Cracks Beneath the Shine and Shadows of the Past

Kushida Kikyo's efficiency was high, or rather, she was extremely enthusiastic about carrying out Fūki Ran's tasks. A few days later, observation reports about Karuizawa Kei and her small clique began to trickle in to Fūki in a fragmented but continuous manner. These weren't systematic investigation reports, but were mixed in with Kushida's daily complaints, gossip, and descriptions of the class atmosphere, requiring Fūki to carefully sift through and piece them together.

[Classmate Fūki, I ate lunch with Karuizawa and the others today. She seemed a bit distracted, constantly looking at her terminal, like she was waiting for someone's message? And she hasn't bought any new magazines lately, though she used to buy every issue.]

[Speaking of which, Kei wore a pair of unfamiliar earrings today, very exquisite, not like cheap ones... It's strange, she was complaining about not having enough points just a few days ago.]

[Today I saw Kei talking with that inconspicuous Shinohara from our class for a long time. Shinohara looked a bit nervous. They don't seem that close usually?]

[I feel like Kei's attitude towards Onodera has been a bit subtle lately, not as casual as before. It's like... she's deliberately keeping her distance? But it doesn't seem like they quarreled.]

[Hirata-kun wanted to organize a discussion on how to use our points wisely today. Kei didn't seem very interested, just said a few words and then used an excuse to leave. She used to be quite active in these group activities.]

These seemingly scattered pieces of information gradually painted a contradictory picture in Fūki's mind. Karuizawa Kei outwardly appeared to be maintaining her glamorous image and central position within the girls' group, but subtle details revealed inconsistencies: she seemed genuinely tight on money, yet occasionally sported exquisite accessories of unknown origin; she exhibited emotional anxiety; and her social network was undergoing subtle adjustments.

Particularly noteworthy was her changed attitude towards Hirata Yousuke and group activities. This seemed to corroborate another of Fūki's suspicions—the "trouble" Karuizawa Kei was facing was likely something she didn't want, or couldn't afford to let her "official" boyfriend, Hirata Yousuke, know about.

Meanwhile, the conflict within Class D, triggered by the sharp decrease in points, erupted again in a more acute form after a brief period of suppression. This time, it wasn't just verbal sparring, but a fierce dispute over the use of the meager class Public Fund.

The "pragmatists," represented by Yukimura Teruhiko, advocated using the points to purchase study aids that could genuinely improve learning efficiency, or to rent inexpensive sports equipment for everyone to exercise, believing this to be the most beneficial "investment" for the class as a whole.

On the other hand, some girls—not part of Karuizawa's inner circle, but those more focused on immediate gratification—along with Sudo Ken and others, the "hedonists," strongly demanded that these points be used to buy snacks, drinks, or to organize a small gathering. They argued that with morale so low, they needed things that could immediately make everyone happy.

"We can't even afford to eat properly now, what are we buying books for? What's more important than filling our stomachs?" Sudo Ken retorted gruffly at Yukimura.

"Exactly! Studying, studying, all you think about is studying! How many books can you even buy with these points? It's better to buy some good food for everyone to share!" a girl chimed in.

Hirata Yousuke stood in the middle, trying hard to mediate, attempting to find a compromise that both sides could accept, but he was clearly overwhelmed. His slogan of "unity" seemed pale and powerless in the face of real survival pressures and differing interests. He even privately tried to use his own meager points to subsidize the Public Fund in hopes of reaching a compromise, but this was not a long-term solution and plunged him into deeper difficulties.

Fūki watched this farce with cold eyes. He noticed that Karuizawa Kei remained unusually silent during this dispute. Unlike before, she didn't actively support Hirata or use her influence to placate the girls' emotions. Instead, she spent most of the time with her head down, fiddling with her terminal, as if everything around her was irrelevant. Only when the argument became too heated and Hirata cast a pleading glance her way did she reluctantly look up, force a perfunctory smile, and utter meaningless phrases like "Everyone, stop arguing" and "Let's think of another way."

This deliberate distance and avoidance further solidified Fūki's judgment—Karuizawa Kei was being troubled by her own issues, unable to spare any attention, and possibly deliberately maintaining a facade of "everything is normal" in front of Hirata.

The class meeting ended unhappily, and the plan for using the Public Fund was once again shelved. The rifts within the class, under the pressure of scarce resources, not only failed to heal but showed a tendency to widen.

That evening, Kushida Kikyo arrived at Dorm 129 for her "routine report," appearing exceptionally excited, with a hint of smugness from uncovering a secret.

"Classmate Fūki, guess what I discovered today?" she whispered mysteriously. "I 'accidentally' overheard Shinohara and another girl chatting secretly in the restroom. Although they were speaking very softly and vaguely, I think I heard... 'previous school,' 'being bullied,' 'don't want it known'... and words like 'protection'!" Kushida's eyes sparkled. "And when they mentioned Kei, their tone was particularly nervous, as if they were afraid of being discovered!"

Fūki's gaze flickered. Previous school? Being bullied? This seemed different from his previous guesses of "external trouble" or "threat from upperclassmen," but it logically explained many of Karuizawa's behaviors—her almost obsessive maintenance of social status, her reliance on Hirata Yousuke as a "surface boyfriend," and her deep anxiety stemming from the current point shortage potentially preventing her from maintaining this "protection." She was afraid of her past being exposed, afraid of falling back into a state of being bullied.

"Anything else? For example, what kind of bullying was it? Or, is she currently under direct threat?" Fūki pressed, needing to assess the situation more precisely.

Kushida shook her head, somewhat regretfully. "No, they spoke very cryptically, and as soon as they saw me, they immediately changed the subject. However..." she tried to recall, "it felt like Shinohara didn't know much either. It was more like Kei only told her a little bit, asking for her help to cover up or share the burden?"

This information was crucial. It indicated that Karuizawa's secret originated from her past, but perhaps in the current environment, for some reason—like being threatened by someone who knew, or simply fearing exposure to others—it was at risk of being revealed. This required her to continuously expend resources to keep quiet or maintain her facade.

"Continue observing, but be even more careful," Fūki instructed. "Focus on whether anyone specific, not necessarily an upperclassman, but perhaps someone from the same grade who knows, has approached or hinted at this matter with Karuizawa. Also, pay attention to her state when she's alone with Hirata, whether she's particularly nervous or evasive."

"Understood!" Kushida nodded vigorously, feeling as though she had touched upon a deeper secret.

Fūki walked to the window and looked out at the deep night sky. Karuizawa Kei, this unexpected breakthrough, was proving increasingly valuable. The "past" she carried was not only a weakness he could exploit to control her, but potentially a key that could shake up the interpersonal dynamics within Class D, and even influence Hirata Yousuke, the "stabilizer." To understand a person's fear was to almost grasp their soul.

He now needed to wait more patiently, waiting for Karuizawa to reveal a greater flaw under the pressure of maintaining her facade and financial strain, or waiting for Kushida to bring more concrete information about the "insider" or "threat source." Then, he could choose to intervene at the most critical moment, not as a creditor, but as a "protector" and "confidant." What he would gain then would far exceed those three thousand points; it would be an important pawn, deeply mired in fear and yearning for shelter.