章 79: Chapter 7: Conclusion of the Exam
[Kurushima Pov]
Like Sunday, the remainder of Monday has passed in the blink of an eye, as well.
I had some interesting conversations yesterday, with Nagumo-senpai, per example, but that was nothing much of any great relevance.
During dinner time, my name could have been heard almost everywhere. While I was like this, I was still one of the most famous people in this school.
In the past, people ended up approaching me, and now, they're afraid to do that. Kanzaki had spoken with Ichinose, and both Ryūen and Sakayanagi just looked at me in distance.
And I've yet to speak about that bastard, whose eyes were almost constantly trailing only on me.
If you don't count them, there were still some annoying people like Hirata, Sudo, or some of the other people in my school, such as the third year students.
Strangely, I'm really good at making enemies everywhere I go.
Most of them though wouldn't even do anything, if I ended up approaching them right now. Like Ryūen, in essence.
So far he has been exceptionally quiet.
Despite saying he would expel me I've yet to see something coming from him.
But well... he saw as one of the few people my true self back then, so I'm naturally not surprised about him not daring of doing anything.
Currently, I had not much intention of doing anything to him, despite him knowing this information as I felt he was necessarily for her getting into Class A. So I should solve his somewhat of an submissive attitude towards that bastard, Ayanokoji.
Or should I...?
Pondering in thought of a possibility that might be for the best of solving my issue with that bastard and Ryūen's issue I wondered if I should let Ryūen witness that bastard's expulsion?
In this exam I was limited by a few things, so I couldn't do much here. But I could always do things back in the school, again.
I was set on expelling him here... but if my small sabotage attempt on the last day doesn't prove to be much of an obstacle and lower the productivity of his group I guess I'll have to move onto the next possible method.
Even if it's not something I like...
But as long as his small group scored below the borderline average points set forth by the school I could expel him.
Of course this also meant that all 10 members in his group would face a similar end of getting expelled, but that was something they had to accept and blame their fate for it.
From his small group 2 members happened to be from Class A, Sakayanagi's class, 2 from Class B, Ryūen's Class, 3 from my class, and at last 3 from Ichinose's class.
In short, if everyone there would be expelled, the rankings wouldn't change much as the Class Points decreases per person by just 100.
If your class saves you, it's 20 Million Private Points coupled with 300 Class Points that they'll lose.
Before I'm leaving this school however, I'll also deal with Sakayanagi.
Since I'm quite confident that Ryūen won't be able to defeat her I'll be the one doing it. After that, Class A shouldn't be much of an obstacle for him and his class, anymore.
Ichinose won't be a problem nor will be Horikita. Without Sakayanagi, Class A is ruined, so he should have an easy way with this then.
He'll ensure that she graduates from Class A.
I'll make sure of that...
Before leaving in just two months I've some decent things planned, haven't I?
Well... I sure did.
Some of the things are bluntly said more shortly planned, but I never thought... that I would lose the fight against him on the rooftop.
...
Even though it's past three weeks already just thinking about it made my blood boil. However I won't let him escape his fate again.
In these past three weeks after my break-up with her... I've had much time to spare and had ordered my thoughts about mostly everything in my life.
Why was I even afraid of that bastard's father?
Did I not prepare myself so long that no matter how influential he was... It wouldn't matter?
Back then when I found it out... I was desperately thinking of hiding from him who I was. If I wasn't behaving like that and didn't care enough about that I would have won.
In hindsight... I guess it's not easy to confront someone directly who you know is responsible of the death of your own family.
And still... I'm not sure how I'll fare against him once the time comes...
Before facing him I'll have to do my research about him...
Should I involve Aoki in it...?
I just wanted from him to keep an eye of Chairman Sakayanagi's condition... but perhaps it's better if he can give me a brief detailed report about him...
...
I'm not sure...
Feeling deeply conflicted I looked in front of me as I was sitting in the cafeteria alone. There I could see one of the people closest to Nagumo-senpai walking away, without her usual amulet she was carrying.
Due to my duties in the student council I happened to encounter her quite often. From our usual conversations I could tell that the amulet was something important to her.
But unlike me—like in the case of my necklace—it was for her something like a lucky charm, it seemed.
I didn't place my mind much onto that, but she had been kind so far, to me.
She even went as far as to buy me a Strawberry Shortcake, after she had forgotten about my birthday in October.
Strangely, she was even able to convince Nagumo-senpai to accompany her and buy me a delicious cake a week after my birthday.
In that sense I felt grateful for her kindness back then.
If she in any way just wanted to talk with me I would do my best to kindly dismiss her.
Seemingly this wasn't the case and she just waved at me with her hand, going to the direction of the toilet.
But not shortly after, I could see something interesting happening.
Ayanokoji, the person I disliked and hated for several reasons was trailing after her and most likely wanted to initiate a 'coincidental' meeting between her and him.
He seems to do exactly what Manabu Horikita wants from him; stopping Nagumo. And right now he is after gaining information it seems.
By giving her the amulet back she was now indebted to him. Even much greater, because this amulet wasn't up to sale, currently.
I knew what he was doing because Manabu Horikita wanted from me the same.
Unfortunately, I couldn't care less what he wanted from me nor what would happen in this school.
I wasn't going to follow his communitarian ideology nor any other ideology.
The past me back then with the facade in front of everyone would have chosen a system in-between communitarian and meritocratic...
But now...
I do wonder...
My ideology...
...
Neither one of these two ideologies ever spoke up to me more than the other.
If I truly had become the student council president back then I wasn't sure which system to implant.
Let the remaining system be in charge...?
Or do a different one...?
I believe I would be a bit autocratic centered but would keep both of these other two systems from Nagumo-senpai and Horikita Manabu in charge as well.
But why would I waste my time with these thoughts now?
I knew from the very beginning the answer already.
Shrugging my thoughts off I continued on eating my meal. There was much talk behind my back as always but I ignored them.
The day had almost quickly passed immediately, but the atmosphere in our room was tensed up very much due to me.
When I noticed that everyone was sleeping I stepped outside, opening the door.
Several moments long I walked through the building until I encountered the person I was searching for.
"I ended up hoping you would be on the patrol today, Sensei. Isn't that a really strange coincidence? That we're able to meet right now? Especially, since our unresolved incident on last Friday was something heavily bothering on my mind."
With a slight smirk on my face I looked at the teacher who had tried on hitting me with a flat wooden stick on Friday, due to the fact I had seemed to hurt his ego with my attitude a prior day by dismissing him on Thursday.
I didn't do it to gain any possible leverage on one of the teachers, honestly.
I just felt hungry.
That was all.
The three hours long trip from Tokyo to Karuizawa, a small city in the prefecture of Nagano made me enormously hungry.
So while the others had taken it as their task to discuss whom to group up with I had taking it as my task on eating my prepared meal.
Of course one of the teachers got angry for that, infuriated by me and my dismissive attitude and as a result, that same person tried on hitting me a day later on the Zazen lesson's without an actual given reason.
I'm sure if I and some of the other teachers watched the replay of the footage they would notice that the amount of force from the flat wooden stick I and the others would have received was by far much different.
Topping it off, I was naturally not making any mistake on my part.
"I just can't believe a teacher would do this. To a traumatized student such as me. I wonder how the school board would react to this?"
"Kurushima, I didn't expect to see you here. I'm aware there was a misunderstanding last Friday, and I regret how things turned out. However, your portrayal of the incident seems to exaggerate what actually happened."
"I think we should let the school board decide about that, Sensei. Isn't it interesting how such misunderstandings can become significant issues?"
"How will they react if they learn that a teacher resorted to physical violence over what was nothing more than a minor disagreement. Especially when the incident involved a student already dealing with a huge trauma."
"You're exaggerating the situation. It was a misunderstanding, and I regret how things turned out."
"Was it? Or is it just because your fragile ego was hurt? You might have ended up being fine if it had involved other students. But if a situation like this involves a student like me it can become quite the significant issue. After all, I'm just not any student. Wouldn't you agree, Sensei?"
"Not just because I'm a student with a huge trauma. The school board surely also wouldn't want to antagonize the person who will be in a couple of years one of the wealthiest people in this country, would they?"
"Even if it's a school managed by the government... I do wonder what they will think about major future scandals. The media would eat my words right away. I'm someone who holds grudges very deep in my heart."
"For your own future here as a teacher I'm sure you wouldn't want this I assume? How about we clarify this incident then?"
"Are you trying on blackmailing a teacher, Kurushima? You know that it is strictly forbidden. Right?"
A slight smile twitched on the corners of my mouth when I heard the word 'Blackmail'. I just couldn't shrug the irony off.
"The school that teaches us that blackmail, violence—till a certain extent, and hoaxing people is allowed and not condemned, but this is? Sensei, I'm just using what the school had taught me."
"Perhaps you won't understand it much since you're the teacher of Class 3-A, a class that has always been a bit too blinded by its own self-righteousness so fixated on discipline, order and its communal success that it forgets sometimes the real nature of this place."
"But I'm not like your so-called class. I'm not bound by the communal ideology that you share your fate with your class like Horikita Manabu likes to emphasize or the need to work together. That's nothing more than naive."
"When the time comes, you'll see your unified class crumbling and questioning each other about saving a student in need or abandoning them, for the position of remaining in Class A."
"I've shown it already, but I can get my class alone to A. They just need to follow my words. That's how I see everything."
"Speaking of how I perceive everything, I don't believe in the ideology of this school at all. It's just something that the politicians decided to promote their own agenda and maintain them."
"Nothing more than a facade to promote and protect themselves. A school like this... That's the kind of school we attend. The people in power doing everything they like, manipulating the system to fit their own needs."
"I'm sure you—and most teachers here as well as the students here believe that this school aims to nurture talents. But as always, most of you are being fooled and used."
"Enough unnecessarily talk from me. I actually didn't come here to blackmail you. I just wanted to meet you, Sensei. Isn't that kind of me? I'm sure you wouldn't like to tell others about our meeting, would you?"
"If you did, I would have no choice but to do something you wouldn't like. Anyway, I'll be gone. And please do remember always..."
"Know with whom you're dealing with before you're making such huge mistakes."
"I had a bit of fun. Good night.
"And also..."
"Good luck."
--
Now it was the last day I would end up sleeping in a room with them before tomorrow the exam is being held and concluded.
Afterwards, we drive back to the school.
"This will be another boring day..."
Sitting currently outside leaning myself against a tree I couldn't help but mutter these words out.
This was by far my most favorite place among the outdoor school.
No excessive noise, just the beautiful surrounding of nature that I could enjoy, thoroughly. It was a strange thing to do in the eyes of others but I just preferred to be in a beautiful and quiet place most of the times.
Because of its beauty, and its quietness, this place here was particularly relaxing for me. I didn't experience such a comfortable and relaxing feeling this often at all.
In fact, this had been rarely possible for me; to simply relax like this.
The only other time I remember being able to relax like that was when I was with her.
But that's not important.
I should focus on doing some of my small plans as well today.
After ten minutes.
--
Like you could expect, today was also a boring day. By any means nothing overly exciting happened, either.
Lately, I've been struggling on feeling any kind of joy. However, I guess that was to be expected, wasn't it?
While my conversations with others were usually bothersome some ended up being fun. Like yesterday.
So far that was one of the few times I could experience joy.
But this wasn't important now by any means.
I had achieved one part of what I wanted to do, already, way before.
A more or less improvised sort of thing that worked better than laxatives if consumed.
Whether it was Japanese Knotweed (Itadori), Butterbur, Senna, or other plants that worked as well like laxatives I knew it all.
After all I had memorized the encyclopedia of the plants perfectly.
Which brings me to say... the reason I ran back then on Monday so fast wasn't actually just because of the bath.
While a bath alone for me attributed to it this was the perfect choice of making this while every boy was gone.
And in the end, everything worked well.
Anyhow, I got a good combination of some parts from the Japanese Honeysuckle, Japanese Knotweed, the Dandelion Roots, and the Butterbur as well here.
And everything else required just one more touch of me.
It wasn't some kind of master plan I had, but just an ordinary, dirty one. Of course I wasn't much in favor of a plan like that, but my options here were limited.
I could have smuggled back then exam papers in their room and had the teacher come there because of noise issues, but I would make myself pretty suspicious.
Most of the times people are in the teacher office, and the possibility of someone framing you is not that far fetched off.
In a situation like that it is pretty easily, even.
A plan like that wasn't my style, normally.
But I ended up thinking, why not do it?
If he's expelled, everything is fine, isn't it?
Actually, I had one plan already, but I didn't really like resorting to that. So I wanted to wait for a potential special exam, but everything I have gotten is this boring exam.
It was really disappointing, but I guess I'll do it, regardless of the sacrifices of the others.
I'm feeling apologetic towards the second and third years from his large group however you just happened to be unfortunate.
There were several ways of expelling others, but the natural two here were: get the leader of a small group expelled and thus, he will be forced of choosing one person of his choice in his small group as well or the small group scores a average below the set forth score the school decides.
The others involved provoking and making a student go violent, smuggle something like an exam paper to their room and frame them of cheating, or frame them with something else that was crucial as well.
Of course none of that would have worked here, particularly not against him, so I was pretty much limited of doing this.
Despite this being quite dirty, it was highly effective in a situation like this.
For a school that wants us to play dirty by an extent—I'm doing good at sabotaging my enemies.
Of course not any other could pull this off since they're not aware of plants that work well as laxatives, so it something I knew off, only, probably.
I'm doing this rather than resorting to that.
The other plan left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, truthfully.
That was also why I didn't use it so far.
I could expel him easily with that.
But I wasn't one to do this.
He might be using it towards his own advantage if it presented itself in front of him but I wasn't really in the slightest bit in favor of that.
But anyway, after this exam, he'll be gone.
Alongside Koenji, as well.
Once he's gone tomorrow, I really would like to see Atsuomi Ayanokoji's face.
His 'success' being expelled, what would it feel like for him? Especially, since he deliberately had him come here to this school.
That he already fails right now is quite ironic despite being his first real 'success'.
But well... This was just a matter of time.
I'm sad that this is how it ends, but it's better than getting him hooked in my plan with his past.
I was pretty aware that after the last time he will be more careful of me so I probably wouldn't end up getting him in my traps.
The only way of having him do so currently—is by threatening him with his past.
But I wasn't patient enough to do that or wait that long for another special exam to occur where I can expel him somehow else, so I'm doing this.
Better than the other option I guess.
It sounds stupid but I hated the other method, somehow. I didn't like using his past, his weakness, towards my own advantage, but it definitely was probably by far better than this.
The reason I disliked it is because I didn't like it either.
Someone insulting my family, offending them, it is something I heavily disliked, and it probably was one of my few weaknesses.
Messages and comments like that...
I had gotten them often, back then.
However I shouldn't have let that affect me, probably.
Now I'll be not just expelling him and his group, but his large group as well, likely. In other words, I was ruining something again to the innocent people.
It definitely wasn't a feeling I liked...
But even though people end up thinking that you have no future after you're gone from this school that's just a common misconception of the high schoolers here.
I was more than fine accepting people regardless of the school they went. And I didn't care in the slightest if their resume had this school or some other in it as well.
Call me whatever you like, but this school was in my eyes, just a waste of time.
The only good thing that happened here had been my time with her.
Other than that I did not see anything special about this school aside from wasting money.
I didn't mind giving scholar ships or other advantageous things to my classmates back then, but now, they did piss me off quite a bit.
Essentially, the younger and elder Horikita.
For some reason, I disliked both of them.
The elder one for not appreciating his sister, his methods, and how he treats her, and the younger one for being so foolish and choosing a decision that would ostracize and distance me from the class, in the long term.
I didn't care about any of these, but keeping Kushida, and not revealing her as a traitor ended up making some foolish classmates think I was the traitor.
Of course I had not interfered, however it was certainly a foolish decision.
Perhaps this had been why I was so agitated on telling him my predictions for his class's future.
But I guess I had been just bored.
I might use that teacher sometime, but as of now, even here, he has not much of a use. Especially, in an exam like this.
All I want now is that bastard Ayanokoji to be gone.
You're the son of the man that took everything away from me. Even better, you're the one that Atsuomi Ayanokoji considers as his success, his one and only masterpiece.
Once Ayanokoji is gone it will hurt and ruin Atsuomi Ayanokoji's plans in the process.
If you weren't his success I probably wouldn't have done anything to you. But that's how fate works, ironically.
A person like him has no person he considers close, not even his own son.
He is the type of person that is just driven by his endless amount of greed.
I'm feeling a bit apologetic towards you but I'm going to expel you.
However, at least, you and the other children in the 'White Room' will have a future, in a couple of years after I've crushed Atsuomi Ayanokoji completely.
I don't have any real ill feelings towards you so I hope you won't end up taking it the wrong way.
Haha...
That's a straight lie.
I don't like you, Ayanokoji.
I really dislike you.
There is no reason for me to try on sugarcoating this.
I'm focusing myself on my objective and that's all.
All I have to do now was is to wait until the night sets on.
--
As the night has set on, my roommates sleeping, I just wanted to open the door until I heard some footsteps from the floor.
It seemed like I wasn't the only one going out right now.
That was a real drag, honestly.
I hope I can go unnoticed till the outside kitchen. Tomorrow at each of our respective kitchens like on Friday, our first real day, the school will cook for us.
It was a short term warning they had announced to us Wednesday in the cafeteria with many people cheering who would have been responsible of cooking tomorrow.
Of course no one really wanted to cook on the same day the exams will be held for around forty people so their cheering was evidently.
I felt a bit conflicted, but it naturally didn't change anything much. I would use this regardless as my own advantage.
Sabotaging food wasn't the plan I would have loved to do but this exam has just two options of expelling someone and I wouldn't be able to do the first one as I had no control over Yukimura.
In that sense the second one is the one that remains crucial to me. Well anyway, it's not me who will be cooking the breakfast that will be responsible for their group's downfall but the school.
I'm just taking this with me.
Looking at the ingredients I found in nature I couldn't help but smile, ironically.
Those were things I could easily put there.
But before that I have to ensure of no one seeing me.
I concentrated myself on anything but I couldn't tell who it was. I kind of wished the door had a peephole but I knew this was a futile thing to be expected here.
This made things a bit more troublesome but I suppose I'll be using the window, again.
I couldn't tell who was walking through the floor, but it could easily be Ryūen. Until the steps got slowly closer, stopping a moment long in front of my room I could tell that it was him.
But he quickly walked away, with his rather loud steps.
I guess he is meeting someone, isn't he?
In some sense I had my answer, because I knew how Ryūen was operating.
He was the kind of person defeating other classes through having traitors on his side or using other dirty means.
So he could be meeting someone as well or he was just simply going to the toilet.
In any case he won't be the only person out there in the first case so I'll rather take this time the window, again.
If I had to guess who... it's no one of my class, perhaps Ayanokoji, but I heavily doubted it. In case of Kanzaki's class it also seemed not likely, so he likely meets someone from Sakayanagi's class, perhaps Hashimoto.
He was a close ally of her, who also can be said to be someone who would group with the class that likely wins.
Sometimes, Hashimoto had approached me out of nowhere when we were in Class A, complimenting me and asking me whether I was better than Sakayanagi.
My answer back then was different, not slightly honest, so he might have not revealed his intentions, but just from that I could tell he was willing to become a traitor for me.
In return, for being in Class A, of course.
That was pretty evident.
He might even have some girls in my class as his spies. In that case he likely had heard how I was carrying the class singlehandedly, so far.
But because I ignored those implications he might have chosen to group with someone else, then, alias Ryūen.
No one between us said anything, but it was clear, back then.
However I never considered the need of a traitor.
That was how I perceived it. My silence must have told him everything.
Regardless, if Ryūen and Hashimoto meet up, I could expect Ayanokoji following him as well. He's with Hashimoto in a group so he likely knows about his kind of character as well.
In any case I'll be using the window and sabotage them with some things I've found in nature.
--
Biep
Hearing the sound of the alarm clock in our room I woke up. I was by any means not waking up late in the slightest bit but it was better to be up sooner than later.
Like me, the majority here woke up as well.
I just remembered the thing I had done yesterday.
Putting some laxative working plants, like cut Dandelion Roots in the leeks that were cut everywhere for each group would have been possible.
Of course I didn't go that far, so it was just Group 6, Ayanokoji's group.
There were some additional things as well in some other ingredients, but that wasn't particularly important.
In essence, the school would prepare their fatal meal before the exam. And yes, they didn't prepare it in advance.
They would be cooking it freshly.
Cooking it the night in advance would have been possible, definitely, but we Japanese people would prepare the meals, fresh, at the same day.
That was also why I had so much room where I could put the ingredients I gathered there, since everything essential like the ingredients were prepared in advance.
Leeks that were cut, and far more other things.
It was just the final straw that was missing, and the people that were responsible for cooking were already a bit stressed.
Even if they're experienced cooks in the middle of the morning, just barely having it 5 a.m... They won't pay more attention than necessarily to the ingredients that they prepared a day ago.
Especially, if they have to cook for each group around forty breakfast meals respectively.
Anyway, given our breakfast meal, and its mix of ingredients I'm sure no one will really notice it as long as you're not a gourmet taster.
Feeling how I was overthinking once again I stopped, waiting patiently till the breakfast would begin. Once it was time like everyday, our seating arrangements and our outdoor kitchen arrangements stayed the same.
It wasn't much of a surprise so I just concentrated myself on my own, and slowly after, had gotten a bit excited of being alone again.
Quite the hard week, out of different reasons. I didn't like being with them, but they were certainly the best group for most of my objectives.
They weren't annoying like those from Class A or my class, nor were they from Class B, Ryūen's class.
Being in Ryūen's group was also not something attractive, so here I was.
Still, ever since Monday, the room had been quite tensed. That was no surprise, but after today, I'll be rid of them, finally.
But I didn't waste any time further of thinking about this, and quickly, the breakfast time had passed. I alongside everybody else had eaten our dishes.
It was now time for Zazen.
Just as we were in the Dojo, I looked at the teacher who was visibly perturbed. I guess he really didn't like me, did he?
But if he tries on doing anything stupid here he will reveal everything in front of multiple camera's.
Anyway, I couldn't bother what he would think about me.
However I could see his unease at his face.
My parting gift must have made him feel like this.
I was quite kind to him, wasn't I? I was going as far as to tell him the state of his class after this exam.
That was really nice of me.
Ignoring the meeting between our eyes I just walked like everyone else towards my seat.
Right now he couldn't do anything, since the exam has not officially started, so I didn't feel the need of being mindful of my manners.
Even if, I'm sure he doesn't have the guts to pull something off, since I'm the one that is holding his career, reputation, and his future in my hand.
Being rich and affluent had both it's own disadvantages and advantages...
The disadvantage was... That my family was dead, due to that sole reason. If we weren't rich they would have still been all alive.
Only because my family had become rich, affluent, and influential, did my father become a politician. He used that sole fact out, of course, to change this country from the inside.
But he failed to do so, and my family had been meet with their demise due to that.
I had often questioned why I was being spared, but I guess I was just lucky to be at home, that day.
That bastard... Atsuomi Ayanokoji...
I'll make sure he loses everything.
But now it's not the right time of showing signs of my hatred. Not in a situation where all boys from the first year are gathered.
I quickly ignored everything that was on my mind, and decided to listen to the teacher.
"Now then, let's start the Zazen assessment. Scoring is based on two criteria's: your actions and manners after entering this dojo and any semblance of unrest during Zazen itself."
"After Zazen, stand by in your assigned classrooms until you are given instructions for the next assessment."
"I'll call each student out by name and we'll go in that order. Line up and we'll start the assessment in that order. I'll start now. Class A, Katsuragi Kouhei. Class D, Ishizaki Daichi—"
He quickly called the two students names out, which must have surprised some, since it's not the people of the same group, but I preferably liked it this way.
I was just wondering if Ichizaki by now had felt a bit of unrest already. I'm sure, he and some of the others did by now.
It was not long since we finished breakfast so it shouldn't happen immediately. I'm sure the second and third years might have had it easier.
Especially, if they run before anything happens so far, they should manage to solve this exam.
That was no precedent guarantee of them managing this exam, but it was likely, since the long distance run must be graded much more than the other categories.
Ignoring some chatters around the room I quickly found my name being called, and I appropriately did everything correct.
My posture, my manners, and everything else.
Now it was time for the other people in my group to do as well.
I hoped they would end up being good, but regardless of it, I guess there's nothing much to be done about this.
I was there, so I would rise the scores always.
--
Zazen had ended. Many were relieved, and some weren't.
That was naturally bound to happen. People weren't perfect at Zazen, and one week of practice didn't help particularly much.
Next up was the written exam, which should be something too easy, again. I had no reason to doubt my abilities so I walked as always, without any thought about the exam.
Murmurs here and there could be heard as well, of people being nervous and such, but again, I didn't feel like paying attention.
I was walking alongside my group towards the written exam.
As much as I hated helping Kanzaki, this time I had no choice.
Like always, I had gotten a perfect score, within a short amount of time while I decided to sleep the rest of the time.
Honestly, sleeping was really refreshing.
Now time had passed again, and I looked at some other people, who had visible stomach issues.
"If you're not feeling well, you may exit. Be aware that you'll be disqualified then and your other nine group members will be tasked to take your distance as well. There're no advantage if a student is unable to continue."
"No, no, I'm fine."
Not just me but others as well had paid attention to it. It was Ishizaki Daichi, who was holding his arms around his stomach.
Any Injuries or sickness will be penalized. So in order to get through this exam and don't incur a penalty everyone had to run.
Give or take, it would become a bit of an hassle to them. People from their group ended up becoming sick, and they didn't know why.
The school would see it as the students problem, catching a cold, and along those lines, and no one would be able to be punished for this.
I'm sure some of them might speculate something from them already. But even so, it's not me who they would end up suspecting.
There's someone in our year who should 'officially' hold a resentment against Albert and Ishizaki, the current leader's of Class B.
They're the ones who 'supposedly' brought him down from his leader position after all.
In any case, most of them will end up thinking it was Ryūen.
Ayanokoji, Ichizaki and Albert, and some others albeit not, but of course, they didn't have anything with what they could complain about.
The school cooked the meal, not the students.
Teachers on the patrol were also there so they won't end up thinking anyone could have sabotaged them.
Anyway, given the importance of this run, and that everyone had been confirmed, I had basically won.
I'm sure Ayanokoji suspected something ago, but he has severely underestimated me. Did he truly think I wouldn't pull anything out here?
Well... I can't deny that's it logical to think like that. You couldn't bring anything with you, such as laxatives, just your normal clothes so I had revealed him a bit more to him with this move.
I should become a likelier suspect now, but what use does it have, when you remember everyone can go out at almost whenever they like.
There were plenty of opportunities.
Anyway, I slowly entered the van, as the first one in my group, feeling no need to discuss or listen to anything.
I was the final runner given my fast speed.
The contest between the final runner in our group was between either me or Shibata, but everyone remembered the Sports Festival where I ran faster than him despite my broken rib.
In a sense it was clear for everyone who would be the final runner. The competition would be difficult, and becoming the 1st place in the run was the priority for them.
I couldn't really care less about this, truthfully.
Regardless of it, I would be the last one to be dropped off.
I shrugged everything off and soon after, student after student was dropped from the van. Like everyone here does, the students low ranked in terms of athleticism are running first.
But the other runners would make it up for it, and with me, at last.
"Good luck, Kanzaki-kun. Let's do our best."
Being interrupted by Shibata Sou's loud cheering, as Kanzaki was getting off from the van, he looked back at him.
"You too, Shibata. And you as well, Kurushima. Good luck."
I did a slight nod towards him and he dropped out at his waiting point.
Shibata, who would be usually overly friendly with everyone, didn't talk to me after Kanzaki has gotten off.
It wasn't because he hadn't the intention but that I wasn't interested in doing so. So the tense mood continued, and once he had gotten off, just a sound escaped from his mouth.
"Good luck."
Saying that the door got closed, and I was now the final person inside the van. The other groups had also an own for each of them as well.
It would be a really long time I would have to wait, right?
I really can't believe I have to wait that long...
Should I just run 20 Kilometers on my own?
There's nothing that forbids me of doing so...
No... I would be disqualified if I left the spot and interfered with the runners. That would really end up becoming something quite the serious issue which I don't really want.
Feeling bored with this I had gotten off the van as it just now stopped. As expected, each group ended up choosing the qualified students to run at last.
I turned to my side and saw Sudo, Koenji, and some other students from the other groups.
"... As expected, you're here as well," Sudo was the one to say this out, looking at me from the side.
He disliked seeing me, and now, he had the chance of rubbing it to my face, if I lose. From our small 'incident' on the bus he didn't have a chance of talking to me.
Ignoring them I walked somewhere I could wait.
We would be here for perhaps around two hours or even longer so better spend my time somewhere else in peace and quiet.
I would have preferably liked running the marathon on my own but sadly the school cannot nurture talents beyond their narrow-minded understanding.
There's not even one single occasion where I could truly say the school had taught me something successfully.
School of the Elites...?
What a joke...
There're just a handful of people here, like Nagumo-senpai or Horikita Manabu, who could respectfully called to be an elite.
Regardless of my feelings for the latter one I'm admitting that he's a bit capable. However, that didn't change the sole fact that I disliked him.
I sat myself down, boringly, waiting for the run yet to begin.
Sleeping right now would be nice...
--
The last two remaining respective parts of the exam ended well. After the long distance run it was time for the last topic, the formal speech.
I didn't necessarily do anything exaggerating. There had been nothing more on my mind than getting this quickly over with.
Since I knew about either being 1st or 2nd Place overall among the boys in all years, and being 1st in the 1st Year likely, there wasn't any kind of fear of me getting potentially expelled, due to this.
Logically, being in a group with just Class D people, and Kanzaki being the leader, that also meant if he was going down I would too.
But for that, we scored too high.
Regardless of it if I really wanted to demoralize anyone, I could have done it. I was good at getting beneath the skin of people, somehow.
My arrogant, disrespectful and dismissive behavior had been much at fault for that. But I wasn't planning on changing anything of that.
Right now I was just waiting for the exam results. Currently, it was five o'clock in the evening, with the exam having taken quite long.
Since Today was Thursday, the 21st January, we got tomorrow due to coming so late, and exhausted, a free day.
I wouldn't have appeared even if there was school, but at least I could honor Kaori on her birthday, tomorrow.
Speaking of Birthday, hers is today...
Considering that I had bought the gift when it was limited, and in the middle of December... It might be better to give it to her, right?
After all... She had taken really much effort of making her gift for my birthday... so at least I should put it in her mailbox at the dormitories.
...
Yeah...
I hope I can avoid her...
If she saw me putting it in I wasn't sure how to reply...
...
Regardless of this, now it's not the time to space out. I'll think about this later.
Right now, I looked at the front, where the teachers, alongside all students, both girls and boys alike have gathered in the large outdoor school hall in the boys building.
"You all did well in the last eight days of this training camp. The contents of the exam are different of course, but this is a special exam that occurs every few years."
"Overall, you all did better than the students who took this special exam last time. I suppose you could attribute that to all of you having better teamwork."
"First of all, I'll be announcing the results. For the boys, all groups are above the average set by the school and so there will be no expellees."
What...
"Group 6, from the 1st years, you however barely made it with just one respective point above the average. That's one of the worst results the school has ever seen."
"Anyway, I won't be going much into that topic. You all did very well."
....
I was astonished to even speak right now, but where did I fail?
They ended up getting late in the long distance run, due to my sabotage. Even Koenji and Ayanokoji, the two last runners couldn't end up doing much after their groups initial bad result.
And I don't want to speak about Zazen or the other two categories of the exam. Sure, for the Written Exam it might have been easier to manage but this was not supposed to happen...
Did Chabashira give his group the necessarily one point to pass the exam...?
My eyes looked to every single teacher on the front observing any kind of strange behavior they had. But I wasn't seeing none of it.
I'm sure they were expelled...
That's something I'm confident in, so how so...?
...
Do they really want to tell me that it's just one single point?
I had my doubts, but I couldn't deny that possibility as well that it might have been true they ended up getting lucky...
But...
Could it be him...?
If I was true of why he was here... Did his father intercept the results of this exam? So that he stays here?
...
I really didn't know. That was too much of a coincidence, wasn't it? I had done my own calculations, based on how much each one of the parts were counted for the special exam.
Assuming that the Long Distance Run would give you most, was quite fair to say. Still... they ended up staying here, even though they're placed at last.
...
Even if Koenji and Ayanokoji ended up scoring in both the Written Exam and Zazen perfectly, if the long distance run is worth forty percent in this exam with the following three being twenty percent they shouldn't be here regardless...
The long distance run was clearly the major part of the exam. I could see their performance well in the formal speech and some weren't that great in it.
But... Perhaps the school judged them too leniently...?
There were so many possibilities, and yet, I couldn't exactly narrow down which one applied. Was it pure luck, by chance...?
Did they score unexpectedly better... or what possibly else?
I wasn't sure... by any means.
Since we all had the same written exam, and I could judge for partially everything from the three categories and their assessment aside from their Zazen performance, I believe I was able to make good predicted guesses of their end results based on their capabilities.
But that shouldn't have changed much either...
...
If he isn't expelled now then that leaves only the other option now...
However...
I have to confirm it for myself, as well...
...
I ignored everything in the remainder of the time, until the time came, where everyone, including me as well, wanted to see the decision of Horikita Manabu would make.
"... Why didn't you target me...?"
Those were the only words coming from his mouth. Instead of choosing, he was asking Nagumo, who was dragging down Tachibana Akane this single question.
"Please, I never considered expelling you. On the contrary, if I expelled you it would take all the fun away. I just took one of the few amusing possibilities and wanted to see what kind of expression you would make if you are confronted with a merciless decision like this."
He ended up laughing, while everyone had a more or less shocked expression on their face as well. All aside from a selected few, like me, Koenji, Ayanokoji, or the people in knowledge of Nagumo's plan since Day 1.
"... My policies differed from yours but I did trust you. Regarding our competition, I thought you to be the kind of man capable of facing me head on. Looks like I was wrong."
"Trust can be easily broken, Horikita-senpai. For me, trust is like experience points—you build it up to reach a goal. I followed your rules and earned a degree of your trust, but that doesn't mean I value it the same way you do."
"But why do we talk about trust when you never trusted me to hundred percentile at all? I think you should have deep down expected this much at least, won't you agree?"
"... Right. That's on me. I should have foreseen this. However at least I finally understood how your mind works, Nagumo."
"Hahaha... You're making me look like the bad guy here, Horikita-senpai. I'm just following the rules of this school. This school is a competition among who deserves to be the winner. Naive minds have nothing to search here."
"I took my chance in an exam like this, and that's all. It's not my fault that nobody else thought of utilizing this exam as well."
"Nagumo, for you, that's easy to say. But not many classes can afford themselves 20 Million Private Points and save the student that is the leader, like you say."
"That's right. It's something not many can pull off. In fact, the only ones capable of doing so alongside myself are some of the first years."
He stared at my direction, that of Sakayanagi, and Ryūen, but quickly casted his glance towards Horikita Manabu, again.
Each one of us had at least 20 Million Private Points, assuming everyone taxed their class. But after the following week, I'm quite sure no one will end up transferring anything to the Class Bank, again.
It's sad to say, but I guess I will have to accept it. It's not like I was poor on points, to begin with.
"... You seem to be the under the impression that I'll abandon her."
"I figured out you would end up saying that, but shouldn't you first talk with your classmates about your decision. I'm sure I don't have to say it out loudly, but letting Tachibana-senpai be expelled, would be more beneficial for your class, no?"
"They also have a say in this crucial matter, Horikita-senpai. It's quite important, after all. Do you really want to risk their future for her? That's quite the selfish decision, isn't it?"
"W-Wait, Horikita-kun! Please stop, I beg you. My uselessness is my own responsibility..... That's why—"
She had tried to desperately stop him, but he didn't seem to want to listen. Abandoning her, with all his ideals now, that was not the kind of person he was.
A communitarian like him wouldn't let her be expelled.
But what about his class?
If they end up doing this, there might be just one more additional chance of becoming Class A, again.
I wasn't sure how many special exams would come in this period of time, but in late March, the 3rd Years will leave this school.
There wasn't much time left anymore.
A risk like that, would they really be foolish to take that?
Until now his class might have thought his ideals are good, since they are benefitting from it as well, but in a situation like that, they will certainly abandon her.
Nagumo knew it as well. Horikita Manabu was basically asking them to abandon their future. I really unexpectedly aided him with this.
Hah...
Fate can be really strange.
I hated the hypocrisy of his class always holding together, despite never facing any kind of difficulties in terms of the class competitions, but now, I can get a closer look on them.
Before Horikita Manabu could even speak up his shameless request of helping Tachibana Akane, his classmate, Fujimaki, a close person came in clutch, speaking up.
"Up until now, the reason why Class A was able to function as Class A is something the people in the class understand better than anyone else. Isn't that right?"
"Right. Horikita-kun, please use it."
Voices like that could be heard from his class, all around. Honestly, that wasn't what I had expected, in any sense.
Were they so confident in winning their position back or did they trust Horikita Manabu simply that much?
I felt really pissed off... since that wasn't what I had expected at all. I thought people in his class would shout against each other, quarrel and fight, but how could they risk their future just like that?
They weren't anything special, at all. There was no reason for them to boost this much confidence, despite being useless, in most cases, likely.
Was it because I imagined how my class react that I had assumed they would do the same?
I guess that might be the difference between his so called saint class that shows it.
Perhaps, if I didn't end up crushing Class 3-D, formerly C, back then with four expulsions, Nagumo wouldn't have been able to use some people from there.
After all, their positions back then were closer. In that case Nagumo might have used someone from Class B, then.
However, Class D had no chance of graduation from Class A, at all. But both Class C and B still had, if Class 3-A's Class Points were respectively lowered.
It was somehow my fault this strategy of his could be utilized, since I made no room for any future of Class 3-D, so I guess... I'm responsible for something, once again.
If every class excluding Class A agreed, it was easily possible. For D, who had barely 50 Class Points due to me would likely get private points for things they could buy or exchange for, not just from Nagumo, but perhaps the other two classes as well.
I didn't know much about their agreement, but right now, three classes of the Third Year have the chance of graduating, based on their conversation.
Which makes it evident that there is at least a final exam in the year.
I didn't expect any less, but it's always good to get a confirmation.
Horikita Manabu's class surely needs to win there. In the beginning of the Sports Festival they had a lead of over 366 Class Points.
Back then Class 3-B didn't end up losing any single Class Points, and their distance between Class 3-A shortened, with 50 Class Points.
In short, they now had around 326 Class Points, while Class B, had an advantage of more Class Points close to graduation.
But I couldn't care less about it even though I'm a big reason for their new position.
"Horikita-senpai, we are all waiting for your decision. Please tell us are you going to save Tachibana Akane or will you abandon her?" he asked with a slight smirk on his face, knowing the answer already.
Horikita Manabu walked over to the teacher like the expelled girl in Class 3-D did as well, canceling both student's expulsions.
"Horikita-senpai, since you and your class really ended up saving Tachibana-senpai, how does it feel to be—"
"In Class 3-B, so close to your graduation?" he asked with a mocking grin.
People like Fujimaki and his other classmates just couldn't help but end up clenching their fists due to what Nagumo mockingly said.
But he paid no heed to his words. Tachibana Akane in return did, looking ashamedly on the ground. However he simply put his hand on her head.
"Don't worry, nothing is decided yet."
She nodded slightly, while Nagumo looked amused.
Just as Horikita Manabu turned around to walk away, Nagumo spoke up.
"Oh, Horikita-senpai, you know about the little tradition, right? No student council president has ever failed to graduate from Class A."
"What a shame it'd be if you, the 'greatest' president in this school's history, were the first to fall short, reduced to nothing more than a Class B failure. What kind of legacy would that leave behind, Horikita-senpai?"
But he did not answer him and walked away.
Nagumo turned around walking towards me. He looked at my face, which had no visible change at all.
"I hope you enjoyed this small little performance of mine, Kurushima. It seems like you truly did get a good grasp on me already, didn't you? To see through everything, to accurately predict what I was planning."
"You're truly an interesting one."
"But tell me, was it as amusing for you as it was for me? Watching Horikita-senpai fumble through his righteousness, thinking he could hold onto his precious ideals in a world like this." he chuckled, with a wry smile.
"Even someone as sharp as him didn't see it coming, but you did. A first-year. That's something."
He looked back, towards where Horikita Manabu was. To his surprise or not he was still here, listening attentively to what he had to say to me.
"I have to say," he mused, turning his attention back to me, "it's rare to find someone who can follow my line of thinking so well. Horikita-senpai didn't even realize until the very end what I was really after. But you, Kurushima... you understood it right from the beginning, didn't you?"
"It seems like you certainly are not like what the media used to say about you; A Throwaway C—"
When I heard the implications of my past from his mouth I gave him a quick cold stare. He was probing my reaction and succeeded.
I was already fueled of anger because of what happened priorly, but he tried on overstepping his position right now.
If it wasn't for the fact he was needed for her protection, I would have made sure to expel him. But I'm here just for two additional months so he'll remain, for her.
"Quite hostile, aren't you? Well, I'll be stopping, so you can ease up a bit."
He approached me closer, only to a distance he and I could hear now.
"I hope you enjoyed my little opening act to you. But our real game—has yet to begin. Once Horikita-senpai is gone, I'll be focusing on you."
Saying that he turned his back away, while I looked at everyone staring at me. I figured she would look at me as well so I ended up turning around paying no attention to anyone here.
Whenever I would see her, I could feel becoming considerably weaker, emotionally.
Especially, today, which is her birthday. I couldn't upheld the guilt straight on my face, so I didn't want her to see me.
But... I don't like being indebted to someone.
So I'll put the gift—a limited edition I bought for her back then in the middle of December in her mailbox.
This much should be fine, considering the gift she made for me, has been something extremely difficult and time consuming, requiring countless of days of handcraft for her to make.
I just hope it isn't strange for me to do this.
I'm just repaying a debt.
That's all.
--
A/N: And this concludes the chapter.
It's been a while but I hope this here is okay. It's not much of a masterpiece, but I rewrote this chapter several times, already.
I wasn't satisfied with the others, so this is the one I chose. I hope it was okay, but let's not talk much about this chapter if it wasn't.
I'll try my best on getting the next chapter out sooner.
Also, I can't remember well when it was, but this fanfic has already 1 Million Views.
I'm not sure if I should do something special with this now, but yeah, what do you think?
Please tell me.
Anyhow, this here concludes the Author Notes now. I'm not sure what to say more in the Aftermath, so I want to keep it short.
Have a great day.
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