In just a few minutes.
Just by listening to Ayanokouji's evaluation, the surrounding evaluation of Kushida Kikyou took a 180-degree turn.
Her friends should also possess strong cohesion that would not lose to the Ayanokouji group.
But for some reason.
Now it looked like a very fragile relationship.
Admit it frankly.
Acknowledge and respect Ayanokouji's individual strength.
However.
Was this really correct?
Looking at Karuizawa and Shinohara and the others caught in an argument, Horikita Suzune fell into deep thought.
What was her purpose?
Answer: Of course it was to graduate in Class A, so Class Points were very important.
This was something that had been understood long ago.
Then.
How much value did Kushida-san possess?
Was she worth one hundred Class Points? The answer was naturally NO.
Then.
Try a different way of thinking.
If the special exam failed, three hundred and fifty Class Points would be lost.
Could she be calculated as a combat force sufficient to make up for these losses?
Although it wasn't absolutely impossible.
But it was very difficult.
So—
What did Horikita Suzune want to do?
So that's how it was.
Before long, Horikita Suzune reached a conclusion.
This matter was not the correct answer.
...
Amidst the voices of people one after another beginning to agree with Kushida's expulsion.
Horikita Suzune couldn't help but stand up.
"You can't sink any deeper, Kushida-san. You won't be able to turn back."
"Ha? It's only finally becoming fun now, right? Don't you interfere with me, Horikita-san."
"That won't do. I can no longer listen to these ugly topics."
"Is my truth that ugly?"
Kushida seemed to take this sentence as a compliment, blooming with her most lively expression to date as she looked at Horikita Suzune.
"Yeah."
Horikita Suzune was full of frankness:
"At least I don't think this kind of exposé is beautiful, but I don't feel it's ugly only because it's directed at you. The people who are now having their secrets leaked by you and are demanding your expulsion are equally ugly."
"Why are we being dragged into this?"
Karuizawa quickly spoke up to change the subject.
It was truly difficult to handle the pressure from Shinohara and the others.
Besides collectively accusing Kushida Kikyo, Shinohara and the others were also mocking her from time to time.
Even if the exam ended.
Karuizawa felt her own class status might be in danger, perhaps even falling to the very bottom.
"That's right."
Horikita Suzune nodded with a calm expression:
"Kushida-san is more trusted than anyone else in the class. Generally speaking, gaining the trust of others is not a simple task, let alone sharing secrets."
"Of course, Kushida-san's leaking of secrets is not something to be praised, and it's normal for you to feel surprised by her unknown side, but doesn't everyone have a front and a back side to some extent?"
No matter who it is.
Everyone has their own hidden side; this is not a problem in itself.
"But, she kept voting in favor; that is unforgivable, isn't it?"
No matter what.
Kushida Kikyo is the culprit who made the exam turn out like this.
Naturally, she should take responsibility.
"That's right."
Horikita Suzune naturally did not refute it.
"She did this to make me or Ayanokouji-kun drop out; it was a very selfish choice. We must let her feel how heavy this responsibility is."
"But we shouldn't settle this responsibility by making her drop out; rather, we should utilize her skills and make her pay it back several times over from now on."
"Don't tell me you mean you don't want Kushida-san to drop out?"
"Yes..."
Feeling the questioning gazes of the crowd, Horikita Suzune took a deep breath and spoke.
"I—————want Kushida-san to stay in this class!"
"Huh?"
Kushida Kikyo's face twisted as she said: "And here I thought why you suddenly interrupted me. What kind of selfish talk is that?"
The truth had already been exposed.
There was no point in her staying at this school any longer.
"Unfortunately, I'm not very fond of joking. I'm serious."
Looking at Kushida Kikyo, whose eyes were brimming with tears, Horikita Suzune's gaze became even more determined.
"If you're serious, I'll make you change that thought. Let's continue the hell from just now!"
"I really don't think what just happened looked like hell."
"Oh..."
Kushida Kikyo sneered.
Just by pointing out a few secrets, Karuizawa, Shinohara, and the others were accusing each other and exposing their own ugly states.
They were trying so hard to trample each other underfoot.
Their relationship.
Was nothing but a fake sham.
Is such an ugly relationship not hell?
"Stupid, ridiculous, just constantly exposing an ugly state."
Horikita Suzune looked at Kushida with a hint of pity: "You only look like a fool."
"You are indeed better at studying than the average person, but at your very core, your brain is fatally poor."
"In the end, in middle school, because your classmates learned your true nature, you exposed everyone's secrets and let the class collapse, right?"
"Although you utilized that experience to come to this school, you were unlucky enough to meet me again, and then were witnessed by Ayanokouji-kun during your unknown side."
"It's almost laughable. I didn't even remember at first, and Ayanokouji wasn't interested in your past either."
"Yet you unilaterally couldn't stand the existence of the other party, even spoke out the details, and stubbornly tried to make us drop out, eventually even making a deal with Ayanokouji-kun."
"Thinking you had the upper hand, but instead you were utilized in reverse."
"This is the result, you see? You were too obsessed with the 'in favor' vote that could choose a dropout, and you were played."
No matter what.
Horikita Suzune did not want Kushida Kikyo to drop out.
Whether it was physical ability, academic grades, or Kushida's ability to gain the trust of others.
Kushida Kikyo was an indispensable member of the class.
At least.
She was someone indispensable in Horikita Suzune's heart.
"You don't understand my feelings at all, stop preaching there!"
Kushida Kikyo's eyes turned red, and her face became distorted: "I want to be number one! Even if I have to carry nauseating pressure, I want to immerse myself in pleasure. For that purpose, I want to remove you who are in my way. What's wrong with that?"
Every day, she had to endure harassment from a bottom-tier guy like Ike Kanji, while maintaining a smile and saying insincere words to comfort the other party.
It was truly so disgusting it made her want to vomit.
However.
Kushida Kikyo would never allow anyone to criticize her way of life.
Whether in studies or sports.
Although she was above average, she could absolutely never become number one.
Back in middle school.
Kushida Kikyo had already realized it.
The gap in talent truly exists.
There are just some people in the world.
No matter how hard she works or how serious she is, she can never surpass the other party.
Her own hard work every day is easily surpassed by those geniuses who study effortlessly.
The gap in talent is large enough to be despairing.
Therefore.
What she hated most was someone like Horikita Suzune.
Even though her talent was average.
And her academic and physical abilities were far from the highest level in the school.
Horikita Suzune still straightforwardly kept moving forward with effort.
It was as if she were looking at another version of herself.
A version of herself that didn't use a fake exterior to deceive others, but was constantly putting in effort.
Horikita Suzune's 990 existence itself.
Seemed to be a negation of Kushida Kikyo's methods.
Every time she saw Horikita Suzune.
Kushida Kikyo felt so disgusted she wanted to vomit, even more disgusted than when seeing bottom-tier guys like Ike Kanji.
Someone like Horikita Suzune.
She hated her the most.
However.
Now, such a Horikita Suzune still didn't want her to drop out.
"Because I treat people kindly and play the role of a gentle and considerate person, that's crossing the line? That sounds quite shallow."
Horikita Suzune worked hard to convince everyone present.
"Please rethink how difficult the act of treating people kindly itself is. Do you have the talent to treat anyone with a smile, to lend a hand to anyone, and to discuss anyone's troubles with them?"
"Stop it, don't say any more."
Kushida Kikyo covered her ears, indicating she didn't want to listen anymore:
"I don't want to hear you say those nauseating words anymore."
"Why? You, who are skilled at observing people's hearts, should know that I am not mocking or insulting you, but I truly evaluate you highly from the bottom of my heart."
"You possess talents that others don't have. Letting her drop out would be a huge loss for the class."
"Shut up!"
"So I cannot agree to Kushida dropping out. I want to bet on myself, to utilize her strengths. No, I will definitely show you how I utilize them!"
Horikita Suzune's face was firm.
She would definitely prove to everyone.
That Kushida Kikyo is an indispensable member of the class; this is the correct choice.
"I told you to shut up."
"The world is unpredictable. After learning everything about you, I've developed a great deal of favor toward you for the first time."
Looking at Horikita Suzune's approving gaze, Kushida Kikyo was filled with resentment.
No matter who recognized her, it was fine.
Only.
Horikita Suzune was not allowed!