The day after the announcement of Paper Shuffle, Horikita took swift action.
That afternoon, as classes ended, Chabashira-sensei, who was supposed to preside over the homeroom session, silently left the classroom.
As the students exchanged puzzled glances, Horikita stood up and walked to the podium.
"Everyone, I'd like to hold a strategy meeting for next week's quiz. I've already received permission from Chabashira-sensei to use the homeroom time freely… Well then, Kushida, I'll leave it to you."
"Mm, no problem."
Called by name, Kushida smiled and stepped forward, beginning to write something on the blackboard.
Watching this scene, many students couldn't hide their surprise, an undeniable sense of dissonance creeping into their minds.
When did those two become so close?
Even stranger was the fact that this kind of responsibility should have fallen to Hirata. Yet now, he remained quietly seated, making no move to intervene.
However, not a single person raised a question about this change.
They seemed to accept it without resistance.
And the reason was simple—Hirata was no longer trusted as a leader.
His relationships with classmates had not deteriorated. He was still the most well-liked person in the class.
However, in terms of leadership, his reputation had plummeted. No one harbored any expectations for him anymore.
It all stemmed from the incident where Ike was expelled.
Most people can tolerate a leader's failure. But Hirata had not only failed but abandoned his post without a word.
Such an irresponsible attitude was impossible to accept.
Had Ike been his close friend, perhaps the class could have understood. But they were merely classmates, and Ike's expulsion was entirely his own doing. Hirata's breakdown had seemed inexplicable.
Because of his popularity, no one mocked him openly.
But deep down, everyone had come to the same conclusion—his resolve was as fragile as paper.
Ayanokoji, analyzing the recent situation, shifted his gaze toward Hirata.
Even after stepping down as leader, Hirata seemed unbothered. If anything, he looked pleased with the change, his face holding a faint smile as if he were watching over Horikita.
Perhaps it was precisely because this man lacked ambition that Class D remained so stable.
That aside, Horikita did manage to win Kushida over, huh?
It seemed she had put in significant effort behind the scenes.
"This special exam—if we don't work together as a class, I don't think we can clear it."
On the podium, Horikita pointed at the content Kushida had written on the blackboard.
"The key lies in how we pair up. We've already figured it out, so please take a look."
Just as they had discussed yesterday, the pairing rule matched the highest and lowest scorers together.
For example, a student scoring 100 points would be paired with one who scored 0, followed by 99 with 1, 98 with 2, and so on.
"This is the significance of next week's quiz and the rules for forming pairs. It's simple, right?"
"Ohh! Have you already figured it out? Nice work, Horikita! That's amazing!"
"This much should've been obvious to many of you. The real challenge comes next."
Horikita's expression turned serious.
"Chabashira-sensei mentioned that the quiz will be straightforward, meaning it won't reflect each student's actual ability. If we base our pairings solely on those results, there's a high chance of unexpected outcomes. Therefore, we need a strategy to ensure everyone gets an appropriate partner."
On the blackboard, the names of the bottom ten students in the class were listed.
"Using past exam results as a reference, I want to prioritize these academically weaker students, pairing them with the top ten scorers. I understand that others may also be concerned about their grades, but my goal is for the entire class to pass this exam. I ask for your understanding."
Class D's academic performance was highly polarized. The top-ranking students in the grade and the lowest-scoring ones were all within this class.
As for those in the middle, their numbers were concerning. Even in the relatively simple midterms, fewer than half of them had managed to score above 80. It was no wonder some students were feeling anxious.
The old Horikita would have never considered others' feelings.
But now, she had learned to view things from the perspective of the weaker students.
Even a few carefully chosen words could change how people felt.
"Uh… I don't get it. What are we supposed to do?"
Yamauchi, seeing his name on the blackboard, raised a question.
Horikita answered, "The bottom ten scorers should simply write their names on the quiz. Your scores won't matter, so getting zero points is fine. Meanwhile, the top ten scorers must aim for at least 85 points. As for the remaining nineteen students—"
She and Kushida wrote down the names of the middle-ranked students on the board.
"I've divided them into two groups. The weaker nine should aim for a single point, while the stronger ten should target a maximum of 80. You mustn't exceed this score. If necessary, leave some questions blank, but ensure you don't go over. Otherwise, the balance will be disrupted."
Hearing her explanation, Ayanokoji nodded subtly.
So far, the plan was flawless.
However, there was one missing detail—what about the extra person?
Perhaps Horikita had deliberately chosen not to mention it.
Students with poor grades wanted a strong partner to secure an easy pass. But for top students, a partner was nothing more than dead weight.
That extra position created an awkward dilemma.
Horikita couldn't assign a weak student to it, nor could she assign a top performer, as that would grant an unfair advantage. Some students might see it as blatant favoritism.
If she arbitrarily made the decision, she risked accusations of bias.
That was something she had to avoid at all costs.
Thus, leaving it unaddressed was the wisest choice.
"I believe Horikita's approach is excellent. Does anyone have any objections? Feel free to speak up."
Kushida spoke up in agreement, and naturally, no one else objected. They all nodded in approval.
It seemed that Class D was finally managing to move in unison for this exam.
With one exception.
Kōenji, as always, refused to follow instructions. He neither agreed nor opposed, merely wearing his usual expression of disinterest.
Honestly, predicting his actions this time was nearly impossible.
Kōenji had never taken exams seriously, yet he always managed to avoid expulsion.
Considering this, whether he would cooperate with the class or not remained a complete unknown.
Horikita, noticing this, took the initiative to speak up."Kōenji-kun, do you have any opinions?"
"What a meaningless question. I have a grasp of the exam's content," Kōenji replied.
"In that case, can I expect you to score at least 85 points?"
As a valuable asset, Kōenji's name was naturally within the top ten ranks.
However, Horikita seemed to regret this decision. A slight unease could be heard in her tone.
Of course, the others shared a similar sentiment.
After all, he was a well-known problem child in the class.
Kōenji casually propped his legs onto his desk, gazing into a mirror as if no one else was there. With a smirk, he replied, "That's hard to say. It depends on the exam content, doesn't it?"
"Is that so..."
Horikita didn't push the issue further. Instead, after a brief moment of contemplation, she turned around and erased Kōenji's name from the top ten rankings, swapping it with the eleventh-place student.
"Kōenji-kun, I won't demand much from you, but I ask that you do not deliberately score zero. That would disrupt the balance."
One of the crucial factors in this special exam was ensuring that students like Kōenji and Horikita, who excelled academically, were not grouped. Under no circumstances should anyone deliberately hold back.
"Heh, I'll give it some thought, Horikita-girl."
Kōenji's response was, as expected, ambiguous—suspicious no matter how one heard it.
Though this kind of behavior was preferential treatment, given the unique circumstances, everyone understood it was unavoidable.
When dealing with a powerful yet unpredictable individual, sometimes compromise was the only option.
Even Ayanokōji acknowledged that Horikita's decision was a sound one, minimizing potential disruptions before they could arise.
Additionally, Hikigaya's placement on the list was noticeably lower than his actual ability, positioned among the bottom twenty in the class.
It was likely an insurance measure, considering his injuries.
As a result, Class D effectively lost two of its top ten candidates. However, if this arrangement ensured that the entire class could pass the exam, there was little room for complaint.
"That concludes the explanation. Next, we'll discuss the study sessions. I'll leave that to Kushida-san."
Having said that, Horikita smoothly stepped back.
It seemed that Class D regularly organized study sessions. Although Ayanokōji had never been invited even once... Of course, that wasn't because he was unpopular. It was simply that Yamauchi and the others had no interest in studying, so he had no opportunity to tag along.
When Horikita returned to her seat, Ayanokōji quietly greeted her.
"Not bad. You're starting to look like a leader."
"It's nothing special," Horikita sighed slightly. "That said, I still have some concerns about the partner system."
"Why? I think it's already perfect."
She had clearly grasped the school's intentions, proposed an appropriate plan, and even accounted for possible unexpected situations.
No one else could have done better.
"Actually... Yesterday, I asked Kushida-san to look into the upperclassmen's experiences."
Horikita's voice carried a hint of hesitation.
"In past Paper Shuffle exams, not everyone who got expelled was academically weak. To be precise, there was a girl who usually had good grades but failed this exam."
"Did she do it on purpose? Or was there another reason?" Ayanokōji asked.
"It was intentional. Supposedly, she wanted to take revenge on her assigned partner. Though they never showed any conflict on the surface, deep down, she harbored resentment. To the extent that she was willing to drag herself down just to take the other person with her."
That was something Ayanokōji hadn't considered.
Putting himself in that situation, he realized it would be incredibly difficult to deal with.
"That shouldn't be a concern for our class, though, right?"
"That's hard to say," Horikita replied with a worried expression. "Ever since the deserted island exam, tensions have been simmering within the class. Even if things seem calm now, people are good at hiding their true feelings. The smallest incident could become the spark for resentment... But whatever. This isn't something I can control, and there's no point in stressing over it."
"That's true," Ayanokōji agreed.
Back on the island, thanks to a certain someone's actions, the class had briefly been torn between male and female factions. While time had seemingly smoothed things over, the issue had never truly been resolved—just buried.
Luckily, he had always been an inconspicuous, well-behaved student, never stirring up trouble with anyone. No one should have any resentment toward him… right?
The more he thought about it, the less certain he felt.
As Horikita mentioned, even the most trivial reasons could become the source of hatred.
Especially considering that people generally dislike those who are more capable than them.
During the recent sports festival, Ayanokōji had merely displayed some running ability, and Yamauchi's group had immediately started distancing themselves from him. Who was to say someone in the class wouldn't hold a grudge against him for something even more minor?
Even if the possibility was low… it was probably best to take some precautions.
"Oh, right, Horikita," Ayanokōji suddenly recalled something.
"Why did you place me in the top twelve rankings? My grades aren't that good. That's a pretty serious miscalculation, you know?"
Based on his usual performance, he should be somewhere around the lower middle of the class.
"Is it an issue?" Horikita showed no remorse. "Why don't you take this opportunity to contribute a little to the class? Besides, no one objected, did they?"
"That's just because they don't remember me..." Ayanokōji muttered in exasperation.
It was sad to admit, but that was probably the truth.
It seemed Horikita was testing him again.
However, this also meant that she wasn't entirely confident—she still had some doubts about his academic ability.
In that case… he might as well take advantage of this.
According to the exam rules, the student ranked twentieth in the class couldn't pair up with anyone. To pass, they had to score at least half of the total passing marks on their own.
Most importantly, no matter what happened, they wouldn't be dragged down by anyone else.
Ayanokōji wasn't actually within the bottom twenty—Horikita had deliberately placed him there.
That meant that even if he only scored a fifty, it would be completely reasonable.
…
Time flew by, and the preliminary test arrived in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to thorough preparations, most students exuded confidence.
However, before the exam began, Chabashira-sensei made an unexpected announcement.
"The opponent for this special exam has been decided. The class designing the test questions for Class D is Class C. There is no overlap with the other matchups."
A small wave of excitement spread through the class.
Compared to Class A or Class B, Class C's academic performance was undoubtedly the weakest. Their test questions might be relatively easy as well.
"Additionally, Class D will be challenging Class B. For reference, Class B is up against Class A, while Class A is challenging Class C. Understood?"
"Huh? What? We lost the lottery?"
Several students groaned in despair.
Facing Class C was fortunate, but going up against Class B was no laughing matter. Of course, if Horikita's team performed exceptionally well, victory wasn't out of reach.
Still… something about Chabashira-sensei's explanation seemed off.
When she mentioned Class D's assigned opponent, she never said anything about a lottery.
Was it simply an omission?
"Horikita looks like your expectations didn't pan out," Ayanokōji whispered to the girl beside him. "Thanks to your terrible luck, we're stuck in a tough battle. We'll be counting on you."
"…Indeed. This will be troublesome."
With that, Horikita rose from her seat, her calm gaze sweeping over the class.
"Everyone, don't worry. Hirata-kun and I will handle Class B. Just follow the plan, and everything will be fine."
The students, who had been in a panic, immediately quieted down upon hearing those words.
Even when facing a formidable opponent, Horikita showed no signs of wavering. That was precisely why she could calm everyone down with just a single sentence.
If a leader succumbs to anxiety or fear, those emotions will quickly spread. Conversely, the same principle can be used to steady the morale of the group.
That being said, this battle was indeed unique.
Each class was like a snake biting onto the tail of its opponent, while simultaneously having its tail caught in someone else's jaws.
But none of that had anything to do with Ayanokoji. The matters of Class B were for Horikita and the others to worry about.
After confirming that the class atmosphere had returned to normal, Chabashira-sensei picked up the test papers.
"Now then, the quiz will begin. Absolutely no cheating. Even though the results won't affect your grades, any instance of cheating will be strictly punished."
Upon receiving his test paper, Ayanokoji skimmed through it quickly—and was a little surprised.
He had expected the difficulty to be set quite low, but he hadn't imagined it would be this easy.
Most of the questions could easily be solved by an upper elementary school student. While there were a few challenging ones, they were still within the scope of first-year high school material.
No wonder Chabashira-sensei had mentioned that students got expelled every year because of this exam.
If they hadn't noticed this sweet trap in advance, they might have ended up like the old Class D, facing a tragic outcome.
Fortunately, that was no longer a concern.
…
The quiz ended smoothly, and the results would be announced the following day.
Horikita's strategy had gone exceptionally well. The partner allocation rules were exactly as she had predicted, and the class cooperated seamlessly.
The top ten and the bottom ten students were all paired together—there were no surprises.
Or rather, there weren't supposed to be.
But an unexpected development had indeed occurred—though only for a select few.
"…Nineteenth place?"
Staring at the posted rankings, Ayanokoji let out a deep sigh in his heart.
His score manipulation had been flawless—a perfect 50 points. The problem, however, lay in—
"Heh, as expected, I truly am one of a kind. No one in this class is qualified to be my partner."
The one who had placed twentieth was Kouenji. Sitting in his seat with arms crossed, he let out an inexplicable chuckle and cryptic remark.
The others were already used to his eccentricities and barely paid him any attention.
Only Ayanokoji felt that something was off.
The reason? Kouenji's score was 49.
There was no way that was just a coincidence. He had aimed for the twentieth spot on purpose.
And he had done so by a margin of exactly one point.
At this point, there was no use complaining—Ayanokoji could only accept his assigned partner.
That said, this partner was going to be quite the headache.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka—Hikigaya Hachiman.
For better or worse, this was an undeniably unique pairing.
The good thing is that there's no need to worry about passing anymore.
The bad thing is that in this quiz, Hikigaya scored 45 points.
He didn't follow Horikita's arrangement of only scoring one point. Given his usual behavior, it was unrealistic to expect him to fully cooperate. However, since this result didn't have any impact on the class, no one questioned or pursued the matter.
But… Ayanokoji couldn't shake off a sense of unease.
This feeling of losing control over the situation was unsettling, and an inexplicable anxiety welled up inside him.
At this moment, Ayanokoji was eager to understand the true intention behind Hikigaya's score.