Sudō Was Nothing

Bang!

Ken Sudō slammed his fist on the table in anger, looking around at the people from Class D in disbelief.

"We already proved at noon that the senpai was right to give us the Past Exam Papers. Why are we still studying here?"

His words were filled with resentment and discontent, but when he remembered that there were people from other classes nearby, he deliberately lowered his voice toward the end.

"Exactly, Hirata. I was planning to go home and play games with Ike."

Yamauchi shrugged, wearing an equally helpless expression.

He acted as if he already had the upcoming midterms in the bag.

And for him, they really were in the bag. After all, he had gotten the answers.

All he had to do was memorize them, and the midterms would be a breeze.

Quite a few people thought the same way Yamauchi did, including the group of gyaru led by Kei Karuizawa.

Kei Karuizawa felt her friends' gazes. She knew exactly what they were thinking.

They'd been studying intensely for over a week and were exhausted. They wanted a chance to relax.

And since she was Yousuke Hirata's girlfriend, asking her to persuade him would probably work well. Most people would think that would earn them a break.

Kei Karuizawa couldn't help smiling bitterly to herself. Only she knew that her relationship with Yousuke Hirata was fake.

"Hirata, why don't we let everyone take a break? Studying should be balanced with rest. Taking a break now and then can improve our efficiency.

"Besides, we already have the answers, so passing the midterms should be easy."

Surrounded by the students of Class D, Yousuke Hirata saw their expectant faces and couldn't help smiling wryly.

"All right, let's call it a day. Everyone can relax for now. We'll resume the study sessions tomorrow."

At that moment, Suzune Horikita, seated not far away, closed her book as well.

"Then everyone should take a break. After all, you already have the answers to the midterms, so I'm sure you'll study hard."

"I hope not a single person from Class D ends up expelled."

After putting away her book, Suzune Horikita walked past the others and slowly left the library, her eyes devoid of emotion.

The students of Class D watched her in surprise. They weren't used to seeing Suzune Horikita refrain from mocking them.

"This is the first time I've seen Horikita like this. It's really surprising."

Maya Sato, one of the gyaru, stared after Suzune Horikita as if she were seeing her for the first time.

"I always thought Horikita was a cold, mean person. I didn't know she was just stern on the outside but kind at heart."

Kikyou Kushida appeared at just the right moment, smiling on the surface while cursing Suzune Horikita viciously in her heart.

You bitch! What are you putting on that act for?!!

Blending in with the crowd, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji also watched Suzune Horikita with some confusion.

Was she really that kind of person?

It didn't seem likely. And it was awfully convenient that Class D had gotten the Past Exam Papers. Was someone pulling strings behind the scenes?

This was so unlike Suzune Horikita.

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, who had been threatened with expulsion by Sae Chabashira, felt the situation was getting a little troublesome.

The known point of conflict was the Past Exam Papers. If someone had interfered behind the scenes, this was where they would have done it.

And the piece he most wanted to control, Suzune Horikita, seemed off. Given the current situation, there was a good chance she had betrayed the class.

"Gyakukai, is this the result you wanted?"

Across from him, Ryuen Kakeru looked over with an amused expression. Judging by Class D's current situation, it wasn't hard to guess that they knew about the Past Exam Papers.

"It's not quite enough. It hasn't met my expectations."

Yuki Gyakukai answered calmly as he listened to Ichinose explain the material.

The two-hour study session passed quickly.

For Yuki Gyakukai, those two hours had been excruciating.

So when it was over, he ignored Ryuen's dumbfounded expression, grabbed his fiancée's hand, and rushed out of the library.

"Studying is just too painful."

Yuki Gyakukai rubbed his head, looking as if he wanted his fiancée to comfort him.

Tomie let him lead her around the campus, her hand in his.

She was in a good mood watching her fiancé like this, and reached out to touch him from time to time.

It was during their walk that they ran into Sakayanagi's group of three.

"Sakayanagi, out for a walk this late?"

Beneath the clear sky, there were no hidden complications. The wind along the way ruffled everyone's hair.

Sakayanagi instinctively pressed down on the Beret on her head.

But she was a moment too late. The white Beret caught the wind and soared into the air, while leaves swirled around it.

Suddenly, a figure leaped high and snatched the white Beret out of the air.

The sight left Emi Tamiya, walking beside them, baffled. It felt just like something from a shoujo manga.

The only difference was that it lacked the youthful flutter of a manga scene.

Holding the white Beret, Yuki Gyakukai hurried over and set it on Sakayanagi Arisu's head.

"Keep it on. If I weren't here, who knows where that hat would have blown off to."

"Oh my." Sakayanagi Arisu felt something move on her head and paused, but soon covered her mouth with a light laugh. Her bright eyes were fixed on Yuki Gyakukai.

"Then I'm truly grateful. I would have been very upset if I'd lost my hat."

"Good. That's all I needed to hear."

Without another word, he returned to Tomie's side, took her hand again, and left.

After walking a little farther, Yuki Gyakukai noticed that the East Asian Little Vinegar King beside him reeked of jealousy.

"It was just picking up a hat."

Tomie didn't answer. She only lowered her eyes to their joined hands.

The Sakayanagi Family... Just a second-rate family. What's the best way to punish them?

This is such a dilemma. How can I keep my brilliant fiancé from attracting every woman around him? Maybe I really should break his legs, like Mom said.

No, I can't bring myself to do it...

Soon, the two of them arrived at the Basketball Court.

The sound of a basketball thumping against the floor again and again told Yuki Gyakukai that someone was still there at this hour.

He glanced over and saw someone familiar.

Red hair + basketball = Ken Sudō.

Sudō, who had been practicing there for over an hour, controlled the ball in his hands and lined up a shot at the backboard.

"Yo, Sudō. You're still playing basketball alone this late? Is there any need to work this hard?"

Hearing a familiar voice, Sudō stopped dribbling and looked over. But the moment he saw who it was, he turned away and started dribbling again.

"None of your business."

As he spoke, he quickly threw the ball in his hands.

But just as the basketball was about to drop through the hoop, another ball suddenly flew in from the distance, knocked Sudō's shot away, then went through the hoop itself.

"I heard basketball is what you're most proud of. Want to compete?"

Yuki Gyakukai narrowed his eyes as he watched Ken Sudō from half court.

Basketball was, at least, the thing Ken Sudō was most confident about.

"Sure."

As for the basketball Yuki Gyakukai had just thrown from half court, he assumed it had been luck. After all, he himself couldn't make a shot like that.

Though he was a little out of breath, Ken Sudō still gave Yuki Gyakukai the ball.

"Basketball takes talent. I may not be as good as you at studying, and I may not be as strong as you, but when it comes to athleticism and basketball talent, I won't lose to anyone."

Swish!

A three-pointer from beyond the arc. Nothing but net.

There was no physical contact at all. Ken Sudō stared in disbelief as the ball sailed right over his head and dropped into the hoop.

"So you're saying that people without talent have had their lives wasted from the very beginning?"

The two kept playing one-on-one, but Ken Sudō didn't answer the question.

He only watched nervously as Yuki Gyakukai got the ball again.

"Don't want to answer, or can't?"

Another three-pointer. Unable to read the ball's trajectory or compete with Yuki Gyakukai physically or technically, Ken Sudō felt utterly helpless.

For the first time, he began to doubt whether he could make it into the high school league and achieve anything.

Watching Yuki Gyakukai sink one easy shot after another, he felt as if the ball were guided by a tracking system, never missing.

Each shot shattered Ken Sudō's understanding of what was possible.

Despair and bottomless disappointment swallowed his heart like an abyss.

"There are too many people in this world. The talent you're so proud of means nothing in front of a real genius."

"Sudō, you said talent was important. But to me, you seem pretty ordinary. And that's perfectly normal."

"So why keep trying?"

"Does anyone want you to keep trying?"

"Is there anyone who wants you to work hard?"

"Then what reason do you have to keep going?"

Each question chipped away at Ken Sudō's mental defenses.

The eyes of Sudō, who had been trying hard to defend himself, began to tremble.

When he finally looked up again, fine beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, and his eyes were bloodshot.

"Ah! What am I supposed to do? My parents are both delinquents, and I don't want to end up like them!

"I want to have a wonderful college life and earn people's respect too... You think everyone's life is as bright and perfect as yours?!!"