COTE: Hikigaya's Classroom of the Supreme Being

Hikigaya: [Hahaha. Good one.]

Ayanokouji: [Uh, let's not dwell on that… By the way, don't you think this conversation feels a bit like one between friends?]

Hikigaya: [...]

No, that wasn't possible. It wasn't that Hikigaya had no intention of making friends; rather, he had no desire to befriend someone like Ayanokouji.

There was something distinctly different about Ayanokouji, and it wasn't just about whether he wore a mask or not.

Ayanokouji: [Eh, is this what they call 'ignore after reading'? But if there isn't some level of intimacy, ignoring someone isn't an option, so it's okay to say we're friends, right?]

Hikigaya: [...]

Ayanokouji: [You read it, didn't you?!]

Just then, the sound of the door opening from the counseling room outside broke the moment.

"So, Horikita, what do you want to discuss with me?"

The unexpected arrival made Hikigaya momentarily startled. He hadn't anticipated that Horikita would show up as well.

It seemed that Chabashira-sensei had something planned.

...

When Hikigaya first encountered Horikita, he noted a resemblance to Yukinoshita.

Both kept to themselves and shunned interaction with classmates.

Even the more popular students, like Hirata or Kushida, were met with her icy responses. Her rare exchanges with Ayanokouji were typically filled with sarcasm.

"Excuse me, why was I assigned to Class D?" Horikita's tone carried disbelief.

"You mentioned today that excellent students are placed in Class A, and Class D is supposedly for the worst students. I don't believe I'm the worst in the grade."

Hikigaya mentally corrected his earlier assumption about Horikita and Yukinoshita. Despite their similar appearances and aloofness, they were fundamentally different.

Yukinoshita, while confident in her abilities, was self-aware and avoided complaining or belittling others.

Horikita, in contrast, seemed unable to look beyond her perspective.

Horikita is naive compared to someone like Yukinoshita.

"Why, you don't accept it? It seems you think very highly of yourself," Chabashira-sensei remarked.

"Certainly," Horikita replied confidently, her answer unwavering.

Hikigaya shook his head. If Horikita were the only standout student in Class D, there might be room for error. However, Class D included Yukimura, who was academically comparable to her, as well as Hirata, Kushida, and others who excelled in various aspects.

Even Koenji surpassed her in many ways. It was puzzling that Horikita couldn't see this broader context.

She seemed to confuse loneliness with aloofness.

"I'm confident I solved nearly all the questions on the entrance exam correctly and don't recall making any major mistakes during the interview. I can't fathom why I ended up in Class D," Horikita continued.

"You've solved almost all the questions… The entrance exam results are confidential, but I happen to have your test paper here," Chabashira-sensei said.

Hikigaya suspected this was not a coincidence but rather something planned. Horikita, perceptive as ever, recognized the implication immediately.

"You anticipated my protest?" Horikita observed.

"As a teacher, I believe I understand my students' personalities well," Chabashira-sensei stated.

Hikigaya nearly laughed. Chabashira-sensei's ability to read students was questionable, given that she had misjudged both Horikita and him.

While both were discontent with their placement in Class D, Chabashira-sensei, having faced real-world challenges, was more mature and understood the futility of such disputes.

"Horikita Suzune, your entrance exam results are just as you assumed. You tied for third place in the written exam, with scores nearly identical to those of the top two students. Your interview performance was also quite good," Chabashira-sensei explained.

Despite the praise, the real message was yet to come.

"Thank you, but why am I in Class D?" Horikita asked, her confusion palpable.

"Why are you unhappy about being placed in Class D?" Chabashira-sensei asked.

"No one is pleased with an incorrect evaluation," Horikita continued, "Class distinctions here have a significant impact on future prospects, so it's natural to have doubts."

"Incorrect evaluation? You have an extraordinarily high opinion of yourself," Chabashira-sensei laughed mockingly.

"There's no rule that states that students with the best academic records are placed in the best classes. The purpose of this school is to nurture truly outstanding individuals. If you think you can be placed in a higher class solely based on academic performance, you're mistaken."

Chabashira-sensei's response was a harsh reality check for Horikita.

"Consider this: if academic excellence alone determined class placement, would students like Koenji and others be in Class D?"

Horikita was left speechless. Class placements were decided based on a comprehensive evaluation by the school, not just academic performance.

"I'll ask the school again," Horikita said stubbornly.

Hikigaya found Horikita's persistence pathetic. The class assignments were final decisions made by the school and could not be altered by mere protests.

Chabashira-sensei's final words were somewhat pacifying.

"The class placements are not fixed, good performance can lead to promotions. If you work hard, you could be promoted to Class A."

Horikita, however, was not easily swayed. "I doubt Class D, burdened as it is, can surpass Class A in points. I'll leave for now, but remember, I don't accept this placement."

"Understood. I'll keep that in mind," Chabashira-sensei said, then added, "By the way, I also called others here who are related to you."

Horikita's curiosity was piqued. "Related to me? Could it be my brother—"

"Ayanokouji, Hikigaya, come out."

Hikigaya was bewildered. What connection could he possibly have with Horikita? They had never interacted, and he doubted she knew him.

Ayanokouji, too, appeared uninterested and remained seated.

"If you don't come out, I'll expel you from school," Chabashira-sensei threatened.

Hikigaya thought the threat was a bluff. Yet, to his surprise, Ayanokouji stood up and exited the room.

Resigned, Hikigaya followed Ayanokouji out of the tea room.

"Did you hear what I said?" Chabashira-sensei asked.

"What are you talking about, Chabashira-sensei?" Ayanokouji responded, feigning ignorance.

"I heard part of the conversation, but it was hard to make out due to the thick walls."

Hikigaya, feeling exasperated, glanced at Horikita, who was confused. He decided to play along with Ayanokouji's act.

"Hey! Ayanokouji, when did Horikita come in? I must have fallen asleep and missed it."

Chabashira-sensei, unimpressed by their attempts to deflect, said, "Enough with the games. It's time to address the matter at hand."

Hikigaya was startled by the shift in tone. "Horikita and I have no relationship. We're just classmates."

"No, you do have a connection, though it's not what you think," Chabashira-sensei replied calmly. "Your connection with Horikita is significant… but in another context."

Horikita, who was about to protest, was now intrigued. "Teacher, what does this mean? Please explain."

"Don't worry. These two individuals are crucial for future class advancement. It's important to listen carefully."

"Understood," Horikita said, now attentive.

"First of all, Ayanokouji, you are quite an interesting student," Chabashira-sensei began.

"I don't think I'm more interesting than a teacher named 'Chabashira'," Ayanokouji responded.

Damm! This guy is good.

Chabashira-sensei's tone turned lighthearted. "And don't laugh, Hikigaya. Your last name isn't any better."

Hikigaya was taken aback by the sudden critique.

It seemed that Chabashira-sensei's remarks were more about the absurdity of names than personal criticism.

"Let's set that aside for now. I reviewed the entrance exam results and devised individual guidance methods. I found something quite intriguing," Chabashira-sensei said, placing a test paper on the table.

"Japanese: 50 points, Mathematics: 50 points, English: 50 points, Social Studies: 50 points, Science: 50 points. Even the quiz scores are uniformly 50. Do you understand what this means?"

"I see," Hikigaya responded, turning to Ayanokouji.

"You're indeed a peculiarly repressed case," Hikigaya commented.

"Indeed, Ayanokouji's behavior is undoubtedly repressed." Chabashira-sensei nodded, confirming Hikigaya's statement.

"…No, it was just a coincidence."

Ayanokouji was at a loss for words. His initial plan was to dismiss the issue with a nonchalant attitude, insisting that it was merely a coincidence, regardless of the scrutiny.

However, facing Hikigaya's critique, Ayanokouji felt that any explanation would only reinforce the perception that he was introverted and reserved.

The situation was frustrating.

"Ugh, you're an annoying person." Chabashira-sensei sighed, even omitting the term "student" in her exasperation.

"Listen carefully. The correct answer rate for question 5 on this math test is only 3% for the entire grade, yet you answered all the complex equations perfectly. Conversely, question 10, which had a 76% correct answer rate, was answered incorrectly by you. Normally, these patterns should be reversed, don't you think?"

"So, it was just a coincidence, a coincidence… Could you please stop looking at me like that?"

Ayanokouji defended himself.

As expected, no matter how he explained, the other three continued to scrutinize him with disapproving expressions. No one bothered to ask why he had performed in such a peculiar way.

The explanation of being introverted and reserved seemed to justify everything.

"Alright, let's set aside Ayanokouji's peculiarities for now." Hikigaya shifted his focus to Chabashira-sensei.

"I took the exam seriously and achieved my score through my effort. There shouldn't be any cause for concern, right?"

"Don't be ridiculous. You're more important than Ayanokouji. Show Horikita the remaining points."

Hikigaya was taken aback. He hadn't anticipated that the homeroom teacher would be aware of such specifics.

This information was supposed to be confidential, not something to be flaunted or discussed openly. Much like when Hoshinomiya-sensei had revealed his role as a student council member, Chabashira-sensei's actions seemed questionable.

"No, this is my privacy," Hikigaya protested.