Sprr4k

"If we don't get any more points, what I am gonna do?"

"I used up all of my points yesterday..."

During the break, the classroom chaos.

"Forget about the points. What the hell about this class? Why was I put into Class D?!" Yukimura cried resentfully.

This guy really thinks Academic Ability is the only criteria to be an excellent student.

"Wait, does this mean that we can't get into college now? Why did we even go to this school? Does Sae-chan-sensei hate us or something?"

None of the other students could hide their confusion.

"I understand that you're all confused right now, but everyone needs to calm down." Hirata, sensing the classroom tipping toward crisis, stood and attempted to rein everyone in.

"How are we supposed to calm down? Aren't you frustrated that she called us a bunch of failures?!" Yukimura said.

"Even if I was, isn't it better for us to band together so we can turn things around?" Hirata asked.

"Turn things around? I don't even agree with how we were sorted in the first place!"

"I understand. However, sitting here whining won't help us right now."

"What did you say?" Yukimura quickly went to Hirata and forcefully grasped his collar.

"Calm down, you two, okay? I'm sure that the teacher talked to us harshly so we'd be inspired to do better, right?" Kushida said as she slipped between the two and separated them, gently taking Yukimura's balled fist.

As expected Kushida made him calm down.

"Besides, it's only been one month since we started here, right? Like Hirata-kun said, it's better if we all do our best together. Do you think that I'm wrong about that?"

"N-no, it's... Well, I certainly wouldn't say you're wrong, but..." Yukimura's anger had almost completely vanished. Kushida looked at everyone in class, and it was almost as if her eyes reflected a sincere wish for us to work together.

"Yeah, it's better for us to band together. Right? There's no need for you to fight, Yukimura. Hirata."

"I'm sorry. I lost my cool." Yukimura said.

"It's all right. I should have chosen my words a little more carefully."

Kushida Kikyou's presence brought everyone together. As expected of someone who's good with social skills.

For now, I think I should observe how the class will react. And chip in while I can.

"begins, I want you to listen seriously for a moment. Especially you, Sudou-kun." The class was still in an uproar, but Hirata claimed everyone's attention when he stood at the teacher's podium.

He's another formidable student. He had great charisma, buy it couldn't tell he had great leadership skills. I got the impression that he's a pushover.

"Tch, what is it?" Sudou grumbled.

"We didn't get any points this month. This is a serious problem, and one that will have an enormous impact on our daily lives moving forward. It's impossible for us to make it to graduation with zero points, right?"

'That's right! that's right!' said the audience.

"Of course. Therefore, we must earn points next month. To do that, we all need to cooperate with each other. So, please, take care not to be late to class or to talk during the lecture. Also, the use of cell phones during class is prohibited, of course."

"Huh? And why do you get to tell us what to do? Besides, that's supposing our points will increase. If they don't change at all, then it's useless."

"As long as we continue talking during class and being late, our points won't increase for sure. Although we can't go below zero points, disruption will, without a doubt, count as strikes against us."

"I'm still not convinced. Besides, even if we get serious and work hard in class, our points won't necessarily go up." Sudou snorted and crossed his arms in defiance.

"Well, the teacher did say that the being late and talking in class were obviously bad, right?"

"Yeah, I agree with Kushida-san. It's only natural to avoid doing those things."

"That's just your own selfish interpretation. Besides, you don't know how to increase our points. Try talking to me after you figure that out."

I found the right time to talk. Time to gain exp!

"Um, Hirata-kun if I may?"

"Takamura-kun, do you have something you'd like to say?"

"Yes."

I stood up and went to the podium beside Hirata. "I have found a way to increase our points."

"Huh?" Sudou looked confused.

Yukimura looked at me with full interest. I guess this guy acknowledged me, since I'm smarter than him.

Everyone in Class knew I scored the highest in the exams, so they think I must be smart... Well I AM smart. They were willing to listen on what I have to say.

"Everyone, Chabashira-sensei already give us a hint on how to increase our points." I said.

"Takamura-kun, please tell us. If there's anything, we'll make sure to do it." Hirata said.

Everyone's eyes were on me... Man... This is too nerve wracking. Mother didn't teach me anything about public speaking.

"One of the opportunities to increase our points, is the Midterm exams." I said

"Midterms?"

"That's right. The class has to score a high average in order to gain points. Even if this school is completely different than other schools, it still evaluates students based on their academic ability. And our opportunity to gain points is during exams, right?" I said.

Everyone nodded. No matter how this school is unique to other schools, it still follows the traditional method of having exams and written tests.

Some people who lacked confidence in their academics had a difficult expression.

"I see, then all we have to do is study right?" Yukimura asked putting up the glasses to his eyes, like every nerd four eyed anime character.

"Yes... If its that simple, then gaining points is a given. But there's also a chance it may decrease our points even further."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

I wrote a simple 64.4÷2=32.2

"Everyone, as you could see this is the formula that the school uses to determine the passing score. I calculated the average scores of everyone in this test, and divide it by two. Chabashira-sensei did say the passing score was 32, so you could say the formula was right."

Everyone stared at the numbers in the board I have written curiously.

"Chabashira-sensei said during the test that it wouldn't reflect in our report cards. But I think that we have people who scored below the passing score significantly reduced our points. That means this test didn't reflect in our report cards, but in our Class Points."

"So that means..."

"It's because Sudou-kun and Ike-kun..."

Everyone now looked over Sudou and Ike full of resentment. If it weren't for them being such an idiot, their points wouldn't have so much decrease.

"Hey! Don't mess with me Takamura! I'd what you said is true, then show me proof! Proof!" Sudou roared at me.

Seeing that a rabid dog like this was accepted in this school, I confirmed that this school's entrance examination is just a smokescreen to recruit all sorts of students.

"I agree Takamura-kun. It's bad to falsely accuse someone without guarantee." This time, Kushida sided with Sudou.

I'm grateful to her with this. If it wasn't for Kushida, Sudou will hold more hostility against me.

"There's no need for proof, it's common sense. If a mere act of tardiness, absences, talking during class, are enough to reduce our points.

Then it wouldn't be hard to deduce that if anyone in class gets expelled then the evaluation in our class would get worse. Leading to a huge Class Points reduction, don't you think?" I said asserting my own idea to the class. "And besides, Chabashira-sensei already told us to do our best not to get expelled this Midterms. That was also a hint for us."

"So that means..." Hirata thought of something. It seems he got my point now.

"If we want to increase our points, then the very least we can do is to prevent anyone in class from dropping out... If we want to overtake the other classes, we have to do more than just that. That's all."

Phew... I thought I'm gonna die... I nearly shitted my pants right now... I still have a long way to go.

I'm not really planning to become the class leader or a politician in the future, so what I just did was a little overwhelming.

"Do whatever you want. It doesn't matter. Just don't involve me in it. Understand?" Sudou snapped.

As if being in the room made him feel uncomfortable, he left immediately.

"Sudou-kun really can't read the room. He's the one who was late to class, and got the lowest score."

"Yeah. He really is the worst. Why is he in our class?"

It seems Sudou became the class outcast at this point.

Anyway I provided the class the information necessary. I displayed my strengths in the class wether academics or sports. And now I'm slowly learning how to level up my communication skills.

Still I shouldn't lose sight of my dream. Once I get home, I'll start putting the finishing touches on my storyboard and make it into a proper manga.

/////

Class ended for the day.

This is bad...

"Hey, Takamura-kun. You're smart and you look cool, do you have a girlfriend?"

"Ha ha ha..." I just laughed wryly.

How did it turn out like this? Sure I'm smart and all that, but romance isn't my forte.

Just like Kushida said, I've become a good love interest for girls. I don't really know what to feel becoming a conquerable characters in a galge. Do I have to practice saying lines from there?

"Takamura-kun, do you have a minute?"

While I'm busy agonizing over this, I heard someone calling my name. I looked over the person who called out to me.

If I got it right, her name is Horikita Suzune. She scored tied second together with Yukimura and Kouenji. She also got second in girl's category in swimming classes. Excellent in both academics and sports. Not just that, but she's also the little sister of the Student Council President(If my guess was right).

"What do you want from me Horikita-san?"

"I would like to go out with me for a bit."

"..."

What did she just say? Go out... You mean in that way? No getting a misunderstanding now would be embarrassing. Surely someone serious like her didn't mean that we'll start dating.

"Go out... you mean to go together with you somewhere?"

"Yes."

Phew... So it wasn't a confession or anything.

Now thinking about it, it's weird to confess in the classroom full of students that could see us. Am I expecting something? To experience youth?

I buried this useless thoughts at the back of my mind.

"Do you mean now? To where?"

"You will know when we get there." She turned away exiting the classroom.

I sighed and I quickly follow behind her. I had a vague idea on what she's about to do. After this, I still need to visit the club.

"Takamura-kun, don't you feel frustrated?" On our way, Horikita asked me.

"Frustrated? About what?" I asked raising my voice innocently.

"That someone like you got sorted out in Class D." Horikita turned to face me and looked on me in the eye. This girl, I wonder what she's up to.

"Aha! So you're the type who thinks yourself as superior student, and the reason for asking me this was you think I'm more superior than you, right?"

"...I hate to admit it, but you're correct. Out of anybody from the class, I thought of you as someone better than me.... For now."

For now huh... On what basis does she thinks someone as superior? Academics? Athletics?

"I see~. Then I'll answer your question. I'm not dissatisfied at all. I think I'm rightfully placed in it."

We awkwardly walked towards the guidance room. It seems Horikita asked Chabashira-sensei for some time.

We entered through the guidance room.

"Ah, come in. So Takamura is with you too, do you have something you want too Takamura?" Chabashira sat there, as if she already we're coming.

"No, I asked him to come with me."

"Is that so? What did you want to talk to me about, Horikita?"

"I will be frank. Why was I sorted into Class D?"

"That's quite frank." Chabashira sensei said clearly not surprised.

"Today, you told us that the school sorted superior students into Class A. You said that Class D was filled with the leftovers, the last bastion of delinquents."

"That's true. You must consider yourself to be a superior person."

I wondered how Horikita would respond. I'd bet she'd be strongly against being labelled as defective.

"I solved nearly every problem on the entrance examination. I made no substantial mistakes on the interview, either. At the very least, I shouldn't have been sorted into Class D."

Looks like I would have won that bet. Horikita was definitely the type to think herself superior.

"You solved nearly all of the problems on the entrance examination, hmm? Normally I couldn't show the examination results to individual students, but I'll make an exception in this case. I just so happen to have your answer sheet here."

"You're incredibly prepared. It's... almost as if you knew I'd come here to object."

"I'm an instructor. I understand the mind of a student, at least to some degree, Horikita Suzune. Just as you said, you did well on the entrance examination. You had the third-highest test score among the first-year students and were close to the highest- and second-highest-scoring students. You did exceedingly well. And you're right: We found no particular problems in your interview. On the contrary, we evaluated you quite highly."

"Thank you very much. So then... why?"

"Before I answer, why are you dissatisfied with Class D?"

"Who could be happy with an incorrect evaluation? Furthermore, the class rankings greatly impact our future prospects. Of course I'm dissatisfied."

"Incorrect evaluation? Perhaps your self-evaluation is far too high." Chiyabashira-sensei snickered, or rather, laughed outright. "I acknowledge that your academic ability is excellent. You're certainly very smart. However, who decided that smart people are categorically superior? We never said that."

I totally agree. You're superior because you can study? Who decided that? I guess that would be all the school system's fault. We're raised in an environment with that ideology.

"But... that's just common sense."

"Common sense? Didn't common sense create our current, flawed society? Before, Japan relied solely on test scores to separate the superior and inferior. As a result, the incompetents at the top tried desperately to kick down the truly superior students. In the end, we settled on a system of hereditary succession."

A system of hereditary succession meant that things like social standing, prestige, and employment were passed down to future generations. The Japanese Imperial family in the modern times are descendants of important figures in Japanese history.

"You're a capable student. I don't deny that. However, this school's goal is to produce superior people. If you believe academics alone place you into a higher class, you are mistaken. That was the very first thing we explained to you. Besides, think rationally. Would we have admitted someone like Sudou if we decided superiority based solely on academic merit?" Chabashira said, then looked at me with meaningful eyes. "And there's also the fact that Takamura, the top scorer in the Entrance Exams and Pop Quiz for a perfect score. And yet he's in Class D the same as you, am I wrong?"

Despite the fact that this was one of the country's leading preparatory schools, this place allowed students to enroll for purposes other than academics. It's to produce superior people.

"Furthermore, you may be too hasty in proclaiming that no one would be happy to be incorrectly evaluated. Take Class A, for instance. They are under incredible pressure from the school, and also the target of extreme envy from the lower classes. Competing every day with that kind of pressure bearing down upon you is far more difficult than you might imagine. There are some students who are happy to be incorrectly evaluated at a lower level."

"You're joking, right? I can't understand such a person."

"Is that so? I think that Class D boasts some of those people. Strange students who would happily be set at a low level."

It was almost as if she were talking to someone we can't see. I on particular only wanted to experience my high school life, while working hard on reaching my dream at the same time.

It's also a paradise since the school provides it free like the dormitories and school tuition.

"You still haven't given me an explanation. Was I honestly sorted into Class D? Did anything go wrong with the grading? Please double-check." Horikita said.

"I'm sorry, but you weren't sorted by mistake. You are definitely in Class D. You are at that level."

"Is that so? Then I will ask the school again, at another time."

Apparently, she wasn't going to give up. Horikita had merely determined that her homeroom teacher was the wrong person to ask.

"You'll get the same answer from anyone in a higher position. Besides, there's no need to be disappointed. As I told you this morning, it's possible for one class to overtake another. You could conceivably reach Class A before you graduate."

"I can't imagine it will be easy, though. Forget overtaking Class A; how in the world could those immature Class D misfits gain more points? I can't see how it's possible." Horikita spoke the truth. The difference in points was overwhelming. No matter how hard we study and work hard, climbing up the ranks to Class A is an uphill battle.

"I don't know. You alone get to decide how you head down that path. At any rate, Horikita, do you need to be in Class A for any special reason?"

"Well... I suppose that's enough for now. Excuse me. But know that I'm not yet convinced I was sorted correctly. Takamura-kun, let's go."

"Understood. I will keep that in mind."

A chair squeaked against the floor, signaling that the discussion was over.

I dunno the reason why she had to bring me here anyway.

"Oh, that reminds me. I've summoned another person to the guidance room. It's someone relevant to you."

"Relevant to me? No, you can't mean... bro–"

"Come on out, Ayanokouji."

Ayanokouji? Now that she said it, he's the only guy in Class who scored 50 in all subjects. If what Chabashira-sensei said was true, then his grades were all on purpose.

Then we saw Ayanokouji coming out of the kitchen. Horikita looked surprised and perplexed. I on the other hand didn't look surprised.

"Were you listening to our conversation?" she asked him.

"Listening? I know you guys were talking, but I didn't really hear anything. The walls are surprisingly thick."

This guy really know how to throw funny jokes. I nearly laughed out loud. Maybe my sense of humor is abnormal?

"That's not true. Voices carry pretty well into the kitchen." Sensei objected what Ayanokouji said.

"Sensei, why would you do this?" Horikita noticed that this had all been planned and was clearly angry.

"Because I deemed it necessary. Now then, Ayanokouji, I'll explain why I called you here." Chiyabashira-sensei dismissed Horikita's concerns and shifted her attention to me.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me..." Horikita muttered.

"Wait, Horikita. It would be in your best interest to stay and listen. It may provide you with a hint on how to reach Class A." Horikita stopped dead in her tracks and sat back down. "Please keep it brief."

Chiyabashira-sensei chuckled as she glanced over her clipboard. "You're an interesting student, Ayanokouji."

"Not at all. I'm certainly not as interesting as a teacher with a strange surname like Chiyabashira."

"Would you speak like that to every Chiyabashira in the nation? Hmm?"

If you looked all over the country for another person with the surname of Chiyabashira, you probably wouldn't find one. I thought...

"Well, when I read over the entrance exam's results, your scores piqued my interest. I was shocked."

On her clipboard, I saw a rather familiar answer sheet.

"Fifty points in Japanese. Fifty points in mathematics. Fifty points in English. Fifty points in social studies. Fifty points in science. You even scored Fifty points on the recent short test. Do you know what this means?"

So he didn't just do it in the Pop Quiz, even in the Entrance Exams too?

A stunned Horikita looked over his test paper "This is a rather frightening coincidence." she said.

"Oh? You believe that getting 50s all across the board was a coincidence? He did it intentionally, don't you think so Takamura?" Surprisingly sensei called out my name.

This entire time I thought I'm being left out. It seems they still acknowledged my existence.

"I agree. Scoring 50s in entrance exams and pop quiz of all subjects, it's too much of a coincidence. You're actually secretly smart Ayanokouji? Scoring 50 in all subjects is like so damn cool, don't you think?!"

"It's a coincidence. There's no evidence that it's not. Besides, what would I gain by manipulating my scores in the first place? If I were intelligent enough to achieve high marks, I would've tried to get perfect scores." As he feigned innocence, Chiyabashira-sensei sighed in exasperation.

"You really do seem like an odious student. Listen. Only 3 percent of students solved the fifth math problem successfully. However, you solved it perfectly, and used a complex formula to do so. However, you solved it perfectly, and used a complex formula to do so. However, the tenth problem on the test had a completion rate of 76 percent. Did you make a mistake on it? Is that normal?"

"I don't know what normal is. It was a coincidence, I tell you. A coincidence."

"For crying out loud! I respect your frank attitude, but it'll cause problems for you in the future." She said.

"I'll think about that when the time comes." It seems Ayanokouji will try to deny it till the end.

Chiyabashira-sensei shot Horikita a glance that seemed to say, What do you think? Also at me, with a challenging look.

"Why do you pretend not to know?" Horikita asked.

"Like I said, it was a coincidence. It's not like I'm hiding that I'm a genius or anything."

"I wonder. He may be even more intelligent than you, Horikita." Sensei said.

Horikita flinched. I guess to learn that there was another student more superior than her was also in Class D is kinda shocking.

"I don't like studying, and I don't plan to try hard. That's why I get those scores."

"A student who chose this school wouldn't say something like that. However, some students may have different reasons for getting in. You, for example, and Kouenji as well. I think you're fine with being in either D or A."

The conversation seems to be dragging on, and I think it's time for me to say something.

"Um, I should get going. I still had club activities today. Please excuse me." And so with that I left the guidance room.