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ArabicClassroom of the Elite: Standing Firm in Class A — Chapter 26
Chapter 26: Disagreement
“But just like the teacher said, our Class A students have high academic ability, so it is basically impossible for anyone to fail.” Hashimoto tried hard to maintain a level tone, using rational analysis to mask the shock rippling through his chest. “Those guys in the other classes might be idiots, but as long as they aren’t complete morons, knowing they will be expelled, they will surely study their hardest, right? Trying to force them to fail probably will not be that easy.”
“Who said anything about making them fail the exam?” Kaedehara Tetsu asked.
Hashimoto froze in place.
“The school rules only state that failing the exam leads to expulsion. But do not forget, there are many other regulations written into that manual.” Tetsu rested his chin on his hand, his voice smooth and entirely devoid of warmth. “Violent behavior, serious bullying, cheating on exams… these are also serious offenses punishable by immediate expulsion. They might be able to avoid failing a written test through desperate rote memorization. But is a person’s fundamental nature that easy to change? Can a short-tempered delinquent really refrain from throwing a punch when properly provoked?”
Tetsu let the question hang in the air for a second before continuing. “Take Class D, for example. Right now, they are a barrel filled to the brim with gunpowder. They have lost all their class points. Their classroom is saturated with uncertainty about the future and mutual distrust. They are a group of people pushed to the very edge of a cliff, their nerves completely frayed. At this stage, all it takes is a single, tiny spark to make them explode completely.”
Hashimoto felt his lips go dry. He dragged his tongue across them, finally grasping the true depth behind Tetsu’s casual words.
He never intended to compete with Class D on the level of academics.
What he wanted to do was ignite the internal conflicts within the defective class, manipulating their students into committing irreversible mistakes that would lead straight to the guillotine of expulsion.
“But doing this is too risky,” Hashimoto argued, lowering his voice. “Once the school discovers that our Class A was pulling the strings behind the scenes, we will face severe disciplinary action. Losing class points would be the least of our worries. Who knows what the penalty…”
“Who said we had to do the dirty work?”
Tetsu cut him off, turning his head to look at Hashimoto with a faint, half-formed smile. “Everyone in Class A is a model student. Why would we ever stoop to doing such a thing? We just need to sit in the audience and enjoy a good show of rabid dogs tearing each other apart. That is more than enough.”
He turned away, dismissing Hashimoto from his attention, and let his gaze drift back out the window.
Hashimoto opened his mouth, but the words died in his throat. Looking at Tetsu’s perfectly indifferent profile, a cold chill crawled down his spine.
The bell signaling the end of the period rang through the corridors, shattering the oppressive silence between them.
Hashimoto kept his mouth shut and returned to his seat without another sound.
When the final bell for the lunch break chimed, the tension in the room broke. Students stood up one by one, gathering in small groups to discuss which cafeteria to visit or how to spend their afternoon.
Tetsu closed his textbook and packed his belongings with slow, unhurried movements.
Before the classroom could empty, a steady, commanding voice drowned out the rising chatter.
“Everyone, please spare a moment of your lunch break.”
Katsuragi Kohei stood at the front of the room. His stern gaze slowly swept over the gathered students, his eyes carrying a heavy weight of responsibility mixed with a trace of hidden anxiety. “Regarding the midterm exam that Mashima-sensei mentioned during morning homeroom, I believe everyone here already understands the gravity of the situation. Admittedly, with the average academic ability of our Class A, reaching the passing line is not a difficult hurdle. Mashima-sensei’s words have given us a great deal of confidence. However…”
He lowered his voice, emphasizing his next point.
“Not difficult does not mean it is impossible for accidents to happen. Any minor oversight, any single person falling behind, will lead to an irreversible loss for our entire class.”
He paused, letting the warning sink in.
“Once someone is expelled, our class size will decrease. We do not yet know if this will further impact our monthly class points, but one thing is certain: this is definitely not good news. Therefore, to ensure that Class A can meet this challenge with our absolute full strength, I propose that starting today, we use our lunch breaks and after-school hours to organize a class-wide study group.”
“We can pair students with higher academic ability with those who are relatively weaker based on our recent quiz scores, allowing everyone to help each other. This is not just to prepare for the midterm exam, but to build a solid foundation for Class A and prevent any problems before they arise. What does everyone think?”
His proposal was reasonable, highly logical, and grounded in a big-picture perspective that focused on the collective safety of the class.
Several students with lower-to-mid-range academic scores showed clear signs of relief. They began to whisper among themselves, nodding in agreement with the bald student’s plan.
“I agree. Katsuragi-kun is right, we cannot afford to rely on wishful thinking.” Totsuka Yahiko was the first to stand up, loudly voicing his absolute support.
“That is true, studying together will be much more efficient.”
“If there are subjects we are struggling with, having our classmates explain the material would be a huge help.”
A growing portion of the class chimed in, throwing their support behind the idea.
A faint, gratified smile finally broke through Katsuragi’s stern expression.
Just as he opened his mouth to announce the specific times and locations for the study sessions, a voice dripping with casual mockery cut through the air.
“Heh… a study group? Katsuragi-kun, you really are overflowing with the spirit of dedication.”
Hashimoto Masayoshi had drifted to the front of the room, coming to a stop right beside Katsuragi.
The entire classroom turned their attention toward the smooth-talking student.
The smile on Katsuragi’s face vanished instantly. He stared at the newcomer. “Hashimoto-kun, what exactly do you mean by that?”
“I do not mean anything by it.” Hashimoto shrugged his shoulders in an exaggerated display of innocence. “I just think that we are Class A, the absolute most elite group of people in this entire school. If we need to be herded together like elementary school students for collective remedial lessons just to pass a simple midterm exam, then does our title of Class A not lose a bit too much of its value?”
His gaze swept across the seated students, finally coming to rest on Sakayanagi Arisu.
“Mashima-sensei made it crystal clear that our average score is a full forty points higher than the passing line. This means that even if you closed your eyes and filled out the answer sheet at random, you might still score higher than the absolute best efforts of some other classes. Under these circumstances, asking us to waste our precious personal time attending some low-efficiency study group… forgive my frankness, but I am not that free. And I assume the same goes for the Princess.”
“You…” Totsuka Yahiko’s face flushed bright red with anger. He jabbed a finger toward Hashimoto. “How can you say something like that? Everyone here is a classmate in the exact same class. Is helping each other not the natural thing to do?”
“Natural?” Hashimoto let out a short laugh, acting as if he had just heard a brilliant joke. “Classmate, you are deeply mistaken. In this school, the only thing that is natural is strict meritocracy. Instead of finding time to help others, you should spend your energy improving yourself. Placing your hope in the charity of others is the most foolish behavior imaginable.”
Sakayanagi Arisu clearly had no desire to deal with this level of tedious trouble herself. But coupled with the fact that Hashimoto was currently standing in direct opposition to Katsuragi, it was obvious what was happening. As a core member of the Sakayanagi faction, Hashimoto had stepped up to draw the battle lines on her behalf.