On Monday, you just couldn't accept the fact that the trip was over, that you were going back to school. You just couldn't adjust to the situation.

Well, you were not the only one.

"Uuuuuuuuuuh I hate school... actually, the lessons, since the kids are really cool. But still, I can't take it, not after such a great trip. I miss burying Nagisa in the snow"  Kayano whined and sighed.

Kayano, Yukiko and you entered the gate of school and noticed Karma, Nagisa, Maehara and Isogai waiting for you. Isogai quickly kissed his girlfriend.

You glanced at Karma. He looked... anxious and worried. And you knew why.

"The results of the exams are on the announcement board. Wanna go check on them?" Isogai asked and you headed there.

Karma clenched his teeth when he heard that, yet he nodded, knowing it was inevitable.

A bunch of students was already trying to see the results. It was hard for you to pass through them and see.

"Guess we will have to wait till everyone leaves" Yukiko murmured and Maehara laughed.

"Excuse my, but what do we have two tiny kids in our team for?"he said and pointed at Kayano and Nagisa.

They looked at each other, and then Maehara pushed them in the crowd.

"Go and see the results! Just be careful and don't let anyone step on you!"he shouted at them and you sighed.

"You know it's bad bullying them, right?"you told him and he shrugged, not feeling guilty at all.

Your two friends returned quickly, but out of breath. They looked at you.

"In our class, I... I got 10th place, Kayano 9th, Isogai 5th, Yukiko 11th, Maehara 15th... Karma 2nd and Y/N 1st" Nagisa announced.

No matter what everyone got, they only paid attention to the two of you.

"Whoa!" Maehara exclaimed "I thought I wouldn't live long enough to see Y/N surpassing Karma! Congrats, girl!"

Nagisa smiled too. They were the only ones who didn't know what Asano had told you. The rest had worried looks on their faces, realising it was his plan all along. Well, Karma knew it since long ago.

You smiled at them to calm them down.

"Don't give me these looks... I have to go for a while. I will be back, okay?"you told them and they all knew.

You were going to find Asano.

"Y/N!" Kayano whined loudly and displeased "Why are you going to him?! Are you crazy?!"

You giggled and patted her shoulder.

"I'm just going to talk to him. Don't worry, okay?"

No one knew what you had in mind. For them, going to find Asano meant you would accept him back.

Karma grabbed your hand and pulled you close to him. It was the first time he was doing something like that in front of so many people, and many glances fell upon you.

You felt his hot breath, his deep gaze and caring eyes on you.

"Don't go."

His voice was so low and absolute.

"I have to make some things clear to him. You don't have to worry"

"That worried me even more. Do I have to faint from worry to make you stay with me?"

You pulled your hand away. You sweetly smiled at him and turned around to leave.

Before doing so, you planted a quick kiss on his cheek. You disappeared from his sighed so quickly, shy to make any eye contact with him.
--

You found Asano in his father's office, arranging some papers. His father was not there. You entered the room and closed the door behind. When he noticed you, he was taken aback.

"Y/N! You... you actually came..." he murmured.

He looked kind of different. As if something had happened to him and made him... softer. Kinder.

"I got first place... you told me to come to you if I have good news... and here I am.. " you said and he immediately put the papers down.

He approached you and stood right in front of you. He took a deep breath.

"Before saying anything, hear me out. Karma told me... he told me about... the accident you had when we broke up"

You gasped.

Why did Karma do this? Asano was the last person I wanted to find out about this...

"Asano..."

He took your hands in his. He tightened his grip and lowered his head.

He looks like...

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what to do you make you believe me, that's why I will say what's on my mind. I am so sorry... I had no idea that by breaking up with you, I would inflict you that much pain... I am so sorry I was a heartless bastard... I am sorry never understood your heart... I am sorry I knew nothing, nothing about how much I meant to you. I am sorry I left you alone..."

...he hates himself.

It was the first time he was showing sincere affection after he found out about what kind of student you were.

Because, before that, he was still sincere, even if he himself was doubting it.

When you two met in the dark streets, when he accompanied you to the nomination, when you sneaked in his nomination, when he sneaked at your party, when he got you out of there, when he found you a week after because he wanted to, when he came to the club, when he kissed you, when he asked you to be his girlfriend, when you were dating, when you were laying under your favourite tree, when he was happy when you told him you would be at the same Highschool... all these moments were sincere, even if he thinks it was because he thought you were a top student.

Deep inside, he really loved you. The amount of depth was a matter of question though.

"Asano..." you said and smiled at him. He was really apologising. He was trying to hold back his tears.

The great Asano, the proud son of the principal, the perfect guy you once loved with all your might, E-class's bully and resentful person... was about to cry and regretted what he did did in the past.

"And now... I dare to want you back..."he tried to continue but you stopped him.

"Asano! Please... don't you want to know why I am here?"you asked him and you realised he had forgotten about that.

In the end, he nodded.

This time, you held his hands.

"This whole time, I was avoiding you like crazy... I wanted you to stay out of my sight, cause I knew that otherwise it would hurt me. But now... I realised that if I keep doing that, there will actually be no end to our pain"

You paused and observed his face. His lips had slightly parted, without his actually saying anything. He patiently waited.

"You told me to find you if I had good news. Those news are... that I can forgive you. But in order for me to do that... you have to change. You have to stop thinking of people as grades and rankings, and that means you will stop bullying my classmates and it also means you will persuade the other students of your... level to do so. If what came out of your mouth is sincere... do as I say. And I will forgive you. Then, we can even try being close friends, and I could even meet you to my other friends... I have high expectations of you, mister perfect"

Both of you giggled the last statement. You couldn't believe it that you were here, in the principal's office, laughing with Asano again... it was an image that hadn't crossed your mind for one and a half years.

You left his hands and turned around to leave, and let him think alone. When you opened the door, you heard him talking to you.

"We could start from the beginning, you know... we could start from your one week challenge" he said and you smiled at him.

"I think that the next person that will take on my challenge will be the last... I'm sorry, Asano..."

He nodded, hurt, but understood. He waved at you, smiled back and said his last words.

"I knew it... don't worry, you and Akabane are perfect for each other. Even I can see that."