It's Just That Class C Offers Too Much

The next morning.

During the Class A homeroom, Mashima Tomoya stood at the podium, his expression serious as he brought up the matter of Sudo Ken.

"I need to inform you all of something today. Some of you who are well-informed may already know, but a few days ago, students from Class D and Class C got into a dispute. To put it simply, they had a fight."

"However, both sides are sticking to their own stories, and because there is no surveillance footage, the school is unable to determine who is at fault."

"Therefore, the school has requested that we homeroom teachers inform you of this matter and seek out any witnesses."

"I will ask now: does anyone in our class happen to have witnessed the situation that day? If there are any witnesses, please raise your hand."

Everyone looked at one another, but no one raised a hand.

After listening, Uesugi Hara let out a yawn and then turned his gaze toward the window.

This school is truly stingy. They want students to do favors for them without offering any benefits? Do they think I'm stupid, or do they think I'm a saint?

"It seems we have no witnesses in this class." Mashima Tomoya didn't seem particularly disappointed; after all, this matter had nothing to do with their class, and if not for the school's requirement, he probably wouldn't have brought it up at all.

He shifted his tone, revealing a gentle smile: "However, with such things happening at school, I do hope my dear students will protect yourselves well."

"Understood!"

Compared to Class D, which was frantic over the Sudo Ken incident, Class A had absolutely no reaction to the news.

There was no desire to go looking for witnesses; to them, this was nothing more than a topic for after-meal conversation.

At most, they might briefly consider what they would do if they encountered such a situation themselves.

"Uesugi."

Uesugi Hara, who had been looking down at his food, heard someone call his name. He looked up to see Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, with Horikita Suzune following behind him.

"Oh, Ayanokoji? Uh... Horikita-san is here too?" He greeted them first, hesitating slightly when he saw Horikita before greeting her as well.

"Yes." Horikita Suzune replied with a faint, indifferent tone.

If Ayanokoji hadn't said that Uesugi Hara might have a lead, she wouldn't have even glanced at him.

Uesugi Hara: ...

He looked at Ayanokoji: Is she always this arrogant?

Ayanokoji: You'll get used to it.

The two took their seats.

Uesugi Hara looked at the pair sitting across from him. By comparison, why did Ayanokoji look like a mistreated young wife?

Impossible! Absolutely impossible!

It must be my imagination!

He really couldn't understand how he had managed to associate them with that.

Uesugi Hara shook his head, trying to shake the absurd thought from his mind.

"So, why did you take the initiative to come find me? Usually, if I don't go to you, you wouldn't even spare me a second glance," Uesugi Hara said with a huff.

"Well, there is indeed something."

"Eh~ So there are things that even you, Ayanokoji, can't solve?"

"I'm not a god, so naturally, there are things I can't solve." Ayanokoji retorted to Uesugi Hara's teasing.

"Can you two please get to the point!" Horikita Suzune, sitting to the side, was growing impatient.

The Sudo Ken incident already had her feeling flustered, and now she had to sit here and listen to these two chat.

It was a complete waste of time!

Uesugi Hara: Ayanokoji, do her family members know she's this bold?

Ayanokoji ignored him and simply let out a sigh.

Ayanokoji's thoughts: She's impossible to carry...

"Uesugi, we really do have a reason for coming to you."

"Shh~ Let me guess first. You wouldn't be talking about that Sudo Ken incident, would you?"

Ayanokoji: Isn't that obvious?

"Indeed. So, do you have any leads?"

"Leads, huh? I do have some, but it depends on what you're willing to pay." He toyed with his terminal, looking at the two of them with amusement.

"How do I know if what you're saying is true or false!" Horikita Suzune's gaze was sharp.

"Reverse psychology doesn't work on me. Also, I'm talking to Ayanokoji, so why are you interrupting?" Uesugi Hara retorted directly. Who spoiled you?

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

"You what? Adults are talking, so don't interrupt, kid. I'm already being generous by letting you listen in. If you keep yapping, go find the leads yourself!"

"I!..."

"Horikita, calm down! We are the ones asking for a favor right now," Ayanokoji hurriedly pulled her back.

"Haa~ haa~ hmph!"

Seeing that Horikita Suzune had stopped speaking, Ayanokoji let out a sigh of relief, "Uesugi, what do you want?"

"Let me think... uh... what does your class even have?" He truly couldn't think of anything he could get from Class D.

Ayanokoji: ...

Oh no, he couldn't think of anything Class D had that was worth mentioning either.

The two exchanged glances and fell into a simultaneous silence.

"What are you two doing?" Horikita Suzune asked, unable to hold back after watching them struggle to squeeze out a single word for so long.

"Horikita, what do you think we can offer in exchange for information?" Ayanokoji countered with a question of his own.

She was left speechless, eventually managing to choke out, "21,431 points, is that enough?"

"Uh, this..." Uesugi Hara and Ayanokoji were both stunned, looking at her with strange expressions.

Her face turned red again, this time from embarrassment, "What are you looking at!"

Uesugi Hara: I still prefer your arrogant and unruly side; why don't you go back to that.

The two looked away.

"Ayanokoji, what do you think?"

"That's the question I should be asking you, Uesugi. What do you think?"

"It's a pity, but these points can only buy information that might be useful, or might be useless," Uesugi Hara said with a tone of regret.

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

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

"Those three people were arranged by Ryuen to deliberately cause trouble for Sudo Ken."

"That's it?" Horikita Suzune said, unable to believe it.

"What else did you expect?" Uesugi Hara looked at her in confusion. It was only 20,000 points; what kind of explosive news did she want?

Horikita Suzune felt like she had been played, but she couldn't bring herself to lash out, especially since Uesugi Hara had warned her beforehand that the information might be useful or useless.

Horikita Suzune: "What a complete waste of time!"

In the end, Uesugi Hara only took 20,000 points, with Ayanokoji and Horikita each paying 10,000; he didn't bother taking the odd change.

Uesugi Hara: I really am too kind.

Returning to the classroom.

Uesugi Hara pondered whether he should hand the video over to Ayanokoji in exchange for a favor. Although Ayanokoji looked "harmless" right now, they had known each other for many years, and he knew full well that Ayanokoji was no pushover.

If he had to face him in the future, it would likely be troublesome.

However, Class C must be feeling very smug right now. If he were to present the video to them at this moment, the scene would surely be satisfying to watch.

Furthermore, compared to the scattered and penniless Class D, Class C, which was unified and possessed a large amount of class points, would certainly be able to offer a significant sum in exchange, right?

Comparing the two, Uesugi Hara could only apologize to Ayanokoji in his heart.

It wasn't that he didn't want to give it to him, but Class C could simply offer him so much more.