The week before the midterms began.
It was when Horikita cornered both Ayanokōji and me."Lunch. Both of you. Don't argue."That was all she said before walking away with her usual cold confidence.
Kiyotaka gave me a dry look. "We don't have a choice, do we?"
I sighed. "Nope. When she's like that, resistance is futile."
We followed her to Pallet, the campus café where students gathered for overpriced desserts and idle gossip.As we took our seats, Horikita placed a small notepad on the table—already filled with neat handwriting and underlined headers.
"She's been planning," I muttered under my breath.
She ignored me completely and began."Our first attempt with the Idiot Trio failed. This time, we need a concrete plan that works."
"Concrete plan," Kiyotaka echoed, sipping his coffee. "Involving…?"
"Bribery, manipulation, or both," I said before she could.
Her eyes narrowed at me. "I'd call it motivation."
I smirked. "Same thing, different packaging."
Kiyotaka's lips twitched slightly—his version of laughter. "Who's joining us for this motivational operation?"
Right on cue, Kushida Kikyou appeared, smiling like the sun itself. "Sorry for the wait! You guys started without me?"
"No," Horikita said curtly. "You're right on time."
Kushida slid into the seat beside me, her perfume light but sweet. "So~ what are we plotting today?"
"Saving Class D from self-destruction," I said dryly. "Again."
After some back-and-forth, the plan was clear. We'd gather the Idiot Trio—Ike, Yamauchi, and Sudō—and convince them to join Horikita's study group again.
Easier said than done.
When they arrived, Horikita greeted them with her best attempt at politeness, which, unfortunately, still sounded like an interrogation.
"I'd like you three to rejoin the study sessions," she said. "We can use class time efficiently to study small sections of the material, and I'll personally tutor you between periods."
The three looked like they'd rather jump off the school roof.
"Studying during class?" Ike groaned. "That's, like, extra class!"
"I've got basketball," Sudō said firmly, arms crossed. "I'm not wasting time on that."
Yamauchi chimed in, "C'mon, Horikita-san, just let us cram before the test! It always works out in anime."
I rubbed my temples. "This isn't anime, Yamauchi. This is real life."
"It's based on anime rules," he argued.
Horikita sighed audibly, clearly reaching her limit. "If you continue to act like children, you'll fail. And if you fail, you'll be expelled. Simple as that."
They still didn't budge.
That's when Kiyotaka leaned slightly toward Kushida, his expression unreadable."Kushida-san," he said casually, "how about an incentive?"
"Incentive?" she echoed.
"Whoever gets the highest score among them," he said evenly, "gets permission to take you on a date."
The café went dead silent.
Ike and Yamauchi's jaws dropped. Even Sudō froze mid-eye-roll.
Kushida blinked rapidly, her cheeks flushing pink. "W-wait, what?!"
"Do you object?" Kiyotaka asked, tone perfectly neutral.
She stammered for a moment, then forced a smile. "I-I guess if it helps everyone study… sure."
That was all it took.Sudō slammed his hands on the table. "I'm gonna win this!"
Ike jumped up. "No way, I'm the one going out with Kushida-chan!"
Yamauchi pounded his chest. "Bring it on! I'm gonna score—academically!"
Horikita looked like she wanted to strangle all three of them, but it worked.
I leaned toward her and whispered, "You should thank Ayanokōji. That's psychological warfare at its finest."
"I refuse to thank anyone who resorts to bribery," she said stiffly.
"Bribery works," I replied with a grin.
The next day, Kushida invited Kiyotaka for lunch at a quiet corner café. I didn't join them, but later he told me the details.
After some casual conversation, Kushida had suddenly leaned forward, her smile deceptively soft."Kiyotaka-kun, if you had to choose an ally between Horikita and me… who would you pick?"
He blinked once. "Neither."
"Eh? You can't stay neutral forever," she said playfully, but there was an edge in her tone.
"I don't plan to choose sides," he replied simply.
She pouted but didn't push further. "You'll change your mind someday. And when you do, I hope it's me."
He only smiled faintly, his thoughts already elsewhere.
Later that evening, our newly reformed study group met at the library.Horikita supervised with her usual icy efficiency, while Kushida played the role of the cheerful assistant.I leaned against the wall nearby, watching the chaos unfold.
"Wait—what's a denominator again?" Yamauchi asked.
"It's the number under the fraction bar," Kushida said sweetly.
Sudō frowned at his paper. "Then what's the one on top?"
"The numerator."
"I hate both of them."
Ike sighed. "Can't we just memorize the answers?"
Horikita slammed her notebook shut. "No. If you don't understand, you'll fail again."
The tension was rising until a group of Class C students passed by, snickering.
"Hey, look—it's Class D. Studying like desperate losers."
Ike shot up immediately. "What'd you say?!"
One of them smirked. "You're wasting your time, dumbasses. That material's not even on the test."
Sudō grabbed the front of his uniform, eyes blazing. "Say that again, punk."
The Class C student smirked. "Go ahead, hit me. You'll just get expelled faster."
Before Sudō could swing, Honami Ichinose appeared—graceful, composed, and with the kind of authority that made even Class C hesitate.
"Enough," she said firmly. "If you keep this up, I'll report you both."
Sudō froze. Even he knew better than to challenge Ichinose.
The Class C group backed off with a few parting laughs, leaving a heavy silence in their wake.Ichinose turned to us, her tone softer now. "Don't let them get to you. Focus on your test."
Then she smiled, wished us luck, and left.
Horikita's mind, however, was spinning."The test material… could they have been telling the truth?"
Kiyotaka frowned slightly. "Only one way to find out."
We went straight to Chabashira-sensei in the staff room.She listened half-heartedly as we explained the situation, before casually saying, "Ah, right. The test content was updated last week. I must've forgotten to inform you."
"Forgotten?" Horikita's voice rose slightly. "That's—"
Kiyotaka raised a hand. "No point arguing. We just need the new material."
Chabashira smirked faintly. "You're catching on."
Her tone made my skin crawl. She wasn't incompetent—she was testing us.
We left without further protest. Once outside, Horikita's jaw was tight with frustration.
"I can't believe she—"
"Don't waste energy on that," Kiyotaka interrupted. "Just focus on the updated questions."
He turned to Kushida. "Spread the word to the entire class. We don't have much time."
"Got it!" she said brightly, already typing on her phone.
The next day, during lunch, I decided it was time for my move.
I gathered the boys from the Miyamoto Group—Yukimura, Akito, Okitani, Ijuin.We met in the lunchroom, blending in among the noisy crowd.
"Alright," I said quietly. "We're going hunting."
"Who's the target?" Akito asked.
"Older student. Third-year. The kind who eats the free vegetable set."
Yukimura blinked. "You're kidding."
"Not even a little," I said, eyes scanning the room. "People who buy the free meals are broke. And broke students are the best sources for desperate deals."
Sure enough, I spotted one. A lanky third-year, messy hair, empty eyes—holding the unmistakable free tray.
"Perfect," I whispered. "Follow my lead."
We surrounded him discreetly near the vending corner."Hey," I said, tone casual but firm. "You've been here a while, haven't you?"
He eyed us warily. "Yeah. Why?"
"Because you're going to sell us something."
His face paled. "What… what do you mean?"
"Old test problems," I said calmly. "Midterm samples, mock exams. Whatever you've got."
He hesitated, then lowered his voice. "That's illegal."
"So is failing," I replied evenly. "10,000 private points. Take it or leave it."
He hesitated for a second too long. I gestured, and the boys subtly blocked the exits.
He swallowed hard. "Fine. Deal."
Within minutes, he sent me the files—past midterm problems, and even something more valuable: a full copy of the post-admission mock exam from two years ago.
I skimmed through the questions… and froze.
The questions were identical to our mock exam this year.
I grinned. "Bingo."
I paid him immediately, then stepped outside to make a call.
"Kiyotaka," I said once he picked up. "I've got something you'll want."
"Go on."
"I bought past exam problems. Found something interesting—the mock exam from two years ago matches ours exactly."
There was a pause. "That's valuable."
"I can sell it to you. Thirty thousand points."
Another pause. Then: "Done."
"Pleasure doing business," I said, ending the call.
The next day, Kiyotaka took the old papers and met with Kushida."I want you to hand these out," he told her. "Say you got the idea from a reliable upperclassman."
She looked at the papers, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "You're not telling me everything, are you?"
He smiled faintly. "Would you believe me if I did?"
She sighed. "Fine. But if this backfires, I'm blaming you."
"Of course."
By the following morning, copies of the old midterm exam circulated through the class.Horikita immediately grasped the plan's brilliance—if the school reused questions, they'd all be prepared.
The Idiot Trio studied harder than they ever had before.
the day before the midterms, and for once, no one was joking around. Even Ike, usually the loudest one in the room, was bent over his notes, muttering vocabulary under his breath.
At the front of the class, Kushida Kikyou smiled brightly as she handed out stacks of papers. "Here you go, everyone! Fresh off the press—the old midterm exams from previous years!"
The reaction was immediate. Cheers, gasps, and sighs of relief filled the room.
"You're the best, Kushida-chan!" Ike shouted, raising both hands in gratitude.Sudō pumped his fist. "We're saved!"Even Yamauchi, who had been close to crying yesterday, grinned from ear to ear.
I leaned back in my chair, arms folded, quietly observing.No one questioned where she'd gotten those papers. No one even thought about it.
That's the beauty of manipulation—when someone pretty and popular delivers the miracle, people don't look deeper.
Kiyotaka caught my gaze from across the room. Just a small nod between us—acknowledging the silent deal behind the smiles.
When the papers were all distributed, Horikita Suzune approached Kushida."Good work," she said curtly. "Thanks to you, the class will stand a real chance."
Kushida smiled, eyes soft but calculating. "Oh, don't thank me. I just wanted everyone to do their best."
Horikita hesitated. Then, surprisingly, she said, "You hate me, don't you?"
The air between them turned sharp.
Kushida didn't even flinch. "Yes," she said simply.
Horikita didn't look surprised. "I see. That's fine. You can continue to hate me if you wish. I'll still work with you, as long as it benefits the class."
Kushida's expression froze for a heartbeat, then she gave a saccharine smile. "You're such an odd person, Horikita-san."
I watched them from afar, feeling an uncomfortable tension I couldn't quite name. Kushida's sweetness was like sugar hiding poison. And Horikita—she was too proud to realize she was playing with fire.
The next morning, Chabashira-sensei stood at the front of the class, arms crossed, smirking faintly."Well, students," she began, "if you all manage to pass both the midterms and the finals in July, the school will reward you with a summer vacation."
A wave of excitement rippled through the class.
"Vacation?! Like, an actual one?!" Ike shouted."Beach trip!" Yamauchi hollered.Sudō grinned. "I'm already packing my swimsuit!"
Horikita pinched the bridge of her nose. "We haven't even taken the exams yet."
I chuckled quietly. "Let them dream a little, Suzune. Motivation comes in strange forms."
She shot me a sideways glare but didn't argue.
The first four exams went smoother than expected.Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and Literature—all within the realm of what we'd prepared. Horikita's strict teaching and Kushida's charm had kept the Idiot Trio in line.
By the time the final exam—English—arrived, confidence ran high.
"Alright," Sudō said, slamming his hands on his desk. "One more test and we're done!"
"You sound confident," Horikita said.
He grinned sheepishly. "Well… except English. I kinda… fell asleep early last night."
Horikita's eyes went cold. "You what?"
"I was tired, okay? Practiced basketball too hard," he said defensively.
I sighed. "We gave you the answers, and you didn't even look at them?"
Sudō rubbed his neck. "Hey, I tried this morning. Got like, half the vocab memorized."
Horikita exhaled deeply. "Unbelievable…"
But as the test began, I watched Sudō work. His face was scrunched in effort, his pencil moving slowly but steadily. He might not have been the brightest, but he was trying—really trying.
When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the last exam, a collective sigh filled the room.
"We did it," Ike said weakly.Yamauchi cheered. "No more studying!"Sudō leaned back in his chair, exhausted but grinning. "I think I passed… maybe."
Horikita looked at him, something almost gentle in her expression. "Regardless of the result… you worked hard this time. I underestimated you."
Sudō blinked, blushing slightly. "Huh? You—uh… thanks, Horikita."
Kiyotaka gave me a small smirk from the next row. I shook my head. It seemed even Horikita wasn't immune to accidental character development.
The results came the next morning.
Chabashira entered the classroom holding a folder that looked far too slim for comfort.
"Good morning, students," she said. "Here are your midterm results."
The class collectively held its breath.
As she wrote the scores on the board, gasps and cheers erupted.
"Whoa! I passed everything!" Ike shouted."Me too!" Yamauchi grinned."Even Sudō didn't fail math!"
Sudō stood proudly. "Told ya I could do it!"
It was true—everyone in Class D had passed above the red line shown on the mock tests.
We'd done it. The impossible.
Until—
Chabashira's chalk screeched across the board. She drew a new red line—just one point higher.
The entire room fell silent.
"Sudō Ken," she said flatly. "Your English score is thirty-nine. The passing line is forty."
The color drained from Sudō's face. "What?!"
"That means," Chabashira continued, "you've failed. And as the rules state, failure equals expulsion."
"No way!" Ike shouted. "You can't do that—""That's not fair!" Yamauchi added.
Even Horikita's composure cracked. "You changed the line after revealing the scores? That's absurd."
Chabashira's expression didn't waver. "Rules are rules. The school doesn't make exceptions."
She turned and left the room.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
Kiyotaka stood without a word and followed her out into the hallway. I exchanged a look with Horikita, then quietly slipped out after him, staying far enough behind not to be noticed.
I found them near the faculty office, voices low but sharp.
"Do you believe society is fair?" Kiyotaka asked calmly.
Chabashira tilted her head. "Of course not. The strong exploit the weak. That's the way it's always been."
Kiyotaka's tone didn't change. "Then you understand what you're doing is just another form of exploitation."
She smirked. "So you admit to cheating? Using old tests?"
He met her gaze evenly. "You already knew. You just wanted to see how far we'd go."
"Smart boy," she said approvingly. "Yes, I knew. And I commend your resourcefulness. But the school doesn't tolerate failure, no matter how clever you are."
"Not informing us about the test change was deliberate," Kiyotaka pressed. "You handicapped us from the start."
"Perhaps. But life isn't fair."
He was silent for a moment, then said quietly, "Then let's make it fair."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his student ID card. "Sell me one point. Add it to Sudō's score."
Chabashira blinked, then smiled faintly. "Ah… so you know about the true function of private points."
"Everyone has their price," he said.
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "One point, you say? That'll cost you one hundred thousand points."
Kiyotaka didn't even flinch. "Deal."
But as he opened his wallet, I could see the faintest flicker of concern cross his face. He didn't have enough.
That's when Horikita appeared at the corner, stepping forward with firm resolve.
"I'll cover the rest," she said.
Kiyotaka turned slightly. "Horikita—"
"You helped me when I was stuck," she said. "Now it's my turn."
Chabashira's smile widened. "How touching. Very well. Payment received."
She took the transfer on her tablet, then marked something down on her clipboard. "Sudō Ken's score is now forty. Congratulations—you've saved your classmate."
As she walked away, her voice lingered like a taunt. "Perhaps Class D isn't hopeless after all. You two might just make it to Class A someday."
That evening, we held a small celebration in Kiyotaka's dorm room. I sat near the window with a can of soda, watching the chaos unfold.
The Idiot Trio surrounded Horikita, practically glowing with gratitude.
"Horikita-san! You're amazing!" Ike said, eyes shining."Yeah, you totally saved my life!" Sudō added."You're like a goddess of mercy!" Yamauchi chimed in.
Horikita crossed her arms, embarrassed. "It wasn't just me. I simply made a few calls."
Kiyotaka shot her a knowing look from across the room. She met his gaze for a second before looking away.He had let her take the credit again.
Kushida sat beside me, smiling as she watched the others celebrate. "Looks like everyone's happy."
"Yeah," I said quietly. "For now."
Her smile flickered briefly, almost melancholic. "You think things will get harder from here, don't you?"
"They always do," I said.
Across the room, she stood up and announced cheerfully, "Oh, by the way, everyone! Did you know that Horikita-san and Ayanokōji-kun have a shared goal?"
Everyone turned to her. "Huh?"
"They both want to reach Class A!" she said with a grin.
The room fell silent for a moment before Ike burst out laughing."Class A? Us? You're joking, right?"
Sudō scratched his head. "I mean… we barely passed this one."
Horikita stood firm. "We'll get there. Academic skill alone doesn't decide class rankings. We'll use every advantage we can."
Her determination silenced the doubts. For the first time, the class saw her not just as a cold perfectionist—but as someone they could follow.
Kiyotaka, leaning against the wall, watched quietly, his expression unreadable.