Class Collective Points

The tension of the Midterm Exams seemed to dissipate on the early-summer breeze as the bell rang for the final exam. A few days passed, and campus life gradually returned to its usual rhythm. Though students were still helping one another with their weaker subjects, the intensive tutoring sessions during lunch and after school had been greatly reduced. The air was filled with a sense of calm now that the exams were over, along with a quiet anticipation of the results—after all, everyone had a rough idea of how they'd done from comparing answers afterward.

That afternoon, Hoshinomiya Chiyo strode into the classroom for homeroom, a folder in hand and an unmistakably pleased smile on her face.

"Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting!" She spread the folder open on the teacher's desk, her voice brimming with excitement. "The Midterm Exams results are in! Are you ready for some good news?"

The atmosphere in the classroom was instantly electrified. Every gaze focused on Hoshinomiya, filled with nerves, anticipation, and excitement.

"First of all!" Hoshinomiya cleared her throat, her voice brimming with genuine joy. "I have some fantastic news to share—we all passed! Not a single student in our class has to worry about expulsion!" The moment she finished speaking, the classroom erupted in enthusiastic applause and relieved cheers.

"Next, the moment you've all been waiting for!" Hoshinomiya began reading the results, her voice full of infectious excitement.

"Kanzaki Ryuji: perfect scores in math and physics, and almost a perfect score in chemistry! As solid as a rock!"

Kanzaki gave a slight nod, his expression composed.

"Hino Yuki: a perfect score in Japanese Language! Her analysis of classical literature was especially impressive!"

Hino Yuki smiled gently.

"Tsubaki Hitomi: a perfect score in history, and the highest overall score in social studies!"

Tsubaki Hitomi pushed up her glasses, confidence shining in her eyes.

"Ichinose Honami: a perfect score in foreign language, and nearly perfect scores in Japanese Language and social studies! Our Class President really can do it all!"

Ichinose Honami smiled bashfully, her cheeks turning pink.

"Shiratori-san, Kobashi-san... everyone's scores have improved significantly! The class average is almost ten points higher than it was on the last exam! That's all thanks to everyone's hard work, especially the selfless dedication of our student tutors!"

At this, Hoshinomiya turned toward Shibata Hayato with an approving look. "Shibata Hayato! Your physics score has improved tremendously! You scored a full twenty points higher than you did on the last quiz, and you passed with room to spare! I've seen how hard you've worked and how determined you've been. Great job! Keep it up!" She gave him a thumbs-up.

When Shibata Hayato heard that he'd not only passed but had also been singled out for his impressive improvement, a bright, slightly goofy smile spread across his face. He nodded excitedly again and again, looking toward Shimiya Kuki with gratitude. His classmates turned to him with encouraging, approving looks.

Finally, Hoshinomiya's gaze landed on the seat by the window, and her voice filled with undisguised amazement. "And then there's our class's 'rock-solid anchor'—Shimiya Kuki..."

"Perfect scores in math, physics, chemistry, and biology!... And English, too! Perfect scores in all five subjects! His average is in a league of its own! Kuki, did you swallow the textbooks or something?" Hoshinomiya smiled at Shimiya, her eyes full of curiosity.

Every student in the class turned to look at Shimiya Kuki. He remained as calm as ever, as if getting perfect scores in five subjects were as natural as breathing. At Hoshinomiya's comment, he merely raised his eyes a little, offering no response. His excessive calm had already dulled his classmates' amazement to near indifference.

"All right!" Hoshinomiya closed the folder with a satisfied smile. "Your detailed results and rankings will be sent to your terminals shortly. You all did wonderfully on this exam! I'm proud of you! Keep it up, and our island vacation will be just around the corner!" She waved a little fist in an encouraging gesture.

"Yes! Thank you, Sensei!" the whole class replied in unison, the atmosphere lively and relaxed.

Hoshinomiya went over a few more points about the upcoming vacation, then left the classroom humming a tune.

As soon as their homeroom teacher was gone, excited chatter filled the classroom. The students compared scores and shared their happiness. Several of Shibata Hayato's friends gathered around to congratulate him on his impressive improvement.

Just then, Ichinose Honami walked up to the front of the classroom and clapped her hands softly to get everyone's attention. She wore a warm but utterly serious smile.

"Everyone, could you quiet down for a moment? I have an important proposal about the future of our class that I'd like to discuss with you."

The classroom gradually fell quiet, and everyone's attention turned to their beloved Class President once more.

"First of all, congratulations again on getting the results you wanted on this exam! It proves that all our hard work and mutual support have been effective." Ichinose's voice was clear and gentle. "But do you remember what Hoshinomiya-sensei emphasized at the start of the school year? At a highly competitive school like this, Class Points (CP)* are the foundation of our survival and progress. They directly affect each of our Personal Points (PP) allowances, our class's living conditions, and even whether we move up or down a class."

Her tone grew more solemn. "Class B currently has plenty of Class Points, which gives us a substantial amount of Personal Points every month. However, no one can guarantee that we won't face setbacks in the future. What if we do poorly on a Special Exam, or something unexpected happens, and our Class Points are wiped out...?"

She paused, letting the impact of the words sink in. The students' expressions turned serious.

"Just think about it. If our Class Points were reduced to zero, none of us would receive a single Personal Point next month! Without Points, we'd barely be able to get by on the Shopping Street. Even basic necessities for living and studying could become a problem, let alone dealing with emergencies." Ichinose's gaze swept over the class, filled with deep concern and a sense of responsibility for their future. "Much of Class D's current predicament comes from the vicious cycle that began when their Points were wiped out. We must never follow in their footsteps!"

"To prevent anything that extreme from happening, and to give us a buffer if we ever run into trouble so we don't suddenly find ourselves in a desperate situation, I have a proposal—" She raised her voice and spoke clearly. "I'd like every one of us to set aside a quarter of the Personal Points we receive each month and save them as Class Collective Points!"

A low murmur rippled through the classroom. Setting aside Personal Points—and starting this very month—was undeniably a proposal that called for careful consideration.

Ichinose continued, "I'll use my Student Terminal to store and manage these Points." She held up her terminal to show them. "I'll keep detailed records of all income and expenses, and the accounts will be completely open and transparent! Anyone can check the balance and transaction history at any time, either through the class group chat or by asking me directly! This money will be used solely as an emergency Reserve Fund for the class. We'll only use it if our Class Points are at risk of being wiped out or have already been reduced to zero, and we need an emergency injection of funds to keep things running and prevent disruption to everyone's daily lives. Even then, we'll only use it if the entire class discusses and agrees to it! Under normal circumstances, we won't touch a single Point!"

Her words were heartfelt and far-sighted, and she clearly explained how the plan would work and how it would remain transparent. "We have plenty of Class Points right now, and our Personal Points are relatively plentiful, too. Setting aside a quarter will mean having a little less spending money, but the effect on our lives will be manageable. Yet this Reserve Fund, built up bit by bit, could be what keeps our class afloat and protects everyone's basic needs if we ever weather a storm. It's a safety net we can build together for Class B and for each of our futures. What do you think?"

The night before, in Shimiya Kuki's dorm room

In the warm lamplight, Shimiya Kuki and Ichinose Honami sat across from each other, having dinner.

Shimiya ate quietly, then suddenly spoke, his voice as flat as if he were stating a formula. "Ichinose."

"Hmm? What is it, Kuki-kun?" Ichinose looked up at him, her bright eyes meeting his.

"Our Class Points are still plentiful, but there's no guarantee they won't be wiped out," Shimiya said, picking up a piece of vegetable without a hint of emotion. "If that happens, we'll need a buffer."

Ichinose put down her chopsticks, her attention fixed on him. "A buffer? You mean... a Reserve Fund?"

"Yeah." Shimiya nodded. "A fixed percentage from each person every month, kept by you. You're the most suitable person to hold it. We'd only use it if our Class Points were wiped out or on the verge of being wiped out. It could help keep everyone calm."

Ichinose's eyes widened slightly as she immediately understood its strategic significance. She thought of Class D's desperate situation after its Points had been wiped out, and of the cruelty of the Special Exams to come.

"That's right! We can't let our comfortable lives right now make us complacent." A determined light sparked in her eyes, and her fists clenched unconsciously. "It really is better to be prepared! It's like buying insurance for the class! We build up a Reserve Fund while we have plenty of Points, so we can weather whatever hardships may come. Kuki-kun, you've thought of everything! I'll tell everyone about this proposal at tomorrow's homeroom and convince them to go along with it!"

Shimiya gave a quiet "Mm" and continued eating.

His conversations with Hoshinomiya-sensei had revealed the price of having an expulsion order revoked: Twenty Million Personal Points, an astronomical sum. Even he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could raise that much by himself in the time available. On the surface, the Reserve Fund plan was meant to guard against the risk of the class's Points being wiped out. On a deeper level, it was also a way to plant the seed of collective strength in advance, in case they ever faced an extreme situation that required paying that "exorbitant price." Pooling their resources bit by bit was the safest guarantee.

Back in the present

Standing at the front of the classroom, Ichinose expressed the essence of Shimiya's suggestion from the night before—the need to guard against the risk of the class's Points being wiped out—in clearer, more persuasive terms. She also emphasized that she wanted to put the plan into effect immediately, with the funds reserved exclusively for emergencies, stored on her terminal, and recorded in accounts that would be completely transparent and available for anyone to check at any time.

"Class President Ichinose has really thought this through!" Kanzaki Ryuji was the first to speak, his expression composed and approving. "Preparing for the unexpected is absolutely the right strategy. Giving up a quarter of our Personal Points in exchange for the entire class's survival in an extreme situation is well worth it. And the open, transparent accounts put us at ease, too. I fully support this decision."

"I support it, too! I'm all for it!" Shibata Hayato immediately raised his hand. "We can trust the Class President with our money completely! I'm happy to contribute!"

"Exactly. It's important to be prepared, and everyone can monitor the open, transparent accounts, so there's no reason to object!" Hino Yuki agreed, her voice gentle but firm.

"I support the Class President! I trust Ichinose, too!" Tsubaki Hitomi added.

"Agreed! Let's start now!"

"There's no one better than Honami to hold onto it! Let's do it!"

Soon, voices of agreement rose from all around the classroom. Shimiya's risk-management proposal, delivered by Ichinose with a strong sense of responsibility and a clear commitment to transparency, won the understanding and trust of every student in the class, especially after she made it clear they would put it into effect immediately.

"Then thank you all so much for your understanding, trust, and support!" Ichinose bowed deeply, her face lighting up with a relieved yet confident smile. "From now on, we'll officially launch the Class Collective Points Reserve Fund plan! I'll post detailed transfer instructions and information on how to check the accounts in the class group chat shortly. Please make sure to follow the instructions. I'll protect these funds, and everyone can review the accounts at any time! Let's work together to protect our Class B!"

"All right!" Enthusiastic applause and cheers filled the classroom. A shared awareness of risk, built on transparency and trust, and a sense of responsibility for their common future took root in the students' hearts.

After homeroom ended, the students gradually left the classroom, pleased with their results and supportive of the new plan. Outside, the early-summer sunlight warmed the fresh leaves of the camphor trees, making them glow brightly. With the Midterm Exams results announced and the class's Reserve Fund plan settled, a busy and demanding May was quietly drawing to a close in the warm sunshine, a symbol of growth, trust, and hope. The first cicadas had begun to sing, heralding the approach of summer vacation. Class B had already forged a solid, transparent ballast for the uncharted voyage ahead.