The students of Class C were very realistic after getting the exam papers; after School in the afternoon, most of them returned to their dorms.
There was only one reason: to start memorizing the exam papers.
Now there were only two and a half days left until the exam, but memorizing everything was a difficult task for them.
Regarding this.
Hachiman had only one requirement.
If they got the papers, then they had to maintain a score of 80 or above in each subject.
And if one or two people couldn't achieve that, but everyone else scored 80 or above, then the failing score line would also increase.
So, he let some students with poor academic performance struggle.
If any student scored below 80 after getting the papers, then their living expenses for the next month would be confiscated.
This statement seemed merciless, even excessive.
Some even thought it was Karuizawa's credit, not Hikigaya's.
However.
Karuizawa, who "did such a big thing," said that if everyone could score high and get the reward of 100 Class evaluation points, then it would be good.
In other words, after getting the exam papers, they could only try their best to score high.
After all, this was a statement from Karuizawa, who had acted against regulations.
Moreover.
This was great joy after great sorrow.
At first, they were told there would be old questions, so everyone was at ease, but then they were suddenly informed that old questions would not be tested, so most people panicked, and now the exam questions were recovered.
So, even if they were asked to score high, they could accept it.
Therefore.
Even the underachievers had high morale.
And, with the papers, and all being multiple-choice questions, if they reviewed them dozens of times.
Then scoring 80 or so should be easy.
However, if they did this.
Hachiman and his group had new tasks.
During the previous study session, Hachiman and Ichinose exchanged phone numbers.
But Hachiman still left the task of contacting Ichinose to Kushida.
This time, Hachiman's Class C got the exam papers, but this was obtained through "Karuizawa's violation."
However, Hachiman knew that in this Grade 1 special exam, Sakayanagi would definitely tell her own Class's students the exam papers, and then also sell them to Ryuen.
So.
Probably only the Little Angels of Class B did not have the exam papers.
So, among Grade 1, only Class B was left behind.
However.
Now Hachiman, Horikita, and Kushida had to ask Ichinose and her group out.
But it wasn't to share the exam papers, but… to trick them.
The reason was also simple: because Hachiman's explanation was that Karuizawa had acted against regulations, and everyone in Class C tacitly agreed to this.
So, should the papers obtained this way be shared with Class B?
They couldn't do it.
Because they had to "protect" Karuizawa, who had "acted against regulations."
Thus.
Kushida went to contact Ichinose.
And Hachiman and Horikita had already arrived at a small private room in the cafe.
Perhaps in a good mood, Hikigaya paid for the drinks in the private room today.
However.
Although the waiter had already served coffee, Hachiman noticed that Horikita seemed to be deep in thought.
However.
Hachiman also realized that Horikita Suzune, who usually looked meticulous and sharp-eyed, being able to keep her composure instead of speaking directly was already very different from before.
Perhaps she hadn't noticed, but Horikita-san had actually changed a little.
Otherwise, why would something like an exam allow cheating, or rather, why would cheating be required to meet the School's demands?
She could accept things she completely couldn't understand, and even went to borrow books for old questions and read through knowledge points she hadn't learned.
In other words, Horikita-san had changed without realizing it.
"Do you think it's unfair that we're going to trick Ichinose?" Hachiman said. "For this written exam, our Class borrowed ten top students from them to tutor our Class's students," Horikita Suzune said. "And I myself participated in the tutoring, so I know very well how difficult it is to lead underachievers."
In other words, she felt that the students of Class B had made an effort.
"Then."
Hachiman looked at Kushida.
"Kushida, what do you think?" Facing such an honest Horikita Suzune, Hachiman looked at Kushida Kikyo.
"Eh? Me?"
Perhaps because the big problem in the Class was solved, Little Angel Kushida was in a good mood today.
But now, Hikigaya, you've thrown a troublesome question my way.
"Actually… how should I put it—" Hmm.
Kushida actually understood that Hikigaya was trying to protect Karuizawa. Speaking of which, why would Hikigaya specifically protect Karuizawa? Does that mean something has happened between these two recently?
She had no idea.
Even though she was thinking such things, Kushida said, "Although I'm very grateful for the contributions of Class B's students, this current paper isn't really suitable for sharing with other Classes…"
Not suitable for sharing.
"This is a form of protection for Karuizawa," Hachiman said. "It's a cover-up."
"—" Horikita.
Indeed.
Horikita Suzune didn't know that Karuizawa's violation was just an excuse; the exam papers were actually obtained for free from Sakayanagi.
"It's just," Horikita said. "That's not what I'm concerned about."
"Oh?"
"Speaking of which, why would she do such a thing? To prevent students from dropping out or something, I find it unlikely," Horikita Suzune said.
Then.
"Could it be…" Horikita then began to stare intently at Hikigaya.
So that's what she was concerned about.
She thought Hachiman instructed Karuizawa to secretly photograph the exam papers.
Hey, hey, hey.
He wouldn't do something like that.
And even though it was for the Class, he always felt like it was some bad deed.
And he was still the culprit, the worst person.
He had wanted to occasionally teach Horikita-san a lesson, but now, he felt somewhat speechless instead.
And as he thought this.
"Ding-dong—"
The door to the private room was pushed open.
Kanzaki and Ichinose, who were already old acquaintances, walked in.
I have to say.
Although he had tried to get used to it, Hachiman still felt that he was surrounded by cute girls.
From the Little Angel-like Kushida, to the cool-eyed fox-like girl, and now Ichinose, who just entered.
Instantly, the surrounding brilliance seemed to brighten considerably.
"So, it's as I thought..." Ichinose said. "Because of Ryuen's matter, the exam papers need to be reissued now."
After Horikita and the others finished their papers, Hachiman shared the old exam papers with Class B.
On one hand, it saved them money on buying exam papers, and on the other, it was to repay them for arranging a top student to come over.
However, from yesterday's announcement, it was learned that the old questions were useless.
Hachiman and his companions came over to fool Ichinose and her Class.
The method was simply to borrow textbooks from her and look at the key points marked by their Class.
Since the exam was to be reissued, the School, to avoid a large number of students dropping out, could only make the exam papers as close as possible to the usual class content.
Then, the class content of each Class became the crucial thing.
Normally, this would be the case.
Therefore, Hachiman's actions were very reasonable.
Ichinose also specifically brought her books.
It's unclear if it was an illusion, but when Ichinose placed the textbook on Hachiman's desk, perhaps because they were sitting close, he always felt a faint scent of Ichinose lingering on the book.
However.
When they parted.
"Although there's a channel I really want to help through... but, Class C, please do your best as well."
"However, I think looking at the key points from various Classes is very effective."
Ichinose said hesitantly, then showed her usual sunny smile.
Some say Ichinose is like an angel.
She is a smiling woman with no bad reviews; her popularity is actually similar to Kushida's, but to Hachiman, she is a purely good person.
Because from the deployment and work of this exam, their Class actually put in a lot of effort.
However.
There were some problems in her words.
Her words needed to be analyzed.
She already had a channel for this exam, but wanted to help Class C, yet couldn't due to certain reasons.
And she is a very kind person.
She wanted to help people, but was prevented.
At the same time.
She knew that the questions for this exam were... a synthesis of the usual class content from all four Classes.
In other words.
The information was leaked.
And Sakayanagi had no great interest in Class B, so as the only Class among the four that didn't know the exam questions.
Where did Ichinose get her information from?
If it wasn't Sakayanagi, and it wasn't Ryuen Class, then the person who would know the papers...
"Then, should we lend you our key points?" Hachiman asked tentatively.
"Ah... Mm... Yes." Before Ichinose could reply, Kanzaki spoke first.
Girls are good at acting, like Karuizawa and Kushida, but boys are not like that.
And as an experienced human camera.
Hachiman immediately discerned that Kanzaki seemed to be trying to hide something.
So, it's like this, isn't it?
Class B indeed knew the answers and content of this exam, but couldn't tell others.
And Sakayanagi wouldn't be that stupid, so the information could definitely be kept secret.
And the students in Hachiman's Class were unreliable, but under great joy, they wouldn't quickly communicate with other Classes.
So, Ichinose now knew the exam papers.
Then that means... in the Student Council, there is indeed a ghost. Someone leaked this information.
And then Grade 1 Class B received their help.
And this person...
It's that person, isn't it? Sakayanagi Arisu's competitor, Vice President Nagumo Miyabi.
Sakayanagi went to run for Student Council, so as a strong contender for Student Council President, Vice President Nagumo wouldn't do nothing.
In other words.
The other party started to interfere with Grade 1 Class B.
Either he wants to gain Class B's votes, or... he can use Class B's hand to attack Sakayanagi.
So, this might be Sakayanagi's fault.
However.
Class B, on the other hand, is a tool for Hachiman's Class C... Hmm... an allied Class.
They cannot fall into the hands of a bad senior like this.
However, the exam papers are going to be used by the bad senior, and the papers have already been reported once, so reporting again would be ineffective, and even the Student Council would no longer handle it.
Moreover, this is Sakayanagi's achievement, and Hachiman is unwilling to do such a thing to someone who usually treats him to meals.
At the same time, doing so would definitely cause his own Class to fail.
However.
Should he just watch him fool Sakayanagi, and Sakayanagi's actual achievements be used by a bad senior?
He felt a bit displeased.
"Then we thank you very much," Hikigaya said.
"However, Ichinose, a little later, probably around 8 PM, I will send you an email. Please review it and deal with it quickly."
"Eh?" Ichinose looked over softly.
"It's a request," Hachiman said.
In other words, was there something he needed to trouble her with?
But what kind of person was Ichinose? She nodded gently. "Although I can't help with this exam, please everyone do your best."
...
Thus.
At 8 PM.
"???"
"Hikigaya!"
Ichinose quickly called Hachiman.
Earlier, they had agreed that Hachiman would ask her for help at night.
But Ichinose called him herself.
Although her voice on the phone was very pleasant.
But she must be very surprised now.
Because the email Hachiman sent her was not a request, but... photos of the exam papers he got for free from Sakayanagi.
"I got it from the person who set the questions," Hachiman said. "After much consideration, we are allied Classes, so I sent it to you."
"I see—" Ichinose drew out her voice, seemingly with some guilt. "Then thank you."
However, this also showed that this girl was a very kind person.
Perhaps Vice President Nagumo traded the papers with them, and while Ichinose and her Class could accept it, they couldn't bring themselves to share the papers with Hikigaya and his Class.
But in contrast, Hachiman was willing to share the papers with her.
Ichinose became guilty.
And this is an emotion only kind people possess.
In contrast, would Ichinose be a bomb, like Kushida?
But it should be impossible.
Hachiman thought to himself.
Perhaps he felt that a super pretty girl had called him.
The evening was a bit hot, so Hachiman decided to go downstairs to get some fresh air and have some Max Coffee.
Thus.
He left the student dorms, preparing to head to Horikita's embarrassing spot.
However.
Hachiman stood in front of the vending machine, just about to order coffee, when he noticed that Kushida, from his friends list on the GPS in his phone, was also nearby.
It was so late, what was Kushida doing outside?
And at the railing of that uncrowded lake.
Could it be that she was called out at this time for a confession or something?
She was very popular.
But being in that place at this time was not very appropriate.
Thinking this, Hachiman went to the lake railing.
And then.
He witnessed the bomb named Kushida.
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