Ayanokouji What If: Popularity Time

V6 Chapter 6: The Third Traitor

                          Kiyotaka Pov

The day of the Paper Shuffle has finally arrived for everyone in the grade. When I walked into the classroom, it became apparent that everyone was relaxing.

"The hardest exam yet featuring the risk of two expulsions for one person's mistake. Yet despite this fact being well known, they all are so confident in their abilities that they're willing to relax before the exam itself."

Across the classroom, I noticed Koenji just entering. Our eyes met one another and he smirked while approaching me.

"Liar-Boy, I hope you won't drop out so soon to this exam," he said.

"Not planning on that," I replied, placing my back on my desk, "shouldn't you be concerned about yourself?"

"Puhu, not at all! I can make up for any error the Background-Boy will make. I must ask how evading Dragon-Boy is?"

"Dragon-Boy? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You are the Mr. Anonymous who has been tormenting Dragon-Boy!"

"How funny," I said monotonously, "I was the one insinuating you were an anonymous traitor just a month ago."

"Indeed, Liar-Boy. Quite humorous how things work out."

"Will you tell Ryuen your ideas?"

"Puhuhu, no. That is Dragon-Boy's fight."

"Strange how he keeps you on a leash yet you don't heel when commanded."

"You misunderstand Dragon-Boy then. He is hunting you for his ego."

"I see then. Is that all you want to talk to me about?"

"Correct. I would wish you luck, but I don't give things to people of lower statuses," said Koenji. He then turned his back to me and walked away to his seat.

A few minutes later, the exam began.

Scanning over the paper, it became clear that my and Keisei's study guides were accurate to the material on the exam, and, considering I shared them in the class group chat, everything should go smoothly for those who practiced with it.

Japanese, English, Social Studies, and then math were the first four exams that we would have to go through before we would break for lunch.

At the start of each exam, I scanned through everyone else's expressions to see how they would react to the questions.

Throughout each exam, everyone seemed fine except for two people: Kikyo and Karuizawa.

Kikyo audibly gasped and murmured, "why?!"

"Kikyo-Chan?" asked Ike, lifting his head up.

"Are you ok?" asked another girl.

"Y-yeah sorry everyone!"

At the same time, Karuizawa roughly began to scratch at her scalp for the duration of the math exam.

"Something happened. Is Karuizawa afraid of failing? That makes sense, but what about Kikyo? Don't tell me she may fail this exam!"

Kikyo is a talented student, her grades have always suggested as much, so how could she be concerned about failure in this exam?

Failure is not an option for her, I'm well aware. Perhaps she was trying to aim for a specific score and now realized that she won't be getting it? For what purpose?

"Kikyo must have made a bet with someone. But who?"

There were a multitude of possibilities, from this class and the other classes, so I'll have to ask her myself.