The final exams were over.

Late July.

The days at the end of the term just before summer vacation.

Class D’s results had improved significantly compared to the midterm exams.

There were zero failing students.

The class average had also risen.

Horikita herself had achieved top-tier grades in every subject.

The Class Points were also steadily recovering.

Compared to the disastrous situation right after enrollment it was a major improvement.

After school that day Horikita was called out by Chabashira.

Student Guidance Office.

She knocked on the door and entered.

Chabashira was sitting on the sofa.

The evening sunlight streaming through the window dyed the room red.

“Sorry for calling you here.”

Chabashira said it while still seated on the sofa.

“No. Is there something you needed?”

“It’s nothing major. I just wanted to talk a little.”

Chabashira looked up at Horikita.

There was a complex light in her eyes different from the usual coldness.

“It won’t take long but sit down.”

“…Yes.”

Horikita sat quietly though she remained cautious not knowing what the conversation would be about.

She had been called out by Chabashira before in the previous timeline but just like with her brother the timing was different.

Not everything had to happen exactly the same as three years ago so perhaps it was a minor matter.

However Horikita had begun to feel uneasy about how the deviations were gradually increasing.

“Horikita. Did something happen to you?”

“…What do you mean?”

“The image of you I heard about from the interviewer before enrollment and the person sitting in front of me now feel like completely different people.”

Chabashira folded her arms.

“Before enrolling you were supposed to be a lone wolf. Someone who relied on no one and trusted no one. That’s what I was told.”

“…”

“But the you standing here now is practically a different person. From the moment you enrolled until now you’ve constantly acted for the sake of the class.”

Chabashira picked up a document.

It was probably Horikita’s grade report or something similar.

“In both the midterms and the finals you led study sessions, taught your classmates and raised the overall grades of the class. Zero failing students is largely thanks to you.”

“It wasn’t my effort alone. Hirata-kun, Kushida-san and everyone else cooperated.”

“That may be true. But from the first day of enrollment you were already acting strangely. You immediately saw through the truth behind the S System and tried to tell your classmates.”

Chabashira placed the document down.

“What happened? Why did you change?”

Horikita considered how she should answer.

She could not tell the truth.

If she said something like ‘I came from the future’ she would be seen as insane.

But lying also felt wrong.

Chabashira was looking at her seriously.

It was clear she genuinely wanted to know and was not asking out of idle curiosity.

“…I once failed in the past.”

Horikita carefully chose her words.

“A failure in the past? You mean during middle school?”

“Yes. In the past I tried to do everything alone. I relied on no one and trusted no one. As a result… I lost something important.”

“…”

“So this time I wanted to try a different approach. Trust my companions cooperate and aim for our goal together.”

Chabashira stared at Horikita.

A complicated emotion floated in her eyes.

“A failure in the past huh.”

Chabashira murmured.

There was a certain weight in her voice.

“…You’re an interesting student.”

“Interesting?”

“Yes. A normal first-year high school student wouldn’t think about things like that. It seems like you possess something special.”

Chabashira stood up.

She looked out the window.

The evening sun dyed the school building red.

“I also failed in the past.”

Chabashira whispered.

“You… teacher?”

“Yes. I can’t talk about it in detail. But I’m also someone who still carries the burden of past failure.”

Chabashira turned back toward her.

The usual coldness was gone from her eyes.

“That’s why I can understand your feelings a little. The feeling of wanting to reclaim the failures of the past.”

“…”

“I have expectations for you, Horikita. I want to see how far you can lead this class.”

“…Yes.”

“That’s all I wanted to say. Sorry for calling you out.”

With those words Chabashira left the room.

Watching her back Horikita thought.

Sae Chabashira.

A teacher who once attended this school and failed to graduate from Class A.

During the previous three years Horikita had learned that fact.

Chabashira had fallen from Class B to Class D during her time as a student.

She still carried that past with her.

That was why she accepted the position of homeroom teacher for Class D.

To reclaim the failure of the past this time.

Perhaps she sensed something in Horikita’s words.

As someone who had also suffered from past failure.

'Someday the day might come when I can truly understand teacher as well'

Horikita thought that.

* * *

The next day the results of the final exams were officially announced by Chabashira.

Class D’s classroom was filled with cheers.

“We did it Horikita!”

Sudo happily called out to her.

“I avoided failing again this time! It’s thanks to you!”

“You worked hard. I only helped a little.”

“No way. If you hadn’t been there it would’ve been bad. Seriously thanks.”

Sudo grinned widely.

Showing his white teeth with an innocent smile.

Seeing that expression surprised Horikita a little.

In the previous timeline Sudo had been much more rebellious toward her.

But now he expressed his gratitude honestly.

“Horikita-san… thanks.”

She turned at the sound of a voice.

Karuizawa stood there with a slightly embarrassed expression.

“I thought I should thank you too. The study session really helped me.”

“It’s fine. We’re classmates so helping each other is natural.”

“…Yeah. I guess so.”

Karuizawa smiled shyly.

In the previous timeline Karuizawa had avoided Horikita as someone difficult to approach.

Now the distance between them was gradually shrinking.

The atmosphere of the class had changed.

Compared to before there was more unity.

An atmosphere where people helped each other had begun to form.

“Horikita-san.”

Hirata approached.

“This exam also went well thanks to you. Thank you very much.”

“You helped a lot too Hirata-kun. It goes both ways.”

“But you were the one at the center leading everything. I couldn’t have done this alone.”

Hirata extended his hand.

“Let’s keep working hard together.”

“Yes. I’m counting on you.”

Horikita shook his hand.

At that moment she felt someone’s gaze.

When she turned around Ayanokoji was reading a book in the corner of the classroom.

However his eyes were not on the book but on Horikita.

Their gazes met.

Ayanokoji nodded slightly.

There were no words.

But that alone was enough.

It felt like he had said ‘Good work.’

Horikita smiled back softly.

* * *

After school Horikita looked outside through the classroom window.

The first term was ending.

Thinking back, it had been a long three months.

The surprise when she woke up on the morning of the entrance ceremony.

The unbelievable reality that she had returned to three years earlier.

From there Horikita had kept running.

So she would not repeat the failures of the previous timeline.

So she could reach Class A this time.

She built relationships with her classmates.

She formed a cooperative relationship with Hirata, reduced the distance with Karuizawa and gained Sudo’s trust.

Her distance with Ayanokoji had also clearly grown closer.

He was gradually opening his heart.

Her conversation with her brother had also turned out differently from before.

She had freed herself from his shadow and begun walking her own path.

Her relationship with Chabashira was also changing.

As someone who also carried the burden of ‘past failure’ there might be parts of them that could understand each other.

Everything was moving in a different direction from before.

“Alone?”

A voice called out.

When she turned, Ayanokoji was standing beside her before she realized it.

“Yes. I was just lost in thought.”

“I see.”

Ayanokoji looked outside the window.

“Good work this term.”

“…Thank you. You too.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“That’s a lie. If you weren’t here I wouldn’t have been able to do this much.”

Horikita looked at Ayanokoji seriously.

“Thank you Ayanokoji-kun. Please keep working with me from now on too.”

Ayanokoji remained silent for a moment.

Then—

“…Yeah. I will.”

He nodded slightly but firmly.

“According to information from someone who can predict the future, there's supposed to be an exam on a deserted island during summer vacation. Chabashira-sensei called it a vacation though.”

“You’re being mean. Someone like you should understand that you can’t blindly believe what this school says right?”

“True. Still a deserted island huh… it sounds like it’ll be a tough exam.”

“Yes… but if I’m with you I feel like we can overcome it.”

“I see.”

The two of them shared a small laugh.

The evening sunlight illuminated them.

The first term ended and summer vacation began.

And the Deserted Island Exam awaited them.

In the memories of the previous timeline the Deserted Island Exam had been harsh.

Class D struggled but somehow overcame it thanks to Ayanokoji’s actions.

This time she wanted a different result.

Better results than last time.

A stronger class than last time.

Horikita renewed her determination.

“Let’s go home, Ayanokoji-kun.”

“Yeah.”

The two left the classroom side by side.

A sight that would never have been possible three years ago.

While everything seemed to be going smoothly, summer vacation was about to begin.

But Horikita did not realize it.

That the accumulation of small changes had already grown into a major change and was now approaching right before her eyes.