Chapter Summaries

Sakamoto finalized a contract between Kushida and Sakamoto Junichi under Chabashira’s witness, while Chabashira considered turning to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka for help with Class D. Later, Class A’s boys attended swimming class, where Sakamoto observed his classmates and the girls arrived at the pool.

• Sakamoto Junichi gave Chabashira the contract, which she reviewed and witnessed before Kushida took a copy and left.
• Chabashira searched the student files and focused on Ayanokoji Kiyotaka as someone whose strength she might need.
• Hashimoto reported Class D’s worsening tensions to Sakamoto, who told him to monitor Horikita only while she was inside the school building.
• Class A’s boys discussed girls ahead of swimming class, and Sakamoto told Hashimoto that he cared about what was inside.
• The boys changed into swimwear and gathered at the pool, where Katsuragi and Kito Hayato drew attention for their physiques.
• The girls arrived in swimsuits, and the swimming instructor called everyone to prepare for class.

Sakamoto taught Yamamura to swim, but his impressive swimming demonstration distracted the class and drew the instructor’s attention. Sakayanagi had arranged for Sakamoto to compete in a match against Class D, and the chapter ended with her anticipating the contest between Sakamoto and Ayanokoji.

• Sakamoto was paired with Yamamura for swimming practice and called her Miki-chan as he explained the basics.
• Sakamoto’s polished swimming and physique distracted the students, disrupting practice until the instructor called everyone back to focus.
• The instructor invited Sakamoto to represent Class A in a four-person swimming match against Class D for a ten-thousand-point prize, and Sakamoto agreed.
• Kito Hayato, Kamuro Masumi, and Morishita Ai were selected alongside Sakamoto as Class A’s competitors.
• Hashimoto greeted Kamuro, but she ignored him and went to sit beside Sakayanagi, who heard Kamuro’s report and dismissed her concern.
• Sakayanagi revealed that she had persuaded the instructor to arrange the match and wondered whether the natural genius Sakamoto or the artificial genius Ayanokoji was stronger.

Class D selected swimmers to compete against Class A for a reward of 9,000 private points, and the interclass pool battle began on Thursday. Horikita won the opening girls’ match, and Kamuro and Onodera started the next race.

• Class D held swimming selections, with Horikita and Onodera winning the girls’ final and Hirata and Koenji winning the boys’ final.
• Horikita urged Ayanokoji to contribute to the class by joining the competition, pointing out his athletic build.
• Students from Classes A, B, C, and D gathered at the pool as the teachers announced the one-on-one elimination competition.
• Horikita defeated Morishita in 28 seconds after pulling ahead in the latter half of their race.
• Kamuro and Onodera began the next girls’ race when the whistle sounded.

Onodera Kayano won the girls’ race, while Ayanokoji unexpectedly entered the boys’ event and beat Kito. Koenji narrowly won his race against Sakamoto after Sakamoto appeared to hold back, then asked Sakura Airi to lend him her towel.

• Onodera Kayano overtook Kamuro Masumi and won the girls’ race in twenty-six seconds.
• After Hirata Yosuke was unable to compete, Horikita pressured Ayanokoji into replacing him, and he beat Kito Hayato with a time of twenty-three seconds.
• Koenji and Sakamoto raced neck and neck until Koenji surged ahead, but Sakamoto passed him before the finish.
• Koenji caught Sakamoto near the finish and won, then accused Sakamoto of holding back and challenged him to race seriously next time.
• Sakamoto declined towels offered by the girls and asked Sakura Airi to lend him hers.

Sakamoto comforted Airi after borrowing her towel, then met with Sakayanagi and learned she was watching Ayanokoji and Class D’s upcoming midterms. He obtained midterm answers from Yamada and Saito and told Hashimoto to sell them to the other classes, with Class D as the priority.

• Sakamoto borrowed Airi’s towel and led her away from the crowd, reassuring her that she had done well before leaving her.
• Koenji withdrew from the swimming competition, so Ayanokoji won first place and Onodera received the girls’ division reward.
• Sakamoto met Sakayanagi in the Chess Club, where they discussed her plans and Class D’s midterm exams.
• Yamada and Saito pleaded with Sakamoto after Sakayanagi left, and Sakamoto decided they could be useful.
• Sakamoto gave Hashimoto the midterm answers and instructed him to sell copies to the other classes, prioritizing Class D.

Hashimoto visited Class D to sell Class A’s midterm answers, but Horikita refused and Hirata supported her. After the Three Stooges arrived and learned the answers cost ten thousand points, they tried to borrow money from Ayanokoji, only to discover that Class D already had a copy.

• Hashimoto sold the answers to Ichinose for ten thousand points and explained that he had already visited Classes B and C.
• Horikita refused to buy the answers, following Ayanokoji’s advice, and Hirata backed her position.
• Hashimoto stayed in Class D, while Hirata quietly told Horikita that Ayanokoji had already obtained the answers.
• Sakamoto showed Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudo the answers, and they became interested in buying them.
• The Three Stooges asked Ayanokoji to lend them ten thousand yen, but Hirata revealed that Class D already had the answers.

Sakamoto’s answer-sheet scheme drew Class D’s Three Stooges away from studying, while Hirata and Horikita argued over whether to keep helping them. A week later, Sudo failed English, and the chapter left the Three Stooges facing the consequences of their poor preparation.

• Sakamoto and the Three Stooges left Class D after the Three Stooges learned that answer sheets were available, and Ayanokoji recognized the scheme’s likely effect on their motivation.
• Hirata insisted he would not give up on his classmates, while Horikita argued that expelling the Three Stooges would be right if they failed even with the answers.
• Kushida teased Sakura about visiting Class A and revealed that Sakamoto had come to Class D earlier.
• Sakamoto found Sakura’s homemade cookies on his desk in Class A, ate them all, and told Hashimoto he planned to watch what happened in Class D.
• A week later, students across all four classes studied the answer sheets intensely, but the Three Stooges struggled to cram, and Sudo failed English.

Sudo failed English despite scoring 41 because Class D’s passing mark was 43, and Ayanokoji confronted Chasuke about a way to help him pass. Ayanokoji asked Chasuke to sell two points for Sudo, leaving the outcome unresolved.

• Chasuke told Sudo that Class D’s passing mark was 43, calculated from its average score of 86.4, so Sudo’s 41 points were insufficient.
• Horikita asked Chasuke whether the passing mark was miscalculated and whether Sudo could still pass; Chasuke told Sudo to visit his office after school.
• Sakamoto and Hashimoto discussed Class D’s exam results and waited in an empty classroom for the others to arrive.
• Ayanokoji asked Chasuke to explain the exam’s unfair circumstances, then invoked the school’s policy that anything could be purchased with points.
• Ayanokoji asked Chasuke to sell two points for Sudo’s English score.

Ayanokoji and Horikita tried to buy two grade points from Chasuke to prevent Sudo's expulsion, but they had until the next evening to find the money. Sakamoto appeared to offer help, and then discussed with Hashimoto who the Class D pair might approach for a loan.

• Ayanokoji asked Chasuke to sell Class D two grade points, arguing that Sudo's athletic ability made him worth saving, and Chasuke offered each point for fifty thousand points.
• Horikita joined Ayanokoji and promised they would gather the required one hundred thousand points by the next evening, though they had only forty thousand between them.
• Sakamoto and Hashimoto confronted Ayanokoji and Horikita in the dark corridor, and Sakamoto hinted that some deals were worth more than points.
• Ayanokoji refused Sakamoto's implied offer, and Hashimoto joked that Ayanokoji and Horikita looked like a married couple before leaving.
• Sakamoto told Hashimoto he wanted to see who Ayanokoji and Horikita would ask for a loan, and Hashimoto confirmed that Hirata Yosuke and Karuizawa Kei had few points left.

Horikita and Ayanokoji tried to raise points to prevent Sudo’s expulsion, but they still fell short. Ayanokoji met Sakayanagi to borrow the remaining points, and she offered thirty thousand in exchange for his company.

• Horikita asked Ichinose for sixty thousand points, and Ichinose agreed to lend thirty thousand after hearing about Sudo’s risk of expulsion.
• Horikita asked Sudo to lend thirty thousand points, but he said he had spent everything and could not help.
• Horikita told Ayanokoji that Sudo could not contribute and that Hirata and the others could raise only twenty thousand points; Ayanokoji said he would handle the rest.
• Ayanokoji received ten thousand points from Hirata and Karuizawa and thirty thousand from Ichinose, then went to meet Sakayanagi.
• Ayanokoji asked Sakayanagi for twenty thousand points, and she offered thirty thousand if he would keep her company for a while.

Ayanokoji accepted Sakayanagi’s offer of thirty thousand points in exchange for keeping her company, while Class D celebrated Sudo’s saved place and Ryuen turned his attention toward Ayanokoji and Class D. The chapter ended with Ryuen preparing to disrupt Class D’s unity.

• Ayanokoji agreed to keep Sakayanagi company, and she arranged to lend him thirty thousand points.
• Sakayanagi and Sakamoto discussed how he had helped bring her and Ayanokoji together, and she invited him to Class D’s gathering.
• Chabashira announced that Sudo’s expulsion crisis was resolved, and Sudo apologized to Horikita before promising to study seriously.
• Hirata suggested that Class D celebrate at Palette, and Sudo joined the group after swearing to study.
• Ibuki told Ryuen that Class C had sold exam answers for about one hundred thousand points, but Class C still ranked last despite students having the answers.
• Ryuen decided Class D was his next target and planned to disrupt its unity.

At a dessert gathering with students from Classes A and D, Sakamoto warned that Ryuen was targeting Horikita and Ayanokoji while hinting that Class D’s unity was changing. The chapter ended by revealing Sakamoto had encouraged Tokito to use Class C’s conflict with Sudo as a chance to challenge Ryuen.

• Sakura accidentally dripped cream onto Horikita’s signed Study Group Agreement, and Sakamoto smoothly replaced the stained papers with a dessert.
• Sakamoto mentioned Ryuen’s interest in Class D, especially Horikita and Ayanokoji, and Sudo vowed to defend the class while Horikita rejected violence.
• Horikita left the gathering, and Sakamoto walked Sakura back toward the locker as the celebration ended.
• Tokito recalled Sakamoto telling him that he could use Ishizaki and the others’ provocations of Sudo to bring down Ryuen.
• Tokito considered resisting Ryuen after Sakamoto’s suggestion took root in his mind.

Sakamoto watched Hashimoto and Kamuro argue over dinner while reviewing achievements tied to recent events. The next day, Ryuen's scheme led Sudo to attack three Class C students, and the school withheld Class D's points as Sudo faced a disciplinary hearing.

• Hashimoto and Kamuro argued over dinner until Sakamoto chose dessert to settle the dispute.
• Sakamoto reviewed achievements linked to his observations of Sakayanagi's plans and the effort to save Sudo from expulsion.
• Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo provoked Sudo during basketball practice, and Sudo struck Ishizaki before fighting all three.
• Tokito secretly photographed the fight after deciding the evidence could help Class C's future.
• Chabashira told Class D that its points were being withheld and summoned Sudo over the violent incident.
• Chabashira warned Sudo that he would face punishment at a disciplinary hearing unless he could produce evidence.

Horikita and Ayanokoji investigated Sudo’s fight and suspected Sakura might have witnessed it after checking surveillance footage and learning she had returned to the school building. They confronted Sakura about her camera, leaving her trembling as Yamauchi asked whether she had captured decisive evidence.

• Kushida asked Class D for witnesses to Sudo’s fight, but no one offered a useful clue.
• Horikita said Sakura had reacted strangely when Kushida asked the class, so the group split up to investigate.
• Horikita found surveillance footage showing Sakura had returned to the classroom after school, while Ayanokoji noticed her locker was near the fight site and a surveillance blind spot.
• The group approached Sakura by a vending machine, and she hid her camera bag when Kushida called to her.
• Horikita questioned Sakura about her movements near the lockers before the fight, and Yamauchi asked whether her camera had captured evidence.

Sakamoto defended Sakura against Class D’s accusations by showing evidence that her camera contained no photos of Sudo’s fight. Ayanokoji identified Tokito Yuya of Class C as a likely witness who may have photographed the incident, leaving Class D to decide how to approach him.

• Sakamoto presented chat and convenience-store photo evidence showing that he and Sakura had been together shortly before Sudo’s fight, then revealed that the remaining camera photos were only personal pictures of himself.
• Sakamoto told Class D to stop harassing Sakura and reminded them that less than twenty-four hours remained to resolve the incident.
• Horikita reasoned that the witness might have had enough time to reach the gymnasium, while Ayanokoji noticed Tokito Yuya’s Photography Club attendance record and identified him as a likely witness.
• Horikita warned that Tokito might protect Class C’s interests, but Ayanokoji argued that Tokito could be willing to tell the truth because Class C had not used any photos of Sudo’s fight.

Horikita and Ayanokoji tried to get Tokito to reveal what he knew about Sudo’s fight, but he refused to cooperate. Meanwhile, Hashimoto and Kamuro argued in Class A before Sakamoto received a message from Tokito saying someone had come looking for him.

• Ayanokoji explained that Tokito’s decision to bring a camera suggested he resisted Ryuen’s rule, and Kushida said Tokito avoided Class C activities.
• The next day, Horikita and Ayanokoji found Tokito alone by a flower bed, but he denied knowing Sudo and left after Horikita said they knew he had leverage against him.
• Horikita and Ayanokoji concluded that they had no evidence to present at the disciplinary hearing.
• In Class A, Kamuro confronted Hashimoto for forgetting to buy her coffee, and Hashimoto tried to redirect her to Sakamoto.
• Sakamoto received a message from Tokito saying that someone had come looking for him.

Sakamoto pressured Tokito to keep quiet about helping him, while Class D failed to defend Sudo at the accountability hearing. Tokito eventually confessed to Ryuen that he had betrayed Class C, and Ishizaki attacked him.

• On the rooftop, Sakamoto warned Tokito to endure the pressure and keep their agreement secret.
• Tokito stayed silent when Class D questioned him, and Horikita's defense of Sudo failed to produce evidence at the hearing.
• The hearing ended without a ruling, leaving Class D one final meeting the next afternoon.
• Tokito wondered why Sakamoto had not given Class D the photos and tried to reassure himself that the plan might be forgotten.
• After Ishizaki grabbed him for accidentally bumping into him, Tokito confessed to Ryuen that he had betrayed Class C.
• Ishizaki rushed back into the classroom, called Tokito a traitor, and punched him.

Ryuen confronted Tokito about betraying Class C, then tested Ayanokoji at lunch and became convinced he was behind Class D’s recent success. After Tokito reacted strangely to hearing that Ryuen had approached Ayanokoji, Ryuen suspected Tokito feared they had targeted the wrong person.

• Ryuen stopped Ishizaki from attacking Tokito and ordered his group to meet Ayanokoji.
• Ryuen questioned Ayanokoji in the cafeteria about Class D’s improved performance, but Ayanokoji denied knowing anything and left.
• Ryuen told Ishizaki to watch Ayanokoji, suspecting he was pulling the strings behind Class D.
• Ryuen told Tokito that they had gone after Ayanokoji, and Tokito reacted with alarm.
• Ryuen slammed Tokito against the blackboard and accused him of fearing that they had found the wrong person.

Horikita Suzune and Ichinose Honami confronted Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo about their false testimony against Sudo, using surveillance cameras to pressure them into admitting the truth. Just as the group appeared ready to give in, Ryuen Kakeru arrived beside Ishizaki.

• Sudo gave up hope of escaping punishment, but Horikita Suzune told him they had already devised a plan.
• Horikita and Ichinose waited with Ayanokoji near the lockers for Ishizaki, Komiya, and Kondo.
• Horikita and Ichinose accused the Class C students of lying about Sudo, and Ishizaki denied it while demanding evidence.
• Ichinose pointed out the surveillance cameras, unsettling the three students and leading them to lower their heads.
• Ryuen Kakeru appeared beside Ishizaki as Ichinose gestured for Ayanokoji to take over.

Horikita and Ichinose used Tokito’s photos to settle the dispute between Sudo and Ishizaki’s group without Sudo facing punishment. Ayanokoji later confronted Sakamoto about the photos, and Sakamoto whispered what he wanted from him.

• Ryuen exposed Horikita’s bluff about the surveillance footage and challenged her to produce evidence.
• Ichinose presented photos of Ishizaki and the others provoking Sudo, which Ayanokoji had secretly given her.
• Horikita proposed that Class C withdraw its complaint, and Ishizaki agreed; the students settled the dispute at the Student Council office.
• Sudo thanked Horikita, Ayanokoji, and Ichinose, while Ichinose kept her attention on Ayanokoji.
• Ayanokoji realized Sakamoto had obtained the photos, met with him at the piano, and asked what he wanted.
• Sakamoto leaned close to Ayanokoji and whispered his request.