The Impact of Ten Thousand Points and the Aloof Barrier

The silence on the school bus felt like a brief prelude, shattered completely as the new students stepped into the classroom. The atmosphere in Class D was thick with a mix of anticipation, tension, and curiosity. Students searched for their seats according to the names posted on the desks, exchanging tentative glances with one another.

Fūki Ran quickly found the seat with his name on it—a spot by the window toward the back. From this angle, he could take in most of the classroom. His gaze swept calmly over his future "classmates." Kushida Kikyo, with her orange short hair and bright smile, was already striking up a conversation with the girl next to her; Sudo Ken, tall and with a hostile look in his eyes, sat with his arms crossed, wearing an impatient expression; Yukimura Teruhiko, glasses perched on his nose, kept his head down as if trying to disappear.

His gaze finally settled on the solitary figure diagonally ahead—Horikita Suzune. She sat alone in the front row, the nameplate on her desk confirming her identity. Her black hair flowed like a waterfall, her back held perfectly straight, standing out against the faint commotion around her as if wrapped in an invisible barrier.

The homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, stepped in, quieting the classroom somewhat. This female teacher, with long black hair and a professional suit, had eyes tinged with a hint of laziness and indifference.

"I am your homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae." Her voice was flat, with little fluctuation. "Before we start the homeroom meeting, there's something I need to tell you first."

She paused, her gaze sweeping over the gradually focused attention of the students below.

"Starting today, each of you will receive 10,000 'private points' from the school every month."

"Ten thousand?!"

After a brief silence, the classroom erupted in incredulous exclamations and whispers. Many students wore undisguised surprise on their faces. Ten thousand yen was undoubtedly a huge sum for high school students.

Chabashira Sae watched the students' reactions, the corner of her mouth seemingly curling into a barely perceptible smile.

"These points can be used in almost all facilities within this school, including shopping, dining, and entertainment," she continued. "As for the specifics, you can explore them yourselves. Now, let's begin the homeroom meeting."

She didn't mention anything about the relationship between class rankings and point fluctuations, merely casting out this tempting bait.

The room immediately plunged into even more heated discussion, with almost no one paying attention to the routine school rule explanations. Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji, sitting diagonally in front of Fūki, had already started excitedly planning how to spend their points; Sudo Ken also showed an interested expression; even Yukimura Teruhiko, though pushing up his glasses as if trying to stay calm, had a flicker of emotion in his eyes.

Only Horikita Suzune remained expressionless as she listened, though a slight furrow in her brow betrayed a hint of doubt. She clearly wasn't as easily swept away by this sudden "gift" as the others.

Fūki took all of this in, understanding in his heart. Teacher Chabashira had deliberately withheld key information. These ten thousand points were both a sweetener and a trap. Most of Class D was already eager to jump in. Horikita's wariness set her apart.

After the homeroom meeting ended, the atmosphere in the classroom grew even livelier. Kushida Kikyo actively moved through the crowd, her smile bright as she suggested everyone exchange contact information and set up a class group. "We're all classmates from now on, so let's get along!"

Many students responded to her call, especially the boys, who were particularly enthusiastic toward this lively and cute girl.

Fūki didn't join in. He organized his books, his gaze inadvertently sweeping past Horikita Suzune's seat again. She had already packed up, stood up without hesitation, and left the classroom alone, ignoring Kushida Kikyo's invitation from behind: "Horikita, you should come too!"

Fūki followed unhurriedly.

On the connecting corridor leading to the dormitory building, the flow of people was relatively sparse. Fūki quickened his pace and, just as Horikita Suzune was about to turn into another passage, appeared at her side at just the right moment.

"Ten thousand points sounds tempting, doesn't it, Horikita?" Fūki's voice rang out calmly, impossible to tell if it was a remark or a probe.

Horikita Suzune stopped in her tracks, turning her head sharply. Her purple eyes fixed on Fūki with clear wariness and a hint of displeasure at being disturbed. She glanced at the name tag still pinned to Fūki's chest. "Fūki. What the school provides has nothing to do with me. I only need the learning environment and the guarantee of advancing here."

"Indeed, for someone determined to rely on their own abilities, external conditions are secondary." Fūki nodded, his tone still flat. "But a school that so generously hands out huge sums of money while being vague about the rules for obtaining it and the underlying system—that naturally makes one curious about the logic behind its operation. Aren't you curious, Horikita?"

Horikita's eyes shifted slightly, but then grew even colder. "How the school operates isn't something I need to concern myself with. I just need to do what I'm supposed to do. If you're looking to discuss baseless speculation like this, then I'll take my leave."

Her words were decisive, once again building up a solid barrier.

"I just think that in this seemingly ordinary school, there might be things worth paying attention to together." Fūki wasn't discouraged; instead, he leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice with a hint of subtle guidance. "Sometimes, walking alone might make you miss important signposts."

Horikita Suzune frowned deeply, clearly dissatisfied with Fūki's almost "preachy" attitude. "My path is mine to decide. I don't need others to meddle. Please stop following me."

With that, she gave him no further chance, turned resolutely, and quickened her pace away, her black hair cutting a cold arc through the air, completely shutting out Fūki and his unfinished words.

Fūki stood still, watching her figure disappear at the end of the corridor. There was no frustration on his face at being rejected; instead, a faint smile appeared.

Rejection was expected. But the seed of doubt, planted through the anomaly of the "ten thousand points," had already been quietly buried in her proud heart. When she encountered obstacles she couldn't understand while walking alone, that seed would naturally sprout.

No rush.

Fūki turned and walked toward the boys' dormitory. Conquering this solitary iceberg required patience and the right timing. And he had plenty of patience, as well as a knack for creating opportunities.

This was only the first round of his game with Horikita Suzune. The real game had just begun.