Exposed

"Let's show everyone on the last day," Ayanokoji said.

"Why?" Kushida tilted her head in confusion.

"What do you think everyone would do if they got the test papers before the last day?"

"Obviously, they'd cram the questions like crazy." Kushida clenched one fist and struck it against her other palm.

"Exactly."

"Does that mean you're a smart person, Ayanokoji?"

"These are just little tricks. Besides, Shinomiya was the one who mainly asked me to do this."

Shinomiya:?

You brat, you're dumping the blame on me because you don't want to stand out, aren't you?!

"I see." Kushida looked thoughtful.

Shinomiya only felt that things were taking a bad turn. It seemed Kushida had noticed something.

Afterward, Ayanokoji used not wanting to attract attention as an excuse to have Kushida distribute the test papers.

Kushida readily agreed.

"This will be our secret."

Shinomiya felt a little annoyed. Why was there no role for him here?

Ayanokoji retreated after saying that, and Kushida watched him leave with a smile.

Only after Ayanokoji disappeared from sight did Kushida's voice turn cool and imposing.

"Shinomiya, where are the exam materials you found?"

"Ah... um... they're..."

"Actually, Ayanokoji and I found them together. Didn't we work together perfectly just now?"

Kushida said with a smile that did not reach her eyes.

"Oh! Is that so? Wasn't it because you didn't want to complete my task, so you pushed it onto Ayanokoji?"

Kushida's smile made Shinomiya feel a chill.

Surely not?

It was just outsourcing.

And Kushida's guess was way too accurate.

Kushida did not care much about how Shinomiya had completed the task.

But Shinomiya had pretended to obey while secretly defying her, going against her orders. That displeased her greatly and gave her the feeling that he was slipping beyond her control.

As she watched Shinomiya still making excuses and trying to argue his way out of it,

Kushida's gaze grew increasingly cold.

"Shinomiya, you haven't been a good boy~"

Shinomiya understood what Kushida meant.

That was──you're finished!

On the track, Shinomiya sweated profusely as he ran.

He had already lost track of how many laps he had completed, while Kushida watched from the side.

Her demand was that he run until he could no longer run.

Shinomiya had thought she was joking, but after seeing the stun gun she had somehow bought, he gave up resisting.

Why?

Why not just shock him unconscious?

Being shocked by Kushida only hurt; it would not knock him out.

Even with Shinomiya's physique, he was nearing his limit from the endless running.

"Shinomiya, you said this before, didn't you?"

"The more your body suffers, the more alive you feel.

Remember that feeling. This is both a gift and a punishment I bestow upon you!"

"Ah...? Huff... huff...!"

Shinomiya was gasping for breath as he tried to explain.

"That was... something... I heard... an athlete... say... while watching... a match..."

Shinomiya stopped, wanting to explain himself clearly.

Kushida came over and gave Shinomiya a shock.

The intense numbness and pain made Shinomiya start running again.

Why is this happening?!

Shinomiya even started accelerating without realizing it himself.

Kushida, meanwhile, thought this stun gun, assembled from prank-toy parts, worked quite well.

She had noticed that Shinomiya had been taking her orders less and less seriously lately.

He really needed to be trained properly.

Shinomiya's mind had also grown hazy from running. In that instant, he felt as though he had left his body behind, with his body moving on its own.

He felt his consciousness rising, and then he saw himself collapse to the ground.

"Eh... wait! Am I dead?"

"That can't be right. No matter how much I ran, I couldn't run myself to death! I haven't even felt my limit yet!"

Shinomiya opened his eyes to a snow-white ceiling, the smell of disinfectant filling his nostrils.

He found himself lying in the infirmary, his entire body aching terribly.

"You're awake."

A gentle female voice came from beside him.

Shinomiya turned his head and saw Kushida sitting on a chair beside the bed, holding an apple and slowly peeling it with a fruit knife.

Sunlight streamed through the window onto her. Anyone who saw that gentle, tranquil appearance would think she was an angel.

But Shinomiya only felt a chill run down the back of his neck.

"K-Kushida... how long was I asleep?" Shinomiya swallowed.

"Not long, just half an hour." Kushida smiled as she began eating the apple she had just peeled.

"The infirmary teacher said you were simply physically exhausted. It's nothing serious.

Now you know what you did wrong, right?"

Kushida was still playing with the fruit knife in her hand, its blade gleaming coldly.

Shinomiya nodded like Tom Cat. He did not dare make Kushida angry again.

The day before the exam, after school.

"Everyone, take a test paper. I just got these from an upperclassman.

He said the questions haven't changed in the past two years, so I think they'll definitely come in handy during the exam."

The entire class erupted!

"Seriously?!"

"If I'd known we had these, I wouldn't have studied so desperately."

"This is a huge help!"

Koenji ignored them and picked up his bag to leave.

Kushida handed him a copy.

"Koenji, here."

"Sorry, I don't need it. I have a date later, so I'll be going."

Shinomiya thought that was perfectly normal. Koenji was that kind of person, and there was a ninety-percent chance his date was himself.

Horikita approached Kushida.

"Here, Horikita. Though you probably won't need it."

In public, Kushida would still get along amicably with Horikita.

"I have a question I want to ask you."

Before she could ask it, Kushida was surrounded by people thanking her.

"Thank you, Kushida. I'll remember this kindness for the rest of my life."

Horikita, who was not good at handling situations like this, did not continue asking.

Shinomiya still felt somewhat weak and sore.

Kushida handed him a test paper as well.

"Thank you, Little Kushida!" Shinomiya said gratefully.

He needed to perfectly fulfill Kushida's acting requirements now, or she might physically punish him.

Otherwise, given Shinomiya's own personality, he definitely would not have accepted something like this.

A trace of satisfaction flashed through Kushida's eyes.

That's more like it. Good boy.

After Kushida left, Shinomiya let out a breath. He felt that his profile of Kushida needed updating.

The day the grades were handed out arrived.

As expected, Class D received high scores.