are off the hook either. You were all caught on camera together; if anyone is dropping out, it'll be all of you."

In an instant, Yamashita's face crumbled, while the other girl's legs began to tremble, as if she couldn't accept this situation.

"Shiho... should we just tell him? I'm really scared of dropping out..." Yamashita whispered.

"Yeah... Shiho, just tell him," the other girl added, her voice bordering on tears.

"Fine, I agree. But... after I tell you, you have to delete the photos," Manabe said, gritting her teeth.

"You can count on that," Horikita Suzune walked over: "If the Secret Key is actually useful, I will delete the photos."

Seeing that there was no room left for negotiation, Manabe sighed in resignation. She hugged her knees and said softly:

"Our Secret Key is [Conquest]."

"[Conquest]?" Not only Suzune, but Karuizawa Kei also muttered the word to herself.

"Alright, the final Secret Key for Class D is [Ryuen Big Bastard]. Remember to let Ryuen hear that," Horikita Etsuka slowly stood up.

Horikita Suzune frowned immediately: "Will Ryuen actually believe a Secret Key like that?"

Etsuka shrugged: "No matter what the key is, there's always a chance he'll believe it. After all, it's one of his options."

Listening to their conversation, Manabe's expression gradually turned ugly: "If I lie, things will only get worse."

Etsuka leaned over, looking down at Manabe.

Manabe stared back at Etsuka with a stubborn look in her eyes.

Suddenly, Etsuka reached out.

Thinking Etsuka was about to strike again, Manabe quickly closed her eyes.

To her surprise, she suddenly felt a sharp flick against her forehead.

Etsuka had given her a solid flick to the head.

"Ow," Manabe clutched her forehead, grimacing as she looked up at Etsuka.

Etsuka crossed his arms, his tone impatient:

"I think you all need to get a clear picture of your current situation. Also, wouldn't it be easier to just say that Karuizawa was the one who tricked you?"

He had always had zero tolerance for people who liked to use violence to bully others. If it weren't for the fact that Karuizawa hadn't been truly injured, he would have wanted all three of them to drop out right then and there.

Rubbing her forehead, Manabe realized that saying anything else would be futile. If she refused again, she figured it wouldn't just be a flick to the head next time.

"I... I understand."

"Good. Since you understand, you can go."

Upon hearing this, the three of them looked instantly relieved. They scrambled to their feet and headed toward the exit.

Watching their retreating figures, Suzune spoke up:

"Are we just going to let them go like that?"

She wasn't just asking Etsuka; she was also asking Karuizawa Kei, who stood to the side.

Etsuka glanced at Karuizawa first. She was looking down slightly, silent, as if she had something on her mind.

With a sugar-free lollipop stick hanging from his mouth, Etsuka said:

"We have to let them go. They didn't do anything too extreme, and besides, Sis, you can use the three of them to keep track of some of Ryuen's movements."

"Hmm, you're right about that," Suzune nodded thoughtfully.

"Ah~" Etsuka stretched his back: "Alright, nothing else to do, so I'm heading out."

He started to walk away.

Karuizawa's mind was in chaos. She watched his departing figure and finally spoke up subconsciously:

"W-wait a second!"

"Hm? Is there something else?" Etsuka turned his head to look at the flustered Karuizawa.

"Since Manabe and the others gave a fake Secret Key, what if Ryuen uses it, finds out it's wrong, and comes to take revenge on me?"

As she spoke, Karuizawa's voice grew quieter and less confident, her face flushing redder by the second.

"Hmm, that is a valid concern. In that case, ask my sister for my student ID number." After saying this, he waved at Karuizawa and Suzune without turning back:

"Also, I'm the type of person who likes to meddle in other people's business~ just come find me if anything happens."

With that, he slowly disappeared around the corner of the stairwell.

Karuizawa gripped her Student Terminal tightly, staring at the empty stairwell in a daze.

Horikita Suzune sighed: "I'll give you Etsuka's student ID number."

Only then did Karuizawa snap back to reality.

"Oh, oh." Her expression seemed to lose the assertiveness she usually displayed in class, and she took out her Student Terminal with a somewhat dazed look.

Looking at Horikita Suzune before her, the blonde girl didn't know how she would face her in class from now on.

[Horikita Suzune is Etsuka's older sister...]

What Suzune and Karuizawa didn't know was that around the corner, Etsuka pulled out a voice recorder and pressed pause.

At night, inside the dormitory building.

In the mirror.

Yamauchi Haruki was dressed to the nines, not forgetting to spray himself with cologne.

As he adjusted his clothes, he muttered to himself:

"Seriously, has Karuizawa gone crazy today? She kept throwing my stationery. Damn it, just because she's a woman, she can act like a lunatic. What a jerk."

Yamauchi Haruki fiddled with his hair, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly: "Too bad, I won't lower myself to her level~ Today is the day I finally lose my virginity."

Whistling, Yamauchi Haruki walked out of his room, his face beaming with triumph.

Before long, he arrived at the door of room 312.

He first looked left and right, then scratched the back of his head.

"Isn't this the boys' floor?"

But then, as if remembering something, a smile touched his lips.

"Since it's a single room, it shouldn't matter which floor it's on, right? There shouldn't be any difference, should there?"

Yamauchi Haruki seemed very satisfied with this line of thought and nodded.

"That must be it."

He first pulled a rose from his back pocket, then knocked on the door with a look of deep affection, using a voice that sounded like a tractor engine starting up: "Baby~ I'm here."

1 second, 2 seconds...

"Did she not hear me?" Thinking this, Yamauchi leaned against the peephole to peer inside: "She must not have heard. Hello! Baby~ Is anyone in there?"

As he spoke, he wiggled his hips.

Just then, the door suddenly opened. Since Yamauchi had been leaning against it and the door opened inward, momentum carried him directly into the room.

Fortunately, he didn't fall, but his cheek made contact with something fleshy, and he caught the scent of body wash, as if someone had just finished a shower.

[Could it be...]

Thinking lecherously, Yamauchi closed his eyes and reached out to wrap his arms around the person.

"Baby~ Did you miss me?"

As he felt around, something didn't feel right.

"Hm? Wait? Why is the waist so wide?"

Filled with doubt, Yamauchi slowly opened his eyes.

Before him stood what looked like a wall.

Looking up, he saw a black man as sturdy as a bear, wearing a bathrobe, looking at him calmly.

Yamauchi's expression shifted from confusion to shock, and finally to terror...

"B-Big brother, I didn't mean it." Yamauchi waved his hands, backing away guiltily.

"Let me explain..."

The black man reached out, grabbed Yamauchi's clothes, and tried to pull him into the room.

"No, don't!" Yamauchi's eyes were filled with fear as he desperately clawed at the doorframe with both hands.

But how could his strength compete with the black man's?

Yamauchi struggled against the doorframe, snot and tears streaming down his face as he yelled:

"That... that, I was wrong! That, don't pull down my pants!"

Unexpectedly, the force didn't decrease but instead increased, dragging Yamauchi straight into the room.

Inside room 312, a series of crashing sounds erupted.

Then, cries of agony followed...

Crash, bang... thud, thud, thud!

Slap, slap, slap, slap!

If you can't find the book title, try searching for the author; perhaps the name has just been changed!