Chapter 88: Surely No One Actually Needs to Study to Get a Perfect Score, Right?
....
Seito slowly stirred from his slumber.
As his vision cleared, he saw Shizuka Hiratsuka standing at the podium clutching a stack of exams. He gave her a lazy, "dead fish" stare, leaning back in his chair with an air of complete indifference.
"Ahem."
Hiratsuka cleared her throat, her expression turning stern. "I don't know how you all spent your time reviewing last week's material, but generally speaking, the results this time were... underwhelming."
"I'll begin calling out grades. When you hear your name, come up and collect your paper."
She looked down at the first sheet.
"Kinoshita Hideyoshi, 67 points."
Hideyoshi stood up and hurried to the front. As Hiratsuka handed over the paper, she added firmly, "Spend a little less time on games and don't neglect your coursework."
"I... I understand!" Hideyoshi stammered, turning back to his seat.
"Utaha Kasumigaoka, 92 points."
"Shoko Nishimiya, 91 points."
"Hachiman Hikigaya, 91 points."
One by one, the names were called. Students shuffled to the front until only four remained.
"Yukino Yukinoshita, perfect score."
Hearing her name, Yukino stood up calmly and retrieved her paper.
"Asuna Yuuki, perfect score."
"Kaguya Shinomiya, perfect score."
The "Wife" and the "Ice Queen" both collected their exams with practiced poise. Finally, only Seito was left.
At that moment, Hiratsuka's gaze locked onto him. "There was one student whose performance truly exceeded my expectations."
The class turned as one. Kaguya's lips curled into a tiny, triumphant smirk; she was already imagining the scolding Hiratsuka was about to deliver for a failing grade.
"I have to admit," Hiratsuka sighed with a mix of awe and annoyance, "geniuses really do exist in this world. Seito, a perfect score."
Kaguya: "..."
Asuna: "..."
The entire class: "..."
Jaws hit the floor.
What? This guy slept through every single lecture last week and still got a perfect score? Is this a joke?
Seito stood up with a breezy smile, sauntered to the podium, and snatched his paper without even glancing at the questions. Instead of returning to his seat, he paused, sweeping his gaze across the room. He let his eyes linger on Kaguya and Asuna before pitching his voice into a perfect imitation of Admiral Kizaru.
"Ohhh? No way... seriously?"
"Surely no one actually needs to study to get a perfect score, right~?"
"Sigh... it's truly boring being in a class without a single rival~"
With those legendary "bratty" words, Seito strolled back to his desk. His mockery stung the entire class, Hiratsuka included—after all, she had been a diligent student herself. But since he actually had the score to back it up, she had no reason to reprimand him.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Hiratsuka began the lesson.
Back at his desk, Seito leaned back and whispered toward the seat behind him. Kaguya was currently staring at the back of his head, grinding her teeth so hard it was audible.
"Shinomiya-san, back during the morning break, didn't you say something about what you'd do if I failed?"
Kaguya froze. The awkwardness hit her like a physical weight. He heard us? Every word? She was the refined "Ice Queen," but the sheer second-hand embarrassment of being caught plotting against a top scorer made her want to vanish.
"Shinomiya-san~" Seito whispered again.
"What is it?" she snapped, forcing her voice to remain cold despite her racing heart.
"Have you ever heard a 'cheesy pickup line'?"
Seito decided it was time to deploy his special skill. Greasy? Sure. But as long as he wasn't the one feeling the embarrassment, it was the other person's problem. And for a sheltered girl like Kaguya, it was lethally effective.
Kaguya blinked, genuinely confused. "A what?"
Seito leaned in closer. "Do you know which side my heart is on?"
"The left, obviously," Kaguya answered instinctively.
"Wrong. It's on your side~"
Kaguya's face instantly flushed a brilliant scarlet. Wait... was that... a confession?! She had learned a lot from her maid, Ai Hayasaka, lately, but Seito's sudden, "poetic" delivery caught her completely off guard.
Seito let out a quiet chuckle and turned back around. One shot was enough. He wondered when Kaguya's "ice" would finally melt; it was going to be fun to watch.
The rest of the period was a blur for Kaguya, whose mind was spinning in a hundred different directions. When the lunch bell finally rang and Hiratsuka left the room, the students began taking out their bentos.
Seito stood up and meandered toward the front of the class, stopping right in front of Asuna's desk.
"What do you want, Seito-kun?" Asuna asked, her eyes narrowed and guarded.
"Ahem." Seito looked down at her bento.
"Wife, as classmates, we really ought to help each other out."
Asuna: "???"
Wife?
The whole class: "..."
The madman actually said it out loud!
Asuna's face turned pink. She was so flustered by the nickname that she couldn't find the words to argue.
"I'll take your silence as consent!" Seito reached down with lightning speed, snatched a sandwich from her box, and took a massive bite.
"Hey!" Asuna glared at him. "Seito-kun, I will never forget what you did on Saturday! Never!"
Clearly, being "robbed" in the game was a grudge she intended to take to her grave.
"Mmhmm," Seito swallowed the sandwich in two gulps and gave her a thumbs up. "Your cooking is top-tier!"
Asuna's blush deepened.
Suddenly, the back door of Class D swung open. A shirtless Iori Kitahara leaned into the room and waved at Seito.
"Seito! Big Sis Amou says to get over to our class for lunch!"
"Coming!" Seito's eyes lit up as he jumped up to follow Iori. Leaving the stunned Class D behind, the two headed for Class E.
Iori shouted as they entered the room: "Big Sis Amou, I brought the target!"
.....
Thank you for reading.