Promotion to Class A

Hashiba Hikaru: Yeah. I expect the homeroom teachers to explain it to everyone when the time comes. It's pretty important, after all.

Kushida Kikyo: I'm a little worried. Our class bought the hidden rules you shared, Classmate Hashiba, but a lot of people won't be able to stick with them.

Hashiba Hikaru: It'll be fine. I think you've been working really hard, Kushida. Hasn't your study group already started to pay off?

Kushida Kikyo: That's true. Lately, a few more classmates have been joining in because of me. They want to take part on their own initiative.

Hashiba Hikaru: That's great, then. What about Horikita? Have you become friends with her?

The boy stared at the screen and cast out his fishing hook once more.

He'd been chatting with Kushida Kikyo fairly often lately, but her stock price hadn't changed. Aside from her troublesome personality, the main reason was that Kushida had been busy trying to get closer to Horikita Suzune, so the two of them had few chances to meet.

With a new month approaching, Hashiba Hikaru decided it was time to pick up the pace.

Kushida Kikyo: Mm... I guess things are going okay, but there still isn't much we can talk about.

The short-haired girl was sitting on her bed, wearing pajamas printed with a cartoon bear. Her expression was somewhat gloomy.

After their first meeting had ended badly, she'd held several study sessions. Horikita Suzune had shown up on time every time, but her attitude had remained cold. Aside from studying, she had no interest in anything else.

Still, Kushida Kikyo hadn't come away empty-handed. At the very least, she could now confirm that Horikita had graduated from the same middle school as her, which meant Horikita might have heard about that "important matter."

As for how much she knew and whether she understood the full story, Kushida couldn't yet make a definitive judgment.

However, a series of recent events had given Kushida Kikyo a new idea.

Horikita Suzune did have a terrible temper, but that was a good thing in its own way. At least she didn't have any friends to talk to right now, which made it less likely she'd spread the matter around.

Another point was that ever since Horikita had agreed to attend the study sessions, she'd kept her word and hadn't missed a single one.

So Kushida Kikyo felt there was a chance she could win Horikita over. The key was finding out how much Horikita knew about the secret. That was crucial.

Still, these were all backup plans. There was only one best plan: get Horikita Suzune expelled.

To get closer to Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyo thought of Hashiba Hikaru, the "useful pawn" she'd already identified. She wanted to hear if he had any good ideas for how to proceed.

Chat interface.

Hashiba Hikaru: It's been so long, and Horikita still won't be friends with you? That's hard to imagine.

Kushida Kikyo: I'm not sure, either. I get the feeling someone like Horikita is used to keeping to herself and doing things alone.

Hashiba Hikaru: It's okay. With your abilities, I'm sure you'll succeed eventually, Kushida.

Actually, Hashiba Hikaru had been thinking about something for a while: why did the information about Kushida Kikyo in the Stock Analyzer show that she wanted Horikita Suzune expelled, and yet she kept trying to befriend her?

He'd even messaged Horikita Suzune to ask about it. Her answer was that she wasn't interested in Kushida Kikyo and didn't want to be friends with her.

Hashiba Hikaru still couldn't make sense of the relationship between the two of them, so he could only go along with whatever Kushida Kikyo brought up.

Kushida Kikyo: Actually, I was wondering if there'd be a chance to meet up with you, Classmate Hashiba. The plan you suggested last time worked really well.

Hashiba Hikaru: So you mean... you want me to come up with another plan to help you get closer to Horikita?

Kushida Kikyo: Mm-hm. I think Horikita is really amazing. She gets great grades and is so responsible. I really want to become friends with her soon.

Hashiba Hikaru: I understand. I'll think of something. Please wait a little, Kushida. I'll contact you once I come up with a suitable plan.

Kushida Kikyo: Okay. I'll look forward to it.

After setting down his phone, Hashiba Hikaru immediately began reviewing the situation.

First, he had to come up with a more reliable way to help Kushida get closer to Horikita Suzune. Kushida was such a hassle. More than two weeks had passed, but her stock price still hadn't budged.

Would he be stuck here until he figured out what she meant by her "other side"?

And the fact that her stock price wasn't rising created another problem: he wasn't earning any money.

The new month was just around the corner, and the Exercise Booster was about to expire. He had to renew it.

But one Exercise Booster cost 100,000 funds. Hashiba Hikaru still had 118,000. If an important item appeared in the Trading Shop and he couldn't afford it, he'd have no choice but to cash out his highest-priced stock, Ichinose Honami Stock.

The night passed without incident, and May 1 arrived right on schedule.

The boy had woken up early and immediately checked his System Panel. At last, a new system notification sounded.

[A new month has begun. The Trading Shop's items have refreshed. Please check them.]

[Trading Shop]

[Stock Analyzer: 1000]

[Wooden Sword: 2500]

[Exercise Booster (30 days): 100000]

[Combat Technique (Master): 250000]

[International Chess (Proficient): 200000]

[Charm: 500000]

"Combat Technique?!"

Hashiba Hikaru's expression sharpened. This was an important skill. Surely no man would turn it down.

After the last time he'd tricked Ryuen into making a move, he'd felt that learning to fight might prove extremely useful at this school.

After all, when words failed, violence could be just as persuasive.

By the time the sky was bright, Hashiba Hikaru had completed his exercise goal for the day. It was day twenty-nine. The Exercise Booster would wear off tomorrow, and his Stamina would rise from 3 to 4.

He returned to his dorm, took a shower, then walked into Class B in his uniform. Everyone had arrived early today. There was still plenty of time before class, but the seats were already full.

After all, the new class rankings would be announced today, and everyone was anxious.

They'd also receive their Private Points for the new month that morning. Most people had nearly spent all their points this month, so they were naturally eager for the transfer.

"Good morning, Classmate Hashiba!"

"Morning, Classmate Hashiba."

As the current backbone of Class B, Hashiba Hikaru was greeted by a lot of people every time he walked into the classroom. After smiling and responding to everyone, he decided he should say something.

"Um, I'm sure everyone's looking forward to today and seeing whether our class ranking has changed."

"Of course. We're all hoping to make it to Class A after working so hard together." Ando's eyes shone with anticipation as she replied.

"Do you think we'll make it, Classmate Hashiba?" someone asked, wanting to hear his thoughts.

"As for that, the school keeps track of all the demerits, so I'm not sure whether we've made it," Hashiba Hikaru said slowly, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "Everyone worked hard this month. I believe the school won't let us down. We'll have to wait for Hoshinomiya-sensei to announce the results."

"That's true. The school keeps track of all the standards they use to judge us. Even if we've been careful, one careless mistake will still get recorded."

After all, the cameras in the classroom had an extremely wide view. They monitored everyone's every move. Even if someone forgot what they'd done, the recordings wouldn't.

Once Hashiba Hikaru returned to his seat, Ichinose Honami immediately leaned over.

"Do you think we'll make it to Class A today, Classmate Hashiba?" The girl's lovely face showed a hint of anxiety. She didn't seem very confident about the result.

"Don't be too nervous, Ichinose," Hashiba Hikaru said with a smile, gently reassuring her. "It's only the first month. Even if we don't get promoted this time, we'll have plenty of chances in the future. Don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"You've been doing a great job lately, haven't you? Everyone trusts you."

"Mm... I understand."

Ichinose Honami watched the boy sitting beside her closely. He said that, but she could tell he was nervous, too. This was a crucial moment, after all.

Then, the girl suddenly did something bold.

As Hashiba Hikaru watched the front of the classroom, he suddenly felt a soft hand take his right one. Before he knew it, their fingers had interlaced.

"?"

He turned to look at the girl's profile.

"Just humor me, Classmate Hashiba. I'm a little nervous, and I was hoping you... could lend me some strength."

Ichinose Honami's ears had turned bright red. The moment she'd reached out and taken Hashiba Hikaru's hand, embarrassment had flooded her mind.

"..."

"All right. I've eaten a lot of meals at your expense lately, Ichinose. It's about time I returned the favor."

Hashiba Hikaru understood how the girl felt, and he cared about the class rankings, too, so he didn't let go of her hand.

The two of them sat at their desks, their palms pressed together, almost able to hear each other's heartbeats.

About ten minutes later, Chie Hoshinomiya walked into the classroom with a beaming smile. She seemed to have dressed up carefully, and her already cute face looked even more radiant.

"Hello, everyone! A new month has begun. I'm sure you're all looking forward to today."

Her words immediately set off an excited chorus from the students.

"Of course! Don't keep us in suspense, Hoshinomiya-sensei. You know what we care about, right?"

"Yeah, tell us already!"

"I'm so anxious. I'm really anxious right now."

"Hahaha, all right, all right. Let your teacher announce the new class rankings."

Seeing how eagerly everyone was waiting, Chie Hoshinomiya didn't hesitate any longer. She picked up a piece of chalk and quickly wrote the details on the blackboard.

First-Year Class Evaluation Points

Class A 980 cp

Class B 1010 cp

Class C 480 cp

Class D 530 cp

"!"

"What?!"

"Does this mean..."

As soon as the Class Evaluation Points were announced, the students in Class B erupted with excitement. They all knew what it meant: if a lower-ranked class earned more Class Evaluation Points than the class above it, it would automatically move up.

"We did it!!!"

Shibata let out an ecstatic shout. The whole Class B classroom turned into a sea of excitement. Smiles spread across everyone's faces as they cheered with their classmates.

Hashiba Hikaru and Ichinose Honami were still holding hands at their desks. As soon as they saw the results, they looked at each other.

The pink-haired girl smiled with relief and satisfaction, and the boy let out a breath of relief.

He hadn't expected them to make it to Class A in the first month. They probably had the school's reward of 100 Class Evaluation Points to thank for it; otherwise, it likely wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

"That's wonderful, Classmate Hashiba. We made it!" Ichinose Honami's eyes shone as she gazed at the boy's profile.

"Yeah. Everyone's hard work paid off. This is a great result."

Hashiba Hikaru couldn't help glancing down at his hand. The girl beside him realized what they were doing and quickly pulled hers away, her body giving a little start.

"Hehehe, this is great! We have to work hard to hold on to our ranking."

"Yeah. But don't forget, Ichinose. We have a lot to do today."

Hashiba Hikaru pointed to his phone, and Ichinose immediately understood.

Right, the Private Points would be transferred today. She had to collect everyone's points, as they'd agreed earlier.

Chie Hoshinomiya watched the students celebrate from the front of the classroom, just as happy as they were. This was the first time, since she'd returned to the school as a homeroom teacher, that one of her classes had been promoted at the end of the very first month.

It was all thanks to him.

The teacher's gaze fell on Hashiba Hikaru, who was chatting with the girl beside him. He really was a dependable trump card. He'd surely lead Class B to more remarkable achievements in the future.

Still, there was one thing Chie Hoshinomiya wasn't happy about. The class taught by that woman had also moved up. Just thinking about it made her sick.

At least our students are the best. We'll keep that woman firmly beneath our feet, hmph!

"Um, check your Private Points, everyone. The points should have been deposited today. You earned this reward with such an excellent result."

"Oh, right! I almost forgot."

"Wow, 100,100 Private Points! Not bad at all!" someone exclaimed. It was a little more than they'd gotten in their first month.

"Don't forget our plan. We owe these points to the hard work of Classmate Hashiba and Ichinose." After confirming that the Private Points had arrived in her account, Ando immediately took on the role of organizer and called out to the class. "Let's collect everyone's points now."