In other words, the school was secretly using this to assess students' overall abilities.
Chabashira Sae held her coffee cup and took a seemingly casual sip. In truth, she had been watching the two students answer the questions, especially Tatsuya Sakuya.
She wanted to see what this student, who had scored exactly 40 points in every entrance exam subject and placed first in the swimming test, would reveal on this questionnaire.
A stranger, and no cameras?
Then the answer was obviously B: keep the money.
Wait. With no cameras, the stranger couldn't prove he'd dropped it.
I was the one who dropped it.
Tatsuya Sakuya pondered the first question.
It was a nice thought, but in the end, he chose D.
Tap.
Less than five minutes had passed.
Tatsuya Sakuya set his phone on the desk and spread his hands.
"Chabashira-sensei, I'm done."
Chabashira Sae studied him for a moment.
"You were quick."
Tatsuya Sakuya shrugged, answering as if it were obvious.
"With questions like these, you might as well go with your first instinct. There aren't any right answers."
Beside him, Horikita Suzune was still deep in thought, carefully weighing the moral implications of each choice. When she heard that Tatsuya Sakuya had finished in under five minutes, she glanced at him.
Another five minutes passed before Horikita Suzune solemnly tapped Submit.
"Chabashira-sensei, I've finished too."
Horikita Suzune put away her phone, but she showed no sign of leaving.
"Chabashira-sensei, the test is over."
"Now... may I ask you something that's been bothering me for more than half a month?"
Chabashira Sae raised an eyebrow. "Go ahead."
Horikita Suzune pressed her lips together. Long-suppressed resentment surfaced in her eyes.
"My written entrance exam score was among the top three in the school."
"In both academics and discipline, I far surpass most students in Class 1-D. I'm not even inferior to the students in Class 1-A."
At that, Tatsuya Sakuya's earlier words came back to Horikita Suzune, and she unconsciously bit her lower lip.
"Why... was I placed in Class 1-D?"
"Why put me with that hopeless bunch of 'defective students'? Wasn't this a mistake in the school's class assignments?"
"I ask that the school disclose its placement criteria."
At the challenge, Chabashira Sae gave a cold laugh, her expression almost suffocating in its cruelty.
She rose slowly from her chair and looked down at Horikita Suzune.
"A mistake?"
"Horikita, you think far too highly of yourself and far too little of Advanced Nurturing High School."
"The school's evaluation system does not make mistakes."
"You think good grades alone make you exceptional? That high scores should get you into Class 1-A? What a joke."
"In Sakura Nation's society today, someone who can do nothing but study, who lacks communication skills, acts arrogant, and cannot cooperate with others... is just as much a defective student."
Chabashira Sae's words drove into Horikita Suzune's heart like a sharp dagger.
"There is only one reason you were placed in Class 1-D:"
"In the school's eyes, you are no different from those idiots who sleep through class. You don't meet Class 1-C's standards, so Class 1-D is where you belong with them."
"Class 1-D exists to house defective students like you."
"As for the exact placement criteria, that is confidential school information. I have nothing more to tell you."
Click.
Horikita Suzune's face fell.
The girl trembled slightly. Her once-straight back seemed to buckle under an immense weight.
First, her deskmate had shown her just how far behind she was.
Now, her homeroom teacher had made it official.
The two blows shattered the pride Horikita Suzune held so dear.
But she did not lose heart. Instead, she rallied.
"Then I'll set my sights on Class 1-A. I'll fight my way there and prove I have what it takes."
Chabashira Sae felt a little gratified. Perhaps she had seen too many indifferent students in Class 1-D. Meeting one with some drive was not a bad thing.
"This year, Class 1-D has two students who scored the same mark in every subject."
Chabashira Sae took out the entrance exam results.
"Japanese, history, mathematics... You scored exactly 40 points in every entrance exam subject?"
"And you ranked first in the school's swimming test."
"Tatsuya, your attitude isn't nearly as good. Can you explain that?"
"Just luck. I got lucky, that's all."
Tatsuya Sakuya tried to brush it off as good fortune.
"If you want to take Class 1-D up to Class 1-A, he is someone you cannot afford to underestimate..."
Chabashira Sae was speaking to Horikita Suzune.
Click.
The office door suddenly opened.
"Oh my, Sae-chan. I didn't hear a thing."
"I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation. Honestly, I wanted to keep listening."
Hoshinomiya Chie, Class 1-B's homeroom teacher, stood in the office doorway. She had overheard everything and accidentally opened the door while listening.
Holding a chilled can of coffee, Hoshinomiya Chie sidled up to Chabashira Sae with a grin. Then her gaze shifted straight to Tatsuya Sakuya, who sat in his chair.
For an instant, Hoshinomiya Chie's eyes seemed to light up.
"Wow!"
Without even greeting Chabashira, she hurried over to Tatsuya Sakuya, nearly pressing herself against him.
A faint trace of mature perfume and a hint of alcohol reached him.
Hoshinomiya Chie bent down, bringing her lovely face within ten centimeters of his. Her large eyes shone with curiosity as she studied his features.
"You're Tatsuya Sakuya from Class 1-D, aren't you?"
"Seeing you in person beats hearing about you. You're much more handsome than in your photos."
Tatsuya Sakuya blinked and leaned back a little, smiling politely.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei, while I am undeniably handsome and dashing, if you get any closer, Chabashira-sensei might think you're trying to lure away a student."
"Pfft, hahaha!"
Hoshinomiya Chie laughed at his easygoing, shameless reply and patted him on the shoulder.
"Not bad, not bad. You're cool under pressure. I like that!"
Beside them, Horikita Suzune stared blankly at this woman who seemed to have no sense of a teacher's dignity. She clearly couldn't keep up with the sudden change in atmosphere.
Chabashira Sae spoke coldly.
"Hoshinomiya, remember that you're a teacher. This is an office."
"Tch. Sae-chan, you're as rigid as ever."
Hoshinomiya Chie pouted, then winked at Tatsuya Sakuya conspiratorially.
"Did you know, Sakuya?"
"Yesterday, some girls from my class showed me a ranking the first-year girls secretly made of the first-year boys' looks and charm."
Tatsuya Sakuya asked with some curiosity, "Oh? Where did I place?"
Hoshinomiya Chie looked delighted.
"First place!"
"First place by a landslide!"
"Even if you added together every vote for that handsome Satomi from Class 1-A and your classmate Hirata Yousuke, they still wouldn't have as many as you."
"The girls say you have this irresistible, laid-back air and an air of mystery. You're so handsome you make their hearts race."
As for what the protagonist looks like: press the button below the volume key on your phone right now and look at the screen. Or open the camera and double-tap to flip it.
At that, Hoshinomiya Chie touched her chin, her eyes full of teasing mischief.
"Oh my, what a waste to put such a wonderful boy in Class 1-D."
"Why not consider transferring to Class 1-B? It only costs Twenty Million Personal Points to join us!"
Chabashira Sae gave a cold snort. "Hoshinomiya, are you revealing school rules?"
Hoshinomiya Chie stuck out her tongue, completely ignoring Chabashira's warning.
The more she looked at Tatsuya Sakuya, the more she liked him. She suddenly clapped her hands, an eager smile spreading across her face as a wonderful idea occurred to her.
"Oh, right!"
"Sakuya, you're so perfect. Good-looking, with a great personality..."
Hoshinomiya Chie leaned toward Tatsuya Sakuya's ear with a smile and said loudly:
"Why don't you consider dating Honami from my class?"
"Our Honami is an angel, you know. She's such a kind girl. The two of you would be a match made in heaven."
At those words,
Chabashira Sae frowned, unsure what to say. Even Horikita Suzune, standing beside them, could hardly bear to listen.
Just as Tatsuya Sakuya was about to toss out a teasing reply,
Click.
The office door was gently pushed open once more.
Before you continue