COTE: The Quiet One Can Be Dangerous

Vol. 10 Chp. 1: Class Poll

'...': Writing
'...': Sign language
"...": Text to speech

It was March 1st, a few days after the end-of-term exams. Everyone eagerly anticipated Monday, the day the results would be announced. In the event of a failing grade, the only recourse was expulsion.

"Sensei, are you gonna announce the results now!?"

Unable to sit still, Ike practically fell out of his seat while waiting for the homeroom teacher, Chabashira-sensei, to respond.

"Calm yourself. You'll know in a couple of minutes."

Chabashira, with practiced movements, spread out a large piece of paper she brought in on the blackboard.

This school typically provides digital access to our grades through mobile phones or online forums. However, in cases where the exams determine expulsion, the teachers display the results to us in a different format.

"Are you feeling confident, Ike?"

"O-oh well, yeah, I studied pretty hard, but..."

"You studied hard, huh? Yet you're still so uneasy?"

Chabashira-sensei seemed to find his response more amusing than surprising, as evidenced by the slight smile on her face. 

For Ike, who typically struggles academically, it was understandable that he would feel anxious regardless of how much he studied.

"Sudou, you always seem to be in the running for the lowest score, so how are you feeling?"

It wouldn't be surprising for Sudou to be the most anxious student in the classroom.

Considering the previous tests, it was no exaggeration to say that Sudou's scores were some of the lowest in almost every subject. Chabashira-sensei probably expected a reply similar to Ike's, but his response was far more unexpected.

"I'm confident, at the very least. I absolutely won't get a failing grade."

"Oh?"

Although Sudou's only strong point was his physical ability, his expression and tone of voice still conveyed confidence. However, like Ike, he may have felt anxious about the outcome. 

Nevertheless, he worked hard to overcome his anxiety, gained experience and ultimately established a sense of confidence.

"Hmm... It's pretty interesting to see how kids have grown. There's no way to figure out what you'll accomplish next, and you've all easily surpassed my expectations. Now, I suppose I'll announce the results of your end-of-term exams."

Chabashira-sensei posted test results on the blackboard and drew a red line. Anyone below the line would be expelled.

"The results this time..."

Chabashira-sensei drew a red horizontal line on the paper, known as the red line of fate. No students' names fell below it.

"Everyone successfully passed the exam. These have been your best results so far," she revealed. Everyone in Class C passed.

"All right!" Ike was the first to cry out.

It seemed like he was pretty afraid to hear the results. After all, Ike had the lowest score in the class.

"Well, that wasn't too hard. Hahahaha... That was close!"

Ike spoke, concentrating on his name and the red line directly under it.

"I only studied a little bit the day before and still managed to pass."

Yamauchi said as much, yet his name was above Ike's.