Chapter 17

Walking into the classroom, Chabashira-sensei looked around the classroom in surprise. Everyone was waiting in suspense for the results of the midterms.

Hirata: Sensei. I heard that the results will be released today, but when exactly?

Chabashira: There's no need for you to be that excitedabout it, Hirata. You probably passed.

Yato: Well I don't think it was for his results that he was worried.

Hirata:..When will they be released?

Chabashira: Well, now is a good time. There isn't much time for certain procedures if we do it after school.

It's official, with her words 'certain procedures' someone probably failed... Some students were visibly worried by these words...

Hirata: What... what do you mean?

Chabashira: Don't be confused. I'll explain it now. She stuck the paper with everyone's names and scores on the board.

Chabashira: Honestly, good job. I didn't think this class would do this well. In math, Japanese, and social studies, there were over 14 perfects scores.

The majority of the students were cheering after seeing the scores of the class...but for me, my first reaction was to hit my fist on my desk... Sudo didn't pass the English test.

Yato: Sighs... that's was not enough..

That caught everyone's attention...

Ike: Haha don't be mad. I was just better than you this time, don't take it personally.

Yato: Huh?? The fuck what did you say, Ike?

Indeed, on the English test, I got 47 points and lke got 48 points...

Koenji: Haha I see what you tried to do, latecomer-boy!

Yato: Hoi, I do like nicknames but can you change it, doesn't suit me anymore.

Chabashira: Indeed, two people had surprising results in English. You all did well. However-..

Chabashira-sensei had a red pen in her hand. And she drew a red line right above Sudou's name.

Sudo: Huh?? W-what the hell? What does this mean?

Chabashira: You failed, Sudou.

Sudo: What? That's a lie, right? Don't bullshit me, why did I fail!?

The classroom did a complete 180, from cheering to an angry uproar in a split second.

Chabashira: You failed the English exam.

Sudo: Don't lie to me, the passing grade is a 32! I passed!

Stop Sudo... you persist in vain... you failed this exam...

Chabashira: Nothing you say will help. This is the

unmistakable truth. On this midterm, the passing grade was a 40. In other words, you were one point short. Almost, but not quite.

Sudo: F-forty!? I had never heard of this! I can't agree with this!

Chabashira: Then, should I tell you how we decide what is a passing grade?

Chabashira-sensei wrote a formula on the board. She wrote, "79.6/2 =39.8".

Chabashira: Last test, and this test as well, each class has a set passing grade. And that grade was half the average.

Sudo: Impossible.. Does... does that mean, I am expelled?

Chabashira: Although it was a short time, you did well. After school, you will be asked to fill out a dropout form, but you will need a legal guardian. I'll contact them for you afterward.

It was the end for him... I couldn't try to find a way to save him... l already gave him a chance by lowering my score in English..It's a shame because he made some effort to upgrade his academic level..

Chabashira: The rest of you, good job for passing. On the final, please work hard to do the same and pass the test. Well then, onto the next topic

Hirata: S-sensei. Is Sudo-kun really dropping out? Is there no way to save him?

Always playing the good guy Hirata..

Hirata: Can we see Sudo-Kun's answer sheet?

Yato: Stop Hirata... it's useless Sensei already explained why he has a falling grade... no chance that the school made a mistake in his correction...

Hirata: But... I can't let my classmate be expelled. I need to check it!

Chabashira took Sudo's English exam answer sheet and passed it to Hirata.

After he has checked his copy.

Hirata: There are... no mistakes.

Chabashira: Wel, if that's all, homeroom is now over.

Sensei is cold as always... Ike and Yamauchi stayed silent with the news that their friend was going to get expelled from this school... Some people were relieved by this news... after all Sudo was not liked by everyone with his

bad character...

Chabashira: Sudo, come to the staff room after school.

Horikita: Chabashira-sensei. Do you have some time?

Yato: Horikita?

You were one of the last people l imagined wanting to save Sudo... Your discussion with Chabashira-Sensei last time really change your attitude...

Chabashira: That's unusual, Horikita. You raising your hand. What's your question?

Horikita: Earlier, Sensei said that the previous test had a passing grade of 32 points, which was calculated by the formula you wrote earlier. Is there no mistake in calculating the last test's passing grade?

I see what you trying to say Horikita but that not going to work either... I thought you had a good idea to save Sudo but I was wrong...

Chabashira: Yes, no mistake.

Horikita: Then, I have one more question. I calculated the mock test's average to be 64.4. Dividing that by two, you get 32.2. In other words, higher than 32. Despite that, the

passing grade was a 32 by truncating the decimal point. That's contradictory from this time.

Chabashira: I see. I found it surprising that you and Fukazawa-kun gota low score on the English exam... You both anticipated Sudo's grade to barely pass.

All the students were in surprise... even more, Ike who had made fun of me 5 minutes ago... After all in four of our five grades Horikita and I only got perfect results...

Sudo: you guys...why??

Yato: I wanted to give you some help for the effort you have made the past two weeks, that's all.

Horikita: If you think my opinion is wrong, please tell me why the calculation differs between the last test and this test.

That was the last chance for Sudo but... that's not going to Work...

Chabashira: I see. Well then, let me tell you one more thing. Sadly, there's one error in your formula. Rather than truncating, we rounded the tests. The last test rounded down to 32, this test rounded up to 40.

As simple as that... that wasa useless attempt.

Chabashira: In your mind, you probably noticed that the Score was rounded. But holding onto that possibility... well, that's too bad. The first period will start soon, so lI will leave now.

Horikita had no more way to retort and stayed silent. Like everyone...

Yato: I'm going to the bathroom.

I left the class and go to the bathroom. I thought there might have a way to save him but I'm not going to do anything.

Just like l exited the bathroom, I saw Chabashira-Sensei followed by..

Yato: Ayanakoji???

There were going toward the door of the staff room. I couldn't ignore this and decided to listen from far enough away so as not to be noticed.

I soon that I get close enough to hear Ayanakoji speak.

Ayanakoji: Please sell me one point for Sudou's English test.

Yato: Hoi haha, for real? I was not the only one to have remembered this detail. Ayanakoji too huh?

I noticed that someone was approaching me. When I looked at who it was, I recognized my classmate.

Horikita: What are you doing here?

After she noticed, Chabashira and Ayanakoji further away.

Yato: I got lost, you?

Horikita: Don't play dumb with me... Sighs

I returned my attention to the conversation between Ayanakoji and Chabashira.

Chabashira: A very difficult question indeed. No one's ever asked to buy a point before. Let's see... I"'ll give you a point for 100,000 points.

Ayanakoji: Sensei, you're cruel.

Yato: Yes she is..

At this moment Horikita went to join them.

Horikita: I will also pay.

Chabashira: AsI thought, you two are interesting. Did you come alone Horikita?

Horikita: Yes...

I couldn't hear the rest of her sentence because I was already gone from my spot... I had no intention of helping them to pay the l points that Sudo needed... I had already helped Sudo by lowering my English grade... and finally, I

would have been really curious to see what happens when a student is expelled... Does this have any consequences for the rest of the class?... We never know with this school...

But the great thing today is that now I know that we can really buy anything in this school as Chabashira-Sensei said on the first day... it will be essential to have a lot of money for the future.. I found my next task... I will have to find a way to make some points..