"That's strange."
"What's strange?"
"Why hasn't the traitor made a move after all this time? Could it be that he's had a change of heart?" Ayanokoji asked Horikita.
There hadn't been any signs of the class's information leaking during the two Special Exams. Kiyotaka was thinking about why.
It was an autumn afternoon. Sunlight spilled across the trees lining the street, and a gentle breeze carried a hint of autumn's chill. Golden ginkgo leaves filtered the sunlight into dappled shadows, while fallen leaves blanketed the sidewalk like stage scenery laid out especially for the day.
Nagami stood outside the café where they'd agreed to meet, his hands in his coat pockets as he absentmindedly nudged a fallen leaf with his foot. He checked the time on his phone.
"Sorry for the wait!"
The clear voice pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up and saw Kushida hurrying over, slightly out of breath, her long hair a little tousled from running.
Her light makeup gave her skin a healthy glow and a naturally smooth, delicate look.
Shimmering apricot-gold eyeshadow brightened her eyes. The outer corners of her eyeliner extended slightly, forming an elegant curve. She'd even carefully applied mascara, leaving every lash perfectly curled and feather-light.
(Every girl is a potential makeup master. I stand corrected.)
"Did it take you a long time to get ready?"
"Exactly. The longer a girl takes to get ready, the more it shows how much she cares about the guy. You should be grateful."
Kushida spun around, and the hem of her light purple dress swayed gently with her movements.
The dress was simple yet refined. Its fitted waist accentuated her already slender figure, making her look like a flower in bloom.
A faint floral perfume drifted over on the breeze as she moved, its fragrance fresh and sweet.
To ward off the evening chill, she'd put on a white knitted cardigan. Its light fabric and soft texture made her look even cozier.
Even her ever-present headband had been replaced with a reddish light purple one.
Finally, she'd slipped on a pair of nude-colored heels. Small rhinestones dotted the shoes, catching the light like tiny stars as she walked.
"Kikyo, have you studied properly for tomorrow's exam?"
"With you around, I can just wing it and still pass. What would I have to worry about?"
"So what was it you wanted to meet me about today?"
"Oh, I almost forgot. Something suddenly occurred to me yesterday... It's like this... and then..."
"Mm, I understand. You can go home now."
"What?! Just like that?"
Kushida remembered how she'd spent the early morning doing her hair and makeup and picking out her outfit, only to have him brush her off before she could show them off for long. Her urge to kill was rapidly rising.
"I'm kidding. Come on. I heard there's a place with really good salmon. Let's check it out."
"Yeah, make that kind of joke again and I'll kill you."
"But I do like salmon, so you guessed right. Bonus points."
On exam day, a tense atmosphere hung over the entire school.
In the corridors, students gathered in small groups, quietly discussing the key points they needed to remember.
"Please, let this question be on the test..."
Yamauchi clasped his hands together and whispered a prayer over his notebook.
Others nervously flipped through their review materials, rapidly reciting formulas and vocabulary under their breath.
In the classrooms, desks and chairs stood in neat rows, and almost every desk was piled with textbooks, workbooks, and reference books.
Ike rested his chin in his hands and gazed out the window, seemingly trying to force himself to calm down. The sunlight outside was slowly rising, but it did little to dispel the tension in the classroom.
"Time's up. Put your books away."
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The proctor entered the classroom. The announcement wasn't loud, but it was like a stone tossed into still water, instantly silencing all the students.
The scrape of chairs against the floor rose and fell as everyone quickly put away their books and cleared their desks. The air was filled with the crisp rustle of paper and the faint sound of shallow breathing.
"The exam starts now. Pass the papers down, and don't talk to your neighbors."
The school grounds outside were deserted. Even the birdsong seemed unusually clear. The entire campus seemed to be holding its breath, waiting for the exam to end.
(This exam's surprisingly easy.)
(I wonder if Class C went easy on us, or if the teachers were overly strict when reviewing it.)
In this low-stakes exam, Ryuen ended up doing nothing after all, engaging in a rare fair contest.
It was like the calm before the storm.
"Finally, it's over."
"Could've gone better, but it wasn't bad."
"Yoshi! I'm definitely getting fifty in math this time."
Sudo, one of the Three Idiots, declared victory after finishing the exam.
"Oh, it's Nagumo-senpai today. I'm not used to it. I usually see Horikita-senpai sitting here, so it'll take a while to adjust."
Ichinose and Nagami entered the Student Council Room as usual and got to work.
"You'll get used to it, Nagami. For the next year, you'll probably be seeing me in this spot."
"Senpai, there's something that's been bothering me, and I've been thinking about asking you. You're the only one who can answer it. May I?"
Nagami suddenly thought of a rather mischievous question.
"What is it? It's a senior's duty to help out a junior."
"Well, sometimes female friends greet me, but I know so many people that I can't remember everyone's name. I heard you never get a girl's name wrong, senpai, so I came to ask for your advice."
"You're quite the joker, junior. You just have to put your mind to it to remember someone's name. You don't need to make a special effort."
"Oh? Have you ever gotten someone's name wrong, then? I heard there can be serious consequences if you call someone by the wrong name. Has that ever happened to you, senpai?"
Nagami's question was loaded, and he kept pressing.
Miyabi Nagumo suddenly recalled a few awkward incidents from his past. Once, on a date, he'd accidentally called his date by his ex-girlfriend's name and ended up with coffee poured all over him.
Another time, just as he was about to kiss someone, he'd called her by the wrong name and gotten slapped. He hadn't dared leave the house for three whole days. Now, with someone repeatedly hinting at that particular "dark history," his face turned more bitter than a gourd.
"That's enough, junior. Let's not talk about names anymore."
"Let's get to work."
"Yoshi, let's do this!"
Ichinose suddenly seemed to realize something and let out a quiet giggle.
"Dogmei, I just thought of something funny."
They stared at each other in silence.
After all, the great invention of using "babe" instead of someone's name hadn't been invented in this world yet.
[Paper Shuffle Special Exam Final Results]
Class A 890+50=940 Class B 825-50=775 Class C 440-50=390 Class D 257+50=307
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