Shizuka Hiratsuka saw the expression on Kotomi Izumi's face—like she was about to burst into tears any second—and quickly continued speaking, afraid that if she delayed even a moment longer, Kotomi would throw herself on the floor wailing.
Hiss... come to think of it, that might actually be interesting to see.
"Ahem, although the school does have a rule that each student can only get one ticket, rules are dead, people are alive. Here's the deal: if you agree to one condition, I'll give you both of the last two tickets."
Hearing this, Kotomi gasped dramatically, covering her chest with both hands and blushing. "Shizuka-sensei… doing that in the office… isn't really appropriate, is it?"
Shizuka was glad she wasn't drinking water at the moment—otherwise, she definitely would've spat it out.
And thank goodness it wasn't alcohol. With the way Kotomi was tempting her… she wasn't some saint who could remain composed. Maybe it was just her imagination, but she could swear Kotomi's every move exuded a kind of bewitching charm that made one lose all reason. If she got too carried away, she might actually pin Kotomi down on the desk...
Shizuka knocked Kotomi on the head with her hand. What the heck was going on in this little rascal's mind all day?
"Cut it out. Hands down. The condition is..."
Shizuka paused, then grabbed a notebook, opened it, and took out a list tucked inside. She handed it to Kotomi.
Kotomi tilted her head in confusion but took the list anyway to see what it was.
[Class 1-F - Sports Festival (Girls' Group) - Roster]
Kotomi sucked in a sharp breath and forced herself to stay calm as she read on. All the event slots were filled—except for one.
The last event: Girls' 800-meter run. One spot still open.
The list wouldn't be valid unless all events were filled.
A bead of sweat rolled down Kotomi's forehead. Silence said more than words. She immediately understood what Shizuka wanted from her.
"Shizuka-sensei, you're despicable!" Kotomi slapped the list down on the desk and shouted righteously.
"And what about when you were the one trying to seduce me just now, huh?!"
Shizuka looked at Kotomi, equal parts amused and exasperated. Yes, she had deliberately said she only had two tickets left just to get Kotomi to participate in the sports and cultural festivals.
"Sweetheart, this is the adult world. You want benefits? You have to pay the appropriate price." Shizuka mimicked a video game villain's tone and pulled out a carbon pen. "Here, sign your name in the blank space for the girls' 800-meter run, and I'll give you your ticket."
"I'm gonna cry! I'm gonna throw a fit!" Kotomi puffed up her cheeks in protest.
"Oh? Gonna throw a fit? Then let's throw one together~" Shizuka laughed so hard she nearly bent over. How had she never noticed before that this little rascal was this cute?
A pouting rascal—absolutely adorable~!
Seeing that Shizuka was absolutely determined to get her to sign up, Kotomi realized there was no way she'd get both tickets without doing so.
For Aimi. For Iroha. She had to do it!
Kotomi took a deep breath, her face full of tragic resolve, and solemnly signed her name in the empty space.
Shizuka didn't even know what to say. All she had done was ask Kotomi to run 800 meters—she hadn't demanded she win or anything. What was with that tragic, going-to-the-slaughter look?
After signing, Kotomi placed the list in front of Shizuka, her beautiful eyes brimming with unshed tears as she said pitifully, "I signed it. Now can I have my tickets?"
"Hehe, sure, sure." Shizuka grinned, quickly pulled one ticket from the drawer beside her, and placed it on the desk. She raised her brow: "Here you go—one ticket."
"Didn't we agree on two?!!" Kotomi's pink eyes widened as she looked ready to pounce and bite her.
"Now, let's review—when I said 'if you agree to one condition,' did I say there was only one condition? And when I said 'sign your name and I'll give you the ticket,' did I specify whether it was one or two tickets?"
Shizuka Hiratsuka spoke matter-of-factly, expertly playing the game of semantics.
Kotomi froze for a moment, mentally replaying what Shizuka had said earlier—and suddenly realized the trap.
Right, Shizuka hadn't actually specified the number of conditions or tickets. Kotomi had been too careless and walked right into it. This was all a carefully set language trap!
"Tch."
Kotomi clicked her tongue in frustration. She was usually the master of wordplay—yet now, Shizuka had beaten her at her own game!
But it was too late now. She had already signed her name, agreeing to participate in the sports festival. If she wanted that second ticket, she'd have to agree to another request.
Give up now?
From the start, Shizuka had laid out the bait like a hunter setting a trap—placing cheese piece by piece to lure her in. She'd already agreed to one condition; how could she back out now?
Kotomi clenched her tiny fists and pouted. "Shizuka-sensei, was all this really necessary just for two tickets? You're acting like this is some battle of wits from a manga."
"Humph~ My dear, it's too late for regrets. Want the second ticket? Don't be shy—say it loud. Just agree to one more condition, and it's yours."
Kotomi took a deep breath and said bitterly, "Fine. What's the next condition?"
Liftoff! Shizuka cheered internally and quickly pulled out another list:
"Here, sign this!"
Kotomi glanced at the form—and nearly fainted from rage.
[Class 1-F - Cultural Festival Performance (Class Activity) - Application Form]
For the cultural festival, each class could participate in one of two formats: performing on stage in the auditorium (like singing, dancing, or plays), or organizing a classroom event like a haunted house, maid café, restaurant, etc. Alternatively, they could set up a food stall outside the school building.
Very flexible—just as long as it encouraged student participation.
Judging by the blank form, Kotomi could tell that not a single student in Class 1-F had signed up for anything.
Just like her, they all planned to chill and enjoy the festival.
"Even if I have to participate, I don't know what to perform… How about this, Shizuka-sensei—you sponsor me a bit, and I'll set up a food stall selling yakisoba?"
"Nice try! I lured you into signing because I wanted you to perform on the auditorium stage! The food stall idea was just an emergency backup in case absolutely no one signed up. But now that you've volunteered, that plan's obsolete~"
"Does this look like volunteering to you…" Kotomi mumbled. "Even if I go up on stage, I don't know what to perform. And it's just me?"
"No rush, no rush. The cultural festival is still at least a week away. It's not like it happens immediately after the sports festival. First, sign here. Then think carefully about what kind of performance you want to do. If you can convince some classmates to join you, have them sign too. And tell me what you plan to perform."
Left with no choice, Kotomi sighed and signed her name on the cultural festival form.
Shizuka happily collected both forms and swiftly pulled the second ticket from her drawer, handing it to Kotomi.
She moved fast—afraid that if she delayed even a second, Kotomi might realize the drawer wasn't holding just two tickets… but a full set of eight more!
...
Perhaps to let students fully enjoy the sports festival and cultural festival following the midterm exams—without constantly stressing over their scores—the school released the midterm results the day before the sports festival. Exam papers were also handed back to each student.
Kotomi once again secured the top spot across the entire grade. The second place remained unchanged: Arisu Sakayanagi. But what surprised everyone was Yukino Yukinoshita, who ranked third overall. While her results in the previous monthly exams had also been excellent—enough to land her in Class 1-A's exam room—this time, she had improved her total score by a whopping 100 points compared to the monthly test!
With such a dramatic improvement, she undoubtedly became the third-ranked student in the entire grade.
This meant Yukino now had the qualification to transfer into Class 1-A.
Having missed out on recruiting Kotomi the last time, Yachiyo Kuhama wasted no time after receiving the overall grade rankings. As the homeroom teacher of Class 1-A, she was unwavering in her mission. Even though Kotomi had already turned her down once, Yachiyo always approached her again after every major school-wide exam to talk about transferring into A class.
She wasn't unfamiliar with teaching top-ranking students. But a student who could secure first place in two consecutive exams—despite the incredibly difficult questions—was truly a rarity. She had assumed Kotomi's performance this time would land her somewhere in the top three. But to her amazement, Kotomi once again claimed the top spot.
Meanwhile, Arisu Sakayanagi, the class rep of 1-A, seemed happy to play second fiddle. Not only was she not anxious about ranking second again, she actually smiled brighter than Kotomi herself upon hearing the results.
Faced with Yachiyo Kuhama's invitation, Kotomi didn't even hesitate before politely declining once again.
It wasn't just because of her promise to Shizuka Hiratsuka. The more pressing reason was that Class 1-A's leave policies were too strict. Kotomi knew full well that even if she negotiated benefits with Yachiyo, she wouldn't be able to enjoy the same flexibility she had in Class 1-F.
So she didn't bother negotiating and simply refused directly and cleanly.
Rejected yet again, Yachiyo was left baffled. What in the world was so great about Class 1-F that made Kotomi refuse every single time?
Other students would give anything to get into Class 1-A!
Left with no other option, Yachiyo decided she would revisit the topic with Kotomi after the final exams. In the meantime, she shifted her focus to Yukino Yukinoshita. If she could at least bring the third-ranked student into A class, it wouldn't be a total loss.
"I'm sorry, Kuhama-sensei. I have no intention of transferring at the moment. Compared to Class A, I still prefer being in Class F," Yukino said coolly.
"Um, just a correction… I go by Yachiyo-sensei, not Kuhama-sensei. Yukinoshita-san, are you really not going to reconsider? The learning environment and atmosphere in A class are extremely beneficial. If you come to A class, there's a strong chance you could maintain your top-three standing by the final exams. You might even improve further."
"And if you agree, I can guarantee that you'll be in Class A not only for the rest of your first year but throughout your second year as well."
"Second year is a crucial transitional period. Laying a solid foundation in an advanced class will make your studies much easier when you reach your third year."
"A master can show you the path, but cultivation is up to the individual."
At this point, Yukino glanced subtly at Kotomi, who was already absorbed in her phone.
"Class F has a relaxed atmosphere, and I'm the kind of person who thrives in a more easygoing learning environment. At the very least, when I'm in Class F, I can still enjoy some beautiful scenery during breaks and read the books I like."
Beautiful scenery???
Yachiyo was momentarily speechless. Sobu High was a school, not some scenic tourist attraction. Usually, when looking out the window from the classroom, you'd see some trees, buildings, maybe a bird flying by.
Where was this so-called beautiful scenery?
What she didn't know was that to Yukino Yukinoshita, the beautiful scenery wasn't outside the window—it was inside the classroom, right behind her. That snow-white vision of beauty often distracted her while reading, her gaze unconsciously drawn to the "scenery."
And just like that, Yachiyo's attempt to poach another student fell flat.
Not only did she fail to recruit Kotomi, she also failed to convince Yukino Yukinoshita. She had confidently believed that at the very least, she'd win over one of them. Instead, she walked in empty-handed and left the same way.
Leaving Yachiyo Kuhama's office, Kotomi and Yukino walked side by side down the hallway toward their Class 1-F classroom.
On the way, Kotomi asked curiously:
"Yukino, why didn't you accept Yachiyo-sensei's invitation to transfer? She doesn't usually extend such offers to students."
Kotomi had been genuinely surprised when Yukino turned her down.
Yukino was a proud and competitive girl. On their way there, Kotomi had thought there was a good chance she'd say yes. But Yukino had refused as smoothly and decisively as Kotomi had—almost as if she'd already made up her mind beforehand.
"Why would I accept?" Yukino asked back, glancing at Kotomi. "Didn't I already say? I really enjoy the more relaxed environment in Class F. During breaks, I can read books unrelated to school and appreciate some lovely scenery. And besides, Hiratsuka-sensei is a great homeroom teacher. In short, I have no intention of transferring."
"I see."
Kotomi nodded in agreement, thinking Yukino made a good point.
Yukino's clear, cold eyes rested quietly on Kotomi's face. There was something she hadn't said out loud: the real reason she didn't want to transfer was because if she did, she wouldn't get to see Kotomi every day.
If Kotomi had accepted the transfer, Yukino might've nodded and gone along with it too.
"By the way, Yukino, where exactly is that beautiful scenery you were talking about? I've never seen it."
Kotomi asked with genuine curiosity. She also daydreamed while looking out the window sometimes, but had never seen anything that could be described as beautiful scenery. It just felt relaxing, peaceful—perfect for dozing off.
"Why don't you take a guess? Far away yet right in front of you," Yukino replied, gazing at Kotomi with a hint of meaning in her eyes.
Kotomi tilted her head in confusion, not realizing that she herself was the scenery Yukino had meant.
Back in the classroom—
"Kotomi, during the sports festival, how about we sneak to the back row and eat sweets together? I'm going to bring a whole bunch of treats!" Yui Yuigahama suggested.
"That's a great idea. I'll bring snacks too. Kotomi, Yui, Mashiro, Yukino—let's enjoy the sports festival together without stress!"
Megumi Kato chimed in. Even though she sacrificed the chance to be alone with Kotomi, by pulling in the other three, she also made sure none of them could monopolize Kotomi's attention.
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