Reasons

"Did you hear... the conversation just now?" Horikita demanded of Ayanokoji.

"What conversation? I knew you were talking about something outside, but I couldn't hear it very clearly. The walls are surprisingly thick."

"That's not true. You can hear everything in this room clearly from the kitchenette." Chabashira-sensei knocked on the wall, producing a hollow sound and exposing Ayanokoji's excuse. Konoe heard her and held back a laugh.

Chabashira then showed Horikita Ayanokoji's entrance exam results.

Fifty in every subject. Horikita was astonished.

"Coincidences can be scary," Ayanokoji tried to explain.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Chabashira pressed him.

Having achieved her goal, Chabashira exchanged a few more words with them, then ushered them both out of the Guidance Room.

After locking the door, Chabashira returned to the kitchenette. At the sound of the lock, Konoe tensed up.

"There's no need to lock the door, is there? I may not look it, but I'm a teenage boy in the prime of my life." When Chabashira came back into the kitchenette, Konoe scooted farther into his seat.

"Oh? But you seem to be backing away. What's there for a boy like you to be afraid of?" Chabashira's smile turned playful as she moved closer to Konoe. "Enough joking around. Konoe, what do you think?"

"I think I'll sit here and watch. What do you mean, 'what do I think'...?"

"I understand what you're getting at, and I have a pretty good idea what kind of person you are. But since you shared the information with Hirata and the others, you must have some thoughts about getting your class promoted, right?"

"Not at all. I just want to have more points."

"That doesn't contradict anything. If the class earns more Class Points, you get more points too, don't you?"

"No thanks. I can just earn more personal points on my own from now on. That's easier, isn't it, Chabashira-sensei?"

"...Speaking of which, I looked at your entrance exam, Konoe. You didn't score as highly as Horikita, but you left the last questions blank in almost every subject. It was as if you'd decided you'd done enough partway through. If it weren't for this Mini-test, I might have thought your academic ability was only mediocre."

"That was just a coincidence. It's normal to get stuck on the questions at the end. The Mini-test was easy. I'd just happened to have seen similar questions to the last three before."

"Another coincidence? Konoe Hirakawa, you don't have any reason not to act, do you? You gave Hirata the information because you wanted him to protect the class's points, didn't you?"

"...But he didn't succeed, Chabashira-sensei. I'm a student who really hates trouble, so no matter what you say, I'm not going to act."

"Fifty thousand."

"...What?"

"If you can handle the next assessment—that is, get everyone to pass the Midterm Exam—I'll personally pay you fifty thousand points."

Was this really happening? Konoe couldn't believe it.

"They only gave us 11,000 points this month, right? I don't know what you want to do with your points, but isn't that why you'd act? I'll pay you personally."

"Sorry, Chabashira-sensei, but this isn't about the points. It's..."

"Eighty thousand."

"...I appreciate that you think so highly of me, but I don't think..."

"One hundred thousand. Refuse me again, and I'll kick you out."

"Deal."

"Heh." Chabashira's cold laugh made Konoe feel a little awkward.

"I'm curious. How many points do you have left?" Chabashira asked.

"This is personal, but I'll make an exception and tell you—for just five thousand points."

"No need. I have a way of checking."

"Wait. Two thousand points. Doesn't your source come at a price?"

"Hmph..." Chabashira transferred two thousand points to Konoe, then discovered he had a staggering 150,000 points.

"...I underestimated you."

"Heh heh. Chabashira-sensei, don't think you can make me use my points to help the class. If the class ever gets into a situation where it absolutely needs my points, I'll sell out the class without hesitation. Of course, I couldn't betray the class just for points, either." To be on the safe side, Konoe put on a threatening act.

"...Your paltry sum doesn't interest me. We have a meeting now."

As Konoe was unlocking the Guidance Room door from the inside, Chabashira-sensei's voice came from behind him:

"Konoe Hirakawa, if you keep giving up halfway and never put in your full effort, then by the time you really want to try, it may already be too late."

That was pretty funny, Konoe decided silently, then left.

He'd barely gone a few steps down the hall when he saw Ayanokoji.

"Hey. You okay?" Ayanokoji seemed to be trying hard to act friendly.

"Where's Horikita?"

"Don't worry, she doesn't know. If anything, it seems I've been forcibly made her subordinate."

Isn't that the other way around? Konoe glanced up at Ayanokoji's expressionless face. Apparently, he thought he was hilarious.

"What are you going to do now? You talked with Chabashira-sensei for so long. What did she say?" Ayanokoji asked casually.

"I still don't really want to take the initiative, but Chabashira prom— Anyway, from now on I'll do what I can when it's convenient." Ayanokoji noticed Konoe making a strange face. Thinking of Konoe's appearance, a possibility occurred to him.

"...When Horikita and I left, Chabashira-sensei locked the door... You..."

Ayanokoji trailed off.

"What are you thinking? There's no way. Besides, as a guy, I should..." Konoe paused. He wasn't even sure he could overpower Chabashira, and once again, he felt dejected about his physical weakness.

"Anyway, what do you plan to do?" Konoe asked curiously.

"...Things are fine as they are, aren't they? Let's leave it at that," Ayanokoji replied.

Looks like Ayanokoji still didn't want to take direct action. He seemed to care very little about points and the like.

"I'm getting a little hungry. I haven't had Extremely Spicy Beef Curry Rice in ages. Want to go?"

"I think eel suits me better today. Let's go."

"...One more little thing. I accidentally offended Horikita earlier. If you have any instructions from her... Ahem, I mean, if she has any instructions for you, could you bring me along when you meet her? I'd like to patch things up."

"I don't mind, but what did you do?"

"Don't ask. I'll treat you to eel."

Ayanokoji gave Konoe an admiring glance, then said nothing as the two of them headed to the dining hall.