Chapter 081 Ichinose Honami is Far Too Easy to Deal With
Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji were not slow-witted.
They exchanged a look and immediately sensed over a dozen unfriendly gazes shifting toward them from around the classroom.
In particular, Horikita Suzune's sharp glare felt almost physical. That look said clearly: You two are the ones dragging the entire Class D down.
Without the surveillance footage to prove it, they were the black sheep of the class.
Ike Kanji stole a glance at Shinohara Satsuki and felt inexplicably guilty. He wasn't malicious by nature, so he simply lowered his head and admitted his fault: "Sorry. When school started, I really didn't know that skipping class or being late would deduct Class Points. Now that it's clear, I promise I won't do anything to harm the collective interest again. After all, it affects my monthly Personal Points too."
However, Yamauchi Haruki's reaction was entirely different. He retorted without thinking: "The surveillance hasn't even been rented yet! What right do you have to accuse us? Besides, saying the Class Points will hit zero is an exaggeration! We'll have at least three or four hundred left by the end of the month!"
"Fine!" Horikita Suzune let out a cold laugh.
"Then once the surveillance is in place, let the whole class see exactly who is the one dragging us down!" With that, she sat back down in her seat.
Actually, Horikita wasn't deliberately targeting these two. She always believed that sincere repentance was enough. As Ike Kanji had said, the rules for point deductions were intentionally hidden by the school; she didn't expect them to take full responsibility, but their attitude should at least be proper.
Ike Kanji's performance was acceptable; he could apologize candidly in front of the class. Regardless of his ability, that sincerity was worth acknowledging.
As for Yamauchi Haruki? His grades were a mess, and his attitude was even worse. He truly was the type who wouldn't shed a tear until he saw the coffin! When the surveillance footage was placed right in front of him, she would see what excuses he had left!
Horikita remembered the last time this guy had publicly commented on her "flat figure" right in front of Shimizu Akira; she had nearly let him taste her fists then.
In short, Horikita Suzune's impression of Yamauchi Haruki had hit rock bottom. In her view, if this useless person had no strengths and refused to improve, he should get out of Class D as soon as possible!
She wasn't a mediator like Kushida Kikyo, nor was she a "Mr. Nice Guy" like Hirata Yosuke. She never considered herself a saint. A sense of mission to "bring every Class D student to Class A"? Ridiculous! She only wanted to bring Shimizu Akira along and gain her brother's approval!
Having been the person who didn't even care to give up her seat on the bus, how could she care about everyone's feelings in class?
But to her surprise, this sharp speech didn't draw resentment; instead, it won the approval of many classmates.
'So, being looked at with admiring eyes... feels like this.'
Horikita had to admit that her mood at this moment was actually quite pleasant. This was her first time experiencing the taste of being admired by others—it was unexpectedly nice.
"Not bad. You've finally seen the light," Shimizu Akira glanced at her, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.
"What do you mean?"
"In terms of approachability, you naturally can't compare to Kushida. In terms of leadership charisma, you're far behind Hirata. But precisely because you don't care about pleasing anyone, you can point out problems with surgical precision." Shimizu paused.
"Keep up this outspoken style, and people will naturally follow. When the time comes, you can still fight for the class leader position."
Horikita rarely failed to talk back; she fell into deep thought. Since even Shimizu Akira said so, did it mean she actually could strive for the class leader role?
A moment later, she suddenly looked directly at Shimizu.
"When we re-elect the class leader next month, will you give me your vote?"
Shimizu Akira gave a light laugh and met her gaze: "Of course. To be honest, I hate the 'muddling through' leadership style the most. For those who just idle around and deduct points while being an eyesore, they should be dismissed directly."
'A person who is swift, decisive, and clear about rewards and punishments... that doesn't seem to conflict with my persona.'
Horikita narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling as though she had found her position within the class.
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During the lunch break, Shimizu Akira hurried through his meal and rushed back to his dorm. The representatives of the four classes had sent questioning messages almost simultaneously. The content was more or less the same—they all doubted whether his so-called surveillance rights were genuine and valid.
Ryuen Kakeru demanded he provide past surveillance footage as proof, and Sakayanagi Arisu questioned if he had truly obtained formal authorization from the school.
Shimizu Akira was well-prepared. He first pulled segments of recent surveillance footage from the four classes, then organized screenshots of the disclosable contract content he had signed with the Principal two days prior.
After sending these pieces of evidence to those individuals one by one, they fell into a sudden silence.
However, to his surprise, his phone suddenly rang. The screen displayed the name "Ichinose Honami"—on his main account, of course. As for his alt-account, "Yue" he had long since set it to automatically block all incoming calls and had even turned off the notification sounds. After all, if she called on a whim, wouldn't his dual identity be exposed on the spot? One must be careful with such things.
"Shimizu-kun..." Ichinose's slightly hesitant voice came from the other end. "Um... can I take a bit of your time?"
Unlike the flustered tone of last time, Shimizu responded naturally: "No problem. Go ahead."
"...I might not be able to give you extra personal points next month," her voice lowered.
"I've run into... a bit of trouble on my end."
"It's okay." Shimizu paused, then suddenly remembered something.
"By the way! Those 80,000 points from before—I should have returned them to you anyway. That was your money to begin with."
His impression of Ichinose Honami had always been good. He remembered their first meeting when she reached out to help him without hesitation. While he wouldn't show mercy to Class D as an individual, he felt he had to return this private sum in full.
"Uh... actually, that wasn't the purpose of my call..." Ichinose's voice was hesitant, but she gave an embarrassed laugh.
"But it really is hard to refuse your proposal. We are indeed short on points here! I've truly troubled you once again."
"Don't overthink it," Shimizu immediately interrupted her.
"Those 80,000 points were your money to begin with. I'm just returning it to the original owner. Make no mistake: this isn't charity, and it's certainly not a loan!"
"...Mmm-hmm!" The girl responded a few times and soon hung up.
'...Ichinose Honami is far too easy to deal with!' Shimizu thought to himself as he held his phone. It was her own points to begin with, and after moving them back and forth twice, it felt as if he were the one lending them to her.
Chapter 082 That Mysterious Person Isn't from Class C!
Ichinose Honami gently set down her phone. Taking a deep breath, she looked up to meet Kanzaki Ryuji's searching gaze. He was standing up from his seat, the furrow in his brow betraying his inner doubt.
"Kanzaki-kun, I've confirmed it." Ichinose nodded to him. "The other party wants us to go directly to the Student Council to sign a formal contract. After that, we'll have the surveillance rights for Class 1-B."
She turned her phone screen toward Kanzaki.
"I've forwarded you the surveillance clips of our class and the partial contract the other party signed with the school. You should verify them as well."
Kanzaki took the phone, his fingers sliding quickly across the screen. After a few minutes, his tensed shoulders finally relaxed slightly.
"I truly can't see any issues. The footage is real; there isn't a single trace of forgery," he said calmly.
"The contract terms are professional, and the school's seal is authentic. Especially the requirement to sign formally through the Student Council—that should rule out the possibility of a scam."
He turned toward the rest of the class, raising his voice: "Everyone, please confirm if you have transferred the 70,000 points to Ichinose-san?"
"Already sent!" A girl with a ponytail raised her hand.
"Thanks to Ichinose-san for borrowing 200,000 points from an upperclassman to reduce the burden by 5,000 points per person."
"Yeah," a boy sitting nearby chimed in. "We just paid 10,000 last time, and now it's another 70,000. If not for that loan, we really wouldn't be able to handle it."
The students discussed amongst themselves in low voices. Suddenly, someone spoke up: "But this money is worth it! We absolutely cannot let our class's surveillance fall into the hands of other classes!"
"Sigh... I feel like we've fallen behind the other classes since the start of school. I wonder who this mysterious person actually is." Ichinose stared at the 3-million-point balance on her screen and couldn't help but sigh. This figure was staggering for the start of the semester, but right now, it only gave her a sense of powerlessness.
What annoyed her more was the mysterious person's exorbitant demand—the party seemed completely indifferent to the fact that this was only the first month. They were truly being a bully!
"Wait!" She suddenly straightened her back, a spark of insight flashing in her eyes.
"That mysterious person who rented the surveillance... at the very beginning, they asked me for the contact information of Class 1-C's Ryuen Kakeru. After that, they sold me the hidden school rules..."
Kanzaki Ryuji turned his head at her words. "Who is Ryuen Kakeru?"
As a classmate, he knew better than anyone Ichinose's strengths—this seemingly approachable girl possessed a social ability far beyond normal people. The interpersonal intelligence network she wove was sometimes more powerful than the entire class combined.
"Regarding information on him..." Ichinose tapped her chin. "Although the Class C girls didn't say it explicitly, I noticed while chatting with them..." Her voice instinctively dropped, "They tremble unconsciously. Some even have bruises on their wrists."
Kanzaki looked thoughtful. "In other words, Ryuen is likely a delinquent leader ruling Class C through violence?"
"Moreover," a sharp light flashed in Kanzaki's eyes, "since you are the Class B leader and the party specifically asked you about Ryuen, it means..."
"He most likely isn't..." Ichinose picked up the thread. As if thinking of something, her eyes involuntarily flicked toward the camera.
'He isn't from Class C!'
She still wasn't quite used to the feeling of being watched, even if the other party likely wasn't staring at the cameras all the time.
"Oh, I also just remembered something." Kanzaki Ryuji glanced at the surveillance on the wall. "Class C was also likely notified about the rental. I observed at noon that the school specifically sent people to install new equipment for Class C." A mocking smile touched the corner of his mouth. "Those people probably thought they could solve the problem just by destroying the cameras."
Kanzaki paused and added: "Actually, renting the surveillance might not be a bad thing. Our class has a few students who are frequently late or skip class; their violations are numerous. You let it slide last time to save their face, but now that we have the surveillance, we can regain at least 100 Class Points. Trading 3 million Personal Points for 100 Class Points is a fairly good deal in the long run."
"I'll be going now! I'll pay the points first; it's better to get the surveillance sooner for peace of mind." Ichinose suddenly stood up.
Kanzaki nodded. "Good idea. You have many connections. When you're at the Student Council, keep an eye on who else shows up. However..." He pondered for a moment. "It's Friday; the Student Council will be busy, so there might be a lot of people. Just play it by ear."
Ichinose nodded slightly and headed straight for the Student Council. Just as Kanzaki had predicted, a long, winding queue had already formed in front of the office. Just as she was about to join the line, a blunt question came from behind her:
"You're Class 1-B's Ichinose, right!"
This sudden voice made Ichinose turn around. She saw a long-haired boy leaning against the wall, a playful smirk on his face. This person's identity—was none other than his fellow first-year, Ryuen Kakeru.
As someone who memorized the faces of the entire grade, Ichinose Honami naturally recognized this "notorious" figure. At the start of school, he had stood at the very front of the line, just like her.
"Ryuen-kun... hello." Despite the discomfort rising within her, she maintained a proper smile and nodded politely.
"I heard you went out of your way to ask for my contact info?" Ryuen toyed with his knuckles, making them crack slightly. "I wonder what business an honor student has with someone like me?"
Ichinose's brow furrowed slightly. She hadn't expected this small, private inquiry to reach his ears. It seemed this boy, who appeared to only understand violence, was far more perceptive than imagined.
After a brief silence, she spoke calmly: "I just wanted to remind you that this school isn't a place where everything can be solved with violence."
"Heh," Ryuen sneered, a trace of mockery flashing in his eyes.
"What does a greenhouse flower from Class B know? If you were thrown into our class—you'd be a decorative mascot at best! You'd win just by not getting bullied."
In this survival-of-the-fittest class, he firmly believed his iron-fisted rule was the most effective way to govern Class C—no one could do it better than him.
"But, speaking of which... did you really ask for my contact info just to do something as boring as that? You don't look the type..." Ryuen stared at her for a long time, then suddenly broke into a cold laugh.
"...I get it. You're the one who leaked my contact info to 'that person,' aren't you!"
Chapter 083 Ryuen Kakeru: Shiina Hiyori, Go Investigate This Mysterious Person
Even though Ryuen Kakeru was forced into renting the surveillance, a question rankled in his mind: How exactly did the person selling it get his contact information?
Because he had demanded "tributes" from the class, he had indeed exchanged contact info with everyone in his class during the first week. However, from start to finish, he had never added anyone from other classes.
The answer was obvious—his contact info had been leaked by someone in his own class.
He questioned his classmates one by one. Under the threat of physical violence, one girl finally cracked and told the truth: a few days ago, Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B had suddenly approached her to ask for Ryuen's contact information.
"Traitor!" Ryuen's face darkened instantly. He loathed nothing more than those who bit the hand that fed them. He raised his palm to strike, but Ibuki Mio intercepted him just in time.
"Stop! Ryuen! She just gave out a phone number, it wasn't intentional!"
"You again!" Cold light flickered in Ryuen's eyes.
"I hate betrayers most of all!"
At that moment, Shiina Hiyori stepped forward and spoke calmly: "Ryuen-kun, the fact that the party specifically sought out your contact info proves they aren't a student from our class. Isn't that actually good news for us?"
"..." Ryuen paused, forced to admit Hiyori had a point. Although he had already ruled out his "spineless" classmates as suspects, he was impressed by her meticulous logic.
Come to think of it, the girl before him, Shiina Hiyori, had the best grades in the class. She was also one of only two people in Class C who actually used their brain.
"Ryuen!" Ibuki Mio ruffled her hair in frustration.
"Shiina already explained it to me! I hate you, but Class C needs you right now!" She gritted her teeth. "I'll transfer 80,000 personal points to you, but you have to let her go!"
"Hmph~ finally learned to be obedient?!" Ryuen sneered as he retracted his hand, just as his phone vibrated with a transfer notification. He stared at the screen for a moment, then a playful smile spread across his face.
"Fine, I can let her go."
"You—" Ibuki began to sigh in relief.
"But!" Ryuen's tone shifted sharply, his piercing gaze locking onto Shiina Hiyori.
"Shiina, since you're so smart, why don't you find out the identity of this mysterious person for me! As long as you agree to my condition, I'll let bygones be bygones."
Shiina Hiyori hardly hesitated: "I accept. After all, this counts as contributing to the class."
She tilted her head slightly in thought and added: "Deduction requires intelligence support. I need more information. Tell me every clue you have, and..." She paused, "The people you find most suspicious. Oh! Ichinose Honami from Class 1-B is currently the breakthrough point; I'll investigate her later."
A sharp glint flashed in Ryuen's eyes.
"Good... start by checking that woman, Sakayanagi Arisu." He lowered his voice, each word squeezed through his teeth. "Her father is the current Chairman. With that background... it's all too easy to pull some strings."
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Ryuen Kakeru stared at Ichinose in front of him.
'Now that I think about it, there's another possibility: she is the mysterious person.
But she doesn't look the part.
Besides, showing up at the Student Council at this time... could it be she is also...'
However, since he had already delegated the investigation to Shiina Hiyori, he didn't feel like wasting more mental energy on it. Personally, he leaned toward Sakayanagi Arisu being the answer.
'Because of her dear Chairman father.'
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When Sakayanagi Arisu came to her senses, Katsuragi Kōhei was already standing before her.
"Sakayanagi-san, please hand over the class funds. According to our arrangement, I am holding 1.5 million points, and you should have the same amount."
In a class meeting a week ago, Class A had unanimously decided to contribute three-quarters of their personal points to a class reserve. This fund was split equally between Katsuragi and Sakayanagi for safekeeping. Now, faced with the need to rent surveillance, the two had reached a consensus with the class after two days of deliberation: they had to shell out 3 million points. Katsuragi had volunteered to go to the Student Council to handle the payment.
"I understand..." After a brief silence, Sakayanagi transferred the points from her account.
Katsuragi stared at the number on his terminal, his brow furrowing. "Wait... why is it only 1.45 million? Where is the other 50,000?" His voice rose, drawing stares from nearby students. "Sakayanagi-san, surely you didn't... use class funds for personal use?"
"Do you think the hidden intelligence I obtained previously was free?"
Sakayanagi paused, lifting her chin with a cold, unquestionable tone.
"I spent a full 50,000 points to buy that from an upperclassman. Does that not count as a class expense? Is there a problem with me using the funds for that?"
Katsuragi was stunned. He realized his suspicion had been hasty—at the start of school, Sakayanagi had indeed shared vital info about school rule loopholes, and that clearly hadn't come from nowhere.
"...I see." His tone softened, even carrying a hint of apology. "Sorry, I spoke without thinking." He had assumed that with Sakayanagi's self-centered personality, she might have dipped into the funds for herself. But it seemed she was acting for the class.
After a brief silence, Katsuragi cleared his throat to ease the awkwardness.
"Then everyone can just send me another 1,250 points privately! I'll cover your share for you, Sakayanagi."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and strode away, his retreating figure looking a bit rushed, as if fleeing the scene of his misjudgment.
Sakayanagi Arisu stood silently, watching Katsuragi disappear at the end of the hallway. Her lips still held that composed smile, but it stiffened slightly.
'That was close...'
Miss Sakayanagi was, at this moment, breaking out in a cold sweat. Using class funds for intelligence? That was a total lie made up on the spot. In reality, she simply didn't have enough points because she had lost them all to Shimizu Akira on the very first day.
During this period, she had subconsciously treated the class funds as her personal account. Buying limited-edition black tea, adding a new chess set, and even replacing her cane's grip with the latest model... it really did feel comfortable to hold. Every expense had been naturally deducted from the class funds.
'So, who is this mysterious person? Could it be Shimizu Akira?'
"The intelligence is still too sparse..." Katsuragi should be processing the paperwork now; perhaps he'd bring back some clues. After all, purchasing services through the Student Council was bound to leave a trail.
A more direct option flashed through her mind: she could simply text her father, the Chairman. The truth would be within reach. If the rights were being bought from the school, her father would surely know something.
"No, let's forget it," she giggled softly. This game had only just begun; she much preferred the fun of unravelling the mystery herself.
Chapter 084 Horikita Suzune: My Brother Didn't Use It, So He Gets the Benefit
After school, Shimizu Akira and Horikita Suzune walked side-by-side toward the second floor of the cafeteria. He was prepared to fulfill his promise of treating her to a meal.
The first floor was a cost-effective public canteen, providing daily sets like rice bowls and ramen. The second floor, however, was entirely different, gathering various exquisite cuisines—Western restaurants, yakiniku (BBQ) joints, and high-end sushi shops were all available, though the point consumption was correspondingly higher.
Shimizu realized that he hadn't set foot on the second floor once since enrollment. All this time, he had been resolving his three meals a day in the spacious main canteen on the first floor.
"Anything special you want to eat?" Shimizu asked, tilting his head.
Horikita Suzune thought for a moment and gave a brief response: "Anything is fine; you decide."
He naturally understood the potential ambiguity of the word "anything," but on second thought, given Horikita's personality, she likely wasn't speaking in riddles like a typical girl.
"Yakiniku, then," Shimizu decided quickly. He had been intensifying his physical training lately and needed high-quality protein, and Horikita had indeed been consuming very little meat these past few days. Yakiniku was undoubtedly an ideal choice.
"Fine," Horikita Suzune nodded. To her, "anything" meant exactly that—any food was acceptable.
The two took a seat at a double table by the window. The modern ordering method was quite convenient—simply scan the QR code on the table with a phone, and the digital menu appeared on the screen.
Shimizu scrolled through the screen, surprised by the meticulous classification of Japanese BBQ. The menu didn't just distinguish common cuts like belly, loin, and shoulder, but featured professional divisions like upper shank, chateaubriand, and tri-tip. Naturally, the rarer the cut, the more expensive the points required.
He casually selected several recommended meats and added a mango juice for himself. When checking out, he realized his portion alone cost nearly 4,000 points. Looking at Horikita Suzune's order, he saw she had only selected two portions of basic beef belly.
"The amount you ordered is already quite a lot..." Horikita Suzune, sensing his gaze, added softly, "We can add more if it's not enough; wasting it wouldn't be good."
"True," Shimizu nodded in agreement. Yakiniku is best eaten fresh off the grill, so there was no need to order too much at the start.
A server arrived just in time to start the grill for them, the metal plate emitting a slight sound as it heated up. Plate after plate of meat began to arrive.
Shimizu looked around and noticed the shop wasn't very crowded. The scattered tables were occupied by upperclassmen in pairs; judging by their uniforms, they were second and third-year students. The interaction between them was particularly noticeable—the boys would considerately flip the meat with tongs and place perfectly grilled pieces onto the girls' plates.
Accompanied by the sizzling sound of the BBQ, intimate laughter echoed softly in the restaurant.
Shimizu retracted his gaze and focused on the grill in front of him. A faint wisp of blue smoke rose from the metal plate; the temperature was just right.
"I'll handle the grilling." He picked up the tongs and spread the beef belly slices across the plate. The moment the meat touched the high heat, it immediately let out a pleasant "sizzle," and the fat began to slowly render out.
Horikita Suzune sat with her hands folded by the table, quietly watching his movements. Her posture was as upright as ever, maintaining a certain sense of ritual even in such a relaxed setting.
"Did you eat yakiniku often before?" Shimizu tried to find a topic.
"Not often, I've only been once," she replied briefly. "My brother believes this type of food is not healthy enough."
The edges of the meat began to curl, releasing an enticing charred aroma. Just then, a burst of laughter came from the neighboring table. A second-year girl was playfully pushing away a piece of meat her boyfriend offered: "I hate it, this piece is burnt!"
Shimizu instinctively looked toward the sound, then quickly looked back. He secretly observed Horikita across from him, noticing her body was stiff and her fingers were unconsciously gripping her chopsticks.
"Is this your first time coming out to eat with a male peer? You seem pretty nervous," Shimizu asked softly.
"...Second time. The first was with you at the canteen. I am not nervous," Horikita Suzune replied after a pause, her voice lower than usual.
"Relax a bit," Shimizu couldn't help but laugh. "I'm not some dangerous carnivore, even if we are eating BBQ this time."
"...I know." Her gaze drifted elsewhere, but her tensed shoulders seemed to relax slightly.
"Try it." Shimizu placed the first grilled slice on her plate.
Horikita Suzune gracefully picked up the meat and dipped it in a bit of sauce. "Barely passing," she evaluated briefly.
"At least it's edible." Shimizu breathed a sigh of relief and took a piece for himself.
"Are you using me as an experimental subject?" Horikita suddenly looked up.
"What else?" Shimizu asked back with a smile.
The moment the meat entered his mouth, he realized it was indeed a bit overcooked. He immediately reached out to turn down the grill temperature, his movements a bit flustered. This detail caused the corners of Horikita's mouth to turn up slightly, though she quickly regained her cold expression.
"Next time, remember," she spoke suddenly, "beef belly only needs thirty seconds."
When Shimizu looked up, he saw Horikita Suzune had already picked up the tongs from between them. She was focused on flipping the newly placed meat slices with surprisingly skilled movements.
Shimizu raised an eyebrow: "...Didn't you say you only went once?"
"Once doesn't mean I can't do it." Her movements remained fluid, flipping the meat in perfect arcs on the grill.
"Don't tell me you practiced this just to grill for your brother?" Shimizu blurted out.
The tongs in Horikita's hand suddenly paused, and she shot him an annoyed glare: "Eat your meat and talk less."
This reaction told Shimizu he had guessed correctly. He watched with interest as the tips of Horikita's ears turned slightly red, wisely choosing not to press further.
Horikita Suzune shook her head, her memory drifting back to her middle school days. On that occasion, she had pestered her brother until he agreed to take her for yakiniku. She had specifically stayed up all night watching countless BBQ tutorial videos for it. In the end, her brother hadn't let her touch the tongs once, silently placing perfectly grilled meat into her bowl one piece at a time.
'My brother didn't use it, so he gets the benefit.'
She peeked up, watching Shimizu eat heartily without any pretense. His eating habits could hardly be called elegant—there was sauce on the corner of his mouth and his cheeks puffed out as he chewed—yet it was strangely comfortable to watch.
"Wipe the corner of your mouth." Horikita couldn't stand it any longer and handed over a tissue.
"Thanks." Shimizu took the tissue to wipe himself and picked up a piece of freshly grilled meat. "But seriously, the meat you grill is way better than mine."
Horikita Suzune gave a soft hmph, but the tongs in her hand involuntarily placed several new slices of meat onto the grill.
Chapter 085 Everyone in Class D Now Owes Me Points
Shimizu Akira patted his rounded belly, feeling that he had eaten a bit too much this time. Horikita Suzune's grilling skills were truly beyond reproach. The meat retained its elasticity perfectly without being too difficult to chew.
He only now realized that, aside from the first plate he had grilled in a flustered mess, almost all the remaining meat had been prepared by Horikita. Shimizu's gaze involuntarily swept across the room. At other tables, boys were busily serving their female companions; a pair like theirs, where the girl handled the grilling the entire time, was indeed a rare sight.
What struck him even more was that Horikita seemed so focused on grilling that she had barely used her own chopsticks.
"Let me take over, you should eat something too." Shimizu reached out naturally.
Horikita's movements paused visibly. Her fingertips tightened slightly and then relaxed before she handed over the tongs: "...Fine."
Shimizu keenly caught a flash of reluctance in her eyes. This discovery surprised him—could the seemingly cold and aloof Horikita Suzune actually feel attached to such a small task?
'As expected...'
Shimizu gave a light mental laugh. His initial judgment was correct: Horikita might seem solitary and proud, but she was exceptionally considerate toward those she acknowledged. It was a classic case of "gap moe."
"Speaking of which..." Shimizu said casually as he flipped the meat slices, "Is it alright if I just call you 'Horikita' from now on?"
He had been using formal address all these days, but he felt the distance between them had shortened significantly. Horikita, who was taking a small bite of grilled meat, raised her eyelids upon hearing this. She paused for a moment as if in deep thought before saying, "...I agree."
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The dinner eventually cost Shimizu nearly 8,000 personal points. At the checkout counter, Horikita scanned him with a searching gaze, seemingly shocked by his sudden generosity. However, Shimizu simply completed the payment nonchalantly, ignoring her subtle reaction.
During the meal, his phone screen had been lighting up constantly with several important messages. Student Council President Horikita Manabu had sent a notification: Classes A, B, and C had officially signed the surveillance system lease agreements with the Student Council.
The attached transfer details showed that after deducting a 5% service fee, the transaction brought him 8.55 million points (which included his original 1.2 million point principal). Adding his original balance of 160,000 yen, his current balance sat at 8.71 million points.
He was naturally no longer short on points. However, this seemingly easy windfall was actually built on the clever exploitation of the school's surveillance equipment. He knew better than anyone that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—if it weren't for the fact that it was the first month for freshmen and class points were critical to every class, this deal never would have gone so smoothly.
His phone vibrated again as three messages from the different class leaders arrived:
Ryuen Kakeru: Why are the surveillance records for the first week all blank? Ichinose Honami: Permissions confirmed received. Sakayanagi Arisu: The first week's data was wiped so thoroughly; what exactly did you do?
Shimizu's finger hovered over the screen for a moment before he chose to simply log out of the temporary alt-account. Let the three of them wonder. The deal was done. He wasn't a Taobao customer service rep; he never promised after-sales support.
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Shimizu checked the messages on his phone again. The message from Horikita Manabu was concise and clear:
Horikita Manabu: Kushida Kikyo from Class 1-D has applied to pay the 3 million points via a school loan. What do you think?
Shimizu frowned slightly and typed quickly:
Shimizu Akira: President, could you explain the specific loan policy?
Manabu's reply popped up quickly:
Horikita Manabu: The Student Council assesses class points based on previous classes' performances to set loan policies. Loan amounts will be forcibly deducted from students' personal points next month. This policy was originally created to promote the sale of phones and cameras; the school considers it to have social practice educational value, so it was integrated into the formal system.
Shimizu thought for a bit and continued to ask:
Shimizu Akira: Is Class D truly eligible?
The reply was detailed and professional:
Horikita Manabu: All classes possess basic qualifications. Referencing the first-month performance of previous Class Ds, the average class points are 350, which corresponds to a loan limit of 1.4 million personal points. Given the special circumstances of renting surveillance equipment, the Student Council has raised the assessment benchmark for this instance to 500 class points. Based on this, Class D can borrow a total of 2 million points (repayable at 50,000 points per person next month).
Shimizu keenly caught the key issue:
Shimizu Akira: But I need 3 million.
Horikita Manabu: There's always the month after next. If it's not enough, deductions will continue, with a 5% monthly interest rate added.
Shimizu followed up: "What if that class's points drop straight to zero?"
Manabu's reply carried a hint of deeper meaning: "Don't worry. In the school's history, no class has ever managed to score zero points for three consecutive years."
Shimizu understood immediately—it seemed the school had a hidden "safety net" mechanism to prevent a class from completely collapsing. After all, the school's goal was to select excellent social talent, not to let students starve for three years.
Manabu sent a new option: "You can also refuse the loan transaction and sell the surveillance back to the school directly. Recovery price is 400,000 per unit."
"I accept the loan," Shimizu decided without much hesitation. He calculated: based on the current situation, Class D wouldn't fall to zero points. Although the points lost in the first week couldn't be recovered, with the surveillance equipment and knowledge of the rules, a conservative estimate put them at at least 400 class points this month. If they couldn't even manage 400, then certain people in Class D were truly beyond help.
Shimizu carefully read the repayment contract sent by Horikita Manabu: Horikita Manabu: Repayment plan is as follows:
Month 2: Class D repays 1.8 million (45,000 points automatically deducted per person). Month 3: Class D repays 1.2 million + 60,000 (5% interest) (31,500 points automatically deducted per person).
"Everyone in a class owes me points? This is getting interesting. I've become the creditor for 39 people."
Looking at the plan, Shimizu suddenly realized one thing—as an "ordinary student" of Class D, he would also have to share the burden of repayment. He would have to contribute 75,000 personal points to the class fund.
However, 75,000 points was a drop in the bucket compared to his balance of over eight million.
Chapter 086 Hello, I am Shiina Hiyori from Class 1-C
Horikita Suzune was just about to start discussing the tutoring session with Shimizu Akira when both of their phones vibrated simultaneously.
"Kushida-san is notifying the whole class to assemble in the classroom..." Horikita read the notification softly.
"Let's go. Probably some important news again." Shimizu Akira shot her a look, and the two walked quickly toward the classroom.
The cafeteria wasn't far from the Class D classroom; they returned to the room in less than five minutes. The classroom gradually filled with people. Kushida Kikyo put on her signature sweet smile and clapped her hands.
"Everyone, I've already negotiated a way to handle the 3 million points with the Student Council. The Student Council provides a special loan service, and based on the estimates for our class points next month, we successfully passed the audit."
The murmurs in the classroom gradually quieted down as everyone focused on Kushida's explanation.
"Simply put, we can advance next month's personal points to pay this fee." She looked around the room, her tone light.
"So, in May, each student needs to pay 45,000 personal points, and in June, it will be 31,500 points—1,500 of which is the additional interest."
"This plan is acceptable."
"Based on our class's performance, we should be able to get seven or eight hundred class points next month, right? As long as we pay half, we can pay it off in two months. No problem at all!"
The vast majority of the class readily expressed their agreement.
Kushida Kikyo added with a sweet smile: "However, each student needs to sign to confirm personally; otherwise, the Student Council won't approve the loan."
With that, she took the Student Council's contract documents and began walking around the classroom one by one. Every student cooperated and signed their names.
When she reached Shimizu Akira, she leaned down slightly and handed over the document and pen: "Shimizu-kun, just you left~"
Shimizu took the document, his gaze casually sweeping over the paper—since his seat was in the back, the page was already crowded with his classmates' signatures.
'So these are the classmates who are about to owe me money...
Now I have to sign my name too; doesn't that mean I'm borrowing money from myself?
The debt of gratitude to Shimizu Akira really is never-ending.'
This amusing thought made him shake his head involuntarily. He signed his name briskly and handed the document back to Kushida. Carrying the signatures of the entire class, Kushida Kikyo slowly left the classroom.
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.
.
Shimizu Akira and Horikita Suzune walked side-by-side into the library. They moved slowly along the aisles between the bookshelves, eventually finding a quiet study area deep within the library. Several rows of long wooden tables were arranged neatly, with a small reminder sign at the corner: "Discussion Area - Please keep voices low."
"Shimizu-kun, go find a middle school Japanese textbook first," Horikita Suzune said softly while taking a brand-new hardcover book from her bag and sitting at one of the tables.
Shimizu caught a glimpse of the English title on the cover: And Then There Were None.
He raised an eyebrow slightly—wasn't this Agatha Christie's classic masterpiece? He remembered that groundbreaking work: ten people trapped on an isolated island, dying bizarre deaths one by one... as the progenitor of the "Closed Circle" (Snowbound Manor) mystery trope, it inspired countless future works.
Shimizu noticed that at some point, she had switched her address from the stiff "Shimizu-san" to the more intimate "Shimizu-kun." This subtle change made his heart skip a beat, but looking at her "do not disturb" cold expression, he decided to pretend he hadn't noticed. If he pointed it out, knowing Horikita's personality, she would likely immediately revert to that distant attitude, and the tutoring session would be ruined.
His gaze swept across the spacious library again. The design here was indeed unique—aside from traditional reading areas, there were several designated semi-open study zones. Not far away, a few upperclassmen sat together discussing a project in low voices.
The library of this fully enclosed school was truly massive. Books of all kinds were categorized and arranged, from basic textbooks to specialized academic works. It made sense; in this campus nearly cut off from the outside world, the library naturally became the most important source of knowledge.
Shimizu walked to the service desk and asked the librarian, who was organizing a catalog: "Excuse me, which area holds the middle school Japanese textbooks?"
The female librarian wearing round-rimmed glasses looked up and pointed kindly toward the southeast corner: "Zone D, third row of shelves. They are categorized by grade and subject."
"Thank you." Shimizu passed through several rows of tall bookshelves. He stopped in front of the shelves labeled "Middle School Textbooks."
Modern Japanese Basic Explanation, Introduction to Japanese, Advanced Grammar... various textbooks were lined up neatly. He carefully selected a few basic texts and finally pulled out a copy of Introduction to Literature, flipping to the title page to check the publication date.
"If your Japanese foundation truly isn't great, I recommend that Modern Japanese book over there," a gentle voice came from beside him.
A voice as clear as a mountain spring came from behind him. Shimizu turned to see a silver-haired girl standing by the shelf. She exuded an intellectual and quiet aura, clutching a hardcover book to her chest. The gold-embossed title The Mystery of the Seven Black Cats was particularly striking, with Ellery Queen's name printed below.
Shimizu couldn't help but smile—what day was it, to encounter two girls reading mystery novels in a row?
"Thank you for the recommendation." He readily accepted the suggestion, putting Introduction to Literature back and replacing it with the Modern Japanese Basic Explanation she suggested.
The girl's eyes suddenly lit up. "Ellery Queen's works are very exciting. Would you like to try them as well?"
"Actually, I've already had the pleasure of reading them," Shimizu responded politely, noticing her eyes widen slightly at his answer, as if she had found a kindred spirit.
"Really?" Her voice rose unconsciously before she immediately realized she was in the library and lowered it.
"Do you like mystery novels too?"
Shimizu wore a nostalgic expression.
"I was obsessed with them before. Nowadays, I prefer lighter 'light novel' mysteries."
"Light novel mysteries... like Hyouka?" The silver-haired girl paused, her eyes brightening, but a layer of faint regret soon clouded them.
"I'm so sorry, I seem to have gotten too excited..."
She shook her head slightly. "Because of class matters, I might not be able to visit the library as often lately."
She suddenly remembered something and looked up, a polite and gentle smile appearing on her face.
"By the way, I am Shiina Hiyori from Class 1-C. And you are...?"
"Hello, I am Shimizu Akira from Class 1-D." Shimizu was slightly taken aback, hesitating for half a second before unhurriedly beginning his self-introduction.
'Wait! She is Shiina Hiyori? The girl who will later see through my true identity?'
Chapter 087 May 1st—Class D's Class Points are...
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the first day of May arrived.
Shimizu Akira realized that he had been in this world for an entire month. It had also been exactly half a month since the day he met Shiina Hiyori during their weekend tutoring session.
During this time, nothing particularly noteworthy had happened in the class.
After all, it was only the first month of school. Attending school was much like working a job: attend a few classes, grab a meal, and suddenly it's Friday; spend two days relaxing over the weekend, and the week passes by in a blur.
In a normal school, students aren't like working adults—they don't get paid for attending.
But here! In this Advanced Nurturing High School, students actually do receive a salary. If you perform well, you receive points.
At this thought, Shimizu instinctively pulled out his phone to check his account balance.
The screen clearly displayed: 8.69 million.
He had spent over 20,000 points in just two weeks—a level of consumption that was quite luxurious for Class D. Most of his classmates were currently penny-pinching; some were collecting free ingredients to cook for themselves, while others ate only the free meal sets in the canteen.
The reason was simple. The vast majority of the points from all four classes had transformed into cold digits in Shimizu Akira's account.
He glanced at the top right corner of his phone: 6:59.
According to Chabashira Sae, points are credited promptly on the 1st of every month.
'Could it be... that because Class Points are at zero, there won't be any points at all?'
The moment the thought surfaced, Shimizu shook his head. Highly unlikely.
Since renting out the surveillance equipment two weeks ago, class discipline had improved significantly under the leadership of Kushida Kikyo and Hirata Yosuke. Even if there were occasional violations, as long as the surveillance records were deleted before the end of the month, it was fine. The only things that truly couldn't be changed were the first week's footage and the violations that occurred outside the classroom's view.
The moment the clock struck 7:00, the digits on his phone screen jumped.
8,690,000 → 10,498,000
An increase of exactly 1,803,000 points.
"I see..." Shimizu narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Class D's points for this month are 530."
The calculation unfolded rapidly in his mind:
Class Points \times 100 = Individual Student Points.
According to the lease agreement, since Class D borrowed 3 million points, they had to pay him 1.8 million personal points in the first month.
However, as a member of Class D, Shimizu also had to have the base fee of 45,000 points deducted. The final trailing 8,000 points, plus the base deduction of 45,000, divided by 100, corresponds exactly to 530 Class Points.
"This result... is much better than expected! Or rather, Class D actually managed to get 530 points?"
Just three weeks ago, the daily intelligence he received showed Class D at 0 points. Now, they had surged to 530, meaning they had secured 53% of the total possible score.
In practical terms, every student received 53,000 points this month. Although 45,000 were forcibly deducted for the loan, they still had 8,000 points left for living expenses.
But looking closer... just from the first week's data and off-campus violations, Class D had still lost a staggering 470 points. In a way, Class D was still quite "impressive" at losing points.
'Who was it in class last month who said they'd secure at least 800 to 900 points?'
Shimizu couldn't remember. That person was likely in for a massive disappointment.
Even if the school hadn't "lost" the first week's footage, there were cameras outside the classroom. One could only say that the internal classroom surveillance prevented over 80% of the potential deductions.
Shimizu felt that for Class D, 530 points was perfectly acceptable. Student Council President Horikita Manabu had mentioned that the historical average for Class D was around 350 points. They were nearly 200 points above average.
"What's the situation with the other classes? They should be higher than the original timeline too," he murmured to himself, recalling a piece of intelligence from last month.
Original first-month Class Points:
Class A: 940 | Class B: 650 | Class C: 490 | Class D: 0
Now that Class D had 530, there was no reason for the other classes to stay the same. Class A likely wouldn't fluctuate much, but Class B and C probably gained at least 100 points as a baseline.
'By the way... does this scoring system have a ceiling? Is 1,000 really the max, or is there no limit?'
The question floated in his mind. If a higher standard existed, 940 didn't seem like that much.
Incidentally, the surveillance permissions for the four classes expired today and were officially reclaimed by the school. Shimizu suddenly remembered the alt-account he hadn't logged into for nearly two weeks. He took a quick peek:
Ryuen Kakeru: You bastard! Why are the surveillance permissions gone today?
Ichinose Honami: So, you only rented them to us for three weeks?
Sakayanagi Arisu: Hehe... Just as I expected, they expired at the end of the month. You really are "short-lived," aren't you?
Kushida Kikyo: ? Hello?
"Figures. I knew it would be like this."
Shimizu was caught between laughter and tears.
'A total wave of negative reviews!'
But it wasn't his fault. The school had only granted him three weeks of authority. He had wanted the surveillance time to be longer too.
Ryuen Kakeru, in particular, was sending a string of threats, claiming he would definitely uncover the identity of the seller and use force to make them cough back the 3 million points that "belonged" to Class C.
Shimizu didn't take him to heart; his hidden identity wouldn't be that easy to expose. However, he remembered the intel from last month—Shiina Hiyori of Class 1-C would eventually see through him.
"This is getting a bit troublesome."
If intelligence from the future is left alone, it often becomes a fixed reality. This meant that if things continued as they were, Ryuen would inevitably find Shimizu through Shiina Hiyori. He couldn't fathom how she would deduce his identity.
He didn't fear Ryuen's physical strength, but the man was dangerous because he used underhanded methods and followed no rules. Shimizu's sixth sense told him that being hounded by Ryuen would be an enormous headache.
"It seems necessary to proactively contact Shiina Hiyori—or rather, find a way to mislead her deductions."
Chapter 088 Today's Intel: 20 Million Points Can Buy a Transfer or Nullify Expulsion
Chabashira Sae suddenly sent a notification to the class group: everyone was required to gather in the classroom at 8:30 AM for a class meeting.
It's worth mentioning that this was only the second time Chabashira Sae had called a morning class meeting. The last time traced all the way back to the very first day of school. Presumably, something important was about to be announced.
Shimizu Akira put away his phone, changed into his uniform, and after a hurried breakfast, rushed to the Class 1-D classroom. The moment he pushed the door open, he sensed an unusual atmosphere—the room was nearly at full capacity, but instead of the joy of receiving points, the students' faces were filled with confusion and unease.
"Did your points arrive?"
"They did, but only 8,000! Too much was deducted from that loan contract we signed last month..."
"But this doesn't make sense! Our class points should have been over 800. Even after deducting the 45,000 for the surveillance rental, we should have at least 30,000 left!"
"Are the class points really only 530? That's not even a passing grade," Horikita Suzune remarked as she approached, shoulder bag in hand and brow furrowed.
"It seems many points were deducted for violations in areas outside the classroom's jurisdiction."
But Shimizu Akira had no time to focus on her analysis—that familiar mechanical voice rang out in his mind:
[Ding~ Today's intel has been updated]
[1. 20 million personal points can be used to transfer classes, or to nullify the expulsion of any student once.]
[2. Sakagami Kazuma, the Class 1-C homeroom teacher, tacitly approves of Ryuen Kakeru's violent behavior within the class.]
[3. Hasebe Haruka is the girl with the most outstanding figure in Class 1-D.]
'Wait... you can transfer classes for 20 million points?'
Shimizu blinked. This piece of intel was like a heavy hammer, confirming most of the suspicions he had held for days. After all, the school's original slogan was "Anything can be bought with points."
Since he had rented the surveillance equipment through the Student Council President last month, the school had gradually announced several "non-saleable" items—surveillance systems, classroom seats, and class ownership... these key resources had all been tagged as
prohibited for trade. The school was likely worried: what if another student appeared who tried to rent out an entire classroom? They simply banned it all to be safe.
Shimizu had nothing to say about that. He had already made a fortune from the surveillance system; he didn't need to keep fleecing the school's equipment. That path had almost certainly been blocked off by the administration.
'But then again, isn't that way too expensive? Twenty million! Even after all my maneuvering, I've only reached half of that requirement!'
Shimizu felt his opening moves at the start of the semester were quite good: first, buying key intel from a second-year senior and selling it to Class D for 1 million points; then using that as capital to successfully rent the surveillance system, taking 3 million from the four classes in one go. After deducting the principal and the 5% tax, he had a net profit of a bit over 10 million.
Yet, he was still far from the goal. He felt that perhaps no other student could replicate his series of operations. However, what surprised him most was the second half of the sentence.
'Wait! It can also offset an expulsion? Isn't that basically a "Get Out of Jail Free" card?'
Shimizu wasn't an ordinary transmigrator; he came with a mission—to successfully graduate from this Advanced Nurturing High School. If he were accidentally expelled during his time here, his plan would be completely ruined.
Whether he would be punished by being sent to another world or face other consequences was unknown.
After all, the system had only given one command: Complete your studies at the Nurturing High School.
Besides, he found attending this school quite fun—the classmates spoke nicely and were interesting. In other words, whether for completing the mission, ensuring his own safety, or simply hoarding points, 20 million points seemed like a solid short-term goal.
As for the class transfer... Shimizu was doing fine in Class D for now.
Although the monthly points were a bit low, he didn't actually care about the standard allowance. If there was a downside, it was probably that his homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, always seemed to have designs on him, and the "defective" label of Class D attracted discrimination from other classes.
He still needed a backup plan. If Chabashira Sae ever tried to threaten him with some underhanded trick, he might not have a way to counter it once the Student Council President graduated when he reached his second year.
He began to ponder: if he really were to transfer, which class should he choose? Ultimately, as long as he could graduate, any class was the same.
Class C had Ryuen Kakeru, which was a hassle. If he transferred there, he'd probably have to beat the guy up a few times right away; once Ryuen was submissive, he likely wouldn't dare provoke him again. Dealing with that type of person, force was often the most direct solution—he clearly had a personality that only respected strength.
As for Class A, with Sakayanagi Arisu there, Shimizu didn't feel like wasting brain cells playing mind games with her. What if he annoyed her so much she had a heart attack and ended up in the hospital, making an enemy of the Chairman? He couldn't use force either; in short, it was just very troublesome.
Class B would likely be the most comfortable. Given Ichinose Honami's personality, she would probably protect everyone in the class. Perhaps even if someone in her class faced expulsion, she would find a way to scrape together 20 million points to save them. While this thought had no evidence, Shimizu felt she would definitely do it.
'Thinking it over, Class B is better.
I can truly trust someone like Ichinose Honami.'
Shimizu's gaze then fell on the second piece of intel. This one was quite intriguing. That teacher named Sakagami Kazuma—knowing there was a "tyrant" in his class, he actually chose to look the other way? Come to think of it, are there actually any normal teachers in this school?
His own Chabashira Sae wasn't normal, and the teacher for Class B next door had a messy private life and often came to class smelling of alcohol. On second thought, perhaps only the Class A teacher was somewhat normal.
As for the third piece of intel—that was almost common knowledge among the whole class.
Speaking of which, he hadn't really talked to Hasebe Haruka much. She wasn't the talkative type and seemed particularly bothered by the gazes of the boys in her class; she hadn't worn a swimsuit once during several swimming classes. But she wasn't socially awkward or unable to speak; she was simply too lazy to interact with others.
When Shimizu had spoken to her before, she had shown a hint of interest, her gaze lingering on his well-built arms. She was probably the type with very high standards, and her personality was a bit like his—only willing to talk to people who interested her. Since Hasebe Haruka was beautiful and had an outstanding figure, it was only natural for her to be picky.
Chapter 089 Are Ayanokouji and Matsushita Chiaki Serious? Keeping Scores Down Like This?
At 8:30 AM, Chabashira Sae finally stepped into the Class 1-D classroom. Her gaze swept specifically over Shimizu Akira before she tapped her fingertips on the podium. "Morning homeroom begins now. Before we start, does anyone have questions?"
The classroom was deathly silent; the vast majority of students shook their heads in unison.
"Hmph—" Chabashira let out a light chuckle.
"Figures. After all, you've already figured out the S-System quite thoroughly."
She suddenly raised the folder in her hand.
"You did well this time. Last month, you bought intelligence and rented surveillance equipment. Thanks to those two initiatives, this month saw a total of 12 instances of tardiness or absence, 18 instances of talking in class or using phones, plus other violations outside the classroom... Ultimately, Class 1-D's class points are 530 points."
The classroom instantly erupted into chaos.
"Wait! Didn't we rent the cameras? How can we still lose points for tardiness and absence?" Yamauchi Haruki jumped up, shouting with a face full of confusion.
"Yeah! Wasn't the surveillance data deleted? How could they find out about playing with phones in class?" other students chimed in.
Chabashira Sae scanned the agitated classroom coldly, her arms crossed.
"The surveillance authority indeed belonged to you last month, but can the school not store the data from the first week in advance? Use your brains."
"What?!" Yamauchi's eyes widened exaggeratedly. "Then what was the point of us spending so many points to rent those cameras!"
Chabashira tapped the podium impatiently.
"That is your problem, don't ask me! Can't you think for yourselves?"
She shifted her tone: "One of the main purposes of today's meeting—the first thing—is to let you see the gap between Class D and the other three classes."
Saying this, she took a magnet from her pocket and "slapped" a class score sheet onto the blackboard, reading the current points for each class.
"Class A currently has 950 points, Class B has 790 points, Class C has 640 points, and Class D has 530 points. In other words, Class D is still the bottom-tier class! You've put in all your effort just to barely trail behind Class C's heels, let alone Class B or A."
Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow slightly.
Class A holding the top spot was expected, but Class B and C's points had also increased significantly, each gaining over a hundred points. It was almost exactly as he had predicted.
"Why are the other classes' scores so high too?"
"Did they discover the hidden rules as well?"
"Impossible! We even used surveillance equipment, how can we still not win?"
Chabashira-sensei scanned the restless students with a cold sneer on her lips.
"Don't be naive. Do you think you're the only ones who know how to be clever? The people in other classes aren't idiots either."
"Continuing to the second matter: the results of last month's mock exam are out. To be honest, your grades are terrible—atrocious, even!"
Chabashira paused briefly and posted another transcript on the blackboard.
"You should have known for a long time that a single failing grade on a midterm or final results in expulsion, right? Regarding this exam, if it were a midterm, every student who scored below 32 in Japanese would be subject to expulsion. However, I didn't expect there to be so many! It truly fits your status as 'defective products'!
Finally... the third matter... this month we are re-electing the Class Representative! Whether you let Kushida Kikyo continue her term or choose someone else, you decide for yourselves!
In any case, if you don't want to be expelled, work hard at your studies for the next three weeks. At least survive the upcoming midterm." After saying this, Chabashira turned and walked out of the classroom.
The moment she left, Class D fell into an uproar.
"What exactly happened with the surveillance?!" "Kushida-san... this is completely different from what was said at the start..." "What does 'defective products' mean? Was the class placement not random? That would explain why Class A's points are the highest."
Standing in the center of the classroom, Kushida Kikyo and Hirata Yosuke exchanged helpless looks. The white lies woven to maintain class morale now appeared pale and weak before the iron-clad transcript. The boomerang had finally come back to hit them.
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.
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Shimizu Akira ignored the shouting. He walked straight to the podium, his gaze locked onto the exam transcript on the blackboard.
'Since things have come to this, let's look at the scores first.'
The school tested five subjects: Japanese, Mathematics, English, Social Studies, and Chemistry. Shimizu examined the list and found the top students were basically who he expected.
Horikita Suzune, Koenji Rokusuke, and Yukimura Teruhiko had particularly outstanding results, with scores above 90 in every subject, firmly holding the top five spots.
However, as Shimizu's gaze moved down, two sets of eye-catching scores caught his attention.
Ayanokouji Kiyotaka had scored exactly 50 in every single subject, totaling 250 points. Matsushita Chiaki was slightly "better," maintaining around 60 per subject for a total of exactly 300.
'Are you kidding me? One is 250 and the other is 300?
Ayanokouji! This deliberate score-matching is too obvious, you aren't even trying to act anymore, are you!
As for Matsushita Chiaki... she's stronger than Ayanokouji, but only just!
The two of you are just flagrantly controlling your scores like this?'
The corner of Shimizu's mouth twitched uncontrollably. He couldn't help but look back at the two of them. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was still sitting quietly; sensing Shimizu's gaze, he scratched his head imperceptibly, putting on an awkward "I messed up the exam" expression. Meanwhile, Matsushita Chiaki was mingled with Karuizawa Kei's group, smiling and saying she "barely passed."
This intentional mediocrity struck Shimizu as quite hilarious. But he didn't have time to keep critiquing their acting, because he finally saw his own section of the transcript:
Mathematics: 100 English: 98 Social Studies: 91 Chemistry: 93 Japanese : 29
This result placed him securely within the top ten of the class. Though, being in the top ten of Class D didn't carry much weight.
Except for the red light in Japanese, he had turned in a beautiful set of answers. Being number one in both Math and English was a given for him—knowledge mastered in his previous life's work made high school exams manageable. Chemistry, as a science subject, was no hurdle for him as a former science student; as he reviewed, buried memories awoke, and solving
problems became second nature. As for Social Studies, it was mostly objective questions requiring rote memorization plus a few open-ended short answers, so it posed no pressure.
'But this Japanese score...'
Shimizu looked at the glaring "29" and massaged his temples helplessly.
'I guess I really can't do it after all?'
Chapter 090 Horikita Suzune: I Will Personally Handle the Expulsion Ceremony for the Deadweight
Shimizu Akira had actually been quite hardworking over the past two weeks.
Ever since he began receiving private tutoring from Horikita Suzune, he had consistently completed an hour and a half of basic boxing training after school every day, followed immediately by diving into Japanese studies.
This high-intensity schedule allowed his Japanese score to rise from single digits to 29 points—while the score didn't look high, it was equivalent to pulling his proficiency from a middle school level to a high school level in just two weeks.
However, the part that gave him the most trouble was the archaic language and Kanji sections.
After returning to his seat, Shimizu wanted to take the opportunity to ask Horikita about some problems he didn't understand from the mock exam, but he found her staring intently at the transcript on the blackboard, her pen rapidly calculating something in her notebook. Seeing that it was inconvenient to disturb her, Shimizu turned his attention to his neighbor on the other side—Sakura Airi.
In truth, he had noticed Sakura's scores just now; calling them "atrocious" was being polite. While she barely managed to avoid failing, every subject hovered between 30 and 40. The only subject where she was likely stronger than him was Japanese.
From her daily classroom performance, it was clear her grades weren't faked—whenever it was time for Math or English, he could clearly see her eyes glazed over as if her soul had left her body.
Shimizu also noticed an interesting phenomenon—though Sakura Airi always seemed to be daydreaming, whenever the teacher asked to take notes, she would suddenly perk up and even use multi-colored highlighters to carefully mark key points. Those neat notes formed a stark contrast to her absent-minded behavior in class.
'It seems those elegant, beautiful notes were really just a beautiful misunderstanding...'
"Shimizu-kun..." Sakura Airi suddenly spoke softly, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Aside from Japanese... you did very well in all your other subjects... It seems my notes didn't help much."
Ever since the last incident with the borrowed notes, the two were finally able to communicate normally, although she still maintained a posture that was nearly a bow every time they spoke. In fact, she was right—those meticulously organized notes hadn't been of much use. His 29 points were purely the result of Horikita Suzune's brutal special training.
Shimizu thought for a moment and said seriously: "Actually, my Japanese score has improved. But I see you're having some trouble with Math. Instead of memorizing problems by rote, try
focusing on mastering the formulas. Every time the teacher explains a problem, spend more time tracing the logic of the solution. Go over the thought process in your head before bed at night, and review it again when you wake up the next morning. If you stick with this, your logical thinking will gradually improve, and your speed will increase."
This study method was something he had personally verified; the math problems he once found impossible were conquered through this kind of repetitive scrutiny. It was the same back when he was writing code—type it a few more times, set more breakpoints, and once you understand the logic, everything goes smoothly.
"...Yes! I understand!" Sakura Airi suddenly looked up, her eyes firm as she nodded vigorously. "I will definitely stick with it."
"Then let's both do our best." After Shimizu finished speaking, he turned back around.
'She agreed readily, but can she really stick with it?
Usually, in these situations, most people are just giving a perfunctory answer.
However... given her personality, she doesn't seem like the type to do things half-heartedly.'
Shimizu let out a soft breath. Regardless, the advice he needed to give had been said; the rest was up to her.
On the other side, Horikita Suzune lightly set down her pen and tapped the table twice with her fingertip. "Shimizu-kun, did you notice anything unusual when looking at the transcript earlier?"
"Unusual?" Shimizu turned his head slightly, his gaze questioning.
"Oh, so you didn't notice?" The corners of Horikita's mouth lifted slightly. "The 32-point passing grade mentioned by Chabashira-sensei—after calculating, I found it is exactly half of the class average."
Shimizu nodded thoughtfully. "I see... You're thinking about helping other students by controlling the scores during the midterm?"
Horikita froze, and the pen in her hand nearly slipped. She had originally just wanted to show off her observation skills, but she hadn't expected him to jump straight to the tactical level.
"I... hadn't considered it that far yet," she admitted somewhat stiffly, then added thoughtfully: "But... it is indeed a strategy worth considering."
'He actually thought of it at that level...
This line of thinking... is indeed unexpected...'
She took an imperceptible deep breath and silently noted this strategy in her mind. Horikita's gaze became sharp: "Looking at it from another angle, this midterm is actually a good
opportunity to filter the class members. Since failing a single subject leads to expulsion—this system is, in a sense, helping Class D clear out the deadweight.
After all... there's no point in people who can't even score a 35 staying in Class D."
At this point, she seemed to realize something and added somewhat awkwardly: "Of course, that doesn't include you. You're just too lopsided in your subjects!"
She stole a glance at Shimizu's profile. Although his Japanese score was worrying, his other subjects were outstanding. After this month of tutoring, he probably wouldn't fall to the point of failing... presumably.
This month... would be the final mercy. She drew a clear line in her heart. Those who couldn't even reach a passing score didn't deserve to keep occupying slots in Class D. Rather than letting the whole class be dragged down, it was better to use this chance to completely eliminate the waste.
"The idea is good, but Horikita, you have an opponent now. Kushida Kikyo probably won't sit idly by," Shimizu responded casually.
On the other side, Kushida Kikyo's voice finally rang out loudly: "Let's all just do our best together from now on, okay? We can definitely do it!"
She continued: "Let's start holding study groups right now! Students whose grades aren't great can come for tutoring! This month, we must ensure that—not a single person is expelled for failing! As long as we unite, there's nothing we can't accomplish!"