Spider-Men 2: Crisis On Infinite Earths

SIDE STORY-7: Actions & Consequences

ZAIN ZAFFAR'S POV:
Sunday, May 3rd
Location: The Nakano Suite, ANHS Dorms

As I approached the door to the Nakano suite, I could hear the faint sounds of chatter and laughter. It's almost disarming, how carefree they sound after everything that happened yesterday. I knocked on the door, and it swung open almost instantly, revealing Yotsuba, the ever-bubbly one of the bunch. She's wearing that trademark headband and a grin that was too big for someone who should be worried about failing out of this school.

"Good morning~! Ah– oh, it's... you." Her bright expression quickly turned into one of worry as soon as she saw me, probably remembering the incident from the day before.

"Hello, Yotsuba. Ready to study?" I asked, trying to get rid of the awkwardness.

"Mmm." Yotsuba happily nodded her head before letting us in. "Should I... gather everyone?" She asked, as we entered the living room.

"If you'd be so kind." I said, taking a seat in the living room.

Her face fell for a brief second, but she nods, "Of course! Just give me a minute!"

As she darted up the stairs, I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for what was about to happen. A minute later, the five sisters were gathered in the living room, their expressions ranging from curiosity to annoyance. Nino, especially, looked like she'd rather be anywhere else but here.

I took a step forward, clasping my hands together. "Alright, before we move on with today's lesson, let's just start with this: I think someone in this room owes me an apology."

Silence.

Nino's expression twisted, her brows furrowing, and her lips forming a thin line. She clearly knew I was talking about her, but she wasn't budging. The other sisters glanced at each other nervously, waiting for someone to speak up.

Minutes passed, and the silence was suffocating. I didn't move, didn't flinch. If she's going to apologize, it's going to be sincere. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, Nino muttered under her breath, "...I'm sorry."

I raise an eyebrow. "Louder, please. I didn't quite catch that."

She glares at me, her eyes blazing with defiance. "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have tried to drug you."

"Thank you, Nino." I say, satisfied, and turn to address the group. "Now, I've gathered you all here to prove yourself. I have a challenge for you five~"

Their eyes widened, a mixture of surprise and intrigue crossing their faces.

"A challenge?" Miku asked, her voice cautious.

"If you guys really as smart as you all think you are, and are in no need of a tutor for the midterms– then I want you to prove it to me."

"Prove it to you?" Nino asked with a smirk.

"Yes. Prove to me that you don't need my assistance." I said, rummaging through my bag. "Shouldn't be hard. You just have to take this test– this here is your golden opportunity, girls. Pass the test, and I swear I'll never speak to you again." I said, flailing the five sets of papers around.

The room went silent again as they mulled it over. The sisters exchanged glances, weighing their options. There's a quiet determination in their eyes that tells me they're seriously considering it.

"That's certainly a straightforward approach~" Nino said, smirking.

"Is he serious?" Yotsuba asked.

Ichika woke up rubbing her eyes. "What test?"

"Alright, fine. I'll take it..." Itsuki resolved herself.

"Y-you can't be serious!"

Itsuki put on her glasses. "I just need a passing grade, and then I'll never have to see your face again."

"And here I thought you wanted me to teach you." I said with a disappointed sigh. "Anyway, it doesn't matter either way to me."

"Aww, yeah! Let's do it!" Yotsuba cheered.

"Sounds pretty easy." Ichika said happily.

"Define passing grade." Miku asked.

"Fifty points."

"There's no reason why we should have to prove ourselves to you, but it's time you learned not to underestimate us." Nino sighed.

I handed out the tests, and they got to work. The room was filled with the sound of pencils scratching against paper, and I watched as they concentrated, each of them approaching the test with varying levels of focus and confidence. I couldn't help but wonder how they'll do. An hour passed, and they finished up, handing in their papers with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.

As I went through the results, I couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and frustration.

"I finished grading your tests. Wow, you all scored a hundred points." I said sarcastically.

[ITSUKI-28] [NINO-22] [MIKU-30] [ICHIKA-12] [YOTSUBA-8]

"...Combined that is."

This is abysmal... Even that might be an understatement, and that's really saying something.

"Run for it!" Nino yelled, and all of them collectively got up, rushing to their rooms like they're running from the plague. I watched them scatter, and an idea started to form in my head.

The midterms were coming up, and they're going to need more than just determination to pass.

I leant back in my chair, thinking hard. The passing grade is a 32— no way they're all going to make that if these scores are any indication.

But what determines our passing grade... I wonder? The passing grade was a 32 for our mock test, exactly half of our class's average score... 64.4.

Does that mean our passing grade isn't fixed? If I want to confirm this theory, I needed to call one of the boys...

I pulled out my phone and dialled Arush's number, hoping he was free. After a couple of rings, he picked up.

["Yo, Zain. What's up?"] he said, sounding a bit distracted.

"Quick question for you." I said. "What was the passing grade in your class for the mock quiz?"

["Uh, I think it was... hold on... umm, around 42? I don't remember exactly, let me check and get back to you."] Arush replied, clearly scrolling through something.

"Thanks, that's all I needed to know." I replied, hanging up.

If Arush's passing grade is a 42, and ours is a 32, then that must mean the passing grade can be manipulated. By bringing the class average down, you could significantly alter the passing grade.

I just need to make sure that the average score in our class is low enough so that the Nakano sisters can pass. It's not going to be easy, but I've got a plan— a brilliant one, if I do say so myself.

TO BE CONTINUED...