A/N:
I just wanna say is currently fucking up with me on their official website and won't let me through using my laptop, so I'm using my other phone to update. I'm officially worried how will the format look. Just give me a heads up if it looks wrong.
Anyway, go on.
Chapter Nineteen
"Well, everyone, I've received the grades for all of your subjects." Koro-sensei announced from his podium.
Tsuna eyed the brown folders in their teacher's tentacles. The class tensed up like strings of bows being pulled. They have been waiting for three days for the results. Everyone of them couldn't say a thing about the final exam yesterday. They were too nervous to joke anything, because in Kunugigaoka, they receive both their ranking and exam papers at the same time.
The brunet's eyes strayed to his missing seatmate. Looks like Karma took his paper ahead. His intuition shook his head disapprovingly to the redhead's position. Heh. It's fine. It will be a good lesson for the genius. He wonders if Koro-sensei will add more wood to the burning fire though.
"Well, I'll go ahead and announce the results." Koro-sensei started off as he pulled the folder to open and took out the card. "Starting with English, Class E's top scorer and number one in your grade was," Black eyes glanced at him for a split sec. The brunet smiled internally. "Nakamura Rio!"
The class thundered with claps and cheers for the blondie who fanned herself with a cheeky proud smile. Okuda and Sousuke turned to him in concern, but he waved them off.
"A perfect score." Koro-sensei praised with his head turning orange with a red circle, emphasizing 'correct'. "You weren't always all that motivated though. So I was worried." He continued while handing Nakamura her paper.
"It's all because of that ten billion yen reward, so don't forget this means one tentacle, mkay?" Nakamura winked.
Koro-sensei 'nyaruhuhu'-ed before passing out the papers in seconds. "Nagisa-kun also worked hard, but you still need to fix that habit of spelling things wrong where it really counts."
Nagisa sighed almost dejectedly. "Yeah."
Tsuna folded his paper and slipped it under his desk, not wanting anyone to see them.
"Well, then, seeing as you took the top spot in one subject, you can destroy one tentacle." The teacher hummed as he put a small flag on an arm. "In addition, since you also have the five subjects showdown with Class A, we'll see if you can congratulate yourselves after all the results have been handed out." Then he opened another folder. "Moving on to Japanese Literature, Class E's top scorer was,"
Tsuna placed two fingers on his desk after getting another glance. Heh. Those two are his domain in midterms, so he has to take some pride.
"Kanzaki Yukiko!" He clapped along with the others as Kanzaki got praised.
"But, the one who took first place in your grade was Class A's Asano Gakusho!" Koro-sensei added, but still gave a beam to the girl who came up to him to collect her paper. "You've also improved by leaps and bounds. That in itself is an accomplishment."
"Man, that Asano's really racking up the points." Maehara commented as Tsuna hid his paper again after getting it. "And he took the top spot to boot."
"He's way too strong. Even in English, he was one point away from Nakamura and ranked second." Mimura sweatdropped. "The tests were tons harder than the midterms, but he still aced them. Just what you'd expect of the guy ranked number one in the country. If he kept his spot in the other subjects, we won't stand a chance."
"Yeah. Those called the 'Five Virtuosos' are on par with each other, but in the end, Asano's the one we have to beat, or taking the top spots will be impossible." Maehara concluded as Koro-sensei opened the third folder.
The class looked at each other in trepidation because what the two have stated were facts.
"Continuing on, next is..." Koro-sensei took a look on the paper. "Social Studies! Class E's top scorer was Isogai Yuuma with ninety-seven points and the top in your grade was- Congratulations! You bested Asano-kun and took the top spot!"
"Yes!" Isogai yeeted with a pull of his fist.
Tsuna covered his mouth to laugh when he got his score. Since Koro-sensei told them that Asano's score was ninety-five, the brunet won by a point.
"Now we're at two wins, one loss!" Fuwa realized.
"The next one's Science, so it's Okuda!" Sugino nodded.
"Class E's top scorer in Science was Okuda Manami!" Koro-sensei announced. "And the overall top scorer in Science was- Excellent job! You were also number one in your grade!"
Okuda took her paper shyly as Koro-sensei pulled some confetti to celebrate.
"Three wins, one loss!" Their teacher announced excitedly. "Even without waiting for the Math results, Class E's already beaten Class A!"
"Hell yeah!"
"Good work, Okuda! That tentacle is all yours!"
"So that means, we'll also be taking 'that' as our prize." Kimura cheered.
"I can't wait!" Kurahashi sang in excitement.
Tsuna hummed as he received his Math and Science papers and hid them away. He made eye contact with Nagisa who looked back to them, to Karma's desk. He shrugged and glanced out to the window. The teal-head bobbed his head understandingly.
The brunet chuckled under his breath when he saw Karma walking in after Koro-sensei went out some minutes ago, completely red and fuming. The redhead dropped on his seat beside his. Gold eyes looked at him and shyly darted away before gazing at him again. He hummed.
"I won't ask if you're okay or not," He blatantly say, earning a small grimace. "I don't feel sympathy too nor pity because you did that to yourself, but, lesson learned, okay?"
Karma nodded.
He reached out and patted the teen's head. "You did well, though. There's still a chance so don't feel discouraged." He raised a fist. "Do your best to get your rank again."
The redhead stared before laughing. "Man. I'll feel fine if you did that with a smile."
"At least it served its purpose." He shrugged before turning to the board as Koro-sensei came in. He did give a gander. "To make you smile at least a little."
He didn't see how Karma's cheeks went a little red.
"Now then, you all had excellent results." Koro-sensei started off. "There were five subjects plus the composite score for six chances, and you took the top spot in three of them. How about we begin the assassination effort without delay? The three who ranked one go ahead and take whichever tentacle you'd like."
That created a small pause in the class.
"Oi, hold up there, Octopus." They all turned to Terasaka who stood up with his colleagues. "There weren't just three people who hit number one in the five subjects."
Koro-sensei eyed the brunet as the group of four stalked towards him. "There were though, Terasaka-kun. When you combine the results of Japanese Lit, English, Social Studies, Science and Math, you get-"
"Hah? You missed one, dumbass." Terasaka and the others put their papers one by one on the table with a growing smirk. Tsuna turned to the side to chuckle at the dumbfound expression of their teacher. "If we're-" The delinquent gestured themselves as the one partaking the word 'we'. "-talking about the five subjects, they're Japanese Lit, English, Social Studies, Science... And the last one's Home Ec."
"Hold on a second!" Their teacher shouted in protest and hurry. "Home Economics is a secondary test subject, you know! How could you four only take something like this seriously enough to get a perfect score!"
"Nobody said 'which' five subjects we were talking about." Terasaka reasoned enthusiastically.
"Kukuku." Hazama giggled as Yoshida and Muramatsu smiled like hyenas behind her. "The whole class was fine with the idea."
The class sweat-dropped at how clearly clever the four were.
Tsuna mused when Chiba turned to Karma who perked up. "Go on and tell him, Karma."
The redhead reconsidered before smiling a little. "Isn't it a bit rude to say Home Economics is 'secondary', Koro-sensei? It's said to be the greatest among the five subjects!"
The brunet hid his smiling lips in his hand as his classmates grilled their teacher to keep his promise and give up seven of his tentacles. Poor Koro-sensei.
"They invited you too, didn't they?" Karma asked. "Terasaka was quite persistent to get your attention these past days."
"Jealous?" He shot back, earning a raised brow. "Yeah. They did invite me, but I declined. I'd like to stick to the core subjects most of the time. But I did ace that subject up. Don't want to disappoint."
"How much did you get in Math, anyway?" The other asked.
Tsuna hummed. "Do you really wanna know?"
Karma stared at him in contemplation.
"Also," Isogai started off with a hand raised. "I talked it over with everyone, and we'd like to be allowed to use the 'loot' from our wager in this assassination as well."
Koro-sensei's reaction was outright funny that it took Tsuna to fully exercise his self-control not to laugh. It can't be helped that their teacher adore the class that much.
Three days after the finals, they were called to assemble in the gym for the closing ceremony. Fixing his necktie, Tsuna walked among the class. A lot of students from the other classes are staring at them. Well, it is inevitable since most of the ranks in top fifty were dominated by Class E, other than Class A. Tsuna is so glad that only a couple of people know the overall ranking of the final exam.
"Oho. Finally shown your face, have you, oh great and powerful Student Council President?" They all turned to Terasaka who stated that.
Brown eyes followed the incoming stream of Class A. Asano, as always, is leading them with the four of the Great Five.
"I assume you have some business with me." Asano acknowledged without pausing to pass them. "However, with the closing ceremony preparations, I don't have time to waste on Class E."
Tsuna nodded in understanding. So the closing ceremony was the reason why the blond hasn't been in the convenient store.
They all watched as Terasaka bravely put a hand on the blond's shoulder. "Hey now, hold up there. Aren'tcha forgetting something?"
"Asano, we had a bet, you know." Isogai called out with the other Class E at his back. "Whichever class had more number one ranking among the five subjects could make one request of the other. I e-mailed you our request a little awhile ago, so I guess you have no problems with it?"
The Great Five appeared as if they swallowed lemons with how their defeat get rubbed on their faces.
"You guys were the ones who came up with the five subject wager. At this point, you're definitely not gonna claim you were just screwing around, right?" Terasaka taunted with a smirk, with the other three snickering behind him. "And hey, you can stick Home Economics or whatever else you want in those five subjects. We'll still gonna win, though."
The Class E all turned to the sides to cough their laughter from how Terasaka gloated their perfect marks in Home Econ. It cannot be helped. They did able to get Koro-sensei with that subject and took four more tentacles for the class to destroy.
They all proceeded to the hall when Asano turned around with a firm answer that they will bid with what the Class E wants. This time around though, it was only Karasuma-sensei who accompanied them while the other two were 'ordered' to look after the building. The human version of Ritsu was also present. When they fell in line, Karma pulled him to stand in front of the redhead. He didn't complain. The redhead did have an image to uphold, so he attended the ceremony. Other than that, he's too prideful and he doesn't want the Class A, especially Asano, to call him a coward for not showing his face after falling down to thirteenth spot from the fourth rank.
The closing ceremony went off without any hitch. The usual Class E badmouthing didn't go over well, since the 'bottom-dwelling bad example' had won the battle for the top. Even when an official outright warned the student body to work hard on their studies, the Class E held their heads high in pure pride. And the brunet can't help smiling at that.
When they poured out, Tsuna tapped Karma on the shoulder and asked the other if he wanted milk or something else to drink. The redhead nodded and asked for milk. Some of his classmates did the same thing and they dispersed to get to those available vending machines. He went for his usual machine and bought two each for them. Well, three for Karma since he really likes his strawberry. He was back to the waiting group when his intuition alerted him of incoming presence.
"Sawada." Asano called as he approached the brunet.
"Asano-san." He acknowledged back, eyeing the student body who stopped and watched them with big eyes.
"I saw your rank." The blond nonchalantly remarked as he stood in front of him. "You really didn't hold back this time."
"I did." He made an acute thinking face for a tease. "Just a little bit though. If I didn't, I could've snatched the place for myself 'perfectly'."
He can hear his classmates gasp and whisper while the student body murmured among themselves. He watched as a nerve get prominent on the SC President's temple though. "It almost felt like you considered my position."
"Why? Don't you want me to hold back next time?" He blinked his eyes slowly to appear innocent. "I could give you a solid snatch on the midterm of our second semester."
"I'd like to see you try."
He hummed.
"However, my offer still stands, come back to us. In the main building." Asano said, causing the spectators to jaw drop. "We'll help you nurture your talents, Sawada."
Well, it can't be helped. The top student asking for the dumbest student of their school to return to the main building is uncalled for. But, "No."
Asano sighed, already expecting the answer. "Don't think I will not offer you this choice again anytime soon."
"Should I change my answer to 'never', Asano-san?"
The blond smirked, looking amused. "Don't. You might change your mind."
Tsuna jutted his chin forward in defiance. "Even if you kneel, I won't."
They stared at each other for a sec before they simultaneously turned away to go for their respective people. He went for Karma and gave him the bag of milks. When he started to walk for the mountain, he noticed how Class E instantly surrounded him. His mind swirled with questions of why, but he didn't voice out. If he has reasons, his classmates have reasons too.
When they got back to the old building, they were welcomed by Koro-sensei and Irina-sensei. Tsuna followed everyone to the classroom and sat on his respective seat. He was going to turn to Karma when he felt his intuition pulling him not to and telling him to read the redhead's mood. He glanced at his friend, and saw a small thoughtful frown in there. He mentally sighed. He is so gonna kill Asano.
"Here you go, Tsuna-kun." Koro-sensei said as he put a three inch book on his desk.
Tsuna blinked his eyes then turned to his teacher. "This is the summarized version of the summary, or just the summary of it?"
The teacher grinned. "The summarized version of the summary, Tsuna-kun. You did a good job talking sense into me."
His mind went back to the accordion-like book his teacher showed him that night. Just thinking of the book makes him pity his classmates, so he persuaded the other to create a summarized version since Class E are not kids to be guided all the time. "I'll take that as a compliment, Sensei."
The teacher chuckled before appearing by the podium. "Now then, after this, we'll be heading into summer vacation, but you all still have the main event to look forward to."
Nakamura raised the school guide book. "Yup. 'This', which we snatched up thanks to that bet."
The same magazine was being inspected by Karasuma-sensei and Irina-sensei who got curious of what the class was excited about.
"It is a privilege given to the class with the highest grades. In other words, it would normally have been Class A, but this time, the top fifty spots were almost entirely monopolized by Classes A and E. That is enough to qualify all of you for it, as well." Koro-sensei added.
"A summer vacation in Kunugigaoka Junior High School's special summer course! A three day, two night stay at an Okinawa Island Resort!" Someone among them exclaimed excitedly.
"As you requested, the tentacle destruction you have earned the right to carry out will not take place in this classroom. Rather, it will take place during our stay on this outlying island." Koro-sensei announced. "Though seven tentacles is a large handicap, it isn't quite satisfactory enough. You may also use the island itself, which is surrounded on all sides by water, Sensei's weakness. Truth to be told,"
Tsuna let his lips quirk a little to a small smile as their teacher scratched his head with a bashful proud expression. In some times, whenever they eat meals, Koro-sensei has expressed how proud he is that the class has improved academically and in assassination. It was an achievement to their teacher, and Tsuna feels happy for him.
"you have all become formidable students. I handed out report cards for your parents to see some time ago." Then he started to write some things in a bundle of papers. "There are report cards for all of you as assassins, from me, your target." Then he passed it around.
Tsuna pursed his lips as he scanned his assessment for the past three months. They were double marks, and he feels quite proud about it.
"Let's make full use of the fundamentals we've cultivated during the first semester, and over the summer break, let's play a lot, study a lot, and lastly, kill a lot!" Their teacher cheered. "The assassination classroom's first semester fundamentals are hereby ended!"
The class cheered.
Tsuna packed his bag and slipped out of his chair just as their teachers went out too. He was going for the door when Terasaka stepped in front of it and crossed his arms, completely blocking him from escaping. The teen appeared like he wanted something from the brunet. Tsuna looked back to his classmates, and they're all gazing at him expectantly.
He is so gonna kill Asano for creating a mess like this. That asshat. Tsuna hopes Chairman Asano rile his son up for being an instigator and an idiot.
He sighed. "Yes?"
"What was Asano trying to say, Sawada?" Isogai asked for all of them. "It's unusual for him to offer one of us to come back personally."
Tsuna adjusted his grip on his bag straps. "Just as he worded it, he wants me to go back to the main building."
"Was it because of midterms?" Sugino queried. "You shared a rank with Karma during that test."
"That, and," He looked away. "this finals as well."
"Eh?" All of them blurted.
"Wait, is that what he means by he saw your rank and you didn't hold back, but you said you did because if you didn't, you could've got it alone?" Terasaka said with his eyes wide.
"What didn't you hold back? What does he mean by you considered his place?" Nakamura asked too.
They all turned to Kimura who gaped at him. "H-Hey! Sawada- No way!"
"What, Kimura-kun?" Kurahashi questioned in concern.
"Sawada placed first with Asano!" Kimura exclaimed.
The class went silent before Okajima turned to the brunet. "W-What was your overall grade, Sawada?"
Tsuna breathed out. "Four hundred and..." He glanced at them. "Ninety-one."
"Same with Asano?!"
"Woah! That was rank one! No wonder he wants him back!"
"It means he got some perfect scores too, right?!"
"I'm not gonna use my perfect scores to take a tentacle." He worded firmly, making them go quiet. "I've talked to Koro-sensei. He tried to persuade me, but I'm the one who declined. Please respect my decision."
There was a bout of silence.
"It's fine, Sawada-kun." Kanzaki responded first with her angelic smile. "We understand. I know you only want to learn from Sensei. If you ever wanted to kill him, you could've done so with your skills. So it's okay."
"Yeah. Sorry, Sawada." Maehara sheepishly apologized after a second of realization. "We got excited. We didn't mean to offend you."
"At least you didn't say yes." Hara seconded. "It won't be the same again if you're gone."
(Sawada facts no. Thirty-two: Asano has asked him a lot of times to go back to the main building (he never did).)
"I prefer Koro-sensei over a hundred teachers lined up to teach me." He replied before eyeing Terasaka. "May I go now?"
"What? Why? We should go to the arcade and play something. You haven't visited there." The delinquent protested, with Yoshida and Muramatsu nodding in agreement.
"I'll meet you later at one in afternoon there." He said as he side stepped the other. "Three hours will be fine, right?"
He didn't look back when the three cheered. He did feel the penetrating gaze of Karma following him. When he got out, he massaged his temples with one hand. He should probably rest easy for now before he kills Asano for being an asshat.