Buying Chabashira

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka clearly had no respect for the way Ye Yunchuan was deliberately acting aloof.

Still, true to her enthusiasm for making friends, she put on a coy, aggrieved expression.

"By the way, Yunchuan, you and Horikita seem really close. Do you know each other?"

Kushida Kikyo asked, trying to sound casual.

"I'm not close to someone like her!"

Before Ye Yunchuan could answer, Horikita Suzune stepped forward. Frowning, she gave Kushida a suspicious look and asked:

"How do you know my name? Have we met before?"

"Oh, I just wanted to make friends with you two. You seemed close, so I thought I'd get to know you through Yunchuan!"

Kushida Kikyo's expression grew awkward, and she started to fidget.

"I don't need friends. Please don't bother me."

Though she could tell Kushida Kikyo was trying to fool her, the aloof Horikita Suzune had no interest in her.

She didn't intend to press the matter, either.

"Uh..." Just as Kushida Kikyo was at a loss for what to do, a boy came over.

"Kushida, who's this? Is he your friend?"

If Ye Yunchuan could barely be called handsome, the person in front of him couldn't even be called good-looking.

He was as plain as they came.

Even so, he was confident, and his gaze at Ye Yunchuan carried a hint of scrutiny and hostility.

Yamauchi Haruki.

One of the three losers who often hung out with Ayanokoji Kiyotaka in the original story.

"Hmph." Ye Yunchuan ignored him.

He considered himself a loser, too.

But there was a world of difference between knowing your own limits and being clueless about them.

Besides, he was rather good-looking, and could at least just about be called handsome.

"What's with that attitude?!" Yamauchi Haruki must have noticed the disdain in Ye Yunchuan's gaze.

He flew into a rage.

Just as things were about to get out of hand,

the class bell rang.

A woman in a business suit strode in.

From her appearance, she looked to be somewhere between her twenties and thirties.

Her skin was fair as jade, her beauty cool and striking, and her tall figure was topped by a neatly tied ponytail that gave her a crisp, confident air.

Looks-wise, she wasn't far behind Horikita Suzune.

Her bearing was also much like Horikita Suzune's.

She was practically a more mature version of Horikita.

"It looks like everyone's here. Let's begin homeroom. Everyone, return to your seats."

"My name is Chabashira Sae. I'm your homeroom teacher for Class D, and I usually teach history."

With her sharp gaze and haughty demeanor, this woman was simply irresistible to anyone who wanted to conquer her.

At least, in Ye Yunchuan's eyes, this mature beauty was exactly his type.

If he got the chance, he'd definitely make her have his children.

Unfortunately, her obsession was getting into Class A.

She'd be quite difficult to handle.

"First of all, congratulations on entering Advanced Nurturing High School. This school is different from others; your classes won't change each year. That means I'll be your homeroom teacher for all three years, and we'll learn and grow together."

"Also, the entrance ceremony will be held in the gymnasium in an hour. Make sure you attend. Before then, I'll hand out information about this school's special rules. You already received it during the enrollment briefing, but it's important, so I'm giving it to you again in case anyone didn't read it."

At the front of the classroom, Chabashira-sensei handed out the materials as she spoke.

The students had received these materials before enrollment, so Ye Yunchuan was already quite familiar with them.

The school was a three-year boarding school. Once you entered, you couldn't leave until graduation, and you couldn't contact your family, either.

To prevent students from sneaking out, the school had been built in an extremely remote location.

It stood on an artificial island. Once the bridge was secured, neither students nor teachers could escape.

In exchange,

the campus had every amenity you could ask for.

Restaurants, karaoke, movie theaters, cafés, clothing stores, shopping malls—it had everything.

And where there was spending, there had to be a currency.

That was the S System.

The school gave every student points.

"Now I'll hand out your student ID cards. You can use the cards you're receiving now to access all the facilities on campus and buy things at the shops. They work like credit cards, and each purchase will use up points issued by the school."

"Since using them consumes points, be careful. There's nothing on campus that you can't buy with points. If the school has it, you can buy it, whatever it is."

"To use your card, just tap it against the machines in the facilities or show it when you pay. It's very simple. I assume you can all manage that."

"As for the points issued by the school, they'll be deposited automatically on the first of every month. Each of you should already have received an equal amount of one hundred thousand points."

"One more thing: each point is worth one yen. That should be all you need to know."

After Chabashira-sensei announced this,

the classroom broke into a buzz.

"Wow, this is amazing!"

"Is this for real?"

"It feels like a dream!"

After all, one hundred thousand points was no small sum.

It was a substantial amount of money for a high school student.

"What? Surprised that the school gives you so many points? This school evaluates students based on their abilities. Since you were admitted, you have the corresponding worth and potential. The points represent how the school evaluates you."

"Don't hold back. Spend as much as you like. The school will take back your points when you graduate, though. Since points can't be converted into cash, there's no benefit to saving them. Once they've been deposited, you're free to use them however you like. Spend them as you please. If anyone doesn't think they need to use their points, they can transfer them to someone else."

"But please don't threaten anyone. The school is very sensitive about bullying."

There was no such thing as a free lunch.

There was obviously some kind of catch.

Yet Chabashira didn't warn them. On the contrary, she was encouraging the students to spend.

"Yeah! This is great! I'm going to spend a lot this month!"

"There's a game console I've been wanting to buy. Now I don't have to worry about the cost!"

"I've been dying to buy that designer handbag. With all these points, I don't have to worry about not being able to afford it!"

Watching the excited students below, a trace of disdain flickered in Chabashira's eyes.

Defective products were defective products. This year's students were just as lousy as the ones before them.

"Does anyone have any questions? If not, I hope you all have an enjoyable school li—"

Chabashira, already growing impatient, didn't want to stay any longer.

"Wait, Chabashira-sensei. I have a question!"

Unfortunately for her, Ye Yunchuan wasn't going to let her leave so easily.

"Go ahead. Ask whatever you like."

Chabashira was a little surprised, but her expression remained cold.

"Will the school give us the same number of points next month?"

"Hm?"

As soon as he asked, the entire room fell silent.

Even Chabashira, who had been wearing a stern expression, froze for a moment. After a long silence, she answered hesitantly:

"I can't answer that question."

"How interesting! So it's confidential, even for teachers?"

Ye Yunchuan smiled and thought for a moment before speaking.

"Chabashira-sensei, there are only two possible answers. Either we'll get the exact same number of points next month, or we won't!

"If it's the first, there'd be no reason to keep it secret. If it's the second...

"One hundred thousand points per person, forty people in a class, one hundred and sixty in a year, and about four hundred and eighty students in the school. That's nearly forty-eight million points a month, and almost six hundred million a year.

"Even the richest person in the world couldn't afford to throw money around like that.

"So the answer is obvious. We can't possibly get another one hundred thousand points next month!"

"Interesting. I didn't expect there to be a smart one among you." A hint of delight flashed in Chabashira's eyes.

She'd thought that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was the only one in the group worth paying attention to.

She hadn't expected this boy from China, Ye Yunchuan, to surprise her.

"Impressive. I didn't expect anyone else in this class to figure that out." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's impassive face didn't change, but he was shocked inside.

"How did I not think of that?!"

Horikita Suzune was surprised, but also felt frustrated and unwilling to admit it.

After all, she hadn't expected a pervert like Ye Yunchuan to be so clever.

"An interesting boy." Koenji Rokusuke gave Ye Yunchuan a somewhat surprised glance.

He hadn't expected someone like this in a Class D full of defective products, either.

"How could that be? You're not joking, are you?"

"That can't be right. The school wouldn't go back on its word, would it?"

"But what this student says makes sense. Chabashira-sensei never said we'd definitely get one hundred thousand points next month."

Unlike the big shots above, the other students clearly didn't want to believe Ye Yunchuan.

But the facts were right in front of them.

Everything Ye Yunchuan said made sense.

"Am I right, Chabashira-sensei?"

"..." Chabashira didn't answer, but her silence was the best answer of all.

Seeing this, the students were filled with a sense of foreboding.

"No way. Was he telling the truth?"

"If that's the case, we're in trouble!"

Ignoring the students' whispers, Ye Yunchuan continued speaking as if to himself:

"Still confidential? So we can't get another one hundred thousand points next month. I'm curious, then: what will the school use to determine how many points it gives us next month? Can you give us a hint, Chabashira-sensei?"

"To analyze so much on your very first day is impressive. You're truly excellent, but unfortunately, that's still confidential!"

Chabashira Sae looked at Ye Yunchuan with unmistakable admiration.