In an unnoticed corner.
Horikita Suzune looked at the seatmate beside her, puzzled.
Ayanokoji was seriously examining the test paper he had just received.
He was acting like he was for real!
Horikita Suzune's passive ability triggered on the spot. She couldn't stand people pretending to be clueless.
She stood up, took a step over to Ayanokoji, and said irritably:
"Why did you give the credit to Kushida? You came up with this plan first, didn't you?"
"No."
Ayanokoji replied blandly, making no move to look up at the girl.
But the very next second, he regretted it. A compass had suddenly appeared above him, its sharp point aimed at his person, poised to come down at any moment.
This woman... she really would do it!
Realizing this, Ayanokoji raised his head to look at Horikita, his expression somewhat helpless.
"Honestly, why give Kushida the credit? You have no reason to do that... unless you're plotting something else again?"
Ayanokoji shook his head and glanced at Kushida, who was surrounded by the others, before speaking. "Horikita, do you think the test will be exactly the same as in previous years? Nothing in the world is certain."
Ayanokoji lifted his gaze slightly and looked Horikita in the eye, clearly trying to lead her to a conclusion.
"You mean the school might change the test? That's true. Using the same test every year would be unreasonable, after all. What could the school's reason for doing that be?"
Horikita furrowed her brows, her gaze unfocused as she fell into thought.
And just like that, the fish took the bait!
Ayanokoji turned his eyes away and continued, "If the school didn't change the questions, our class would definitely score highly this time. How would everyone view the person who came up with the plan?"
"They'd praise them to the skies, and might even promote them as the new leader, above Hirata," Horikita said after pondering for a moment.
"And if the opposite happened?"
"..."
Horikita was a little annoyed. His tone was just like a teacher trying his hardest to coax an answer out of a less-than-bright student in class.
But she swallowed her irritation so she could understand Ayanokoji's deeper intentions.
"Then everyone would blame and criticize them. So that's why you handed the credit to Kushida?"
"You really made sure none of the blame could land on you!"
Ayanokoji nodded slightly.
Not bad. Her clever guess made her surprisingly easy to fool.
In truth, after hearing about previous years and seeing the test paper with his own eyes, Ayanokoji had already been certain that the tests were the same every year. This exam wasn't testing knowledge, but intelligence.
One person's intelligence might show in how they acquired knowledge; another's might show in how they studied the rules. Everyone had a way to pass the exam, and no one was necessarily smarter than anyone else.
And a clever strategist would always choose the approach that benefited the whole group most.
However, he had still underestimated Horikita.
Horikita knew that Ayanokoji would never take such a risk unless he was absolutely sure.
If the test had changed, the scores between the students who did well and those who did poorly would have been worlds apart. Even if they only needed half the average score, many students would have been expelled. It would have been a disaster.
Ayanokoji must have been absolutely certain.
She just couldn't understand why he had given the credit to Kushida.
Was it simply to avoid attracting attention?
You'd better believe it. She'd guessed right.
Ayanokoji watched Kushida, hemmed in by Class D and struggling to keep smiling at everyone. Just imagining himself in her place made his scalp tingle.
At that moment, he and a blond boy in the row ahead were thinking almost exactly the same thing.
He just wanted to shine on his own, without catching anyone else's stupidity.
Soon, exam day arrived.
At the sound of the bell, Chabashira Sae entered the classroom, carrying a briefcase and wearing her usual icy expression.
"I don't think I need to explain the exam rules again... In short, do your best to earn points. This might be your last chance."
After speaking, Chabashira gave a cold smile, as if she could already see how things would end.
Her crossed legs, clad in black stockings, gleamed in the sunlight.
Well, no surprise there. That's you for sure.
Useless as ever, and all you do is put your teammates down.
Ayanokoji grumbled inwardly.
But the very next second, the expressions on everyone's faces proved her wrong.
The moment they saw the test papers, everyone let out a sigh of relief, their faces showing ease and delight.
This question... I saw it in my dreams! D. This question... I had it on an elementary school test! C. This question... I learned it in driving school! A. This question... I can't solve it! But I'm picking B!
No more pretending!
In an instant, their ease and confidence showed in the pens in their hands, their assured gazes, and their upturned lips.
Chabashira was stunned. Was this really the Class D she knew?
As Chabashira Sae watched, her pupils trembled. Shock mingled with a trace of secret delight in her eyes.
This year's Class D might just manage to create a miracle.
The corners of her lips lifted. Her smile was no longer as cold as before.
Of course, not every student had an easy time with this exam—which was really just a dictation exercise.
Memorization took talent, too.
Yamauchi, Ike, Shinohara, and the others were visibly sweating.
Ayanokoji looked indifferent, as though he'd already guessed the outcome. He wrote his name on the paper and handed it in.
When the exam ended, most people wore smiles, encouraging one another. Some were already celebrating as if they'd popped champagne at halftime.
Hasebe: "That's great! The questions really were exactly the same. I finished the whole test. I might even get a perfect score this time!"
Karuizawa Kei: "Wow, that's amazing. I forgot the answers to a few of the questions."
Sato Maya: "Hey, hey, maybe our scores will even beat Class A's!"
Miyake Akito: "We really have Kushida to thank. We should make sure to thank her properly later."
Ayanokoji watched them without a trace of emotion.
"That's great, isn't it, Ayanokoji-kun~"
A sweet voice came from the orange-haired girl beside him.
Ayanokoji lifted his gaze and looked calmly into her wine-red eyes.
"Yeah."
It was.
Removing the tumor as soon as possible wasn't a bad thing.
Before you continue