Delayed Points

Sakura Airi took a deep breath. In her clear blue eyes shone a look of resolve unlike any she had ever shown before, mingled with dependence, gratitude, and shyness.

"Um... Natsukawa-kun..." She summoned every ounce of courage she had, her voice still soft, but each word perfectly clear. "I... I was wondering... could I... could I call you by your first name from now on?"

She paused, as if afraid he might refuse, then hurriedly added, "Could I call you... Sosuke-kun?"

"In exchange," she said, her little face bright red, yet stubbornly holding his gaze, "please call me by my first name, too."

The name "Natsukawa-kun" could no longer hold all the feelings in her heart. She wanted to be a little closer to him, even if only by a little.

Natsukawa Sosuke looked into her eyes, filled with nervousness and anticipation. A hint of almost imperceptible warmth appeared in his calm gaze, and he nodded.

"Sure, Sakura."

"...!"

The gentle response she had imagined never came. Sakura Airi froze, then felt a rush of aggrieved embarrassment and frustration well up inside her. The courage she had just mustered was doused like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her.

She glared at him, cheeks red as ripe apples with embarrassment and frustration. A little moisture even welled up in her blue eyes again, as if accusing him of going back on his word.

Seeing this lively, animated expression she had never shown in front of anyone else, Natsukawa Sosuke finally let the faintest smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

He corrected himself. "All right, Airi."

Those two words were like the gentlest spring breeze, instantly sweeping away every last cloud in Sakura's—or rather, Airi's—heart.

Her face flushed even redder in an instant. The embarrassment and frustration vanished, replaced by overflowing joy. Without hesitation, she reached out with a little bounce in her step and wrapped both arms tightly around Natsukawa's, leaning her whole body against him as if declaring her claim to the world.

"Mm!"

Standing nearby and watching the whole scene unfold, Ichinose Honami finally couldn't take it anymore.

Of course she was happy for Airi. Seeing her open up so completely, even taking the initiative, was practically miraculous growth. But... what was with this sickeningly sweet atmosphere these two were creating as if no one else were around?! (I was here first.jpg)

"Ahem!" Ichinose deliberately cleared her throat, wearing a bright, energetic smile tinged with helplessness as she forced herself between them. "Um—I'm not trying to interrupt you! But if we don't go to the cafeteria soon, they might really run out of today's limited-edition dessert!"

Her tone was as cheerful as ever, but for some reason, it seemed just a tiny bit sour.

At her reminder, Airi came to her senses as if waking from a dream and let go as though she'd been shocked. A blush still lingered on her face.

Natsukawa simply withdrew his arm and turned to Ichinose. "Let's go. Lunch is on me today."

"Really? That's great!"

The sun was shining, and the breeze was gentle. The three of them walked side by side toward the cafeteria. This time, Airi didn't trail half a step behind. Instead, she walked close beside Sosuke, still a little shy.

July 1.

As the new month arrived with the morning sunlight, barely contained excitement and anticipation quietly spread through Class D like water released by the thawing spring.

After enduring the hellish months of May and June, the students of Class D were more eagerly awaiting "points distribution day" than ever before. Their comeback in the midterm exams, combined with the entire class's relatively restrained behavior over the past month, convinced everyone that the points arriving on their Personal Terminals this time would no longer be the humiliating zero.

"Hey, have they come in yet?"

"They should be soon, right? Didn't they say eight in the morning on the first of every month?"

"Man, I've been scrimping and saving all month. I even stuck to the cheapest bread for lunch, all for today!"

Led by Kanji Ike and Haruki Yamauchi, a group of boys had been restless ever since they entered the classroom that morning. Nearly every thirty seconds, they unlocked their Personal Terminals and refreshed the balance screen that represented their lifeline, full of hope—as though their willpower could make those cold numbers change a second sooner.

Even students who usually paid little attention to what was happening around them couldn't help focusing on their phones. After all, at this school, points were everything. They were not only essential for survival, but also the only acknowledgment of their efforts over the past month.

Yet time ticked by, second by second.

The chime marking eight o'clock rang out, clear and punctual over the school's broadcast system.

The air in the classroom seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath and pressed the refresh button one last time with trembling fingers.

The numbers on their screens were still unchanged.

"...What's going on?"

"Is the system delayed?"

After a brief silence, their initial anticipation quickly turned to confusion and anxiety. The excitement that had filled the room was doused like a bucket of cold water, leaving only murmurs and uneasy commotion.

"Creak—"

The classroom door opened, and Chabashira Sae walked in on her high heels, wearing her usual icy expression. Her gaze swept over the students' anxious, questioning faces like a scanner.

"Stand. Bow."

At Hirata Yosuke's command, they went through the usual pre-homeroom formalities in orderly fashion. But no one's mind was on them.

Just as Chabashira Sae was about to announce the end of homeroom, someone finally lost patience.

"Um... Chabashira-sensei!"

Kanji Ike shot to his feet, his voice brimming with impatience. "It's the first today, isn't it? Then why... why haven't our points been deposited yet?!"

His question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up the whole class. Every gaze in the room focused on Chabashira Sae at the front.

Chabashira Sae glanced at him, her expression utterly unchanged, as if she had anticipated the question.

"The school has just issued a notice about that."

She paused, seeming to enjoy the sight of the students anxiously waiting below.

"Due to a minor dispute during this month's settlement process, the points for all first-year students will be delayed. Unless something unexpected happens, they'll be deposited into your accounts no later than two days from now."

A dispute?

The vague term set the students of Class D buzzing at once.

"You've got to be kidding! Two days? I don't even have enough points for dinner tonight!"

"Seriously! What kind of dispute? Did something go wrong with the school's system?"

"Will the school compensate us?"

No matter how much commotion stirred below, Chabashira Sae's expression didn't change.

"That's the school's decision. Once the matter is resolved, the points will be distributed as usual... assuming there are still any points by then."

After saying that, Chabashira Sae turned and left.

The dismissal bell rang in the afternoon, and the students packed their bags sluggishly, as if all their strength had been drained away.

Just then, Chabashira Sae's hard voice rang out over the noisy classroom again.

"Sudo, come to my office."

Ken Sudō, who had been getting ready to head straight to the gym, stiffened.

"Huh? Why me? I've got practice with the Basketball Club later!"

Basketball mattered far more to him than dealing with his gloomy homeroom teacher.

Chabashira Sae stood at the door without even turning her head. She merely glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"I've already spoken to the Basketball Club's faculty advisor about this."

"Whether you come to my office or not is up to you."

With that, she turned and walked away. The clack-clack of her heels against the floor faded at the end of the corridor.

Ken Sudō looked displeased, but in the end, he still stormed out of the classroom, grumbling and clearly unwilling to follow her.

Most of the students in the classroom merely shot him a curious glance before going back to what they were doing. Some even began whispering unkind things about him.

Only a few of them sensed something out of the ordinary in what seemed like an everyday scene.