The next day, the 'tense' midterm exams arrived as scheduled.
As the test papers were handed out, Hiyori Shiina heard her classmates' irrepressible, low cheers, along with a cold snort from Ryūen.
Evidently, the exam was identical to the old test paper they had obtained. There were no surprises, and the test concluded smoothly.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and Kazuma Sakagami appeared in homeroom with the newly released report cards.
When the results were posted, it was no surprise that nearly everyone in Class C had 'scored' extremely high marks. More than half had perfect scores, a sea of 100s that was incredibly eye-catching.
Faced with this outcome, Kazuma Sakagami, standing at the podium, showed no surprise. He casually wrote the number 93 on the whiteboard and stated calmly, 'Since no one failed, the school will award a bonus in the form of Class Points based on your average score for this midterm exam.'
At this point, Kazuma Sakagami wrote the Class Points for each class on the board:
Class A: 1088 points
Class B: 921 points
Class C: 773 points
Class D: 199 points
'These are the Class Points after the exam. Your points for next month will be distributed based on these figures.'
The moment he finished speaking, the Class C students just looked at each other. No one stood up to cheer or comment; they accepted the result with surprising indifference.
The reason was simple—they were still far from Class A, and the corresponding Private Points wouldn't end up in their pockets anyway. There was nothing for them to be happy about.
Noticing this situation, Kazuma Sakagami glanced at Ryūen. He saw Ryūen with his arms crossed, looking completely unconcerned, and couldn't help but push up his glasses, feeling a headache coming on.
Hiyori Shiina didn't notice this small interlude. Recalling last month's Class Points, she did some mental math and quickly calculated the points gained by each class from the exam:
Class A: +98, Class B: +61, Class C: +93, Class D: +87.
Class B probably didn't get their hands on a past exam paper. On the other hand, Class D's high score this time was somewhat surprising to the girl.
...
Meanwhile, in the Class D classroom.
Their homeroom teacher, Sae Chabashira, posted the report card on the whiteboard. She turned and scanned the cheering students below, her gaze pausing for a moment on Kiyotaka Ayanokōji before she spoke in a flat tone:
'I must say, these exam results are quite impressive. Your efforts have surprised me. Over ten of you received perfect scores, and no one was expelled. As is customary, the school will distribute Class Points based on the average exam score...'
On the podium, Sae Chabashira repeated the same words as Kazuma Sakagami, announced the Class Points for the next month, and then walked straight out of the classroom, leaving the rest of the time to the loudly cheering students.
Down in his seat, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji turned to Horikita and said in his usual flat tone, 'Honestly, it's great that no one got expelled. We have you to thank for tutoring Sudō and the others.'
'No. Without the answers you provided beforehand, they never would have passed.' Suzune Horikita closed the notebook in her hands, her expression calm as she refused to take the credit.
Due to her two-week suspension, even she had taken some time to catch up with her studies after returning. It was even more of a long shot for Sudō and Yamauchi, who had been suspended for a whole month.
If Ayanokōji hadn't delivered that test paper a few days before the exam, even with her targeted tutoring on key points, those two wouldn't have stood a chance of passing.
'That test paper was important, but without you explaining it to them, they probably wouldn't have even understood the answers.'
Casually deflecting the credit, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji calmly changed the subject. 'Ultimately, I thought you were planning to transfer classes. And if you're aiming for Class A, wouldn't eliminating the useless members during this exam have been the more optimal solution? Was it because they fought for you?'
'That has nothing to do with it. I'm simply doing what I believe is right.'
Suzune Horikita swept back her long hair. Her voice was clear and beautiful, but her tone was cold. 'Besides, that was their own choice. Just as you stood by and did nothing at the time, I don't care.'
Saying something like that, is she really not angry? —Thinking this, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji casually remarked, 'Speaking of which, it seems no one from the third-year Class A... your brother's class, has been expelled either.'
'Ayanokōji-kun, I suspect you've said a bit too much today.' Suzune Horikita shot him a death glare from the side while delivering a karate chop.
'...'
Watching Horikita leave the classroom, Kiyotaka Ayanokōji rubbed his side where he'd taken the heavy blow. So that's what she's like when she's angry. It seems she really didn't care after all.
...
The scene shifts to after school.
In the library, Hiyori Shiina accepted a small, ribbon-tied gift box from Airi Sakura's hands and asked with some curiosity, 'May I open it and see?'
'Of course,' Airi Sakura nodded, lowering her head and speaking softly. 'It was meant as a thank-you gift for you, Shiina-san.'
This was a thank-you gift she had hesitated a long time to decide on, hesitated a long time to choose, and hesitated a long time to come here and deliver, finally reaching you a week late.
—These were the words that the 'courage-lacking' Airi Sakura didn't dare to say out loud.
However, when all that goodwill is put into action, the words themselves become insignificant—because both the seemingly 'perceptive' Hiyori and the seemingly 'unperceptive' Symon could naturally grasp this.
Symon chuckled. 'I take back what I said before. This girl is a little cuter than Ichinose.'
Hiyori Shiina's gaze softened. 'She really is a good kid, isn't she.'
...
______
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