Undercurrents of the Review Week and Three Chance Encounters

The rules of the first special exam hung over the students like a sword of Damocles: the passing threshold was set at half the average score of each subject, and those who failed would be expelled immediately. This ironclad rule, which allowed for no negotiation, plunged the entire first-year cohort into a state of frantic revision. The campus was no longer filled with laughter and play, but with the sight of students burying their heads in books; the library was packed from morning till night, and even the classrooms remained lit deep into the night.

Class B remained the most stable corner of the school.

Honami Ichinose devoted almost all her spare time to the class's mutual study sessions. Following the academic proficiency chart organized by Ryuji Kanzaki, she divided the class into groups that balanced strength with weakness: those struggling with math were paired with those who excelled at it, and those who couldn't memorize English were grouped with those skilled at rote learning, with two hours of mandatory collective study every day after school.

The daily progress, the list of weak subjects, and the compilation of common mistakes were clearly posted at the back of the classroom for all to see. By securing library seats in advance and ensuring a sufficient supply of scratch paper and pens, Class B moved forward in unison as a collective entity.

Yoshikage Kira continued to sit in the last row by the window, maintaining his signature low profile.

He did not proactively join any group, choosing instead to sit quietly at his desk, organizing his notes, grinding through practice problems, and summarizing key concepts. His revision rhythm was as precise as a clock; he knew exactly when to solve math problems, when to memorize English vocabulary, and when to rest, down to the very second.

Occasionally, when a classmate was stuck on a difficult problem and felt too hesitant to approach Kanzaki or too embarrassed to bother Ichinose, they would cautiously walk over to Kira's desk.

"Kira-san... I don't quite understand this math problem."

Kira never refused, nor did he say much. He would take the problem, glance at it, and explain the solution in the most concise, logical language possible, without any unnecessary preamble, making it instantly understandable.

"Grasp the core condition, eliminate the distractors, and calculate step by step."

His voice was steady and emotionless, as if he were stating the most mundane of facts.

After the student thanked him and left, he would lower his head again to maintain his rhythm, as if the guidance he had just provided was merely an insignificant detail in his orderly life.

Honami Ichinose witnessed this several times, and her perception of Kira deepened.

This boy clearly possessed outstanding comprehension and analytical skills, yet he deliberately hid behind the crowd, neither seeking the spotlight nor taking on responsibility, as if he only wanted to stay safely in a corner, unnoticed by anyone.

She walked gently to Kira's desk and spoke in a soft voice: "Kira-san, thank you for always helping everyone. If you have any weak subjects, you can tell me, and I can help you study."

Kira looked up, met her gaze with calm eyes, and gave a slight nod: "No need. I have no weak subjects. I just need to maintain my current pace; there is no need to worry."

Ichinose was slightly taken aback, then revealed a gentle smile: "I see... well, if there is anything I can help with, feel free to tell me anytime."

"Mm." Kira responded faintly and lowered his head again, ending the conversation.

He was not cold; he simply did not want to form unnecessary bonds. Ichinose's kindness and the stability of the class were parts of his ideal environment. He enjoyed this environment, but he was unwilling to invest emotions or disrupt the order he had meticulously maintained.

At the same time, the internal division within Class A had become blatant.

The elite faction, led by Arisu Sakayanagi and Masumi Kamuro, insisted on the survival of the fittest. They only interacted with those of top academic standing and refused to waste time tutoring the weak, revising efficiently at their own pace with cold eyes and clear goals—everyone must pass, and no one was allowed to drag the group down.

Meanwhile, the unity faction, centered around Kohei Katsuragi, organized large-scale tutoring sessions on the other side of the classroom. Relying on his sturdy physique and forceful presence, Katsuragi gathered the students with lower-to-average academic standing and personally taught them, refusing to give up on anyone even as he broke into a sweat.

"Listen to me carefully! No one is allowed to be expelled this time! We are Class A, and we will stay in Class A together!"

His voice was loud and carried an undeniable firmness, yet it was unexpectedly reassuring.

There was almost zero interaction between the two factions, as if an invisible wall stood between them. Arisu Sakayanagi sat at her desk, leaning on her cane, watching it all quietly with a faint smile on her pale face, as if she were watching an interesting play.

Masumi Kamuro asked in a low voice: "Classmate Sakayanagi, do you need me to stop him? If this continues, Class A's revision efficiency will be dragged down."

"No need." Sakayanagi shook her head gently, her voice soft and slow. "Let him try. The rules of Advanced Nurturing High School will help him make the most correct choice. If unity can ensure everyone passes, then I don't mind changing my strategy. If it cannot..."

She paused, a trace of cold playfulness flashing in her eyes: "Then he will understand that the weak are, in the end, meant to be abandoned."

Her gaze inadvertently drifted across the floors, landing in the direction of Class B.

Yoshikage Kira... what was that boy, who always remained calm and unruffled, doing at this moment?

Was he revising with the people of Class B, or was he still watching from the sidelines?

Sakayanagi smiled lightly.

She was increasingly looking forward to seeing what choice this boy, who sought only peace, would make in this exam that concerned "life and death."

During the three days of the revision week, Yoshikage Kira followed his fixed routine, yet he unexpectedly had three brief encounters with people from other classes.

The first time, in the library.

Kira was grinding through problems by the window when someone suddenly sat in the seat opposite him. He looked up and met a pair of eyes that were perfectly, almost falsely, gentle—Kikyo Kushida.

Kushida immediately revealed a sweet smile and bowed slightly: "Excuse me, all the other seats are full. Sorry to bother you, Kira-san."

"It's fine." Kira responded faintly and lowered his head again, without further interaction.

Kikyo Kushida opened her book quietly and appeared to be studying diligently, but the corner of her eye was secretly observing Kira. She noticed that Kira's notes were neat to the point of being rigid; every character and every line was precisely aligned. He solved problems quickly, without any signs of restlessness or anxiety, appearing far too calm for a high school student facing the risk of expulsion.

This boy was similar to Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, yet entirely different.

Ayanokoji was a blank slate, while Kira was a meticulously maintained state of stability.

Kushida secretly noted this, her face still wearing a perfect smile, neither disturbing him nor making small talk.

The two sat in silence for half an hour until Kushida stood up to leave and said softly, "Sorry for the disturbance." Only then did Kira nod slightly in response.

The second time, in the hallway.

Kira was heading to the school store to buy necessary stationery as planned when he bumped into the aggressive Kakeru Ryuen. Ryuen was followed by several lackeys, his eyes fierce and his presence oppressive; students in the hallway subconsciously moved out of his way.

Kakeru Ryuen's gaze swept over Kira, lingering for a moment on his calm, unruffled face.

Kira Yoshikage of Class B... he had heard that this person had been exceptionally low-profile since enrollment.

Ryuen curled his lips into a mocking smile, intentionally blocking Kira's path, and spoke with a provocative tone: "Hey, Class B, none of you are going to get expelled in this exam, right?"

Kira raised his eyes, looking at Ryuen with a calm gaze, devoid of fear, anger, or even a ripple of emotion: "That has nothing to do with you."

Ryuen was slightly stunned, then burst into laughter: "Interesting. I hope you can stay this calm after the exam is over."

After speaking, he stepped aside to clear the path and swaggered off with his lackeys.

Yoshikage Kira did not linger, continuing along his planned route toward the convenience store as if the provocation just now had been nothing more than an inconsequential breeze.

The third time, at the convenience store in the evening.

Yoshikage Kira was buying breakfast for the next day. Just as he reached the beverage section, he saw Sakayanagi Arisu leaning on her cane.

Masumi Kamuro was not by her side; Sakayanagi stood alone, quietly in front of the shelves, selecting a mild drink. Her complexion remained pale and her breathing shallow, yet she possessed an aura that made it impossible to ignore her.

Sensing Yoshikage Kira's gaze, Sakayanagi slowly turned her head, met his eyes, and revealed a gentle smile: "Good evening, Yoshikage-kun."

This was the first time the two had formally greeted each other.

Yoshikage Kira gave a slight nod, his tone steady: "Good evening."

There was no superfluous small talk.

Sakayanagi spoke softly, her voice light and slow, as if making casual conversation: "Yoshikage-kun, you don't seem nervous at all. Someone is going to be expelled in this exam, you know."

"I will not fail," Yoshikage Kira replied indifferently, his tone resolute.

It was not confidence; it was a calm judgment.

The smile in Sakayanagi's eyes deepened: "Oh? So certain? The passing threshold for Class B is quite high. What if you are dragged down by someone else?"

"No one in Class B will fail," Yoshikage Kira remained calm. "Unity is better equipped to handle this exam than individual strength."

Sakayanagi laughed softly: "Well said. It's just a pity that Advanced Nurturing High School is never short on betrayal and dead weight."

She paused, her gaze fixed directly on Yoshikage Kira with a hint of scrutiny: "Yoshikage-kun, you have always deliberately hidden yourself. What exactly are you afraid of? Is it the fear of being noticed, or the fear of... breaking your own tranquility?"

Yoshikage Kira's fingertips paused slightly.

This silver-haired girl saw through him too clearly.

He did not answer, simply picking up a carton of milk from the shelf and turning toward the checkout counter, leaving behind a calm silhouette.

Sakayanagi watched his departing figure, the smile on her pale face undiminished.

"Yoshikage Kira... the more you try to hide, the more I want to see what exactly you are concealing beneath that mask of tranquility."

Returning to his dormitory, Yoshikage Kira opened his notebook.

Finally, he closed the notebook, washed up, got into bed, and fell asleep, maintaining a steady rhythm throughout.

Outside the window, the night was deep and the moonlight was cold.

The review week was coming to an end, and the day of the written exam was close at hand.