Chapter 27 - The Time Before Setup

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — SYRRA — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

*2 Days Later…*

The exam week is done. My body is slightly better, although I should be careful and move slowly.

But I didn't spend my time in the classroom, I spent it in the library where Lisa is once again in charge. The librarian called her to say that she had to take care of her grandmother today. When people really need to take care of their elders, you need to be respectful and prioritize family over work.

Anyway, I'm just sitting down on a wheelchair near the librarian's desk.

"I am so sorry about what happened last time, I didn't know it was going to happen! I could have helped you!" Lisa repeatedly bowed and apologized.

"Don't be! Besides… if you were there, you'd be beaten up like me… Don't worry so much about me, I'll be fine." I said while sitting on this wheelchair.

I can't move my right arm due to being in a cast and I can't move my body up or down either due to my hip aching. The fact that I also have a cracked spine and a cracked femur just…

Makes me sigh that I became so useless…

"I'm actually the one who should be sorry… I wasn't expecting to get beaten up over a failed plan… Well, I know we have our back-up but I'm not sure what to even do now." I sure hope Fey is alright with the recording device…

While just casually sitting around, I felt my phone vibrate.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Haihai! Fey desu! (Hi hi! Fey here!) Syrra-san, good news!" Ah, it's Fey! I'm surprised she suddenly called.

"What is it?" I asked.

"The recording device is safe and sound! I managed to catch a big one!" Oh thank goodness! I feel relieved hearing that.

"Hopefully, you didn't run into any problems?" I continued.

"Nope! I managed to record everything, from start to finish!" I am happy to hear that result... This is going even better than expected!

"That's quite a lot of information! Keep that recorder safe, alright?!" I don't want the back-up to get ruined as well. So I was cautious on that.

"Hai! (Yes!) I'll check on you again later, Syrra-san! Mata ne! (See you again!) " She hung up.

Things are working out so well and I am having my cozy time in the library, but it wasn't long before the bell rang.

"Shall we go?" Sir C was accompanying me while I stayed in the library.

"Yes, sir." He dragged my armchair as we went along to the classroom. I waved to Lisa, who also waved back at me as I left.

"Times are tough, eh?" Sir C couldn't have said it any better.

"Sir C… It's not going to get any tougher than this." We both went up the stairs.

"I'm disappointed in my section. Majority of them got lower grades… Almost everyone is going to the lower sections next year." I'm not surprised, honestly. They deserve what's coming.

"I know I have worked so hard… Renn inspired me to do so and I didn't want to fall behind for the scholarship." The scholarship… It's really a shame… Renn can never get it now. I felt bad and sad for him to be left behind like this...

"You qualified for the scholarship, I'm sure. Your exam results showed that." What a relief… To know that I did great in the exams… I'm so happy…

We both arrived in our classroom. I was at my usual spot where I sat, except I'm in a wheelchair…

"Alright, everyone! I am here to announce the top 10 of our classes! Though you made it, I'm very disappointed that most of you did not work as hard or harder than 3rd Quarter. I encourage everyone to please study hard so that your future is secured. I will not tolerate any excuses." Sir C really prioritizes education more than the student behavior here, which…

To be honest, everyone needed this. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they'd listen at all and just continue their pointless ways…

Sir C then announcing the top 10 of the class. And in the mentioning of the Top 10, Jessie didn't make it to even at least Top 10.

It shows how far you're going to go when partying with your friends every damn week. It's her problem to deal with it, that fucking bitch.

"And now for Top 2… Syrra Winters!" Everyone clapped, but they all weren't looking amused at all. They're just clapping for the heck of it, the disrespect in this classroom is immense… I didn't mind it though.

Oh, well… Not that I need people to tell me how great I am, I am doing great myself! I'd give myself a pat on the shoulders for that one.

But then the question remains… Who is Top 1?

"Surprisingly, the Top 1 of this class got either one mistake or perfect in her assessments, even while doing remedials. Cassandra Sophia Centuria, please stand up." Cassandra… Is Top 1?! I am so in disbelief that she did so well in her assessments…

Maybe I've been underestimating her this whole time, she's smarter than she looks…

"(No, Syrra… Don't praise her now, she's your enemy!)" I shook my head.

Everyone stood up and clapped for her. She went to the front of the class and bowed.

"It's amazing how you made it to Top 1… The Top 1 of this grade level will always give a speech to the current graduates in both the junior and the senior department." It's always been a tradition of the school that the "Overall Top 1 of the 9th Grade Students" will give a speech.

"Sir, she's mute." Jessie raised a concern.

It appears that only Lisa and I know the truth about Cassandra. She can speak, she just won't admit it because she is keeping an identity of the innocent-looking mute girl.

All that's about to change when I receive that damn recording.

She then began writing something on the glass board.

"Don't worry, I'll bring a speaker from a different school to honor my speech. Only she has been able to emote my speeches with so much impact."

From a different school?! Must be Feliciana… This could be our chance…

To set them up in the graduation venue.

I pinched myself.

"(Don't get excited, Don't get excited, Don't get excited, Don't get excited, Don't get excited, Don't get excited, Don't get excited…)" I shouldn't show my excitement here! I already formulated another plan, and this time…

IT CANNOT GO TO WASTE.

I eventually calmed down and stopped pinching myself. I clapped for her as well.

"And with that, you have the liberty to enjoy your summer vacation today. This will be the last time I'll be advising you all today, please go forth and spend your summer vacation. If you wish to attend the graduation ceremony because of family or loved ones, feel free at exactly 1 pm later." I can tell Sir C is disappointed in his class… He really was not happy with 4th quarter class. Everyone passed, however, and we are all free to spend summer vacation.

Everyone, except me, left the classroom to either go home or prepare for the venue. I stayed behind because I needed to be pushed, and Sir C is the one pushing my wheelchair.

"Syrra. I have a favor to request now that everyone has left." Favor?

"Yes?" Wonder what it is?

"How is it going… About Alrose?" In case you forgot, Sir C is on my side. He knows that Renn is not guilty for being perverted.

"Back-up plan is going smoothly. I was planning to destroy their fake plastic characters on the graduation venue." I told Sir C about the plan.

"Thank goodness, but in that state? It's nearly impossible for you to act now…" He's right… Though, I'll have to support everyone else on the sidelines. I'm not backing down even if I get injured.

"I have friends who have helped me from the start of this operation, I have nothing to worry about." If I hadn't met them, I wouldn't be here today.

"Call them for me, please. I'll tell them something important." Huh? Now? Wait, it's actually the PERFECT time to call them. I nodded and quickly pulled out my phone out of my pocket.

I formed a group call with Lisa, Fey, and Serra.

"Moshi moshi? (Hello?)"

"I wasn't expecting you'd call..."

"Syrra, I'm still in the library. What's up?"

They all answered.

"All of you, my advisor will announce something. Serra, Fey, you're both not busy?" I asked them. If they are in school this time, this plan can't begin.

"Home."

"I'm at home, Syrra-san!"

Perfect. I nodded to Sir C. He took the signal as he pushed me closer to the teacher's table and put down my phone there.

"Everyone, I need your attention. Ears ready, because I will say this once." He began speaking to them.

"Hm..."

"Hai! (Yes!)"

"Of course!"

We all listened.

"I want you all to come to this place called KS Big Stadium at exactly 10 am. I wish to discuss the perfect way to set up a trap for our top 1 student of grade 9 with all of you." Sir C. is now in a determined mood, and so am I.

"Oh no… I'll leave the library by 10 am… I might be slightly late…"

"Alright..."

"Kanzen! (Perfect!) I can give Syrra the device then!"

Lisa seemed to be in a bit of a pickle due to library duty.

"Almost every student left already. You can go early." Sir C, you're forgetting college-

Oh wait, they're having a mental health break this week.

"Okay, I will arrive there at 10 am."

Glad Lisa has now time to delve into this plan.

"Alright, that will be all. See you all then." I hung up the phone. I put it back in my pocket.

"Alright, I've been here long enough to tolerate students with low grades… Shall we head there?" Sir C pushed my wheelchair on the way out of the school.

"Yes, I shall wait for them there." Going home will be a bad idea due to…

You guessed it, the wheelchair.

"I'll buy you some lunch on the way, so you don't starve." Sir C helped me sit down on the passenger seat of the car and buckled my seatbelt. He also folded my wheelchair on the backseat and started driving to the KS Big Stadium.

"What are they to you, Syrra?" He asked.

"The people involved in the plan? I guess I'm close to them the same way I'm close with Renn." I answered.

I am quite close with them. Fey is a foreigner and Renn became an amazing friend of hers. I envy that kind of friendship. Lisa and Renn may not have properly interacted, but she's very sweet and generous and she protected me because I'm Renn's best friend.

And Serra... She's a unique one... She didn't trust Renn in the beginning, but then she showed little trust in him... To the point now where she's doing so much for his sake, even if I know she has her own problems to deal with... And she never fully trusted him.

It's amazing how Renn has brought us all together…

"They're the new pieces to my life… I lost my former pieces, Renn and Jessie… But with that one former piece, I got them…" They feel special in my heart…

"Renn Alrose felt like an important piece that should have never been lost to us… Now, he's shattered." A broken piece that should be repaired.

"We'll fix him. We'll remove this false accusation revolving around him. Things should be back to the way it was in no time." I have good faith that this plan will go well, Sir C.

"Emerald Houston will also go back to how it used to be." I agree. If we manage this, it will be a satisfying victory for us.

"(We're almost there…)"

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