You don't really mean that, do you

"You really are the Three Stooges, aren't you."

Horikita, who had remained silent while Kushida was explaining the problems, finally spoke up—though her opening line was pure mockery.

"If you can't even solve the simplest questions like these, I can hardly imagine your future."

"What did you say! That's none of your business!" Sudo slammed the table in anger at Horikita's words.

"Horikita, you're cute and all, but that's going too far."

Cute Horikita.

Ike chimed in, backing Sudo up.

"Going too far? I don't think so. And frankly, what happens to you in the future really isn't my concern."

"You're dragging the future into this? I don't think studying has that much impact on my future. I just need to focus on basketball."

"How naive. If you can't even solve the simplest problems, I imagine you'll shrink back at the first difficulty you encounter on the basketball court too."

"What did you say!" Sudo finally lost it. He stood up, grabbed Horikita by the collar, and glared at her fiercely.

"Sudo, please don't." Kushida hurried over from nearby, grabbing Sudo's arm, then continued, "But Horikita, what you said really was too much. You should apologize to Sudo."

"Too much? I don't think I said anything wrong," Horikita replied, showing no sign of fear. "If this is your attitude toward a dream you claim to have, I don't see you amounting to much."

"I suggest you drop out of school, give up that boring dream, and go get a job. See the real world sooner rather than later."

"You bastard!" Sudo completely lost control. His arm hung in the air, as if it might strike Horikita at any moment.

Seeing this, Ayanokouji, sitting next to Horikita, shifted slightly. But when he noticed Okiya and Ike moving to stop Sudo, he remained calmly seated.

If they hadn't gone to restrain Sudo, he probably would have stepped in himself.

Ike and Yamauchi didn't like Horikita either, but if Sudo was actually about to hit her, they had to stop him. Students from other classes in the library were already staring; they didn't want to be a laughingstock for other classes.

"I thought it was weird from the start that someone with no friends like you would hold a study session. If it weren't for Kushida, I wouldn't have come."

"And I even took time off from club practice for this. What a waste of time!"

Sudo shoved past the people holding him back and walked out.

The study session had barely started, and this happened. No one else there could be feeling good about it either.

"I'm out too." Ike hesitated, then spoke. "I know I'm dumb, but Horikita's attitude is way too condescending. I can't take it."

"Ike, please think it over." Kushida let out a cute voice from the side.

Begging Ike, Kushida.

"Kushida..." Ike seemed a little moved by her plea.

"If you're not afraid of being expelled, then go ahead."

"Horikita, you really are consistent with that attitude. I'll just cram at the last moment on this one."

"That's an interesting thing to say. Quite the 'cramming at the last moment.' I don't think you can reach the passing line on your own. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here, would you?"

Ike: "..."

Horikita was as steady as ever, even leaving the usually cheerful Ike speechless.

"I don't want to argue with you anymore. Let's go, Yamauchi, Okiya."

Before leaving, Ike dragged Yamauchi and Okiya along. Yamauchi didn't mind—he kind of disliked Horikita too—but Okiya looked hesitant.

"Is it really okay for us to just leave like this?"

"Don't hesitate, Okiya. If we're all gone, staying here won't do you any good."

Ike forcibly pulled the still-hesitant Okiya out of the library, with Yamauchi following close behind.

Now only Horikita, Kushida, and Ayanokouji remained at the study session.

After a brief silence, Kushida spoke. "Horikita, acting like this won't make them want to study with you."

Kushida's voice was as gentle as ever, but the act was a little too obvious. There was no way she wasn't angry about what just happened—she was probably just hiding it for now.

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have held any hope for people like them. Even if they barely avoid expulsion this time, they'll end up the same way next time."

"Doing something like this was both inefficient and pointless."

"Horikita, what do you mean by that?" Kushida blinked, not catching on right away.

"What do I mean? I mean it's better for these deadweights to be expelled while they have the chance."

Horikita seemed to have made up her mind. In her view, getting rid of the deadweights was the best way to raise the class's chances of advancement.

She no longer cared about the extra penalties the school might impose for having a dropout.

"How can you say that? We're all classmates. We might even become friends someday. Please don't give up on them yet."

"Kushida, that way of thinking is laughable. First, I won't become friends with them. Second, if they get expelled in this exam, we'll have no further connection. Our time as classmates ends here."

"You saw their attitude. I don't think continuing to teach them is useful."

"That way of thinking is wrong... Ayanokouji, please say something."

Kushida turned her pleading gaze to Ayanokouji, who was sitting next to Horikita.

Whether this guy was deliberately pretending or not was hard to tell; he rarely spoke, and he hadn't even stepped in to stop Sudo's earlier commotion.

Kushida found it a bit strange, and she also felt some resentment toward his indifference.

But now that only the three of them were left, Kushida had no choice but to seek his help.

"Since Horikita has reached this conclusion, I have no reason to object."

"Ayanokouji-kun, are you saying that too? They're on good terms with you, aren't they?"

"I really don't want to abandon them either, but my grades are average, and I can't teach, so I'm powerless. I have no grounds to oppose Horikita."

"You two... I see. I understand."

Kushida's reply came out somewhat cold. She picked up her bag and stood. "If you won't look after them, I will. I don't want them to drop out."

"Kushida-san, do you truly mean that?"

"Horikita-san, what are you implying? I can't just abandon Sudo-kun and the others. Is it wrong to think that way?"

"Of course not. It's just that I don't believe those words come from your heart. You don't genuinely want to help them, do you?"