In Classroom of the Elite, My Love Stock Market Only Wants a Full Position

Kushida Kikyo looks just like Ichinose, a kind girl who gently looks out for her class.

A little angel?

The term suddenly popped into Hashiba Hikaru's mind. Her initial stock value was the same as Ichinose's, which couldn't help but make the boy draw that association.

That was why he became increasingly interested in the short-haired girl before him. If she really was easy to get along with, there was nothing wrong with being friends with her, and he could even farm some favorability to earn points.

"Um, is Honami-chan done with her questions?" Kushida Kikyo's gaze fell on Hashiba to the side, and she said with a smile, "Did Hashiba-kun come along today because you have questions to ask as well?"

"?"

The boy looked up, meeting Kushida's smiling expression directly, feeling a bit surprised inside.

This person is quite sharp.

"Yes, I do have some questions I'd like to ask. After all, just like Kushida-san, I'm an assistant-type character who supports the class leader, so I'm sure we'll have plenty to talk about."

"Is that so?"

Kushida nodded slightly, her expression becoming intrigued. "Then please go ahead, Hashiba-kun. If I can be of any help, I'll tell you everything I know."

Chapter 39: What Kind of Horikita Stan

After Kushida finished that sentence, Hashiba Hikaru didn't hesitate for a second and took the bait immediately.

"It's simple. Actually, sometimes when I encounter problems within the class, I feel like I can't quite gauge the right approach," the boy said, a look of distress appearing on his face. "My starting point is clearly to help everyone, but sometimes it ends up being counterproductive."

"When you run into problems like this, Kushida-san, what do you think I should do?"

"Hmm, if Hashiba-kun's starting point is to help the class, I think whatever you do is a good thing," Kushida said, her delicate brows furrowing slightly with a serious expression. "But when helping everyone, you have to be careful with your methods so you don't put pressure on them."

"Yeah, that's what I think too. I'm afraid of doing more harm than good with my good intentions, so sometimes I don't dare to help."

"It's okay. Hashiba-kun could actually try talking to the students properly before helping them. You must deeply understand what's on everyone's mind before you take action; that way, you won't be counterproductive, and everyone will be grateful to you."

Kushida Kikyo smiled and added, "No wonder I heard everyone saying that the students in Class B are so united. It turns out it's because you and Honami-chan are constantly working hard. Even if you're struggling yourselves, you still help the class. You two are even more amazing than I am."

"Not at all."

Ichinose Honami felt a bit embarrassed. She glanced at Hashiba Hikaru's eyes and continued speaking to Kushida Kikyo, "Actually, I'm a bit curious. How does Hirata-kun usually lead Class D? Is he a very gentle student like Kushida-san?"

"Of course. Hirata-kun's personality is very reliable, and both the boys and girls trust him." Kushida thought for a moment, her tone dropping as she whispered, "Precisely because he's so reliable, many girls in our class like him."

"But it seems he has already accepted Karuizawa-san's confession, and the two of them are dating."

"What!?"

Hearing this, Ichinose Honami's expression shifted, and she said in complete shock, "They're already dating so soon?"

"Hehehe, don't tell anyone I'm a blabbermouth, but a lot of people know about this," Kushida made a shy expression. "Karuizawa-san sometimes even walks arm-in-arm with Hirata-kun when they go shopping; she doesn't intend to hide it at all."

"I see."

Hashiba Hikaru nodded and continued to Kushida Kikyo, "If that's the case, this Hirata-kun must have a lot of authority in the class. Even dating wouldn't affect the girls' trust in him."

"That's right, after all, Hirata-kun is very handsome!"

At this point, Kushida looked at Hashiba Hikaru's face again, saying with a pointed tone, "Hashiba-kun is also very handsome. Aren't there any girls in Class B who have confessed to you?"

As soon as these words left her mouth, the expressions of the two people opposite her changed instantly. Hashiba was surprised that she would ask such a thing, while Ichinose Honami's face darkened, and the smile on her lips vanished on the spot.

"Well, I haven't received any confessions from girls for the time being," Hashiba Hikaru said with a smile, glancing at Ichinose, whose expression was off. "And I think I should prioritize my studies right now. As for dating or anything like that, I haven't really thought about it."

"Kushida-san, don't ask things like that," Ichinose said, her smile strained as she picked up where Hashiba left off. "Hashiba-kun is always trying to find ways to help the class, so I doubt he's even thought about dating."

"Alright, sorry, sorry. My mistake, please don't take it to heart, Hashiba-kun."

Kushida Kikyo apologized immediately, but with her keen observation skills, she naturally noticed that after she said that, Ichinose Honami's expression had become quite strange—it was too obvious.

Heh, Honami-chan really is very concerned about Hashiba-kun.

"It's fine, that's not a big problem at all. Kushida-san doesn't need to apologize. After all, we came to ask for your advice today; we should be the ones thanking you."

Hashiba Hikaru began to speak with natural, polished social grace. "Let me treat you to a meal later, Kushida-san. Consider it a thank you for being someone we can confide in."

"Eh? I only told you a little bit about the class situation; I haven't really done anything that important," Kushida appeared flattered and waved her hands, trying to refuse.

"Oh, come on, Kushida-san, just say yes. I feel a bit bad for calling you out so early today." Ichinose Honami quickly glanced at Hashiba's expression, knowing the boy still wanted to probe for more information about Class D, so she cooperated and continued to persuade Kushida.

"Is it possible that Kushida-san has an urgent appointment today? If that's the case, then it can't be helped."

"Hmm... I don't actually."

The girl with short golden hair looked a bit conflicted, but seeing the firm attitude of the two people opposite her, she finally nodded in agreement.

"Great! I wonder if there's anything Kushida-san likes to eat? My treat, so feel free to order whatever you want."

Seeing her agree, Hashiba Hikaru seemed quite happy. He intended to continue observing this little angel who shared a similar personality to Ichinose to see what kind of person she really was.

"I don't have anything I particularly like. I'll leave it to Hashiba-kun to decide; anything is fine with me."

"Alright then, let's go to that popular family restaurant. Their food is quite good."

Hashiba Hikaru remembered the place they went to during the first liaison meeting. The students of Class B liked it a lot; one could say the reviews were glowing.

"That works for me."

Kushida nodded in agreement.

Afterward, Ichinose Honami beckoned Hashiba Hikaru, who was standing nearby, to join them. Since their goal for the day was to gather intelligence, she prepared to stroll around Keyaki Mall with Kushida Kikyo.

In any case, it was still early, and there was still some time before lunch; it was a mutual consensus between the two of them to chat with Kushida more.

Just as the group was moving along the street, Hashiba Hikaru secretly used the system to purchase a [Stock Analyzer]. He intended to see what exactly was going on with Kushida Kikyo's stock.

[Stock Analyzer used.]

[Kushida Kikyo Stock]

[Stock Information: A beautiful girl with a cute appearance, the mood maker of her class, has a wide circle of friends, can quickly become familiar with strangers, possesses an unknown side, and has an extremely aggressive part to her personality.]

[Stock Price Increase Suggestion: Establish a relationship of trust, help her hide her past, and get Horikita Suzune expelled.]

[Stock Price Decrease Risk: Having contact with Horikita Suzune, becoming a companion or friend of Horikita Suzune.]

"Huh???"

After reading these analyses, Hashiba Hikaru was instantly filled with question marks.

What kind of ultimate Horikita Suzune stan is this person? Both the stock price increase and decrease are related to her, right?

Wait, isn't this Horikita Suzune a stock that the system already launched?

Could it be that she is also in Class D?

This is truly incredible information.

Chapter 40: Love Topics

On Saturday, Hashiba Hikaru and Ichinose Honami spent a very pleasant morning with Kushida Kikyo at Keyaki Mall. All three were the talkative type, so there were no awkward silences at all.

The boy often cooperated quite well by adding comments during the girls' conversation. Although Ichinose Honami had only just met Kushida, the two of them acted as if they were extremely familiar with each other.

Coupled with the fact that Ichinose had some knowledge of almost all the topics young people liked, she chatted very happily with the short-haired girl. Since the other party had agreed to come and meet her early in the morning, it was clear that she also had the intention of making friends, so the atmosphere remained quite good.

When it reached noon, the three of them went to a pre-booked family restaurant for lunch. Hashiba Hikaru followed the old rule of letting the ladies order first.

And once the waiter took the recorded menu to the kitchen to have the food prepared, the three of them started chatting again.

"Has anything interesting happened in Kushida-san's class lately?" Hashiba Hikaru held a clean glass in his hand, preparing to pour himself some tea. "Can you share it with us?"

"Interesting things?" Kushida touched her chin, putting on a thoughtful look, appearing a bit troubled. "It doesn't seem like it. Everyone is busy with their own things; nothing very special has happened."

"Is that so?"

Ichinose Honami's beautiful eyes blinked, her tone revealing a hint of curiosity. "I'm actually quite curious about the Hirata-san you mentioned earlier. Since he has a girlfriend, does he show intimacy with that Karuizawa-san in the classroom?"

"Not at all," a smile appeared on Kushida's face. "Although they are indeed dating, most of the time they only act together after school. They wouldn't show it at all while in class."

"And because Hirata-san has a considerate personality, even though he already has a girlfriend, he still maintains a gentle attitude toward other girls. I heard that makes Karuizawa-san a bit jealous."

"So that's how it is?"

A look of surprise appeared on Ichinose Honami's face. Of course, she wasn't curious about the romance of a stranger, but rather wanted to probe what kind of person this Hirata-san, who was chosen as the leader of Class D, really was.

"If little Honami were to fall in love in the future, would you allow your boyfriend to be just as gentle with other girls?"

Kushida asked this with a smile, staring into the other's eyes. She hadn't given up on probing the girl's heart yet.

"Eh, me?"

Hearing this sudden question, Ichinose Honami's gaze involuntarily drifted toward Hashiba Hikaru, who was sitting nearby, only to see the boy looking over calmly with a normal expression.

Seeing his completely indifferent appearance, a faint sense of disappointment couldn't help but arise in the girl's heart, but she still kept a soft smile on her face as she replied to Kushida: "If that were really the case, I think I would be very angry too."

"Right? I think so too."

Kushida Kikyo nodded quickly, agreeing with this answer. Although she had no intention of falling in love right now, there had been quite a few people confessing to her in the few days since school started.

Kushida felt that falling in love would seriously affect her image in the eyes of her classmates. She would rather be the kind of good friend to whom everyone could pour out their hearts; not only could this fulfill her wish, but she could also learn the inner secrets of different students.

Just thinking about it made her feel very happy.

The short-haired girl curled her lips, putting on a look of righteous indignation, and said eloquently: "If I were in a relationship and my boyfriend dared to get close to other girls, I would definitely be super angry! I would never forgive him!"

"Kushida-san must be very popular. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled if you're going to choose a boyfriend."

Ichinose continued to dwell on this topic of love, staring at the face of the Kushida Kikyo before her and saying softly: "If Kushida-san finds someone she likes, I will cheer for you."

"Thanks, little Honami! But I haven't met anyone yet. For now, I still prefer hanging out with cute girls."

Kushida smiled. Although the topic of love was initiated by Ichinose Honami across from her, she managed to throw out the things she wanted to know during the process.

For example, what exactly was the relationship between the Ichinose-san before her and the Hashiba-san sitting next to her?

After observing from the morning until now, Kushida Kikyo had already confirmed the answer in her heart: these two probably hadn't started dating yet, but it was clear that Ichinose had that inclination, while Hashiba's attitude was unfathomable.

The boy looked quite gentle and could chat with them about any topic, but Kushida Kikyo, who had seen many people, knew very well that this was just an act.

This Hashiba-san must have had his own purpose for attending the gathering today, but Kushida didn't understand what he was trying to do yet, so she could only make moves on Ichinose to see if she could elicit a reaction from him.

Unfortunately, even after using the topic of love, which both men and women were interested in, she still didn't see any reaction from Hashiba-san; his expression didn't even change.

After a while, the restaurant began serving the food. Kushida had no choice but to put her doubts aside for the moment and eat with the two people across from her. During the meal, she continued to probe Hashiba Hikaru's attitude, but still gained nothing.

As for Hashiba Hikaru, who was sitting across from them, he continued to chat with the girls very cooperatively, while silently thinking to himself the whole time.

His current focus was to figure out what exactly the relationship was between this Kushida-san and Horikita Suzune, and why both the rise and fall of her stock price were related to her.

Thinking of Horikita Suzune, the boy recalled the cold girl he had seen earlier at the supermarket; her aloof demeanor and peerless, beautiful face were hard to forget.

When he went to Class D on Monday to sell the rules, he should be able to meet that Horikita classmate, right? Hashiba Hikaru planned to gather more intelligence before purchasing Kushida Kikyo Stock to ensure a better chance of success.

After all, the information in the [Stock Analyzer] stated very clearly that this brown-haired little angel had an unknown side, but what exactly this side was like, and whether it would affect his subsequent stock price appreciation plan, remained unknown for now.

"However, building a relationship of trust as a first step shouldn't be a big problem. The focus should still be on her other side and the idea of getting Horikita to drop out," Hashiba Hikaru rubbed his chin, considering many angles. "As for whether these two directions will be related, I'll have to wait until I've made contact with Horikita Suzune to know."

In a three-person dinner meeting, everyone had different things on their minds, yet they maintained a pleasant atmosphere on the surface; perhaps this is what they mean by life being a play, where everything depends on acting.

Chapter 41: A Brand New Operational Plan

After the dinner with Kushida Kikyo ended, she claimed she had other matters to attend to and excused herself, and since Ichinose Honami also had things she wanted to do, the trio disbanded immediately, and Hashiba Hikaru returned to his dormitory.

Today's meeting with Kushida alongside Ichinose Honami was still somewhat fruitful; besides knowing who the current class leader of their class was, he also learned about the other party's general situation, such as having a girlfriend and his status within the class.

In this way, when the time came to sell the rules, as long as he could persuade this Hirata classmate and Kushida, who was already very popular in Class D, he would surely be able to collect everyone's points more effectively; after all, time waits for no one.

If he kept waiting like this, those spendthrift classmates in Class D would really not be able to cough up any points. Hashiba Hikaru's minimum expectation was one million; although the situation summarized in yesterday's homeroom class was not very optimistic, as long as he could successfully push the leaders of Class D to integrate the class, it was still very possible to achieve.

"The rest is the critical stock situation; this is the most important thing of all."

Hashiba Hikaru sat at his dormitory desk and wrote two names in his notebook.

Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo.

Both of these people currently had stock information recorded by the system. The initial price of [Horikita Suzune Stock] was 100 points with an issuance of 3,000, while the initial price of [Kushida Kikyo Stock] was 10 points with an issuance of 5,000, exactly the same as Ichinose Honami's initial situation.

And after using the [Stock Analyzer] on Kushida Kikyo, there were two key points to her method of increasing her stock price: one was helping her hide her past, and the other was getting Horikita Suzune to drop out.

"That doesn't sound like an easy task at all."

Hashiba Hikaru shook his head, his thoughts flying.