In class, Horikita Suzune was unusually distracted, barely paying attention to the lesson as she pondered the answers she had gotten from Chabashira Sae.
Of course, she was also thinking about the diary she had spent all night dwelling on.
According to the diary, this information had been sold by Asakusa Tetsu of Class B to Ryūen of Class C.
The price: two million personal points.
But when she had separately asked Chabashira about the first three items, the total had only come to twenty-two thousand.
Even if she added the class transfer requirement, there was no way it would reach two million.
So either the diary was lying—
Or it was leaving something out.
She had already spent twenty thousand points to confirm the accuracy of that information, so it couldn't be wrong.
Did that mean something was being concealed?
And then… there was the hint the teacher had given her for ten thousand points.
"The exam is conducted by class."
Did that mean… she was supposed to unite the class?
Thinking of that, Horikita couldn't help glancing back at Yamauchi Haruki and the others in the back row.
"..."
No. Just thinking about taking an exam with them made her feel sick.
How could a human cooperate with impostors?
But if the exam was by class, their participation was unavoidable.
…What should she do?
What would her brother do in this situation?
She couldn't help thinking that.
But the moment she did, the words from the diary two days ago surfaced in her mind.
"A spineless person who only knows how to chase after my back."
It was as if Manabu's cold voice echoed in her ears.
As though her brother were standing right in front of her, scolding her with a stern expression.
No. I—I'm not like that anymore.
I'm not that useless person anymore.
I'll prove it.
I will prove myself!
Shouting this in her heart, Horikita clenched her teeth.
That's right. She would prove herself.
Even if it meant dragging people like Yamauchi Haruki up to Class A with her.
For that, she had to know what the first month's special exam actually was.
Class A had been in the superior position from the start.
Class B and Class C were already one step ahead, knowing about the exam.
They were seriously behind!
The bell rang, signaling the end of class, and the classroom immediately filled with noise.
Taking a deep breath, Horikita closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, the confusion in her gaze was gone.
She stood up and walked, step by step, toward the podium.
From there, her view was wide.
She could clearly see everyone's movements.
The trio of impostors were shouting meaningless chatter.
The girls beside Kushida were talking about trivial things they'd forget tomorrow.
Several girls clustered around Hirata.
Small groups gathered here and there.
And then…
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka looked up at her.
He still seemed not to have any friends.
"..."
No one paid much attention to her strange behavior on the podium.
Even if someone noticed, they only glanced at her before looking away.
This was Class D.
The so-called trash class.
Why was I placed in a class like this…
No. Now wasn't the time to dwell on that.
There was something she had to do—something only she could do.
Taking another deep breath, Horikita spoke.
"Everyone, I have something to announce."
"The first month's special exam has already begun, and we're seriously behind!!!"
Her heavy yet resolute voice echoed throughout Class D.
Almost instantly, the noise died down.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Everyone turned to look at her.
At this moment, the entire class was focused on Horikita Suzune.
"...What is she talking about?"
"That girl… her name's Horikita, right?"
"Oh, the one Kushida always invites but gets rejected by?"
"Did she suddenly go crazy?"
"Is this some kind of imitation? Trying to copy that guy from yesterday's club briefing to get attention?"
"Special exam… did the teacher ever mention that?"
After a brief silence, even louder chatter erupted.
No one showed Horikita any respect.
No one took her seriously.
They just thought that this friendless girl was doing something weird.
"Um, Horikita?" Kushida Kikyo looked confused.
Hey, hey, what are you saying?
The moment Kushida heard "special exam," she immediately thought of the diary.
She didn't believe Horikita could have discovered anything.
Nor did she think someone as isolated as her could have heard anything from others.
Even she herself—who had already befriended most of the class and exchanged contact info with students from other classes—hadn't managed to learn anything about a special exam.
And now Horikita had figured it out?
Impossible.
So Kushida's first thought was—
"Could she see the diary too?"
From the beginning, the diary's writer had claimed that more than one person could read it, and had addressed first-year students directly.
But… did Horikita really have no sense of caution?
According to the diary, the writer didn't know exactly who could read it.
They were supposed to hide themselves.
If they were exposed, who knew what kind of things that nasty guy would write next?
Because of that, Kushida hadn't dared to share the information from the diary.
Yet Horikita had just blurted it out like this?
Did she seriously not care about her own dark past at all?
Just imagining that guy naming her directly and exposing her past made chills run down Kushida's spine.
Damn it.
Until now, she hadn't slipped up even once.
She couldn't even find a way to get that person expelled.
She couldn't even be sure of their gender!
Everything seen through words might be false.
That joking tone could easily be carefully crafted.
After three diary entries, the writer still hadn't revealed anything about himself.
…At times like this, she almost envied Horikita's reckless, headlong charge.
Even though Horikita was sure to face everyone's doubts.
"Horikita, what do you mean by that?"
As everyone remained confused, the class's good guy, Hirata Yōsuke, stepped forward.
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