Operation: Win Over the Sister-in-Law

"Let me say the second half of that sentence for you, Katsuragi. It's just about getting rid of those bottom students in the class, right? Totsuka isn't here today, so there's no need to pretend."

Having completely seen through Katsuragi Kohei's thoughts and inner conflict, Ryuen Kakeru chose not to hesitate to continue probing and applying pressure:

"Of course, if you truly intended to Totsuka from the beginning, then I sincerely apologize to you, Katsuragi. As a friend, that's more than enough. But there's really no need to put on this fake compassion act again."

As he spoke, Ryuen Kakeru extended a finger towards Katsuragi Kohei, smiling as he suggested:

"Of course I know that most of the students in your class have already decided to cast their Criticism Vote for Totsuka, but it's okay. Our Class D is your most reliable support. As long as you can afford the price, all thirty-nine praise votes from the class will belong to Totsuka. In the end, after adding and subtracting, we might even be able to give him a positive score."

What price are you asking for?

Although Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had already rationally analyzed the situation beforehand, Katsuragi Kohei still couldn't help but ask Ryuen Kakeru for the price. As Student Council member, he knew that this type of punishment, the expulsion exam, was very rare. If he could save Totsuka Yahiko in this Special Exam, then the other party would still have plenty of time to prove his worth to the other students in the class.

"One ticket can be exchanged for 100,000 Private Points. How about that? Compared to the school's official rate, I'm offering a genuine 90% Discount."

When Katsuragi Kohei asked for the price, Ryuen Kakeru smiled, revealing his white teeth. Although his tone was one of deep concern for Katsuragi Kohei, the price he quoted still made Katsuragi Kohei look somewhat embarrassed.

As the most composed of the four classes, Katsuragi Kohei had always been receiving a fixed salary based on the Class Points he earned each month. He had also given almost all of his accumulated Private Points to Kitagawa Ryo as compensation. Not to mention, he was now burdened with a loan from Miyabi Nagumo. Even if he emptied his pockets, he still couldn't scrape together nearly four million Private Points.

It's not just him; it would be quite difficult for Class C to suddenly produce such a sum of Private Points. After all, their Class Points only has a little over two hundred points, and they can only get a little over twenty thousand Private Points from the school each month. The whole class only gets a little over one million points per month.

Moreover, Katsuragi Kohei had no way to borrow or raise money from the other students in the class, since it was precisely them who wanted Totsuka Yahiko to drop out of school.

"... I'll think about it some more."

After thinking for a long time, Katsuragi Kohei finally sighed somewhat dejectedly and sat back down. Ryuen Kakeru didn't seem surprised at all, and even whistled at him with great interest.

"This is a hot commodity, buy it while you can."

After the conversation between Katsuragi Kohei and Ryuen Kakeru regarding Totsuka Yahiko ended, Kanzaki Ryuji from Class 1-B also seized the opportunity to state his position or rather, his demands:

"Our Class B's conditions for seeking cooperation are very simple: no one in Class B can be expelled, that's all."

Upon hearing Kanzaki Ryuji's statement, Ryuen Kakeru couldn't resist taking Katsuragi Kohei:

"Look at this, this is what a model class of loving and caring people looks like, this is what true friends look like!"

"Indeed, compared to the Leader are single-mindedly figuring out how to transfer all three of the students who dropped out to their own classes, Class B is quite loving and cooperative."

Realizing that Class C would be kicked off the negotiating table if they didn't stand up, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had remained silent since entering, had no choice but to step forward and retort on behalf of Katsuragi Kohei. Ryuen Kakeru's reaction was quite ambiguous, as he raised his eyebrows at him provocatively.

Of the people present, only Kanzaki Ryuji was unaware that the actual planner of Class C was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who was manipulating Katsuragi Kohei. Therefore, he was somewhat surprised by the sudden sharp counterattack from Katsuragi's henchman and thoughtfully shifted his gaze back and forth between the two from Class C.

"There's no other way. In order to achieve As You Like It ending for all classes, our Class D has no choice but to reluctantly take on this mess. Or do you all think this is not a good idea?"

After saying that, Ryuen Kakeru gestured with his chin towards Kanzaki Ryuji again:

"Didn't your Class B just want to make sure no one drops out? Now my Class D is willing to take on all three of these problems. What do you say?"

"Ryuen, there's no need to use such a tone as if you've suffered a great injustice. After all, these three expulsion spots are indeed a huge pitfall for our Class B, but it seems to be a completely different story for your Ryuen Class D, right? After all, you are the candidate for one of these pitfalls."

Completely unfazed by Ryuen Kakeru's explanation, Kanzaki Ryuji had also diligently collected information from each class for several days, bluntly exposed the other party's attempt to cover up the truth.

"That's why I said we should just lay our cards on the table and discuss our respective class's demands and leverage openly. This game of verbal probing can end here."

Finally, it was Kitagawa Ryo, the one who initiated the conversation, who smiled and calmed everyone down, preventing the less-than-pleasant chat from continuing.

"How about this, everyone go home first, and after you've figured out what results your class can accept, what results you want to achieve, and what price you're willing to pay for this Special Exam, we'll come back here to discuss it again, okay?"

"Take me for example. To be honest, compared to the punishment of being expelled for being in the bottom three, what I actually care about or want more is the Protection Point for being in first place."

Kitagawa Ryo spoke with a half-smile, then threw out the first smoke bomb, which seemed both real and fake.

Chapter 364: The Great Operation Against the Sister-in-Law

"That's pretty much what we talked about today, but I feel like something's off, like something's not quite right."

After the boys' meeting ended, Kanzaki Ryuji from Class 1-B immediately called the class president Karuizawa Kei, to report the details of the discussion. However, after roughly summarizing the entire conversation, he noticed a strange sense of unease.

"Actually, this whole thing was rather awkward from the start. If we really wanted to discuss this Special Exam with the other First Year classes, there was absolutely no need to make it so conspicuous. Many students in my class just texted me about it, and I think the other three classes did too. After all, it's too eye-catching for a bunch of boys from different classes to get together at a karaoke bar."

"Does the class monitor mean that this meeting was deliberately shown to others?"

"Hmm, wasn't Liang himself the one who initiated this meeting? He also chose the location, which means Liang never intended to hide it from the beginning."

At this point, Karuizawa Kei asked again:

"I remember you just said that after Ryuen Kakeru and Katsuragi Kohei's initial negotiations failed, Ryo said something like, 'I hope each class can organize their demands and bargaining chips before discussing this further?'"

"Yes, Kitagawa did say that. Is there a problem?"

After receiving Kanzaki Ryuji's reply, Karuizawa Kei pondered for a moment, seemingly lost in thought:

"Anyway, I feel that when Ryo said that in that context, it was more like he was indicating that he didn't believe in the seemingly failed deal between Ryuen and Katsuragi at all, indirectly implying that he already knew that neither side had actually put forward their true demands."

"The real demands?"

"Well, to be more precise, it should be the ultimate demands, because the demands and desired outcomes of both sides are only rough ideas at this stage, and they will most likely change over time, which is what we call variables. In fact, Class C and Class D are fully aware of this, so they are just putting on an act, trying to take advantage of the current situation to make arrangements in advance or gain some advantage."

"To put it simply, today's meeting itself, including the content of the Kanzaki you just mentioned, has in fact become new bargaining chips for them to push forward with this Special Exam and negotiate with others."

After hearing Karuizawa Kei's opinion, Kanzaki Ryuji himself was somewhat taken aback and subconsciously asked:

"Others? Wasn't this Special Exam only for us First Year students?"

"But this never means that students from other grades can't interfere with this Special Exam. On the contrary, it's precisely because it's unrelated to their own grade that they can interfere more easily. Besides older students, the homeroom teachers of each class will also become key, albeit unseen, influencers."

"These new demands will influence, and even directly change, everyone's initial thoughts. The reason the school set a month-long voting period is essentially to see this happen. If a surprise vote is added on the last day without giving anyone any room for thought, the process and the result will become boring."

Seemingly noticing that Kanzaki Ryuji on the other end of the phone was sweating profusely, Karuizawa Kei reassured him in a lighthearted tone:

"However, our class is actually less likely to suffer losses in this situation. Having simple demands has its advantages, so let's relax and quietly wait for the situation to change."

"Okay, I understand."

Hearing Karuizawa Kei's confident statement, Kanzaki Ryuji breathed a sigh of relief, then asked another question that concerned him:

"If Class C and Class D didn't actually raise their real demands during this discussion, then was Kitagawa's final statement—that he wanted the Protection Point for first place—true or false?"

Faced with Kanzaki Ryuji's question, Karuizawa Kei's answer was once again quite straightforward, affirming without any hesitation:

"It's true, Liang really wants this Protection Point reward."

Although Kitagawa Ryo never said such words to her in person because they were in different factions and classes, Karuizawa Kei was still able to make such a deduction based on her understanding of Kitagawa Ryo and some of his recent actions.

"If the class monitor is so certain, then he must know the reason, right? Of course, if it's inconvenient, it's okay not to say."

"This is just my personal speculation. If Ryo really gets the Protection Point this time, then I can talk to you about it."

Karuizawa Kei politely declined the question. Kanzaki Ryuji only lost his composure when it came to interactions between her and Kitagawa Ryo; given her usual personality, he would never ask such a question.

"Okay, I understand. I'll hang up now."

After ending her call with Kanzaki Ryuji, Karuizawa Kei, who was in her dormitory room, casually lay down on the bed behind her and unconsciously reached for a photo of herself and Kitagawa Ryo from their time in the Theater Troupe, which was on her bedside table.

Kanzaki Ryuji Kitagawa Ryo and her, and a fan of their pairing. This was something Karuizawa Kei had known for a long time. In addition to being the editor of their encyclopedia entries for many years, she even has a Missionary Manual that is still being updated today, which has been enthusiastically shared with many students in Class B.

Karuizawa Kei had certainly seen it too. Her content and news related to Kitagawa Ryo were arranged there in chronological order, with the first item being her own explanation in an interview for "the reason she chose to become a theatrical Actor." Her answer at the time was simple: it was because of Kitagawa Ryo's existence.

Ordinary viewers could certainly interpret it as her reaction to the other person's performance, and even shippers looking for sweet moments could feel they'd found another sweet moment. It's a universal answer that can be interpreted in any way, although no amount of fan fiction online could fully explain the truth and emotions hidden behind this simple response.

Karuizawa Kei obviously chose to enter this industry because of Kitagawa Ryo, but who was Kitagawa Ryo drawn to it?

And the answer to this question is precisely what she hadn't said to Kanzaki Ryuji: why she was so certain that Kitagawa Ryo really wanted to Protection Point this time.

The function of Protection Point is--

To offset the punishment of being expelled from school.

In other words, with Protection Point...

They could then disregard the serious rules of Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School and freely complete a task as they pleased.

"Therefore, our main goal this time is to make Liang the number one in this Special Exam."

Faced with Ichinose Honami's resolute statement, Sakayanagi Arisu, sitting opposite her, merely curled her lip.

"Didn't you say last time that you and Ryo were going to transfer classes together and teach me a lesson? Why are you asking me to team up with you now?"

"After all, Ryo and I haven't switched classes yet."

As if she had completely forgotten the tense atmosphere between the two of them last time, Ichinose Honami smiled, picked up her hot drink, took a small sip, and then reminded him:

"Besides, Arisu still owes me a favor."

Sakayanagi Arisu that the other person was referring to the price she paid during the last Sports Festival for asking Ichinose Honami a crucial question to satisfy her curiosity and uncover the truth of the matter. Therefore, she had no choice but to tone down her previous attitude and earnestly raised her beautiful eyebrows at Ichinose Honami:

"Alright, I'll cooperate with you Honami once, although I personally feel that Ryo doesn't really need these Protection Point. There isn't a single student in the entire Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School who could expel him."

Looking at Sakayanagi Arisu, who had completely failed to discern Kitagawa Ryo's true thoughts, Ichinose Honami wore a smile that was a mixture of pity and smugness, as if a pitiful, thick barrier already separated them.

"What if Liang intends to use up these Protection Point on his own?"

"Actively using it? Does it mean like Ryuen did during the Uninhabited Island Special Exam, actively filling in the gaps for the class? If it really comes to that, then it feels like this class is pretty much doomed."

"... Fine, I'll just tell you the truth, Arisu, since you have to help me this time. By the way, did you know that Ryo has a younger sister?"

"Honami is talking about that child who isn't related to Liang by blood, right? I remember he had a congenital illness and was receiving treatment abroad for a long time? I've seen a picture of him, and his name is also Ying, isn't it?"

"Well, before Hotaru went abroad, about four or five years ago, before Ryo was taken back by the Kitagawa Family, Hotaru and my sister were classmates and good friends."

Compared to later arrivals like Horikita Suzune and Sakayanagi Arisu, she and Karuizawa Kei undoubtedly entered Kitagawa Ryo's life much earlier, and therefore had a better understanding of some things from the earlier period. This is why they were able to figure out Kitagawa Ryo's thoughts so quickly at this time.

"Ryo went to work as an Actor in the Theater Troupe back then, mainly to earn money for his and his sister's living expenses and medical expenses. Once he had raised enough money, he sent Hotaru abroad, and only then did the Kitagawa Family come knocking on his door."

"But it is precisely because of this that the siblings have always had a very good relationship. Arisu should know that during the summer vacation, Ryo helped Katsuragi from Class C go out of school to deliver his sister's birthday present. Ryo did that because he was thinking of his own sister."

Ichinose Honami recounted this past event, which Sakayanagi Arisu didn't actually know much about, with a slightly nostalgic tone, and casually mentioned how much the other person liked her, his older sister, back then.

In a sense, that was truly the closest she ever came to the championship trophy, especially since she had already won over her only family member. However, due to her personality, she squandered this golden opportunity, and now that she thinks about it, she feels a bit sorry for all the assists Hotaru gave her back then.

"The Final Exam and graduation ceremony for this semester are both on December 22nd. Then, Hotaru's birthday is the 25th of the winter break, which is Christmas Day."

Hearing Ichinose Honami say this, Sakayanagi Arisu nodded in agreement:

"So, Honami means is that Liang wants to go out of school to celebrate his sister's birthday?"

"Pretty much. Regardless of whether Liang can apply to leave school under the pretext of participating in competitions like before, he will probably do it anyway. After all, even if he goes out, there will be supervising teachers watching him, and leaving the team privately will also result in punishment. Having Protection Point will make things easier."

After explaining all the reasons, Ichinose Honami spoke again to Sakayanagi Arisu to confirm:

"So, Arisu, are you willing to help me?"

"... Since you've said that, even if we don't owe Honami that favor, we can't just ignore it, can we?"

As she spoke, Sakayanagi Arisu Ichinose Honami, feeling somewhat speechless, as if she had been indirectly tethered to the other party's pirate ship.

"What about the others? Do they know about this?"

"If Liang doesn't say it himself, the only one who can accurately guess what he's thinking is Hui. However, she's the class monitor of Class B, so it's best not to expect her to openly side with outsiders. We'll just have to figure it out ourselves."

"Karuizawa Kei? Right, if Ryo is transferring classes, her first destination should be Class B, right?"

"Right."

"So Honami, aren't you going to transfer over there too?"

At this point, Sakayanagi Arisu couldn't help but reveal a delightful smile, the kind of smile that comes from someone who loves a good show, and teased in a mischievous tone:

"If that day ever comes, Honami's first opponent should be her. After all, she is the real class representative of Class B. And thanks to Kanzaki, most of Class B now consists of K&K CP fans. Is Honami spending Twenty Million Personal Points just to watch this kind of show up close in a different place?"

"It's not as exaggerated as Arisu said. Actually, I'm quite familiar with the students in Class B."

"Looks like they're planning to turn the tables? That'll be tough."

"Before Arisu worries about me, she should worry about how she'll take over the class leadership as soon as we transfer. Suzune is still in the class."

Upon hearing Ichinose Honami mention Horikita Suzune's name, Sakayanagi Arisu fell silent for a moment. After all, as the other party said, if Kitagawa Ryo and Ichinose Honami transferred to another class together, then Horikita Suzune would become her biggest rival in the competition for class Leader.

Horikita Suzune herself may not care about this title, but considering that the two are both members of the Student Council and are both planning to run for the next Student Council President, the other party is unlikely to give up this opportunity easily.

In a sense, this was the prelude to what was to come for the two of them.

"Alright, let's leave it at that. I'll discuss the specific plans with Arisu later."

Misaka Sakayanagi Arisu finally quieted down, Ichinose Honami also stood up from her seat in a relaxed tone, ready to leave.

"Etc."

"What's wrong?"

"About Liang's younger sister."

"Um."

"... What kind of birthday gift does she like?"