Class C Simply Had Too Much to Offer

The next morning.

At the Class A meeting, Mashima Tomoya stood at the front of the room and spoke about Ken Sudō with a grave expression.

"Today, I need to tell you about something. Some of you who are good at keeping up with the news may already know that a few days ago, students from Class D and Class C got into a dispute—in other words, they got into a fight.

"But both sides have their own version of events, and since there are no cameras, the school can't determine who was at fault.

"So the school has asked me to inform you about the incident and look for witnesses.

"Now, did anyone in our class witness what happened that day? If you did, please raise your hand."

The students looked at one another, but no one raised a hand.

After listening, Uesugi Hara yawned and turned his gaze out the window.

This school was so stingy. They offered nothing in return, yet expected students to help them out? Did they think I was stupid, or did they think I was kind?

"It seems our class doesn't have any witnesses." Mashima Tomoya didn't seem too disappointed. After all, the matter had nothing to do with their class. If the school hadn't asked him to bring it up, he might not have mentioned it at all.

He changed the subject and gave them a gentle smile. "Still, with something like this happening at school, I hope my lovely students will take good care of themselves."

"Got it!"

Compared to Class D, which was in a tizzy over Ken Sudō's situation, Class A barely reacted to the news.

They had no intention of going out to look for witnesses. To them, it was nothing more than something to gossip about over lunch.

At most, they might wonder what they would do if they found themselves in a similar situation.

"Uesugi."

Uesugi Hara had been busy wolfing down his food with his head lowered. When he heard someone call his name, he looked up and saw Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, with Horikita Suzune behind him.

"Oh, Ayanokoji? Uh... Horikita's here too?" He greeted Ayanokoji first, then hesitated for a moment before greeting Horikita as well.

"Mm." Horikita Suzune gave only a faint reply.

If Ayanokoji hadn't said Uesugi Hara might have a lead, she wouldn't have even spared him a glance.

Uesugi Hara: ...

He looked at Ayanokoji: Is she always this high and mighty?

Ayanokoji: You get used to it.

The two of them sat down.

Uesugi Hara looked at the pair across from him. For some reason, when he compared the two of them, Ayanokoji looked like a put-upon little wife.

No way! Absolutely not!

It had to be my imagination!

He couldn't figure out how that thought had even crossed his mind.

Uesugi Hara shook his head, trying to rid himself of the absurd idea.

"By the way, why did you come to see me for once? Usually, if I don't go looking for you, you won't even give me a second glance." Uesugi Hara sounded annoyed.

"Well, there is something."

"Oh? So there are things even you can't handle, Ayanokoji?"

"I'm not a god. Of course there are things I can't handle." Ayanokoji shot back at Uesugi Hara's teasing.

"Could you two get to the point already?" Horikita Suzune said impatiently from beside them.

Ken Sudō's situation had already left her on edge, and now she had to sit here listening to the two of them make small talk.

What a waste of time!

Uesugi Hara: Ayanokoji, does your family know how bold she is?

Ayanokoji ignored him and merely sighed.

Ayanokoji thought: I can't get through to her...

"Uesugi, we really did come to see you about something."

"Shh—let me guess first. You're going to ask me about Ken Sudō, right?"

Ayanokoji: Isn't that obvious?

"Right. Do you have any leads?"

"As for leads, I do have one. But it depends on how much you're willing to offer." He toyed with his Terminal and looked at the two of them with amusement.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Horikita Suzune gave him a sharp look.

"Trying to provoke me won't work. Also, I'm talking to Ayanokoji. Why are you butting in?" Uesugi Hara retorted without hesitation. What made you think you could get away with that?

"You!" Horikita Suzune was so angry her face turned red.

"What about me? Adults are talking. Kids shouldn't butt in. Letting you listen from the side is already generous enough. Keep yapping and you can go find the leads yourself!"

"You!"

"Horikita, calm down! We're the ones asking him for help." Ayanokoji hurriedly held her back.

"Hoo... hoo... hmph!"

When Horikita Suzune stopped talking, Ayanokoji breathed a sigh of relief. "Uesugi, what do you want?"

"Let me think... Uh... What does your class even have?" He genuinely couldn't think of anything he could get from Class D.

Ayanokoji: ...

This was bad. He couldn't think of anything Class D had to offer either.

The two of them looked at each other and fell silent.

"What are you two doing?" Horikita Suzune asked when neither of them could come up with a word for ages.

"Horikita, do you think we have anything we can offer in exchange for a lead?" Ayanokoji asked her.

She was at a loss for words. After a long pause, she finally managed, "21,431 Points. Is that enough?"

"Uh..." Uesugi Hara and Ayanokoji both froze, then looked at her strangely.

Her face turned red again, this time with embarrassment. "What are you looking at?"

Uesugi Hara: I preferred you when you were all defiant. Why don't you go back to being like that?

The two of them looked away.

"Ayanokoji, what do you think?"

"I should be asking you that, Uesugi. What do you think?"

"Unfortunately, those Points will only buy you some information that may or may not be useful," Uesugi Hara said regretfully.

Ayanokoji and Horikita Suzune exchanged a look: Should we buy it?

"Fine," Horikita Suzune said after a moment of silence.

"Those three were sent by Ryuen. They deliberately went after Ken Sudō."

"That's it?" Horikita Suzune asked in disbelief.

"What else?" Uesugi Hara looked at her in confusion. You only gave me twenty thousand Points. What kind of explosive news did you expect?

Horikita Suzune felt like she'd been played, but she couldn't bring herself to get angry. After all, Uesugi Hara had warned them in advance that the information might or might not be useful.

Horikita Suzune: "What a waste of time!"

In the end, Uesugi Hara took only twenty thousand Points. Ayanokoji and Horikita each paid ten thousand, and he didn't ask her for the extra 1,431.

Uesugi Hara: I'm still too kind.

Back in the classroom.

Uesugi Hara wondered whether he should give the video to Ayanokoji in exchange for a favor. Although Ayanokoji seemed "harmless" now, they'd known each other for years, and Uesugi Hara knew he was no pushover.

If he had to face Ayanokoji in the future, that could cause him trouble.

But Class C was probably feeling pretty pleased with itself right now. If he showed them the video at a time like this, it would make for a very satisfying scene.

And compared with Class D, which was disorganized and broke, Class C was unified and had plenty of Class Points. They could surely offer a big pile of Points in exchange, right?

After weighing it all up, Uesugi Hara could only apologize to Ayanokoji in his heart.

It wasn't that he didn't want to give it to him. It was just that Class C had too much to offer.