Chapter Summaries

Fūki Ran strengthened his influence in Class D through Kushida and reassessed Ayanokoji after a brief exchange at a convenience store. He and Horikita established the first quiet step toward cooperation as the Special Exam approached.

• Fūki instructed Kushida to spread cautious rumors that Class C was targeting Class D and to identify capable students dissatisfied with the class's leadership.
• Fūki encountered Ayanokoji at a convenience store, where Ayanokoji said that knowing what one did not need was enough.
• Fūki raised his assessment of Ayanokoji's threat level and potential value after considering the meaning behind his reply.
• During a Modern Literature group discussion, Horikita used Fūki's ideas about rules and loopholes to test his reasoning and signal that she was open to cooperation.
• Fūki and Horikita developed their ideas in a calm debate, silently laying the groundwork for an agreement before Horikita left without speaking to him again.

Fūki Ran researched outdoor survival gear at Beech Shopping Center, where Karuizawa Kei unexpectedly asked him for a loan. He gave her three thousand points and quietly noted that her unusual request might conceal a secret.

• Fūki Ran examined survival equipment and recorded details about its specifications and suitability for harsh conditions.
• Karuizawa Kei approached Fūki and asked to borrow three thousand points, claiming she wanted to buy a limited-edition scarf.
• Fūki transferred the points without questioning her explanation, and Karuizawa thanked him and left.
• Fūki recorded the unusual loan request in his memory and returned to researching outdoor gear.

Class D received only 5,000 Private Points, while Fūki Ran held a far larger balance from his dealings at the Club Undercurrent. When Karuizawa Kei delayed repaying her 3,000-point loan, Fūki instructed Kushida Kikyo to quietly investigate Karuizawa and her circle.

• Class D students saw their monthly allowance fall to 5,000 Private Points and reacted with panic and despair.
• Karuizawa Kei messaged Fūki Ran to apologize for delaying repayment of her 3,000-point loan until the following month.
• Fūki considered why Karuizawa had prioritized other expenses over repaying him and suspected there was more behind her finances.
• Fūki told Kushida Kikyo to discreetly monitor Karuizawa and her circle's spending, moods, behavior, and communication.
• Kushida agreed to observe them naturally, while Fūki decided to wait for information rather than demand repayment.

Feng Qi gathered clues that Karuizawa Kei was hiding a painful past involving bullying at her old school, while financial pressure and conflict over Class D’s dwindling Public Fund deepened divisions in the class. He instructed Kushida Kikyo to investigate further as he considered using Kei’s fear of exposure to gain influence over her.

• Kushida Kikyo reported that Karuizawa Kei seemed distracted, had unfamiliar earrings despite money troubles, and was distancing herself from Onodera and group activities.
• Class D argued over whether to spend its limited Public Fund on study materials and sports equipment or on food and a group meal, while Hirata Yousuke struggled to mediate.
• Karuizawa stayed quiet during the dispute and offered only perfunctory remarks when Hirata sought her help.
• Kushida told Feng Qi that she overheard Shinohara mention Kei’s old school, bullying, secrecy, and protection.
• Feng concluded that Kei feared her past would be exposed and told Kushida to watch for anyone pressuring her and observe her interactions with Hirata.

Kushida told Feng Qi that Karuizawa panicked when Shinohara mentioned her old school, confirming that Karuizawa was hiding a traumatic past. Feng Qi decided to keep watching and wait for her fear and insecurity to make her seek his help, leaving him poised to exploit her secret.

• During a physical education exercise, Shinohara asked Karuizawa if her poor health was connected to what happened at her old school, and Karuizawa angrily ordered her to stop talking about it.
• Kushida observed Karuizawa's reaction and later recounted it to Feng Qi in Dorm 129.
• Feng Qi asked whether anyone else seemed to know Karuizawa's secret or was using it against her, and Kushida said she had seen no sign of an outside threat.
• Kushida told Feng Qi that Karuizawa seemed anxious about her dwindling points, losing her popular image, and Hirata discovering her past.
• Feng Qi concluded that Karuizawa was mostly tormented by her own fears and told Kushida to keep watching while he waited for her to become vulnerable.

Karuizawa Kei’s dwindling points and fear of exposing her past pushed her toward desperation, while Fūki Ran used Kushida Kikyo’s reports to prepare a trap. Fūki waited for Karuizawa’s last defenses to fail and seeded rumors of secret lending channels to steer her toward him.

• Karuizawa Kei struggled to afford basic necessities, refused to confide in Hirata Yousuke, and grew increasingly exhausted and anxious.
• Kushida Kikyo reported Karuizawa’s frugality, strained exchanges with Shinohara Mami, weight loss, and refusal of Hirata’s invitation to Fūki Ran.
• Fūki concluded that Karuizawa was nearing collapse but chose to wait until she abandoned hope of solving her problems alone.
• Fūki instructed Kushida to spread vague hints about confidential lending channels and to search for further leverage over Karuizawa.
• Fūki watched for the moment Karuizawa would become desperate enough to accept the path he had prepared.

Kushida rescued Karuizawa from a dangerous attempt to borrow points and learned that past bullying drove her fixation on status, Hirata, and maintaining her image. Feng Qi then instructed Kushida to hint at a possible source of help, leaving Karuizawa uncertain but tempted and preparing Feng Qi for their first meeting.

• Karuizawa met three Class C boys to seek a loan, but they threatened to demand another kind of payment when she tried to leave.
• Kushida arrived with several girls and helped Karuizawa escape, then coaxed her into revealing that severe bullying at her previous school had shaped her fears and her relationship with Hirata.
• Kushida reported Karuizawa's vulnerability to Feng Qi, who told her to hint that someone could help without revealing who or what it would cost.
• Kushida suggested to Karuizawa that a reliable person could solve her problem in exchange for other kinds of value, and Karuizawa left conflicted but hopeful.
• Feng Qi began planning the details of his first meeting with Karuizawa.

Karuizawa Kei met Fūki Ran in Dorm 129 and accepted his demand that she serve as his informant in exchange for protection of her secrets and her fragile life in Class D. After sharing her first report about Hirata Yousuke and the upcoming Special Exam, she left as Fūki’s covert agent.

• After two days of mounting fear, Karuizawa asked Kushida Kikyo to arrange a meeting with the person who could help her.
• Kushida directed Karuizawa to the Old Library, where an anonymous message sent her to Fūki Ran’s room in Dorm 129.
• Fūki revealed that he knew about Karuizawa’s history of bullying and demanded her loyalty and information instead of repayment in points.
• Karuizawa accepted Fūki’s terms and took a secure communicator from him.
• Karuizawa reported Hirata’s efforts to unite the class, his concerns about unstable classmates, and his speculation about Teacher Chabashira’s warning.
• Fūki recorded Karuizawa as a resource in his notebook and considered how he could use her access to Hirata’s circle and the girls’ clique.

As the Special Exam approached, Fūki Ran gathered intelligence through Karuizawa Kei and Kushida Kikyo while gradually influencing Horikita Suzune. He prepared plans for the coming exam as Class D grew more anxious and divided.

• Karuizawa Kei secretly reported on Hirata Yousuke, class complaints, and conflicts among the girls to Fūki Ran.
• Fūki used Karuizawa's reports to assess Hirata's difficulties and the growing divisions within Class D.
• Kushida Kikyo spread selected rumors to increase uncertainty and shape the flow of information among the girls.
• Fūki exchanged pointed remarks with Horikita Suzune during chance meetings in the Library, encouraging her to reconsider collective action.
• As the Special Exam announcement neared, Class D's tensions rose and Hirata's efforts to calm the class became less effective.
• Fūki worked late in Dorm 129, analyzing possible exam scenarios and preparing to use his allies' abilities.

Fūki Ran investigated Sakura Eri’s secret and discovered that she was an online gravure idol known as “Shizuku.” He hinted that he understood and would protect her, leaving Sakura increasingly focused on him as he prepared to use her secret and trust later.

• Karuizawa Kei and Kushida Kikyo told Fūki Ran that Sakura Eri had become unusually anxious and was spending time in the abandoned Photography Club room.
• Fūki used Kushida to spread rumors about the old clubroom and directed Karuizawa to show Sakura measured concern, hoping to heighten her dependence on him.
• Fūki entered the Photography Club room and found Sakura’s photographs and documents, discovering her online identity as “Shizuku” and her skill as a photographer.
• Fūki made an oblique remark to Sakura about hidden selves and protecting courage, then left without revealing what he knew.
• Sakura became more attentive to Fūki, while he concluded that his hints had tied her fear to her growing trust and decided to cultivate her for a future opportunity.

Fūki Ran approached Ichinose Honami at the pool to learn more about Class B and establish a connection with its leader. Their friendly conversation revealed that Ichinose was warm but careful about sharing information, and Fūki left with a foundation for future contact.

• Fūki Ran spotted Ichinose Honami swimming with her Class B classmates and waited for a chance to speak with her.
• Fūki met Ichinose at the vending machine and offered to buy her a drink, which she accepted.
• Fūki praised Class B’s unity and hinted at Class D’s situation, while Ichinose offered general support but showed wariness.
• Fūki and Ichinose chatted about everyday topics, and she steered their conversation away from class strategy and future plans.
• Ichinose returned to her friends, and Fūki concluded that she was socially perceptive and carefully measured while noting that she would remember him.

Fūki Ran joined Shiina Hiyori in the library and discussed literature, Class C, and the value of understanding human nature. After Shiina left for a class meeting, Fūki reflected that her quiet independence might make her important to understand in the future.

• Fūki Ran watched Shiina Hiyori read in the library, then sat across from her with a copy of The Makioka Sisters.
• Fūki and Shiina discussed Tanizaki's portrayal of women and the conflicting desires of students pursuing Class A.
• Shiina explained that reading helped her understand people without judging them too quickly, despite Ryuen's way of running Class C.
• Shiina shared her appreciation for literature and argued that understanding human nature was a form of ability.
• Shiina left for a Class C meeting, and Fūki considered her more resilient and complicated than she appeared.

Fūki Ran met Shiina Hiyori in the music room, where they played a duet and discussed literature, music, and Class C under Ryuen Kakeru. Shiina left for a class meeting about the upcoming Special Exam, while Fūki reflected that her resilience and independent thinking could prove important.

• Fūki Ran arrived at the music room and listened as Shiina Hiyori played Chopin's "Raindrop" Prelude.
• Fūki and Shiina discussed the piece before playing a duet of Debussy's "Clair de Lune" on two pianos.
• Fūki shared his interpretation of Norwegian Wood, and Shiina connected its ideas about perseverance to life at their school.
• Shiina said Ryuen Kakeru's methods maintained balance in Class C, while Fūki argued that true leadership should bring out the best in people.
• Shiina left to attend Class C's discussion of the upcoming Special Exam, and Fūki considered her resilience a potential advantage.

Fūki Ran repeatedly helped Ichinose Honami with small problems, from organizing scattered study materials to freeing a stuck vending-machine drink and finding a misplaced math book. Ichinose began to wonder whether their encounters were truly coincidental, while Fūki noticed he had started looking out for her whenever he caught her citrus scent.

• Fūki Ran helped Ichinose Honami gather and sort Class B's scattered study-group papers, then showed her how to secure them in the folder.
• Fūki tapped a jammed vending machine, freeing Ichinose's coin and dispensing her green tea before her study-group meeting.
• Fūki found the math reference book Ichinose needed and suggested two other books for her tutoring group.
• Ichinose wondered whether Fūki's timely help was really coincidence, while Fūki realized he had begun watching for chances to help her.

Fūki Ran encountered Ichinose Honami studying advanced social and economic subjects in the library, revealing an intellectual side he had not known. After a brief discussion, Ichinose left for a class meeting, while Fūki found himself newly curious about her.

• Fūki Ran noticed Ichinose Honami struggling to reach a book in the library and saw the ambitious titles in her borrowing basket.
• Fūki took down the book for Ichinose and asked whether her books were for an extracurricular project.
• Ichinose explained that she was pursuing a private research project and shared her thoughts on how economics reflected society and human choices.
• Fūki and Ichinose exchanged ideas about their books before Ichinose left for a class meeting.
• Fūki watched Ichinose go and realized he wanted to learn more about her.

Fūki Ran found Ichinose Honami secretly tending a collection of plants in the greenhouse and helped her diagnose a struggling seedling. Ichinose asked him to keep her private project a secret, and he left with a new impression of her.

• Fūki Ran noticed Ichinose Honami working among seedlings in a secluded corner of the campus greenhouse.
• Ichinose hid her notebook and admitted she was tending the plants as a personal project, but avoided explaining further.
• Fūki suggested poor drainage might be harming a yellowing plant, and Ichinose cleared its clogged pot holes.
• Ichinose finished tending the plants and walked out of the greenhouse with Fūki.
• At a campus fork, Ichinose asked Fūki to keep their encounter secret, and he agreed.

Feng Qi quietly observed Ichinose Honami around campus and grew curious about the private research hinted at by her notebook and pressed plant specimens. He began seeking out her presence and came to recognize the sincerity of her kindness, though he still did not know what her “Secret Project” involved.

• Feng Qi repeatedly saw Ichinose Honami in classrooms, the courtyard, and the Library, noticing her composure and care for others.
• Feng Qi realized that changes in Ichinose’s faint citrus scent seemed to reflect her moods.
• Feng Qi watched Ichinose write in a notebook beneath a cherry tree and spotted pressed plant specimens, reinforcing his suspicion that she was conducting private research.
• Ichinose noticed Feng Qi watching, smiled, and nodded to him before he left.
• Feng Qi continued observing Ichinose’s kindness around campus and gradually began looking for her whenever her citrus fragrance was near.

Fūki Ran escorted Ichinose Honami through a sudden downpour so she could continue her greenhouse research, then waited for her to finish. Their journey back brought them closer, and Fūki recognized that his feelings for Ichinose had grown beyond curiosity.

• Fūki saw Ichinose at the school exit with research equipment and learned she still needed to reach the greenhouse in the rain.
• Fūki took Ichinose's equipment and escorted her under his umbrella, keeping it dry while listening to her talk about her research.
• Fūki waited at the greenhouse entrance while Ichinose completed her work.
• Fūki reassured Ichinose that her plant research was a path she had chosen for herself.
• Fūki and Ichinose walked back to the dorm together after the rain eased, and Ichinose thanked him for supporting her.
• Fūki realized his interest in Ichinose had become a genuine desire to understand, help, and protect her.

Fūki Ran found Horikita Suzune struggling with a difficult question and persuaded her that accepting help did not mean surrendering her independence. Their conversation left Horikita considering cooperation, while Fūki planned to keep finding ways to change her outlook.

• Fūki offered to help Horikita with a difficult question, but she insisted she could handle it alone.
• Fūki argued that students at Kōtō Ikusei High School could not always survive alone and pointed out that even Horikita’s brother relied on the Student Council.
• Horikita admitted she could not solve the question, and Fūki explained its connection to free will and determinism.
• Horikita thanked Fūki but remained uncertain about relying on others, then left when Class D students entered the classroom.
• Fūki passed Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in the hallway and watched Horikita leave, planning further opportunities to encourage her cooperation.

Fūki Ran helped Horikita Suzune solve a difficult math problem and warned her that Ike and Yamauchi might be plotting with Class C ahead of the Special Exam. He persuaded Horikita to trust Kushida Kikyo and join a group study session, leaving her reconsidering her isolation from Class D.

• Fūki found Horikita struggling with the assigned probability problem in the library and showed her a simpler solution using Bayes' Theorem.
• Fūki told Horikita that Ike and Yamauchi had been acting suspiciously, meeting Class C students and gaining personal points unusually quickly, and said Kushida was keeping watch on them.
• Kushida interrupted their conversation, and Fūki assured Horikita that she could be trusted; Horikita agreed to rely on his judgment.
• The next day, Chabashira praised Horikita's solution, and Fūki signaled for her to accept Kushida's invitation to a weekend group study session.
• Fūki explained that group activities could help Horikita build standing with her classmates, and Horikita later considered whether she should view Class D differently.