"Hey, Tennoji, where are you taking me?"
The day after the Class C KTV gathering, Tennoji Kaede invited Ibuki Mio to go somewhere, claiming he needed help from a team member.
Ibuki's tone was unfriendly. "I'm warning you, I'm going to tell Hiyori everything that happens between us today."
Tennoji Kaede looked helpless. "You're overthinking it. I asked you here today to talk about the Class C Midterm Exam. And why would you tell Hiyori?"
"Hmph! There are only three of us in the Tennoji Team now. Who could miss that lecherous look in your eyes?" Ibuki's words were sharp and merciless.
Heaven help him, Tennoji Kaede really was a decent guy. And what was wrong with taking a few extra glances at a girl he liked?
That only strengthened Kaede's resolve to sell Ibuki out later!
"Say whatever you want. We're going to the Boxing Club now. Let's go."
Ibuki Mio was confused. "The club? What's the point of that? We should go back and do another practice test instead. I think the topics Hiyori picked out are a good fit."
Those were beginner questions she'd deliberately picked out to accommodate you...
Tennoji Kaede couldn't help laughing at Ibuki's confidence. She'd been getting a little too cocky lately; sooner or later, she'd face the consequences.
"Senior, it's been a while." Tennoji Kaede greeted him politely.
He and Ibuki had arrived at the Boxing Club, where they ran into the second-year Class B senior who had "volunteered" to give Tennoji Kaede money last time.
"Tennoji, you haven't been showing up at the club much lately."
"I came today to make a major contribution to the club!" Tennoji Kaede replied, his meaning clear.
"Oh?" The second-year senior glanced at Ibuki, who was looking around beside Kaede, and seemed to understand. "Got it. Does your friend look like she's trained before?"
Ibuki casually chimed in, "Hey, this is the Boxing Club? Our school sure has a lot of weird clubs."
"Senior, this is my classmate, Ibuki Mio. She's pretty good at kicking, so I brought her by to check out the club."
After Tennoji Kaede finished speaking, he gestured for Ibuki to stay quiet, then gave the senior a meaningful look. The senior understood, and the two of them went to a secluded corner of the club.
Tennoji Kaede lowered his voice. "Do me a favor, Senior, and I'll get Ibuki to join the club. I guarantee she'll be a huge boost to the Boxing Club!"
"You really don't show up without a reason, do you? Tell me what you want me to do... But let me make this clear: if it's too much trouble, I'll have to charge you some points."
Tennoji Kaede rolled his eyes. The senior was still fixated on the measly 90,000 points he'd lost to him...
He grumbled to himself, but immediately made a promise. "Of course. That's how the school rules work... I'd like you to get me the past papers for the entrance exams, Midterm Exams, and final exams from the first two years."
"With your connections, Senior, getting this little thing for your junior shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"...Don't try to fool me. You know quite a lot." The second-year senior laughed, then grew thoughtful. "It really isn't hard, but no one in our Class B kept their papers. It's mostly those broke guys in Class D who do this sort of little business..."
The senior thought it over carefully, while Tennoji Kaede waited patiently.
In the original story, it was possible to buy similar past exam papers from students in Third Year Class D.
So getting them from a second-year Class B senior shouldn't be too difficult either.
At last, the senior made up his mind. "How about this, Tennoji? Have your underclasswoman join the club later, then give me 5,000 Private Points. There's someone in our class who's pretty well-regarded by Nagumo. I can get what you want from him."
It was settled. Tennoji Kaede nodded to himself. "You're too modest, Senior. I'll transfer you 10,000... The person you're looking for is probably Kiriyama Seiyo from Class B, right? He's pretty well-known among the second years. I've heard of him."
"Haha, you're really something, Junior. You know quite a bit about the second years... I am going to see that Kiriyama guy. He's always been the type to show off his own value." The senior spoke bitterly.
The senior seemed to have a problem with his classmate Kiriyama Seiyo. Tennoji Kaede seized the opportunity to press him for more.
"Sounds like there's some misunderstanding between you and Kiriyama, Senior. I heard the second years are more united than ever under Miyabi Nagumo's leadership... And Kiriyama is one of the most well-known people under him, isn't he?"
Tennoji Kaede feigned curiosity. The senior realized he'd accidentally let his resentment slip, so he simply continued ranting about Kiriyama.
"Whatever. We don't have a chance anymore anyway, so I'll just say what I think. Don't tell anyone, Junior." Tennoji Kaede immediately nodded.
"You know that among the second years, anyone who isn't in Miyabi Nagumo's class or under him has no chance of getting promoted to Class A anymore."
"Our Class B used to be Class A, but now Nagumo's class has not only overtaken us, our Class Points are way behind too. Every month, a huge chunk of our Private Points gets taken away."
Thinking about it made the senior grit his teeth.
"...But that Kiriyama guy went to the Third Year Student Council President first to show off his value, and now he's groveling to Nagumo. Everyone's seen it, and we all think the way he's been acting is disgusting!"
"A lot of people in our class even suspect that we lost that crucial match against Class B because Kiriyama betrayed us early on. And now he thinks he can dream of getting promoted to Class A all by himself? Hmph! Shameless. I bet Miyabi Nagumo will use him up and toss him aside before long!"
The senior grew more and more furious as he spoke. Tennoji Kaede listened attentively, occasionally murmuring agreement, as if he himself were a member of second-year Class B.
"Things really are rough for the second years. Anyway, thanks for your help, Senior."
Tennoji Kaede immediately transferred him 15,000 Private Points.
"Junior, you..."
"Don't ask, Senior. Buy yourself some extra things you like this month. It's just a little token of my appreciation."
And so, Tennoji Kaede gave back some of the 90,000 points he'd earned from the second-year senior.
The senior was deeply moved. He'd completely forgotten that he'd lost even more points to Kaede, and instead felt that Tennoji was someone worth befriending.
After all, how could the points he'd lost to someone else count as his own?
That 15,000 was all money he'd worked hard to earn back!
After their conversation, Ibuki reluctantly agreed to join the Boxing Club under Tennoji Kaede's coercion and cajoling.
"Take care, Junior! Be careful, that equipment is pretty heavy!"
Outside the club, the senior, convinced he'd made a killing today, called out to them warmly.
Inside the equipment room, Ibuki Mio wore a sour expression that had yet to fade. She grumbled, "Damn you, Tennoji! You brought me here just to use me as a bargaining chip and sell me off!?"
"How can you put it like that?" Kaede set down a boxing glove and turned to her. "I really do think boxing suits you... Your upper body really needs some work!"
Ibuki Mio: "Hmph! No, wait... What exactly did you mean by what you just said?"
"Click!"
As if Ibuki's shout had startled someone, the equipment room door suddenly slammed shut. It looked like they were about to get locked in.
Tennoji Kaede: ?
Holy shit!!!
Ibuki!!
The door!
Before you continue