I came, I saw, I lost! (Classroom of the Elite Fanfiction)

『』『』『』『』『』

It was Thursday.

Tomorrow, the midterm would be upon them. Class had ended for the day. After Chabashira-sensei ended the homeroom period and left the classroom, Kushida immediately leapt into action.

"Everyone, before you return to the dorm, would you mind listening to me for a moment?"

The students stopped packing their bags and turned to her.

"I know that you've all been studying a lot in preparation for the test tomorrow. I have something to help you. I'm going to hand out some papers."

She began distributing the sheets, passing them to the students in the first row, who then passed them backward.

Kumagawa caught a glimpse of the paper as it reached him.

『Huh? 』

The content was too familiar. It was the exact same test he had gotten from Manabu.

"What's wrong, Kumagawa?"

Ayanokōji, who was seated nearby, had noticed his reaction.

Kumagawa turned to him, then back at the paper.

『Oh, nothing. Just wondering whether or not we've already failed before the test even started.』

"Test...questions? Did you make these, Kushida-san?" Horikita was visibly surprised by this sudden turn of events.

"Actually, these are the old test problems. I got them from a third-year student last night."

"Old test problems? Huh? Wait, will these questions be on the test tomorrow?"

"Yes. To tell you the truth, I heard that the midterm test from the year before last had almost exactly the same problems as this one. So, if we study what's on this test, it'll surely come in handy."

"Whoa! Seriously? Thank you, Kushida-chan!" Overjoyed, Ike hugged his test paper. None of the other students could suppress their elation, either.

『Oh well, it seems I'm doing something useless then. 』

Kumagawa spoke to no one in particular.

It seemed that, even if he had done nothing, Class D would have still ended up with the correct test material. Whether by luck or careful planning, Kushida had managed to obtain the exact thing he had spent points on.

That was fine, though. It wasn't like he had any real attachment to those points anyway. But there was something about all this that made him hum thoughtfully.

A third-year student, huh?

That was the part that caught his attention the most. He knew for a fact that Manabu had the old tests, but Kushida had said she got them from someone else. Which meant there was another third-year willing to sell test materials.

Kumagawa glanced at Kushida, who was basking in the praise of their classmates, a bright smile on her face.

『Hmmm. Interesting.』

He tapped his paper against his palm, letting the thought settle before brushing it aside. In the end, the important part was that he wasn't going to get expelled. Everything else could come later.

『』『』『』『』『』

"There are no absences today. It appears everyone is present."

Chabashira strode through the classroom with a bold smile on her face.

"This is the first hurdle for you leftovers. Are there any questions?"

"We've studied diligently these past few weeks. I don't think that anyone will fail."

『How much does it cost to buy my way out of this? 』Kumagawa raise his hand.

"Oh my. You sound quite confident, Hirata."

Chabashira didn't even acknowledge him. She simply moved on, as if he hadn't spoken at all. It wasn't just ignoring—she was actively pretending he didn't exist.

Kumagawa blinked.

『Huh. I think this is the first time I've ever been ghosted by a teacher.』

Chabashira promptly took up the test papers and passed them out. The first period test was for social studies.

"If anyone stumbles here, the other tests will be an uphill battle, quite frankly. You'll take this midterm and the final exam in July. If no one fails either test, you'll be rewarded with a vacation during your summer break."

"A vacation?"

"That's right. A dream vacation on an island surrounded by the brilliant blue sea."

The moment those words left her mouth, a noticeable shift occurred among the boys.

Sun. Sand. Swimsuits.

Their imaginations went into overdrive, and an immediate surge of motivation spread through them.

『Ahh, the power of teenage hormones. Truly inspiring.』

Kumagawa leaned back in his chair, lazily flipping over his test paper. Whether they were motivated by academic success or by the mere thought of girls in bikinis, it didn't change the fact that they had no choice but to take this test.

The second and third period exams were for Japanese and chemistry, respectively. Neither was particularly difficult, considering the questions had already been seen before. The same applied to mathematics in the fourth period. While it was filled with the same abnormally difficult problems that had appeared in the mock test, they were still identical to the past exams.

For anyone who had the old test as a reference, this midterm wasn't just manageable—it was practically free points.

Then came the final period. English.

Unlike the other subjects, English was harder to brute-force through pure memorization. Sentence structures could be slightly altered, vocabulary could be switched around, and minor adjustments could throw off those who were only relying on pattern recognition. But even then, with the "cheat sheets" it would honestly be impressive if anyone managed to score below 50.

And just like that, the first-year midterms came to an end.

『』『』『』『』『』

Chabashira-sensei strode into the classroom, looking around at the students in surprise. Everyone was clearly anxious, holding their breath in anticipation of the test results.

"Sensei. We were told that the results would be announced today, but when?"

"There's no need for you to get so worked up, Hirata. You should have passed quite easily."

"So, when will the results be released?"

"Well, if you'd like, now is as good a time as any. If we waited to do it after class, we wouldn't have enough time for other procedures."

Some of the students visibly reacted to the words "other procedures."

"What... do you mean by that?"

"Don't get flustered. I'll tell you now."

As usual, she revealed the details simultaneously and collectively. She stuck a large, white sheet of paper with everyone's names and test scores onto the blackboard.

Most of the students had their names listed near the top, a clear indication of how much the cheat sheets had helped. Even those who were usually hopeless when it came to academics had somehow managed to answer the higher-point questions.

"We showed you, sensei! When we really try our best, we can do anything!" Ike wore a smug, confident look.

"Yes, I recognize that. You all did very well. However—"

Chabashira-sensei held a red pen in her hand. She drew a red line right above Sudō and another student's name.

"Sudō and Sakura, you failed."

"Huh?"

A small, trembling voice.

"Huh? You're lying, right? Don't give me that crap! Why did I fail?" Sudō cried.

In response to Sudō and Sakura failing, the entire classroom did a complete one-eighty. The delighted cheering came to an abrupt halt, replaced by murmurs of confusion.

"Sudō, you failed the English exam. And Sakura, you failed science. That's all."

"Don't screw with me! I got thirty-two points! I passed!"

Sudō was the first to protest, while Sakura only sat quietly, trembling in her seat.

"When did anyone say that thirty-two points was a passing grade? You had to score at least forty to pass the midterm exam. In other words, you were just one point short. You were so close."

She then turned to Sakura.

"As for you, Sakura, you were short one point in science. Too bad."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

"S-Sensei," Hirata spoke hesitantly. "Is Sudō-kun and Sakura-san really being expelled? Is there no way to save them?"

"They're being expelled. They got a failing grade."

"Could we possibly see Sudō-kun'and Sakura-san answer sheet?"

"Even if you look it over, you won't find any grading mistakes. I was expecting that you'd protest."

She took out Sudō's English answer sheet and Sakura's science answer sheet and handed them to Hirata, who immediately scanned through them. His expression darkened as he reached the end.

"There... are no mistakes."

『Wow, one point short. That's so cruel. If it were me, I'd at least have failed spectacularly. 』

"Kumagawa," Hirata shot him a sharp look.

『Hey, hey, don't glare at me like that. 』

"Enough," Chabashira cut in. "If you're all in agreement, homeroom is over."

Chabashira-sensei had heartlessly announced Sudō's and Sakura's expulsion without offering them a second chance or the faintest bit of sympathy.

"Sudō and Sakura, come to the faculty room after class. That is all."

With that, Kumagawa got up from his seat and strolled toward the door, slipping his hands into his pockets.

"Chabashira-sensei. May I have a moment of your time?"

Horikita's voice. But Kumagawa was already gone, disappearing into the hallway.

He walked past the other classrooms, casually peeking inside. Unlike Class D, the other homeroom teachers weren't delivering grim news. Instead, they looked... almost celebratory.

No dropouts.

From Class A to Class C, not a single student had failed.

Kumagawa hummed to himself, a smirk tugging at his lips as he climbed the stairs.

He eventually reached the rooftop and made his way toward the maintenance shed—a quiet, overlooked spot where he usually lazed around.

Shortly after settling in, he heard the creak of the door.

Somehow, it felt like déjà vu.

He tilted his head and took a peek.

Chabashira-sensei was there, lighting a cigarette. She took a long drag, exhaling a cloud of smoke into the open air.

Kumagawa watched her in silence for a moment before speaking.

『Sensei, smoking on school grounds? That's a bit scandalous, don't you think?』

Chabashira barely reacted. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"You sure have a habit of showing up in places you shouldn't be."

『What can I say? I'm drawn to miserable people. And right now, Sensei, you look absolutely pathetic.』

She scoffed, taking another drag. "I could say the same about you."

There was silence for a moment—Chabashira took another puff of her cigarette, and Kumagawa continued flipping through his manga, looking completely at ease.

『By the way, Sae-chan-sensei. What did you talk about with Horikita earlier?』

Chabashira clicked her tongue. "You're still calling me that nickname?"

『Isn't that your name? 』

Her eyebrow twitched slightly before she let out a light sigh

"...Whatever. She was just asking about the passing grade requirements. Seems she doesn't accept that Sudō and Sakura failed by only one point."

『Is that so... 』

Kumagawa didn't sound particularly interested.

"You don't seem surprised."

『Ah... You mean how the passing score is just the class average divided by two? 』 He lazily turned another page. 『It's pretty obvious if you look at it. 』

For a brief moment, Chabashira's hand stopped mid-motion, her cigarette hovering just inches from her lips. But just as quickly, she recovered. She took a slow, deliberate drag, as if to erase any trace of reaction.

Then, just as suddenly, another creak from the door.

"Ayanokōji, hmm? Class will begin any minute, you know," Chabashira said, glancing toward the newcomer.

Kumagawa felt a strange sense of déjà vu. A familiar scene, just with a different player.

"Sensei. Would it be all right if I asked you one question?"

"One question? Is that why you went to the trouble of chasing after me?"

"I'm curious about something."

"First it was Horikita, now you. What in the world is it?"

"Do you think that today's Japanese society is fair?"

"What an incredible change in topic. So sudden, too. Is there some special meaning behind this question?"

"It's very important. I would like your opinion."

Chabashira leaned against the railing, cigarette hanging loosely between her fingers. She took a slow drag before exhaling, her gaze drifting toward the horizon.

"My opinion, huh..."

Then, without warning, she shifted her gaze to Kumagawa.

"What do you think, Kumagawa?"

Ayanokōji blinked. It was subtle, but for the first time, a hint of surprise flickered across his usually expressionless face. He hadn't even noticed Kumagawa's presence.

He turned his head slightly, and there he was—Kumagawa Misogi, lying lazily atop the maintenance shed's wall, manga in hand, flipping through pages as if none of this concerned him.

Ayanokōji had been standing mere feet away, yet he hadn't noticed him at all.

『Ahh... I see how it is, Sae-chan-sensei. You just don't wanna answer the question, so you're throwing it at me instead. 』

Chabashira smirked slightly, taking another drag.

"Humor me," she said.

Kumagawa hummed, shutting his manga with a soft thwap. He swung his legs over the edge of the shed and let them dangle.

『Is Japanese society fair? Well, that's an easy one. Of course not.』

Ayanokōji remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

『In the real world, the weak are usually the ones that get exploited—the weak are just constantly deceived by the strong. That is our reality, our world, our history, and our humanity.』

"That's only if the weak allow themselves to be exploited. Strength isn't always about power—it can be intelligence, influence, or even luck."

『The weak are weak because they're weak. The strong are strong because they're strong. And logic cannot overcome that. 』

"You're saying it's predetermined?"

『More like... inevitable. You could say it's kind of like how all streams flow from mountains to the sea, but you get the point.』

Chabashira scoffed, flicking away the ashes from her cigarette.

"Tch. What a twisted way of thinking. But I do agree with his opinion. The world isn't fair, not even the slightest bit."

"I see. I feel the same way. I think that equality is a fiction."

"So, did you chase after me merely to ask that question? If that's all, then I'll be going."

"One week ago, when you told us that the test's material had changed, you also said something like 'I forgot to inform you.' Because of that forgetfulness, we were notified of the change one week after the other classes had already been informed."

"Yes, I said as much back in the faculty room. What of it?"

『What he's saying is, he wants to save Sudō and Sakura from expulsion. 』

Ayanokōji didn't react to Kumagawa's casual remark. Instead, he silently took out his phone.

Chabashira raised an eyebrow. "What are you planning?"

"Please sell me one point that I can apply to Sudō's English test and Sakura's science test."

There was a pause.

Chabashira's eyes widened slightly before she suddenly let out a loud, amused laugh.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! That's a rather interesting idea. You really are a different kind of student. I never imagined you'd try to buy points."

"You said so the day we were admitted, didn't you, sensei? You said that we can buy anything with our points. The midterm test is just one more 'thing' at this school, after all."

"I see. I see. To think there's another student in Class D who realizes this fact."

Ayanokōji blinked. "Another student?"

Chabashira smirked and pointed a finger toward Kumagawa, who was still leaning lazily against the maintenance shed.

"That idiot over there tried to buy his right to wear a different uniform. He said it was ugly."

Ayanokōji's gaze shifted to Kumagawa, who didn't even bother looking up from his manga.

『I stand by what I said. The uniform's design is completely uninspired. Would it kill them to add a little flair? 』

"...And? What happened?" Ayanokōji asked Chabashira.

"Obviously, I rejected him."

『Which, by the way, is total discrimination. If I can buy food, books, and even influence with my points, why not my right to fashion?』

Ayanokōji ignored the back-and-forth and returned to the main topic.

"So? Can I buy those points or not?"

"Now, that's a rather difficult question, isn't it? I've never been asked to sell test points before. Let's see... Seeing as how this is a special occasion, I'll sell a test point for the exceptional price of 100,000 points."

You're cruel, sensei."

"I'll pay too."

A voice interrupted from the rooftop entrance. Horikita.

She stepped forward, her arms crossed, looking at Ayanokōji with sharp eyes.

"Fine. I accept your deal," Chabashira said smoothly. "I'll sell you one point for Sudō's test and one points for Sakura's test, taking a combined total of 200,000 points from you both. As for the matter of Sudō's expulsion, you can inform the class that it's no longer an issue."

She took one last drag from her cigarette before crushing it under her heel.

"But now comes the real problem. How do you intend to gather 300,000 points? Even if you gathered half of the entire class's remaining private points, it certainly wouldn't add up to that amount."

Silence.

Horikita's expression stiffened. Ayanokōji, as always, remained unreadable, but it was clear they had no immediate solution.

Due to Class D having zero class points, the students were already struggling financially. Taking their points would be cruel—many of them were barely getting by as it was.

"That's the issue, isn't it?" Chabashira smirked. "Now, why don't you ask Kumagawa?

『Oh? You're dragging me into this?』

"I don't know why or how, but I do know about your little transaction with the student council president."

Kumagawa finally looked up from his manga, stretching his arms lazily.

Ayanokōji turned to him. "Do you have a solution?"

"Transaction with the student council president?"

Horikita stiffened. She was always sensitive when it came to matters involving her brother. Kumagawa, however, didn't seem to care. He lazily turned to Chabashira, who was silently observing from the sidelines.

『Sae-chan-sensei, do news spread fast when a student gets expelled? 』

"Depends. But most of the time, yes—especially among first-years." she said, folding her arms

『Now here's a question. How could someone from Class D manage to prevent two expulsions at the same time? It's well known that we have zero class points since the first month. So how did they do it?』

He took a slow step forward, stopping right between Horikita and Ayanokōji.

『Naturally, people would dig. Dig...dig...dig...dig...dig...and...dig for information. And eventually, they'd find something... regarding the student council president. 』

Horikita's eyes sharpened. She remained still, carefully choosing her words.

"So what?"

『Well, the school is probably letting it slide since we already made a deal—』

"Stop spouting nonsense, Kumagawa. There's no one except us who knows about that night."

『Well, probably. But I've got a loose mouth, you see. I might just slip up and say something I shouldn't. Like, oh, I don't know... how a certain student council president assault a student in the middle of the night. 』

Horikita's fingers twitched slightly.

She didn't know whether he was bluffing or not. That was the worst part about dealing with Kumagawa—he never gave anything away. If he was lying, there was no way to tell. If he was telling the truth, there was no way to confirm.

And worst of all, she didn't trust him to keep quiet.

Ayanokōji, standing beside her, analyzed the situation.

Kumagawa Misogi was a wild card. Unlike the others in Class D, he wasn't bound by the usual sense of morality or responsibility. He had no shame, no hesitation, and no sense of self-preservation. If he decided to spread rumors, he wouldn't hesitate. If he decided to keep silent, it wouldn't be out of kindness—it would be because he simply felt like it.

Ayanokōji considered their options.

The goal was to save Sudō and Sakura from expulsion. But Kumagawa had added another layer to the equation.

Would Horikita risk exposing her brother... or would she prioritize her class?

Kumagawa tilted his head, his usual carefree smile still in place.

『I'll give you a deal. You can save Sakura or not. Or you can abandon your brother or not. 』

"T-that..."

Horikita's breath hitched slightly. Her fingers curled into a tight fist, her nails digging into her palm. She had been prepared to negotiate, But this—this was different.

Kumagawa wasn't just giving her a choice. He was forcing her into a corner.

If she chose to save Sakura, that meant allowing her brother's involvement to be exposed. If she prioritized her brother's secret, that meant letting Sakura be expelled.

『So, which one will you take? If you take my deal, you'll be a worthless leader who abandoned one of her own. If you refuse, you'll be a worthless sister who sold out her own brother.』

His voice was light, almost playful, but the weight of his words was suffocating.

Kumagawa had set up a perfect no-win scenario.

『Either way, you'll be a worthless person in the end. 』

"..."

Ayanokōji and Chabashira, who had been silently observing, couldn't help but think—

Kumagawa Misogi might just be the worst person they had ever met.

A long silence followed.

Horikita stood still, her gaze fixed on Kumagawa. Her posture remained composed, but the slight tremble in her fingers betrayed the turmoil inside her. A choice like this was the worst possible scenario for someone like her.

Kumagawa simply smiled, waiting.

Ayanokōji observed her closely. Horikita wasn't the type to hesitate. She always sought the most logical solution, no matter how cold it seemed. But this time, the answer wasn't so simple.

Then, with a quiet inhale, she spoke.

"...I won't do it."

She turned away, avoiding eye contact.

"I won't let my brother's name be dragged into this."

It was a clear rejection.

Ayanokōji's expression didn't change. Chabashira only exhaled, as if she'd expected this outcome.

Kumagawa, on the other hand, only chuckled.

『Ahh, so that's your choice, huh? 』

Horikita didn't respond.

Sakura's fate was sealed. She had been abandoned.

This was the price of prioritizing her brother.

And yet, despite the weight of her decision, despite the knowledge that she had let one of her own be expelled—Horikita did not look back.

『』『』『』『』『』

It was almost time for the next period, but Class D was still in chaos.

Especially Hirata.

He was still desperately searching for a way to save Sudō and Sakura from expulsion.

Sudō sat at his desk, fists clenched, anger and frustration radiating off him in waves. Across the room, Sakura was crying silently, Hasebe rubbing her back in an attempt to comfort her.

But no one had an answer.

Then, the classroom door opened.

Chabashira strode in, followed by Ayanokōji, Horikita, and Kumagawa.

"Everyone, sit down. I have an announcement." Her serious tone made the room fall into silence.

Hirata immediately raised his hand.

"Sensei! Is there really no way to prevent Sudō and Sakura from being expelled?"

"Calm down. I'll explain everything now."

She looked around the room before continuing.

"I have good news and bad news."

The tension in the air thickened.

"The good news is that Sudō will not be expelled."

For a moment, silence. Then, the class erupted.

"Woah! Really sensei!?"

A wave of relief washed over Sudō's friends. Ike and Yamauchi cheered loudly, patting Sudō on the back. Even Hirata let out a breath of relief.

But before the excitement could settle, Chabashira continued.

"The bad news... is that only Sudō has been saved."

The room froze.

"Sakura Airi will still be expelled."

The mood instantly plummeted.

Sakura let out a small gasp, tears threatening to spill again. Hasebe gritted her teeth, holding onto her friend tightly.

Chabasira turned toward Sakura.

"You'll be formally expelled by the end of the day. Pack your things."

Hirata's face twisted in frustration.

"Why...?" His voice was tense, barely holding back his emotions. "Why only Sudō...? Why not Sakura too?"

Chabasira then let out a sigh.

"Let me explain it to you. Both Sudō and Sakura were short by just one point on their tests. In order to save them both completely, you would've needed at least twenty million private points."

The classroom fell into stunned silence.

Twenty million.

Most of them didn't even have enough points to buy bread, let alone contribute to a number like that

"But," Chabashira continued, "Horikita and Ayanokōji devised a plan—to buy the test points using their own private points. Just enough so they wouldn't get expelled."

She crossed her arms, looking over the class.

"And sadly, Sudō was the lucky one."

Hirata slammed his hands on his desk, standing up. His usual composed demeanor was gone.

"That doesn't make any sense! We're a class! How can you just decide that one of us isn't worth saving?!"

"I didn't decide. This was the result of the choices made."

Hirata clenched his fists.

"There has to be something we can do! I'll pay the points myself—"

"You don't have enough," Chabashira cut him off. "Even if you gathered every private point in Class D, it still wouldn't be enough to save her."

Hirata gritted his teeth, scanning the room. But no one spoke up.

Then, Kushida stood up.

"Sensei... how much is the remaining one point?"

"100,000 points."

Kushida turned to her classmates, clapping her hands together in a desperate plea.

"Please, everyone! If we all chip in a little, we can save her! We just need 100,000!"

But no one moved.

They averted their eyes, pretending not to hear her. Some students clenched their fists, some looked away in guilt, but in the end...

No one spoke up.

Hirata's breathing grew heavy.

"You're just going to let this happen...?" His voice wavered. "We're supposed to be a class! How can you just abandon her like this?!"

Still, no one responded.

Then, a voice cut through the silence.

"Hmph. What a boring display."

It was Kōenji.

He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold with an amused smirk.

"Begging for scraps like commoners... how unsightly."

Hirata snapped his head toward him.

"Koenji! You—!""

Hirata's patience finally snapped. He grabbed Kōenji by the collar, lifting him slightly. For a moment, the entire class held their breath.

Kōenji, however, didn't seem fazed. On the contrary, he seems amused by the entire situatuon.

"Oh dear, how violent."

Hirata clenched his teeth. His whole body trembled in anger.

But in the end—

He let go.

"...Damn it...!"

Hirata slowly sank back into his seat, his head hanging low. His hands clenched tightly on his knees, frustration boiling inside him—but he couldn't do anything.

The class fell into a heavy silence. Some students lowered their heads, unable to look at Sakura directly. Others tried to ignore the situation entirely, pretending it wasn't happening.

A choked sob broke the silence.

Sakura, trembling, clutched her sleeves tightly, her face hidden behind her bangs. Hasebe squeezed her shoulder in silent support, biting her lip in frustration.

Kushida, turned back toward the class once more.

"Are you all really okay with this?"

No one answered.

Sakura let out another shaky breath.

"I... I see..."

Sudō, who had been silent all this time, gritted his teeth and slammed his fist against his desk.

"Tch...!"

She forced out a smile, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It's okay... I understand..."

But no one felt okay.

Sudō clenched his fists, his face dark with guilt. "Damn it..."

Hirata wiped a hand over his face, looking completely drained.

Now, everyone realized what kind of school this was.

A school where only the strongest survived.

Class D had lost a classmate today.

Sakura Airi will be expelled by the end of the day.

Her existence would be erased from this school. Her name would disappear from the class list. Her seat would be empty tomorrow.

And life would go on.

Just like that.

Some students trembled, realizing they could be next. Some looked away, unwilling to face the truth. Others, like Ayanokōji, simply accepted it.

And in the midst of it all, Kumagawa sat at his desk, flipping through the pages of his manga as if none of it concerned him.

His eyes remained fixed on the pages.

Kumagawa Misogi just kept reading.

『END』

『』『』『』『』『』