After the freshman orientation ceremony, the next few days were a break for getting acquainted with the campus and the classes. The temptation of those ten thousand points hung before the students like sweet fruit, and most of the students in Class D could barely resist the urge to spend.
Fūki Ran carefully studied the explanation of the points system on his Student Terminal. Those ten thousand Private Points really did have tremendous purchasing power. They could be used almost anywhere on campus, from the cafeteria, supermarket, and bookstore to some entertainment facilities. The system interface was simple, but Fūki noticed one detail: the class field in the personal information section showed "Class D," with no extra symbols or notes after it. He had no way of knowing whether the Student Terminals of Class A students showed the same thing.
The afternoon sun was pleasant, so Fūki decided to check out the largest supermarket on campus. He wanted to stock up on a few daily necessities, and it was also the perfect opportunity to observe his classmates' spending habits.
The supermarket's size and crowds surprised him a little. Its shelves were packed with goods, from food and drinks, stationery and books to household supplies and small appliances. It had everything, and the quality all seemed quite good. Compared with a total of ten thousand points, the prices on the tags did seem rather "cheap."
As expected, he spotted a few familiar faces near the fresh food section. Yamauchi Haruki and Kanji Ike were pushing a shopping cart nearly overflowing with snacks and drinks, excitedly comparing the prices of the latest game consoles.
"There are so many points, and we'll get more next month anyway. Of course we should buy the best!" Yamauchi picked up a bag of expensive imported snacks and tossed it into the cart without hesitation.
"Exactly! I've had my eye on these limited-edition sneakers for ages. I can't believe I can buy them with points!" Kanji Ike proudly showed off the shoebox in his hands.
Not far away, Yukimura Teruhiko was being much more cautious. His basket held only a few basic school supplies and some simple food. Watching Yamauchi and Ike, he furrowed his brow, then finally couldn't help speaking up. "I'd advise you to be a little more restrained. What if..."
"Oh, come on, Yukimura. You're overthinking it!" Yamauchi cut him off dismissively. "The teachers said we'd get points every month. What's there to worry about?"
Fūki didn't join their discussion. He simply put a bottle of water and a few basic toiletries into his basket. As he scanned the supermarket, another lone figure soon caught his attention.
Horikita Suzune.
She pushed an empty shopping cart at an unhurried pace, her gaze focused on the goods lining the shelves. Now and then, she would pick something up and carefully check its ingredients or price, weighing her options before deciding whether to put it in her cart. She mostly chose necessities of moderate quality, with no sign of luxury or impulse buying. Her habits perfectly matched her rational, disciplined nature and her reluctance to depend on outside comforts.
Pushing his cart, Fūki moved along the shelves as if at random, calculating his timing and route. Just as Horikita picked up a box of tea and was about to head to the next section, Fūki happened to cross her path. They nearly collided at the corner.
"Sorry," Fūki said first, his tone calm.
Horikita Suzune looked up. When she saw it was Fūki, a trace of surprise flickered in her purple eyes before her usual cool expression returned. "It's fine," she replied curtly, turning sideways to go around him.
"Very practical shopping." Fūki didn't move aside. His gaze fell on the few items in her cart, his tone making it hard to tell whether he was praising her or merely making an observation. "It seems you and I have a similar view of those ten thousand points."
Horikita stopped and looked at him sharply. "I simply don't need anything useless. As for the points, they're part of the school's rules. I'll use them as needed." She didn't seem interested in talking with Fūki any longer, especially about the points.
"Using them as needed is wise," Fūki said, acting as though he hadn't heard her dismissal. "But when the meaning of 'need' is blurred, and the relationship between 'reward' and 'cost' hasn't been explained, relying too heavily on what's right in front of you may cause you to overlook the rules lurking beneath the surface." He glanced pointedly at Yamauchi and Ike, who were still shopping up a storm in the distance.
Horikita was silent for a moment. She followed Fūki's gaze, a hint of contempt passing through her eyes before she looked back at him. "You always seem to enjoy saying things that sound profound but mean nothing, Fūki. The truth behind the rules has to be discovered and verified for yourself, not reached through speculation and fearmongering."
Her words were still strongly defensive, but Fūki could tell that, compared to her outright rejection of him in the hallway last time, she was at least willing to have a brief conversation now. She had even given his "speculation" a barely perceptible moment of thought.
"You're right. Experience is the best teacher." Fūki nodded readily and didn't press her further. He stepped aside and gestured for her to go ahead.
Horikita looked at him, as if trying to read something in his calm, expressionless face, but ultimately found nothing. She said no more and pushed her cart away, her back as resolute as ever.
Fūki watched her go without disappointment. He had achieved his goal in this encounter: he had planted another seed about the "rules" in her mind and made her realize he was someone who kept observing and thinking—someone like her, not one of those "mediocrities" lost in the points-fueled frenzy.
He continued shopping. In the stationery section, he came across Kushida Kikyo, who was carefully selecting notebooks.
"Oh, Fūki, what a coincidence!" Kushida greeted him with a bright smile. "Are you shopping too?"
"Yeah, just picking up a few necessities," Fūki replied. He noticed that Kushida's cart held quite a few things, but most were snacks and drinks that seemed meant for class activities or sharing with classmates, along with some stationery that offered good value for money. Her purchases clearly served a social purpose.
"It's nice, isn't it? Everyone's getting ready for their new life here," Kushida said with a smile. Then she lowered her voice slightly, sounding a little concerned. "But I've seen some people buying so much. I'm a little worried..."
She showed just the right amount of concern for her classmates, cultivating an image of kindness and helpfulness. Fūki understood what she was doing, but simply replied, "Everyone has their own choices."
As he paid and left the supermarket, Fūki saw Horikita Suzune heading toward the dorms alone, carrying a small number of shopping bags. Meanwhile, Yamauchi and Ike struggled to carry several stuffed bags, their faces showing a mix of satisfaction and exhaustion.
The contrast was stark.
Fūki understood that the initial divisions had already begun: those who spent points without restraint, cautious conservatives, rational pragmatists, and clever people like Kushida, who used points as a social tool. These different tendencies within Class D would inevitably lead to conflict at some point in the future.
All he had to do was wait patiently and give things a gentle push at the crucial moment.
Back in Dorm 129, Fūki put away his purchases. Outside the window, the setting sun gilded the campus. He took out his notebook and added some new observations:
"Point spending habits—early signs of division."
"Horikita Suzune—rational, wary, approachable."
"Potential points of conflict—resource allocation and differences in perception."
Closing his notebook, Fūki knew the peaceful days wouldn't last much longer. The real show would begin when the first month's points ran out, or when the first genuine "rule" came to light.
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