COTE: The Quiet One Can Be Dangerous

Vol. 6 Chp. 3: Learning More About Someone

"I'm going to start a meeting, Ayanokouji-kun. Can you get Hirata-kun over here for me?"

Horikita stood up and said this immediately after the particular test was announced.

"I understand."

I answered briefly before approaching Hirata. At the same time, Horikita went to Sudō. Currently, Class D has started to receive attention from the other classes. 

There have been changes for me as well. Previously, I could remain in the background. Still, after participating in the relay race during the sports festival and making a name for myself, I'll undoubtedly be in the sights of Ryuuen or Ichinose as they investigate the person behind Horikita. 

So, what should I do? Straying away from Horikita would raise suspicions, and remaining around her would make me a suspect. It seems that nothing will change even if I do something. The other side will probably ignore my true thoughts and over-interpret my actions. 

Therefore, I plan to return to how things were at the start of the year. Horikita has only made a few friends so far, so getting involved with her was inevitable. However, that should change as her contact with others, such as Sudou, Hirata, and Karuizawa, gradually increases. 

As that happens, I can slowly fade into the background. I want to improve my relationship with Horikita, but I do not want to be at the mercy of Chabashira-sensei. If they can handle the class independently, my burden will naturally lessen. 

Chabashira-sensei shouldn't be particularly attached to me being the one to cause Class D to rise. Logically, she should be satisfied with any student willing to take on the task. Although I'm not interested in Chabashira-sensei's intentions, I can't let go of Horikita now. If I do, Class D will spiral out of control and collapse altogether. I plan to gather people around Horikita before quietly leaving the picture. 

The important thing is the procedure, followed by preparation and results.

"It seems he will be coming soon."

I called out to Hirata, who was talking to a classmate, and then returned to my seat.

"Same thing on my end."

Sudou left to go to the bathroom. He was the first person out the door.

"So, what should we think of this test?" Horikita asked prematurely before people started to gather.

"To understand the upcoming test, we should listen carefully to Chabashira-sensei's instructions. This test is expected to be more difficult than the previous ones, and to avoid failing, we need to meet a certain standard. However, our total score must be significantly high if we aim to outperform other classes. Furthermore, the pairing system for the test is complex, and with another class creating the questions, we can expect the overall difficulty level to double. We may also be challenged if the class we are competing against deliberately makes their questions difficult. Even if the answers are the same, the phrasing of a question can significantly affect the response rate."

"Yeah... this time, it's not just about reading strategies. It's also about testing our ability to create problems."

To succeed in this exam, we cannot solely focus on teaching students who are afraid of failing, as we did with the midterms. It would be ideal to identify and address the weaknesses of other classes, but it is unlikely that they would willingly share that information with us.

However, many of the requirements for this exam are the same as those for the midterms. Therefore, this test may be less challenging than the summer special exams. Just as the sports festival tests the class's physical abilities, this exam measures the class's academic knowledge.