I Owed You in a Past Life

Karuizawa Kei seemed unfazed by the boy's reaction, and while fiddling with the ends of her hair, she said mischievously:

"So Kanzaki knew that Class B was about to be overtaken by Class C."

"I remember that if one student drops out, the Class Points. If Class D doesn't take action this time, I believe we'll see Class 1-C's name changed to Class 1-B's after this Midterm Exam."

Whether it was a misperception or not, Ichinose Honami sensed for a moment that Karuizawa Kei was holding a faint joy when talking about Class C, as if the Karuizawa Kei sitting here negotiating with her wasn't there for Class D but for Class C.

Banishing this absurd idea from her mind, Ichinose Honami pursed her lips and asked:

"Even without Class D's intervention, Shibata- kun might not necessarily have been expelled because of the fight."

She was still trying to deceive Karuizawa Kei with words, but Karuizawa Kei saw through her sophistry at a glance, blinking her bright blue eyes and smiling:

"I clearly said the Midterm Exam, right?"

"Because he was suspended from school and couldn't take the Midterm Exam, he was expelled. I heard that Shibata Sō was quite a respected boy in Class B. I wonder if Class B will still be the same after he's expelled."

Karuizawa Kei lowered her eyes and spoke to herself:

"For the past month, I've kept hearing how united and cohesive the students in Class B are, but now it seems that's not the case at all."

Her attitude thoroughly infuriated Kanzaki Ryuji, and just as he was about to retort, Ichinose Honami stopped him, taking a deep breath:

"Karuizawa is right, not a single one of the forty students in Class B can be missing."

Ichinose Honami turned to look at Kanzaki Ryuji, her tone returning to its usual gentleness—the tone most familiar to the students of Class B.

"Private Points and Class Points can be regained if they're lost, but if any member of Class B drops out, they'll never be able to get them back. I don't want to see that happen."

While feeling moved, Kanzaki Ryuji also had a sense of stepping into an abyss. He knew he was drinking poison to quench his thirst, but it seemed that Class B had no choice but to grit their teeth and drink this cup of poison. Just as Ichinose Honami said, the unity of Class B now was their most valuable weapon.

However, considering the enormous number of 800,000 Private Points per month, Kanzaki Ryuji remained hesitant. Ichinose Honami didn't want to force him, and just as the situation reached a stalemate, Karuizawa Kei spoke up again:

"Actually, the two from Class B don't need to be so pessimistic. After Class D testifies for you, this incident will change from Class B's act of violence against Class C to Class C's act of framing Class B. At that time, the school may even order Class C to compensate Class B."

"Does thinking about it this way make it easier to accept?"

Karuizawa Kei's words were quite tempting. Ichinose Honami originally wanted to say that they should just let the matter rest, but Kanzaki Ryuji's mind was stirred by those words, and soon he was constructing a number of compensation requests he could make to Class C.

They hadn't considered this possibility before, but now, thinking about it, Class D' s testimony could not only extricate Class B from its passive situation, but could even allow Class B to immediately switch from defense to offense and gain the upper hand in the class competition. If such an effect could be achieved, then 800,000 points a month didn't seem unacceptable. As long as they could obtain compensation of the same value from Class C, perhaps Class B could even profit from this incident?

With this in mind, Kanzaki Ryuji reluctantly agreed to Karuizawa Kei's request. Ichinose Honami had already planned to sign a contract to protect Shibata, and with Kanzaki Ryuji —the class's vice-president—also agreeing, the rest was quite simple.

Class B was remarkably efficient. Unlike the noisy signing of the contract by Class D, Karuizawa Kei reached an agreement with Class 1-B in less than thirty minutes. Class 1-D would act as witnesses for Class B, and Class 1-B would pay Karuizawa Kei a one-time payment of one million Private Points and eight hundred thousand Private Points per month.

"Wow! I did it! Really, I'm super, super happy!"

Kitagawa Ryo heard the knocking at 11 p. m. As soon as he opened the door, Karuizawa Kei rushed in. She seemed to have just taken a shower, her hair was still loose and damp.

"Okay, okay, I know Hui is the best."

Being bumped head-on, Kitagawa Ryo didn't try to dodge this time. Although he had sent people to monitor Karuizawa Kei's actions today, he really didn't expect her to complete them so perfectly. From winning over Sakura Airi in the morning to extract evidence to directly confronting the leader of Class B and signing a contract in the afternoon, Karuizawa Kei had given him too many surprises.

Kitagawa Ryo casually took a dry towel from a hook on the wall and dried Karuizawa Kei's still slightly damp hair as if he were stroking a large dog. Karuizawa Kei leaned against him and excitedly talked about all sorts of things that happened that day.

She wanted more praise and encouragement, so she kept snuggling against Kitagawa Ryo.

After a full half hour, Karuizawa Kei finally calmed down, seemingly realizing that she had acted somewhat inappropriately. She sat on the sofa, her face slightly flushed, without saying a word.

"How's the answer coming along?"

Kitagawa Ryo took a carbonated drink from the refrigerator for himself and made a simple shaved ice for Karuizawa Kei, placing it in front of her.

"Hmm... Horikita doesn't seem to be planning to reveal the answer yet."

"Oh, Suzune's personality will definitely reveal her true colors a day or two before the exam. She must think that giving the answers too early will only prevent students from studying properly and force them to just memorize the answers. Giving them only a day or two to memorize the answers will not only help them remember them more clearly, but also allow those struggling students to actually learn something."

Kitagawa Ryo wasn't surprised by Horikita Suzune's choice:

"My initial plan was to have you reveal the answer and confront Horikita Suzune to build your reputation, but the incident in Class B was actually more effective. So, Megumi, just subtly remind them within your trusted circle first; they should believe you."

"Speaking of which, why would the class advisor in Chabashira deliberately draw up the wrong exam scope and test points?"

Karuizawa Kei asked with some confusion, a little juice dripping from the corner of her mouth like a child's. Kitagawa Ryo reached out and wiped it away.

"I can roughly guess her thinking. In fact, the class advisors of each class have relevant hints about the exam. Buying answers must have been done by freshmen in the past, or the school deliberately sets the same questions as another test for the freshmen."

"But your class's homeroom teacher Chabashira..."

Kitagawa Ryo twitched his lips:

"It does seem like there's a problem. I think she's probably waiting for you guys to discover the error in the scope, and then using that opportunity to give you some information about 'buying answers,' like confidently saying things like, 'As long as you find the right method, even the failing group can pass.'"

"I see!"

Karuizawa Kei raised her hand high:

There are only two ways to pass an exam without studying:

"First, bribing a teacher to cheat is highly unlikely."

"Second, find the answers to the exam papers. Besides teachers, the only other people in the school are staff and upperclassmen. It's natural to think of asking the upperclassmen about this, and then you'll discover that the midterm Midterm Exam."

Kitagawa Ryo gave Karuizawa Kei a rather appreciative look:

"That's certainly true."

"But I still can't understand what Chabashira's homeroom teacher did. If no one notices the error in the scope, wouldn't even those who studied diligently risk failing and being expelled?"

Karuizawa Kei said, somewhat angrily.

That's why I said I couldn't understand it.

Kitagawa Ryo thought of his homeroom teacher, Sakagami Kazuma. Although this uncle wasn't as youthful and beautiful as Chabashira Sae, his old-fashioned glasses and receding hairline had a certain charm... Well, mainly because the other man had always supported him in leading Class C.

"Do I need to remind everyone?"

"That depends on Hui's mood."

Kitagawa Ryo stretched:

"If I'm not mistaken, if someone fails, it's possible to buy points for them using Private Points."

"Hui currently has the most points; if she performs well, she can easily take control of Class D."

"I won't care about them, let them drop out of school if they want."

However, Karuizawa Kei seemed completely uninterested in this; she focused all her attention on Kitagawa Ryo, closing her eyes and whispering:

"Today, Chabashira class advisor said something that was somewhat useful: you can transfer to another class if you have 20 million points."

Her right hand rested on Kitagawa Ryo's chest, and as the midnight bells tolled, Kitagawa Ryo heard the girl's prayer:

All I want right now is to transfer to Class C.

Karuizawa Kei looked into Kitagawa Ryo's dark pupils and smiled somewhat strangely, a smile carrying a danger unlike anything she usually displayed.

"The rest... don't matter to me."

I need to take a day off.

My familiar supervisor has pulled me into some work; I have to revise several junior students' term papers tonight, so I really don't have time to write. I'm asking for a day off, sorry.

I'm planning to leave university tomorrow and go back to my hometown, but the tickets are sold out, so I bought a high-speed rail ticket for the day after tomorrow. Once my summer vacation starts, I'll probably try updating twice a day.

Here's a bonus image as an apology.

Chapter 18: I owed you in my past life

When Karuizawa Kei spoke these words, the shimmering light in her azure eyes seemed to be damp, as if she had been drenched in rain. This was perhaps the second time she had revealed her true feelings to Kitagawa Ryo; the first time was when she hoped that Kitagawa would address her by her name.

"There's no rush to transfer classes. It's only been a little over a month since the start of the semester. There should be plenty of opportunities to earn Private Points over the next three years."

"But the Chabashira advisor just said today that in previous years, even through deception, the senior students only managed to accumulate a maximum of twelve million Private Points."

Karuizawa Kei sensed something different from Kitagawa Ryo's words. One of her hands remained on Kitagawa Ryo's chest, while the other was pressed against her own heart. Her nails were quite long, seemingly manicured in a light color. The translucent nails shimmered with a glaze-like sheen under the warm yellow light, like sharp daggers ready to slice open and expose everything inside to Kitagawa Ryo.

"I'm not like him."

Kitagawa Ryo looked away, shook his head, and said:

"Before me, there shouldn't have been any freshman who could simultaneously reap a combined monthly gain of 1.2 million points from both Class D and Class B within two months of the start of the semester."

"Yes, I believe Liang."

According to the contract, the 800,000 points from Class B each month should have been deposited into Karuizawa Kei's account. However, when she heard Kitagawa Ryo arbitrarily transfer these points to her own account as well, Karuizawa Kei not only showed no dissatisfaction, but nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Kitagawa Ryo felt a strange sense of danger for the first time, but he just shrugged indifferently. The goal of this simulation was to enable Karuizawa Kei to survive independently in this Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School. As long as this goal could be achieved, he would be happy to be a catalyst for her growth.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that he's using himself as bait to induce Karuizawa Kei's growth:

"If you become the class leader, you'll have more opportunities to accumulate large sums of points in the future."

[If I could become the class leader, I wouldn't be bullied so easily anymore, nor would I have to fawn over others.]

"I'm really looking forward to Hui Neng accumulating 20 million Private Points on his own, and then one day legitimately transferring them to my class."

[If Hui could accumulate 20 million Private Points, it would mean she's undoubtedly one of the best in the entire academy, a girl capable of independent living.]

"By then, Hui won't have to sneak around to see me anymore, afraid of being discovered, right?"

[By then, it will be time for him to leave.]

Kitagawa Ryo looked at Karuizawa Kei as if she were looking at a fledgling bird taking shape inside an egg, gradually growing claws and a beak, waiting for the day it would hatch.

"If this is what Ryo wants me to do."

Karuizawa Kei is the most complicated girl Kitagawa Ryo has ever met. Although she always pretends to be so simple, as if she were the easiest girl in the world to satisfy, she is also the girl who most wants genuine emotions. Fairy-tale longing and cruel pragmatism are intertwined on her at the same time. Kitagawa Ryo suddenly remembered what Karuizawa Kei said in the last simulation, "Don't hurt me."

Kitagawa Ryo lowered his head and whispered in her ear:

"Yes, that's what I wanted."

"It's nice to see you again, Honami."

Kitagawa Ryo greeted Ichinose Honami, who was sitting opposite him, in a friendly manner, as if the BC Class Brawl Incident that had been making headlines for the past two days had never happened. Ichinose Honami also didn't seem angry or indifferent, and responded with a smile:

"Kitagawa-kun looks very energetic today. Hmm, this new outfit looks great on him."

Even though the final debate was scheduled for the next day, Kanzaki Ryuji glared at Ryuen Kakeru, who was standing behind Kitagawa Ryo, as if facing a formidable enemy. Looking at the other's injuries, which were by no means minor, he couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. No wonder the school was biased towards Class C. After all, it was indeed unimaginable for an ordinary person to have injured themselves like that.

"Oh, you mean this one? Hiyori picked it out for me a couple of Hiyori ago."

Kitagawa Ryo touched the jacket he was wearing. A few days ago, he had indirectly used Shiina Hiyori Horikita Suzune. As a result, he had to spend the whole day of his day off shopping with her before he was satisfied. Hiyori used to be a bookish, somewhat reclusive girl, but he wondered if it was because of Kitagawa Ryo's influence that she had gradually developed some other interests.

"It seems Kitagawa-kun gets along very well with everyone in Class C."

Ichinose Honami nodded generously:

"Regarding the Shibata- kun incident, could Class C please request that they withdraw their complaint from the Student Council and the school?"

Hearing Ichinose Honami's statement, Kanzaki Ryuji behind her also twitched his lips helplessly. Although he knew his class president's style of doing things, after Class B paid the price of 800,000 points per month, it should have been a great opportunity to launch a fierce attack on Class C. However, judging from Ichinose Honami's words, it seemed that she still planned to resolve the two classes peacefully.

"It seems Class B came well-prepared this time. They must have obtained overwhelmingly favorable evidence."

But Kitagawa Ryo didn't seem surprised at all. Leaning back on the sofa cushions, he sized up Ichinose Honami and suddenly asked:

Has Honami joined the Student Council yet?

"Ah... oh, yes."

Although she didn't know why Kitagawa Ryo suddenly asked this question, Ichinose Honami answered honestly, but then scratched her face a little embarrassedly at the end and said:

"Actually, I believe that if Kitagawa-kun is willing to give it a try, he should be able to join the Student Council. After all, I heard that both Vice President Nagumo and President Horikita have an impression of Kitagawa-kun."

Kitagawa Ryo's mind stirred slightly. He had indeed met Miyabi Nagumo quite early on. When he was plotting Sudo at the beginning of the semester, he had used the help of second-year seniors. The mastermind behind the entire second-year class was actually Miyabi Nagumo, the leader of Class 2-A. However, at the time, he had only exchanged a few simple words with her, and those second-year seniors had silently suffered the consequences afterward. He didn't expect that she would still remember.

"But after all, Honami is the only First Year student to join the Student Council, which is a truly remarkable achievement."

Kitagawa Ryo simply brushed off the topic and continued:

"As for dropping the charges, Class C has actually had that idea for a while. After all, Ryuen is a kind-hearted person. Even after being beaten, he only hoped that Shibata would receive some minor punishment. Class D doesn't want to see him expelled either."

"If Class C also wishes to do so, then please, Kitagawa-kun..."

I haven't finished speaking yet.

Kitagawa Ryo, already prepared, took out a paper contract from his bag: