Chapter 119: Shijo Maki Wants to Turn the Tables
The monthly exam had ended.
On Friday, beneath the lecture building, a white bulletin board was surrounded by students.
"This time the rankings are the same as usual, huh," a female student remarked.
"President Shirogane is still doing great as always, and so is Shinomiya-san. As for Sakurai-san, I heard he had a headache on Wednesday, so he didn't do well on the test," her friend replied.
A male student sneered: "Headache? Yeah right."
"You didn't know? He went straight to the infirmary after the test. If you don't know, don't talk crap! Tch, average-looking but insanely confident."
JK: ʰᵘʰ (ꐦ○_○）✧
The friend beside him patted his shoulder and whispered, "That's a fan of General Affairs Sakurai. Don't mess with her. She doesn't take things well."
Many students were discussing the top 3 of the rankings.
The student council had taken all top 3 spots, and it seemed like no one really cared who was ranked fourth.
Behind the crowd, two girls were also looking at the rankings.
"Maki, we're fourth and fifth again this time. Looks like everyone only cares about those three, no one ever mentions us," said the short-haired girl with a red hair clip—Kashiwagi Nagisa.
She was the president of the volunteer club… which currently had only two members, herself and Shijo Maki. A pretty small number. Who knew if this odd club would ever recruit a male student in the far future.
Hopefully not!
Because a one-boy-two-girl setup is full of white lotus drama and angst-filled love triangles…
Shijo Maki's gaze lingered long on the third place ranking before her: "Hmph, it's not like I care about scores or anything."
（￣へ￣）
...That was a lie.
Right now, Shijo Maki was on the verge of bursting into tears!
Maki inside: ( ಥ﹏ಥ )
She had been stuck at fourth place for far too long!
She had clearly worked so hard—so why couldn't she win!
She wanted to cry, but couldn't cry!
Maki used the sleeve of her uniform to wipe her eyes, trying not to let the tears fall.
If only she could make it into the top 3, that would be so nice. At least the top three spots get attention. But fourth place… this spot is just so awkward.
Neither up nor down, just stuck here.
One more step and she'd be in the top 3, standing alongside Shirogane Miyuki and Shinomiya Kaguya. But if she dropped out of the top 10, no one would care about her rank anymore, they'd just see it as going through the motions.
But fourth place… was like being trapped.
'General Affairs Sakurai was sick and still scored higher than me…' Shijo Maki's eyes turned red as she tugged Kashiwagi Nagisa away from the board.
After she left—
The student council arrived together.
Shinomiya Kaguya looked at the ranking board, "Ara~ third place again. Sakurai-san. I heard you had a headache that day, what a pity. If you'd done a bit better, maybe you could've taken first place."
(˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵)
She looked calm on the outside, but inside she was so happy she could dance!
'Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful! I kept second place!'
✧◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜✧*｡
Shinomiya Kaguya had completely forgotten that her original goal was to get first.
"Third place, huh. It's okay, I don't really care much about exams anyway," Sakurai Saki said with a blank expression.
Though he acted like he didn't care, the frustration inside him was something only he knew.
That day's exam—
The side effects of his superpower gave him a splitting headache, literally.
"So Shinomiya-san actually cares that much about exams? Shirogane and I didn't even review at all before the test," Sakurai said, glancing over at Shirogane Miyuki.
President Shirogane held back the joy in his heart, cleared his throat lightly, then calmly said, "Umu, we're the type who don't review before exams in order to keep our mental and physical state at its best."
'You think I'm a kids who would believe that crap?!' Shinomiya Kaguya clenched her teeth.
Kaguya: (≖_≖)
If she hadn't told Hayasaka to call and distract Sakurai, she might've actually believed them!
But even if Hayasaka hadn't made that call, Kaguya already knew full well.
There's no way these two exam monsters didn't study. Only a idiot would believe that!
"Are~ I clearly didn't study either, just like President Shirogane and Saki-kun, so why did my score drop?" Secretary Fujiwara said in confusion beside them.
Chika: ૮₍˶ ╥ ‸ ╥ ⑅₎ა
Kaguya: ( ˶°ㅁ°) it's an idiot!!
This naive girl had completely believed the lies of the two, and had spent the two days before the exam playing a newly bought board game with her little sister, not studying at all!
Thankfully, she had at least done her homework.
"Cough, it's just physiology," Shirogane Miyuki lied as casually as Sakurai Saki breathed.
"Well, not everyone is suited to that method," Sakurai Saki lied as effortlessly as Hayasaka Ai.
"What about you, Kaguya-san? You didn't study either?" Fujiwara Chika remembered that the other girl had said the same thing.
"Of course not. I went to bed at 8 PM the night before. But my physical condition wasn't great on test day—otherwise, first place would've definitely been mine." Shinomiya Kaguya lied as naturally as breathing.
It was all lies—this woman hadn't said a single honest word this entire time.
But it was true that she couldn't study properly on Tuesday, and even lacked enough sleep.
Not getting first place… maybe really was because of that, believe it!
"As expected of Kaguya-san, always securing second place!" Fujiwara Chika praised.
ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)
Always scoring higher than Sakurai Saki—that alone made her incredible in Chika's eyes.
Although, before last year, Kaguya had always been ranked first in her grade, even back in middle school.
"..." Kaguya's face darkened with shadow lines.
Kaguya: (ꐦ´ _ `)
She knew Chika was complimenting her, but why did it sound so annoying?
If you don't know how to compliment, then just don't!
"The Nakano sisters didn't place last this time." President Shirogane glanced at the names at the bottom of the list.
"Ranked around 175. Maybe still failed a few subjects. But to improve this much in just one month—Sakurai, your tutoring skills really aren't bad. If it were me, I'd have no idea what to do."
A 20-rank improvement—there was clearly still room for progress.
The tests at Shuchiin were much harder than at normal high schools, with few basic or easy problems.
"...Just decent. I put quite a bit of effort into tutoring them, so results like this aren't surprising." After saying that, Sakurai glanced toward the first-year rankings.
Ishigami Yuu and Iino Miko were looking at the board.
In truth, tutoring had given Sakurai more time to review his own knowledge. His previous part-time jobs didn't allow for that.
But that Wednesday really was unlucky.
'If not this time, then next time.'
In less than a month, the midterm exams would begin—that would be the real battle.
'Hm? Miko-chan looks really calm. Did she not do well?' Sakurai noticed both kouhai had very calm expressions.
A few minutes later—
Ishigami Yuu walked over.
"Ishigami, how was the test?" Shirogane Miyuki asked curiously.
"Umu, just average." Ishigami never really cared much about exams.
"Ranked 176."
Sakurai Saki was fairly satisfied with the result. "Climbed a bit again. Last time I remember you were at 185."
There were 199 students in the first-year class.
"Oh right, how did Iino do?"
"..." Ishigami Yuu was silent for a few seconds. "First place."
No comparison, no heartbreak.
They looked equally calm, but their scores were worlds apart.
Maybe Miko had been confident she would get first, which was why she hadn't wavered much.
As for Ishigami—maybe he'd already given up long ago, so there was no reaction.
————
Elsewhere, Miko-chan and her best friend Osaragi Kobachi had walked to a quiet spot.
"Yay! Yay! Yay!" Miko jumped in place twice.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺٩( ˃▿˂ )۶༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
She even shouted three times—showing just how excited she was.
This afternoon, she'd meet Sakurai-senpai again. Would he praise her?
Miko felt a bit of anticipation in her heart.