'Crap,' Kazuma thought to himself. He'd only wanted to ridicule Yamada, but he ended up mocking the wrong person.
However, what was done was done. What could a teacher do to him? Anyway, Kazuma probably didn't need any more help with English. Maybe he should just let it be.
Extremely embarrassed, the English teacher turned around and ran out of the classroom. Before he reached the door, he told the class rep, "Collect the papers when the time is up and bring them to my office."
The class rep was confused. "Huh? Er, sensei, the class hasn't ended yet. What if the headmaster sees you leaving like this?"
But the teacher had run away without looking back.
The next moment, the entire classroom was in an uproar.
"Awesome!" Someone applauded and cheered for Kazuma.
Kazuma glanced at Yamada, who was caught in the middle of the crowd. Sure enough, he saw a sour face.
Kazuma was happy to see his face like that.
The simplest and most direct happiness was built on the unhappiness of others.
Kazuma gave those students a thumbs-up. "Thank you, thank you. You are welcome to ask me any English question."
The moment he finished speaking, the class rep roared, "QUIIIIEEET!"
As expected of a tuba player, her lung capacity was commendable.
After the class had quietened down, the class rep said seriously, "What if the noise you make attracts the headmaster or even the principal? Hurry up and finish the paper. There are still five minutes left. I will collect the papers the second the time is up!"
It was only then that the students lowered their heads and continued to write.
The class rep went straight up to the podium and held the table with both hands as she stared fiercely at the class.
It seemed that she had finished her paper long ago too.
After all, she had pigtails and thick-framed glasses. It was obvious that she was a top scorer.
Kazuma had also finished his papers. Since he had nothing to do and the remaining time left was too short to nap, he turned to look at the scenery outside the window.
***
After Takanashi Kenta returned to his office, he sat down in front of the desk and sighed, looking depressed.
Tanaka-sensei, who did not have any class for the last period, asked curiously, "What's wrong? Don't you have Class 3B's English class for the last period? If the headmaster finds you in the office now, you'll get scolded. The headmaster has memorized all of our class schedules. Sometimes, he'll even tell me what classes I have if I forget."
Takanashi sighed. "Do you know a student called Kiryuu Kazuma from Class 3B?"
"Ah, we were all talking about him today. Tachibana-sensei was so angry with him."
Tachibana was Class 3B's homeroom teacher.
"He said that he urged the class repeatedly to think carefully about their future and fill in the college decisions form seriously, but there was a brash kid who wrote Tokyo University in all three rows. It's the same Kiryuu Kazuma that you mentioned."
"Then Tachibana-sensei should be angry," Takanashi said. "Kiryuu Kazuma has always been the least-academically-able student in Class 3B. I remember that he had been specially admitted due to his kendo talent."
"That's right. Before this, Tachibana-sensei was preparing the materials needed to recommend Kiryuu Kazuma into a police academy, and he took this very seriously."
In Japan, other than normal admission tests, getting a recommendation was also a very common method to get students into schools.
It was especially so for public schools. That's because teachers of public schools were employees of the Ministry of Education. Their salary was directly dependent on the performance of the school, so their credibility was guaranteed.
Of course, there was a prerequisite that such public schools had to have high average deviation values.
In Japanese society, direct admission to a top school was equivalent to sending the student directly into the upper-class circle.
In the future, these people would come back to thank their teachers for their help. Therefore, the good high schools in Japan all had unbelievably strong alumni associations that consisted of the elites of society.
Previously, Tachibana had wanted to recommend Kazuma to police academies. These schools recruited students with kendo specialties.
After all, a competent police officer had to be physically strong.
There was a complicated procedure for the Japanese police to use firearms. Therefore, unless there was an emergency, the police would try to avoid using guns as much as possible.
Cops who shot bullets casually were definitely not Japanese police.
Actually, there were only two career options for a kendo specialty student like Kazuma. He could choose to become a kendo master, but it would in fact be very difficult to make a name for himself.
The more common way out was to go to a police academy and become a criminal investigator. Then, he could climb up the career ladder step by step.
There was also another that school teachers would never mention.
That was to join the yakuza.
Of course, the teachers had a clear understanding of this. That's why Tachibana had been preparing the recommendation materials for Kiryuu Kazuma since long ago.
However, now that Kazuma wanted to apply to Tokyo University, all his previous preparations were in vain.
Tanaka shook his head and said, "I don't know what's wrong with this Kiryuu Kazuma"
Takanashi looked grave. "Maybe there's nothing wrong."
"What? Why do you say that?" Tanaka asked in confusion.
So, Takanashi Kenta told him briefly what happened during the English test.
Tanaka opened his mouth in shock.
"What? Really? Are you sure he…"
"I'm sure." Takanashi suddenly sighed and began to complain, "He even mocked my pronunciation. Yes, I admit that I can't differentiate between R and L, and the words 'right' and 'light' sound exactly the same when I say it. But aren't all Japanese like that? What's so great about having a pure American accent?
"Is it that impressive?"
Takanashi stared at Tanaka as he asked this.
Just as Tanaka was about to answer, Takanashi answered his own question, "Yes, it is very impressive! I have nothing else to teach him in English anymore!"
Tanaka looked at Takanashi with a complicated expression. "You don't have to belittle yourself. Even if his pronunciation is good, his grammar might not be perfect. Maybe he got a Westerner girlfriend and learned the American accent from her."
"I checked his answers for the class quiz just now, and he got full marks," Takanashi said. "Full marks! High scores are common, but full marks are not. Even those top scorers would lose a few marks from time to time due to small mistakes! But he got full marks right off the bat."
Tanaka pursed his lips. "Perhaps he found a good cram school."
"What kind of cram school can make a person who failed English all year 'round get full marks after a short winter break? And teach him fluent American English over such a short timespan?"
Tanaka fell silent.
No one in the office made a sound.
Then, the bell rang.
After that, Tanaka asked carefully, "So, is it really possible for Kiryuu Kazuma to get into Tokyo University?"
"At least in English, yes. Actually, I think he should go to Sophia University with his English level."
Sophia University was known for its strong foreign language expertise. It had nurtured a large number of diplomats and translators.
With an English degree from Sophia University, one could at least get a job at a large company's overseas branch in the worst-case scenario.
Tanaka scratched his head and said, "He's that good? I wonder how he's doing in other subjects. Let me see… Hmm, I have Class B's lessons tomorrow. I'll set a quiz too."
With that, Tanaka took out his math textbook and began to set the questions.