Well, in Shizuka Hiratsuka's eyes, the Yukinoshita sisters were what counted as "proper" students. Their personalities gave her plenty of headaches, sure, but setting aside their awkward dispositions, every achievement the two of them had earned came from step-by-step hard work!
Then there were Sogo Doma and Utaha Kasumigaoka. Did those two even know what hard work meant? Yet they held first and second place in the grade, leaving Yukinoshita—who had always been serious and hardworking—in an awkward position. Geniuses? Shizuka Hiratsuka felt that with Yukinoshita's talent, she shouldn't lose to anyone!
Could it really be like that guy Doma said? Had Yukinoshita spent all her thoughts on those ambiguous, half-baked remarks and neglected her studies because of it?
"Enough..." Seeing herself nearly getting convinced by his twisted logic, Shizuka Hiratsuka hurriedly changed the subject. "I came here for Mashiro today. If you're her friend and you want to help her, tell me about her. Direct enough for you?"
"Direct, sure..." Sogo Doma said, sweating a little. "But you said you came for Mashiro? Did something happen to her?"
"Whew..." Perhaps because the shift in style had been too abrupt, Shizuka Hiratsuka took a deep breath before saying, "I really shouldn't tell you about this, but given your relationship with Mashiro, I figured I probably couldn't keep it from you..."
"Not probably. Definitely!"
"..." Shizuka Hiratsuka's eye twitched. "The reason I came to see Mashiro is actually because of the final exams..."
"Hold on..." Sogo Doma sweated even more upon hearing that. "Th-the final exams? What could have happened? Mashiro said she'd be fine. Don't tell me she failed again..."
"Why are you so nervous?" Shizuka Hiratsuka asked in confusion.
Sogo Doma: "..."
Obviously, he was afraid Mashiro's cheating had been discovered!
"Obviously..." Though he was frantically complaining in his