COTE: Dominating The So-Called Geniuses!

The classroom of the prestigious Advanced Nurturing High School was bustling with murmurs, a mix of excitement and confusion. The announcement by their homeroom teacher, Sae Chabashira, that they wouldn't learn how monthly points were distributed until the next month left everyone restless.

"Why not tell us now? Isn't this about our living expenses?" one student protested.

"Yeah, sensei! This is a serious matter!" chimed another.

For these teenagers, the idea of receiving 100,000 yen in personal points every month was like a dream. Visions of luxurious purchases, indulgent entertainment, and carefree spending flashed through their minds.

Chabashira, however, was unmoved. She stood at the podium with her usual icy demeanor, her piercing gaze silencing the chatter without so much as a raised voice.

"This is a rule set by the school," she said curtly. Then, turning her attention to the back of the classroom, her eyes landed on a boy with a casual, yet oddly commanding presence. "Yuki, you seem to know a lot about this school for someone who's only just enrolled."

Yuki leaned back in his chair, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. "Maybe I know a little more than what you've told us, sensei," he replied, holding up his hand with his thumb and forefinger nearly touching to emphasize "a little."

Chabashira smirked faintly. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind helping me carry something? It'll give us a chance to talk."

Yuki stood, his movements deliberate. "Of course. I'd be happy to help."

The other students watched in curiosity as the two left the room, whispering among themselves. Yuki had already become a figure of intrigue in Class D.

---

Inside the teacher's office, Yuki set the wooden box down with ease and glanced around. The room was sparse, with only four desks belonging to the class instructors of the first-year students. At the moment, Chabashira was the only teacher present.

"So," she began, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with practiced ease. She took a drag, exhaling a puff of smoke that hung in the air. "Tell me, Yuki. How much do you really know about this school?"

Yuki leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Enough to know you've been keeping something from us."

Chabashira raised an eyebrow, but her composure faltered ever so slightly. "And what makes you think that?"

"Simple deduction," Yuki said, his tone casual but his words razor-sharp. "If this school treats all classes equally, then the other three homeroom teachers should be here by now. Instead, they're still with their classes, likely ensuring their students understand the rules. But you? You brought me here. Either you don't care about Class D or you're planning something that you don't want the other teachers to notice."

Chabashira's cigarette wavered for a moment, her amber eyes narrowing.

"Impressive," she said finally. "But you're wrong about one thing. It's not that I don't care about Class D—it's that this class shouldn't be this bad."

"Oh?" Yuki tilted his head, feigning ignorance but fully aware of where this was going.

Chabashira's voice hardened. "You were a special case. The chairman personally admitted you to this school and placed you in Class D. But that's not all. To ensure you ended up in the lowest class, he also altered the enrollment standards, admitting less capable students to drag the class down even further."

Yuki's eyes widened slightly, though more in amusement than shock. "So, I'm not just a student—I'm a handicap for the entire class?"

"Exactly," Chabashira said, her frustration evident. "How am I supposed to fulfill my dream of promoting Class D to Class A when the deck is stacked against us?"

Yuki let out a low whistle. "Well, sensei, if the school went to such lengths just to keep me down, maybe I'm more valuable than I thought."

Chabashira stared at him, her expression a mix of irritation and reluctant admiration. "Who are you, really? And why did the chairman go to such lengths to put you here?"

Yuki shrugged. "Who knows? But if you're smart, you'll stop seeing me as a burden and start seeing me as an asset."

For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the faint crackle of Chabashira's cigarette.

Finally, she spoke, her voice softer but no less firm. "We'll see about that. But don't think I'll go easy on you."

Yuki smirked, turning to leave. "Wouldn't dream of it, sensei. By the way, why do you think I call you 'sensei' instead of 'teacher' like everyone else?"

Chabashira frowned. "Why?"

"Because 'sensei' has a nice ring to it," Yuki said with a wave, disappearing through the door.

As he left, Chabashira couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity—and perhaps a hint of hope. Maybe, just maybe, this boy could turn the tide for Class D.

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