Chapter four, 2017, petty revenge, segment two

“I want you to end your relationship with Hamarugen. He's a bad influence on you.”

Noriko stared at Kareyoshi. “Bad influence?”

“Yes. Your scores have fallen the last trimester.”

My scores have fallen? You bastard! How much are you getting paid by the PTA? “My scores average above 90. I fail to see how that would be a problem.” She gave him a defiant look. But in the end I'll have to fold. The moment they bring my parents into this I'll have to fold.

He had tiny eyes. Lying eyes. She hadn't seen that until now.

“While your scores aren't a problem per se, you still have dropped from the top three to around top ten. That reflects badly on this school, especially as those with higher grades haven't improved compared to earlier.”

The bastard knows how hard Urufu's studying, but he'll still sacrifice him for those rapists. It's all because he's a foreigner without connections. Noriko felt tears welling up, but forced them down. I won't let him get to me!

“We're having a meeting next week where we'll decide if he'll be suspended or expelled.”

He didn't have to tell me. That's just hurtful! One week. That would be just after the exams. After the exams? Oh, U-kun, U-kun! You sly… You planned it all along. Blushing, yet smiling, Noriko faced the principal. “So, you'll put him through the midterms first and kick him out of school after that?” You idiot, you're in for it this time! Noriko recalled Urufu's sardonic smile earlier that month.

'I don't need to focus on learning more kanji any longer. By now I can read the tests,' he had said. 'And as I told you, they're designed for parrots.' He had shown her that wolfish grin, and then he started skipping classes.

“I wouldn't put it that way, but someone with his reputation and his grades isn't exactly what this school needs.” Principal Kareyoshi's words brought Noriko back to the current reality.

U-kun, I'll slap you silly around the entire school next time I see you. Then I'll hug you, and then I'll kiss you silly. For everyone to see! “May I assume that if his grades were to increase drastically, then that would influence your decision?” And then she recalled the booklets in Urufu's room. Ah, the info on Tokyo University wasn't just for me at after all.

“That would require near perfect scores, and,” Kareyoshi eyed her body over before he continued: “even if you were actually to help him study instead of… Well, it's too late now anyway.”

Noriko suppressed a shiver as he continued to undress her with his eyes. Instead she focused on the implications of what she had just realized. Near perfect scores. Urufu wasn't skipping classes because he lacked the ability to follow them. He was skipping classes because they were an impediment. 'It's all a matter of information density,' he had said. 'Your education system is all about memory and no understanding. Given a month or so I could probably memorize everything for the second trimester, but I wouldn't understand a lot of it, because I would lack context.' Given a month or so… Skipping classes so you can study… U-kun, you little… I love you!

“Yes, I guess you're right, Principal. There's nothing I could do to help him now,” Noriko agreed and gave him a smile full of lies. “Is that all? Class is starting soon.”

But if he brings my parents into this I still have to fold.

“Oh you don’t have to worry about class,” Kareyoshi suddenly said.

Noriko looked up from the floor she had been studying the last seconds. “How come?”

“You’re suspended for one week.”

“I’m what? Why?”

“You’re suspended for being involved in an indecent relationship.”

“I’m involved in an….” I wish! She felt herself blushing from the neck up, and with thoughts of making Kareyoshi’s accusation come true she stumbled out of the office.

Urufu, why didn’t you tell me? Because when she got angry with him he wasn’t U-kun any longer. Well if we’re both suspended until midterms then I’ll be damned if we can’t study together.

Noriko knew how he processed data when he wanted to. She also knew no one else understood to exactly what extent he did. So studying together with Urufu for a week would basically be the same as going to school for well over a month, which was a bonus. Studying with Urufu for a week, well, just thinking of it made Noriko’s stomach go all warm and fuzzy.

Warm and fuzzy enough that he had almost been reinstated as U-kun in her mind when she left through the main entrance and saw the circus by the gates. And the idiot stood in the middle of it and waved to her. He immediately reverted from potential U-kun to moron-sama, but the warm feelings didn’t disappear despite angry thoughts running through her head.

Noriko made up her mind, decided that she’d have him as close to her as possible the coming week, and with newfound determination she listened to the crunching sound of gravel under her feet as she made her way to the gates and the sakura trees behind them.

She saw Yukio and Kyoko there, Ryu was there as well, but Kuri wasn’t. Ryu stood surrounded by journalists answering questions on behalf of his famous girlfriend.

While idols usually kept their relationships a secret Kuri refused, but Noriko guessed Kuri played up her foreignness as much as possible to get away with just as much as possible.

Idiot, you could have held on to Urufu, but I’m happy you didn’t. Because she was. Noriko admitted that. One way or another both Kuri and Urufu had to hurt for her to experience this. I’ll apologise one day, but not now. It was a staggering thought. That she, Wakayama Noriko, stood ready to watch someone else get hurt if that was the price for her own happiness.