Chapter 344: As Refreshing as a Round with Akira-kun in the Dorm!
After school. Class C classroom.
"What are we going to do?! No matter how you think about it, this exam is too cruel!"
"Exactly! Having to make someone in the class drop out..."
"Wait... based on those rumors, you seem to hate me, don't you? You're not going to turn around and give me your criticism vote, are you?"
"Hey! Those rumors were fake news! But the fact that you suspect me? After hearing that, I actually want to vote for you now!"
"A class that was finally becoming united is falling apart just because of this exam!" Horikita Suzune watched the scene with a grim expression.
"No matter how you look at it, this involves expulsion," Shimizu Akira shook his head.
The punishment was no longer a deduction of points. Unlike previous exams where effort or strategy could avoid expulsion, this was mandatory—a sacrifice had to be chosen. If someone truly received the most criticism votes, they would vanish from the school just like Yamauchi Haruki. To most students, expulsion was equivalent to the sky falling; there was no room for calm conversation.
"Everyone! Please stop arguing over this!" Hirata Yosuke hurried to the center of the dispute. "Those rumors were just rumors! Like we agreed, as long as we work together and pool 20,000,000 points, we can solve this!"
"Save someone with 20 million?" a boy's voice immediately rang out.
"Talk is cheap! My relationship with some people in this class isn't good enough for that!"
"Exactly! I'm not like you, Hirata, getting all those chocolates on Valentine's Day and being loved by everyone. I didn't get a single piece! Is it really worth taking out my hard-earned points for people like that? 20 million divided by 39 people is over 500,000 each! I was out early in the VIP exam; I don't have that many points."
Hirata finally felt that not everyone in the class aligned with him. Some male students harbored clear rejection or even hostility toward him. Seeing this, the girls who favored Hirata snapped back.
"Hey! How can you talk to Hirata-kun like that!"
"He's just trying to protect the class!"
"Isn't it obvious why someone like you didn't get any chocolate?!"
Soon, everyone was picking sides.
"Wait, Hirata. That's 500,000 points! You think we can just pull that out? Even if everyone contributes, it would drain us dry... Hirata, I'm not targeting you, but this exam is clearly designed to eliminate one person. During the finals, Chabashira-sensei said our average score rose because Yamauchi left. Why don't we just vote out the lowest-value dead weight again?"
"How can you say that?! 'Lowest value'? You're labeling and screening classmates. How is that different from the school's cold rules?"
Hirata tried to maintain order, but his voice was drowned out by the rising noise. Horikita Suzune frowned and turned to Shimizu.
"Can't you do something?!"
"Don't look at me," Shimizu shook his head, glancing at the center of the fight. "Like Hirata, I received quite a bit of chocolate. If I step out now, it'll just pour oil on the fire and intensify the gender conflict. You should find someone more professional."
He glanced toward a seat in the front row.
Suzune followed his gaze to none other than Kushida Kikyo.
'Ask that hypocritical woman for help?'
She bit her lip. But Shimizu was right—he wasn't suited to intervene. After a long struggle, Suzune finally walked up to Kushida.
"...Kushida-san."
"Oh? Does Horikita-san need something?" Kushida flashed her trademark sweet smile. Suzune gestured toward the arguing crowd.
"Go calm the class down."
"Oh? Why do you think I can do what even Hirata-kun failed at? Such confidence in me?"
"Only you can do it," Suzune muttered, looking away.
"Heh..." Kushida, annoyed by the attitude, whispered back, "Is that how you ask for a favor?"
"What do you want then?!" Suzune glared at her.
"Simple. Your words just now made me a little unhappy," Kushida leaned in, beaming.
"Give me a couple of compliments. When I'm in a good mood, for Akira-kun's sake, I might be willing to help."
'This woman is doing this on purpose!' Suzune gritted her teeth.
But seeing the scene spiraling out of control, she took a deep breath and squeezed the words out: "Even though I hate you, I have to admit that you are the most popular and socially adept person in this class. Most students trust and like you. The way you talk... is much more
effective than me. You are an indispensable member of this class. Your contribution to the training camp was huge; I... can't compare to you at all.
Is that enough?! Are you happy now?"
'Refreshing! So refreshing!'
Seeing the usually arrogant Horikita Suzune bow her head and praise her was an indescribable act of revenge for Kushida. This feeling was as exhilarating as having a "round" with her boyfriend in the dorm!
"Hehe..." Kushida smiled with satisfaction. She walked into the center of the fray. Suzune stood there, fuming.
'That woman better stabilize things, or I'm coming for her with a compass.'
Kushida first approached the loudest girls, gently tugging a sleeve.
"Hey, calm down a little. If you keep arguing, Hirata-kun will be in a tough spot..."
The girls looked at the exhausted Hirata and their aggression stalled.
Then, she turned to the boys. Instead of scolding them, she showed an apologetic, understanding expression.
"Everyone is scared and confused right now, so it's natural to get emotional... I understand. Hirata-kun's proposal might be too idealistic and didn't consider everyone's individual situation."
She gave them an out, which stunned the hostile boys.
Then, she stood in the center and raised her voice: "Actually... I've been listening, and it hurts my heart too. I know 20 million points is a fortune. To give it all up for a classmate you might not be close to, or even... have had friction with, is scary. Feeling that it's unfair is a very normal emotion. No one has the right to judge you for feeling that way!"
"But..." Kushida looked around the room.
"But, if we start pointing fingers, picking sides, and saying hurtful things out of fear... then Class C will collapse from within before the votes are even cast. Isn't that exactly what the school—or those who want to see us fail—want to see?"
The students were stunned. Who benefited from their fighting?
Kushida then proposed a compromise: "Hirata-kun wants to save someone with points; others want to follow the results and select someone to leave. This is only the first day. How about we all take some time to cool down, and eventually hold an internal anonymous vote to decide which path the class should take?"
Shimizu Akira coughed right on cue.
"I think Kikyo makes sense."
"Yeah... it's only the first day. We have time."
"Since Shimizu said so..."
Guided by the two of them, the proposal to leave the final choice to an anonymous internal vote was quickly accepted. Hirata Yosuke sighed in relief and nodded gratefully to both Kushida and Shimizu.
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"I never told Kushida what to say," Shimizu said to a still-pouting Suzune back at her seat.
"I know," Suzune rolled her eyes. That was why she was so annoyed.
"So, this is another exam of class cohesion and social manipulation... another 'her' round!"
"Next time," Shimizu replied. "The next special exam should be a test of basic abilities." Suzune calmed down slightly, then asked, "Which choice do you think is better?"
Shimizu spread his hands.
"Neither. Both have fatal flaws. To buy the student: first, the odds of raising 20 million are nearly zero. Even if we do, it crashes our individual finances, leaving us with no 'ammo' for future exams. To sacrifice: it sounds efficient, but who is the 'least useful'? The worst student, Ike? The loner? Once you start a screening process, the chain of suspicion is endless. Today it's Ike for bad grades; tomorrow it's Sudo for a bad temper; the day after, it's whoever is 'hard to control'."
"So, your conclusion?"
"This exam is a trap. No matter the path, we pay a heavy price. That is Tsukishiro's—or his backer's—real goal."
"Is there an optimal solution?" Shimizu grabbed his bag.
"For now... I don't have one. Anyway, do you really think this 'Special Exam' is legitimate? It's full of holes and forced. It's just a crude 'cleaning order' from the top."
"Why target the first years?"
"You've hit the nail on the head!" Shimizu looked toward the back of the room.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was quietly packing his books. He felt his friend's gaze and gave a characteristically emotionless wave.
'Why? Because Ayanokouji has a father who loves causing trouble.'
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Later, Shimizu received a call from Horikita Manabu.
"Shimizu, there's something you need to know. Acting Chairman Tsukishiro met privately with Nagumo Miyabi yesterday afternoon in the Chairman's office for half an hour."
Shimizu frowned. They were already colluding?
"I see. Thanks for the heads-up."
"The actual historical expulsion rate is indeed above 3%," Manabu added.
"But creating a no-exit exam just because a grade is 'too excellent' is a first. He's forcing this through despite the faculty's objections. My advice: stay low and observe. If possible, secure that 'Protection Point' for yourself. It's a vital survival tool for the future."
Shimizu hung up.
The Protection Point was a valuable prize, but the exam was basically a choice: pay 20 million points, or sacrifice a person for a Protection Point. It looked fair, but if every class paid points, the school would reclaim 80 million Private Points.
'Does all that go into Tsukishiro's pocket?'
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Meanwhile, Sakura Airi and Hasabe Haruka were relieved to receive messages.
Airi's was from Shimizu: Don't worry, you two are my girlfriends. I'll protect you in this vote. Haruka's was from Kushida: Haruka, you and Airi are important friends. I won't let anything happen to you.
Both girls laughed happily.
They had both been ostracized in middle school for their looks and had no true friends; now they had two great friends and a boyfriend who loved them.
"Airi, we have to repay them for being so good to us," Haruka said.
They agreed to let Kushida and Shimizu handle all voting decisions.
"I want to go to Akira-kun's room to... 'reward' him again," Airi whispered.
"Reward him? You're rewarding yourself, aren't you?" Haruka flicked her forehead.
"But I'll let Kushida know."
Before Haruka could send a message, Karuizawa Kei sat down across from them.
"Tsk... what are you doing here?" Haruka muttered.
"I just want to ask a few questions, then I'm leaving," Kei snapped back.
"Who says I'll answer?"
"Haruka," Airi whispered, "Karuizawa-san... is Akira-kun's manager."
Haruka paused, then sighed. "Fine. Ask."
Kei lowered her voice. "What exactly... is your relationship with Shimizu Akira?"
The two girls shared a nervous look. Kushida had warned them not to go public.
"We're... friends," Haruka said vaguely.
"Really?" Kei looked at Airi.
"Sakura-san, actually... I like Akira-kun too. I know you have feelings for him, so you should understand how it feels to love someone. I hope you can tell me the truth."
Airi froze. Silence was her answer. Kei felt her heart sink.
'What's so great about these two?'
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