Kanzaki's real goal was never "unanimously expel one person for Class Points." What he wanted was to shake his classmates awake—to make them stop acting on kindness alone, and start thinking about their own interests too.
Maybe not everyone understood that… but Ichinose did.
She smiled, bright and relieved.
Thank goodness—Kanzaki wasn't the kind of person who'd throw away a classmate for profit.
More than Kanzaki's stubbornness, Ichinose cared about the core logic behind that "approve" vote. If it were truly just about chasing points, she would never accept it. But if it was also for everyone's sake… then she had to persuade him properly.
"I understand what you're trying to say, Kanzaki," Ichinose said, laying out her values clearly. "But I will never accept putting Class Points—and Class A—on a scale against my classmates."
"I know your intention is for everyone's good. You want people not to get blinded by my kindness, and to actively seize every chance to earn Class Points. On that point, I agree."
"But abandoning a classmate for Class Points… no matter what, I will never agree."
Kanzaki's stern expression loosened a fraction. Seeing that the class leader had grasped his intent, he felt a small weight lift. At least his "wake-up call" had achieved the bare minimum.
But… it still wasn't enough. Not enough to wake up these soft-hearted friends.
So Kanzaki reinforced his stance, even more resolute:
"Don't say any more. I will keep voting approve no matter what—until time runs out, even if it means we lose three hundred Class Points."
"I should be grateful for this exam, honestly. Without the Unanimous Vote requirement, I'd have almost no way to wake you up in everyday life."
"But here, in this exam… my one vote can match the power of your thirty-nine."
"As long as I vote approve, even if thirty-nine of you vote oppose, there's nothing you can do."
"If you want to deadlock until the end, fine. I'll stay with you to the bitter end. And when the clock gets close to zero, maybe—maybe—your brains will finally thaw and you'll start thinking for real."
Fear spread across Ichinose's class. They could hear it in Kanzaki's tone—this wasn't a bluff. It was conviction.
Shibata's voice dropped, heavy. "Kanzaki… Ichinose said you're doing this for all of us, but… none of us want to abandon a classmate!"
Shiranami jumped in too, trying to talk him down. "Yeah! We've been through so much together! We survived the island together, we made it through the sports festival, the training camp—everything! How can we abandon a classmate here?!"
Someone else—more impatient—blurted out, trying to break Kanzaki's logic directly. "Then say it! Who are you telling us to abandon?! Whoever it is, we'll never accept it—same as Ichinose!"
"That's exactly the problem!" Kanzaki snapped, cold and sharp, like he was glaring down a thousand accusing fingers without flinching. "Your thinking is frozen!"
"You finally see it, don't you? Our class is chained by this belief: 'If we aim for Class A, we'll have to sacrifice someone—so we might as well give up.'"
"That belief is our greatest strength—our cohesion."
"But it's also…" His gaze hardened. "Our greatest weakness on the road to Class A."
"And now, there's only one correct path."
"Expel me."
It hit like a boulder dropped into the ocean—shockwaves tearing through the room. No one expected him to be fighting with expulsion already on the table, fighting with the resolve to lose everything just to wake them up.
"I'll keep voting approve. One versus thirty-nine—until the end. Your opposition won't change anything."
"If you want to change that, there's only one way: everyone votes approve and we trigger the expulsion branch."
"And then… you expel me."
Kanzaki's resolve—the willingness to sacrifice himself to break the class's shackles and force everyone to move forward—pressed straight into their hearts.
It was like he was saying: When it comes to caring for his classmates, Kanzaki wasn't inferior to anyone. He was the one person who most couldn't accept sacrificing a classmate for Class Points.
So if a sacrifice had to happen… he'd rather it be himself.
He was pushing for unanimous approval to open the "expel one person" branch—but when it came to choosing who, Kanzaki refused to let the class make that decision. That was too cruel.
For the class to pick someone to expel… it would be a spiritual torture. A wound that would rot inside them forever, and turn into regret every time they remembered it.
So he'd take it all on himself—be the one who carried the blame—so that his friends could breathe a little easier.
Everyone's chest felt like it sank. Like someone had stuffed their hearts with stones. Breathing became hard—oppressive.
"W-why?" Shibata couldn't understand. "Expulsion… you're really fine with that, Kanzaki?!"
Shiranami looked up at him, worried for the vice-leader who'd quietly supported everyone for so long. "Kanzaki… if you can't accept this kind of thing, why are you forcing us to accept it?"
"Yeah!" Amikura added, backing her up. "You literally said you'd rather sacrifice yourself than abandon a classmate for points. That's how we feel too! We don't want to abandon anyone!"
It wasn't just Shibata—everyone felt the same. No one understood what could make Kanzaki this stubborn.
Kanzaki kept his face cold, forcing his presence to stay firm.
"Because since we entered this school, every class has been walking the road toward Class A. We're already halfway down that road."
"But for the road ahead… you don't even have the courage to take one step."
"If I can't wake you up here—if I can't make you take that step—then I'd rather leave and find another path."
"Because staying here… means there's no hope of reaching Class A."
A lie.
Under the podium, Kanzaki's fists were clenched so tight they might've cracked bone. He was fighting—fighting not to choke up, fighting not to let his voice break.
How could he want to be expelled?
In this class, he'd spent over a year. He'd made real friends. Shared real laughter. Lived real happiness.
How could he possibly bear to leave?
But if leaving could wake them up… if it could give them the courage to step forward…
Then his departure would be worth it.
Everyone… make it to Class A.
Graduate from Class A and claim a brighter, better future.
That was Kanzaki's true wish—his most beautiful blessing—kept hidden deep inside, never spoken out loud.
...
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