COTE V10 - Chapter 3 (Revised)

The Difficulty To Save

I checked on my cell phone when I woke up in the morning.
Just as I thought, the Ayanokōji group’s conversations made a huge progress even while I was sleeping.
It’s not surprising that the additional exam has become the main topic these days, even though it was announced yesterday.
“Well, they were driven by anxiety as well.”
Especially Airi, who looked anxious, and I could easily see it too from her chat messages.
It will be a very troublesome situation, if someone in our group became the target of criticism from our class.
Not only it’s very difficult to take the countermeasures, but I also don’t know how far I personally will get involved in that matter.
The fact is I intended to make the necessary arrangements around Hirata and Kei as the center, but there’s nothing like absolute about it either.
Since there’s also a possibility that they changed their target before they filled in the Criticism Vote at the last minute, even if we have signed an agreement or threatened them almost like an intimidation.
There’s no way we can avoid the school expulsion completely from the Criticism Vote that was concentrated on someone.
Anyway, I suppose everyone will have to bear a certain risk.
I found out that there was an interesting proposal from Keisei, when I have scrolled back those messages.
I decided to read it from the beginning part of that proposal.
“Can 1 person of our group try to go to school earlier in order to collect the information for 3 days from tomorrow?”
“Perhaps that’s a good idea, since we are a small group. I agree with Keisei’s idea.”
“Perhaps it’s a good move. I’m worried about what kind of topic will arise, you know.”
“I agree too.”
“I will go out earlier tomorrow, so leave it to me.”
Everyone has reached such a conclusion unanimously.
They mentioned about me too, but they have concluded and written down that they intended to obtain my consent later, since I was basically too late to attach the ‘Mark as read’ on my cell phone.
“Well, I see.”
I don’t think the information will come to us easily, but it’s better than doing nothing.
It’s an easy move as a strategy, and there’s a promising outcome too.
Since it was yesterday’s conversation, I suppose Haruka has already arrived in our classroom at this moment.
Judging from this development, it seemed the other guys will try to go to school earlier for the remaining days as well, so I suppose it will be fine even if I didn’t do anything.
The vote is in the next 3 days. In other words, they supposed to ascertain their plan about who they will choose to concentrate their Criticism Vote by today at the latest.
Anyway, it will be fortunate if our Ayanokōji group can obtain the information in the morning activities.
On the other hand, I will try to obtain the boys’ information from Hirata, or from Horikita, who supervised Sudō, while waiting for the report from Kei’s about the girls’ movements.
Well, it’s important to obtain the information at the early stage.

1
Anyway, we will be familiar with anything once we got used to it. When I realized it, my daily life in this dormitory was almost passed 1 year too.
“Well, I don’t feel that the passage of time is the same as it used to be.”
Our time sense will be different depending on whether we feel happy or not.
To be honest, I didn’t quite understand it, when I learned about this kind of thing in the past.
To me, there’s no difference in every second, before the moment I enrolled to the senior high school. But it’s different now.
Obviously, the days were slipping away at the same speed as many years to date.
I will be graduated in 2 more years.
It was strange since I had a feeling that day will arrive in no time, just by thinking that way.
“Good morning── Ayanokōji-kun.”
“Ah. Good morning, Ichinose.”
In the morning, I was called out by Ichinose from behind as soon as I stepped outside, and it was almost at the same time as I walked out from the dormitory.
I turned around and replied to her.
However, Ichinose was slightly stunned at that moment for some reason.
“Huh?”
She didn’t move and still performed her greeting pose, and she didn’t approach me at all.
“What’s wrong?”
It seemed like Ichinose was released from a spell when I spoke to her that way, but she approached me with a rather stiff movements.
“Ugh, well, today is cold too, right.”
“That’s true.”
We exhaled a white breath whenever we talked.
“Do you have any appointments to go to school together with someone?”
“No, not at all. I’m usually alone in the morning.”
“Then…… Do you mind if I join you?”
I suppose neither male nor female student can refuse if being asked like that by Ichinose.
I nodded and agreed to it.
“……”
“……”
It was Ichinose who usually brought up the topic when both of us were alone, but we could only hear each other footsteps’ sound in silence.
Ichinose was walking slightly behind me.
Therefore, I decided that I will try to bring up the topic related to the exam this time to Ichinose.
“The exam this time will be a tough exam for Ichinose and your B-Class, isn’t it?”
B-Class who overwhelmed the other classes in their strong teamwork and friendship.
I suppose it will be very painful that they have to decide which student to get rid of from among them.
“Ah〜 ……yeah. That’s true, and I think it’s the most difficult exam ever.”
“Well, I suppose.”
Ichinose’s expression who looked gloomy has told me about it.
Only Ichinose, as the central figure of her class who was definitely in the safety zone.
She is even different from Hirata and Kushida. I suppose she is the only student who definitely will pass this exam.
That’s why it will be painful for her to decide the person who she has to get rid of.
It would be better if she remained a bystander and didn’t get involved in both the Praise Ticket and the Criticism Vote.
Perhaps Ichinose would choose that kind of strategy by some chance, but……
“We had no choice but to do something, even though it’s such a troublesome exam, don’t you think?”
“Well, that’s true though.”
“……Yeah. I had no choice but to do something, right.”
Ichinose, who said so, stood side by side with me. I saw a faint smile on her side face.
“Don’t tell me that…… you are going to quit school, Ichinose.”
“Eh? No way, you know. I have never said such thing to anyone, right?”
Ichinose reacted like she denied it, but I could see that she was slightly shaken from her eyes.
Her temper was like saying that she even resolute to include herself among the options.
“Let me tell you just in case, but there’s no way your classmates would write your name easily.”
“I didn’t say anything like I decided to quit school, but it seemed Ayanokōji-kun has his own opinion about it, right.”
“It’s written on your face. Well, it tells that you even have included that option in your mindset.”
“Real, really?”
Ichinose tried to confirm it hurriedly.
I wonder if it was natural or intentional. Well, this time, it looks like the former one.
“Ugh…… Please keep it secret from everyone.”
“Are you going to sacrifice yourself for someone?”
“I guess it’s a bit different. I sort of thought that I have to bear my own risk to fight.”
She bears her own risk to fight, huh.
In short, that means she has no intention to choose the easy way called remained a bystander.
“Well, I don’t understand. Are you at least going to pass the words of farewell to the student who will be dropped out of school by yourself?”
That shouldn’t be the development they wanted, even though it’s better than they were informed by someone else.
I can’t even imagine the state where that student would only smile and leave the school.
“Please, no more deep conversation here. It’s not a topic that I wanted other people to hear about, besides, Ayanokōji-kun is C-Class’ student. Since there will definitely be some part where we can’t coexist, no matter what kind of exam it will be.”
“Well, that’s certainly true.”
If there’s anything we could do, we can only talk about the Praise Ticket.
I could take the exam with a slight advantage, if I could obtain 1 Praise Ticket from Ichinose.
Originally, Ichinose isn’t even a student who needs the Praise Ticket.
On the other hand, I suppose she wouldn’t even give away her vote easily with the Points. That’s why I don’t want to propose it either.
It could only be as an amulet at most, even if I bought 1 vote for now.
“However, the school side is heartless too, right. I can’t believe they would force someone to drop out of school. Since someone eventually has to leave the school, even though we could receive the Praise Ticket from the students of the other classes.”
No one really wanted this exam. We were being forced to drop out of school at this time, when the 1ST grade was even about to end.
“Ayanokōji-kun, will you be fine?”
“Who knows, I wonder about that…… I’m also not a student who was considered as a very indispensable student in my class.”
“Perhaps there’s something that I can help, if you don’t mind.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have a Praise Ticket for the other classes, so I can cast it for Ayanokōji-kun.”
Ichinose has brought up the Praise Ticket’s topic that I thought I would never bring it up.
“Well, perhaps only 1 vote is meaningless, but……”
“I’m grateful for your offer, but I’d rather not. That’s not a vote for someone like me to receive it.”
“Hey, that’s not true. Rather, I even think that it will be 1 of the most credible vote in this exam. You are the person who should be praised in the other class. That’s right, that’s why I really should cast it for Ayanokōji-kun who has saved me.”
The way she said it made me very difficult to answer her.
“I understood. Then, perhaps I will ask you in case of trouble.”
“Yeah. Well, keep that in mind.”
Ichinose said so and laughed.
“Good morning, Honami.”
I heard such a voice from behind us.
“Good morning, Asahina-Senpai.”
“Well, you are energetic as well today. By the way, I heard that both of you are in different classes, right? Both of you are getting along very well, huh?”
“Well, that’s right. We are good friends……”
Ichinose looked slightly embarrassed and replied.
“Heh〜? Wow, both of you are friends.”
It wouldn’t have caused misunderstanding easily if she said it a bit more casual, right.
“Well, never mind. I’m sorry, but do you mind if I borrow Ayanokōji-kun for a moment?”
Asahina approached me, and she wanted to talk to me and asked Ichinose to go first.
“I understand. Well then Ayanokōji-kun, I will go first.”
Ichinose bowed her head once and obeyed Asahina without any particular objection.
“I’m sorry, Honami, See you later.”
“No, not at all. Well then, I will be leaving first.”
There’s nothing strange during the short conversation between them both. Rather, it seemed they have established a strong relationship between Senpai and Kōhai.
“That girl is a good girl, you know. She is cute and smart. Well, no one speak ill of Honami, even among the 2ND grade.”
“You were right. I think that Ichinose is a popular person for both male and female, even among the 1ST grade.”
“Perhaps you have won her affection by some chance.”
Just as I thought, it seemed she has noticed Ichinose’s slightly unnatural attitude just now.
“There’s nothing between us.”
Leaving aside Ichinose who is in the same grade as me, I wanted to shorten my time being together with Asahina as soon as possible.
Perhaps it will raise various suspicions, if we were seen by Nagumo’s underlings.
I will ask her to speed it up, if she had something to say.
“I will listen, if you have something to say.”
“It’s cold, you know. Well, never mind. I saw you and Honami were talking happily, that’s why I wanted you to listen to me for a moment.”
Asahina was smiling cheerfully just a moment ago, but her smile has disappeared from her face.
“I have heard about the 1ST grade exam. You were being forced to choose someone for school expulsion, right?”
“Well, that’s what it looks like.”
It seemed it has already become a hot topic, even among the 2ND grade students.
“You know the person named Honami loves her friends, or perhaps I should say that she isn’t the personality who would easily accept that kind of action which forces someone from B-Class to drop out of school, right?”
“Well, that’s true. No one talked about it, but I think that everyone was wondering about B-Class’ course of action.”
It was a halfhearted statement, but I told her my thought in an easy to understand way.
“Well then, how do you think Honami will challenge this exam?”
Asahina looked me in the eye as if she was curious.
That was even more than her curiosity, but she was trying in order to evaluate me.
It seems a roundabout answer will be counterproductive at this moment.
“Assuming that she will continue with her plan where no one will be dropped out of school…… B-Class should have saved up a considerable amount of the Private Points. After that, she will have to cover their shortage of Points anyhow to rescue the student who will be dropped out of school. Well, I suppose it should be that sort of course of actions, right.”
“Yeah, correct answer. Well, since that’s the only solution, right.”
Anyone would finally arrive at this conclusion, with the assumption that no one will be dropped out of school. However, not everyone could simply implement it.
The word of ‘Anyhow’ from the sentence of ‘Gathered up 20 million of Points anyhow’ is extremely difficult.
“It seemed she asked that guy, Miyabi for help. Then, can you guess how he answered?”
“I think he agreed immediately, is it?”
“……Correct answer.”
Well, there won’t be any other possibility than that by this development.
“Let me ask you first, but there’s no way she could easily borrow the Private Points, right?”
The shortage should be a huge amount, no matter how many of the Private Points that B-Class has saved up. The shortage should be several million of Points.
“Of course not and it’s impossible. Even though there’s even a possibility where we would try to consider for a further negotiation, if the amount was something like several thousand or several tens of thousands of Points. You should know that we wouldn’t give it to anyone something like several hundred thousand or several million of Points.”
Asahina answered me like that without hesitation.
“Both the 3RD grade students and we the 2ND grade students have to prepare ourselves for the special exam that awaited us after this. We wouldn’t know the situation until the last moment whether the Private Points could come in handy, so we shouldn’t have anything left to lend for the 1ST grade students.”
Well, I suppose so. That’s why Chiyabashira even said ‘You can try to do it if you think you could do it’.
I suppose it’s impossible that the senior students would hand over several tens of thousands or several hundred thousand of Points to us, even though we could get a very small amount of the Private Points from them.
There’s also a way called repayment with interest later on, but it was impossible for the 3RD grade students who are approaching their graduation.
For example, even if we could receive an approval from the 2ND grade students in the form of loan, even so, we could conclude that it’s nearly impossible to obtain that huge amount of Points.
“If there’s anyone who could meet her expectation, I suppose someone like the Student Council President Nagumo, right.”
“Since he has saved up a lot of Points, you know.”
“And then?”
I could grasp the whole story immediately from the flow of this conversation so far. However, perhaps it should come with conditions attached, judging from the fact that something has caused some kind of hesitation in Ichinose.
“Hey, don’t be so hasty. I’m a student in the same class as that guy, that’s the reason why I’m having doubts about him carelessly lending a huge amount of Points to a Kōhai at this moment. Of course, Honami is a cute Kōhai, right? However, she definitely won’t be expelled from school in the exam this time. Am I right?”
“Well, that’s true. I think it’s Ichinose’s strategy in order to prevent someone else from dropping out of school.”
“That’s why, to me, I don’t want the loan agreement to be realized between her and Miyabi. Of course, it’s also for the sake of my own class…… but most importantly, since I feel sorry for Honami, you know.”
“I wonder if he even imposed strict conditions. Such as a huge interest.”
“That guy, the precondition for lending the Private Points to Honami…… he was forcing her to date with him.”
“I see.”
Speaking of Nagumo’s typical, it’s typical of Nagumo. He demanded dating in return for lending the Private Points.
Generally, that kind of precondition is absurd. It’s not surprising to say, even if he will be rejected instantly.
However, I suppose Nagumo knew if there’s a possibility that Ichinose would accept it in order to protect her class.
“I wonder if you won’t be in trouble. You have informed me that kind of matter.”
“I have told you, right. I said it was for the sake of my own class. Perhaps we will be in trouble, if Miyabi lent a huge amount of the Private Points to the 1ST grade student, and Honami also will suffer some hardship in exchange for protecting her friends. There’s really nothing good about it, right.”
“Well, perhaps so. But, I wonder why you chose to consult with me. I’m in C-Class. There’s a rivalry in our relationship with Ichinose.”
“I don’t know. But, I thought that I wonder if you could do something about it.”
“Hey, you overestimated me. No way, I can’t even make up for the other class’ shortage of Points, you know.”
The situation will be different too, if I can gather up the Private Points to replace Nagumo, but it’s easier said than done.
“That’s true. Since both of you are a rival to each other, right……”
It’s too stupid to help our class’ rival, when we supposed to be grateful if one of their student will be disappeared.
In the first place, I need to unite everyone in C-Class, since her shortage will be several million of Points. It was absolutely impossible.
“Well, I can’t do anything.”
“Don’t worry, since I won’t blame you, even if you really couldn’t do anything. First of all, I just feel like plea with God. Perhaps I was trying to bet on it.”
‘Dab ’, Asahina patted my back and began to walk away.
“That’s why I told you right away. I will leave the rest to your judgment.”
Asahina only said that without stopping her footsteps and headed towards the school.
Judging from her way of speaking and attitude, it seemed she wasn’t lying.
“She made a deal with Nagumo, huh.”
It’s not the typical of Ichinose, but it seems it was her strategy.
Indeed, perhaps she can prevent a victim from her class then.
Her class has a solid cooperation and they have been saving up a huge amount of Points, that’s why her battle strategy has a possibility to be implemented.
However, judging from Asahina’s remarks, it seemed the dating precondition became a serious problem to Ichinose.
It’s safer for her to borrow the Private Points before Nagumo changed his mind, if she won’t be troubled by dating with him.
Well, it’s difficult to make a decision immediately, when it comes to dating with the opposite sex.
I would be ready if the problem can be solved with my cooperation, but there’s nothing I can do about the Private Points problem.
Perhaps the shortage amount is 4 to 5 million. It’s beyond the limit that I can help.
It would be cheaper for Ichinose to get rid of her friend, but how she will decide, if she compared it with the dating precondition as another option……
“Judging from her personality……”
It’s not difficult to imagine what will happen in the future.

2
It’s difficult to talk about the exam this time in our class.
I sensed a hostile sign in our classroom, and the tension feeling has been spread.
“Good morning, Kiyopon.”
“Good morning.”
I was greeted by Haruka as I arrived at my seat.
I couldn’t sense any enthusiasm from the expressions of those students who have already arrived at school.
It seemed the thought for who we will cast the Criticism Vote, has become a hindrance and we couldn’t maintain our normal class relationship.
I suppose this situation will continue until the special exam is over. And it will continue for some time, even after the special exam is over.
“It’s really depressing, right, our classroom’s atmosphere.”
Haruka has sent that sort of private message to me.
“Is there anything unusual?”
“None so far. Just as we thought, I guess everyone is cautious〜”
We were in a classroom where we wouldn’t know that perhaps someone was listening from somewhere. No one would recklessly propose to nominate a specific person.
“Well, I’m looking forward for tomorrow.”
“Yeah.”
I put away my cell phone after we ended that sort of short conversation.
We kept low-profile and didn’t disturb our class. We were waiting for the storm to pass.
But it was a situation if our classmates would allow us just as our wishful thinking.

3
I headed towards the library during the lunch break.
It doesn’t mean that I was unhappy with spending my time with the Ayanokōji group, but it’s also important to spend our time separately once in a while.
Besides, there’s a student who likes books just like me in the library.
Just as I thought, that student, Shīna Hiyori has arrived at the library as well today.
I took out a book casually, and before long someone called out to me, when I began to read and about to sit in order to examine whether I wanted to borrow it or return it.
“Good afternoon, Ayanokōji-kun.”
There are a few people as well in the library that has just opened during the lunch break, and it seemed she has noticed my presence immediately.
She was holding a book of a similar genre in her hand.
“Well, you are a bookworm as ever.”
“This place is a really amazing place.”
Hiyori sat down next to me after she asked for my permission gently.
We read a book quietly together.
The unnecessary conversation wasn’t needed for us, the students who really loved the library.
The act of reading a book itself can even be considered as some kind of conversation.
After that, both of us continued to read a book without saying a word until the lunch break was about to end. I suppose it was around 30 minutes has passed since then.
“Well, it’s time, we had better return to our classroom soon.”
“Well, that’s true.”
She looked up to confirm the clock, and we both left the library.
“By the way, Hiyori. There’s something I wanted to ask you.”
“What’s it?”
She didn’t know what I wanted to ask and lifted her head in wonder.
“I want to know about Ryūen’s situation.”
“Ryūen-kun’s situation, is it…… To be honest, well, it’s not good.”
“Just as I thought, he is the main candidate for dropping out of school.”
“Yeah. Almost everyone in our class has agreed to cast the Criticism Vote for Ryūen-kun.”
“Did Ryūen himself accept that too?”
“I believe he certainly had accepted it. In fact, Ryūen-kun often came to the library right after school recently. That’s why I know it well since sometimes we chatted a little.”
That’s why there was a book borrowed from the library when I saw him at the café before. I have been thinking that it won’t be surprising even if he was in contact with Hiyori.
Well, I was right to come here.
“Hiyori, what do you think about that matter?”
“It’s a pity, but the school expulsion is inevitable in the exam this time. Therefore, I’m going to accept the fact that someone, including myself as well, will be missing. However, I have been thinking and I believe that Ryūen-kun’s existence is essential for our class, if I and D-Class wanted to aim for the top in the future……”
I guess she thought of Ryūen sometimes, and I suppose that’s means she acknowledged his true ability.
Come to think of it, it seemed Ryūen didn’t treat Hiyori harshly as well.
“Well, I’m sorry for asking you such matter. The D-Class’ situation for some reason──”
After stopping in mid-sentence like that, I was speechless.
“No── Well, I suppose perhaps I don’t wish the situation where Ryūen will be dropped out of school.”
I personally didn’t need to come here today. However, I thought I had to come here, if I really wanted to know about Ryūen’s situation.
“Since it would be better to have as many friends as possible, right.”
“……Well, that’s true.”
I just felt a little strange. Even though Ryūen and I should have been an enemy only.
“Well……”
“Huh?”
“Well, uh, I think that it’s not something for someone like me to say, but……”
Hiyori continued to speak, even though she seemed difficult to say it for a moment.
“Ayanokōji-kun, please don’t drop out of school, alright……? Since I don’t want to lose my precious friend anymore.”
“I will try to do my best.”
I gratefully accepted Hiyori’s concern, and both of us returned to our classroom.

4
The hostile atmosphere didn’t change, even right now after school.
I wonder whether she sensed it, my neighbor, Horikita began her preparations for returning to the dormitory quietly as usual.
It’s difficult to overcome the exam like this time all alone.
It’s normal for us to think that we wanted to have as many allies as possible. But Horikita didn’t show that kind of actions at all.
Sudō is the only person who will definitely cast the Praise Ticket for her, even by using an over-optimistic calculation.
In that case…… I recalled Horikita’s expression yesterday when she argued with Ryūen.
I can predict her strategy, if I think about what she wanted and what her shortcomings.
Well, it seemed she was trying to overcome this exam in a different way from those guys. But that’s not an easy process.
However, my wish would come true, if she could implement that strategy.
I can conclude that the strategy I imagined and Horikita’s strategy are almost the same. In that case, let me become the suitable person.
I turned my gaze towards our classmates for a moment. I imagined how Horikita regarded those students from her viewpoint.
“It’s unusual for you not asking for my advice, you know. Are you ready with the exam matters?”
It has only been a day since the exam announcement, but I decided to confirm whether there’s any change in Horikita.
“Since you wouldn’t give me an honest answer, even if I sought for your advice.”
“Correct.”
It seems Horikita began to understand that point.
“Besides…… we shouldn’t carelessly ask our classmates for cooperation in the exam this time.”
“But many others of our classmates insisted to form a group and wanted to collect the Praise Ticket, you know.”
“Those who wanted to do so can do so.”
Horikita packed up her belongings and stood up from her seat.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“Anything I can do.”
Horikita only said that and left.
I was slightly concerned and followed after Horikita.
“What?”
She frowned slightly and glared at me, perhaps she was annoyed that I followed after her.
“Well, I’m a bit concerned about what you are trying to do.”
“You usually don’t want to get involved with me, but why only this time?”
Why, huh. That’s simply because I put my hope on the strategy Horikita is trying to do.
I wanted to fully support her, if she would implement it. But, I don’t want to tell her directly at this moment.
“You haven’t joined in any group, right. A group can also help you in crisis.”
“So it’s about that matter. That means you are concerned about my current situation, right. Will you let me join in your group, if I told you to help me?”
“Well, since we wouldn’t be troubled by the addition of more people.”
“I appreciate your offer, but I have to decline it. You are not the person who I’m looking for right now.”
I suppose that means the idea has already been decided.
However, the reasoning is still not enough, and she is at the stage where she was being driven by anxiety.
Well, I suppose I’m not suitable for the ‘Role’ to fill that shortage.
“You are really……”
She glared at me even more fiercely than a moment ago.
“What.”
“Anyway, just leave me alone.”
She told me harshly, so I nodded and stopped my footsteps.
I suppose Horikita would only be getting angrier, if I followed her any longer.
After seeing Horikita off, I stared outside of the hallway window for a moment.
“I suppose I will return to the dormitory for now.”
“……I wonder if you can give me a minute, Ayanokōji-kun.”
Hirata has come to me as if we were passing by each other.
I wonder if he has been followed after us.
Judging from the timing, perhaps he has been waiting for me to part from Horikita.
“I wonder if you can accompany me for a moment after school, if you don’t mind. I need to talk to you.”
It was unusual invitation from Hirata. Well, I have no particular reason to decline.
Hirata breathed a sigh as if he was relieved, when I agreed and nodded.
Hirata, who has spent a day in the tense atmosphere, seemed to be exhausted the most.
Of course, I guess that the topic is about the exam this time.
“So, at 4:30 at Keyaki Shopping Mall…… I guess. Can we meet up near the south gate?”
“I understood.”
We made only that appointment.
It seems he didn’t like to talk about it at this moment.
Well, those students who headed for the club activities and returned to the dormitory, one after another will be passing by.
I was going to gather up with Keisei and friends as well after school today, so I will tell them that I will be a bit late.
It seemed Hirata was chatting with his friends in the class for a while, so I decided to go to Keyaki Shopping Mall first.

5
I left the classroom and headed straight to the entry hall.
On the way, I encountered with the 1ST grade A-Class, Sakayanagi Arisu. There was also Kamuro’s figure next to her.
“Ayanokōji……”
Kamuro was being cautious and her body was stiffened up.
However, Sakayanagi was the same as usual, she moved slowly and relaxed.
The contrasting gesture of these 2 persons was quite interesting.
“What a coincidence, Ayanokōji-kun.”
“Well, that’s true. What do you want at C-Class?”
It seemed like Sakayanagi and friend were heading towards C-Class.
But Sakayanagi didn’t reply to me directly, she smiled and asked me a question.
“Where are you going after this?”
“I’m going to meet up with a friend at Keyaki Shopping Mall in 30 minutes.”
“Is that so. Well, you have been fully enjoying your student life. Can you spare me just a little of your time, if you don’t mind?”
Sakayanagi took out her cell phone and checked the time.
Did she come here in order to meet me? No, that’s very difficult to imagine.
The time is still 10 past 4 o’clock now. There’s more than 10 minutes of idle time, even though it will take several minutes to Keyaki Shopping Mall.
“Can we talk while standing?”
“Yeah. But we will attract people’s attention here. Do you want us to move a bit farther?”
“Well, that’s true.”
To me, I also don’t want to stand out as much as possible.
Well, I don’t mind if it was my classmates, but since Sakayanagi is an existence who attracted attention, even though she dislikes it.
Sakayanagi realized that too, that’s why we began to move to secluded location.
We matched Sakayanagi’s slow-paced, it took time to move around the school building.
“By the way…… Ayanokōji-kun, Masumi-san. Don’t you both think that the additional exam this time is very unreasonable? We were being forced to choose someone for school expulsion, just because no one has dropped out of school so far. It’s an absurd incident if we considered in a common sense that the school side would design such exam.”
“Well, I guess so. I had a feeling that even Mashima-Sensei who has always been calm was slightly shaken.”
It seems not only Chiyabashira, but other teaching staff also didn’t agree with the additional exam this time.
“Well, there’s a reason for that.”
“What, do you know the reason?”
“This is my private matters that I feel ashamed of, but my father’s suspension from office was decided a few days ago.”
“You said suspended from office…… If I’m not mistaken, he is the Board Chairman here, right? I mean your father.”
Kamuro who has known about that matter, asked again like that.
“I can’t tell you in details, but many unfavorable things were raised against my father. The father, who I have known isn’t that kind of man who could get involved in dirty business. Of course, we also can’t rule out the possibility that I alone, her daughter who didn’t know about it, but…… Perhaps someone has been planning various strategies in order to force my father out of his position.”
It seems she was even informing Kamuro about that, but I suppose those remarks were actually directed to me.
It’s not surprising if that man was involved, if Sakayanagi’s father was really innocent.
Well, perhaps the impression that I had on Sakayanagi’s father wasn’t wrong.
“Even so, this story entirely has nothing to do with us, the students. It’s a mere idle talk.”
It seems the incident that her father was being forced to suspension from office was a trivial matter for Sakayanagi.
“But, how that incident related to the exam this time.”
“Can’t you consider it that…… the exam was prepared in a hurry in order to make someone drop out of school?”
“You said someone……”
Kamuro gazed at me for a moment. And then she immediately turned her gaze back towards Sakayanagi.
“I have been trying not to care about it to date, but what’s your reason to keep an eye on Ayanokōji?”
Kamuro, who was next to Sakayanagi, asked her while walking.
“Oh, you didn’t care about it to date?”
“……Why should I care?”
Kamuro tried to deny it, but Sakayanagi’s face looked like she has known everything.
But she didn’t question her in-depth and returned to Kamuro’s question.
“It’s simply because I have known him since many years ago, can you accept it by that reason?”
Sakayanagi replied like that to Kamuro, who concerned about it.
It was quite honest answer, given that she hasn’t disclosed anything so far.
It can also be interpreted that it was in order to see my reaction.
Since it was like I was confessing that this kind of topic is my weakness, if I was panicked or tried to interrupt Sakayanagi’s conversation carelessly at this moment.
Well, the fact is I don’t really care much about it.
“In other words, are you saying that both of you were reunited by coincidence at this school? But that kind of chance is slim.”
“Yeah. That’s a slim chance. Right, Ayanokōji-kun.”
“Well, I guess so.”
I have never known Sakayanagi before, but her statement isn’t entirely wrong.
Indeed, Sakayanagi knew about my former self one-sidedly.
“Well then, is it because he is formidable? I’m sorry, but he doesn’t look like that at all, you know.”
Kamuro asked even more details again, since Sakayanagi has begun to disclose the fact.
Perhaps both of them have so much in common in some way.
“You have asked so deep into details, you know. I believe that you had never asked that kind of questions to me to date, not even once.”
I suppose Kamuro has begun to think about a lot of things, since I have directly come into contact with her several times.
Well, perhaps Sakayanagi also couldn’t suppress her own curiosity about Kamuro who has expressed something like that.
“Anyone would think so, right. You have never been so fixated on an opponent like that to date.”
“You are an extremely apathetic person who wouldn’t be nosy about that kind of things. That’s why I even entrusted you to keep an eye on Ayanokōji-kun without hesitation, but…… he is an incapable person, you know.”
Sakayanagi’s face looked surprised, and she seemed happy in certain points.
I had thought that it was in order to see my reaction, but there’s also a possibility that she was interested by Kamuro’s reaction, who has just asked such harsh questions.
We finally have arrived at our destination while they were having a deep conversation.
“No one would come to bother us too when we were talking at this place, right.”
Indeed, since it’s quiet. It’s the special building after school.
“Well. Masumi-san, I’m sorry, but please return to the dormitory first.”
It seemed she only let Kamuro accompanied her to this place, since she simply wanted someone to talk to.
“……Ah, yeah.”
In the end, Sakayanagi didn’t disclose too much about me, and it seemed she decided to let Kamuro return to the dormitory first.
Kamuro went down the stairs without any objection, as if she already knew it would be happened.
“Would you be fine?”
“Yeah. Wouldn’t Ayanokōji-kun be in troubled too, if I blurted out something about you carelessly?”
“Not particularly.”
It will be 1 of my weaknesses, if I showed her a sign that I was worried at this moment. There’s no way I would give the unnecessary information to Sakayanagi intentionally.
“You have regarded me as your enemy, more or less, and I will interpret it that way.”
That’s not even something worth for Sakayanagi to think about, no matter what the reason of my reaction.
“What do you want to say to me until you told Kamuro to return to the dormitory first?”
I don’t have much time left until the meeting, since we have wasted a lot of time to move here. I urged her to begin to talk her main purpose.
“It’s related to the agreement between Ayanokōji-kun and me.”
“If I’m not mistaken, you and I will compete in the next exam, right. In other words, it would be the exam this time.”
“Yeah, that was the plan. However…… I would like to postpone that agreement to the next exam, if only Ayanokōji-kun wouldn’t mind. This exam isn’t a competition against the other classes, but it’s a screening process to get rid of someone amongst our comrades. The Praise Ticket, which is the only way to influence the other classes, can’t even be used to attack…… so, do you mind if I asked you to postpone our match to the exam next time?”
In short, she was asking me to set aside the exam this time, since it can’t be used as the stage for our match.
“Would you agree to accept it? This proposal,”
“You can decide it for yourself.”
Sakayanagi politely expressed her gratitude towards me who have made a decision without any objection.
“Thank you very much. I was wondering what I should do, if you stated to me that this exam was our trial. So now, I can concentrate on the internal affairs of A-Class without worry. However……”
“However?”
“We have a truce, that’s why I need to declare it in order to gain your absolute trust. I would never do anything to put Ayanokōji-kun at a disadvantage in this exam, in other words, I would never initiate the Criticism Vote for you.”
She said so and made a promise in order to restrict herself.
“If by any chance I was involved with C-Class in anything, and caused any harm to Ayanokōji-kun as the result…… I don’t mind if it’s my lost at that time. You can even refuse to fight with me on the next match.”
“Well, but there won’t be any next match either, if I received a large number of the Criticism Vote in the exam this time.”
I foolishly will be expelled from school.
“Well, that’s certainly true. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, please rest assured.”
That sort of remarks are too polite, but I suppose her manner was necessary in order to gain my trust.
“Well, perhaps it will be developed into something like you have been betrayed by your underlings, before your battle against me begun.”
“He he, you are teasing me.”
Almost all of A-Class’ students are Sakayanagi’s faction. There’s no way they would fool around like getting rid of their own leader, is it.
“I had already decided the person who will be expelled from school at the time this exam was announced.”
“You had instantly decided the person who you will get rid of, huh. Well, it was the right decision.”
We can even say that Sakayanagi has been properly ruling her class with her capability, that’s why that measure can be taken.
“So, when are you going to announce it to those students?”
“I had done it already. Since it’s something that would make them feel quite anxious, if I didn’t inform them about the person who I will get rid of to the last minute. My classmates would also be relieved, if I have told them in advance, right?”
There’s no way the student who was being forced to drop out of school would tolerate it. However, there’s no angry expression at all in A-Class.
“Do you know who it is?”
“Who knows? Well, I have no idea at all.”
I said I didn’t know, but I could guess it.
“It was Katsuragi Kōhei-kun.”
“It’s quite reasonable, huh.”
“He is the former leader of A-Class who has opposed me before. That’s why we don’t need 2 persons at the top position in the organization, right.”
Katsuragi is a calm and cool-headed guy. Perhaps he should have realized that he would become the victim, from the moment he knew about the exam content.
That means he had accepted it without any resistance.
It seemed there are also some students who remained respectful to him just like Yahiko, but they are greatly outnumbered.
“But I thought that he had retreated himself as the rebellion leader figure earlier, right.”
Katsuragi should stand at the top rank in term of superiority, even amongst A-Class’ students.
I thought that it’s a pity to get rid of him, but it seemed he is unneeded person from Sakayanagi’s viewpoint.
“There are quite a lot of my friends who dislike him. I guess they couldn’t agree with his conservative thinking. In that case, it would be something like raising their morale, if he has accepted to leave the school.”
It seems she was saying that her purpose was boosting her class’ morale by expelling 1 of her class’ main combat force.
“Is it fine for you to tell me about it? About the person who was your target.”
“I think it’s impossible for Ayanokōji-kun to make a move behind the scene in order to protect him, right.”
I suppose there’s no way that I could gain any benefit in exchange for my efforts.
“What are you going to do with C-Class?”
“Well, who knows? I won’t be involved in anything, and I was intended to leave it to my classmates’ decision.”
“In that case…… you can simply get rid of the hated person, or the incompetence student.”
Sakayanagi looked happy and immersed herself in imagination.
“Well, D-Class alone is Ryūen-kun, and we don’t even need to think about who the person will be, right.”
I have no objection to that point alone.
Well, but there’s no benefit for A-Class in particular to help Ryūen.
I suppose they even wanted to make him to drop out of school in order to terminate the signed contract between him and Katsuragi.
“Well, I couldn’t predict what B-Class would do. I’m looking forward the most for the person who will be dropped out of school in this exam, from their class who has a strong friendship. Perhaps Ichinose-san has thought of some interesting method.”
“I’m sorry, but it’s about time for me to leave.”
It was her freedom to fantasize as she pleased, but please try to do it when she was alone.
“Well, that’s right. Our conversation has concluded for now. And our next exam will begin next week.”
Click, her cane made a sound.
Sakayanagi’s gaze was slightly directed at the surveillance camera that has been installed there once for an instant.
I wouldn’t notice her subtle eyes movement if I wasn’t looking at her.
I couldn’t tell whether she just turned her gaze accidentally or intentionally.
“Well then, our match is scheduled on the last special exam of the 1ST grade, let’s compete at that time. It’s a promise.”
I nodded slightly and left the special building.

6
There really aren’t many stores that we can use for an appointment after school.
In most cases, we met up at the café in Keyaki Shopping Mall, but it’s different today.
“Thank you for coming today.”
“It’s not a big deal. Well, I also wanted to talk with you, Hirata.”
“I’m glad that you said so. Anyway, let’s walk for a while.”
Hirata began to walk in order to check our surrounding situation, after we met up at the south gate.
“I’m sorry, Ayanokōji-kun. Do you mind if I changed our plan a little?”
“What do you mean?”
“Could we talk in my room after this? I think that it would calm me down.”
“I don’t mind, it’s still fine by me.”
“Thank you.”
Well, apparently, the Shopping Mall at this moment isn’t a very good location for him.
It seemed he didn’t want anyone to hear what he wanted to talk with me after this.
We began to chat casually while walking on the road which leads to the dormitory.
“Well, our 1ST year will also be over soon. How did Ayanokōji-kun try to pass the time in this 1 year?”
He looked up at the sky while breathing out a white breath.
“We were sent to the uninhabited island and we were forced to the Training Camp, I guess it was 1 tough year.”
“Yeah. It was definitely tough, but I enjoyed it. I believe that I also had built a trusting relationship with our classmates properly, judging from we enrolled into this school at first.”
“Well, that’s true. I think so too.”
I didn’t deny that point.
There are quite many people who even hated each other among our classmates.
But, I suppose the proverb that said the enemy of our enemy is our ally, is very true.
The thing called a bond gradually had begun to establish between us, while we were being forced to cooperate with each other.
“Really…… although we didn’t have any problem until this exam was initiated, right.”
Hirata’s smiling face looked gloomy.
“Just as I thought, our conversation is that matter.”
“Yeah. Well, I’m sorry, and I thought I’m fully aware that Ayanokōji-kun doesn’t want to talk about this topic.”
I won’t actively involve myself on no matter what kind of exams.
Horikita has disregarded that sort of personality of mine, and she has been forcibly asking me for cooperation on every exam. The interesting thing is she was the exact opposite in the exam this time.
Horikita didn’t rely on me, but Hirata had relied on me.
But then, I suppose that means Horikita has grown up as well right now.
She has realized that I wouldn’t cooperate with her, so the frequency that she came to me also has begun to decrease gradually.
“I absolutely couldn’t think of any solution for the exam this time. Well, no matter how many times I have thought about it, even though I have been thinking about it……”
“You even said many times……”
There was a dark circles under Hirata’s eyes, when I looked closely. Perhaps he was always thinking about the exam last night, and he even couldn’t get enough sleep.
“It was troublesome. That’s why this exam is more painful for those guys who thought about their class.”
“Eh……?”
“No, please don’t mind that.”
Hirata will be fallen into deep despair even more, if I said something carelessly at this moment. I suppose it would be the best policy for me to leave him alone for now.
“Just in case, I wish you could tell me, if there’s a way to help our class.”
It seemed he had misunderstood that I already have the solution due to my response.
“We gather up 20 million of the Private Points. It’s impossible for us to accomplish it, right?”
“Well, I have also tried to calculate it many times, but we can’t possibly reach that amount of Points. Yesterday, I have tried to talk indirectly with some of the upperclassmen of my club activities. But the upperclassmen are also waiting for the special exam, which is different from ours after this.”
“They can’t give you their Points for helping you out, is it.”
“Yeah……”
Anyway, the method I can propose to save everyone without anyone becoming a victim is very limited.
“Sorry, I can’t think of something else other than that. But I definitely will tell you, Hirata, if I came up with an idea.”
“I see…… Yeah, thank you.”
The best I could do is responding to him that way in this situation.
Hirata tried hard to force a smile and expressed his gratitude to me.
This special exam is extremely difficult, and yet it’s a very simple exam.
We won’t be confused at all, if we slightly changed our viewpoint.
However, Hirata couldn’t realize it.
This was an exam to ‘Get rid of the unneeded student only’.
Kōenji and I could figure out the objective design of this exam at the moment we heard about the exam content.
Of course, I don’t know ‘Who’ will be expelled from school, but it would be fine as long as it wasn’t ‘Me’ who dropped out of school.
However, it’s different for the kind of people like Hirata.
He couldn’t make up his mind about the matter of ‘Who’ for a long time. That’s why he has been hesitated and couldn’t find any solution.
“Ayanokōji-kun, do you think that it’s fine, even though someone will be expelled from school?”
“Of course, it would be great if no one would have to drop out of school. But, that was difficult in this exam.”
“……Well, you are certainly right. However, I’m sure there should be some way out──”
“Hirata, you have known it too, that’s why you even couldn’t sleep well last night, am I right?”
I said that in order to interrupt his argument.
“That’s……”
We stopped our conversation for a moment, when we have approached the dormitory entrance. Since we saw several students were chatting in the lobby.
However, the problem was coming from another direction. Our eyes met with a certain guy who was sitting on the lobby sofa.
“Well, well. Isn’t that Hirata Boy and Ayanokōji Boy. What a coincidence.”
“Yo, Kōenji-kun. Do you have an appointment with someone?”
It seemed he had noticed us from the fact that he turned his gaze towards us, as soon as we entered the dormitory.
“Do you mind if I had an appointment with someone?”
Kōenji responded to Hirata’s question with his own question.
“Well, perhaps I would think if it’s unusual.”
“I don’t dislike an honest person. But unfortunately, I don’t have any appointment.”
He only answered that, but he didn’t answer what he was doing here.
Since Kōenji isn’t the kind of person who usually hung out in this kind of place.
“Let’s go.”
Hirata stood in front of the elevator and stretched his hand to push the elevator button.
Shortly after, Kōenji’s remarks were suddenly heard from behind.
“Well, please do your best as well for the exam this time, and think hard for the best solution.”
“……Well, it seemed you haven’t changed as usual, Kōenji-kun.”
Hirata who slightly annoyed by his attitude, asked him. His fingertip had stopped just before it touched the elevator button.
“Since this exam isn’t worth for me to change, you know.”
“Is that so?”
It was unusual for Hirata to get angry at someone. He turned around and stared at Kōenji.
Of course, he didn’t act like he was glaring at him. He remained calm and composed.
“You said that it’s not the sort of exam for you to change, but I think you really need to change more than anyone else. I’m worried for you. For example, Kōenji-kun, if you happened to be nominated as the victim by our classmates…… I imagine like that, you know.”
That was both Hirata’s way of saying his concern and a little threat from him. His remarks were filled with his strong expectation that he wanted Kōenji to cooperate.
I suppose he was hoping that way, if Kōenji would care to cooperate with him, even if just a little.
“Don’t worry. That’s your duty as the central figure of our class who should do something about it, right?”
He wouldn’t do anything to the end. Kōenji wouldn’t change his stance.
“Hey, there are things that I can’t do as well. Perhaps I couldn’t meet your expectations.”
“That’s not true.”
Kōenji put his expectations without hesitation on Hirata who has no self-confidence.
I couldn’t sense it from this guy whether it was his true feelings.
Kōenji, who stood up, approached Hirata and deliberately patted his shoulder lightly.
“Please be sure to get rid of the unnecessary useless people, while you and your friends were comforting each other.”
‘Thump’, he pressed the elevator button, at the moment he heard Kōenji’s last remarks.
“……Ayanokōji-kun, let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
Hirata’s tone, which had been gentle so far, was slightly filled with anger.
There are useless people among our classmates. It seemed he couldn’t help getting annoyed, since he was told by Kōenji that way.
Hirata began to talk again when the elevator door was closed.
“Phew…… Well, I’m sorry. I had showed you my unusual character, right.”
“I don’t really mind. There was a problem with Kōenji’s wording.”
Hirata slightly smiled bitterly and lowered his head a little.
“You have touched my sore spot too, you know…… I personally knew that it’s not realistic without anyone dropping out of school. That’s why I have given up from the start in some ways, even though I said it openly.”
We immediately arrived at the floor where Hirata’s room was, and got off the elevator.
“Please come in.”
“Please excuse me for the intrusion……”
Well, it was the first time I have entered Hirata’s room.
I felt the interior decoration was similar to my room, and basically, it was a simple room and I could slightly smell a gentle fragrance like an air freshener.
It was dull, but his room was well-organized, typical of Hirata.
“Have a seat. Do you mind with something like a coffee?”
“Well, I have troubled you.”
“Hey, you have nothing to apologize for. Since I was the one who asked you for it.”
Usually, I was the one who entertained the guests in many situations, that’s why I was feeling something new.
“But let’s continue our conversation a moment ago……”
He began to talk to me while facing away from me, as he prepared the coffee.
“I wonder if there’s really no way out anymore to save everyone in our class.”
“I don’t know. Perhaps I just couldn’t come up with an idea.”
I answered him the same way as a moment ago.
I suppose Hirata would unconsciously wish for my help, even though he has known it.
Although I was going to follow up, but it seemed it was counterproductive.
“I think there’s no one else could come up with an idea, if you couldn’t come up with an idea.”
“Well, you had extremely overestimated me.”
Before I knew it, my evaluation has gone up so high in Hirata’s mind.
“Since that one incident with Karuizawa-san, I believe that you are the one who can be helpful the most for our class.”
Hirata said it as if he has seen through my mind.
“Seriously, please spare me of it.”
The water has boiled, and Hirata brought me the coffee.
“Hey, it’s true. But I suppose you are being humble and won’t admit it.”
Well, it was useless, no matter what I said to him. Right now, Hirata won’t accept it, even if I denied him by my words.
It seemed I had better changed the topic slightly at this moment.
I thought so, but it seemed Hirata had expected that too.
“An exam where someone will have to drop out of school. There’s no way I can do it, even though I thought that I would try to understand this exam. However, there’s no such person who wouldn’t mind if one of our classmates will be gone.”
“I can kind of understand how you feel worried, but you had no choice but to change. We had to come up with an answer by the weekend.”
“An answer, huh. Ayanokōji-kun…… do you think something like, it’s fine if a certain person will be expelled from school?”
His eyes were staring at me like peeking into me. It looked like gentle eyes at first glance, but it seemed it slightly hinted something else.
“Not really.”
Perhaps it would be regarded as crafty neutrality, but I really thought so.
There’s not even 1 student who deserved to be nominated if they should be expelled from school, even though there are some students who were hoping and wishing to stay.
The conclusion for the student who will be expelled from school was derived from the discussion amongst our classmates. That’s the solution.
“I suppose we had no choice but to accept it, no matter who will be gone.”
“You are cool, you know. Hey, you are more suited to be our class leader than someone like me.”
Hirata has been taking the initiative to encourage our class to date, but his remarks that came out were his cowardice one-sidedly. He couldn’t take one concrete action.
“I wonder what I should do after this. I wonder how I should face this exam.”
It’s disrespectful for someone like me to give him an advice, but usually I was often being helped by Hirata. I wanted to do something to help him, but……
“I don’t want you to accept my words without question, but I will tell you what I think.”
“Yeah.”
“Saving everyone. It’s the argument in order to get rid of that kind of naive idea for the moment. Hirata, you have been confused the whole time with the orientation of ‘Who we should get rid of’ soon. And then, you couldn’t come up with any solution, right.”
Hirata was upset, but he still nodded and agreed with me in the end.
“Then, how about if you tried to reverse that orientation for a moment? Don’t think about ‘Who we should get rid of’, but think about ‘Who we should save’.”
“Who we should save, huh……? Of course, everyone──”
“Make a ranking list in order priority for everyone. List everyone in order from the top, including yourself. Of course, perhaps there are some students at almost the same rate who you couldn’t decide. Even so, you should try to assign their ranking for temporary. You can rank everyone based on the students who have contributed to our class, or you can even rank everyone simply based on the students who you like.”
By making the ranking list in that way, the student who was in last place will emerge eventually.
“That’s…… but……”
That’s right, it’s a simple job. But Hirata didn’t do that simple action. He burdened his mind to save everyone.
He was thinking that the action to make a ranking list for the students was a foolish idea.
“Hey, my opinions aren’t necessarily matched with our classmates’ opinions, even if I made the ranking list.”
He made an excuse like that and kept on running away from the responsibility. What will be waiting for us is we will remain helpless to face the special exam on that day.
“No problem. I think that you should start it from drawing a conclusion within yourself first.”
I suppose that’s the only advice I could say to Hirata now. Furthermore, Hirata will decide it by himself what kind of decision he will make.
I gratefully drank the coffee that he has brewed for me. I felt the bitterness was a bit strong, unlike the manufacturer product that I have been buying.
“That’s right, yeah. Perhaps you were right. I’m filled with emotion that I wanted to run away now.”
Hirata took my advice and tried hard to understand it.
I suppose it won’t work right away. Perhaps he couldn’t accept my advice entirely and wanted to say it out.
However, he was trying to encourage himself to accept my advice and restrained himself from complaining.
“Phew…… Yeah. Thank you.”
Hirata squeezed out his words to express his gratitude towards me.
I suppose our discussion this time has finished as well for now.
“Can I ask you something a bit impolite question?”
I decided to change our conversation from the topic about the exam immediately, and tried to ask him about what I was interested in.
“Huh? I wonder what it’s about.”
“Did anyone confess to you since you broke up with Karuizawa?”
“Well, it was an unexpected question, you know. Well, I have never thought that I would be asked that kind of question by Ayanokōji-kun.”
Hirata was a bit surprised, and it looked like he was embarrassed.
My classmate’s circumstance, Mii-chan came to my mind, that’s why I was interested in Hirata’s girlfriend candidates.
She consulted me before the end term exams that she likes Hirata, that’s why I was curious about what had happened between them. I wonder if she has already taken an action.
“I have to conceal that person’s identity, but…… yeah, I guess there was a girl who had come to talk with me.”
In short, he was saying that he has already begun to receive a love confession from a girl.
I’m not certain whether it was Mii-chan. As he had expected, I wouldn’t ask too deep into that matter.
However, the popular guys are amazing, right. The love confession came from the girls’ side, even though they didn’t do anything.
No, it’s just his everyday conduct itself has an influence. I don’t mean that he had ever neglected to work hard.
“Are you dating with that girl?”
“I’m certainly not. I have no intention to date with anyone now.”
He stated it decisively.
“Or is there someone who you like?”
I can understand his remarks, if he was saying that he have no intention to accept anyone other than his dearest one.
“I think that it’s something in the past for me now, even for dating with someone. I’m not qualified.”
“Well, it would be the subject which far beyond reality for someone like me, if Hirata isn’t qualified.”
After all, we don’t need any qualifications, if only for being in love.
“I’m not that kind of capable person.”
The more capable the person, the more modest they are. The less capable the person, the more arrogant they are.
In the end, Hirata and I ended our conversation without even going deep into the subject particularly after that.

7
“Well, I’m sorry, Ichinose. I have acted that way to call you out at such a late hour.”
I invited Ichinose into my room at around 11 o’clock in the evening.
Normally, it wouldn’t be surprising even if Ichinose would be wary and has refused it, but she didn’t even show any objection.
“That’s totally fine. Well, but it’s unusual for Ayanokōji-kun to invite me that way.”
“Well, I wanted to talk to Ichinose no matter what. Please sit on my bed for now, if you don’t mind. Perhaps the floor is getting cold.”
Ichinose replied thanks and sat down on my bed.
“Perhaps I felt slightly nervous for some reason……”
“Eh?”
“Ah no, it was nothing. But why didn’t you say it over the phone?”
Why, huh.
I picked up a white cup while boiling water in the kettle.
“Well, since there are many things that I couldn’t find out over the phone. What I wanted to confirm with you this time is related to those matters.”
“I see.”
“I guess I will ask you directly without talking in a roundabout way, but what are you going to do with the exam this time?”
“It seemed you wanted to continue this morning’s conversation, right. I’m thinking about how to overcome the exam without anyone dropping out of school…… I guess.”
“Is there anything in particular come to your mind?”
I turned around and tried to ask her while peeking at her expression.
Of course, it was something like a rhetorical question. We both have known the fact that there’s no other way than using 20 million of Points.
“Well, unfortunately not yet…… But I don’t have much time left, that’s why I’m anxious, you know.”
I couldn’t notice the fact of things that she hid, from her remarks and attitudes.
I was even impressed by Ichinose’s splendid poker face during the exam on the boat before, but she was very good on it.
“But I wondered if you asked for help from the Student Council President Nagumo.”
“What kind of help?”
Ichinose responded to me with her expression as usual, even though we would have been panicked by such remarks if we haven’t prepared.
However, I suppose I would have no choice but to tear down her poker face as well, if she has heard my next remarks.
The water in the kettle has already boiled, so I made a hot cocoa drink and handed it to Ichinose.
“Thank you.”
“The additional exam this time is different from the exams to date. We can’t overcome it, if we didn’t forcibly choose someone for dropping out of school. However, we were told that the only exception way is we should gather up 20 million of Points. But, even B-Class hasn’t reached to 20 million of Points. In that case, the assistance from the 3RD party is absolutely needed.”
Ichinose, who glanced down at the hot cocoa drink, blew on it gently.
“I see, Asahina-Senpai knew about this matter too, right. But I never thought that she would talk to Ayanokōji-kun about it, you know.”
It seemed she has concluded how I knew about that matter, and she realized that she couldn’t hide it anymore.
“That means you have also heard about his precondition in exchange for lending our shortage amount?”
Ichinose showed a bitter smile when I nodded slightly.
“It sounds like an absurd negotiation, right? In many ways.”
She was talking about the dating precondition for lending the Private Points. The fact that she was seriously considering about that precondition. I suppose that’s what she meant by many ways.
“I was prohibited by Nagumo-Senpai from disclosing about our deal for the moment. He said that he would regard the negotiation this time was never happened, if I disclosed it to the other people. Well, it should be safe for the moment, since it was disclosed by Asahina-Senpai.”
“No problem, don’t worry about that point.”
“However, that negotiation has nothing to do with Ayanokōji-kun, right……?”
“Well, that’s true.”
It was B-Class’ decision, and it should be Ichinose’s resolution.
“How many Points is your shortage amount?”
“I guess it’s about a little over 4 millions.”
She can cover their shortage of 4 million of Points by choosing to date with Nagumo, and she can feel relieved for no one from her class will be expelled from school.
“Well, it was unusual precondition.”
“Yeah. It should be impossible for someone like me can borrow the Private Points by dating with Nagumo-Senpai. Generally, I think that I was in the position who asked for his help, even though I have to pay the Private Points.”
I have finally realized what Ichinose intended to do as I was listening to her remarks.
She absolutely won’t allow anyone from B-Class to drop out of school. She has prepared for the worst to sacrifice herself for that reason.
“Perhaps this is the only way to save every one of us in B-Class.”
“I see……”
It doesn’t mean that I can help Ichinose, no matter what I say at this moment.
Only the Private Points in physical form can help Ichinose at this moment.
I suppose there’s no way I can provide the Private Points that even reached to 4 million, no matter how hard I tried.
“Anyway…… are you worried about me?”
“Well, but perhaps you would think that I’m a shameless guy.”
“Hey, that’s not true. I’m very happy.”
Ichinose answered me that way, but her expression was slightly gloomy.
“But, perhaps it has troubled me a little…… The reason is perhaps I had made a firm decision, if I didn’t discuss it with Ayanokōji-kun.”
Ichinose slowly sipped the hot cocoa drink which has cool down.
“……Ayanokōji-kun, what do you think?”
“About your deal this time?”
“Yeah. From your viewpoint, how do you consider about what I’m trying to do?”
Ichinose looked me in the eye.
I took her gaze head-on and answered her.
“It’s a method that can only be used by Ichinose, in order to prevent anyone from your class from dropping out of school. You happened to have a connection with the Student Council President Nagumo too, since you had joined the Student Council and the strategy where your class had saved up the Private Points. It was one decent method to reach 20 million of Points by making use of these conditions.”
“You won’t despise me, right.”
“I don’t even need to despise you. Well, but to be honest, I can’t tell whether it’s worth paying 20 million of Points in order to save 1 classmate.”
“……I see.”
Ichinose slowly sipped the hot cocoa drink again.
“Hey, Ayanokōji-kun.”
Ichinose kept looking into my eyes.
“Huh?”
“Ayanokōji-kun, I mean…… Are you perhaps a formidable person?”
I don’t know how to respond to her, even though she said that I’m a formidable person. I just said it exactly as what I heard from Asahina.
“What made you think that I’m a formidable person? I’m sorry, but I don’t aware of it at all.”
“In that case, you are even more formidable. Since Ayanokōji-kun is……”
She stopped her remarks in mid-sentence.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, nothing.”
It was like she didn’t even know what she wanted to say.
As if her mouth was moving before she even thought about it.
“……I wonder what it was……”
Ichinose muttered softly as if she was asking the question to herself.
I was glad that I have invited and asked her about it, even though it was forcibly.
Ichinose will take an action in order to protect her B-Class, no matter what will happen. I could conclude that once again.
I suppose Ichinose will make a decision, after she was suffering from her distressed. She will choose to date with Nagumo Miyabi.