Poverty

June sunlight streamed through the glass windows along the corridor, carrying the warmth of early summer, yet it did nothing to warm the gloom hanging over Class D.

During lunch break, the small convenience store on the ground floor of the school building was noticeably less crowded than it had been at the start of the month.

A faint tension seemed to hang in the air.

Kiyona twisted open the bottle of water she had just bought. The cap gave a faint, gritty squeak.

Her sharp gaze swept over Hoshino Kanade beside her. Seeing him twist open his drink as well, she immediately lowered her voice, her words slipping into the gap like a trickle of water. "Kanade, look over at Class D..." Her eyes darted toward two girls nearby who were choosing bread.

Their fingers moved back and forth between the bread and the price tags, clear hesitation etched between their brows.

In the end, they picked up the cheapest sliced bread and a basic rice ball. They headed for the checkout with barely concealed haste.

As they swiped their cards, their discomfort became all the more obvious. Their gazes dropped, deliberately avoiding any eyes that might be watching. Silence was their only interaction throughout the whole process.

Hoshino Kanade followed Kiyona's gesture and looked over, his expression unchanged.

He took a small sip of bottled water. His Adam's apple bobbed once, and when he spoke, his voice was as placid as still water. "It's only to be expected.

"Class D has been stuck at zero points all through June. By now, everyone knows exactly how empty this class's coffers are."

His eyes remained on the two girls' hurriedly retreating backs as he dissected the situation with precision. "The fools who blew through all their points in the first wave didn't just waste their own. They also burned through their friendship points early on. And now? The whole ship is going down together. The only ones with any points left..."

He paused briefly. A trace of subtle chill crept into his voice, more like an observation born of precise study of human nature. "Are the miserly hoarders who know how to calculate, and... those clear-eyed enough to stay alert. They know 'scarcity' is contagious." He gestured toward the shelves. "Even buying a snack means looking around first. They're not afraid of the price. They're afraid of the 'friend' whose eyes might light up the next second and fix on their points."

Without warning, Kiyona turned and leaned into him like a vine that had found somewhere to rest, soft and seamless as she nestled against his chest.

She rested her chin naturally in the hollow of his shoulder. Her warm breath brushed his sensitive neck, sweeping over the most sensitive spot again and again and stirring tiny ripples across his skin.

With a hint of a plaintive, coaxing lilt, she said, "Speaking of which, I'm almost out of points too~ From now on, I'll have to rely on you to 'keep' me, Kanade, won't I?" Her tone was light and matter-of-fact, as if she were saying something perfectly natural.

In reality, she still had forty thousand points in her account. But judging by the state of Class D, it was already clear that everyone would soon run out.

Hoshino's body tensed in an instant, then relaxed half a second later.

He had long since grown used to Kiyona's sudden displays of affection, when she practically draped herself over him. He had gone from being at a loss at first to taking it in stride now—even... secretly enjoying it a little.

He lowered his eyes to the soft crown of her head so close to him. The clean scent of orchid shampoo mingled with the warm, sweet fragrance unique to her, easily overwhelming the convenience store's cold, sterile smell.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he naturally slipped his free arm around her waist, holding her more securely at his side.

The gesture was smooth and effortless, carrying an unspoken possessiveness and intimacy.

"Oh?" Hoshino Kanade gave an ambiguous little sound, the end of it lifting slightly with a teasing edge.

He turned his head, his lips almost brushing her temple. His voice dropped so low that only she could hear. "'Keep' you? Sounds like a high-risk investment." He paused, feeling her soft warmth in his arms. His gaze swept over her slightly upturned face and sly smile. "Still, considering this 'investor' seems... well, easy enough on the eyes, and has a certain degree of 'strategic value,'" he deliberately used the term she had teased him with before, a trace of amusement flickering in his eyes, "I might consider it."

He dipped his head until the tip of his nose nearly touched hers, their breaths mingling. His voice was low and resonant. "So, how do I calculate the interest?" His gaze flickered over her slightly parted lips, the implication unmistakable.

Under the bright lights of the convenience store, the two of them were openly affectionate, completely at odds with the tense atmosphere around them.

Held in his arms, Kiyona could clearly feel the steady beat of his heart and the faint vibrations in his chest as he spoke.

Hoshino Kanade's teasing, provocative words made her ears grow warm, but the sweetness of being indulged mattered more.

Rather than retreating, Kiyona met his gaze from mere inches away and lightly poked his solid chest with a fingertip. "As for the interest... that depends on how you perform, doesn't it?" She drew out the words, her eyes glimmering. "For example... do you want to collect a little 'interest' in advance right now?"

Hoshino Kanade's Adam's apple bobbed again, and the arm around her waist tightened slightly.

He understood her hint, of course.

His gaze lingered for a moment on her expectant, mischievous lips, then swept over the convenience store. There weren't many people around, but they were still in public.

"This is a public place, Kiyona," he reminded her softly. There was no real reproach in his tone, only a hint of helpless indulgence.

He lowered his head and quickly pressed a kiss as light as a feather to her smooth forehead, a soothing gesture. "There's a limit to how much you can collect in advance. We'll settle the rest... when we get back."

That fleeting kiss was clearly not enough to satisfy Kiyona.

She pouted in dissatisfaction, but she knew his principles.

Still, being able to snuggle openly in his arms like this, watching him look at her with helpless affection instead of the cool, almost ruthless expression he wore when analyzing a situation, was already a great pleasure.

"Hmph, stingy," she muttered, rubbing her head against the hollow of his shoulder like a cat seeking comfort.

Hoshino sighed silently, though the corner of his mouth lifted in the faintest smile.

He tightened his arm to let her rest more comfortably and turned his gaze back to the shelves, but his thoughts were clearly no longer on analyzing Class D's predicament.

Of course, deep down, he knew perfectly well that if Kiyona really applied herself, with her abilities, earning those points would be no trouble at all. She might not even need to resort to the same "shortcuts" he did.

Hoshino Kanade knew better than anyone the intelligence and drive she concealed beneath her cool exterior.

Perhaps one day, if he ended up the loser, he'd have to rely on Kiyona to support him.

The card in his pocket, loaded with an enormous number of points, meant far less to him now than the girl in his arms: warm to the touch, capable of coaxing and pleading, and able to make him lower his principles again and again.

"You win," he murmured, his voice gentler than even he realized.

The convenience store's air conditioning continued to blow, but where the two of them leaned against each other, they had made a little world of warmth.

The points crisis? The study of human nature? Faced with his lover's warmth and intimate whispers, they could both wait. Kiyona secretly curved her lips into a smile in his arms, like a little fox that had gotten away with stealing a treat.