Chapter 39

Affection Time (親愛の時間) is the thrity ninth chapter of the Assassination Classroom manga.

Short summary
Takaoka explains to the class that Karasuma will now be doing office work while he becomes their new P.E. teacher. Inside the class 3-E building office, Takaoka advises Karasuma to be more enthusiastic with the students as he had been with his trainees, giving him a photo posing with them. Meanwhile, Korosensei leaves but notes to Karasuma that he believes no one should be class 3-E's P.E. teacher but himself. Starting their first training period together, Takaoka hands the class their new schedule, as approved by Chairman Asano, including an unreasonable amount of time allocated exclusively for training. Maehara objects to this only to be beaten up by Takaoka, who tries to assert power over the students as "father" of their newfound "family". Kanzaki also objects to obeying her father and promptly gets slapped hard, generating much fear within the class.

Long summary
Takaoka explains to the class that he'll be their new gym teacher and that Karasuma will focus only on office work. He tells the class to put all their trust in him as their father and as family. As Takaoka dribbles a soccer ball to the amazement of the students, Karasuma recalls the two of them being colleagues in the airborne forces. Walking away with Korosensei beside him enjoying more sweets, Karasuma mentions he heard Takaoka surpasses himself as an instructor. As the students walk back into the school building, Chiba asks Kurahashi what she thinks, to which Kurahashi claims she likes Karasuma better. Okajima notes that there's no way they can tell what Karasuma is thinking, having sustained a stern expression and refusing their invitations to eat or play around with him. He compares him to Takaoka, a more friendly guy who seems like everyone will enjoy training with him.

Inside the office in the presence of Korosensei and Irina, Takaoka claims to Karasuma that his three-month training would only take one month in the army. Karasuma tells him not to confuse them with professional soldiers because they're only junior high students, and that any more training will interfere with their studies. Takaoka calls him too laid-back with the world at stake. As Takaoka reaches for his sweater pocket, he advises Karasuma to have enthusiasm. He shows Karasuma a photo of himself with four other trainees and claims the students will respond to enthusiasm even if the training is harsh. Takaoka then promises to Korosensei that he'll have his head soon by training the students into first-rate assassins and throws him some more sweets before leaving the room. Korosensei laughs him off as a naive sensei, to which Karasuma is irritated of hearing him. Korosensei then opens the window and says he'll leave the matter to him since the two are so admant about teaching the students. Korosensei says he won't criticize the change of leadership, but mentions that he believes only Karasuma can be their teacher before flying off. As Karasuma watches Korosensei leave, Irina questions him as to if he's okay with it, claiming Takaoka's personality was a little forced.

Outside, the class begins their new P.E. class with Takaoka, who offers to treat everyone with snacks after. Nakamura claims it's just because he wants to have some himself, to which Takaoka jokes about his own waist. He then enthusiastically calls the class to make a peace sign and yell "Victory!!" after he counts up to 3. The class laughs it off, with Sugino claiming the chant is old-fashioned and a ripoff, to which Takaoka jokingly claims it's a homage instead. Watching them from inside the school building, Karasuma notes that Takaoka is winning them over and probably is able to distinguish between students and army troops. He assumes the training will progress well too and begins to question himself as to if his methods were wrong all this time. He looks at Takaoka's photo again and starts to think that maybe he shouldn't be retaining his distance and instead, treat them like family. Suddenly, he notices another photograph: the backside of the trainees in the photo. Looking closer at the photo, he spots numerous cuts and bruises all over their backs as Takaoka smiles straightening them. Immediately, Karasuma is horrified.

Back outside, Takaoka hands the class copies of a new schedule alongside their training program overhaul. The students are shocked to find ten period-days, including seven straight periods of training from noon to 9 PM on weekdays after just three hours of other classes every weekday, as well as additional training periods on Saturday. Takaoka adds that he got chairman Asano's approval of the new schedule too, claiming he said the earth is in crisis, so there's no helping it. He affirms that the new curriculum will enhance their abilites much better and is just about to begin their course. However, Maehara interrupts him, claiming that their grades will drop from the smaller study time and that the chairman knew that too. Adding that there's also no time for them to have fun, he affirms that they can't they can follow this schedule. Immediately, Takaoka grabs Maehara and knees him in the chest. Still smiling, he asserts that it's "we will", not "we can't". Making a bigger smile, he asserts that everyone is family and he is their father, and that his orders as father are absolute. As Karasuma watches him on in horror, his agent stands behind him, mentioning that Takaoka appears to be very competitive toward him, having been inferior to him as a cotemporary, and so turned to teaching as a alternate path. She recalls Takaoka as having been able to produce elite troops fast with his tightly-knit family and even as a violent father and leader in a dictatorial regime.

Takaoka starts the class training off by telling the class to do three sets of 100 squats each, and that anyone who quits will be free to do so while he'll call another student to do the squats. Imagining Nagisa and Kayano all buffed up, Takaoka claims to have raised soldiers he cared about deeply and doesn't want anyone to run away as he's their father and they're his family. Walking around, he embraces some of the students menacingly. He recalls his method of teaching as feeling two things: affection and fear. In a 9:1 ratio of sticks (fear) to carrots (affection), he claims that soldiers continuously beaten with the stick will become extremely grateful of the lone carrot, thus forcing the students' to adapt to his mindset as father of a family. Embracing Kanzaki, he asks if she will follow her father too. After some shaking and hesitating, Kanzaki gives off a smile and openly claims she'd rather have class with Karasuma. Licking his lips, Takaoka gives Kanzaki and hard slap to her head, causing her to fall over. As Nagisa, Kayano and Sugino rush to her aid, Takaoka insists that their only answer should be "Yes", only else they receive his fists.