"Urogataya-Sensei," Haruhi said, glancing a final time at her notes. "Is the answer 63 square meters?"

"That is correct, Miss, uh-"

"Fujioka," she said. "Fujioka Haruhi."

"Well, Fujioka-san, it is a pleasure to have you in this class. It is not often that students successfully take the third integral of a polynomial fraction on the first day of school. Are you a junior?"

"Freshman, sir."

"Well," the professor beamed. "That is most impressive."

Haruhi settled back into her seat, feeling very accomplished. She would need teachers on her side when she eventually applied to law school, and this professor seemed like a good place to start. She hastily jotted down the new notes he was writing on the overused chalk-board, but the sound of an opening door distracted her.

She glanced up, and moments later her jaw dropped with horror.

"Ah, Kyou-san!" Urogataya called cheerfully. "Class, this is the teacher's aid, Ohtori Kyouya. Only a sophomore, but so intelligent! I've yet to throw a problem at him he couldn't solve. Kyouya, we were just discussing the most important question: why do we study multivariable calculus?"

"Multivariable calculus can be applied to analyze deterministic systems that have multiple degrees of freedom. Functions with independent variables corresponding to each of the degrees of freedom are often used to model these systems, and multivariable calculus provides tools for characterizing the system dynamics.

Multivariable calculus is used in many fields of natural and social science and engineering to model and study high-dimensional systems that exhibit deterministic behavior. Non-deterministic, or stochastic systems can be studied using a different kind of mathematics, such as stochastic calculus."

The professor blinked. "Er, yes, Kyou-san, that would be true... erm, could anyone give us another definition? Fujioka-san, perhaps?"

Haruhi, trying to ignore the feel of steely eyes, cleared her throat and said, "Multivariable calculus is simply differential and integral calculus extended to several variables instead of one. So... really it's just real-world application of calculus, and allows us to analyze more complex things than graphs and curves."

"Well, put, Fujioka-san," Urogataya stated, smiling at her answer. "Thank you, and thank you, Kyou-san. You must forgive us if we cannot all pick up on things as quickly and as easily as you can."

Kyouya smiled and straightened his glasses. "Not at all, Urogataya-Sensei."

When the class end some forty minutes later, Haruhi made a mad dash for her next class, praying that she would not be followed.

Once there, she selected a seat in the second row, and prepared for class. Once again, as the session began, she successfully answered a question and gained the teacher's favor. However, much to her distaste, once again she found herself being introduced to an all-too-familiar teacher's aid.

"What are you doing?" she asked when the class ended and he took his place at her side.

"What do you mean, Haruhi?" he asked politely. "By taking on these teacher's-aid positions, I am able to advance in my education and receive recommendations to exclusive programs. When I apply for Law School-"

"Law school?!" Haruhi demanded. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I should hope not."

"Why are you applying for law school? I thought you wanted to be a doctor!"

"I do. Law school should only take a few extra years and-"

"A few extra years?" Haruhi repeated. "You know what, I don't want to talk about this right now. I'm going to go get some lunch, start on my homework, and you're not going to follow me."

Smirking, Kyouya watched her round the corner, then whipped out his cell phone and dialed a number.

"Moshi-moshi," the voice at the other end said.

"Urogataya-san," he said smoothly, "this is Ohtori Kyouya. I was merely calling to thank you for helping me with my little joke."

"Not at all!" Urogataya said. "Though the request was surprising, you always were my most gifted student, Kyou-san! Though I have to wonder... Fujioka seems like a very bright, pleasant girl. Was it really worth all the trouble you went to?"

Kyouya, staring down the hall at the place where his girlfriend had disappeared around the corner, grinned and said, "It was most definitely worth it."