From that day onward, Kiyono Rin's attitude suddenly turned cold.Aside from greeting each other, the two of them hadn't exchanged a single word.
Watanabe Tetsu took the lesson to heart and began by reflecting on himself.
Other than Kiyono Rin herself, there was no one in this world who didn't tell lies. And since he hadn't caused any negative consequences, he wasn't in the wrong.
Which meant… there was no need for him to take the initiative to apologize, nor any need to try to ease the relationship.
May 9th.The day before the make-up exam.Human Observation Club activity room.
Watanabe Tetsu clicked his tongue in admiration as he looked over Tamamo Konomi's test paper.
"What's that expression? You look ridiculous!" Tamamo Konomi laughed.
Watanabe Tetsu deliberately acted mysterious, straightening his posture and staring at her solemnly."Tamamo-san, guess what your score will look like this time?"
"What are you doing? Just tell me already—don't act like some old man."She spoke casually, though her eyes were already sneaking toward the test paper.
Watanabe Tetsu raised two fingers.
"B? Really?!"
Tamamo Konomi's loud reaction didn't bother her at all, but it made Kiyono Rin frown.
"Wrong," Tetsu said."A. Two A's."
Tamamo Konomi looked skeptical."Seriously? You didn't… change the wrong answers into the right ones on purpose, just to give me confidence for the exam, did you?"
"Tamamo-san, I was born in a tiny village in Iwate Prefecture. The bus only comes once every two hours. There's no shopping mall, no convenience store, not even a vending machine. No one in the village has ever tasted coffee. Elevators only exist on TV. Whether there's cell signal depends entirely on luck.
"For me to travel 500 kilometers and spend six whole hours just to reach Tokyo—to study—I absolutely wouldn't fake grades."
Tamamo Konomi stared blankly at him for a long moment.
"There are places… that poor?"
"…"Watanabe Tetsu handed her the test paper."Tamamo-san, doesn't this test look familiar to you?"
She nodded."I've seen similar questions on the prediction sheets. They felt easy."
"…This is the English and history exam from last month."
"Huh?"Tamamo Konomi looked at him in disbelief.
Watanabe Tetsu said seriously:"Tamamo-san, for you, the make-up exam is already a piece of cake."
"A piece of what?"
"In short, it'll be easy. You'll get at least a B."
"Really?!"
"Really."
"But… I've already done the monthly test paper. That doesn't prove anything, right?"
"You don't remember any of it, do you? That makes it basically a brand-new exam."
"But there are so many questions that follow exactly the same solving method as the prediction sheets. And the history section even has identical questions."
"Of course."Watanabe Tetsu smiled."I made the prediction sheets based on the test-setters' preferences. The more repetition you feel, the more you'll already know during the make-up exam."
The two looked at each other.
Tamamo Konomi blinked her beautiful double-lidded eyes. Tetsu noticed a tiny sparkling something at the corner—he wasn't sure what it was.
He guessed it was probably eye shadow.
"So… I"—she pointed at herself—"have absolutely nothing to worry about?"
"No."
"Huh?"
"You need to be careful. If you get everything right, the teacher might think you cheated."
"Th-Then what should I do?"
Watanabe Tetsu raised his right hand like he was in class and said loudly:
"Sensei, I'd like another copy of the exam, please!"
"Another copy of the exam?" Tamamo Konomi blinked, then burst into laughter, tears spilling from her eyes."That's so funny! Ahahaha~~"
After a while, she wiped her tears in an adorably cute way."Tetsu, if I get two A's, I'll treat you to dinner. My treat!"
"Hmm…" Tetsu pretended to think deeply."Is there a budget limit?"
"1,000 yen."
"Ah… sounds like I can eat something decent. I'll have to look into it carefully. I'll tell you later."
Tamamo Konomi couldn't help laughing."It's only 1,000 yen. What good food can you get with that? How poor are you exactly? Don't tell me you've been living on discounted supermarket bento all this time? And you still spent 150,000 yen—hmm… anyway, are you that confident I'll get double A's?"
Watanabe Tetsu shrugged."I have a lot of confidence in myself. Do your best tomorrow."
He sincerely suspected she had accidentally let slip something about their little arrangement somewhere along the way.
After Tamamo Konomi left, Koizumi Aina entered the club room to check on the two students' progress.
She first asked Kiyono Rin,"Kawabe-san will be fine, right?"
Rin replied, "Mm. She's remembered everything she needs. As long as she performs normally, she should get a C or a B."
"As expected of Kiyono-san," Koizumi Aina praised."And Watanabe? How is Tamamo-san doing?"
"If she performs normally, B or A."
Koizumi looked surprised."She can get an A?"
At Kamikawa Prep School, grades were assigned by deviation value:70–80 was an A—the highest possible being 80.
Students at that level typically aimed for elite universities like Tokyo, Keio, Kyoto, Sophia, Waseda, and could even enter competitive programs like medicine.
Tamamo Konomi's monthly math and history grades were F, with a deviation value between 30–45—the lowest being 25.
To raise her deviation value by nearly 40 in just five days, even with limited material, was shocking.
"If I'm strong enough, she could even get double A's."
"Huh?"Koizumi Aina looked utterly confused.
Watanabe Tetsu explained,"I predicted the exam questions for her, and also used a short-term mental magic technique. But don't worry, all the important points were memorized properly."
"Predicted questions? Mental magic?"
Tetsu instinctively waited for Kiyono Rin to expose him.
But that cold, confident, mocking voice never came.Only the soft rustling of pages turning.
So he continued,"It'd be too troublesome to explain. Anyway, the task you assigned has been perfectly completed. Starting next week, I can leave early, right? If I don't return to work soon, the manager's going to fire me."
"You worked hard this week. Part-time work is fine, but take care of your health. Don't stay up too late. Since you live alone, remember to eat proper breakfasts and dinners."Koizumi Aina spoke gently.
"Koizumi-sensei, you'll definitely become a wonderful wife and mother in the future."
"How can you talk to your supervisor like that!"
Koizumi Aina grabbed the hardcover book on the desk and lightly tapped it against his head.
"Ow… Sensei…"
"Stop acting!"She laughed."Be careful on your way home. I'm heading out first."
May 10th.The make-up exam was held in the morning.After the first afternoon class ended, the teachers would call the make-up students one by one to reveal their results.
Just as the bell for the final period finished ringing, Watanabe Tetsu received a LINE message from Tamamo Konomi.
koko: TETSU!!!koko: TWO A's!!!Tetsu: Congratulationskoko: What do you want to eat?! Budget increased to 2,000 yen!Tetsu: That much? I'll need a long time to thinkkoko: Decide before Saturday! I'll treat you Sunday!Tetsu: Okay
Since it was Friday, Watanabe Tetsu headed to the club room after school.
"Do you need something today?" he asked.
"Tamamo Konomi's score. And her reaction," Kiyono Rin said coldly.
"Double A's. Reaction… really excited, maybe a little smug."
"Mm."
Silence lingered for a while.
"I'll return the book the moment I finish it," Tetsu said.
Kiyono Rin nodded.
"Then I'll head out."
"Lock the door."
Watanabe Tetsu pushed the metal chair under the desk and prepared to leave.
Just then, Koizumi Aina walked into the room.