March 2nd. Winter was nearing its end. Though the air still held a chill, it was a vast improvement from the freezing January cold. Most students had already shed their coats and relied on knitted sweaters to keep warm. Even the withered plants outside seemed to be storing up strength, quietly awaiting the warmth of spring to begin their cycle of revival.
Yukio sat at his desk, chatting idly with classmates while mulling over some intelligence he'd received. Apparently, Chairman Sakayanagi was doing just fine—being treated to good food and drink. Though officially "suspended and under investigation," there was no sign of any actual questioning or auditing. The only restriction seemed to be that he couldn't visit the executive lounges. His quality of life remained top-tier.
After Valentine's Day, school life continued as normal. The news of Sakayanagi's suspension never reached the students, so their routines remained unchanged. Even if it had, it likely wouldn't have affected them. Students simply wouldn't care.
Only insiders like Yukio and Sakayanagi could faintly sense the storm brewing behind the scenes.
When the bell rang for class, Yukio's classmates quickly returned to their seats. The room fell quiet as they waited for the teacher to arrive—no one wanted to get caught on camera and have class points deducted, which would directly impact their monthly allowance.
Soon, Sakagami entered the classroom with a face as dark as thunderclouds. A heavy, oppressive aura clung to him, freezing the youthful energy that had been bubbling in the room.
Had this been two semesters ago, back when school had just started, the class probably would've teased him already—asking what had him so grumpy, hoping to get a laugh. But now, having matured, many students could immediately tell something was wrong. A foreboding tension began tightening around their chests. Something bad was coming.
Since their promotion to Class A, Sakagami had rarely been seen without a smile. His face was practically wrinkled from grinning too much. For him to appear this grim? That wasn't normal.
Kondo hesitantly raised his hand and asked, "Sakagami-sensei, are you feeling unwell~?"
It was the best-case scenario. Sure, it was a little rude, but if Sakagami just had a cold or something, it would only be a personal matter—and the class could breathe easy. But if it wasn't illness…
That tension only deepened. Even Kondo's voice carried a trace of uneasiness—nervous about the unknown.
Sakagami picked up on the unease. He knew he couldn't let this drag out. Stepping up to the podium, he took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, trying to calm himself. But it wasn't working. He was still deeply agitated, his mood as dark as his expression.
In the end, he could only shake his head in resignation. Against Director Tsukishiro's heavy-handed authority, there was absolutely nothing a lowly teacher like him could do.
Better to rip off the bandage quickly than drag out the pain.
"There are two announcements I need to make."
The moment he spoke, the class collectively tensed up. The dread pressing down on their hearts grew heavier. Everyone sat upright, faces turning increasingly serious.
And that only made Sakagami feel more conflicted. What a brilliant group of students they had become. In just two short semesters, they'd matured so much.
If only they had more time—how excellent could they become? Why did such senseless trouble have to strike now?
Pushing aside his regrets, Sakagami steeled himself and got to the point.
"First, on March 8th, you'll face the final special examination of your first year."
"Pass this exam, and you'll officially move up to second year."
Under normal circumstances, this news would've been met with cheers. After all, it meant they had nearly completed a full year of growth at Advanced Nurturing High School—one-third of their journey.
But no one could celebrate—not under Sakagami's bleak expression. Not Yukio, not Ryuen, not Shiina, not Kondo. Even the likes of Ibuki and Manabe could sense it: the second announcement was going to be bad.
Sakagami shook his head with a bitter sigh and relayed the outrageous decision from Director Tsukishiro.
"The second matter is… we have a new acting chairman."
"He believes your year has been too exceptional. The entire year has passed without a single expulsion."
"Therefore, he's decided to impose an additional special examination—one where at least one student from every class must be expelled."
"...?"
The room erupted.
"Are you kidding me?!" Ishizaki shot to his feet, completely losing composure. "Because no one got expelled, now we have to make sure someone does get expelled? That's absolutely insane!"
Everyone agreed. This was peak irrationality. It was like demanding that some students fail just for the sake of balance—even if everyone had actually passed.
It was like forcing a company to report losses despite being profitable. Who would accept that?
Ishizaki's angry outburst set off a wave of rage. Nomura, Komiya, and others followed suit, unleashing a barrage of curses. Their fury at the additional special exam poured out unfiltered.
"Hah?! Tsukishiro? Did he get kicked in the head by a steel-plated donkey?! How else could he come up with such a brain-dead idea?!"
"Is Tsukishiro even a carbon-based lifeform? Because no way a normal human brain could think of this! Maybe he's a shit-based organism!"
"Oh, I get it now—he must've been abandoned by his mom! That's why he's acting like this!"
"If stupidity were a crime, Tsukishiro should be executed immediately!"
"God, seriously—his parents should've gone for a walk or had dinner instead of making him. Anything would've been more meaningful than giving birth to Tsukishiro!"
...
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