I stood beside the rooftop door, trying to catch my breath before going in. Running up the stairs is really exhausting.
Behind me stood Yukinoshita; she was also catching her breath from the physical effort.
No time to waste standing here. I straightened my jacket and put my hands in my pockets, then stood in front of the door, where I saw Chabashira-sensei standing in the breeze, her black ponytail swaying as she enjoyed her cigarette.
Two students stood around her—Ayanokōji and Horikita, just as I expected. They had come to solve Sudō's problem.
They were holding their phones, ready to pay for a single point, I assumed.
No need to waste personal points…
"Sensei… there's no need to pay, right?" I stepped onto the rooftop, feeling their gazes turn toward me after hearing my words.
Chabashira-sensei was still holding her cigarette, staring at me. I think she already understood what I meant.
As for Ayanokōji and Horikita, they simply stared at me. Ayanokōji's expression didn't change, as usual—still that same cold face. Horikita, however, frowned after a moment and looked more irritated by my words.
"Hikigaya-kun, if you don't intend to help, just leave…" She seemed annoyed that I was preventing them from paying—and thus preventing them from saving Sudō.
Silence fell over everyone, and we simply stared at each other for a moment.
"So, you want to use it now…" Chabashira-sensei returned to her cigarette after understanding my intent.
I nodded to confirm my decision.
When we went to the principal's office, we had agreed that she would grant me one favor if I managed to get her out of her predicament. But things didn't go as planned, and she didn't actually need my help.
Even so, she said the deal still stood. Although I had thought of not using it since I didn't earn it properly, if it could help Sudō, then so be it.
I don't like being indebted to anyone, and I don't like anyone being indebted to me either.
So Sudō doesn't need to owe anyone anything.
"Well then, you don't need to pay anymore. I'll give you one point… You can tell Sudō he won't be expelled." Chabashira-sensei stepped away as she announced that Sudō would no longer be expelled.
I let out a slow breath in relief—I thought she might refuse…
Confusion grew on the faces of those present, especially after the teacher agreed so quickly.
"What's going on here…?" Horikita's eyes wandered as she tried to understand what was happening between me and Chabashira-sensei.
"Horikita-san, I think none of us really understand what's going on, but that's fine…" Yukinoshita joined in after standing outside and tried to suppress Horikita's curiosity.
I hadn't told her about the deal because I had decided to ignore it at the time, so even she didn't know what was happening.
Horikita tried to push further for answers but could only bite her lip in frustration.
It ended quickly. I didn't want to stay here, watching the teacher smoke or exchanging glances with Ayanokōji and Horikita. It was better to leave.
I turned toward the door to head down the stairs, but a deep sigh from Chabashira-sensei stopped me.
"I've always considered Class D in this school to be a place for defective students and troublemakers…" Chabashira-sensei suddenly began speaking, without any warning.
Her words caught my attention, so I turned back quickly. The others were also looking at her back as she stared off into the distance.
I think it wasn't just her words that surprised them—it was her tone.
Unlike usual, her voice was calm, carrying a trace of sadness… an old sadness.
"In the history of this school, no Class D has ever made it to Class A…" she continued, pausing after each sentence to bring the cigarette to her lips.
Seriously… all these years, not a single Class D has graduated as Class A.
That shows just how difficult things are…
Amid the cool breeze, I felt the temperature rising again on the rooftop. Summer hadn't even arrived yet, and it was already hot.
I glanced to my left, where Yukinoshita stood, practically burning with excitement. Someone cool her down before she burns us all.
Why does she get excited over every competition? It's exhausting…
"But this time, there are many talented students in your class… Do you intend to cooperate to reach Class A?" Chabashira-sensei finally turned toward us, scanning each of us one by one as if inspecting us.
Horikita immediately responded and stepped forward.
"I don't know about the others, but I've made up my mind. I won't stop until I reach Class A." The fighting spirit in her was clear—she was determined to rise to Class A.
But she didn't fully understand Chabashira-sensei's intent.
She meant things like unity, cooperation, raising the class together… naive ideas like that.
"Pfft…" A small laugh slipped from my lips, drawing their attention toward me.
I covered my mouth to suppress it.
"Sensei, things like cooperation and the power of friendship don't suit me… I didn't come here to play the friends game." To me, those words have always been nothing but illusions. Politicians and leaders use them because they're convenient tools for deception.
I believe there are things more real than those words.
That's why, even if they're true, my mind rejects them immediately.
They just don't suit me…
"Then why did you come to help Sudō?" Chabashira-sensei tilted her head slightly as she asked.
It would be natural to assume that if I went this far and caused this much of a scene, my goal was something like saving a friend…
But she's wrong.
Everyone had tried to support Sudō in their own way so he could pass the exam. The goal was to prevent any punishment.
He tried—but in the end, he failed. So in my opinion, he deserves a penalty.
But…
"I came here because this school's system annoys me…" I slowly stepped closer to the teacher, feeling the others' gazes follow my movements. I stopped a couple of steps away, looking straight into her eyes.
"Everything about this school annoys me—even its punishments…" Anyone would know that expulsion is far too harsh, especially for failing just one subject.
It could destroy a student's future—and the people around them who care about them.
That's why I'm against expelling Sudō for this. He doesn't deserve that ending.
Chabashira-sensei stared at me with her dark eyes without blinking.
"Aren't you just saying that because you were at risk of expulsion yourself?" She shifted her focus back to the cigarette between her slender fingers.
"…Ugh."
She might have been right at first—it did bother me for that reason. But… no, that's not acceptable.
She walked toward the railing again and looked down below.
I glanced behind me. The others were still standing there. Were they going to mock me?
"I thought only your words were annoying, but even your essay in the last exam annoyed me."
"Objection… You shouldn't reveal that in front of them!" That was supposed to be confidential. I tried to write a proper essay during the last exam, but my hands once again went off track.
Suddenly, I heard a muffled laugh from Chabashira-sensei. I'm sure none of us had heard it before.
"You might be the most annoying person in the entire class." She didn't even look at us as she continued her sharp sarcasm toward me.
Why am I the only victim here… Even Ayanokōji's face is annoying.
Tch… Isn't she the most annoying one? I demand a change of homeroom teacher.
"Anyway, I don't have the right to interfere with your promotion plans or your methods. Also, there are no expulsion cases right now, so leave." She waved her hand for us to leave first, as if she wanted to stay alone.
Fine. I don't want to stay next to such an annoying teacher anyway.
I quickly turned and walked toward the door, passing by Horikita and Ayanokōji, who chose to remain silent and just observe.
She might be right… Class D is a place for defective people—from its students to its teacher.