Points and Promises

The air in Class C's classroom hung heavy as the midterm results flashed onto the projector screen. Chabashira-sensei stood at the front, arms crossed, her sharp gaze sweeping the room as students leaned forward to check their scores. Murmurs buzzed—some relieved, others anxious—but the tension spiked when one name appeared: Sudo Ken.

"English: 39," Kudo Shinichi muttered under his breath, lounging near the window. He glanced at Miyano Shiho beside him, her brow creased as she scanned the list. "That's cutting it close."

"Too close," Miyano replied quietly. "He's toast unless there's a fix."

Chabashira-sensei cleared her throat, silencing the chatter. "You all know the rules. Scores below 50% of the class average in any subject mean expulsion. The English average was 80, so the cutoff is 40. Sudo, you've failed by one point."

Sudo bolted upright, his chair screeching. "What?! One stinkin' point? That's bullshit!"

"Watch your tone," Chabashira said, her voice icy. "You needed a 40. You got a 39. That's the line."

Horikita Suzune spoke up, her tone clipped but firm. "Sensei, I lowered my English score to 75 on purpose to drop the class average. It should've helped Sudo pass."

Sudo's head whipped toward her, eyes wide. "Wait, you did what? Dropped your score? For me?" He blinked, stunned. "I thought you hated my guts!"

Horikita didn't look at him, her expression tight. "Don't flatter yourself. It was for the class."

Chabashira's lips quirked into a faint smirk. "A valiant try, Horikita, but it didn't work. Even with your sacrifice, the average only fell to 79.6. The cutoff's still 40. Sudo's short."

"This is bullshit!" Sudo snapped, slamming a fist on his desk. "You can't boot me over one point!"

"You're wrong—I can," Chabashira said flatly. "Pack your bags, Sudo. You're finished." She turned and strode out, leaving the room in stunned silence.

Kudo locked eyes with Miyano, his mind clicking into gear. "Wait!" he said under his breath, leaning closer. "We can buy points with private points. The teacher said it on the first day—we can buy anything. That's the loophole."

Miyano's eyes narrowed, catching on fast. "She's too smug about this. You're right—it's an out."

Kudo smirked, ready to stand, but before he could, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka rose from his seat, his face a blank slate. Ike's voice piped up. "Wh-where you going, Ayanokoji?"

"Bathroom," he said simply, and slipped out the door.

Kudo's smirk faltered, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "Dammit, he's quick. He beat me to it."

Ayanokoji moved swiftly through the hall, his steps silent as he headed for the faculty room. He spotted Chabashira-sensei by a first-floor window, staring out as if waiting. She turned slightly as he approached.

"Ayanokoji, hmm? Class starts soon," she said, her tone dry.

"Sensei, can I ask you one question?" he replied, calm as ever.

"One question? That's why you chased me down?"

"I'm curious about something."

"First Horikita, now you. What is it?"

"Do you think today's Japanese society is fair?"

Chabashira let out a short laugh. "What a leap. Is there a point to this?"

"It's important. Your opinion."

"Personally? No, it's not fair. Not even a little."

"I agree. Equality's a myth."

"So you tracked me down for philosophy? If that's it, I'm going."

"When you told us the test material changed a week late, you said you 'forgot,'" Ayanokoji pressed. "We got the update after everyone else."

"I said as much in the faculty room. And?"

"Same questions, same scoring, same expulsion rules for every class. But Class C had unfair conditions."

"Can't accept it?" Chabashira asked, smirking. "It's a taste of how unequal the world is—a little slice of reality."

"Society's not equal, sure. But we're human. We can think. We can push for fairness, even slightly."

"I see."

"Whether it was a mistake or intentional, someone's getting expelled because of that inequality."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"I want to take this to the school—the source of this mess."

"To argue?"

"To confirm they think this was just."

Chabashira shook her head. "That's a shame. You're not wrong, but Sudo's expulsion can't be overturned now."

Ayanokoji tilted his head, catching the hint in her phrasing. "You said it 'can't be overturned now.' Meaning there's a way to change it."

Her smirk widened, eyes glinting. "Sharp, aren't you? I've had my eye on you since this test. Getting those old problems was clever—outside the box. Sharing them with the class boosted the scores. Smart move."

"Kushida handled that," he said, deflecting.

"Don't play dumb. I know you tapped a third-year. Word travels."

He stayed silent, letting her go on.

"But you messed up," she said. "If Sudo had studied harder, he'd have passed. Why not let him go? It'd simplify things."

"Maybe," Ayanokoji said. "But I've got one more move." He pulled out his student ID.

"What's this?"

"Sell me one point for Sudo's English test."

Chabashira's eyes widened, then she burst into laughter. "Ha! That's a wild idea. You really are something else. I never imagined you'd try to buy points."

"You told us on day one—points can buy anything here. The midterm's just another 'thing,' isn't it?"

She nodded, still chuckling. "You could see it that way. But do you have the cash?"

"How much for one point?"

"Hmm… Since it's a first, I'll make it special. 100,000 points."

"You're cruel, sensei."

Before she could respond, footsteps echoed behind him. Horikita stepped into view, her expression steely. "I'll pay too," she said.

"Horikita…" Ayanokoji murmured.

Then Kudo and Miyano appeared, Kudo grinning faintly. "Guess he stole my thunder," he said, crossing his arms. "But I'm in—Sudo's our problem."

Miyano sighed, shifting her bag. "I'll pay too."

Chabashira's amusement deepened. "Four of you? This is rich." She took their IDs one by one—Ayanokoji's, Horikita's, Kudo's, Miyano's. "Alright. One point for Sudo's test, 100,000 points split between you. Tell the class he's safe."

"That's it?" Ayanokoji asked.

"You're paying," Chabashira said, shrugging. "What's left to say?" She eyed them, half-exasperated, half-impressed. "Horikita, Kudo, Miyano—see how sharp this one is?"

Horikita frowned, silent. Kudo chuckled. "Yeah, he's good—stole my plan right out from under me."

Chabashira waved them off. "Back to class. Don't make this a habit."

As they walked away, Kudo muttered to Miyano, "25,000 each. Fair split?"

"Barely worth it," she replied, dry as ever. "But it's done."

Ayanokoji lingered behind, his face unreadable, though a faint thought flickered. So they thought of it too