Teacher Chabashira appeared out of nowhere and smacked Teacher Hoshinomiya on the head with a book. With a thud, Teacher Hoshinomiya clutched her head and crouched down, looking pitiful.
"That hurt, Saeda."
"That's what you get for sexually harassing my students."
"Only because you weren't here, Saeda. As your best friend, wasn't it only right for me to entertain them?" Teacher Hoshinomiya puffed out her cheeks.
Teacher Chabashira ignored Hoshinomiya and turned to Takahashi and Ayanokouji.
"Sorry for the wait. Come with me to the counseling room."
"Charming teacher, I'm Takahashi Shinma. I'm looking forward to seeing you again. Bye-bye~"
They hadn't gone far when Takahashi noticed Teacher Hoshinomiya sneaking after them. He deliberately spoke loudly.
Teacher Chabashira heard him and turned to Hoshinomiya. "Don't follow us."
"Don't be so cold. There's no harm in letting me listen in, is there? Besides, Saeda, you're not exactly the type to counsel students. Calling two handsome boys to the counseling room this time... Hehehe." Hoshinomiya strode right over after being found out and rested a hand on Takahashi's shoulder. Then she whispered, "You're being naughty, Takahashi."
Sheesh, why does it feel like there's so much tension between them? Didn't Hoshinomiya say they were best friends? Takahashi thought, drawing in a sharp breath.
"Put those filthy thoughts away," Teacher Chabashira said impatiently.
"Saeda, you're not thinking of defying your superiors, are you?" Hoshinomiya teased before Teacher Chabashira could finish.
Defying her superiors? What does that mean? Could this school have a hierarchy among teachers as well as students? Heh, if so, that alone would make this trip worthwhile, Takahashi speculated.
"Have you ever seen me do anything of the sort?" Teacher Chabashira replied coldly.
"Hehe, we've known each other so long. I know you'd never do that, Saeda," Hoshinomiya said, as though hinting at something.
"Stop following us. This is business within Class D. You don't have any authority over it, do you?" Teacher Chabashira said coldly again.
"I just want to go to the counseling room, too. See? My student is over there." Hoshinomiya pointed ahead.
A pretty girl with pale pink hair and a curvy figure came into view.
"Teacher Hoshinomiya, I'm sorry to bother you, but could I take up a little of your time? There's something about the Student Council I'd like to ask you." The girl glanced at Ayanokouji and Takahashi, then looked back at Hoshinomiya and spoke to her.
"Hmph. Your student's here for you. You should deal with your own class's problems first."
"All right, then. See you next time, Takahashi." As she spoke, Hoshinomiya gave Takahashi a light pinch at the waist. "Honami-chan, come with me to the teachers' office."
Takahashi had planned to tease Hoshinomiya in retaliation for her little gesture, but when he met Teacher Chabashira's hostile gaze, he silently swallowed his words.
After making sure Hoshinomiya had left with the pretty girl named Honami, Teacher Chabashira rubbed her temples and headed for the counseling room.
Once inside, Teacher Chabashira glanced at the clock on the wall and let out a breath. Then she opened a door in the counseling room. It led to the Tea Room. "You two wait in here. Don't talk, don't do anything, or you'll be waiting for your expulsion notices."
Without even waiting for Takahashi and Ayanokouji to protest, Teacher Chabashira shut the Tea Room door. Ayanokouji and Takahashi were left staring at each other and blinking.
"Knock, knock, knock." A series of knocks came from the door.
"Come in." Before the visitor could speak, Chabashira continued, "Horikita, just say what you want to say."
"Why was I assigned to Class D?"
Horikita's cool voice rang out, as blunt as ever.
"If I understand correctly, excellent students are assigned to Class A, while incompetent ones are assigned to Class D, right?"
"Are you looking down on Class D? Horikita, forgive me for speaking bluntly, but do you really think you're that exceptional?"
"I'm confident that I got at least ninety percent of the entrance exam questions right."
"You certainly are confident. All right. Students aren't normally allowed to see their entrance exams, but I've decided to make an exception." After handing Horikita her entrance exam paper, Teacher Chabashira continued, "Horikita, to be honest, your grades are excellent. You tied for third place, and your interview went fine, too."
"Then why was I assigned to Class D? I don't understand. Why was I placed in the bottom-ranked class?"
"Heh. Horikita, you don't understand yourself very well," Teacher Chabashira sneered. "Do you really think this school assigns classes based only on entrance exam results? Who decided that students with good grades must be in Class A and students with bad grades must be in Class D?"
"Th-that's just common knowledge at school, from childhood onward, isn't it?"
"Heh. Horikita, you're so naïve. Do you really think grades alone are enough to survive in this rotten society?" Teacher Chabashira crossed her arms and crossed her legs. "Horikita, as your teacher, let me tell you: if grades alone determine a person's worth, the result is that hordes of people with no morals will seize power at the top. They'll band together to push aside the few truly exceptional people, then make sure their own children inherit their power."
At that, Takahashi blinked. Plenty of people in the ruling class belonged to the Takahashi family. Even those who weren't part of the family had some connection to it.
Why do I feel like she's insulting me? I've been virtuous since I was little. Sure, there was the time in elementary school when I pulled a boy's pants down; tricked my four-year-old cousin into thinking history tasted good and that he should try it; jabbed my cousin in the butt with a popsicle stick after I'd finished the popsicle; scattered thumbtacks in front of my dad's car tires in the middle of the night after he scolded me; peed in the tea he brewed; and washed all of Grandpa's fish to death with body wash. Aside from those things, my character is like a brilliant beacon, lighting the way for everyone around me, and like a lofty mountain, inspiring people to look up to me. Being around me is like basking in a spring breeze; everything I say and do spreads kindness and warmth to those around me. Thinking of all that, Takahashi no longer felt like he was being insulted.
"Mm..." Horikita had no way to refute her.
"Of course, there's no denying that good grades are a kind of ability. But if you think your grades alone should have gotten you into Class A, you should keep thinking about it. Besides, some people don't want to be in Class A."
At Teacher Chabashira's words, Horikita immediately replied:
"How could there be anyone like that?"
"Is that so? I imagine there are people who don't want to live under the crushing pressure of fierce competition."
"But I'm not that kind of weirdo. Teacher, please check again to see whether I was assigned to the wrong class."
Teacher Chabashira shook her head. "I already told you, Horikita. You don't understand yourself very well."
"I'll ask the school administrators."
"They won't care about this, Horikita. You were assigned to Class D. If you can raise Class D's Class Points above Class A's before graduation and move up to Class A, then you'll be a Class A student."
"How is that possible? How could that bunch of bottom-rankers raise their Class Points above Class A's?"
"That's not my problem. If you want to graduate from Class A, I think that's the best way."
In the Tea Room, Takahashi listened to Teacher Chabashira and Horikita's conversation with his eyes closed. He could tell this was the best way, but not the only way. Raising the class's points and overtaking Class A wasn't the only method. Did that mean an individual could move up to Class A, too, albeit at a steep cost?
"Then I'll be going, Teacher." Seeing that Teacher Chabashira had nothing more to say, Horikita didn't press the matter.
"Oh, right. I didn't just call you here. I called two other people, too. Come out, Takahashi, Ayanokouji."
Before you continue