One week after the results were announced, in a school cafeteria near the Keyaki Center, Horikita met with Hirata and Kushida to settle an urgent matter.

"This doesn't look good at all."

"If it continues like this..."

"Yes..."

The three leaders of Class D were at an impasse. Midterms were fast approaching but Class D was far from ready.

"Sudou-kun, Ike-kun, Yamauchi-kun, Airi-san and a few other students, that's quite a few people..."

"We've done enough, it's too bad for them."

Horikita was straightforward as usual. Indeed, despite all the efforts that Hirata and the others had made to help the worst students to study, it had not been enough and their level was clearly not enough to face these first exams. Kushida was immersed in her thoughts, continuing to dig for solutions deep inside herself but nothing worked.

The gaps that these students had were too big to fill in a few weeks of preparation. They would have needed at least a few more days. At this point it was doomed.

"Did you get anything out of it on your end Hirata?"

"I tried to contact my friends from the other years but they said they didn't keep any of the class notes from previous years..."

"That was our last hope... With class sheets they could have reviewed information faster, otherwise it's impossible."

"I guess we just have to rely on them to work out a miracle..."

It was a reality that none of the three of them believed in, it was impossible for people like them to make it without outside help at this point. Hirata was particularly affected and couldn't get used to the idea of being separated from his classmates. He continued to browse his phone aimlessly, hoping to find a solution.

Horikita and Kushida seeing him trying didn't feel like giving up immediately either, Horikita initially had no interest in making so much effort for the weak students but she had been particularly touched by Sudou's efforts. Even if she didn't realize it yet.

One click after another, Hirata kept browsing his phone.

His brain in turmoil, looking for any new idea.

As he browsed through the photos on his phone, he realized something.

Something obvious that he hadn't noticed at all but that would potentially save his classmates' futures.

" Yes, that's it!"

He was so happy that he stood up from his chair and pushed it away, making a noise that drew the attention of those around. Slightly embarrassed, he sat down again and began to whisper to his group.

"Look!"

He said, turning his cell phone towards the eyes of Kushida and Horikita. The picture that was displayed in front of them was of a quiz, a quiz they were familiar with since it was the mock exam they had taken a few days earlier.

"Mh? Why are you showing us this Hirata-kun?"

Kushida couldn't figure out what Hirata was getting at.

Horikita observed further and noticed something.

"This picture... it's not yours, or am I mistaken?"

"No, precisely. It's not a picture from this year, it was a picture from the old exams that a friend sent me. I hadn't paid attention to it earlier because I had preferred to practice with the real exams rather than the mock ones!"

"Wait that would mean that..."

"This year's mock exam is the same as last year's. Hirata-kun, do you think the next exam to come will be the same as last year's?"

"Yes! I don't know for sure but... it's worth a try, after all if this solution doesn't work then..."

"Indeed, there is nothing to lose by trying. If we take the next exam that was handed out last year and make our class learn it, we have a chance of passing."

Horikita affirmed.

"Whether those answers are the right ones or not, it at least gives us an extra chance."

"Yes, we don't lose anything by trying, after all the rest of the class has worked hard enough to make it on their own should the exam be different."

"But not for them..."

"That's our ultimate solution. There are no others."

Horikita clarified again, reminding them that reality could be quite cruel.

Hirata got up in a hurry and decided to leave the café.

"I'm going to go see my friends from the other years face to face, it will increase our chances of getting those exams!"

Hirata affirmed before getting ready to leave.

"It's true that it is much more convincing than a text message. Don't take too long, learning an exam paper by heart is not a simple task for students like them anyway."

Horikita reminded again that they were not the smartest students in the class.

Hirata nodded and left immediately.

Kushida and Horikita were now alone.

"This school is really unique in its kind isn't it..."

Kushida tried to speak a little, embarrassed.

Horikita drank her cup of tea silently.

"I don't think so. We could have gotten through this period much more peacefully if we had hardworking students with us."

She put down her cup of tea, unable to resist reminding Kushida that the reason they were struggling so much was because they were with incapable people.

Kushida almost regretted having spoken, but it was not a feeling she could afford to show her. So she silently played with her mug, twirling it back and forth a bit.

"You share your opinions so simply Horikita-san... I must say that this is a behavior that is quite foreign to me."

For the first time, Kushida had said something that to Horikita's ears had a little more relevance than talking about the day's weather.

"Well... I guess it's not that easy to do when you're trying to get along with everyone."

For once, Horikita's words weren't as sharp as blades. Kushida was even surprised that she showed any sign of understanding towards her situation.

Kushida drank some of her hot chocolate, her eyes directed at the table.

"I just want to enjoy my high school years. In peace."

She added, her eyes now focused on Horikita.

The latter did not pay any more attention to her and was simply drinking her beverage. It was clear that the discussion was not going to continue any further.

.

.

.

"Here, Hirata-senpai!"

A second year girl approached Hirata and handed him some sheets.

"Thank you... I'm grateful to you."

"It's... it's nothing."

"Mh?"

Hirata thought there was something strange in his friend's behavior but he didn't know what it was. In any case, his focus was elsewhere so he decided to leave as soon as he got the exam papers.

"Hirata-senpai!"

The girl called to him again before he left. Hirata turned around, a little surprised.

"Yes, what's going on?"

"I just want you... to take care of yourself."

"That's... that's understood."

He couldn't figure out why she was telling him this.

He simply decided to walk away.

Unable to notice the regret in his friend's eyes.

.

.

.

Later that day, Horikita headed to her dormitory. It was during the time when most students tended to eat so the dormitory entrance was empty.

As she waited for the elevator, someone came out. Someone she had become quite familiar with lately.

"I would have thought you'd be somewhere else at this time of day. On a basketball court, for example."

"Heh, I was planning on going to take advantage of the massage services this school offers instead. After all I won't be able to use them soon given the situation."

He laughed at himself, a joke in poor taste in Horikita's eyes, as it showed his loser mentality.

A mentality that she had tried to make him forget for several days.

She who had given herself more than usual to see him triumph. She had no reason to find it funny.

"It's pathetic to talk like that."

The young basketball-loving student named Sudou-kun continued to laugh at himself, a laugh that quickly disappeared upon hearing Horikita's words.

She was looking at him with piercing eyes, ones that he couldn't ignore for too long.

She couldn't notice it and he himself didn't realize it but, he was sad. To potentially have to say goodbye to her, to his friends here, to everything he had been through.

These were feelings that Sudou-kun wouldn't understand for months, maybe years.

He couldn't know how precious these moments were to him.

The chance to mature and grow was a unique opportunity for him.

For the first time someone had decided to see him differently. One person saw him as more than a failure. She believed in his potential.

Horikita had reached out to Sudou, and disappointing her was the last thing he wanted.

So he felt sorry for himself, because he was suffering greatly.

And in a moment of pain, sometimes a person would want to let go of everything.

Or to confess everything.

"Listen to me Suzune... if I don't pass these exams. There's something I'd like to tell you..."

He didn't know yet what he wanted to tell her.

He just wanted to tell her something.

Because he wanted to at least soften the wound a little.

He didn't want to completely disappoint her.

But as he was about to speak, Horikita simply started walking.

She entered the elevator and completely ignored him.

Sudou was as if paralyzed on the spot and did not know what to say.

He was staring into the void, letting the seconds tick by.

But the elevator was still on the ground floor.

"You don't have to tell me anything."

Horikita answered him for the first time, he turned around, still confused and as if glued to the ground.

"Because you're not leaving this school."

She added.

Sudou didn't know what to say but his hands were shaking a little.

"Look, I thank you for encouraging me but..."

"I'm not encouraging you. If you want my honest opinion, there's no way you're going to pass this exam on your own."

That was the harsh reality. She didn't believe in him and Sudou was having a hard time taking it in.

Once again, he felt like he was being seen as a failure.

Horikita didn't seem so different from the rest.

They all looked at him the same way.

But he couldn't blame them, because he himself didn't believe in this.

Because behind this impulsive and nervous man, there was a false arrogance that hid his lack of confidence.

Because his life was a series of failures.

And basketball was the only refuge in which he felt a little useful.

A little better than the others.

"For all that."

Horikita continued to speak. Sudou had the courage to look at her, ready to take any other truth she was planning to throw in his face.

"Just because you're not ready yet doesn't mean you won't be in the future.

Now his face showed confusion. One thing was certain, he was unable to decipher her.

"Huh?"

He couldn't help but let out a simple sound that showed all the incoherence that was in his mind.

"I don't believe in your current potential, however I do believe you have future potential."

Horikita stated in a convincing tone.

"And that potential I will nurture, so I repeat. You don't have to tell me anything because you are not going to leave."

Sudou was going through a mix of emotions, he was both happy to hear such words but also sad and confused. After all it didn't change the fact that he was still going to fail these exams. He wouldn't get a second chance.

"I know what you're thinking."

She added, drawing Sudou's attention back to her.

"But you're not going to fail this exam either, because I'm going to help you. We have a plan."

"A... plan?"

"Precisely. So instead of making me wait in the elevator, hurry up and come up so I can explain it to you."

She added, looking slightly irritated. Sudou had no idea what she had in mind, but without thinking twice, he hurried up the elevator.

"Yosh!"

A new flame ignited in his heart. A burning source of motivation.

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.

.

The next morning, in class.

"I'd like everyone's attention please."

Hirata stood at the whiteboard, taking advantage of the free time they had before the teacher arrived.

People were talking back and forth, but gradually silence fell over the classroom.

Everyone was looking in the direction of Hirata, who was holding a pile of papers in his hands.

"The exam is coming up and we don't know yet how difficult it is. We have done our best to study until the end and I congratulate you all for that."

The expressions of the class gradually changed, an anxiety set in among the students who were not sure if their efforts would be enough.

Hirata took advantage of the situation to give them a moral boost.

"That's why, in addition to the review periods, I also wanted to give you these exams from previous years to help you practice. The exam is tomorrow so you will have time to do it in the afternoon."

The class was surprised to see that Hirata had managed to get papers from previous years. Smiles appeared here and there, if they could pass the previous year's exams then they were certainly ready for this year.

"Really? That's great Hirata-kun, thank you!"

A girl couldn't help but thank him. Particularly to get his attention.

"How do you know that these papers are going to be useful to us Hirata? It turns out that it's not the same program at all!"

Sudou could not help but show his doubts about Hirata's method. Of course he already knew about the plan, it was his way of teasing him to reveal the other good news.

"You are right Sudou-kun. Actually, the reason I decided to share these papers with you is for a very specific reason."

The curiosity of the class turned back to Hirata.

"We noticed with Kushida-san and Horikita-san that last year's mock exams were identical to this year's. Therefore..."

"Wait... you think last year's exams are going to be the same as this year's?!"

Sudou couldn't help but complete his sentence, a smile on his face. Horikita had explained this plan to him yesterday and he had been excited about getting that paper ever since.

"Precisely!"

Hirata confirmed, which triggered a wave of exclamations in the class, a general hubbub that Hirata tried to calm down so they wouldn't lose class points for bad behavior.

Hirata decided to pass the sheets one by one. Each student began to scrutinize the different questions, their eyes filled with curiosity.

"But this is too easy!"

"This is totally going to do it!"

Reactions appeared from all sides, the students were now fully confident for tomorrow's exams. Even those who didn't understand much about some of the exercises had smiles on their faces, determined to learn the answers by heart to avoid expulsion.

In other words, Hirata had saved his entire class.

"Hirata you are a hero!"

"I will never forget you man!"

Even the boys, who were originally jealous of Hirata, began to thank him sincerely.

A great weight that had been hanging over the class was being lifted.

They still weren't sure it was going to be the same questions, however, they at least had an idea of the difficulty.

And the difficulty was well within their level.

While everyone was talking about these exams, something had caught Horikita's eye.

His two classmates, who normally had a strong presence and talked incessantly, were unusually quiet.

They were just looking ahead.

Without saying a word.

"What's the matter? Are you jealous that Hirata came up with a plan before you?"

Horikita asked with a small smile on her lips.

Sora simply turned towards Horikita and asked her a basic question.

" Say Suzune, I guess Hirata got his papers from a friend?"

"Su-that's what he told me."

She was surprised to see him call her by her first name but didn't have time to focus on that. She had noticed something was wrong with their behavior and wanted to know what it was.

"Why do you ask? How do you know?"

"Simple deduction. I just figured that someone as popular as Hirata would go ask his friends first."

The benefits of a handsome and popular boy.

"And so, why the question? Did you just want to brag about your deductive skills?"

Horikita was getting more and more confused.

Sora's face was unnaturally neutral for someone who tended to think and talk all the time.

He was hiding something, she was sure.

She couldn't help but tap his shoulder.

"Sora-kun, what's going on?"

He didn't answer her right away, his body was shaking a little.

"Say Shiro, can I laugh about it now or later?"

"For maximum efficiency, it is better to contain yourself."

His little sister said, equally restraining herself from laughing.

Horikita could see their lips twisting, she was getting more and more irritated at the thought of not understanding.

"Did we make...a mistake?"

Horikita was beginning to wonder.

She wondered if Hirata's plan had gone awry somewhere.

She wondered what clue they had missed.

Anxiety rose in her.

Until Sora, who was ready to laugh at any moment, looked at her.

"A mistake? It's t-...just the opposite..."

He struggled to even finish his sentences.

"What do you mean the opposite? Why this reaction then?!"

Horikita did not understand anything.

Sora concentrated for a few seconds and with mere words told her.

"Thanks to your plan, it turns out that in less than 48 hours, we will obtain the equivalent of one million private points..."

He couldn't even finish his sentence properly.

It wasn't so much the astronomical sum that made him laugh.

It was more the idea of seeing his plan work so well.

A plan that they had meticulously prepared.

Horikita had taken several seconds to understand the words she had just heard.

And she still couldn't understand them.

"A million in 48 hours? I don't understand what you're saying. How do you want to pick up that kind of money so fast?"

She was looking for an ounce of logic but couldn't find any.

"We're going to get this amount of money because of a simple reason."

"Which one?!"

"The exam papers that Hirata is handing out. They're fake."

The words sounded so unreal that Horikita didn't even know what to say, all that came out of her mouth was a sound of incomprehension and her face showed that she was totally lost.

"False? What are you talking about? How do you know?!"

"It's very simple. We know because... we are the ones who made these copies."

As if she was facing two beings who spoke an unknown language, Horikita had completely lost the thread of the discussion.

A/N : Hey my beautiful readers, hope you're doing well ! Quite late for this chapter but next one will come much faster. The reason I took my time here was both because of studies but also because of plot. I wasn't satisfied with the original plot idea that I had about this. Sora and Shiro are supposed to be entertaining characters with crazy over-the-top plots and that's what I'll give you.

What exactly did they think of, that could give them 1 million point this quickly ? You'll see !

Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and PLEASE DROP AS MANY REVIEWS AS YOU CAN. 3