'...': Writing
'...': Sign language
"...": Text to speech
So, at the end of the week, this class will have thirty-nine students instead of forty.
Kouenji had an altercation with Suou during the homeroom class this morning, and he claimed that this was an excellent opportunity for this class to think about its future.
I don't think anyone understands and approves of this point of view except for me, of course.
I went to a cafe and saw Ryuuen sitting alone, reading a book. I approached him and sat down. He must have noticed me but kept reading until he eventually looked up at me.
He closed the book, "First, it was Horikita and her mindless follower, and now it's you," Ryuuen said.
'Well, was it about the exam?'
"Yup, it's nice seeing your precious leader struggling to find her resolve about what she needs to do for this exam."
'What are you going to do?'
"Nothing," Ryuuen said, "By doing this, I allowed them not to have any remorse... They need a bad guy, and I'm a good role for this... everything will be easier for them."
~Timeskip~
Kiryuuin broke into my room that night, and I wasn't surprised. What shocked me, though, was seeing Asahina in my room, too.
'I don't care about her being here, but what are you doing here?'
"You wound me, kouhai," Kiryuuin said, but I ignored her.
"You know Honami, right?" Asahina asked.
I nodded.
"She's a real good kid, isn't she? Cute. Smart. Nobody has anything bad to say about her, even among the second-years."
'Why are you bringing her up?'
"I've heard a bit about the first-years' exam. Somebody's being forced to drop out of school, yeah?"
I nodded.
It seems the news had already managed to spread to the second-year students.
"Honami cares deeply for her friends, or how should I put it... You know she's not the type who would sit back and let someone from Class B be expelled, right?"
I nodded.
"Then, how do you think Honami will tackle the exam?" Asahina looked at me with prying eyes.
It was more like she was trying to coax a particular out of me.
'She would be stupid and try to sacrifice herself.'
Asahina sighed, "I hate to admit it, but that's true."
"It seems she's gone and asked Miyabi for assistance. Can you guess how he responded?"
'He wanted something, though.'
"Bingo," Asahina said, "Of course there isn't. Sure, it'd be a different story if we only talked about a few thousand points. In that case, there'd be plenty of room for discussion. But once it gets into the hundred thousand or the millions? Nobody's going to give away that many."
This is awkward because it gave away millions to Mei-Yu.
"The third and second-year students must be thoroughly prepared for the special exams awaiting us moving forward. Whether we'll need our private points won't become clear until the end, so there shouldn't be any room for charity just for a couple of first-years."
'She's not going to accept the condition.'
"How do you know that?" Asahina narrowed her eyes.
"This is kouhai you're talking about," Kiryuuin grinned, "I trust his words."
"So, you won't help?" Asahina asked.
'I've already helped her before. I can't save everyone.'
Next day
I noticed more first-year students gathering in groups on my walk to school. If alone in this exam, you would make the perfect target.
I continued my journey to school and proceeded to my classroom. However, the moment I opened the door, I was hit with an overwhelming and unpleasant feeling that something was off. The atmosphere was so tense that you could almost feel it in the air.
I felt a few students' gaze when I entered the classroom, so I ignored everyone and walked to my desk.
~Timeskip~
Nighttime
Ayanokouji's POV
I was sitting in bed when I heard someone knocking at my door. I got up, walked over to the door, and opened it.
Ishizaki and Ibuki were at my door. The young man entered my room right away.
"Why do I have to...?"
"Who cares? Get in here, Ibuki," Ishizaki said.
Giving in to Ishizaki's urging, she walked into the entryway. Once they were inside, I closed the door, and we all headed to my room.
"What do you need from me late at night like this?" I asked.
At my question, Ishizaki put his hands together and lowered his head, "Please, Ayanokouji! Tell us how to prevent Ryuuen-san from getting expelled!"
I remained silent.
"Forget it, Ishizaki. There's no way Ayanokouji will cooperate with you," Ibuki sighed.
"I know... but if..."
"Hold on," I said, taking my phone out of my pocket, "Before we start talking about this, I think someone should join us."
"Huh?"
I opened my phone, entered my contacts, and texted one of the numbers, "Before we start talking about this, I think someone should join us.
Ishizaki and Ibuki were looking at me, puzzled, but I was waiting for the other person to respond to my message, but he didn't answer.
W-Wait, Ayanokouji, don't tell me you are trying to message Ryuuen?!" Ishizaki asked.
I shook my head.
Ibuki seemed annoyed about this situation and made her way toward the door.
"Wait, don't forget why we are here, Ibuki."
When Ibuki fully opened the door, a man was standing there, ready to knock on the door.
"Kagurazaka?! What are you doing here?!" Ibuki asked.
He pointed at me.
"Ibuki," Ishizaki spoke, "You know we need them! Please calm yourself for 2 seconds..."
Kagurazaka entered my room, removing his shoes and passing Ibuki, who followed suit with a click of her tongue.
Kagurazaka's POV
"Please... We need your help saving, Ryuuen-san!" Ishizaki pleaded.
'Why?'
"Well, we need him..."
"Are you sure you don't want Ryuuen gone? He's done all sorts of things to you," Ibuki wasn't sure about Ishizaki's decision.
Class D needs Ryuuen, or they will suffer later on.
"I've come to understand that Ryuuen-san is important for the future of Class D," Ishizaki answered.
"I don't get it. Don't you know how much we've endured because of him?" Ibuki argued.
They started to argue while Ayanokouji and I were looking at them. I smacked both of them over the head with my notebook.
"Ow! What the hell was that for?!" Ibuki complained.
"You didn't have to hit me..." Ishizaki rubbed the top of his head.
'If you want to save him, but it's more complicated.'
"Kagurazaka is right... This exam has the purpose of expelling a student. Not everyone in your class sees things like you and understands they need Ryuuen. They want him out of this school at all costs because of his attitude at the start of the year," Ayanokouji said.
'He's going to end up with way too many censure votes, and for the few of you who want to save him, your praise votes will not change anything.'
"That's true..." Ishizaki muttered.
"If you want to save Ryuuen, it would mean another person will be expelled from your class. Is that what you want?"
"Is... there no way to prevent anyone from being expelled?"
'Well... there is a way, but it can only be used once.'
"What is it?!" Ishizaki was desperate.
I wrote it down in my notebook and showed him.
"Wait, but I thought..."
'There's no rule that says that you can't.'
I left Ayanokouji's room.
~Timeskip~
March 4th
The day went by as a new mood in the classroom for the whole day. I left the classroom and started walking back to the dorm. But as I was walking back, someone called out to me.
"Kagurazaka-kun," I stopped walking and turned around to see Matsushita approaching me.
I never interacted with her before, and I had no idea what she wanted from me. Something was intriguing about her, though. She tends to hide her true potential.
"Do you have some free time?" She asked.
I nodded.
"I think it's important and will be worth your time, Kagurazaka-kun," Matsushita said.
I will have to hear her out if it is crucial.
I walked beside her as she spoke, "Did you notice the atmosphere in the classroom today, right?"
I nodded, 'Is there a reason?'
Matsushita nodded, "Indeed... a group has been formed, and they decided on a target for this exam."
This is what I was worried about. A large group would form and target a person to expel.
"You don't seem surprised..." Matsushita commented.
'Why are you telling me?'
"Well, you're friends with him," she said.
There has to be more than me being friends with him. I don't think Ayanokouji even considers me a friend.
'What's the real reason?'
Matsushita sighed, "The real reason is because Karuizawa-san seemed nervous and worried. I don't know her relationship with him, but she seems worried."
Matsushita's POV
Kagurazaka Norogumi... He intrigued me when the current student council president declared him his rival.
No offense to Horikita or Hirata, but I think Kagurazaka would be the best leader for our class. Yes, he's quiet, but he managed to stop a senpai from getting expelled.
I want to be able to hide my strength and help him behind the scenes.
Nighttime
Kagurazaka's room
Kagurazaka's POV
I messaged Kushida to come to my room. I didn't expect her to come over, but to my surprise, she did. She seemed somewhat annoyed.
"What do you want?"
'I think you know why.'
She clicked her tongue, "I'm surprised you heard about this that soon..."
I'm more surprised than you.
"Are you worried about your friend, Ayanokouji-kun?" Kushida sneered.
I shook my head, and she seemed surprised.
'He can handle himself. I know that you aren't the mastermind. So, tell me who it is?'
"A classmate requested it."
'Aren't you a kind person?'
"Of course! I'm always there to help my classmate!" Kushida smiled.
'If that's true, then you should help me by telling me who asked for your help...'
She remained silent.
She sneered, "It's Yamauchi."
'What if I told you that I could get Yamauchi expelled?'
Kushida laughed briefly before she saw the severe expression on my face. Her eyes widened, "Are you serious?"
I nodded.
Kushida clicked her tongue, "I will believe it when I see it."
~Timeskip~
March 5th
Horikita's POV
During lunch break on Friday, I, Horikita Suzune, was reminded of the upcoming particular exam tomorrow. As I reflected on the events that had taken place the night before, I realized it was time to go to bed.
But just as I was preparing to do so, I received a text message that nearly made my heart skip a beat. It was from my older brother, who had written only a single line of text.
Big Brother: Is there anything you regret?
This single message seemed to be asking me a question.
I have read it several times, and now I'm thinking about what I can do, even though I feel like I have lost my way. But I know that this opportunity is rare and unique. If I don't act on it now, I might not get another chance to hear my brother's voice until the graduation ceremony.
Horikita: Would you be willing to talk with me?
After making a decision, I composed a message in reply. However, I hesitated to send it due to my nerves. I took a deep breath and clicked on the send button. I waited anxiously for my brother's response.
Just when my anxiety began to subside, he called me back. Instead of feeling nervous, I felt relieved. It was a good thing he called me back because I wouldn't have been able to type a response with my shaking hands.
"It's me. Suzune."
"You said you wanted to talk?"
"Yes..."
"What did you want to talk about?"
"...Uh, your message... Why did you send something like that to me...?"
"Is that important right now? Is this really what you needed to talk to me about over the phone?"
"N-no, that's not it."
Feeling like he was about to end the call, I quickly, frantically denied it to stop him from doing so.
"If it's okay with you... would you be willing to meet with me in person?"
"In person?"
"Y-yes."
"When you first enrolled here, I suggested that it would be better for you to drop out. The moment you rejected my offer, your relationship with me was over. You do understand that, don't you?"
He brought up the cold, hard facts of the matter. I could only imagine his decision to contact me like this as nothing more than a whim. The relationship we had as siblings was simply distant.
Truthfully, I wanted to talk to my older brother about everything that had happened and what would happen. But I knew he would never ask me for something like that.
"It's something I want to ask you about in person."
He was silent. I slowly continued to speak.
"This will be the last time... After this, I will not involve myself with you ever again."
It was the only thing I could offer him.
"Alright, I understand."
I had a conversation with someone last night. Now, I'm on my way to meet my elder brother. To avoid being noticed by others, we agreed to meet at a secluded building where no people were around. When I got there, he was already there.
3rd POV
"Sorry to keep you waiting..."
Manabu stood there silently. From Suzune's perspective, he hadn't changed much since they were kids. He was still the same person she had been chasing after all this time.
"How long has it been since we talked alone like this?"
"If we don't count what happened immediately after I enrolled here, about three years..."
"I see. It has probably been around that long."
Manabu reminisced about his younger sister's first year of middle school. He distanced himself from her when he decided to attend ANHS.
He never thought that his younger sister would also choose to attend the same high school. However, here she was, standing in front of him.
"You said you wanted to talk with me, so let's hear it."
If she were to reveal that her goal was to reconcile with her older brother, their conversation would end. It wouldn't have been unexpected for her to express such a desire in the past.
In that scenario, Manabu would likely leave without saying anything, without any hesitation.
"It has to do with this supplementary exam. You're aware of what the first-years are going through, right?"
"Mhm. Each class is being forced to expel one student."
"Yes."
"And?"
He urged Suzune to get on with it.
Suzune, who had been speaking relatively quickly, hesitated to continue.
"If you're asking about my supply of private points, you're just wasting your time."
"It's nothing like that. I had never considered asking you for that kind of support."
Suzune hardened her resolve, determined to dispel any uncertainties he might have.
"What I wanted to talk with you about today... Please, give me courage."
The words came out, and after a brief pause, she continued, "I want to face this exam head-on. Other people are forming groups, trying to take control of the votes to ensure they're safe from expulsion. But they'll regret doing that later on down the line. That's why I... I want to stand up against them."
He saw her resolve and could see that she made up her mind and come to meet up with him.
"How much time do you have?"
"I don't have any plans after this..."
"Really?" Manabu's unexpected question somewhat took Suzune aback.
"Then, I'd like to ask you a few things before I hear you out. What do you think of this school?"
"Eh?"
"Are you enjoying it here?"
"Ah. Uhm... I-I see."
Her brother's unexpected question had caught her off-guard.
"I-I'm sorry. That, uh..." Manabu didn't reprimand her even though she was fumbling her words.
"Whether or not I enjoy being here... I honestly don't know. At the very least, it's not boring."
"Is that so?"
Suzune couldn't understand the meaning behind Manabu's question.
After all, it had been quite a while since the last time she had a normal conversation with her brother.
"It seems you've managed to overcome one of your shortcomings."
"My shortcomings...?"
"Indeed. You focused so much on yourself that you never noticed what was happening around you. By broadening your horizons, you've managed to break away from spending your days in boredom."
"You somehow... seem different today."
Suzune saw her older brother as serious and dedicated, rarely smiling. He was always looking for opportunities to improve himself.
In her opinion, it seemed impossible for him to consider going to school as something enjoyable.
"You only ever paid attention to my academic achievements, always obsessed with scoring high on tests."
"That's because... you've always been my role model."
Suzune had already said this many times over by this point, and Manabu's face clouded over every time he heard it.
"Role model, huh?"
"I understand. I can't catch up with you, but striving to shorten the distance as much as possible shouldn't be a bad thing."
Despite being aware of her own shamelessness, she still wanted him to see how hard she was trying. Without responding to his sister's feelings, Manabu quietly closed his eyes for a moment.
"What do you think of Ayanokouji?"
"What do I think of him?"
"Just tell me your honest impression of him."
"He's an irritable classmate. Even though he's capable enough to be recognized by you, I wouldn't say I like how he doesn't even try to make use of it. But, I think that, someday, I'll be able to catch up with him and, hopefully, surpass him."
Manabu was silent briefly, "What about Kagurazaka?"
"He's quiet, but you seem to recognize his abilities. He hasn't helped me with much, but something with him makes you trust him. A sort of maturity comes from him, but just like Ayanokouji-kun, I will catch up with him, and one day... Surpass both of them!"
"It's unfortunate, but you'll never be able to catch up to both of them."
"That said, you do not need to catch up with him. It's fine for you to grow at your own pace."
"My own pace..."
Manabu moved closer to his sister, but Suzune didn't take a step towards him. "Are you scared?"
"...Yes..."
Suzune hadn't been able to overcome this sense of distance, even when she was younger.
It was so short and yet so hopelessly far.
"To get closer, you must be willing to take a step forward."
"What can I do...? What can I do to get rid of this distance...?"
"Let me help you find the answers you're looking for. So tell me, what do you want to put forward to your class?"
With a nod, Suzune slowly began explaining things to her brother.