Well, it was official. Tsudo screwed me over for his own selfish reasons.

Not that it wasn't totally out of the option, I just simply didn't expect him to be a total bitch about it.

I got so mad that I left the scene and went to sleep immediately.

And yet, the next morning...

"...Hey, sorry, man. Forgive me, will ya?"

"Fuck you. Don't you dare talk to me again."

While I do somewhat appreciate the fact that you went to the door of my room right in the morning to apologize, it doesn't change the fact that you acted like a complete bitch, Tsudo...

"Dude, you gotta listen to me on this. I couldn't lose that badly to Kawahara! You know the fucker was lying, right!?"

"Yeah, but so what? You got rekt. No point in talking about the past."

Also, if Tsudo stays in front of me with that stupid face any longer then I might just flat out kill him.

It's not every day that someone who screws you over for some damn stupid reason acts this audacious.

"So you do believe me! Thank God, man! I thought for sure that I lost the trust of everyone back then!"

You didn't get the trust out of anyone, we were all just desperate to eat something and if your plan somehow worked the result would be free food.

Nevertheless, it was actually somewhat late. Time was running out, so I walked out of my room. I applied a soft lock onto the door lock and took a few steps forward which would lead to the staircase, yet...

"Just wait, damn it! Don't ignore me! I get that you're mad but just listen! I didn't have much choice back there!"

"Shut the fuck up. You unreasonably acted out like that to someone who didn't do anything to you in the first place. I don't care about your explanations but you're fucking dead to me. I thought that you were someone trustworthy for a second and that we had some similar affinities but you're really bad, you know?"

"I know I'm at fault but it's precisely because it's you that I thought that I could use this chance! I thought you'd understand my intention! My intention wasn't to screw you over but instead, it was to let Kawahara completely not have the win!"

Oh, I see. So basically...

"So you used me as a scapegoat because you were a sour loser? Fuck yourself. Approach me again and I'll decimate you. I won't repeat myself."

I descended the staircase without looking back. Truth to be told, whenever I'm in a somewhat pissed mood I don't eat.

To me, eating is something that I do either out of complete necessity or out of joy.

Coincidentally, I wasn't feeling like doing both.

And Tsudo took my advice seriously since he didn't approach me all the way to block F. He walked massively behind me but seriously refused to talk to me.

To be honest, I couldn't tell what I would do if I was further screwed by someone yet again.

"Ahh... Seriously? Rain? Today?"

While walking through the school camp, soft and wet droplets started to rain down upon my hair.

Though, I didn't exactly care, since I love rain.

And that makes me a weird person.

8:45 am. Main classroom. Block F.

"I heard what happened! Another food argument, was it? Seriously, what's with you people's obsession with food? I understand and fully comprehend that food is necessary for survival but you retards are taking this was too serious."

Lately, Basara-sensei has been out of the scene. With Yuka-sensei taking the charge for most of our classes, he only got one hour per day with us.

And for that, I'm eternally grateful. It's not like I fully support Yuka-sensei in a dignified manner but this demon is not meant to be a teacher.

Friendly reminder that he made us endure slavery just for failing an exam.

"Also, I've been meaning to ask you, but are you, idiots, going to fail the exam once again? Your grades have not been looking hot, honestly. This isn't to mention your special exam ones, where you utterly fucking failed, hahaha!"

For the record, Basara-sensei wasn't even looking at any of the girls while saying those cold words, but instead, was looking at us, the boys. Furthermore, since we have normal exams and learn normal subjects just like any high-schooler would, there is not much point in hiding it, but, we obviously just suck at them.

I'm not even gonna mention my own grades.

"Sensei, I'm going to accomplish a huge result in the upcoming special exam! Mark my words!"

"Rayazaki, is that really you? I can't even distinguish you from your past self! What was that? Oh right, you got amnesia and you turned over a new leaf, was it?"

At this point, since Basara-sensei has finished explaining the current subject matter, he's openly mocking all of us until the clock hits 9 am.

"That doesn't matter! As a matter of fact, I can tell that the majority of the boys will try hard too! After all, yesterday's argument had special meaning! Some of us might be in big trouble if we fail! So we have to try hard!"

..........

Why do I have the feeling that Rayazaki should not have spoken out loud like that?

"Wait, Rayazaki, what do you mean by that?"

Of course, obnoxiously curious, Ikkiri asked Rayazaki that question.

Even though their classroom tables were four tables away, they had initiated contact with each other.

Plus, Basara-sensei was letting this proceed. He had a weird smile on his face for some reason.

That was when I noticed, I wasn't listening to music. Usually, when Basara-sensei's attention is drawn to the class as a whole, it's an extreme peril to listen to music on my earphones even if the volume is low.

But, now was the perfect chance to do so.

And, while doing so, I attracted the attention of someone.

She avoids looking at me and I don't look at her on principle.

"What I mean is--"

Just as Rayazaki was about to stupidly deliver a truthful answer to the eccentric Ikkiri, Ryoken intervenes.

"Rayazaki, don't say it. What stays in our dorm stays in our dorm."

How surprising. Ryoken did a really good action. However, potentially a dumb one.

Regardless, letting Rayazaki speak the truth of this matter was by far the one thing that we could not allow them to achieve.

Noticeably, according to the messages between Rayazaki and Hinagiku, Rayazaki has not spoken yet of this matter.

It should stay this way, but, I know that Rayazaki might just be forced to answer Hinagiku if she so asks her.

"Why not? What's so special about it?"

"Yeah, what gives? Why are you being like this, Ryoken?"

Both obnoxiously replying at the same time to Ryoken, who was having a hard time facing them, Ikkiri and Rayazaki didn't let him have his way easily.

Ryoken to me looked a bit stressful. Ever since the pairings, there were a couple of people who had been acting out of their personas.

Such worthy mentions are Sagasuga and the one at hand, Ryoken.

"What Yuka-sensei said to us only applies to us. Others should not know it."

I think it was fairly easy to understand what Ryoken was trying to imply but things weren't going to be this easy.

"Oh? So that means you have something to hide, doesn't it? The fact that you are covering it up means that whatever Rayazaki has to say is relevant somehow but you don't want 'others' to know. By the way, who is this 'others' you speak of? Why are you being so secretive?"

Undoubtedly, Ikkiri was being aggressive here. Ryoken was starting to sweat a bit and his eyes looked dead for some reason.

In addition to that, after Ikkiri's aggressive reply, Ryoken formed a formidable silence.

Perhaps he had gained even more mental fortitude over his past losses.

Luckily for him, I was in the mood to be aggressive too, today.

"Ikkiri, leave him alone. If he doesn't want to answer then he will not answer it."

And suddenly, all eyes turned on me. Well, of course, they would.

Why would they not, right? We are 24 people yet only four are remotely talking right now.

"I won't take no for an answer. I want to know and you can't do anything about that!"

I looked at Basara-sensei who coincidentally looked at me at the same time I did the same. From the looks of it, he wasn't showing any signs of intervening, which means that this was completely up to me.

Also, Ikkiri.

You should know something before you speak. When it comes to giving information, there is always something anyone can do.

"Very well, I'll tell you. You don't need to tell her, Rayazaki."

"Wait, are you sure? If you want, I can do it inst-"

"No need, Rayazaki. I'll take over from here."

I couldn't let him speak out the truth in a stupid way.

"The truth is, yesterday, Tsudo decided to masturbate onto the kitchen's food."

"WHAT!?"

Before everyone else could express their surprise, Tsudo flipped his notebook and shouted those angry words at me.

"According to what truly happened, Tsudo has a thing for peaches. Yesterday, Yuka-sensei witnessed a peach with a hole in it, which for some odd reason, had semen onto it. With a thorough investigation, we concluded that it was Tsudo, who is the most perverted by nature of us, to have done it."

"That is a lie, sensei! Please don't believe him! He's lying!"

Some cracked a smile while some started to laugh out loud. Some even had expressions of disgust all over their faces, mainly my table partner, who I bothered to cast a short glance.

Tsudo's furious expression was something worth enjoying because of what he had done to me yesterday.

Even Kawaraha, who was sound asleep started to laugh out loud.

But I wasn't going to stop.

"No, it is true. There's no point in hiding it, Tsudo. You love peaches. If we are talking about peaches in a sexual meaning then peaches can be identified as vaginas. I'm fairly certain that you all can see the pattern here. Regardless, I'll explain it in detail. The shape of the fruit peach has an abundance of similarities when it comes to the physical organ called the vagina."

"Daniel, you can stop now."

"I can't, Basara-sensei. Ikkiri wants to know the truth, so I have to let her know. Even if it means unraveling one of the most embarrassing moments yet."

"It's fine, I don't want to know it anymore..."

That's too late, Ikkiri.

You started this and you will finish this.

"That is contradicting. You said that I couldn't do anything about it and now that I am doing something about it you tell me to quit it? No, sorry. Either way, we were stupefied when we saw the recordings of it via a security camera. The recording showed a very explicit demonstration of role-playing... Tsudo, I really didn't think you'd..."

"Stop talking, Daniel! All of you, stop laughing! It's not true! It's not true, damn it!"

In the end, I joined the waves of laughter as I pretended to find the situation funny.

Obvious as it may sound, I wasn't doing this for the sake of making the situation enjoyable, it was only with two goals in mind.

To elude the truth and to make Tsudo suffer.

"Tsudo, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Masturbation is a very healthy thing, in all likelihood. But, what kind of retard starts doing it with a peach, hahahaha!!"

"Sensei!! Please don't tease me! I didn't do it! Ryoken! Rayazaki! Tell him!"

Rayazaki was laughing too hard at the moment, he even started to roll on the floor, but Ryoken managed to calm down a bit and thought for a second on how he would deliver his answer.

"...Tsudo, you should choose a more appropriate place next time, really..."

"I seriously hate you all..."

Against the maelstrom of laughs, Tsudo sank his head onto his table with his arms crossed. Shizuku, being his table partner continued to tease him yet that was beyond my caring.

What needed to be accomplished was accomplished, that being, Tsudo's first wave of suffering.

"Tsudo's questionable fetishes aside, I hope you all take the next special exam seriously. There have been many cases of students who neglected the first three waves of special exams and got sent to jail immediately afterward. Perhaps I should additionally briefly mention that in case if your crime is far too severe that execution will be applied."

"About that... Sensei, what are the execution methods...? Are they scary?"

That was a stupid question by Tateyana.

Anything involving death should at least have a minimal degree of fear to you.

"As far as I know the most common ones are the electric chair and asphyxia. However, I am only aware of the minimal methods of execution. There could be more."

Both are considered deadly. As a matter of fact, they are deadly.

"B-But I don't want to die..."

"Tateyana, no one wants to die, if you think about it. But, you surely didn't think about that when you did what you did, right? Therefore, stop bitching and nail the exams and the government, which is kind enough to overlook your massive stupidity, might just give you freedom."

"Sorry to interrupt, but what did you mean by 'might'? Shouldn't it be a certification to freedom if we do pass all the exams?"

Yukishiro was the one who made that question. I was thinking about the same thing. If all we had to do was pass the exams, then this should be a breeze, so why use the word 'might' here?

"It's Basara-sensei, you bimbo. Also, what I said still stands. By 'might', I was referring to the possibility of you not fucking this up somehow. Isn't it apparent? All you have to do is pass the exams and you get a free ticket to freedom, but that is if you are able to accomplish that without putting yourself in a position where all exams you have accomplished will become irrelevant. Let me do you a little demonstration."

It was 8:58 am, which means that he had 2 minutes to give the explanation yet Basara-sensei took hold of a certain folder that was at the top of his desk and went to a certain page for some reason.

All of our eyes were drawn onto that folder since it could provide good answers to some of our questions.

Even though Yukishiro was the one who bothered to ask, along with Tateyana.

"According to this, there was a student in the past who had partaken this program and was doing fairly well. The student had aced all exams even. Remarkably, the student was set out to have freedom. That was, until the third year when the student did a certain action which put the nail the coffin."

"What action was that, Basara-sensei...?"

Curious to a more serious extent now, Yukishiro addressed Basara-sensei in a dignified manner.

"It doesn't specify. It, however, states that the student was accused of multiple rape attempts and that the student was condemned to death via asphyxia."

"But how is that possible...? Didn't that student did all the exams correctly?"

"Certainly, Yuki, you're not incorrect there. Taking all the exams correctly is the sure way to succeed here. However, can criminals deny their nature in order to do the correct thing? Is that not the reason why you are all here? Because you all refused to do the correct thing and followed your nature?"

"Are you saying that the student didn't get expelled from the program via exam failure but because the student did something else?"

"That's right, Yuki. That was what I was implying. As a last warning, let me tell you---"

Perhaps it's in her veins to make such strong entrances, but Yuka-sensei didn't even wait. As soon as it was 9 am, she slammed the door in such a brute manner that Basara-sensei's upcoming words were completely erased.

Something to remark was that she was wearing a ponytail today along with her usual teacher uniform.

"My time is up, it seems. I'll see you all tomorrow. Behave well, retards."

God, such a nice way to say goodbye to your students, to call them retards.

"Ara, you can stay if you want!"

"I don't want to stay. Out of my way, right now. I'll german suplex you."

"I-It can't be helped then..."

This was getting weird. Basara-sensei was trying to leave through the main door but Yuka-sensei was prioritizing blocking his way.

What the hell?

"Yuka, I fucking swear, if you don't get out of my way right now I really will do it!"

"That's the whole point, Basara!"

"Well, ok---"

While this was getting heated up, there was a person who was innocent to the point of coming to Yuka-sensei's rescue, who, was probably and most likely, about to receive a german suplex.

"Please no fighting! Yuka-sensei! Basara-sensei!"

It was kinda like a mother and father who were having a very intense argument and then their children, who was bearing the whole argument while listening to it, comes out of its room only to stop them.

But seriously, this was entirely stupid. I can't believe that Hinagiku had to go there just to stop this BDSM type of argument.

"My, you're so cuteeeee! Hinagikuuu!"

"Staph thastt!"

Yuka-sensei was pulling Hinagiku's cheeks out for some reason and was playing with them because they were probably adorable in her eyes.

In the middle of this, Basara-sensei had officially taken off.

10 am. Gymnasium.

"H-How do you even do this...? Ahh... I can only do one! Just one!"

"It's normal at first, you'll get there. The trick isn't strength but flexibility and what movements you waste in order to contract your arms."

Right now, I was teaching Yulia how to do push-ups, but it was meaningless.

I even tried several alternatives such as push-ups with knees on the ground, push-ups with bars, incline push-ups, and whatnot.

Yulia was practicing them on a mat but it didn't matter at all.

Also, we were alone in the gymnasium. For some reason, Rayazaki and Yukishiro did not show up today.

Since it was raining outside, we had agreed to close the windows and the blinds while turning up the lights. Realistically speaking this gymnasium was fantastic. The air condition was nice and it had multiple body-building machines for some odd reason.

I say this because it isn't normal for a gymnasium to be this fancy. It even has a sandbag which corresponds to boxing itself. Just what exactly is the purpose here?

Right now, we were in an area that had the correct machines for training the abdominal area.

But I really wasn't starting to see the point here. Of course, I wouldn't say that to Yulia who was trying hard here in order to stabilize her mood.

"I can't do this... I just can't..."

Yulia had given up, it seems. She even put her wrist on her forehead while wheezing quite hard.

Naturally, my eyes were focused somewhere else at all times yet mentioning that and thinking about that would lead to bad results.

Punching myself in that area would be unnecessary right now.

Also, I wasn't going to fixate myself on the current topic, which was push-ups.

Thus, I said to Yulia, who was lying on the mat with her body facing up this time:

"Who do you think is going to fail?"

Maybe I should have mentioned to Yulia that it would be better for her to sit down on one of the benches that are right at the entrance of the gymnasium. Nevertheless, my position remained the same, as I stood close to her while looking down at her.

"Ah.. Ahhh.... Um..."

She's obviously tired. Even though she had not done a considerable amount of physical exercise yet, Yulia was without a doubt, tired. Her breathing was all over the place and, as shown, she could not form a proper initial answer.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I was just curious."

I wonder what size she wears.

"N-No, I'm just... tired. But... I don't think anyone is going to pass this exam, honestly. It doesn't make any sense to expect something out of pairings whose physical abilities contrast."

That much was obvious. That's also why I see no point in practicing.

Neither Yulia nor anyone who shares the same degree of physical strength as her will be able to achieve a remarkable evolution in just a few days.

It's impossible.

"So you think that we are going to lose?"

I had to ask her that question. Simply because she didn't exclude us from her previous statement.

"I'm sorry... As I've said, it's not your fault... But the exam itself is illogical and I can't help but feel that we are doomed to fail no matter how we go at it."

"Don't say that, Yulia. If that's the case, then everyone will fail too."

"Yeah, that's what I said. It's so unfair how we can't do anything about it. I've asked you to train me but it's not going to work, is it?"

Yulia was asking me the truth and this time around, I had no intention of denying it.

But, being blunt about it could have a counter-productive result on her emotions.

"You're correct about that. But, it's not your fault. A physical exam immediately puts you at a disadvantage. Furthermore, Yuka-sensei said that the weakest element of the pair will have to do 50% of the tasks. To put it in a basic way of understanding it, in a 5km run, you will have to run a minimum of 2.4kms. In 30 push-ups, you'll have to do 16. It must seem impossible to you, I bet."

It's no easy task to simply just do all these in the span of 5 or so days.

Plus, it's completely against any sort of logical way of thinking when someone thinks that a student who has asthma on top of it, can perform these physical exercises.

"Hey, Daniel..."

"What, Yulia?"

Instead of looking to me with her eyes, she folded her whole right forearm onto her eyes. I, however, didn't take my eyes off her. Nonetheless, the tone of her voice was losing strength.

Not due to any physical reaction or problem, but because she was being hopeless about the situation.

So far, Yulia had been negative about the whole situation.

"Let's just skip practice and fail the exam. There's no point in trying, right? Therefore, what are we even here for? Your intentions are simple and understandable. You want to pass the exam. Honestly, what you have done to get 1000 years of jail worth must be pretty severe, hence you are trying to buy your ticket for freedom. But I just can't..."

It wasn't only her voice that got weaker. Her legs were starting to shake. For some reason, Yulia was demonstrating how guilty her conscience truly was.

If that's the case, then something doesn't make sense.

"Hey, Yulia. You're being pretty honest right now, you know? I appreciate that, but are you really being serious? Are you sure that you aren't trying to pull out anythin-"

"Is that what you seriously are thinking...? Really?"

Although it was just a test to see whether or not she was being genuine about this, her voice tone got stronger, to say the least.

"No, it was just a test. But, aren't you in the same position as I am? Can you afford to fail without trying?"

"You've failed the previous exam, Daniel. I'm not in the same position as you. Should you fail this exam then you will accumulate the second supply exam. This would be my first. I don't mind failing here."

The rain outside was pouring hard. It was entirely noticeable due to the fact that the droplets were bouncing straight at the steel blinds.

With that said, the sound of the droplets made the atmosphere a bit suspensive, to say the least.

"That's a naive way of thinking. What if all the special exams from now on are physical ones? Are you just going to have the same mindset? That's stupid. If that's the case then you will just fail every time."

I realize how blunt I was while saying this but Yulia had to understand how idealistic she was being while saying those words.

But, to my surprise, Yulia got up from the mat and faced my face from a closer distance. There were only a few centimeters separating us.

"Would Basara-sensei suggest an exam like that? He wouldn't right? Then, isn't this Yuka-sensei's fault? Isn't she entirely to blame for this?"

"Yulia, what are you saying exactly? Yuka-sensei was the one who thought the exam up. You can't entirely blame her. All exams are like that."

Yulia's started to bite her nails furiously which was a sign of frustration. She didn't even care that her bangs were out of the place as well.

Something was wrong with Yulia.

Yet, what?

"No... I don't agree with your logic. She is to blame, Daniel. From the start, it's illogical to suggest an exam like this. An exam should test individuality, but, I understand that I, individually, lack physical prowess in order to excel in this exam. Yet, the bitch did this willingly. That's wrong. It can't be allowed."

And now she was using a stronger vocabulary.

But Yulia...

"It can't be helped. Of course, she would put us under a scenario like this. Remember, we are criminals, in her mind, we don't deserve any shred of mercy. This is probably her way of showing 'equality'. There's nothing we can do about it. We just have to accept our fate, I think."

I truly meant those words, but Yulia was showing a demonic expression and even grabbed me two hands. Subsequently, she also closed our distance even more.

"Daniel, we don't have to surrender to her like that. As I previously mentioned, Basara-sensei would not be the type of person to do illogical exams like this. Therefore, he is the superior choice when it comes to selecting special exams, correct?"

"From what he has shown, yes. But, Yulia, that doesn't mean that he won't resort to exams like this. You know it's a possibility..."

However, as I spoke, it was as if my own words didn't even matter in the first place.

"Don't you get it, Daniel? Since Basara-sensei is the superior choice, he should be the one to select and administrate the special exams in the first place!"

"That's not possible anymore, though. Basara-sensei isn't our homeroom teacher any longer."

"But... Why is that, Daniel?"

"Why? Isn't it obvious? Because Yuka-sensei took his place..."

Where is Yulia going with this?

I can't comprehend her intentions right now...

"That's right! The bitch took his place! And so, her whole existence allowed this event to happen in the first place. Nonetheless, if you think about it, her existence is to be blamed for this event!"

"Yes, I know that. But so what? There's nothing we can really do now."

"Ahhh... No."

"What?"

I had officially hit a state of confusion that was perpetually high.

"As I've mentioned, her existence is the source of this exam. Without her, this won't happen. Plus, if her existence is eliminated then this whole exam will probably be canceled, right? It wouldn't make any sense to continue an exam whose premise belonged to someone else."

"Yulia, what are you saying exactly?"

"I'm saying what I'm saying. Daniel, you have killed before, right?"

It wouldn't make much sense to deny this since I've done it and due to the fact that I said out loud to Yulia that I did an act that might've implied the death of three people.

"What does that have to do with it though?"

Ultimately, she closed the distance between us. Not one that would symbolize a kiss but close to it.

However, it wasn't for any romantic purposes, or so spoke my intuition.

And, I was correct.

"Everything. Daniel. You and I. Let's kill her."