"Bang."
The basketball traced a perfect arc through the air—a textbook fadeaway jump shot. Kitagawa Ryo casually sank it into the hoop. The ball bounced once on landing before being caught by Sudou Ken.
"...I'm done. I'm done."
Wiping sweat from his forehead, Sudou Ken plopped down heavily onto a bench by the court, panting and waving a hand to signal his surrender.
"If you want to be a regular on the basketball team and represent the school in the summer tournament, you'll have to do better than that."
Ryo shrugged and sat on the opposite bench. Though it was only May, the weather already hinted at summer. Both boys were drenched in sweat after their game, and keeping some distance made things more bearable.
Sudou didn't mind. He rolled his eyes at Ryo's words.
"If you joined the basketball team, none of the first-years could compete. You've got talent, but you don't seem interested."
"Well, I've got my own club. I only play basketball to stay in shape. I'm not like you, aiming for a professional career."
Ryo twisted open a bottle of water from his bag and tossed another to Sudou. Fanning himself with his collar while drinking, he teased,
"Besides, you're the one taking it seriously."
"It's the only thing I'm good at."
Sudou let out a bitter laugh and chugged the entire bottle like a man dying of thirst. He wiped his mouth and added,
"Though, according to Mashima-sensei, our Class D doesn't get the perks we were promised before enrollment. So... I don't even know what to think anymore."
The suspension and likely expulsion of Yamauchi and Ike had shaken Sudou. What bothered him more was being the only one in their friend group who hadn't been punished. Every day, he endured their grumbles and passive-aggressive resentment, like he too should've been standing on the edge of expulsion.
Sudou didn't fully understand what happened that day among the four classes. But after hearing Yamauchi and Ike's angry complaints, he finally grasped the irrationality of this school—and how he nearly lost control that day, almost punching an A-Class student after being egged on.
Even the most impulsive person, given enough time, can start to see things clearly.
That's why Sudou was genuinely grateful to Kitagawa Ryo, who had stepped up to team with him when no one else would, and also to Yamada Albert, whom Ryo brought in. Even though he'd barely spoken to either of them before, one basketball match was enough to earn Sudou's respect.
He knew he was bad at communication, often irritating others. Teamwork wasn't his thing—except on the basketball court.
Only there did he instinctively understand the importance of collaboration.
"The basketball team at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High is top-tier, even on a national scale. That you caught the coach's attention so early is proof of both talent and hard work," Ryo said, nodding in approval.
Whether in academics or sports, excelling in any field deserves recognition. Pulling all-nighters for exams or enduring grueling practices—both are forms of commitment.
Sudou scratched the back of his head, visibly troubled. His red buzz cut gave off a delinquent vibe, but Ryo remembered him saying it was inspired by Slam Dunk's Sakuragi Hanamichi. He wanted to be like him.
Unfortunately, no one made that connection. Even Sudou himself had gradually given up—especially after destroying his own future in a fit of violence.
Back in junior high, a few nationally ranked basketball schools had offered him athletic scholarships. But after his outburst, those offers turned into worthless paper.
"Still, you've got to manage your temper."
"I know. But... Ryo, sometimes I don't even understand why I get so mad."
Just like that time—one provocation and he lost all rationality.
"It just means your anger threshold is too low."
As if something clicked, Ryo pounded his right palm with a fist.
"You need to train it. Like shooting accuracy—practice, and it'll improve."
"Here, I'll try to piss you off right now. Let's find out where your breaking point is."
Sudou didn't quite get it, but nodded instinctively. Ryo had helped him, and was clearly better at basketball—his words carried weight.
Ryo recalled how Horikita Suzune used to speak before her transformation and mimicked her tone:
"Sudou-kun, I saw your quiz. Hard to believe you even made it into high school. A sixth grader could've done better."
"It's terrifying to think about your future."
"You probably think grades don't matter since you want to go pro. But that's wrong. Solving problems one by one changes your life. Studying can make things easier."
"Same with basketball. You cherry-pick rules that suit you and avoid hard training—just like you run from studying. I doubt you put in real effort. Worst of all is your disruptive personality. If I were the coach, I'd never make you a regular."
Having won first place in the Horikita Suzune impersonation contest, Ryo's cold tone carried a faint condescension—like stating a basic law of physics.
Sure enough, Sudou's eyes flared red. He lunged to grab Ryo's collar—but snapped out of it the moment Ryo caught his arm. Shamed, he slumped back onto the bench.
Even though he now considered Ryo a friend, Sudou still couldn't control his emotions.
"That gave me a pretty good idea of what gets to you."
Ryo patted his shoulder reassuringly.
"Take it slow."
"...Sorry."
"No need. It was just a test. Nothing personal."
"If you really want to make it up to me, try studying a bit. I don't want to lose you after the midterms. I put together some notes based on the exam scope—they should help."
Ryo pulled out a notebook from his bag, smiling as he handed it over.
"Think of it as a way to stay here longer. At least until the summer tournament, right? Regular player Sudou-kun?"
"...Alright, alright. I'll do it."
After all that buildup, Sudou finally agreed to change. It might be a small step, but it was the most crucial one—the first.
Of course, if Sudou blew it, Ryo wouldn't hesitate to let him follow Yamauchi and Ike out the door.
Class 1-D's points would remain at zero for a long time.
So a few dropouts didn't matter.
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"Well then, thank you for your hard work, Ayanokouji-kun."
Katsuragi Kohei's deep voice exuded a sense of steadiness. After being suspended for half a month due to the infirmary incident, he had finally returned to the class just before the midterm exams.
Because he had shifted all the blame onto the already expelled Kouenji Rokusuke, Katsuragi remained the leader and class representative of 1-A. Upon his return, he wasted no time fulfilling his responsibilities, immediately organizing a study group in preparation for the upcoming exams.
Most of 1-A's students ranked mid-to-high academically within the grade, so at a glance, a study group didn't seem necessary. However, because the overall academic level was so high, it raised the class average. This made it more difficult for academically weaker students to pass.
Take Totsuka Yahiko, for instance—a loyal follower of Katsuragi. His grades were average at best. He might pass in Class C or D, but in elite-heavy Class A, he faced serious risk of failing.
Having already witnessed Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's abilities firsthand, Katsuragi handed over the organization of the study group to three people: Hirata Yosuke, Kushida Kikyou, and Ayanokouji himself. The first two were popular among boys and girls respectively, and with Ayanokouji—a trusted aide—coordinating, it suited Katsuragi's methodical style perfectly.
"Where do you think we should hold the study group, Katsuragi-kun?"
Ayanokouji nodded in acknowledgment. Since he had already decided to support Katsuragi as the public face of Class A, he played along and pretended to be as academically average as Totsuka Yahiko, giving the illusion that he was just a close associate of Katsuragi with no real talent.
"Hmm... I visited the library during lunch today. It has desks for reading and studying, and it's quiet."
After some consideration, Katsuragi made his suggestion.
"Then let's go with the library. How about every day after school?"
Sensing that his position as Katsuragi's number-one follower was being threatened by Ayanokouji, Totsuka quickly raised his hand in support.
"I think I saw other classes using the library for study groups too," another boy added.
"Yes, I believe both B and C Class are there," Kushida Kikyou explained, always eager to share her broad social knowledge.
"What about D Class?"
Thanks to Kitagawa Ryo, Ayanokouji paid special attention to D Class. But before he could ask, another girl in class voiced the question.
"Ha! As if those D Class guys would ever study seriously. If their class points weren't already at zero, they'd probably be in the negatives by now. A bunch of defective losers," Totsuka said with a smug grin, clearly trying to show off.
He was quickly silenced by Katsuragi's stern gaze.
"When we go to the library, keep quiet. Avoid any arguments or physical altercations with students from other classes."
Now that Class A only had a slim lead in points, Katsuragi was extra cautious, making sure no unexpected trouble would arise.
After going over other reminders, Class A's meeting was officially dismissed. Katsuragi discreetly signaled Ayanokouji to follow him outside.
Packing his things, Ayanokouji joined him in the corridor. As they walked toward the library, they spoke in hushed voices.
"...We can use the study sessions to observe the other classes."
"I had the same thought," Katsuragi nodded. He emphasized, "Especially B Class."
The point difference between their classes was under fifty. Despite Katsuragi's calm exterior, he was clearly feeling pressure.
"Class B isn't the real issue. Class A is."
Ayanokouji shook his head and calmly explained:
"There were several strange things during the last incident—including your actions and logical decisions. Don't you think you were being manipulated?"
"...You mean someone from our own class might be connected to the mastermind?"
Katsuragi's eyes narrowed. He wasn't stupid. Reflecting on it, he too had noticed some irregularities. But he had never suspected anyone from Class A until now.
"Stay alert. I will too," Ayanokouji said before speeding up and walking ahead, leaving Katsuragi deep in thought.
On the surface, Kushida Kikyou had prior contact with Kitagawa Ryo and was a central figure in Class A. She seemed like the most suspicious candidate.
Yet Ayanokouji couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The real spy might be someone else entirely.
Still, if the enemy followed typical logic, then maybe Kushida was hiding in plain sight.
Massaging his forehead in frustration, Ayanokouji took out his phone.
In theory, the White Room should have assigned another helper besides Yagami Takuya.
But ever since school began over a month ago, Ayanokouji hadn't received a single message from that person. It was as if they had vanished without a trace.
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The drama club, which mainly served as a place for slacking off and stress relief, had rarely received any applications from first-years. After all, drama sounded boring to most, and being a newly created club, it could be disbanded by the school at any time.
To date, Kitagawa Ryo had only ever received one application.
That one? Well, it came from a baseball club girl who had been totally smitten with his looks during the club orientation and applied on the spot.
With such obvious ulterior motives, her application hadn't even made it past the first glance before Karuizawa Kei and Ichinose Honami gave her a collective hard pass.
But today, after parting ways with Sudou Ken and heading to the drama club, Kitagawa Ryo found something new in the clubroom mailbox.
An application form.
From: Class 1-D.
Name: Amasawa Ichika.
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