"Only the things we earn through our own efforts are truly ours! We're only in our first year of high school, and we still have plenty of time ahead of us. Are you really going to give up here?"
Horikita's voice resonated in the hearts of most of the students in Class D.
Ever since they'd signed the contract with Kamio Tatsuya, most of the students in Class D had started coasting through each day.
They had no goals or direction, like a little boat lost in a dense fog, unable to find a route to shore.
But Horikita's stern words were like a lighthouse, illuminating the path ahead.
That was right. So what if they couldn't graduate from Class A? So what if they didn't have a ticket to success? The students at other schools didn't have class privileges either, did they?
At the very least, their food and lodging were free, and both their learning and living environments were far better than those of the other students.
So what excuse did they have to keep losing themselves?
"That's right. Horikita is right. Even if we can't graduate from Class A, we should still work toward our own goals in life."
Hirata played the perfect straight man, driving Horikita's words home to the students of Class D once more.
"Yeah. Even if we're not doing it to get into Class A, we can't keep slacking off if we want spending money in the future."
"Exactly. No matter how many times I eat the Mountain Vegetable Set, I just can't get used to the taste."
Seeing the students of Class D regain their spirits, Horikita let out a sigh of relief.
She didn't know how long they'd keep this up, but one day at a time was good enough.