[POV: Heylel]
"Everyone, before you return to the dorm, would you mind listening to me for a moment?"
Everyone in the class stopped as Kushida took the podium, even the idiots and the loners. She had spent time building bonds with each of her classmates, she listened to issues and helped everyone out with an unhesitant smile.
Even with Yukimura, she had helped me at the low cost of attending Hirata's study group.
Even more so, she was smart, beautiful and physically active. It made me wonder how she landed herself in class D, and for that matter Hirata too, how did he end up here? What about Yukimura—eh, his skeleton was a frame of sticks and he was not very socially intelligent either so it made sense for him to be in D.
"I know that you've all been studying a lot in preparation for the test tomorrow. I have something to help you. I'm going to hand out some papers."
Kushida distributed the question and answer sheets to the students in the first row.
"Test…questions? Did you make these, Kushida-san?" Horikita's voice was the loudest.
"These are the old test problems. I got them from a third-year student last night."
"Old test problems? Huh? Wait, will these questions be on the test tomorrow?" Wait, wait Horikita, that's a leap in logic, what the fuck? I turned around, she had the papers in her hand. What the hell did she see in that?
"Yes. To tell you the truth, I heard that the midterm test from the year before last had almost the same problems as this one. So, if we study what's on this test, it'll surely come in handy."
"Whoa! Seriously? Thank you, Kushida-chan!" Overjoyed, Ike hugged his test paper. None of the other students could suppress their elation, either.
When the paper came over to me, I saw that at the corner was stapled a mini-xerox of the surprise short test that was dated two years ago. Reading it my eyes went wide. It was the same.
My eyes moved up to Kushida, she was moving around in class already. She had brought them. No shit anyone gives this away, an older student would sell it and one from another class would never even tell us it existed. How the fuck did she come up with this? Did she find it by chance?
Whatever it was, Kushida was either hiding something or just mind-bogglingly lucky.
I hadn't even thought of this and that is despite being around seniors.
Again, I sent a message, this time to Kouenji.
'I don't think she is telling the truth. Or at least the whole truth.'
Kouenji answered back.
—Obvious as the sun being bright or me being great but good work noticing, it is why I keep you around.
"What the hell? If we had these, then wasn't it pointless to study so hard?" Yamauchi complained, even as he laughed he was correct.
"Sudou-kun, do your best when you study today!"
"Yeah. Thanks, you helped me out tremendously." Sudou also happily accepted the test papers.
"Let's keep this a secret from the other classes! Don't be scared, everyone! Do your best and aim for a high score!" Ike shouted with joy and determination. And there was a silent nod to his words.
Even Horikita stood up, "Excellent work," I could read a hint of doubt in her eyes when they met mine but she praised her nonetheless.
"Eh?" Kushida said.
"I'd never even considered trying to use the old tests. I'm also grateful that you verified that the questions were still useful." I don't know if she did either of the two things you praised her for…maybe she did. But someone must have put the idea into her, who? Who noticed all the clues that flew by both me and Kouenji? Who the fuck is smart enough?
"I just did it for my friends. It was nothing special," Kushida said.
"Also, I think that you were correct to announce that you had it today after class. If you'd carelessly let word get out about this test, it's possible that everyone would have lost their motivation to study."
"That was only because I received the test papers so late. If any of the same problems are featured on the test tomorrow, then everyone will probably manage to get pretty high test scores."
"Yes. It also means that the last two weeks we spent studying weren't for nothing."
The conversation carried all around the class but it was silenced when Horikita spoke up once again, "Kushida I appreciate all that you have done for the study group."
"Don't worry about it. I just want to get into the higher-ranked classes together with everyone else. That's why I did it, and why I agreed to help with the study group. I'll help you again any time." Smiling, Kushida grabbed her bag and stood.
"Wait. There's just one thing I want to confirm," Horikita said.
"Confirm?"
"If you say that you'll continue working with me for the sake of our class, then I need to be sure of something."
Horikita looked straight at Kushida, who was still wearing that dazzling smile."You hate me, don't you?"
"Huh?" Leaked from my lips, that came out of left field.
"Why do you think that?" Kushida asked.
"You're not answering my question because it's true. Right?"
"Ha ha, you got me." She shouldered her bag and lowered her hands. Kushida faced Horikita without losing her smile.
"That's right. I hate you."
The fuck's happening?
"Do you want me to tell you the reason?"
"No. That's unnecessary. Knowing that is good enough. I can continue working with you without hesitation."
Despite what she'd just been told, Horikita spoke calmly.
It took a while for the words to be processed but since neither of the two girls cared to elaborate the discussion was dead.
Regardless, I had my shit to do.
—————
[A/N: The 4. series went over 13k words.
In the next exams, you will see him have fun. For now, what differences are there from the LN?
1. Ayanokoji is not as hands-on with Horikita any more. In the LN after the President fight he confronts Horikita and points out her character flaw and convinces Horikita to keep pushing on with the group and keep trying. In this Heylel does not go after her character he calls her an idiot and helps save her twice.
2. With Sudou, his character arc is still not done so we will leave it be for now.
3. Heylel as established is pragmatic, adaptive, opportunistic and ruthless. He will manipulate people to get what he wants and take what he needs.
He also shuns being involved in stuff but gets roped in mostly due to his image as being a reliable person(this has not been blatant but it is happening in the background) this causes more people to look for him which causes him to be pulled into more of these situations—like people expect him to immediately do things, as he was expected to three times with Horikita, once when Sudou threatened her, twice when she ran away and thrice when she was attacked by her brother.
It all cascaded very quickly. But even with all of this, he likes being friends and as he grows closer to Horikita he will take bigger risks for her and as you saw he doesn't mind being pulled along with Kouenji.
4. Ayanokoji: So, let me make this clear, we are following him as the books show him to be. He wants others to be better but he also does not want to be in the spotlight. For example, he gets very involved with Horikita but he keeps a distance as he has pushed her onto Heylel.
Now we head to the end of the 1st novel. Almost.