The bus rumbled quietly across the road as the students sat in their seats, anticipation mixed with anxiety. Suddenly, Ichinose stood up, her voice cutting through the quiet.
"Sensei," she asked, "if someone gets expelled during this exam… is there any way to bring them back?"
Star Palace-sensei shrugged with a helpless expression. "There is… but it's not easy. You'd need 20 million personal points and 300 class points to save a dropout."
The bus went silent. That kind of number was absurd, especially when most students were nearly broke.
Hikigaya leaned back in his seat. He was used to thinking cynically, but even he had to admit – Class B was doing fine compared to the others. Class D, for example, was now little more than background noise. They had potential, sure, but nobody took them seriously. Not even Star Palace-sensei bothered.
Yet, despite her distance, the teacher still cared about her own class. If there was any chance of a student in Class B being expelled, she would fight for them. That much was clear.
Ichinose looked troubled, eyes deep in thought. She understood the stakes of the upcoming exam. Around her, her classmates waited, hoping she would lead them forward.
Hikigaya understood her struggle. He wouldn't have known what to do in her shoes either. Honestly, he didn't even know most of their names. Making strategic decisions without knowing who he was dealing with? Nearly impossible.
"Jun… Shibata," he whispered to the boy beside him. "Got any ideas?"
Shibata blinked, surprised. "Huh? Uh… maybe we just listen to you or Honami?"
"...Makes sense," Hikigaya sighed.
With students like Shibata and Kanzaki on board, the social aspect of the test should be manageable. Still, scoring high enough to secure a top-tier result seemed far away.
Then came the tricky part – Class D.
Honestly, the so-called cooperation between Class B and D was more like babysitting. Ichinose always extended her hand to them, but now… Hikigaya noticed something different. For the first time, Ichinose didn't mention Class D at all.
She smiled brightly. "This time, I want no one from our class to drop out. I love this class too much to see anyone leave."
The boys nodded. "Kanzaki, Shibata," she said, "can I count on you to organize the guys?"
"Of course," Kanzaki said calmly.
"No problem at all," Shibata added, patting his chest. "If anyone runs into trouble, just find me!"
Ichinose turned to the girls. "Yume, Asako, and the rest, I'll leave the girls' team to you."
"You can count on us!"
The students smiled, encouraged. A plan was forming.
Ichinose, Kanzaki, and the rest quickly began grouping students, organizing into groups of three. Even if the situation was unfamiliar, having a few trusted friends nearby could make all the difference.
Kanzaki approached Hikigaya. "Let's team up – you, me, and Shibata. We can either join other groups or merge as a unit."
"Got it."
Hikigaya wasn't surprised. Kanzaki and Shibata were the second- and third-ranked members in the class. Taking him in made sense – someone quiet, not very social, but reliable.
He glanced toward Ichinose again.
Despite her smile and organization, she didn't talk about Class D. That was rare. Maybe she finally realized – dragging Class D forward was holding them back.
It was true. Class D had grown – somehow defeating Class C in the last exam – and their score had risen from zero to 209 points. But if Ichinose wanted Class B to reach Class A, she couldn't afford to babysit anymore.
Even so… Hikigaya wondered. Would Ichinose really abandon those left behind by other classes? Could she?
Without Kanzaki or Shibata, Hikigaya figured he would've been one of those leftovers. That thought clung to him.
The bus finally arrived. Everyone turned in their phones and stepped off into a wide field. Not far away stood two traditional school buildings and a gymnasium.
Class B followed Star Palace to the gym.
There, students from other classes were arriving as well – including the fifth-years and second-years. Class A and B moved calmly. Class C and D, on the other hand, were noisy and scattered.
A middle-aged teacher walked up to the stage. "You already know the exam format from your teachers, so I won't repeat it. After discussion, each grade must form six large groups. That's it."
And just like that, he left.
Hikigaya watched from the back of Class B, observing the others. In Class C, he spotted Ryuuen, walking quietly at the end. Strange. Ryuuen was normally at the front, dominant.
He remembered hearing something from Ibuki Mio. Ryuuen had stepped down – likely because of the incident on the rooftop. As leader, he'd taken responsibility.
Still, Hikigaya doubted anyone else in Class C had what it took to replace him. If anything, this break was temporary.
Up front, a few boys surrounded Huko, the flashy guy with the yellow hair. So… he was the new leader now? Hikigaya wasn't impressed. Huko was clever, sure, but not a real threat.
That only made it more likely Ryuuen would return.
Meanwhile, Class A was already moving. Fourteen students stood together, clearly a ready-made group.
"We are one short," said one of the boys, "so we're looking for a volunteer to join us."
Hikigaya's eyes widened. Wait, what? They're just openly inviting people in?
He leaned toward Kanzaki. "Should I…?"
But before Kanzaki could answer, Sudou from Class D shouted, "Hey! Are you guys just making decisions on your own again?!"
Classic Sudou.
Class A's representative smiled. "Our group only has two classes involved, which follows the rules. In fact, our plan benefits everyone – three other groups can be made of five students each."
"And we'll accept any remaining students. We promise no one in our group will be held responsible for poor results, unless it's clearly sabotage."
Hikigaya made his choice. He whispered to Kanzaki, "I think I'll join them. That way it's easier for you to group the others."
Kanzaki frowned, but nodded. "If you're sure."
Shibata looked concerned. "You okay with that?"
"I'll manage."
Hikigaya stepped forward.
He didn't mind teaming up with anyone. Even Huko, the new Class C leader, wasn't a problem. Hikigaya knew how to deal with arrogant types. A little praise, and they'd float like balloons.
He glanced over. Huko gave him a smug smile – as if to say, Yeah, that's right, I'm the leader now. But Hikigaya wasn't fazed.
"You sure you want in?" someone from Class A asked.
"Yeah."
"Katsuragi's the leader," the boy said.
That made sense. Katsuragi was no longer the top dog, but he was a skilled communicator. Perfect for this kind of social test.
Behind him, Kanzaki and Shibata watched quietly. Hikigaya could feel their concern – but this was a strategic move. Class B's strength was Ichinose's optimism and warmth, but sometimes, that wasn't enough to win.
If Hikigaya could secure a spot in Class A's powerhouse group, he could observe from the inside. Learn. Prepare.
And maybe – just maybe – win.
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