chap 2

Year 2 Volume 12 Chapter

2: "Unfinished Business"

Introduction

On Friday, after school, the Keyaki Mall looked quite

different than it did on other weekdays. After a long week

of classes, students were finally getting their welldeserved rest and relaxation. But today, it felt even more

peculiar than usual. Probably because there were far

fewer visitors than usual at the mall.

When I entered the café where Horikita and I had agreed

to meet, she was already seated and waiting. We

exchanged nods from a distance before I approached the

counter to order a drink. After purchasing a cup of hot

coffee, I joined Horikita. Maybe it was just my imagination,

but she seemed somewhat restless and fidgety.

— What's going on?

— In what sense?

— Hmm. I thought there might be something bothering

you. Was I wrong?

— You were worrying for nothing.

— I see.

— Actually, I just wanted to discuss the upcoming special

exam. Sorry if that bothered you.

— Are you worried about it?

— There's nothing to be done. The fluctuations in class

points will be significant. Changes in the rankings are

likely to follow.

My mind was increasingly preoccupied with the position of

each class in the rankings, as if I were the leader of one of

the classes. Perhaps I was too focused on this topic, but I

had no plans to retreat.

— By the way… Have you noticed there are fewer firstyear students around?

Horikita likely wanted to change the subject.

— The first-years are also facing their final special exam.

I glanced around the café and indeed found that there

were hardly any first-year students present. Given the

upcoming weekend, it could be inferred that they were

facing an extremely challenging exam.

— Days seem to drag on slowly, but they actually fly by in

the blink of an eye. It's already been a year since they

entered this school.

For a second-year student, Horikita spoke wise words, as

if she had already lived a lifetime.

— You sound like an old woman.

— Old people are usually wise. It doesn't hurt to be that

way.

A slightly sweet aroma of black tea wafted from Horikita.

— Unusual choice. Why not milk tea?

— I've been thinking too much lately. I need a bit of sugar.

A class leader really does have to think about things that

an ordinary student might not even be aware of.

— What kind of exam are the first-years facing?

— I don't know. You can try catching one of them and

asking.

— Unlikely anyone would tell me. What's the point in

revealing their business to unrelated senpais?

Essentially, Horikita was right. A special exam is a delicate

topic that should preferably be discussed exclusively

within one's own class. Of course, there are occasional

instances where people seek help from upperclassmen,

but those are exceptions rather than the rule.

— What about the overall situation among the first-years?

Any news?

— Their ranking hasn't changed since the beginning of the

year.

Neither I nor Horikita had delved into what had happened

with our kouhais over the past year, so we could only

exchange publicly available information.

— Well, yeah… When Yagami-kun, a student from Class

B, was expelled from school outside of the special exam,

they seem to have been penalized in some way, but it

wasn't enough to close the gap between Classes C and D.

Meanwhile, the gap between them and Class A kept

growing.

With these words, Horikita turned her phone screen

toward me.

"Class points as of March 1"

"Class 1A: 991 class points"

"Class 1B: 667 class points"

"Class 1C: 532 class points"

"Class 1D: 510 class points"

It seems Horikita had studied this ranking before I arrived.

— Our first year also didn't see significant changes in

positions, but in their case, the three bottom classes have

a relatively small gap. Significant reshuffles are likely after

the next special exam.

Depending on the specifics of the exam, there is even a

possibility that Classes A and D could swap places. I don't

remember the exact values, but the gap between

Horikita's class and Ryuuen's was around 350 points,

whereas the situation for the first-year students is much

better. The gap between Classes C and D is only 22 class

points, and the gap between Class A and Class D is just

under 500 class points.

— Their situation looks better than ours did a year ago. I'm

curious how they managed to achieve such results.

I shared these thoughts with Horikita after glancing at the

ranking. It seems Class A has a clear leader in the form of

Takahashi or Ishigami, and the leader of Class D remains

Housen. Meanwhile, it seems that Classes B and C still

don't have clear leaders. Tsubaki and Utomiya from Class

C are relatively good candidates for the role, but they lack

the social activity needed for it. And Class B lost its leader

in Yagami, leaving only speculation about who might have

taken his place.

— They may have a lot of class points, but it's still too

early to judge. The first-years' final special exam will be

different from ours, so almost anything could happen.

Horikita, apparently dissatisfied with my praise of our

kouhais, offered her own perspective on the situation.

— I think our class just had far more obstacles to growth

from the beginning, like Sudou, compared to the current

first-years.

— Let's not continue this topic. Our conversation is going

off track.

Horikita, who had initially brought up the topic of the first

years, now seemed to no longer want to discuss them and

turned off her phone screen. She brought her lips back to

her cup.

— Let's return to our problems. Do you want to discuss

something specific? Or talk about the special exam?

The conversation about the first-years seemed to have

calmed Horikita enough to discuss the main topic of our

meeting.

— Honestly, I called you here solely to discuss the special

exam.

— I was hoping to discuss it with you too.

Horikita looked satisfied. It seems she liked the fact that I

initiated this conversation.

— Then let me ask you right away… Do you think there's

a way to increase our chances of winning?

Horikita asked me this question and then shook her head

negatively.

— Actually, it's not quite like that. Do you have any ideas

on how to lead us to victory?

Horikita decided to ask directly, so as to avoid any

misunderstanding.

— To be honest, it's difficult to judge at this stage. The

information provided by the school is insufficient to narrow

down the content of the exam to something specific. And

without that, it's impossible to come up with a quality

strategy.

To be more specific, attempts to predict hundreds or even

thousands of possible outcomes in the exam are just a

waste of time and resources.

— Indeed… Even Chabashira-sensei doesn't know the

details of this exam. We're unable to take any preventive

measures.

For someone who expected to receive advice but didn't,

Horikita looked surprisingly happy.

— I expected a different reaction from you.

— Really? I actually feel more at ease. I have no idea how

to win the special exam, and you just confirmed our lack of

information. I realized that right now, no one has a winning

strategy and felt relieved.

After a moment, Horikita added:

— You seem somewhat displeased with my mood.

I certainly wasn't showing any signs of displeasure or any

other negative emotion. Most likely, Horikita just

misunderstood me.

— Anyway, everyone is on equal footing right now,

whether it's Sakayanagi or Ryuuen.

— That means we just have to wait for the details…

— Right now, we also need to choose three

representatives who are likely to positively influence the

outcome of the exam.

The ideal option would be to select from the entire class

those who possess the most positive qualities.

— Therefore, it's important to divide our classmates into

good and bad candidates.

— That… sounds wrong.

— But for the sake of the class's overall victory, it's

necessary. It's important to clearly assess our strengths.

— Though I agree with you… I don't particularly like it.

It's the only thing that can be done with the information we

currently have.

— The longer we try to guess the content of the exam, the

deeper we dig ourselves. Right now, it's important to look

at this question from another angle.

— What do you mean?

— Even without having an idea of the content of the exam

itself, we can at least imagine who we'll be facing. In our

class, the general will probably be you, and Kushida and

Yosuke are likely the best candidates for the other two

roles.

— Let's say that's true…

Horikita had probably been considering appointing these

three people as the general, main force, and vanguard, so

she didn't argue.

— So we need to predict who will be fighting on Ichinose's

side. The general will most likely be Ichinose herself, but

what about the others?

— I think… Kanzaki-kun could be a good candidate. But

other than that, I can't recall anyone standing out… Maybe

Hatsukawa-san and Hamaguchi-san… Or maybe even

Shinura-kun.

It seems these are indeed all the people Horikita could

remember.

— Once we can identify the opponents, we have a chance

to at least try to figure out their weaknesses. This is just an

example, but imagine if Hatsukawa, whom you just

mentioned, has a crush on Akito Miyake. Then if we

choose him as one of the candidates, Hatsukawa will no

longer be able to make rational decisions.

— You're talking about the "compatibility" of opponents

and our participants?

— Something like that.

— But I'm still not sure that compatibility will significantly

affect the outcome of the exam.

— I'm not saying we should dive into this headfirst. But if

one prediction doesn't yield any results, we should

probably change perspectives. Just think about it.

It's important

for Horikita to understand this. A lot can be seen just by

looking at things from another angle.

— I'll keep that in mind.

Horikita's words sounded sincere, but her eyes showed

slight dissatisfaction.

— Let's get back to our class. You mentioned a group

consisting of me, Hirata-kun, and Kushida-san. Do you

really think these three are the best candidates?

— You, as the leader, will have to take the position of

general.

— But what about the other two positions? Can't we find a

group that would be even more effective?

It seemed like Horikita wasn't satisfied with her own

classmates.

— The classes will be fighting one-on-one, so it's

important to choose not those who have high abilities but

those who are also capable of teamwork. At the same

time, we should exclude physically fit students like Sudou

and Onodera. Yosuke and Kushida are loyal and effective

in a group, but they also have decent skills to adapt to any

exam conditions. I think it's a safe choice.

— That's an uninteresting answer, as if taken from a

textbook. I need more of your individuality.

— So, do you already have your own vision of the group

that differs from mine?

With only two days left until Sunday, it wouldn't be

surprising if Horikita had already compiled a tentative list.

— I agree that not all students are suitable for this role, but

I can't agree with you that Hirata-kun and Kushida-san are

the best possible team.

— Then what is your most successful team?

After my question, Horikita gave me a stern look.

— If you, Ayanokouji-kun, took on this task along with

Koenji-kun. That's the ideal team.

So, Horikita's ideal team consists of herself, me, and

Koenji. That is indeed a strong team.

— Even if we put aside your participation, I would still like

Koenji-kun to support us.

— If he takes this seriously, his wild instincts will lead to a

quick victory.

In this matter, I was in complete agreement with Horikita.

He might even take the initiative and decide to become the

general. However, there is also a huge risk that if he

participates, the class could suffer a crushing defeat. It's a

double-edged sword.

— I'm sorry to admit it, but I know that such a team is

impossible. I already agreed not to disturb Koenji-kun

during his studies, and persuading him seems like an

unrealistic task.

Apparently, Horikita had long since lost hope of getting his

support. Naturally, his participation in the exam could lead

the class to victory, but this is Koenji we're talking about.

He would either make unreasonable demands or simply

refuse right away.

— But as for you…

Horikita looked me in the eyes.

— Do you think I'll agree to this?

— I don't think it's possible.

— If you want, you can appoint me.

— Well, I was thinking…

Horikita didn't finish her sentence, leaving her mouth

hanging open.

— What… What did you just say?

— I said that if you want, you can appoint me.

Horikita's brain seemed unable to process what she had

heard, and her mouth simply refused to close.

— Is this true? You're not joking?

— Now is not the time for jokes. Besides, if I were lying

and you appointed me to this role, it would be too

troublesome, wouldn't it?

— This… If you join the main team… It will help not only

me but the entire class.

After these words, Horikita's eyes sparkled. At this

moment, I decided I should add something.

— That's true, but there are some conditions.

Naturally, my words made Horikita wary.

— Are they… difficult conditions?

— It depends on whether your pride will allow you to fulfill

them.

— My pride? Please, be specific.

It seemed that Horikita's desire to make me her ally was

even stronger than her desire to keep her pride intact.

— I'm absolutely sure that 100% of the leaders of each

class will appoint themselves as generals.

— That's logical. The general has the most lives. In other

words, he is allowed to make the most mistakes, giving

him an advantage over the main force or vanguard player.

Now that this was clear, it was time to address the issue of

pride.

— You, Horikita, are the leader of this class. But one of my

conditions is that you declare yourself as a main force

player. I want you to appoint me as the general.

— You… as the general?

This is quite a bold statement that can be interpreted as

"the actual leader of the class is Ayanokouji, not Horikita."

— As I said, with almost 100% certainty, the leaders of all

other classes will want to appoint themselves as generals

to gain a few extra lives.

Horikita nodded shortly.

— In other words, if I become the general, our class, and

probably all others, will view me differently. They might

consider me someone to respect, while you, Horikita,

might be seen as an unreliable leader.

— Yes, that makes sense…

— As I said, this is the main condition for me to agree to

help.

Of course, I'm giving Horikita a choice. She can refuse this

offer and keep the honor of being the class leader.

— So if I refuse to make you the general…

— I won't agree to participate.

If Horikita doesn't accept my conditions, I won't help her.

— I won't say that I don't care… But if it's necessary for

victory, then I should probably go for it…

Here's the choice Horikita made. In the end, the role of

general itself has no value. But the pride of being the class

leader does.

— May I know why you won't participate unless you're the

general? Is it just because you think I'm less capable than

you?

— Hmm? It's much simpler than that. I just need the extra

lives.

— So you don't mind participating, but you need the best

conditions?

— Something like that.

Hearing my blunt response, Horikita leaned slightly

forward.

— So if I appoint you as the general, I'll be the main force,

which means I'll have fewer life points?

— This certainly puts you at a disadvantage because you

can make fewer mistakes, but that doesn't mean you're

entirely without chances of winning. You'll just have to

outdo the opponent in wanting to take all your life points.

On one side of the scale is her pride as a leader, and on

the other is the victory in the exam. Of course, it would be

much better if Horikita could have both, but for her, this

might be an impossible task.

— Considering your rhetoric, this isn't your only condition,

is it?

Horikita, who was still hesitating whether to agree, decided

to learn all the conditions.

— Besides what I mentioned, I also need immunity.

— Immunity?

— The same immunity that Koenji has. In other words, I

won't help you anymore.

— That's…

Horikita seemed ready to hear anything but that.

— That's nonsense. You want me to leave you alone like I

do with Koenji-kun?

Horikita sounded more worried than angry.

— You give us advice and contribute to the class. Please

don't say you want to stop doing that.

— I understand you don't like it, but that's my offer. I have

my own thoughts on the matter.

— What kind of thoughts? Please share.

— First, I'm certainly not against taking a place in Class A,

but I'll be fine graduating from any class. However, I

understand that my classmates might need it. But they

aren't putting in enough effort for it. Do you agree with

that?

— Well… Probably…

— Besides, I'm not as particular about personal points as

Koenji, so I'm fine even if my points per month are halved

from what they are now.

I let Horikita understand that I'm fine even with a losing

situation.

— Then why did you help us sometimes?

— That was before. Now you and your classmates have

grown enough to maintain a stable situation within the

class.

— I think I understand… You want to make one last

contribution to the common cause and then relax for the

entire third year, enjoying school life?

— But of course, I won't demand my conditions be met if

you manage to handle everything yourself and defeat the

enemy general before I have to do anything.

— So your conditions must be met only if you lead us to

victory?

— Even if you take 9 life points from Ichinose but leave

the game and I have to deliver the final blow, the

conditions must be fulfilled.

Horikita must understand all the pros and cons of this

decision. That's why I decided to touch on another

important aspect.

— If I have to start acting from the position of general and

lose, then I promise to cooperate with you for the next six

months.

In exchange for losing, I would support Horikita for the

next six months. These are quite favorable conditions.

— But after six months, you'll start behaving like Koenjikun?

— If we compare me to Koenji, he would actually be more

useful. He certainly won't leave the class due to

expulsions or anything else. But I guarantee you six

months of cooperation.

— But why only six months, not a year?

— Because it's impossible.

— But if I refuse your offer, you won't guarantee that you'll

continue to cooperate with me, right?

— Of course. I don't need Class A.

— As expected from you, Ayanokouji-kun… This is a

difficult offer.

Horikita crossed her arms over her chest and closed her

eyes. It seemed she would give me an answer right now. I

could wait for her conclusion until the evening because I

had a meeting with Ryuuen afterward.

If Horikita defeats the enemy general while playing as the

main force, everything will remain as it is. If Hor

ikita loses all her lives and I lead the class to victory, I will

stop cooperating with her. If Horikita loses, and I also

suffer defeat, which even sounds catastrophic, I will

cooperate with her for the next six months. Right now,

Horikita was considering these three possible future

scenarios.

— And if I negotiate with the vanguard and we deliberately

lead you to defeat to secure support for the next six

months?

— It doesn't matter. If I lose, I'll keep my promise.

— Hmm…

After pondering for another 10 seconds, Horikita

uncrossed her arms.

— Of course, I won't intentionally lose. But I'm ready to

give an answer.

Horikita finally reached some conclusion in her mind.

— Actually, I think it would be much more correct to

appoint me as the general.

— Probably, that's right.

— However, you stated that you are ready to participate if

you become the general yourself, which means everything

else doesn't matter. Victory is the top priority. I will choose

the strategy with the highest chance of winning.

— So you agree to appoint me as the general?

— Exactly. I will fight with all my strength so that you don't

have to act, but at the same time, your participation will

give me peace of mind. I'm ready to sacrifice the role of

the general for victory.

Horikita knows that even if she loses, I will do everything

to lead the class to victory. However, if she uses this

insurance, she won't be able to cooperate with me in the

future. In other words, the ideal scenario for her is to

defeat the enemy general before she loses herself.

— So I officially accept your offer. In the upcoming special

exam, you will be the general.

— Does that suit you? You're looking at me so intently…

— Of course, everything is in force. Negotiations are over.

Horikita and I sealed the deal with a handshake. I will

achieve victory no matter the cost. And Horikita must

understand that.

— Oh yes, before appointing me as the general, try to

prepare the ground for it. Some people might not like your

decision.

— I don't think anyone will be strongly opposed, but I'll try.

— In any case, get the consent of the entire class.

— Everyone? Even Koenji-kun?

I wonder how far she can go.

— And if he objects? He might get carried away and

oppose!

— I don't think he'll object if it doesn't affect him. However,

if he does, let me know. I'll handle it personally.

— You? Handle it…? Is everything really okay?

— Don't worry about that. Caution won't hurt you either.

— Caution? Are you saying I should hide the terms of our

agreement? I'll take note of that.

It's natural that students might object if they learn that I will

refuse to support them in the future.

— That's certainly very important. To increase the element

of surprise, it's important that Ichinose's class doesn't

know about this deal. Please don't disclose this

information to anyone outside the class.

— But if the entire class knows about it, the secret might

still come to light…

— You just need to convey this information to all our

classmates and ensure no one else overhears it.

Horikita convincingly nodded.

— Okay, I'll let you know later if I managed to get

everyone's agreement or if someone was against it.

I nodded and agreed to wait for her report.

Part 1

I parted ways with Horikita at the café around 6 PM and

decided to stop by the bookstore. After killing about an

hour there, I headed to the karaoke venue to be on time

for a pre-arranged meeting. On the way, I encountered

Haruka Hasebe. Miyake, with whom she often spends

time, was nowhere in sight. If we had just passed each

other by chance, we wouldn't have exchanged a word, but

Hasebe kept casting uneasy glances at me. It was obvious

that she had something to say.

— Do you need something? — I called out to her as soon

as we were close enough.

Her eyes widened in surprise upon hearing my voice. So,

she wanted to talk to me but didn't expect me to approach

her first?

— Well… I saw you talking with Horikita-san… — Hasebe

glanced at the café right behind me.

— I really wanted to talk. Is this a good time for you?

— If you need to, Hasebe, I don't mind.

— Thank you…

While it used to be nothing for me to call her by her first

name, now I addressed her exclusively by her last name

to maintain a sense of distance between us.

— Let's move somewhere else? We're standing out too

much here…

— Sure.

We moved to a more secluded wall of the mall to avoid

drawing unnecessary attention. One person was still

observing us from a distance, but I wasn't interested in

them at the moment.

— This is the first time we've talked since the cultural

festival.

— Yes… Kiyo… Ayanokouji-kun. Tell me, has anything

changed in your life recently? Although… What a strange

thing to ask…

I don't think it's a strange question, but Hasebe still

seemed confused by the unexpected start of the

conversation. It seemed difficult for her to find the right

words.

— No, nothing has changed. Neither for better nor for

worse. Everything is as usual.

— I see… Lately, I feel like I've been laughing more.

Maybe it's because I managed to come to terms with Airi's

fate at the cultural festival. Or maybe too much time has

passed. I… I don't even know.

No matter how sad an event is, wounds gradually heal.

Over time, sadness leaves the heart, and memories fade.

Of course, it's not an easy process. You can't run away

from a painful past, and the scars it leaves are very hard

to heal.

— You know, after that… After…

At that very moment, I clenched and unclenched the

fingers of my left hand several times.

— Well… I…

Hasebe continued:

— After everything… We, Miyachi, and Yukimu…

Just as Hasebe was about to get to the most important

part, a shadow loomed over us.

— Oh! You guys are having a secret meeting here!

The person who had been observing us from a distance

intervened in our conversation. It was Amasawa.

— Did Karuizawa-senpai dump you, so you switched to

someone with more… impressive proportions?

Amasawa, who knew all my classmates through the OAA,

was still taken aback. Hasebe was visibly annoyed by

Amasawa's appearance but remained silent.

— Senpai and I need to talk about something. Will you

allow us? — Amasawa's voice was casual, but her intent

was clear.

Hasebe couldn't utter a word.

— We'll move. We'll talk later.

Hasebe nodded at my words and walked away.

— Oh, did I interrupt something?

— It's nothing.

— Oh! How embarrassing! But I couldn't ignore my

senpai's request!

In reality, Amasawa hadn't accidentally intruded on our

conversation. Just when I saw Hasebe, I also locked eyes

with Amasawa. With a subtle finger gesture, I indicated to

her that she should interrupt our conversation. Fortunately,

Amasawa understood my intentions perfectly.

— You didn't enjoy your conversation with Hasebesenpai?

— It's not that. I just didn't want to waste too much time on

someone who doesn't deserve it.

— Ah, how cold of you!

Amasawa, just like Hasebe, had her own opinion about

our conversation.

— The first-years seem tense about the final special

exam?

— Some are panicking, yes. But I don't think there's

anything to worry about.

— Speaking of panic. The other day, during the training

camp, I tried to provoke Nagumo-senpai, but he harshly

put me in my place.

I was slightly worried about the potential incident between

them, but since I hadn't heard of any fights or expulsions,

it likely didn't escalate to violence. Besides, there was a

chance that Amasawa hadn't encountered Nagumo at all

and was just bluffing, though I doubted that.

If she was telling the truth, she might have been ready to

drop out during the training camp, but Nagumo's words

deterred her. And now she stood right before me.

— At that time, I couldn't respond to him. But I believe

Nagumo-senpai has a bright future. Besides, I decided to

continue my studies. I have plenty of free time now, so I'm

bored…

— In that case, could you use your free time to help me?

— Help? With what?

— I want to know more about Tsubasa Nanase.

— Eh? That blonde? And what do you want to know about

her? Do you think she's a threat?

— I don't consider her a threat. But I'd like to know her

true intentions.

At the moment, I couldn't categorize her as either an ally

or an enemy.

— Of course, if senpai asks me, I'll do my best! Should I

expel her right away?

— Don't jump to conclusions. Just gathering information

will be enough.

— As you say.

In fact, there was no real need to ask Amasawa to gather

information about Nanase. After all, I even doubted her

success in this task. But if this request could help

Amasawa stay in school longer, I would be pleased.

— I have a meeting soon, so we'll talk later. Try to help

your class in the final exam.

— If senpai asks, I'll do just that!

I nodded goodbye to Amasawa and walked away.

— Thank you, senpai.

Amasawa threw this phrase as a farewell and left too.

— So, she understood everything?

No wonder she achieved high results in the White Room.

She has an excellent understanding of people's true

intentions.

Part 2

Karaoke is an ideal place for students to relax and hold

secret meetings. I checked the information from the

message and found the room with the correct number. As

soon as I opened the door, I noticed a student sitting on

the sofa with his legs crossed.

— There's no one around you today.

— Hmm? And what about it? Or did you want this to be an

open house?

— I just thought if Ishizaki or Ibuki were here, they could

lighten the tense atmosphere.

— You talk too much nonsense for someone who called

me here.

— Well, you're right about that.

— Enough with the chatter. I also wanted to get in touch

with you, so I'll forgive you this time.

— If that's the case, we probably want to talk about the

same thing.

— Start then.

Ryuuen suggested I start first.

— I heard about your bet with Sakayanagi.

— A bet?

It seemed Ryuuen didn't expect the conversation to go this

way.

— You made a bet. The loser leaves school forever, and I

won't have a chance to meet them again.

— If you're afraid you won't see each other again, then

you should visit Sakayanagi.

— I'm sure Sakayanagi can say the same about you.

As I predicted, neither of them thought they could lose.

— Have a seat, why stand?

We met only for a private conversation, but Ryuuen

seemed to want to create a cozy atmosphere.

— I'd prefer not to, if possible. Planning to splash grape

juice again?

I glanced at the glass of purple liquid to Ryuuen's right.

— You make too much of it. Besides, if you want, you can

avoid it, can't you?

— Don't consider me a magician. There are many

situations that are impossible to avoid.

— For example?

— For example?

Ryuuen continued to point to the seat opposite him.

— If someone calls you while you're talking to the cashier

at a store. You'd have to either decline the call or ask the

cashier to stop.

Kakeru Ryuuen looked at me as if he was seriously going

to splash the juice.

— A dubious example.

— But we're not here to create situations.

I decided to give in to Ryuuen and sit on the sofa. From

the outside, two guys sitting opposite each other in

karaoke must have looked very surreal.

— You made a very bold bet. If the final exam were an

academic knowledge test, your defeat would be almost

guaranteed. Even if you resort to tricks again, Ichinose,

Sakayanagi, and Horikita will still emerge victorious from

the academic exam.

— This is an annual event. An event where even the notso-smart can hope for victory. After all, studying at this

school is too boring without taking risks.

Ryuuen smiled again. He didn't seem to fear the future at

all. The generation of Manabu, the generation of Nagumo,

and ours. If you analyze their exams, it becomes clear that

academic knowledge isn't the most important thing for

victory in the final special exam. That's why Ryuuen was

confident in

his class's victory.

— So you're ready for the special exam? I hope you're not

planning to look for tricks and loopholes again.

The presence of students at the exam will directly affect

the number of class points, so it wouldn't be surprising if

Ryuuen decides to influence the students of the opposing

class to make them skip the exam.

— The words you once told me. "Grow above yourself,"

remember?

— Because I sincerely wished it for you.

After my words, Ryuuen's gaze seemed to become

sharper.

— I'll show you and Sakayanagi my true strength. It's

unlike me, but I'll trample you into the dirt without resorting

to tricks.

— Bold statement. But if you're bluffing, you're doing it in

front of the wrong person. Honestly, I don't trust you at all.

But I won't tell Sakayanagi about it.

I'm not going to help either side of this argument.

— So be it. I don't care.

— Besides, I think a fair fight will be valued much more

than an underground one.

Sometimes it's useful to deviate from the usual strategy to

achieve victory.

— I've told you everything. So it will be.

Of course, the last word still remains with Ryuuen, but if

he decides to abandon underground schemes, his status

as a leader will significantly improve.

— It seems you're not afraid of the exam at all.

In response to my words, Ryuuen just waved his hand.

— In that case, I look forward to seeing your face-off with

Sakayanagi head-on.

I rose from my seat and turned away from Ryuuen.

— Ayanokouji. What about you? Will you show up this

time at the exam?

— Does it concern you? What difference does it make

what I'll do?

— Usually, I wouldn't worry about a clash with Ichinose,

but lately, her stench has become so strong it might choke

Horikita.

It seems Ryuuen also noticed Ichinose's growth.

— Anyway, I'll act as my class decides.

Ryuuen just snorted in dissatisfaction.

— Well, let it be. Better for us if you lose.

Fortunately, this time there was no grape juice, so I left the

karaoke booth with a sigh of relief.

Part 3

After leaving the karaoke room, I stopped by a small shop.

It was already quite late, and I should have headed home,

but I decided to make a quick detour first. It was unlikely

that I would encounter the person I was looking for, but it

was worth a try. I headed straight to the relaxation area on

the second floor of the mall. Fortunately, I found the

person I was seeking.

I stood in front of one of the vending machines and

pretended to be choosing a product, scrutinizing the rows

of plastic and metal bottles and cans.

— How are things with Sakayanagi? — I spoke seemingly

into the void, but after a few seconds, I got a response.

— Ah… We've had more opportunities to talk since then…

— That's good. But even after making peace, you spend

time here. Do you like it here?

— It's peaceful. Besides, I'm not good at socializing, and

people rarely come here…

I was still examining the vending machine's display, not

seeing Yamamura's face.

— Time spent alone is important too. I understand.

Being surrounded by many people for an extended period

can be exhausting and even oppressive.

— So… Did you come here by coincidence?

— I stopped by because I hoped to find you here. Actually,

I wanted you to tell me something.

— Tell you something?

I double-checked that we weren't being watched and then

asked Yamamura my question.

— Why… are you asking me about this?

— Because I thought you would be the most informed

about the things around you. Am I wrong?

— No, but…

If Yamamura had nothing to say, she could have simply

refused. But she tried to dodge the answer, which meant

she had information.

— I already have some guesses, but I need new

information to narrow it down.

— This won't cause problems for Sakayanagi-san?

— At the moment, this has nothing to do with Sakayanagi.

Consider it a personal issue.

After a moment of silence, Yamamura slightly peeked out

from behind the vending machine.

— I don't know if this will help you… But I have some

information…

Despite being able to refuse, Yamamura took out her

phone, turned the screen toward me, and started playing a

video. However, the clip was filmed from a considerable

distance, making the conversation's sound

indistinguishable.

— Of all that I know, this fragment best answers your

question, Ayanokouji-kun… What do you think? Sorry if it

wasn't helpful…

The date was December 26. 7:00 PM. Keyaki Mall. The

video showed several people interacting at a close

distance.

— It wasn't helpful, was it?

— On the contrary, it was very useful. Just as I expected

from Yamamura.

— I… didn't do anything special. I just happened to be

there at that time.

Yamamura seemed unwilling to abandon her humility.

However, the fact that she managed to capture this was

impressive. I wouldn't be surprised if she had more

information about the students at this school than I did.

But this video couldn't be considered a key piece of

evidence.

— Thank you. I'll use this information. I won't mention you,

of course.

— I… was glad to help.

Despite voluntarily providing the information, Yamamura

looked unhappy and dejected. After saying goodbye to

her, I immediately decided who I would contact next. I sent

a message to Kei and waited for a response.

Part 4

I waited for this person at the designated spot in Keyaki

Mall. Fifteen minutes later, she finally arrived.

— Sorry for the wait, Ayanokouji-kun. Karuizawa-san sent

a message… Did you want to talk to me?

Matsushita looked slightly embarrassed by such an

unusual turn of events.

— Sorry it's so late.

— It's fine. This will only take about half an hour, right?

— Yes, that will be enough.

— So, what did you want to talk about?

This was a personal and private conversation. It was no

surprise that Matsushita wanted to know the topic as soon

as possible. Her facial expression remained unchanged,

but inside, she was probably anxious.

— Do you have any idea why I asked you to come here?

— Honestly, not really. Is there a specific reason besides

the fact that I was also at the mall at this time?

That's true. When I got Kei's response, I immediately knew

that Matsushita wasn't at home either. So, it made sense

to think that I had spotted her from a distance and decided

to talk.

— You were following me here.

— Ah… If that's the case… Yes, now I remember, it was

here.

Matsushita looked around and noticed the pillar she had

hidden behind last time. That day, I was talking with Acting

Director Tsukishiro, and Matsushita had been observing us

from afar.

— What you told me then. You wanted to know my true

abilities.

— Well, yeah, that's kind of what I said.

— It's been almost a year since then. Have you found your

answer?

— I don't know. Since our first year, your behavior has

changed, but you still haven't shown your full potential.

Sooner or later, it should happen.

— Perhaps.

Unlike the superficial assessments of her classmates,

Matsushita accurately determined the individual abilities of

a person.

— If you agree to cooperate with me, I could show you a

bit more of my abilities.

— What… do you mean?

Once I had Matsushita's full attention, I shared with her the

information I had just obtained from Yamamura. When she

finished listening to me, she couldn't hide her surprise.

— Something like that really happened, but it was a long

time ago. Who told you about this?

Matsushita immediately understood that I hadn't

discovered this information on my own.

— It was almost two months ago. Not that long ago.

— And… still…

Matsushita continued to insist that I share my source of

information.

— Sorry, but I won't reveal my source. I can only say that

it's not one of our classmates.

It would be disadvantageous in the future if Matsushita

began to suspect her classmates, so it was important to

convince her.

— So, what do you want to know about this? You've

already explained everything in detail.

— Actually, I understand everything.

I flawlessly named all the people present in that video, and

Matsushita couldn't hide her surprise.

— So… What did you want to ask me?

— I need to understand what you inferred from this

discussion.

I contacted Matsushita for two reasons. Firstly, I needed to

verify Yamamura's information. And secondly, I had to

assess whether Matsushita could be considered an ally by

conducting a simple test. Matsushita exhaled slightly, as if

realizing one of my goals:

— It seems you're testing me?

— Maybe.

Matsushita changed her stern expression to a smile.

— Well, since it's a test, I'll answer seriously. I remember

that day well. I was immediately surprised by the

composition of that group…

Then Matsushita began to delve into her memories and

talk about what had happened that day. I listened to her

story until halfway through and then interrupted her.

— That's enough.

— You said you'd show me your skills, but what exactly do

you plan to do?

— If it's my turn to act in the next special exam, you'll see.

— I see. If you say so, then I don't have to worry about the

outcome of the special exam.

— But it won't last forever. The whole class needs to grow

above itself.

— I understand that. If all the students in our class come

together and work as one, we'll become invincible.

Matsushita smiled again.

— For now, let's pretend we didn't meet today. If you need

me, you know how to contact me.

This conversation might not have been long, but it was

definitely very important.

Part 5

That evening, after 10 PM, I heard a light knock on the

door. When I opened it, I found Hashimoto, a student from

Class A, standing there. He was dressed in casual clothes

and looked visibly worried, so I immediately invited him

inside.

— Did anyone see you?

— I avoided using the elevator just in case, so everything

should be clear.

— Good. It's unlikely anyone would use the stairs at this

late hour.

— Listen, if you had something to discuss with me,

wouldn't it have been better to contact me by phone? Or at

least outside?

Hashimoto's eyes darted around the room. For someone

who is constantly suspicious of everything, this was

probably normal behavior.

— Some things can't be discussed over the phone or

outside. There are certain risks involved.

— Well, if you say so. So, what did you want to talk about?

I led Hashimoto into the room and seated him on the sofa.

— The school announced the final special exam, so I

wanted to discuss your next steps.

— Well, I don't know any specific rules yet, so I haven't

come up with any workarounds.

— I'm not asking about your strategy but about whose side

you'll take. It seems you planned to side with Ryuuen?

I recalled our previous conversation with Hashimoto in this

room.

— Nothing has really changed. Supporting Ryuuen is the

only way for me to survive. So, actually, things aren't going

very well… I thought of making some preparations in

advance, but I didn't expect the school not to reveal all the

rules.

It's true that depending on the exam's rules, one could

prepare a successful strategy in advance.

— If you want to betray your class, there's no better

moment.

— Huh?

Hashimoto seemed not to understand where I was going.

— If the exam's content had been disclosed in advance,

Sakayanagi could have devised a plan to trap you and

Ryuuen. But since we don't know anything concrete yet,

she can't take preventive measures. The worst she can do

is not appoint you as one of the three players.

No matter how you look at it, the rhetoric of this exam's

rules brings more problems than benefits to Sakayanagi.

— I see. That's what you meant.

Although Hashimoto accepted my reasoning, he seemed

reluctant to rely on it. Obviously, something else was

bothering him.

— Still, Ayanokouji, can I hear your answer? I've been

waiting for ages.

— You asked if I'm planning to transfer to Ryuuen's

class…

— Betraying Sakayanagi carries a high risk. My future

depends on which class you end up in.

Hashimoto, as usual, was embellishing the truth. If

Ryuuen wins the final special exam, Hashimoto's plan will

be executed. But if I transfer to the same class as

Hashimoto, my plans will not come to fruition.

— What if I refuse to transfer?

— That would be a problem. Our chances of a spot in

Class A would significantly decrease.

— In any case, how are you planning to transfer both of us

to Ryuuen's class? It costs a huge amount of personal

points.

Upon hearing this, Hashimoto smiled broadly.

— Oh, don't worry about that. Ryuuen seems to be

earning a hefty sum of personal points by pulling off

schemes with the first-years and third-years.

— Schemes?

— I don't know the details. What's more important is that if

he's collecting money from three grades, transferring two

students shouldn't be a problem, right?

If this is true, then Ryuuen certainly might take this step.

But at the same time, I am skeptical of the information I

just received.

— Well, worrying about a lack of points shouldn't be an

issue then. The personal points I received from Nagumo

the other day far exceeded all my expectations.

The reward that Nagumo transferred to me for winning the

bet was 3 million personal points. Frankly, I was surprised

by how large this amount was. Hashimoto made the most

significant contribution to the group's victory, so he should

receive the largest share—600,000 personal points. The

remaining 2.4 million personal points should be divided

among the other group members, with each receiving

150,000 personal points. Thus, out of 20 million personal

points, Hashimoto would be able to compensate for 3%.

It's not much, but it's still 3%.

— You should have taken half or at least a third for

yourself. None of this would have happened without you.

And you gave me so much…

Hashimoto recalled the events of the training camp with

astonishment. Personal points play a decisive role in this

school, but nonetheless, I don't intend to back out of my

promise to share the reward equally.

— Well, at least you're not corrupt…

I remained silent, and Hashimoto spoke again:

— I know nothing is certain yet… But do you have any

advice for me regarding the exam?

At the moment, I had nothing to say to him. And was it

even necessary? I didn't intend to interfere in his

entanglement with Sakayanagi and Ryuuen. The correct

decision was to keep a close eye on him. Nevertheless, it

wouldn't hurt to give him a warning.

— I thought of something.

— Yeah? So, there will be advice?

Hashimoto seemed genuinely in need of help.

— Hashimoto. If you continue in your current state,

meaning you'll take the special exam without any changes

to your strategy, you might end up in a dead end.

— Hey, I asked for advice, not a scare. Problems can

always arise, right?

— Are you going to resort to lies again?

It's true. The power of lies sometimes even surpasses the

power of violence. I once spoke about this with Horikita.

— You're right that lies can easily destroy someone. But

it's also true that there are people in this world who are

resistant to lies.

— Are you talking about my next battle?

— Exactly.

Sakayanagi has sharp sensitivity and is wary of lies. No

matter how skillfully Hashimoto masters deceit, all his

advantages are tied to lies. And the trust Sakayanagi had

left in Hashimoto after his betrayal has vanished. He no

longer has any leverage over her.

— Well, what else can I do? I've always fought like this.

Hashimoto speaks as if lies are his only weapon. In reality,

he simply doesn't know how to fight any other way.

— Please think about it. About transferring to Ryuuen's

class with me.

— You're still planning to switch to his side?

— Exactly.

— Then what will you do if Ryuuen finds himself in a

difficult position? What if it becomes clear that Ryuuen's

defeat is only a matter of time? Will you return to

Sakayanagi then?

— That…

— If you switch sides at the decisive moment, how will

people around you perceive you?

— But… what am I supposed to do? I want to be on

Ryuuen's side, but he's not immune to defeat. If he loses,

I'll have to kneel before Sakayanagi and beg for

forgiveness.

Hashimoto, even in such a seemingly hopeless situation,

will try to resort to deceit. In the end, he hasn't changed at

all.

— Then at least don't lie to yourself. That's all you can do

right now.

Hashimoto's back disappeared behind the door.

Everything depends on how the special exam goes, but

there's a chance that today we talked for the last time.

Finishing this conversation, I began preparing for bed.

Part 6

Sunday morning. I arrived at the designated spot ten

minutes early, but I was already being waited for.

— Good morning.

As soon as I called out to her, Ichinose turned to me and

smiled.

— Good morning, Ayanokouji-kun! Is everything okay?

You're calling me to a place like this...

— What do you mean?

— We're in an open area. If Karuizawa-san or any

passersby see us, will they understand correctly?

— Don't worry about that. I already told Kei about our

conversation. Unnecessary secrets and clumsy lies will

only get in the way.

I acknowledged that lying and deceit in relationships were

not the best ideas.

— Ayanokouji-kun, how do you plan to handle the special

exam?

Ichinose was probably curious if I was planning to

participate as one of the representatives.

— For now, I don't plan to actively participate in it as one

of the roles.

A lie remains a lie, even if it's said for the greater good.

But in this case, I had to deceive Ichinose to achieve good

results for Horikita.

— Really? That's a relief.

My words seemed to put Ichinose at ease. She appeared

to be sincere, which meant that at this point, she didn't yet

know that I would actually be a representative of the class.

— But Horikita might ask me to participate. And then I

won't be able to refuse.

— So... I would prefer not to fight Ayanokouji-kun if

possible.

Ichinose quickly corrected herself:

— I don't want to, but I will if necessary. There's nothing to

be done. A clash between classes is inevitable.

Ichinose continued:

— Anyway, let's not discuss exams.

It seemed she didn't want to appear as if she were prying

for secrets.

— Our classes will face each other, so it's indeed better

not to go into details.

— Yes, you're right.

— The reason I called you today is different. The

appointed time is approaching, do you remember?

— Are you talking about our conversation in your room

last year? Of course, I remember.

Ichinose nodded affirmatively.

"I want to meet with you again in a year."

"Just the two of us."

"Live the next year without regrets, and then we'll meet

again. Can you promise me

that?"

These were the words I said to Ichinose a year ago.

— If we both manage to avoid expulsion following the

special exam, please make time for this.

Ichinose understood everything. She gave a clear answer

with a mix of impatience and anxiety.

— Absolutely.

I nodded and got up from the bench. Our conversation

wasn't the longest, but considering what we had to do

tomorrow, it was quite enough.

— Today I plan to visit the gym. What about you?

— I wanted to meet with my friends today, but later I'll

definitely stop by too.

The best decision before the final special exam is to sweat

it out in the gym. Ichinose decided to spend time with her

classmates. Still sitting on the bench, she watched me

leave. I headed towards the Keyaki Mall.

I had already spoken to three out of the four leaders. The

last thing I had to do was talk to Sakayanagi, and then all

the preparations would be complete.

Part 7

I spent about an hour at the gym, and when I left, I

encountered a rather unusual student for such a place.

For him, this was an entirely unnatural location.

— I haven't seen you here before, Kanzaki.

— Hm?

Kanzaki shifted his gaze from the gym sign to me.

— If you want to buy a membership, I could help you with

that.

— No, no, you misunderstood. I heard you'd be here and

was actually waiting for you.

It was pretty obvious that Ichinose was Kanzaki's

informant.

— This isn't something suitable for a phone call?

— It's not really a topic. I just heard you weren't planning

to run for the role of class representative and wanted to

confirm it.

— Ultimately, it's up to Horikita to decide. But I haven't

planned anything specific.

I assessed Kanzaki's expression. He seemed slightly grim.

— Is that so?

— I already answered. But you don't seem to believe me?

— Our classes are, of course, rivals, and you don't have to

tell me if you don't want to, but… Ichinose wants to believe

what you're saying. And I… also want to believe it.

There was a determination in Kanzaki's words. At least it

was now clear that Ichinose was indeed the source of his

information.

— So, I want to make sure…

Kanzaki kept trying to get an honest answer from me.

— Perhaps you have reasons for not believing me? Why

are you even asking me this?

— No…

Kanzaki hesitated, but then quickly continued:

— You see, there are rumors… that you're going to be one

of your class's representatives. And not just as part of the

main force or vanguard, but as the general. Something

about wanting to take responsibility for the exam. That's

the rumor.

If Kanzaki had just mentioned that there were rumors

about me participating in the exam, I could dismiss it as

mere gossip. But Kanzaki made an important clarification.

According to him, I was going to be the general. Horikita

was well-known for her leadership qualities, so no one

would spread baseless rumors about her relinquishing the

role of general. Judging by Kanzaki's expression, the

rumors were convincing enough to confuse him to the

point where even my own words didn't reassure him.

— These are very specific rumors. But, as I said, I have no

such plans.

Of course, I had to lie. But as Kanzaki himself said, lying

between rival classes was entirely acceptable.

— I see… Maybe it is just a rumor, but… Could you please

refuse Horikita-san's offer if she asks you to be a

representative?

— That's a very bold request.

— I know your abilities well. If you appear in the exam, it

will be very difficult for us. And most of all, it will be difficult

for Ichinose… She won't be able to play to her full

potential.

That's why Kanzaki wanted me to refuse Horikita's offer. I

appreciated his honesty.

— I understand where you're coming from, but it's not

easy for me to fulfill your request. If Horikita decides to

appoint me as a representative, I, as a classmate, will

have to comply.

Kanzaki clenched his fists tightly.

— Sorry. I'm asking for the impossible. Please forget it.

— You seem to have high expectations for the upcoming

exam.

This exam could determine the future of their class. It was

natural for Kanzaki to approach it with caution.

— Actually, I came to you just for that. Thank you for your

answer, Ayanokouji.

— Don't worry. We're both striving for a spot in Class A,

and there's nothing strange about that.

Regardless of the strategy he chose, Kanzaki is

concerned only with the welfare of his class. He constantly

seeks new paths for development. This is, in fact, a very

interesting topic for observation. If Ichinose hadn't

undergone any changes, I might have worked with

Kanzaki additionally to see the result. In any case,

everything will be decided after the results of the final

special exam. Hiding his dissatisfaction as best as he

could, Kanzaki walked away. I also decided to return to the

dormitory.

Part 8

Sunday was almost over. Only Sakayanagi had been busy

all weekend, so the conversation with her was conducted

via a phone call. Around 10 PM, I received a call. I turned

off the TV and pressed the answer button.

— Sorry for calling so late. Is everything okay?

— Everything's fine.

— You wanted to talk to me, it seems.

It appeared Sakayanagi didn't yet know what the

conversation would be about.

— To get straight to the point, I know about your deal with

Ryuuen.

— Oh? I expected you, Ayanokouji-kun, to find out about it

sooner or later, but who exactly told you? Though, you

probably won't tell.

Sakayanagi immediately gave up trying to find out the

identity of my informant.

— Considering the current state of Class A and the

inability to use protection points, it's a very bold deal.

— The conditions may ignore the existence of protection

points, but that doesn't matter. I won't lose to Ryuuen-kun,

and he'll be in trouble. I'll do everything possible to ensure

that.

Sakayanagi's stance was that no matter how unbalanced

and unpredictable the exam conditions were, she wouldn't

lose. She and Ryuuen viewed the exam from two different

perspectives, but overall, their positions were very similar.

— It doesn't seem like you're calling to worry about my

state, are you?

— Should I be worried about your state?

— Not at all. We all just have to wait for the battle to end.

I couldn't see it, but I understood that Sakayanagi was

smiling on the other end of the phone. Right after that, I

heard a light yawn from the receiver.

— Are you already getting ready for bed?

— It's no wonder. After all, I've been on my feet since

morning.

— Maybe I should hang up then?

— Don't be silly. I've already taken care of everything, so

your conversation won't disturb me.

— Taken care of everything?

— I took a bath, brushed my teeth, changed into my

pajamas, and now I'm lying in such a comfortable position

that I'll fall asleep as soon as our conversation ends.

— Seems like everything is in order.

— Even better. You can talk as much as you like…

For some reason, it seemed to me that Sakayanagi

viewed our conversation as a lullaby.

— You seem to have already met with Ichinose-san and

Ryuuen-kun.

— I didn't even notice Yamamura watching me. It's

surprising.

— No matter what you say, Ayanokouji-kun, it's very hard

to disappear from everyone's sight.

Sakayanagi's words could be interpreted to mean that she

had connections not only with her classmates but also with

students from other classes and possibly even some

adults. However, this information still needs to be verified.

— By the way, Ayanokouji-kun. Do you plan to participate

in the special exam as a class representative?

— I don't know what to say. What do your spies tell you

about that?

— This time, Ayanokouji-kun's and Ichinose-san's classes

don't interest me. We're not competing, so there's nothing

to worry about.

It seemed that Sakayanagi was currently interested only in

what could help her in the upcoming exam. However, if

Sakayanagi had set such a goal, her spies would also

have targeted our class. It was clear that the information

Ichinose's class had was unavailable to Sakayanagi's

class.

— And you, are you preparing for the exam as usual?

I expected a positive response from Sakayanagi but was

very surprised:

— I wouldn't say I'm doing it as usual…

— Hm?

— In the past two days, I've tried something new. I

decided to meet each of my classmates personally. I

definitely didn't do that before.

Essentially, Sakayanagi's circle of communication used to

be limited to her close associates: Kito, Kamuro, and

Hashimoto. It could be said that this style of behavior was

somewhat similar to Ryuuen's.

— Why did you talk to your classmates? The school hasn't

revealed any rules, so discussing strategy wouldn't be

possible.

— No, it's not about the exam… Rather, the opposite…

Sakayanagi paused for a moment to organize her

thoughts and then continued:

— I wanted to learn more about my classmates. Like

Yamamura-san. I think my emotions were guiding me.

Sakayanagi tries not to regret the past. Even if she wanted

to talk to Kamuro, who left the school, she couldn't do it.

But she can still build relationships with her current

classmates, like Yamamura, so she won't have any regrets

in the future. Now she wanted to learn as much as she

could about her classmates. This life position was very

different from the one Sakayanagi previously preferred.

— I don't think it was effective. Rather, these

conversations were counterproductive, but I didn't refuse

them. It's unlike me, right?

— Yes, you weren't like that before.

Sakayanagi was a supercomputer with a soft expression,

delivering ruthless but effective verdicts. But the incident

with Kamuro and Yamamura seemed to have seriously

affected her.

— It's all because of you, Ayanokouji-kun. You've changed

me.

— I don't think I did everything for that, but some of the

actions were indeed mine.

— Why did you act as a mediator between me and

Yamamura-san?

Sakayanagi claimed that without this action, she would

have remained the same. I had no other explanation for

her.

— Yamamura suffered unexpected losses, so I just

compensated her

for them. I have no other explanation for you.

Yamamura spies for Sakayanagi. Sakayanagi uses

Yamamura as her weapon. Naturally, she is responsible

for the one she tamed. But, of course, I didn't tell

Sakayanagi this directly.

— Ayanokouji-kun, do you think I'll believe you did this as

an act of goodwill? Obviously, there's something more

behind it…

— I think you should drop those words. It was a genuinely

kind gesture.

Now even Sakayanagi's laughter seemed sleepy. Soon,

she wouldn't be able to keep herself awake, so I wanted to

end the call quickly.

— You hate change, but I'm sure it's not all that bad.

Besides, if you ever find it unnecessary, you can always

suppress your emotions with willpower.

— Yes… Maybe that's true…

Previously, Sakayanagi lived by not trusting others and

only using those around her. But now she understands

that everything can change.

— You'll have to face many things you didn't notice before.

By doing so, you'll discover an amazing side of yourself.

One you didn't even know existed.

Sakayanagi is presented with many paths. But for now,

this can't be called either her strong or weak characteristic.

— Karuizawa-san and Ichinose-san have fallen for you.

You are someone who deeply penetrates others' hearts,

tramples them, and then makes them bloom again. Your

true nature is much more stubborn than mine. It's not so

easy to change, ha…

— I'll take that as a compliment. Actually, I wanted to talk

about something other than Yamamura. Do you remember

how I owed you during the exam?

This was also something I wanted to discuss.

— Now that you mention it… Yes, that happened.

— I don't intend to make any assumptions about who will

win the upcoming exam. Your chances are equal.

— So, if I lose, you won't be able to repay your debt.

— Yes. That's why I gave you the opportunity to use this

right now.

I avoided direct expressions, but Sakayanagi should have

understood everything. I knew she would refuse, but I had

to offer.

— Of course, I refuse.

— I figured you'd say that.

Sakayanagi couldn't admit that she would need my help to

defeat Ryuuen in the special exam.

— In that case, I'll repay my debt in the third year.

— Well, I will definitely use it.

— Let it be so.

Sakayanagi yawned again.

— Maybe we should end it here?

— Are you sure you don't want to continue the

conversation?

— It's enough for today. Now I have a good understanding

of the position of each class leader.

— Well then, after the special exam, let's have tea

together. And then I'll look forward to competing with you

in the third year.

Sakayanagi yawned deeply and continued:

— In that case, Ayanokouji-kun, please hang up the call. I

don't want to move unnecessarily. Good night.

In this conversation, Sakayanagi showed no signs of

nervousness or alertness. She remained calm, no matter

what. In fact, she began to show a new, unseen part of her

personality. I think this is also part of her growth. I ended

the phone call and began changing into my nightclothes.

Ryuuen and Sakayanagi. It's safe to say that both

students are mentally prepared for the final special exam.

Tomorrow, one of them will suffer defeat and leave the

school. As for me, I'm destined to be an observer.

Watching the results is the right decision. But what does

my heart think about this? What result do I want? I tried

not to think about it, but lately, these thoughts have been

increasingly frequent. Whom do I wish to win? I have

known the answer to this question for a long time.