Classroom of the Elite, I Also Want to Be a Good Person

Eyes wide, Totsuka asked the question that was on the minds of most students in Class A.

The personal points for June hadn't been distributed yet, and if you counted the 100,000 personal points Totsuka had lost, plus the legendary 400,000 he'd supposedly sold his Student Council position for, the total didn't even reach 700,000.

"In this school, as long as you have this, personal points aren't exactly hard to come by." Tapping his temple, Aoyama answered with complete seriousness.

As long as one could demonstrate sufficient ability, it wasn't impossible for other classes to wave 20 million personal points around to buy a transfer.

Meanwhile, in the Class D classroom.

A convincing-looking surveillance camera was handed to Horikita Suzune by Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.

He had asked his classmate Sotoumura Hideo, the tech geek of Class D, to whip it up; it was realistic enough to fool any student.

Whether it was the influence of Aoyama's guidance in the break room or Ayanokoji's own steering, Horikita Suzune and Ichinose had finalized a plan over the past few days, aiming their sights directly at the three students who had been beaten by Sudo.

Compared to the shrewd Ryuen, Ishizaki and his cohorts were all brawn and no brains.

By making good use of external factors, it wouldn't be difficult to make the three of them misjudge the situation and believe there was surveillance in the Special Building.

The current difficulty was how to convince Kushida to lure them out.

"Please, Kushida, I'm begging you." Pressing his palms together and bowing his head before Kushida, Sudo pleaded desperately.

To get the three of them—Ishizaki and his friends—to go to the Special Building without any suspicion, the only first-year outside of Class C who could pull that off was Kushida, who had friends everywhere.

"Are you saying that Sudo-kun wants me to be the kind of person who deceives friends? I really hate being deceived by friends, you know."

Help Horikita Suzune?

Kushida Kikyo indicated that she couldn't do that, and furthermore, the act of deceiving Ishizaki and the others would deal a massive blow to her image.

This was entirely a thankless task.

"I know you're reluctant, Kushida, but if Sudo is suspended this time, he won't be able to be a regular member of the basketball team." Ayanokoji chimed in with an expressionless face. "You should know about Sudo's dream, right?"

"I'll even kowtow if I have to, Kushida. Help me this once, just this once."

Rejected again, Sudo's tone became even more sincere, but Kushida didn't look at him, instead shifting her gaze to Ayanokoji, who had been backing him up.

"I'm friends with Aoyama-kun too. He mentioned to me that as long as Ayanokoji-kun joins the Student Council, he can resolve Sudo's issue."

"Ayanokoji is Sudo's friend, right? I think joining the Student Council would be a good thing."

It's over—why does this keep coming back to me?

Come to think of it, are Kushida and Aoyama that close?

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka felt a sense of despair; he didn't know why Aoyama had suddenly taken an interest in him, even going so far as to scheme to have Sudo pester him.

Ever since he entered Kouiku, he hadn't done anything out of the ordinary.

"This has to be a prank, right? Look at me—my grades are mediocre, my physical strength is average, and I'm gloomy. I don't have any redeeming qualities."

"I don't think Aoyama-kun is that kind of person."

"But you can't guarantee it, can you? If I'm being toyed with, I feel like I might just jump out of a window."

Stared at by Sudo's burning gaze, Ayanokoji had no choice but to play his trump card.

From today on, he was the sensitive type who would rather die than be toyed with; no one would have an excuse to force him to do anything.

Of course, this would also lead to his reputation taking a hit.

"I can only rely on you, just help me this once, Kushida."

Stunned by Ayanokoji's statement, Sudo could only pin his hopes back on Kushida.

And Ayanokoji, having just chimed in, seized the opportunity to slip away and return to his seat.

"Can you get Aoyama to convince Kushida?" Ayanokoji looked indifferently at Horikita, who was lost in thought.

He believed there were two benefits to having Aoyama convince Kushida.

First, it could resolve Sudo's trouble, and second, it could test the relationship between Aoyama and Kushida.

Without him knowing, Aoyama's interference in Class D seemed to have gone a bit deep.

He didn't know if this would affect his peaceful life.

"Wait a moment, I'll ask."

After thinking it over, Horikita felt that leaving this to Aoyama might be the way to go; he was the one who had convinced Kushida to support her last time, after all.

[How many personal points will it take to convince Kushida to use a meeting with friends as a pretext to lure the three from Class C, Ishizaki and his group, to the Special Building?]

After editing the text message, Horikita hesitated.

There was another problem standing before her: whether Aoyama Shiki was truly worth her trust.

Once this message was sent, given Aoyama's intelligence, it was impossible for him not to guess what they were trying to do.

Don't let me down, Aoyama.

With complex emotions, Horikita Suzune finally sent the message.

If she was betrayed, so be it; she could cut her losses in time.

Chapter 42: Biting the Dust

You disappoint me, Horikita Suzune.

In the Class 1-A classroom, Aoyama, having received the text from Horikita, could no longer keep a smile on his face.

With Class C having seized the initiative and gained the advantage, Class 1-B and Class D would never be able to pull off a perfect counterattack by playing by the rules.

Provoking Sudo into latching onto Ayanokoji to force him into action, and dispatching Yamamura to track and grasp the general movements—his goal was singular: to inadvertently catch Class 1-B or Class D in the act of a violation and squeeze them for a little blackmail.

Now that Horikita Suzune had practically declared she was going to stir up trouble, and had even hired him to help resolve the matter with Kushida.

If he were to cut in halfway to extort them, it would not only be unjustifiable but would also ruin his reputation.

Aoyama Shiki never expected that his first setback since entering Kouiku would come at the hands of Horikita Suzune, and that it would happen without her even realizing it.

[Let's talk more at the cafeteria at noon.]

After typing and hitting send, Aoyama put his phone away and waited for class to start.

Not long after, the teacher with a stern face walked into the classroom.

Perhaps because they were not permitted to interfere too much with the students, almost all the teachers kept a certain distance from them.

Except for that anomaly who was the homeroom teacher for Class 1-B.

"What is there to take a picture of?"

Time reached noon, and Horikita Suzune arrived at the cafeteria as Aoyama had requested.

When she opened the bento she had made herself, Aoyama pointedly took a photo of it.

"Don't worry about that, I have a use for it."

Amidst Horikita's confusion, a smile appeared on Aoyama's face. He sent the photo, which barely showed any meat, to a recipient saved as [Siscon Brother].

Compensate me heavily for my losses, Horikita President.

"Let's talk about business first. Can you convince Kushida to help?" Sensing that something bad was happening, Horikita Suzune frowned.

"Achieving your goal is simple; there's no need to convince Kushida."

Communicating with Horikita Manabu on his phone, Aoyama replied without looking up.

Ordering Kushida to assist was a matter of a single sentence, but the consequence would be causing Kushida dissatisfaction; after all, it would damage her image and harm her interests.

Therefore, he had thought of a way to let Kushida clear her name.

"How many private points?"

"No rush, let's eat first."

[A plan I spent days plotting, one that could have earned me one million private points, has been forced to be abandoned. The responsibility lies entirely with Suzune.]

[But she is very poor; this is what she is eating for lunch.]

Focusing his main energy on Horikita Manabu, Aoyama deliberated on a number he would accept.

Too much would certainly not work, as even a landlord has no surplus grain. Although the private points Horikita Manabu could mobilize were not insignificant, they were essentially class funds.

As for his own personal stash, it was hard to say if he even had a few million.

Horikita Manabu: [She is she, and I am I. Feel free to discipline Suzune as you wish; it would be even better if she were expelled.]

Who said I was going to discipline Suzune, Mr. President?

Aoyama laughed maliciously. Knowing what expectations Horikita Manabu held for Horikita Suzune, he naturally wouldn't give Suzune trials to help her grow strong.

Since enrollment, these two siblings hadn't met in private, all because of Horikita Manabu's resistance toward Horikita Suzune.

Because Horikita Suzune respected and relied on him too much, Horikita Manabu had treated her with a cold face since middle school, even using harsh words to tell her not to come near him.

He hoped his sister would have more self-awareness and not be like a parasite, only following in his footsteps and doing whatever he said.

Seeing his sister blindly imitate him and become more and more like him, Horikita Manabu had eventually even fled to Kouiku.

[The best way to take revenge on someone is to turn them into a good-for-nothing.]

[From now on, I will spoil Suzune rotten, letting her live a life where she is fed and clothed without lifting a finger, greatly reducing her contact with other students.]

[I will proactively solve the difficulties she encounters at school, letting her give up on thinking and just leave everything for me to decide.]

[We'll get married after graduation; there's no need for something like university.]

His fingers typed rapidly on the phone, and the smile on Aoyama's face deepened.

Although the content of his reply looked completely unbelievable, with Horikita Manabu's intelligence, he would surely understand that he knew he cared deeply for his sister, Horikita Suzune.

Even if the two looked at odds and didn't communicate, he, Aoyama, could be certain that Horikita Manabu doted on his sister very much.

"Who were you chatting with just now, smiling so happily?"

Seeing Aoyama put his phone back into his pocket, Horikita Suzune asked, though she knew it was somewhat abrupt.

"A senior who is about to cough up some gold coins." Aoyama happily picked up a piece of fried chicken cutlet and put it in his mouth; it was crispy and the meat was tender.

Tonight, he had a date with the Student Council President.

A date from which he would certainly not return empty-handed.

"This is quite good, Suzune, you should try some too."

Picking up a piece of chicken cutlet the size of a pinky finger, Aoyama extended it toward Horikita's mouth.

She should be eating more meat while she's still growing; he couldn't allow the younger sister of Horikita President to be poorly nourished.

"Just eat it yourself, I don't need it."

"It's an eighty percent discount."

"..."

Pursing her lips, Horikita Suzune darted her eyes left and right before slightly parting her delicate pink lips.

After she bit down on the chicken cutlet, her snow-white, exquisite face was already stained with a faint shade of pink.

"Forty thousand private points."

Feeling that he had witnessed a wonderful expression, the gloom Aoyama felt from being forced to abandon his plans diminished significantly.

Since it wouldn't require much effort, he wouldn't charge too high a price.

"Speak." There was a hint of bashful anger on Horikita's face.

"Isn't Kushida concerned about not being able to deceive her friends? Then we just won't let her do the deceiving."

"Have Sudo or Ayanokoji borrow a phone from Kushida to make a call, using the excuse that they forgot theirs. Once the phone is in your hands, you can summon Ishizaki and the others in Kushida's name."

"As long as you drop a line while dealing with Ishizaki about how easy Kushida is to trick, I don't think Kushida will be too angry."

As long as Kushida's reputation could be resolved, she wouldn't complain too much.

"This method isn't honorable at all. If Kushida decides to pursue this, it will become a huge problem."

"You should have been prepared from the very beginning, Suzune, that you would have to make Kushida do things she doesn't want to do." Aoyama looked straight into Horikita's beautiful eyes. "I can guarantee that Kushida won't pursue it."

"...Deal."

After a moment of silence, Horikita Suzune nodded with a wooden expression.

Quietly, the two of them finished their meal without any further conversation.