Fūki Ran's prediction came true soon enough. As the school continued to withhold their new points, the resource shortage within Class D became increasingly apparent. The free Mountain Vegetable Set Meal and basic necessities were enough to keep them alive, but they couldn't satisfy the young students' growing desire for material comforts and a more comfortable life. What had once been quiet complaints gradually bubbled to the surface.
At first, there were only minor frictions. Someone complained that their roommate had used up the little shampoo they had left; someone else tried to dodge the task of picking up the free toilet paper. But at a class meeting, the debate over whether to pool the remaining points to buy public supplies for the class—sports equipment, board games, or even slightly better seasonings to improve the taste of the free cafeteria meals—ignited a full-blown disagreement.
One side, represented by Hirata Yousuke and Kushida Kikyo, advocated "unity and mutual support." They hoped that students who still had points could contribute some to a Public Fund, improving the class's quality of life and helping everyone weather this difficult period together. They believed this would strengthen the class's cohesion and help it face future challenges.
The other side consisted mainly of a few students who still had a decent number of points—some had been extremely frugal early on or had special sources of income, which they kept well hidden—as well as students who had already run out and objected, "Why should I have to contribute?" They were apathetic or outright opposed. Ken Sudō didn't have many points himself, but he scoffed at the idea of "leveling everyone's wealth," insisting that relying on one's own ability was the right way—even though he currently didn't have much ability to speak of.
"We're a collective now! If we can't even unite to face a difficulty like this, how will we deal with more serious trials in the future?" Hirata's voice was still gentle, but there was an unusual urgency in it.
"A collective? That's easy for you to say, Hirata! We saved our points by scrimping and saving. Why should we hand them over for people who wasted theirs?" A usually unremarkable boy argued in a low voice, drawing agreement from several others.
"Exactly. We told them to spend carefully from the start. Who listened?"
The room descended into confusion for a while. Kushida Kikyo wore a worried expression as she tried to calm both sides. "Come on, don't argue. Let's talk it out. We all want what's best for the class..." But another voice was screaming inside her: Go on, argue! Fight even harder! The moment there's a little at stake, these idiots show their true colors!
Just then, Horikita Suzune, who had been watching coldly from the sidelines, spoke up. "This argument is pointless. Instead of squabbling over how to divide our points, we should think about how to earn more in the first place. The school's rules are what matter." Her words hit the mark, but like cold water poured into hot oil, they provoked a range of reactions. Some thought she was right; others felt she was speaking from a position of privilege.
From his seat in the corner, Fūki Ran took in everyone's reactions. Hirata's idealism, some students' selfishness, Horikita's isolationism, Sudō's recklessness... Class D's weaknesses had been laid bare. He knew this was the time to get involved, but he wouldn't step in personally.
That night, in Dorm 129.
"...So I'm afraid Hirata's proposal will be difficult to pass. There's more opposition than we expected." Kushida Kikyo sat cross-legged on the carpet, carefully filing her nails with a small nail file as she reported on the day's events. There was a hint of undisguised schadenfreude in her voice. "Honestly, it's such a good idea. Why can't everyone understand each other?" She looked up at Fūki behind the desk, her gaze questioning, as if waiting for instructions.
Fūki didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked, "Who do you think is most likely to persuade the opposition?"
Kushida tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Hirata, maybe? Or... if I try, I might be able to convince some of them?" She was confident in her ability to influence people.
"No," Fūki said. "Hirata's too idealistic, which makes it easy for selfish people to resent him. If you step forward, you'll draw too much attention and put a target on your back."
He set down his pen and fixed Kushida with a sharp look. "Get in touch with Yukimura Teruhiko and the few students who are usually quiet but seem to still have points. Suggest to them that supporting Hirata's proposal might seem like a loss in the short term, but in the long term, a stable, cohesive class environment would benefit their own safety and future prospects. In particular..." He paused. "You can hint that it's preparation for the coming Special Exam, and that collective strength will be essential."
Kushida's eyes widened slightly. She immediately understood what Fūki was getting at. People like Yukimura were rational and cautious, and they cared more about long-term benefits and their own safety. Appealing to them with the Special Exam and collective strength would be far more effective than Hirata's purely idealistic calls for unity. And by approaching them privately and indirectly, she could use her social skills without putting herself in the spotlight as a target.
"I understand." Kushida nodded. Fūki's scheming sent a chill through her, but it also filled her with excitement. She was no longer just a dumping ground for other people's negativity. She had become part of his strategy, a pawn capable of influencing the situation. Being "used" like this made her feel more valuable.
"One more thing," Fūki added. "In public, you can show some support for Hirata's proposal, but don't push too hard. The main thing is to guide the conversation until the idea that 'the class needs cohesion to face unknown challenges' becomes the prevailing view."
Over the next two days, Kushida Kikyo began to work subtly. She found an opportunity to "run into" Yukimura and started chatting with him about the pressure of studying. Then she "casually" voiced her concern about what would happen if the class stayed so divided when the Special Exam arrived, and "remarked" that it would be nice if everyone could be a little more united, as Hirata had suggested. She had similar, seemingly casual conversations with several other students Fūki had identified.
She didn't try to persuade them directly. Instead, she planted seeds of worry and reflection. At the same time, in the class group chat and in everyday conversations, she began bringing up topics like the "Unknown Exam" and the "importance of the collective" more often.
The results were clear. In a subsequent discussion, Yukimura Teruhiko voiced his support for establishing a class Public Fund for the first time, explaining that "we need to plan ahead in case we face a Collective Challenge." His stance brought several other quiet students with points over to their side. The opposition didn't disappear entirely, but it was greatly diminished.
Hirata Yousuke was somewhat surprised by Yukimura's change of heart, but he was even more relieved. He redoubled his efforts to push the proposal forward. He had no idea that Fūki had secretly tipped the scales through Kushida.
The proposal passed by a narrow margin. Class D finally established a small pool of public points. The amount wasn't large, but its symbolic significance was considerable. Hirata thanked Kushida for her "unintentional" support during the process. She responded with a perfect, slightly shy smile. "Not at all. I just thought that you and everyone else made good points, Hirata. I hope the class keeps getting better."
Only when she returned to Dorm 129 did she drop the act. With a hint of smugness, she reported to Fūki, "It's done. Those bookworms like Yukimura were so easy to sway with the 'Future Risk' argument."
Fūki looked at her expectant, "praise me" expression and simply nodded. "Good work."
Those three words alone made Kushida's heart flutter, as if a feather had brushed against it. She was beginning to enjoy the feeling of pulling strings from the shadows and earning his approval.
However, she didn't notice that Fūki's gaze held something beyond scrutiny and exploitation—a trace of something else, like a craftsman inspecting a tool he was carefully refining as it gradually revealed its expected value.
For now, the undercurrents within Class D had been channeled in one direction, but a greater storm was still brewing. And Kushida Kikyo was sinking deeper into those currents, becoming ever more tightly bound to the one controlling them.
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