Classroom of the Elite: Ichinose of Class-D

Chapter VI - The Worst Form Of Inequality Is To Try To Make Unequal Things Equal

Over half a month has gone by with almost the entirety of Class-D prepared for the next exam. Though at first, there may have been uncooperative people, they've all since been picked up by mine and Hirata-kun's study groups. Further more, there has been that discussion that I can't seem to get out of my head from a while ago with Nagumo-senpai.

By the time lunch rolled around, I took a quick look around my classroom and eventually marked my target. When I approached him though, he didn't once look my way but instead, tried to look preoccupied by reading a book so I wouldn't bother him. Unfortunately, that type of deception wont work on me, Ayanokouji-kun.

As I finally made my way to his seat, I moved in front of his desk with my left hand on my hip. I could tell that he was pretending not to notice me so I stood still until Ayanokouji-kun seemed to finally give in and spoke up.

"Yes, Ichinose?"

"Ayanokouji-kun, have you convinced Sudou-kun yet?" I asked him.

"You're still on that?"

"Of course, I've said that I'll try anything to make sure no one in our class falls behind."

Ayanokouji-kun understands my ideology more than anyone else in our class and yet, he seems not to get it yet. I mean, I have told him countless times that I would ensure everyone in our class makes it to Class-A together but he seems to have a realist side to him. Even though he doesn't say it, I'm sure he's thinking that I'm being ridiculous right now.

"But anyways, did you convince him?"

"Nope, I pretty much gave up back when I first asked him," Ayanokouji-kun answered.

"..."

For perhaps the next twenty seconds or so, we remained silent. Not a single word came out of my mouth nor Ayanokouji-kun's. That was until he broke the silence.

"Wasn't my obligation fulfilled when I failed?"

"Well yeah, but it wouldn't have hurt if you kept trying.."

"We have a little over a week before the next exam. Lets say we did convince him, how long would Sudou remained focus on studying? Further more, how much information would he be able to learn with that time? I'm sure you've noticed, but he isn't exactly the type to commit overwhelming amounts of knowledge in just a week or so," said Ayanokouji-kun matter-of-factly.

It's true what he says, there's probably no way Sudou-kun could managed with the little time he has left, given his character. But it still doesn't hurt to try, doesn't it? After all, the only problem we have is knowing the key points of the next exam, if we knew that then all of our problems could be solved if we focused on those key points in specific.

"What do you have in mind then? Since you're being pragmatic and all," I asked.

"The answer is straight forward. If you want to produce results then you play the game how most people don't intend to. In simpler terms, you work smarter instead of harder."

"Smarter instead of harder?"

"Remember what Chabashira-sensei had said at the start of school? Everything could be bought with private points. Anything from miscellaneous items, food, drinks, electronics.. Maybe even old test questions from upperclassman.."

"Wait, what?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Ayanokouji-kun."

For about a few more seconds we stared into each others eyes until Ayanokouji-kun spoke up again.

"Obtain old test questions from an upperclassman, preferably a third year student. Of course, you could also request for his test he got the day he took the exam too," Ayanokouji-kun responded.