Suzune, Want to Come to Class A?

A round of "pleasant" roughhousing.

Suzune Horikita had gotten to vent her anger, while Yuki Gyakukai had gotten the upper hand in every way.

All in all, neither of them had lost out.

Sitting on the bed with her legs folded beneath her, Suzune Horikita tugged at her slightly rumpled clothes. Looking at the red handprints on her body, she felt inexplicably irritable.

At last, she stared impatiently at Yuki Gyakukai.

"So why did you come looking for me? We could've talked on our phones. Why did you have to come to my room?"

"There were all sorts of reasons, of course." Yuki shrugged and reached into his pocket, pulling out the Past Exam Papers Ryuen Kakeru had given him earlier.

They had already been folded several times, and after all the roughhousing in the room, those few Past Exam Papers were now completely crumpled.

He slowly spread out the misshapen wads of paper.

"Take a look for yourself. These are most likely the actual questions for this year's first-year midterm exams."

Suzune took two of the crumpled Past Exam Papers and looked at Yuki with suspicion.

"You're being this nice to me? Our classes are competing against each other, you know."

Though she said that, Suzune honestly unfolded the two papers and read through them.

She could tell right away that they were from upper-year exams. One was from the second year and the other from the third; there was no doubt about it.

However, when she saw the scope of the Japanese exam, Suzune couldn't help frowning.

"The scope for the Japanese exam is wrong. Our homeroom teacher, Sae Chabashira, gave us a different scope..."

Yuki had been a little puzzled about why Suzune was frowning, but as soon as he heard that Sae Chabashira had given them the wrong scope, he understood.

She was up to her old tricks. He vaguely remembered that in the original story, D Class's homeroom teacher had also given them a completely wrong exam scope.

"Suzune, the Past Exam Papers are most likely fine. So the one who's really causing trouble..."

He didn't say it outright, merely raising his eyebrows at Suzune.

Though she realized Sae Chabashira was up to something, Suzune still couldn't figure out why a homeroom teacher from D Class would do that.

At that moment, she felt a little displeased with Sae Chabashira's actions.

"So Sae Chabashira, as D Class's homeroom teacher, has serious problems too. I suppose she's also a so-called defective product."

"Suzune, should I take that as you mocking yourself, or as you affirming that you're a member of D Class?"

Yuki's handsome face quickly drew closer. The tips of their noses were barely a finger's width apart.

Her breathing grew a little uneven, and she instinctively turned her head away.

"That's too forward. Don't get so close to me. Besides, I never said I was a member of D Class. I don't consider myself a defective product..."

"Then, Suzune, have you ever thought about coming to our Class A?"

His warm breath brushed against her face, and his distinctly masculine scent made her body grow hot.

His enticing voice teased her ears. At the slightest stir, her pupils began to tremble.

Strange. The air conditioner was on, and the room was cool, so why was her body getting so hot?

She'd only just entered sage mode. Why had it worn off so quickly?

Suzune realized that the man in front of her was using some unknown kind of charm spell on her.

She wanted with all her heart to resist, but no matter how hard she struggled, she was still drawn to him.

At that moment, she silently repeated to herself: At least, just let me hold out for a little while. Once this passes, you'll be grateful to yourself, Suzune!

One wrong step led to another. He was a man with a fiancée; he was nothing but an abyss...

Her reason overcame her physical desire. Putting on a calm front, Suzune answered casually.

"Does your class already have twenty million personal points?"

Everyone knew that twenty million personal points could prevent expulsion and allow someone to transfer classes at will.

"Not yet, but that might change in the near future."

That was Yuki's answer. He was still watching Suzune struggle with interest.

"So you can't transfer anyone right now? Then your offer to bring me into Class A was just empty talk.

"But that doesn't matter. I don't need anyone else's help. Over the next three years, I'll make it to Class A my own way."

Suzune had always been fairly confident in her abilities.

She wasn't good at socializing and didn't have any friends,

but she was an excellent student, and no one could match her physical prowess either.

She believed she could make it to Class A.

Yuki smiled and encouraged the confident Suzune, without trying to discourage her.

After all, it was good to have something to strive for. If he pressured his little sister the way Manabu Horikita did, Suzune might break down one day.

"Since that's how you feel, Suzune, then do your best in the upcoming Special Exams."

"Of course. I've never thought I was inferior to anyone else. I'll reach Class A my own way."

As she spoke, Suzune handed the Past Exam Papers back to him.

"These are..." Yuki began. "There's no need to give them back."

Yuki thought there was really no need for Suzune to return the Past Exam Papers.

"I don't need to cheat to win..."

Seeing that Suzune still wanted to say something, Yuki cut her off before she could get a word out.

"Listen, Suzune. Your D Class has already lost all its Class Points. Don't you want to do something about it?"

"Like what?" she asked, resting a hand on her chin as she eyed the man in front of her, who wore a knowing smile.

"For example, weed out the class's pests. Your D Class is still a mess, with no leader. Your grades are good enough that you won't be expelled in the midterms, so you could use this opportunity to make sweeping reforms—get rid of the pests and develop the people with potential..."

Listening to the plan he laid out, Suzune chuckled and asked curiously.

"That's the real reason you came to see me, isn't it? But why didn't you go to Hirata or Kikyou Kushida? They're much more popular in D Class."

"Suzune, what makes you think I haven't already gone to them?"

At that, Suzune—who had been curious just a moment ago—lost interest, her face stiffening.

She had thought she was special, only to find out she was just one of the options.

"Relax. I had other people casually pass the message to the other two. You're the only one I came to see in person.

"Doesn't that make you a little happy, little Suzune?"

Realizing she was the one he'd treated specially, Suzune's expression softened. A strange flutter rose in her heart once more.

Then,

Yusoku Gyakukai took out his phone, checked the time, and mused,

"It's getting late. I should get going. I still have to work at Tomie's for a while tonight."

"Womanizer..." Suzune muttered unhappily, glaring at his back as he headed for the door.

Unexpectedly, just as Yuki was about to open the door and leave, he turned around.

As Suzune watched in a mixture of alarm and anticipation, their lips met.

Then, after a long moment, he stood up, left the room, and closed the door—all in one smooth motion.

He didn't give Suzune a moment to think.

Realizing what a stupid thing she'd done, she immediately flopped onto the bed, both hands raking through her messy hair. Her face was flushed, and embarrassment overwhelmed her.

Beep!

A message from Yuki.

Yuki Gyakukai: I gave you my first kiss today... That should count as an apology, right?

Looking at his shameless reply, Suzune couldn't decide whether to be angry or laugh.

"Womanizer, take responsibility!!!"