Horikita Steals the Spotlight

"Yeah!"

"Whoo!!"

The moment the results were announced, the entire class erupted!

Several people gathered around Kushida.

"It was all thanks to Kushida's help."

Kanji Ike hugged himself and wiggled his body. "An angel! Kushida is an angel who descended upon our class!"

"No, I didn't do anything special," Kushida denied shyly.

Shinomiya felt that this was probably the happiest Kushida had been all day.

If nothing unexpected happened, something unexpected was about to happen.

Sae Chabashira signaled for the class to quiet down.

"To be honest, I didn't expect you to perform this well.

Your efforts deserve praise.

However... you failed, Sudo."

Sudo's foolish grin froze. He had never expected to fail and simply could not accept that reality.

"Why did I fail?"

"The passing mark for this midterm exam was 40 points." Chabashira calculated the passing score from the grade sheet. "It was 40 points."

(The passing score was obtained by dividing the average score by two.)

Sudo's pupils trembled as he stared blankly at the numbers on the blackboard.

"Though we haven't known each other long, you did work hard. Come to my office after school and submit your withdrawal application."

Both Kushida and Hirata found the result unacceptable.

"Wait, is there really no way to save him?"

"Sudo is our classmate. I can't accept this outcome."

Shinomiya found Hirata's agitated reaction strange as well.

He could understand Kushida, but what was with Hirata?

It was as though he had regarded the entire class as people who needed saving from the very beginning.

Previously, Shinomiya had thought he cared about his classmates for the sake of securing a leadership position. Now, though, it seemed this guy had gotten far too immersed in the role.

Sae Chabashira would not pass up any opportunity to crush her students.

"That is the school rule. Give up."

Chabashira left the classroom directly.

Sudo and several others went up to the podium and fell into thought as they looked at the grade sheet.

At that moment, Ayanokoji left the classroom as well.

Kushida called on everyone to think of a solution.

Looking at the silent class, Shinomiya felt they might as well count on Ayanokoji, who had just gone out.

Shinomiya's phone vibrated in his pocket.

He took it out and looked at the screen.

[Kushida: Do you have any ideas?]

[Shinomiya: If he leaves, he leaves. You did your best anyway, and you've already built up your image.

Besides, you don't need to handle it. Someone else has gone to deal with it.]

[Kushida: Ayanokoji, who just went out?]

[Shinomiya: Who else could it be?]

Before their conversation had even ended, Shinomiya saw Horikita come out too.

[Shinomiya: Looks like we might have to add Horikita now.]

[Kushida: That bitch just wants to steal the spotlight.]

Shinomiya did not think Kushida was exactly qualified to say that, but he firmly supported little angel Kushida.

They had said at the start of the school year that points could buy anything in this school.

Still, since someone was willing to make a personal sacrifice, Shinomiya did not need to tell Kushida. It would even save him some points.

On the rooftop, Ayanokoji readily spent 100,000 points to buy Sudo one point.

Horikita, who arrived later, only had another bucket of cold water poured over her by Chabashira.

"Class D is a gathering place for defective products. This school has never had a Class D rise to Class A."

"I believe that if defective products are repaired appropriately, they can become qualified products."

"Then I'll await your good news. I'll watch over you like a mother."

If Shinomiya had heard that, he probably would have burst out laughing on the spot.

Chabashira was either suppressing students or on her way to suppress them.

How could she have the nerve to say something like that?

After this midterm exam, Class D's class points increased the most.

Class A: 1037

Class B: 883

Class C: 692

Class D: 89

All four classes had gained class points.

No one had actually been expelled.

Shinomiya saw the points for all four classes in the hallway. When he discovered that Class C had only gained two points, he figured Ryuuen might have made the entire class hand in blank papers.

That way, the passing score would be zero. It showed a clear understanding of his own class's academic ability as well.

Ryuuen's strategy was obvious.

Preserve strength as much as possible in weak areas, then go all in whenever an opportunity arose.

What a gambling addict!

Sakayanagi and Katsuragi also came over to check the class points.

When they saw how high Class D's points were, Sakayanagi looked at Shinomiya. "Did you do this, Shinomiya-kun?"

Katsuragi looked over as well. So this was the Shinomiya who sold information?

Shinomiya immediately denied it. "I don't manage the class. Someone else did it."

Sakayanagi scrutinized Shinomiya carefully, trying to find even a trace of deceit on his face.

But she saw nothing.

Shinomiya did not linger and turned to leave.

Seeing Class C's points increase, Katsuragi's expression grew somewhat solemn as he said to Sakayanagi, "Class C's points went up. Ryuuen must be behind it. We need to watch out for that man."

Sakayanagi paid no attention to Katsuragi's words and simply walked away with her cane.

"How boring."

That evening, in Ayanokoji's dorm room.

The trio, along with Kushida, Horikita, and Shinomiya, had all gathered there.

"Cheers!"

The trio raised their cups in celebration.

"That was really dangerous. If it hadn't been for Kushida's old test papers, both Sudo and Ike would've been in trouble," Yamauchi said with feeling.

Ike was somewhat unconvinced. "Didn't you barely pass too?"

Yamauchi confidently pointed at himself. "I just didn't go all out."

Shinomiya laughed as he watched Yamauchi's confident expression.

Only today had he realized that this guy was not just lecherous, but also possessed a stupid amount of confidence.

Honestly, Shinomiya had no desire to eat the fast food in front of him. Kushida had dragged him here this time.

Kushida poked Shinomiya, and he understood.

"Um, Ayanokoji, how did you get the school to revoke Sudo's expulsion?"

The moment he said that, the trio's gazes all focused on Ayanokoji.

"Horikita negotiated with the school. She said it was too unreasonable, and in the end, she argued so convincingly that the school had no rebuttal."

Horikita, who had been reading off to the side, froze.

"Horikita did it?" Kushida looked at Horikita in surprise.

"Wait..."

Before she could finish, Ayanokoji continued.

"It was my first time seeing Horikita work so earnestly too."

Horikita frowned, feeling that Ayanokoji was being inexplicable.

"Seriously? Horikita is amazing!"

"Looks like we misunderstood Horikita before."

Yamauchi and Ike praised Horikita without reservation.

Sudo stared blankly at Horikita, moved beyond words.

"Why would you do something for someone like me..."

Horikita began her usual stubborn denial.

"I only acted for my own sake."

Yamauchi and Ike continued thanking and praising Horikita.

Shinomiya noticed that Kushida's expression had visibly darkened.

Horikita had drawn everyone else's attention away.

Kushida had clearly been the one who brought back the test papers, yet she had now become a bystander.

Shinomiya quickly changed the subject, hoping to end the gathering as soon as possible.

"Let's celebrate properly!" He picked up his drink and gulped it down, getting the atmosphere going as well.

In the end, Kushida stayed behind to help clean up. Shinomiya understood; this was how she had started, by doing these little chores.

Shinomiya left first, leaving only Kushida and Ayanokoji in the room.

After washing the dishes, Kushida took the initiative to speak to Ayanokoji. "Ayanokoji... you like girls like Horikita, don't you?"

"Huh?" Ayanokoji froze as well.

"You're together all day, and people in class have been talking about it."

"Horikita and I are just friends. No, not even that. We're just desk mates."

"I see. Then I'll head back to my room first. Good night."

After Kushida left, Ayanokoji saw that she had left her phone behind.

He picked it up and chased after her, intending to return it.

Instead, he discovered Kushida heading outside.

Shinomiya had also been watching Kushida's phone location the entire time.

He figured Kushida would definitely go to the artificial lake tonight to vent her emotions.

Seeing the location move outward, Shinomiya hurriedly went out to follow her.