24 bRIBe ;

[Erza POV]

"The problem is…I don't think I have done that good in English…"

The rejoice of his 'friends' sitting beside Sudou abruptly got halted, as they looked at him with a worrisome expression.

"Oi it's quite alright, you not gonna fail this…! Dude you got this..!" Ike cheered him up.

"Yes, don't worry about it…everything's going to be fine-" Kushida got cut when Sudou decided to join in.

"English was never my strong point!" His head hung low as his fists clenched on his thighs.

Everyone was trying to cheer him up but Horikita on the other side was calculating the 'ifs' of the statement Sudou delivered.

"B-But…if he fails doesn't it means he has to-" Yamauchi said; everyone surrounding Sudou looked at him with a distressing expression. Sudou frowned.

"I don't think I will fail though." He murmured.

"Yes, he will get expelled from the school, if he gets a fail grade. But, nothing has been verified yet, so there is no point in distressing yourself." The comment was conveyed by Horikita.

The bell rang indicating the start of the homeroom, yet again. Ms Chabashira made her presence known; carrying some papers.

"Alright students, time for your results to be given out to their respectful owners." She stated. "Everyone seems to be quite confident regarding the test results, hm?" Ms Chabashira conveyed as she eyed towards the group in front of her while rearranging the papers.

My gaze landed upon the woman in front of me as the people were being strangely curious about their respected result.

The Teacher pinned a paper on the white board as she leaned onto the wall beside it.

"Long story short- Everyone had a perfect score in comparison to the way you all performed in the Dry-Run Test. Class-D has acquired the highest score among the First Year Mid-Terms Examination. I am quite shocked but I appreciate your efforts."

Everyone looked at each others' faces, while cheering on for the good news.

"But…Except one individual from this class everyone passes."

Shit. As if anything can go on well without any effort.

Is it someone from our group-?

…No, someone from 'that' study group? I must have been going crazy saying 'our'.

It definitely cannot be me, 'cause I made sure I get a fair achieving score benefitting me.

"Sudou Ken, stand up." The woman ordered.

He stood up hesitantly as he gulped down the anxiety forming down his throat.

"You failed the English Test. Pack your stuffs, your letter of expel will be delivered to you shortly." She gave a breathily sign.

Further Sudou asked for the reason for his expulsion.

She explained that in the Finals and Mid-Terms, to be able to pass, one must acquire higher than 50% of the total class average performance.

The required passing mark was 40, in this case.

The average class score was 79.6 which after getting rounded then divided by 2; the fair mark needed to pass was 40.

Everyone looked at the paper as she eyed at it. The one red mark evident among the other black marked evaluations.

(( Sudou Ken acquired 39 score. ))

My eyes scrolled down the marks each got, and calculated if what this person says was indeed correct or not. I cant make myself believe her.

'The top students….wait Horikita is- oh wow! Now this was unexpected…' I smirked in my thoughts.

Hirata moved from his place as he said, "Does he really need to be expelled. I mean its just one marks right?"

Kushida and others spoke up too. Sudou stood there flabbergasted.

I don't blame him; his future of being a professional basketball player resided in this school.

Moreover, if he even becomes a player, the judges if notices him getting expelled by this school, it's over for him.

"Even a mark decides your worth in this school. You are my student as much it hurts me to bid you farewell, I am helpless, and this is the School Regulations. Now then, you can sit, I'll call you later in the office." The woman stated with a poker face.

The teacher silenced others up by declaring, "Rules are rules, give up." and went away.

After some time, the hustle was still going on.

I looked at Ayanokouji from the side. He left the classroom saying "Emergency."

Of course it wasn't true. It's high likely that expressionless guy is following that woman. But, why? To help maintain the class performance? Would this even help? Or is he starting to care about- nah! Not a chance.

Being partners with Horikita maybe? That's the reason?

Anyway, I followed him back, as I saw Horikita trailing both me and Ayanokouji with her gaze.

The Terrace.

Seems like she knows about his presence. He stood at the back of her figure who was smoking with one of her hands in crossed position.

I listened closely to their conversation.

[Erza POV end]

[Ayanokouji POV]

"Do you think the society is equal?" I asked.

The wind was blowing our hair strands.

"That was quite a question, but for what reason do I need to answer to this?" She answered still her back facing me.

"Since it's important I would like for you to answer to that, please." I asked.

Her gaze still fixated onto the small figures of the buildings from the top, as she answered, "It certainly is not, from the point I stand, I think so."

"It really is a lie, the whole existence of the word 'equal' is. But we humans are intellectually Perceptive and Thinking creatures."

"…What is your point?" The teacher answered as she blew out the smoke.

My eyes narrowed as I stated, "For the word 'equal' to actually be of use in this world, there is this one requirement- the appearance of an equal application."

Ms Chabashira glanced at me from the side as she extinguished the cig she was holding and looked at my way.

I showed her my Student ID card, depicting my PTs.

"I want you to sell me exactly 'One' point."

My requirement seemed to have humor her a lot as she said while laughing, "Oh my…you are an interesting one, aren't you? Asking for 'A point'?"

"I mean what he is asking for isn't something which is impossible."

That voice. How did she come up here? She followed me. Expected. She can lend me a hand.

"Even you Wistaria? This is new…" The older woman commented as soon as the scarlet colored haired girl made her spectatorship known.

"You have already stated this before." I said. "Anything can be bought with PTs in the school premises." I focused onto the word 'Anything'.

"Thus making his request to not be futile." Erza bore her viridescent gaze onto the woman, who looked at her eyes back.

She smiled effortlessly as she said, "Indeed his idea to approach to this is plausible." She laid her palm over her waist as she said "Not that you can afford such."

"How much are you accepting?" Erza asked dubiously.

"100,000 PTs right here and now, I will sell the required."

[Ayanokouji POV end]

[Erza POV]

Now this has a hitch, she doesn't really want us to get the point, does she? What benefit would she get if she dismisses one of her students? It would affect her back as the homeroom teacher of the respective class.

That cannot be the reason. Looking at her, she is definitely enjoying this. If I consider her past 'intentional' provocations, there is a high likely chance she is in the middle of testing us, to how much further we can go to not let this classes' reputation sink. Isn't it? Chabashira Sae?

"That is very cruel teacher." Ayanokouji stated.

I went near Ayanokouji as I felt her stares over me.

We met eyes, as we matched our total PTs after excluding the daily requirement PTs. It wasn't enough.

"Since we still don't know how a student from the class who get expelled can affect the class, I decided that there would be fair merit in keeping him around, thus I will also pay."

…Horikita?

She followed us, huh? As expected she has a warm side to her, but alas! She gonna say 'It was because of my need that's it.' Heh…

The teacher looked at the three of us in bewilderment as she said, "I knew you three would be interesting." We three divided the payment equally as she continued, "There you go, as I stated I will get Sudou's expulsion rescinded, you can inform him yourselves."

My eyes landed on Horikita who stood between us; sighed. Was that a sigh of relief?

"Either way Horikita no Class-D has been able to ascend to a higher tier, do you still wish to struggle?" The woman declared.

"I will, by any means, will transfer to Class-A, I don't know about others."

Ah, she forgot she cant do anything one handedly, isn't that the reason to why she approached Ayanokouji and 'me' indirectly?

"A defective like you can do that? Someone who is excluded from the school?"

"…I believe even a defective object can be of use once it is 'fixed' and that same must be applied in my case."

That woman sighed as she said, "Very well, I ll look forward to your efforts."

*

"Horikita…you deliberately sabotaged your own marks didn't you?" I commented as my hands were inside the pocket of my hoodie.

No reply from her.

"Quite disrespectful for someone who wanted to involve me into their own ideals." I said while I was walking as I felt her halting her walk; followed by Ayanokouji.

We both looked at each other.

"You knew his score would be barely fascinating for the criteria, that's why you intentionally lowered your marks in order for him to pass, right? That's an admirable thing to do for someone who you pushed away." Ayanokouji delivered.

"Everything I do is for my 'Goals'." Horikita answered in a while, as she looked at me with an 'unexplainable' emotion.

What was it?

"I appreciate your efforts for adjusting to my request." She said.

Oh…

I gave a small smirk as my eyes lifted up from the ground to the girl as I said, "It's purely due to my interest, don't bother with something like a 'thanks',"

"I never thought you would accept to that, since both of us never had a proper conversation, and there was no reason for you to accept-"

"As there was no reason for me to decline. As I said, don't think too much into it." I said as I stood beside Ayanokouji. "Yes, if you had used some cheap method to get me, I wouldn't have accepted." I eyed at Ayanokouji.

As usual, his emotionless eyes bore into mine, as I decided to cut the connection off.

Horikita hummed in response and we went our ways.

"Did you just implied, I am an easy target?" He inquired.

I side-glanced him as I said, "…Maybe…well not like you care, right?"

He stopped walking. Realising his absence I looked back and saw him looking at me, with his unfathomable soulless eyes.

Somehow, even though his eyes appear to be emotionless, it is that much deep.

He resumed walking afterwards.

Strange enough of a guy, isn't he?

[Erza POV end]