The day of the year-end exam… the ‘Selected Event Exam’ had arrived.

The four commanders from each class, including Horikita, gathered in the multipurpose classroom.

Then, the selected events were delivered to those of us waiting.

Chinese Test

Basketball

Kyūdō

Typing Skills

Beach Volleyball

These five were from our class.

Just as planned—no issues.

On the other hand, the five chosen from Sakayanagi’s class were:

Chess

Flash Mental Arithmetic

Modern Literature Test

Math Test

English Test

These too matched exactly the information Kiyotaka-kun had obtained beforehand.

Even so, knowing it didn’t make things easier.

In total score tests, Class A had the advantage with their higher academic level.

Then there was chess…

Would Sakayanagi use that special right to choose an event?

Normally, paying 10 million points just to choose something other than a guaranteed win wouldn’t be worth it.

But if it’s Sakayanagi, who seems obsessed with facing Kiyotaka-kun… maybe.

As I was thinking, the selected event appeared on the monitor.

Basketball

“Alright!!”

With a spirited shout, Sudo-kun led Makita-kun and the others toward the match.

Encouragement filled the room—“Do your best!” “Fight!”

Something unimaginable when we first enrolled.

Our teamwork had truly deepened over this past year.

We watched the match through the monitor.

The opposing team had a tough-looking student named Kitō as their ace, displaying strong physical ability.

He clearly had basketball experience—his movements were different.

But Sudo-kun was the only first-year regular on the basketball team.

His physical ability was just as high.

After a fierce battle, our class won.

Next was the English test.

Horikita had treated it as a throwaway event.

She assigned students with weaker academics.

As expected, we lost.

One win, one loss—an even match so far.

The third event was selected: beach volleyball.

Class A sent Hashimoto-kun and Kamuro-san.

If Kiyotaka-kun and I participated, victory would be certain.

But he needed to be saved for chess.

So the pair who had played us during summer were chosen.

“Yeah, leave it to us.”

“Let’s do this, Yōsuke-kun!”

They were sent off with even louder cheers than Sudo’s group.

On the court, the two pairs faced each other.

“Didn’t expect this. I thought Ayanokōji and Matsushita would show up.”

“They’re our trump card. We’ll save them. Are we not good enough?”

“No, this might be more interesting. If you lost to them, we’ve got a shot too.”

“Is that so? We chose this as one of our main events because we’re confident. Unlike you, who just used it as a bluff.”

The verbal sparring began immediately.

Hirata’s provocation was sharp—unlike his usual self.

“Whoa, Hirata. That’s not like you. Change of heart?”

“Maybe. Anyway, let’s start.”

The match began.

Same rules as before—first to two sets, 10 points per set, no deuce.

Hashimoto’s team served first.

They targeted Kei, making it harder for Hirata to spike—just like we had done before.

But they had already prepared for that.

Hirata’s excellent support created the perfect toss.

The ball reached Kei in the ideal position—clean attack.

“Yōsuke-kun!”

“Nice, Karuizawa-san!”

Perfect teamwork.

Honestly, only Kiyotaka-kun and I could rival them in the whole year.

They took the first set smoothly.

Hopefully they could win in straight sets—but…

“Not bad, Hirata and Karuizawa. Guess we’ll get serious now, Masumi-chan.”

“Don’t call me that so casually.”

“…R-right.”

Kamuro Masumi seemed sharp and cold, similar to early Horikita.

“But I agree—it’s time to get serious.”

From that point, their movements changed.

They let the opponent lead early, then struck from behind.

A strategy requiring confidence in their own ability.

But that meant they couldn’t win head-on.

If Hirata and Kei stayed calm, they could win.

“What’s wrong, Hirata? You talked big, but you’re slowing down.”

Boos erupted from our class.

Hirata really was popular.

“Not yet. I can’t lose this exam.”

With that determination, Hirata gave it his all.

Diving again and again to save the ball—his effort moved everyone watching.

Still, the opponent reached set point first.

Kei served.

Kamuro received.

Hashimoto set.

A powerful spike followed.

Hirata couldn’t react in time—

It seemed over—

“Yōsuke-kun!”

Kei dove and saved it.

The ball floated high near the net.

She had fallen.

Hirata had to finish it.

He ran, jumped—

“Not happening!”

Hashimoto blocked.

But—

The ball softly went over.

“What!?”

A soft shot.

In that crucial moment, Hirata chose deception.

The ball dropped on their side.

“We caught up!!”

Cheers erupted.

No deuce—next point wins.

“This is bad, Kamuro-chan.”

“Stop the chan.”

“…Yes, Kamuro-san.”

Ignoring Hashimoto, Kamuro remained calm.

Strong mentality.

Her serve—

A floater—

“Wait, no spin!?”

“You know this, Matsushita!?”

Oops, I said it out loud.

Embarrassing.

A no-spin serve moves unpredictably due to air resistance.

Hirata barely saved it.

“It’s hard to receive because it shifts mid-air!”

A powerful hidden weapon.

It disrupted his posture.

He couldn’t attack.

Kei returned it deep—

A chance for them.

“This ends it!”

Hashimoto spiked—

But Kei’s fingertip grazed it, slowing it slightly.

Hirata made it in time.

“Yōsuke, finish it!”

“Leave it to me!!”

From Kei’s toss—

A powerful spike.

It hit the ground.

“Winner: Class B!”

Cheers filled the room.

Students grabbed hands, embraced shoulders.

On-screen, the pair celebrated too.

“We did it, Yōsuke!”

“Yeah! …Wait, Yōsuke?”

“Oh, sorry. You didn’t like it?”

“No, not at all.”

They smiled and high-fived.

A deeper bond had clearly formed.

…Among the celebrating class, only one student was quiet.

I noticed because she sat behind me.

Using my compact mirror, I glanced back.

Mii-chan looked downcast.

She must have realized it too—the bond forming between Kei and Hirata.

Kushida had exposed that Mii-chan liked Hirata.

It had been brushed aside, but it was true.

She always watched him.

Maybe she had suspected their relationship wasn’t real.

Or unconsciously felt it.

But now, regardless of whether it was romantic, things had progressed.

She must be regretting it deeply.

It might even affect her performance.

At this time, the Chinese test wasn’t ideal…

And unfortunately, that was exactly what was chosen.

* * *

Mii-chan and the others moved to the test room.

At the same time, Class A’s participants appeared.

The test began immediately.

Mii-chan was surely shaken.

But all we could do was watch.

The results came.

Mii-chan… 96 points.

A small translation mistake.

Normally, she wouldn’t have made that error.

Still, it was an excellent score.

However…

A Class A student, Sanada-kun, also scored 96.

Chinese isn’t typically taught in high school, so the test likely wasn’t extremely difficult.

Or perhaps it was simply his effort.

Either way, they tied for first.

“What happens now?”

“A draw?”

“No. The rules said draws aren’t allowed. There must be a tiebreaker.”

“In that case, it’ll be decided by the next highest scorer.”

Kiyotaka-kun was right.

The teacher announced:

The class with the higher second-place score wins.

And for us…

Everyone except Mii-chan was effectively expendable.

We couldn’t match Class A.

“Winner… Class A.”

The announcement echoed.

Mii-chan broke into tears.

No one blamed her—

“W-what do we do!? We lost our own event!”

…That was close.

At least he didn’t say it directly to her.

“Yamauchi, if you say that to her, I’ll kill you.”

“…”

Even he stayed silent.

Still…

This was bad.

Horikita’s calculations had been thrown off.

We had to make up for this.

Because that’s what it means to be classmates.