The Night Before the Exam

Of course, Hachiman Hikigaya had already anticipated this situation. Rather, it was something he had expected all along.

"Then please tell me your solution."

Horikita stared intently at Hachiman Hikigaya, hoping he could come up with a way to resolve this crisis.

At the same time, deep down, she harbored the contradictory hope that Hachiman Hikigaya had no solution at all.

Because if Hachiman Hikigaya truly had thought of something she had not, wouldn't that mean she was inferior to him?

Those two feelings tangled together, leaving her thoughts somewhat chaotic.

"Please wait a moment."

Hachiman Hikigaya left those words behind, then turned and walked to his laptop, taking something from the desk drawer.

He returned to sit beside Horikita and slid the item toward her with his right hand.

Horikita looked strangely at the solution Hachiman Hikigaya had produced. It was... an exam paper?

"This is the solution you came up with? Don't tell me you want me to make them write even more exam papers before the test?"

Horikita was dumbfounded, unable to understand Hachiman Hikigaya's intentions.

"You'll understand once you look at it."

Hachiman Hikigaya calmly drank some water, completely unfazed by Horikita's sarcastic words.

With a doubtful expression, Horikita took the paper from Hachiman Hikigaya. Her eyes immediately widened.

It was an exam paper with the answers written on it. It looked utterly ordinary, and with a casual glance, Horikita could tell the answers to several questions at once—they were all simple problems.

Yet on this incredibly simple exam paper, the only thing that shocked Horikita was the large print reading: "First-Year Midterm Examination Paper."

"This?" Horikita looked at Hachiman Hikigaya in disbelief.

Unlike an ordinary school exam paper, this one had the name of their school printed on it.

"There's only one paper here, but the answers for the other subjects are on my computer. I'll send them to you later."

"Where did you get the answers?"

Horikita frowned and asked again, "And how do you know these are the answers to the exam we're about to take?"

The way she looked at him like a thief made Hachiman Hikigaya uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, I didn't steal them from the teachers. I'm not that bold."

Horikita still could not figure out where Hachiman Hikigaya had gotten the answers.

"I bought them from a third-year student. I asked around among both second-years and third-years.

The content of their first midterm exam when they were first-years had been the same every year. So I concluded that this midterm would be no exception, and I bought these answers from a senior who had kept them from back then."

Horikita's eyes were full of uncertainty. She could not believe this man had secretly done so much behind the scenes.

In truth, Hachiman Hikigaya had begun preparing on the very first day he learned there would be midterms. It had taken him three or four days to find a senior who had the answers.

"How can you be sure these are definitely the answers to our exam?"

Naturally suspicious, Horikita still did not feel reassured by these answers. What if they were the exception, and the school had suddenly changed the exam content this year?

"That's why I'm giving you the answers a few days before the exam. This way, even students with poor grades will study hard to avoid expulsion.

As for these answers, I can only guarantee there's a ninety percent chance they're correct. Even if the content is different, they'll still be able to handle the exam using the knowledge they gained from studying hard for a month."

He called it ninety percent, but Hachiman Hikigaya, who knew the story, knew these were one hundred percent the exam answers.

Horikita fell silent, doubtful of this absurdly simple solution.

Afraid of failing the exam? Cheat!

She had never expected that such a common line of thinking would one day be something she had to make use of.

Though she still was not fully convinced, Hachiman Hikigaya's method was undoubtedly the most useful solution available at the moment.

Even if they studied hard for a few more days, Sudo and the others had no way of mastering enough knowledge.

"I understand. Tomorrow, I'll release these answers. Whether they use them or not will be up to them," Horikita said gravely.

There was not much time left for them. Horikita could only trust Hachiman Hikigaya and treat a dead horse as if it were alive.

"Geez, was that all the reaction I get?" Hachiman Hikigaya put on a disappointed expression. "I thought you'd offer yourself to me in gratitude. After all, I spent quite a lot of points buying these answers."

That was what he said, but Hachiman Hikigaya had only spent ten thousand points. Saving nearly ten failing students with ten thousand points was quite a worthwhile deal.

Horikita shot him a sharp look, and Hachiman Hikigaya awkwardly whistled.

The summer breeze gently drifted into the room, filling it with the scent of summer and making them look forward to the days ahead.

"Hey, Hachiman Hikigaya, don't space out and fail tomorrow's exam."

In Ayanokoji's room, the Idiot Trio sat around the table, seriously memorizing the answers.

Today, following the plan, Horikita had announced the answers Hachiman Hikigaya provided. The class had reacted in different ways; some were doubtful, while others accepted them. Just as Horikita had said, the choice was theirs to make.

Naturally, the Idiot Trio belonged to the group that believed them.

They had no choice. Completely lacking confidence that they could pass the exam, they could only treat these answers as a lifeline.

They made their choice without a second thought.

"Sudo, you're the one who should be careful. Don't fall asleep later because you're too tired from basketball practice."

Hachiman Hikigaya reminded him with a smile. Sudo was brimming with motivation as he declared fiercely, "How could that happen? I gathered everyone in Ayanokoji's room specifically to prevent that. This way, I won't get sleepy from reading."

Ayanokoji: Why did you choose my room for this? (๑•.•๑)

"Let's make it interesting. Whoever gets the lowest score has to treat everyone to a meal."

Yamauchi made the suggestion excitedly. With the answers in hand, the worried look he had worn yesterday had vanished, and he was once again looking forward to his future school life.

"Oh, Yamauchi, don't regret it later. I'll eat you bankrupt."

Ike responded, then added, "And don't fail and get expelled, either. Otherwise, the treat won't count."

"Idiot, how could that happen?" Yamauchi shrugged and said smugly, "I can't bear to leave little Kushida alone at school. As her boyfriend, I naturally have to work hard to stay."

"Damn it, quit showing off already!"

Their playful scuffling brought life to the otherwise quiet room, replacing the lifeless atmosphere that studying usually brought.

This was what school life was supposed to be like.

"Ayanokoji, let's do our best tomorrow."

Hachiman Hikigaya patted Ayanokoji on the shoulder, and the latter turned around with a blank expression.

"Okay."

"Then it's settled. We'll celebrate in Ayanokoji's room tomorrow!"

"No, please don't."

"Alright, then it's happily decided!"