Horikita Suzune stared fixedly at the game board.
A single, glaring black piece sat isolated on the grid.
Scattered across the table outside the board were the white pieces Amane had completely devoured.
Fifteen pieces captured in a single turn.
How could such a thing be happening right before her eyes?
This was a level of skill no high school student should possess. Though Horikita wanted to deny the outcome, it had undeniably happened right in front of her.
"I win, Suzune."
Amane gently embraced Horikita from behind, her mind still reeling.
Her hands crept slowly upward from Horikita's waist.
Horikita seemed completely unaware.
Until, with some effort, Amane successfully scaled the summit.
The burgundy ribbon tie was casually tossed aside by Amane.
The golden buttons were undone next, revealing the thin white blouse beneath. Just as Amane began to unbutton the blouse, Horikita suddenly pressed down on her hand.
"Now isn't the time for this..."
"Then when is?"
Amane didn't wait for an answer, instead savoring the taste of Horikita.
She gently laid Horikita Suzune flat on the floor.
Then, Amane straddled her.
Just as Amane intended to proceed further, Horikita Suzune pushed her away with force.
"After this matter is settled... you can do whatever you want, Amane. But not now."
Hearing that she could do as she pleased later, a faint smile touched Amane's lips.
"Then it's settled."
"...Mhm."
Horikita's reply was so faint, like a mosquito's hum, that Amane, despite being so close, almost missed it.
Amane stood up, smoothing out her clothes slightly.
Horikita took the opportunity to quickly straighten her own disheveled uniform.
But once they had both composed themselves, the room fell into a heavy silence. Time was running out for Horikita Suzune; she had to find a breakthrough, and fast.
Her gaze returned to the game board.
She had to start from this very game, use it to prove to Amane the importance of the collective...
Though she wasn't sure if it could move Amane, nothing ventured, nothing gained. If she didn't try, she'd never achieve the result she wanted.
Suddenly, Horikita's eyes fell upon the captured black pieces beside her own side of the board. In an instant, she knew how to counter Amane.
What she didn't know was that her every expression was under Amane's watchful eye. After all this time together, Amane understood her even better than Horikita understood herself.
"Suzune, you're going to tell me that without the sacrifice of those black pieces, my last piece could never have become the 'King,' aren't you?"
Horikita was taken aback.
How did Amane know what she was going to say?
"Doesn't that precisely prove that every piece has its use?"
Horikita looked at Amane, her eyes clinging to hope.
"Suzune, have you misunderstood something? I was the one holding the pieces. I positioned them to be sacrificed. Without me, they wouldn't even have had the chance to contribute, isn't that right?"
Amane's words shattered Horikita's last shred of hope.
She truly couldn't find any other argument to persuade Amane.
"Seeing you so troubled... I do have an idea."
As she spoke, Amane's hand unconsciously found its way to Horikita's thigh.
A faint blush spread across Horikita's cheeks. Normally, she'd probably have given Amane a sharp flick on the forehead.
But now, even though she knew Amane was taking advantage of the situation, Horikita could only stay silent and pretend not to notice.
"Let's hear it."
"Well, since Ayanokouji is willing to provide fifty thousand points, that means you only really need another fifty thousand, right? Rather than wasting time on me, why not tell Hirata about the situation? Have him organize a donation drive in Class D. If everyone pitches in, you might just scrape together the hundred thousand points needed."
Amane said this with a smile.
Her fingers pressed down slightly.
Smack.
Amane stared ruefully at her now reddened hand.
She should have fondled it a little longer.
"A public donation... Isn't that a bit..."
Horikita's expression was still conflicted, seeming somewhat troubled.
"A bit humiliating? You're facing expulsion and you're worried about shame? The situation is this: since I've refused to provide the fifty thousand points for free, if you want to save someone, this is the only method left, isn't it?"
Fifty thousand points was no small amount for the current Class D.
But it wasn't an impossible sum to raise.
If they squeezed—ahem, if they collected all the remaining points from everyone except Amane, scraping together fifty thousand points wasn't out of the question.
"That's true... I'll discuss it with Ayanokouji then. But if we still can't raise the full fifty thousand..."
Horikita looked at Amane expectantly.
Amane never let her down.
"Then I'll make up the difference."
Amane's words were like a soothing balm, settling Horikita's nerves.
"Then it's settled. I'll go find Ayanokouji and Hirata to discuss this right now."
With that, Horikita hurriedly left the dorm room.
Amane, meanwhile, idly opened her point balance.
Even a hundred thousand points wasn't particularly difficult for her, let alone fifty thousand.
But she wanted Horikita to see Class D for what it really was. To judge for herself what price she would need to pay if she wanted to lead such a class to A.
When Horikita relayed the news to Ayanokouji, instead of feeling relieved, he sensed something was amiss.
But seeing Horikita's confident assurance that Amane would cover any shortfall...
Ayanokouji chose to trust her.
Together, they sought out Hirata, who was holed up in his dorm room stewing in his pain.
When Hirata learned there was a way to save one more person, he immediately and excitedly agreed to Horikita and Ayanokouji's request.
--+--
4:00 PM.
Class D Classroom.
The Class D students, who had just parted ways not long ago, gathered once again.
Their goal this time: to raise fifty thousand points and save either Sakura Airi or Ichihashi Ruri.
To be fair, Hirata had even allowed the two girls themselves to be present, to plead their own cases for this last chance.
Now, with only an hour and a half left until the final deadline,
Class D had to accomplish two things in this short time.
First: gather fifty thousand personal points.
Second: decide who would receive the points.
"Hirata-kun, is it true? Can we really buy one point from the teacher and save another classmate?"
Kushida's expression, a mix of excitement and joy, was infectious.
One by one, hopeful eyes turned to Hirata Yousuke on the podium.
"That's what Ayanokouji-kun and Horikita-san told me. I also confirmed it with Chabashira-sensei, and she acknowledged it. The problem we face now is—how do we gather these fifty thousand personal points?"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.