Torturing Ken Sudo

As Sae Chabashira walked out of the classroom, Ken Sudo felt that all hope was completely lost.

A passing grade of 44 points.

This ominous number felt like a death sentence.

"Damn it, is this how I get expelled? I can't accept this!"

Ken Sudo lowered his head in agony, his clenched fist slamming hard against the desk before he finally slumped over it.

The man, usually known for his explosive temper, now had tears welling in the corners of his eyes, his voice thick with choked sobs.

The students of Class D couldn't help but glance at Ken Sudo, their feelings complicated.

"Sudo..."

Koji Ike looked back at Sudo, opening his mouth, but he couldn't think of any words of comfort.

He felt a sense of shared sorrow deep down; after all, Sudo had been one of the guys he hung out with for the past two months.

But Haruki Yamauchi, sitting in front, was a different story.

"Oh well, Sudo, there's nothing that can be done about it!"

"I didn't think you were this useless, failing even with the answers."

"Haha, I only looked at the answers the night before the exam and I passed everything. If I'd studied for a few more days, I definitely would've gotten a high score, but there was no need."

"Hurry up and pack your things. If you're expelled, you're expelled. Just go out and find a good job."

Haruki Yamauchi walked forward with a relaxed expression, speaking in a mocking tone while gesturing wildly.

It didn't feel like he was comforting a friend who was about to be expelled at all.

Even though many of the students in Class D didn't have a high opinion of Sudo, they couldn't help but look at Haruki Yamauchi with disgust after hearing that.

Rei Chihaya tilted his head, looking over with genuine surprise.

The level of absurdity Haruki Yamauchi displayed was beyond his imagination.

It seemed he was intent on turning against Ken Sudo.

He had originally planned to step in and torture Sudo himself, but it seemed worth observing a bit longer.

After all, performances by Lord Yamauchi were a rare treat.

Hearing Haruki Yamauchi's remarks, the most shocked person was, of course, Ken Sudo himself.

He jerked his head up, eyes wide, staring at Haruki Yamauchi in disbelief.

"Yamauchi?! You—how can you say that to me?"

After spending the last two months together, Ken Sudo had considered Haruki Yamauchi a friend.

Besides, they hung out together all the time.

Yet now, Haruki Yamauchi was speaking with such contempt; this was undoubtedly kicking a man while he was down.

It left Sudo feeling both furious and desolate.

"Aren't I just stating the facts?"

Haruki Yamauchi shrugged nonchalantly, a faint smile on his face. "With a memory that bad, you should've memorized the answers earlier."

"Yamauchi, you bastard!"

It was as if Sudo had been completely ignited by that remark.

He suddenly straightened up, took a large step toward him, and glared at Haruki Yamauchi with such rage that it felt like he might lash out at any second.

Seeing this, Haruki Yamauchi retreated in a panic, pulling Koji Ike in front of him as a shield and shouting:

"Don't do anything stupid, Sudo! You're already expelled!"

Koji Ike was startled, and naturally fearing he might get caught in the crossfire of Sudo's burning rage, he quickly cried out:

"Ah, ah, Yamauchi, stop pulling on me!"

But Haruki Yamauchi remained hidden behind him, a sight that struck everyone as somewhat ridiculous.

"Sudo-kun, please don't resort to violence. Please, calm down."

"And Yamauchi-kun, stop saying things like that!"

It was Yousuke Hirata and Kikyo Kushida who intervened between the two, preventing the farce from escalating further.

Fearing he might get beaten up, Haruki Yamauchi naturally took the opportunity to distance himself from Sudo.

But he still looked at Sudo with contempt; after all, Sudo was going to be expelled anyway.

There was nothing he could do about it.

While soothing Sudo, Yousuke Hirata turned to the rest of the class and pleaded:

"I'm begging you all, if you can think of any way for Sudo-kun to stay, please tell me."

"How could there be a way?"

"Sorry, Hirata-kun, we can't think of anything either..."

"Chabashira-sensei was very firm just now; she said this is school policy and there's no way to change it."

"..."

The students of Class D spoke one after another, all shaking their heads, convinced that Ken Sudo was beyond saving.

Amidst this chorus of voices, Ken Sudo's expression grew increasingly grim, and he hung his head in distress.

Hirata Yousuke's expression also grew increasingly bitter.

Hirata felt there had to be a way, but he couldn't think of one.

In the end, he couldn't do anything...

"There is a way."

Seeing Hirata also wearing a melancholy expression, Chihaya Rei felt it was his turn to speak.

His voice reached everyone's ears clearly.

In truth, Chabashira Sae had given a hint, though not much of one.

Telling Sudo to process his withdrawal before school ended was giving Class D time to find a way to prevent it.

After all, when Yamauchi Haruki was voted for expulsion in the original story, he was required to leave the classroom on the spot.

"Chihaya, what should we do?"

A glimmer of surprise appeared in Hirata Yousuke's eyes, and he hurried forward to ask.

"I asked the teacher; 100,000 private points can buy one point. As long as Sudo comes up with 500,000 private points to buy five points, he can pass."

Chihaya Rei told Hirata Yousuke in a steady voice.

Upon hearing this solution, the surprise on Hirata and Sudo's faces couldn't even last a few seconds before vanishing.

"500,000 points?"

Hirata Yousuke exclaimed in shock.

This was a figure that Class D could not possibly scrape together at the moment.

Yet, Hirata Yousuke still looked toward the rest of the class, wanting to make one last effort—at least to see how much the class could pool together, and if it still wasn't enough, he would go and borrow from other classes.

"Everyone, could we pool our points together to help Sudo-kun?"

"I'm begging you all."

Hirata Yousuke spoke with a sincere voice; he stood beside Chihaya Rei and bowed deeply to everyone.

But the class only responded with a few hushed murmurs, implying that everyone couldn't possibly scrape together that much.

Looking at Hirata Yousuke, Chihaya Rei couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

"I could borrow these 500,000 private points from my friends in Class A."

He said in a flat tone.

As his words fell, everyone looked at Chihaya Rei with astonished eyes.

However, Chihaya Rei's gaze sharpened, his scrutinizing eyes fixed on Ken Sudo, and his tone grew increasingly heavy:

"But Sudo, I have no reason to help you for no cause."

"Do you think you are worth me, and Class D, helping you scrape together these 500,000 points?"

?!

The entire class couldn't help but freeze.

"..."

Sudo felt his brain buzz, and for a moment, he didn't know how to answer, not even daring to meet Chihaya Rei's gaze.

That's right, aside from Ike Koji and a few others.

He had no popularity in the class at all; why would everyone want to help him?

Not everyone was a saint like Hirata Yousuke.

"Chihaya, could I trouble you? I know my request is excessive, and I am very sorry."

"If you have any requirements, I will do whatever I can."

Hirata Yousuke requested in a low voice to Chihaya Rei, his face earnest and ashamed.

Hirata continued:

"How about we count the points that need to be borrowed against me? Otherwise, Sudo will be expelled, and that would be too cruel for him."

"Hirata, that kind of behavior won't work."

Chihaya Rei looked deeply at Hirata Yousuke and flatly rejected his point of view.

Chihaya Rei looked at the whole class and said without reservation:

"How many students are willing to offer up points to save Sudo out of their own volition?"

"Even the students who would give points are only doing it for your sake, Hirata."

Many students nodded upon hearing this.

They weren't actually close with Ken Sudo.

Chihaya Rei ignored Hirata and looked toward Sudo, saying in a cold voice:

"Sudo, from start to finish, you haven't used your brain to think once, and whenever you encounter an issue, you only act on impulse."

"For this exam, the only way to be absolutely safe was to ensure you scored at least 50 points."

"But you? You were self-righteous and relied on wishful thinking. You didn't review in the first place, and even when you had the answers, you didn't spend the time to memorize them."

"So, facing expulsion now, I say this is entirely your own doing."

"Do you admit it?"

Chihaya Rei's words echoed in Sudo's mind.

He raised his head, tears in the corners of his eyes, and punched his own thigh hard, saying:

"You're right, it's all my own doing, and you guys have no reason to help me scrape together points..."

"Then why didn't you memorize the answers before?"

Chihaya Rei continued to press him: "Why wait until now to regret it?"

Sudo froze for a moment, then spoke in a low voice:

"During this time, the basketball club I joined was selecting official team members, and I was constantly training."

"But at the end of the day... I still had free time. It's all my fault for not taking it seriously, for being arrogant and prideful, which is why I failed."

Chihaya Rei nodded after hearing this.

Sudo not reviewing at least had the factor of club activities involved.

After being pointed out, he knew how to reflect on his mistakes; he wasn't completely hopeless.

"I'll ask you, do you really still want to stay in this class?" Chihaya Rei asked.

"I... I do."

Sudo nodded his head vigorously.

"Then you should be the one to ask me and your classmates to lend you these points."

"Instead of letting Hirata help you."

"You even mocked Hirata on the first day of school, yet he has been helping you all this time. Don't you think you owe him an apology and a thank you?"

Chihaya Rei's voice was icy as he pointed all of this out without mercy.

[Torture Ken Sudo, gain 2080 Torture Points]

[Torture Ken Sudo, gain 2350 Torture Points]

"..."

Ken Sudo stood stunned, his mouth agape.

He looked deeply struck, but in reality, he had experienced a sudden awakening.

Everything Chihaya Rei said was absolutely correct.

He had even cursed at Hirata, and when Hirata invited him to study sessions, he had never given him a pleasant look.

Now, look at his so-called friend.

Haruki Yamauchi had just been kicking him while he was down.

Only Hirata Yousuke had helped him selflessly.

Thinking of this, Sudo's voice became incredibly choked with emotion, and his tears increased. He walked quickly to Hirata:

"Hirata-kun, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"My attitude toward you was so terrible, yet you were still willing to help a piece of trash like me. Thank you..."

Hirata Yousuke was taken aback, somewhat unaccustomed to Sudo's sudden change.

However, the gentle Hirata soon forgave him, feeling a sense of relief in his heart.

He looked at Chihaya Rei in surprise, thinking:

So this was Chihaya's goal all along? To make Sudo grow?

Just how far can those eyes of his see?

Ken Sudo first apologized to Hirata, then came before Chihaya Rei and bowed his head deeply:

"Chihaya, thank you for telling me all this."

"Please help me borrow some points. I swear I will pay you back."

Sudo then looked at the other students:

"And... classmates, please help me..."

"I really, really don't want to leave this school, or this class..."

"I will never hold the class back again!"

As his words fell, Sudo bent over and bowed to everyone.

His head struck the desk with a sharp "bang."