Episode 13 – Contract

Lunch break. Most of the students were busy sharing their quiz results with each other, which was held just before lunch. The quiz seemed to be relatively difficult this time, and many students were eating lunch with a painful smile on their faces. The average score was roughly 60 points, which means that many students were struggling and only a few people in the class achieved the top scores.

This quiz was to be graded by the person sitting next to each other. So I already know the results for myself and my opponent……

“…..Hey.”

“Hm?”

“……Lend me your face for a second.”

Because of my agitation, I started to talk like a yakuza, but I didn’t care about that and took my neighbor out and left the classroom. From here on, we can’t talk in the classroom. By the way, Shiina Kanata was still holding the convenience store rice ball in his left hand that he was about to open because I suddenly took him out.

“Yukihana san ! Let’s have lunch together….hm?”

I heard a voice calling me from inside the classroom. Apparently it was a close call. However the place where it’s not popular is in this school…..

“If you’re looking for an unpopular place, there’s an equipment room next to the stairs on the first floor. Let’s go there for now.”

“……Got it.”

He said so as if he could see through what I was thinking. He’s such an unreadable guy.

So we went to the equipment room and opened the door. He was right, the equipment room was unlocked, and it was an empty classroom where no one would come, perfect for a secret talk. It was a little dusty, though.

“So, what’s the deal?”

“….Before that, I’d like to ask you a question. Who are you?”

“…….”

He tilted his head with a puzzled look, but there’s no fooling me now. I look back again at the test I just took.

“……The prediction questions you gave me. For me, it was practically useless. I could’ve gotten a perfect score without it.”

“Oh, was that unnecessary of me?”

“…..That’s not what I meant.”

At first glance, those prediction questions would’ve been easy to understand even if you’re not a smart student. But there was something more unusual going on than that. That prediction question was……

“……How did you manage to guess all the questions that were going to be asked?”

The prediction rate for that prediction question was almost one hundred percent. Everything from the questions to the numbers used matched. I could only assume that he knew the problems in advance. The math teacher was our homeroom teacher, Shichimiya sensei. I was wondering if it might be……

“……Did you get Shichimiya sensei to do you a favor? Or did you steal the test?”

“No, it’s much simpler than that.”

But the guy in front of me doesn’t change his expression and speaks easily as if he’s just trying to answer the question.

“I’ve been taking math classes from Shichimiya sensei for the past year. Of course, I took many quizzes. I can easily predict the test questions that the teachers of this school year, including Shichimiya sensei, will prepare. Shichinomiya sensei uses the questions from the reference books in the library as they are, and she always comes up with one trick question. That’s why it’s so easy to predict.”

“…A reference book in the library?”

I have visited the library several times. I didn’t have many chances to visit it because it wasn’t big and didn’t have any good books. But, is she using the reference books there as they are?

“……How’s that for a……teacher?”

“Well, that teacher is all about how far she can cut corners when it comes to teaching. And since the library at this school is not used very often, almost no one is aware of the fact that they are using reference books.”

It’s true that very few students use our school library. We don’t have the latest books, and even the reference books are old-fashioned. But……

“……,How do you know all that?”

“Well, it’s kind of my special skill.”

“…..Special skill, huh?”

I was somewhat confused, but this guy in front of me proved to me that he was a competent person. 

“So, do you want to talk about the contract?”

“……Wait a minute, I still have questions.”

I’ve already decided on an answer regarding the contract. So I’m in no hurry about that. But apart from that, I had one more question I wanted to ask.

“……I got a perfect score on your prediction question. I didn’t really need it, but it still helped. I admit that.”

“So?”

“….Why?”

I was the one who graded his test. That’s why I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the results.

“……How could you, the one who made those prediction questions, get a score of sixty?”

“Oh…….”

The guy who made prediction questions with a hit rate of almost 100%. The test score, however, was about sixty points, and he made a few mistakes on simple questions that he shouldn’t have made. This clearly suggests that he was cutting corners. And the average score this time, I believe, was about sixty.

“……Did you expect the average score and match the scores on purpose?”

“If I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t be able to make it easy for myself, would I?”

Easy. The word means many things.

If the students find out that Shichimiya sensei is using a reference book, she will just use a new reference book. If that happened, she wouldn’t be able to make it easy on the math test.

Besides, if people find out how smart he is…..

(……In the test results, and there was no such name as Shiina Kanata among the top students)

The top thirty students in this school’s regular tests are supposed to be posted in the hallway along with their total score. I have been in the top three every time, but I always check the names of the students below me. And without a doubt, this guy’s name is not on the list and I have never seen it.

(……From the beginning of the entrance ceremony, has this guy been cutting corners?)

I don’t see the point in doing that, but the only thing that is true is that I’m more confused of this guy.

If that’s true, maybe he’s more……

(……No, that’s not possible.)

Even I take pride in my own academic ability. That is why I didn’t want to think that this guy might have higher academic ability than me. Or maybe I didn’t want to admit it. So I decided to forget this question once and for all.

“About the contract……”

I refer to the earlier contract as if to change the subject. I had decided whether or not to accept the contract when I had finished solving the test.

“……You really think you can execute something like this?”

“I wouldn’t try to do something I couldn’t do.”

And so he would come up with the contract again. His name was already written there. All that was left was to write my name.

“…….”

I never intended to be the class president. But if I let that girl be the leader, it was only a matter of time before the class would fall apart. When Kisaragi Yuu was ruined, who would be standing at the top of that class? I was beginning to think that perhaps it was only a matter of time.

(……Follow the path of destruction or make a deal with the devil)

I honestly didn’t think I could solve this problem on my own. The existence of Kisaragi Yuu is not compatible with a person like me. In the future, she would become a harm to me. Then, I knew what I had to do.

“……Can I borrow your pen?”

“Of course.”

He took out a ballpoint pen from his breast pocket, as if he had prepared it. Perhaps he was convinced that I would take him up on his offer. Thus, I signed the document.

“The deal is done. Well then, looking forward to working with you.”

“…..I have no intention of being friendly with you.”

Thus, we decided to take action after school.