*🔔🔔🔔!*
The moment the bell signaled the end of the period, the students who had been sitting bolt upright and studying diligently let out a collective sigh of relief. They collapsed onto their desks instantly, unmoving, as if their very souls had been incinerated by the lecture.
"Finished already? I feel like I've been teaching for less than ten minutes."
Hiratsuka, still standing at the podium, grumbled under her breath as if unsatisfied, then spoke with renewed vigor.
"Even though the bell has rung, we haven't finished this hour's material. Everyone, give Sensei just two more minutes. Once these final points are wrapped up, you're free to take your break."
"Eeeeehhhhhh!?"
The second those words left Hiratsuka's mouth, more than half the class erupted in protest. Many of the students slumped over their desks didn't even lift their heads, opting to stay in "salted fish" mode and feign deafness.
"You're complaining over just two minutes!? Your attitude toward learning is completely wrong."
Seeing the wave of protests, Hiratsuka's expression soured.
"Back when I was a third-year in high school, every break and every lunch in the cafeteria was spent studying. I even dreamed about solving worksheets in my sleep. And you lot? You start whining the moment I ask for a two-minute extension. Young people today truly have no drive to work hard."
"What 'drive to work hard'? If a break isn't used for breaking, isn't that just being unprofessional? Otherwise, why does a break time even exist? Why don't you just suggest we get a two-minute head start on our break during the next lesson instead?"
Izuru, who had spent the entire period observing Itsuki without hearing a single word of the lecture, chimed in with a listless tone.
At that, a vein popped on Hiratsuka's fair forehead. She forced a smile and said, "Kamukura, you truly are the type who won't give up until you hit the Yellow River, and won't be satisfied until you've sought your own death. After school, let's have a very thorough discussion about our business in the faculty office."
At that point, Sakuta, who had been sprawled on his desk, couldn't take it anymore either. He stood up with a deadly serious face.
"Hiratsuka-sensei, as much as we love learning and are willing to sacrifice our precious break time for the sake of knowledge, the next period is home economics—specifically, cooking class. We need our break to head over and start the preparations early. If Sensei uses two minutes of our break, it's the same as stealing two minutes from the cooking teacher. That is a truly inhumane act!"
{Oh, so that's how we're playing this!}
The eyes of every student—salted fish or otherwise—lit up instantly. They immediately latched onto the lifeline Sakuta had thrown them.
"That's right, Hiratsuka-sensei, we have cooking class!"
"That's right, Hiratsuka-sensei, we have cooking class!"
"That's right, Hiratsuka-sensei, we have cooking class!"
"That's right..."
It wasn't a matter of important things needing to be said three times; rather, more than half the class had reverted to the primal human state—a photocopier—resulting in a repetitive chant with identical punctuation and tone.
Seeing her students turn into a chorus of copy machines, Hiratsuka let out a resigned sigh. "Fine, fine. Hurry up and get to your cooking class. But Azusagawa, Tobe, and Kamukura—the three of you are mandatory attendees at the faculty office after school. Or else... hm-hm!"
After tidying her textbooks, Hiratsuka turned and swept out of the room without a backward glance.
Instantly, half the class exhaled and wore triumphant smiles. Even though the debate with Hiratsuka had taken exactly two minutes—meaning they gained nothing physically—mentally, it was a total win. If Hiratsuka were allowed to teach for "two minutes," they would have experienced the true meaning of the Theory of Relativity.
In Hiratsuka-time, "two minutes" could drag on so slowly that the bell for the next period might ring before she was actually done!
Watching this scene, Izuru felt a mix of amusement and nostalgia.
"The next class is cooking!?"
Itsuki, who had been feeling a bit drained after sharing a book with Izuru for an hour, suddenly had sparkling eyes. A corner of her mouth even began to droop with a hint of drool, revealing her true nature as a glutton.
"That's wonderful! In that case, I can eat to my heart's content... I mean, I can sample the food to my heart's content."
{What's the difference?}
Izuru tapped his forehead in resignation, but remained silent. He wore a satisfied smirk, acting as if he'd just survived an intense study session, while tidying the textbook that finally had ink in it. Even though he wasn't the one who wrote them—it was the model student Itsuki who had taken the notes—the book was his, wasn't it?
So, by his logic, those cramped, detailed notes were the result of Izuru's own hard work.
"By the way, Nakano Itsuki, have your books still not been handed out?"
Remembering the issue, Izuru asked curiously.
"No. Since school started a few days ago and all five of us transferred at once, it seems the school's stock of second-year books is a bit low. I haven't received mine yet. Oh, President, once I get my books, could I borrow yours to copy the notes?"
Itsuki nodded, then added a bit shyly.
"Um, President... just call me Itsuki. Using my full name feels a bit strange."
"Itsuki, then? Fine by me."
Izuru shrugged, projecting an air of nonchalance.
"But my book only has the notes you just wrote. If you need the earlier stuff, you'll have to find another model student who actually pays attention. Hmm, I have a recommendation: Hirano, right behind me. She's not just a top student ranked right below me, she's also incredibly serious in class. Her notes are always complete for every subject."
"Excuse me, Kamukura-kun..."
Before Izuru could finish, Yukino cut him off coldly.
"Could you please refrain from making recommendations without the person's consent?"
{Wait...}
Izuru's body stiffened, a look of confusion crossing his face.
Why was Yukino suddenly refusing to lend her notes? Usually, even if she acted cold on the surface, deep down she took pride in her superiority and wouldn't hesitate to lend them out, right?
Or was it a case of instant antipathy toward Itsuki? Could it be... could it be?! Was Yukino so envious of Itsuki's "giant meat buns" that she was showing this level of hostility?