"I know."
Kazehara Tetsu's expression didn't change in the slightest. "That's why the price I gave you was for the entire class. Class D has thirty-nine students, so that comes to just over a thousand Points per person. I don't believe every student in your class is so short on Personal Points that they can't afford even that."
Kushida Kikyo fell silent. She knew that if everyone chipped in, it wasn't impossible to raise that amount. But the question was, how could she persuade them all?
Convince the whole class to pool fifty thousand Points to buy a set of past papers that might not even be on the exam.
That would be incredibly difficult.
Class D was already a group lacking in trust and discipline. Getting them to willingly hand over the few Personal Points they had was easier said than done.
Kazehara Tetsu seemed to see right through her concerns.
"The Midterm Exam is in two weeks."
"Fourteen days. It sounds like a long time, but for those with weak foundations who need to start studying from scratch, every minute and every second of those fourteen days is precious."
He turned his head, his gaze settling once more on Kushida Kikyo's conflicted face.
"With these past papers, you can save a great deal of time that would otherwise be wasted studying in the wrong direction. You can get a precise grasp of the exam's scope and question types. A day... no, even getting them just half a day early would make a huge difference to Class D's overall pass rate."
He didn't discuss whether the papers were genuine, nor did he boast about his own character.
He simply placed the simplest variable in front of Kushida Kikyo.
Time.
The sooner they got them, the greater their advantage.
The longer they waited, the less valuable they became.
Kushida Kikyo's breathing grew a little quick.
She immediately understood the unspoken meaning behind Kazehara Tetsu's words.
Class D was in disarray. It wasn't impossible that someone might use this opportunity to bring the class together.
What would she do then?
And what if she, Kushida Kikyo, were the first to bring this "lifeline" back to the class?
She could almost picture it.
When she placed the past papers before her frantic classmates, how gratefully would they look at her?
Her already considerable popularity would instantly soar to new heights. She might even surpass Hirata Yosuke and become Class D's true, irreplaceable center.
These papers weren't just exam questions.
They were an enormous contribution, something that could let her take complete control of the hearts and minds of Class D.
This deal... had to happen!
In just a short while, Kushida Kikyo had gone from hesitation to determination.
The troubled look vanished from her face, replaced by her signature smile, full of warmth and resolve.
"Kazehara, I understand."
She raised her head and looked straight into Kazehara Tetsu's eyes. "But... I can't afford that many Points myself right now. Could you... give me a few days? Three at most. I promise I'll gather the Points and pay you!"
Her tone was sincere, and her eyes filled with trust.
"Of course."
His answer was decisive, and even took Kushida Kikyo by surprise.
He took out his phone and tapped the screen a few times. Then, right in front of Kushida Kikyo, he pressed "Send."
"Ding."
The phone in Kushida Kikyo's pocket chimed crisply.
A little bewildered, she took it out. The screen showed that she'd just received a file from Kazehara Tetsu.
"You... you just sent it to me?"
She looked up, unable to believe it. "Aren't you afraid I'll... refuse to pay?"
"I trust you, Kushida."
"A 'guardian angel' loved and trusted by everyone wouldn't do something foolish like betray someone's trust and tarnish her image, right?"
His voice was soft, with a teasing note that was almost complimentary.
For just a moment, the smile on Kushida Kikyo's face stiffened.
"...Of course not."
A few seconds later, Kushida Kikyo's smile bloomed again, brighter than ever—and far more false.
"I love making friends with everyone. I'd never let my friends down."
She tightened her grip on her phone.
"Well, I won't keep you from 'working hard' on behalf of the class, Kushida."
Kazehara Tetsu left her with a pointed remark, then turned and walked away without another word.
Kushida Kikyo sat on the bench without moving.
She watched Kazehara Tetsu's back until he disappeared into the crowd.
Then she lowered her head and stared intently at the file on her phone screen.
"...How could he know about me... No, I never saw him at my previous school, so he shouldn't know about that..."
In the end, Kushida Kikyo couldn't think of any time she'd seen Kazehara Tetsu before, so she decided to stop dwelling on it for now.
She stood up and straightened her appearance. Her expression once again became that of the sunny, cheerful, universally beloved perfect girl.
With a light step, she headed toward the Dessert Shop.
The afternoon classes slowly came to an end as many students waited distractedly.
The moment the dismissal bell rang, Kushida Kikyo stood up first, wearing her signature smile.
"Everyone, please wait a moment. I have some very important news!"
Her voice rang out, clear and lively, successfully drawing the attention of all the students who were preparing to leave.
"It's about the Midterm Exam... I know everyone's worried. Our class's Points have already hit zero, and this exam... is a fight for survival for Class D!"
Her words instantly made the air in the classroom grow heavy.
"But everyone, don't give up hope!"
Kushida Kikyo's voice suddenly rose, filled with the power to inspire. "Just now, through my own efforts and... with the help of some friends, I got something incredibly important that can help us get through this crisis safely!"
She didn't keep them in suspense. She took out her phone and sent a file to the group chat.
"These are last year's past papers, and they're almost identical to the ones from the year before. So I think that if we just memorize these questions, we're sure to do well on the Midterm Exam."
Her voice brimmed with confidence, and that confidence spread to everyone there.
"Whoa—"
The classroom erupted.
"Is this... real?"
"Oh my god! Kushida, how did you get these?"
"With these, we're guaranteed to pass, aren't we?!"
At the back of the classroom, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka remained as expressionless as ever. He looked at the girl at the front of the room, a peculiar glint flashing in his eyes.
Too soon...
Was it really a good idea to make this "answer" public now?
Wouldn't this make the students who already lacked motivation to study relax completely and give up on even the most basic revision?
A hint of doubt crossed his mind, but he didn't say anything.
He was just a student who wanted to enjoy an "ordinary" high school life. Letting someone else handle these troublesome matters was good enough for him.
"That's amazing! Kushida, you're our savior!"
"Waaah, I thought I was done for..."
"Kushida-chan, I love you most!"
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