Be My Woman!

Lunch ended in a subtle, silent atmosphere.

Akiyama Shin and Horikita Suzune left the cafeteria, each lost in their own thoughts.

Their next stop was the department store inside Keyaki Mall.

Although the ostensible reason was to purchase Basic Living Essentials, the two had vastly different motives.

For Akiyama Shin, this was merely replenishing daily necessities, but for Horikita Suzune, it felt more like a verification—a test of the terrifying hypothesis she had formed in the cafeteria regarding points and competitive relationships.

Upon entering the supermarket, Horikita Suzune did not immediately search for a potential area for free relief supplies.

Instead, she deliberately slowed her pace, focusing more intently on Akiyama Shin as he walked ahead.

In her mind, Akiyama Shin's actions themselves might contain information that needed decoding.

She watched as Akiyama Shin pushed the shopping cart, moving through the aisles with a clear objective.

When he picked up daily necessities like shampoo, body wash, and toothpaste, his gaze swept over the price tags, and without exception, he chose affordable brands with high cost-performance ratios.

It was exactly the same as his behavior in the cafeteria when he chose the budget meal.

His movements were practiced and lacked the slightest hesitation.

Clearly, this was not a deliberate performance, but rather a consumption habit formed over a long period.

In the eyes of Horikita Suzune, who had already begun to acknowledge Akiyama Shin's capabilities, this series of actions was imbued with deeper meaning, and she pondered to herself.

He possesses nearly 2.8 million points... yet he remains this frugal...

This isn't just because of his personal habits, is it...? It feels more like a warning!

He is using his actions to remind me! To remind me that Personal Points are extremely important! In a situation where the landscape is unclear... I must conserve as much as possible! I cannot spend them recklessly!

Although she was not a person who lived extravagantly by nature, Akiyama Shin's silent reminder still stirred an indescribable warmth deep within her.

Or perhaps.

It was a subtle sense of satisfaction at being noticed by someone strong.

My brother... would never hint at things like this to me...

She couldn't help but think of her brother, the current Student Council president, Horikita Manabu, who stood like an insurmountable mountain.

In her brother's eyes, she seemed to be someone who always needed to be spurred on and tested.

Every setback was viewed as a necessary trial, and she had always longed to prove herself and earn her brother's recognition.

Yet, she always felt that the road to catching up was long and arduous.

Looking at Akiyama Shin again.

Although his attitude was cold and his methods obscure, he truly seemed to be guiding her to discover things and to grow.

This completely different experience left her feeling not only confused but also inexplicably happy?

However, if Akiyama Shin knew what Horikita Suzune was thinking right now, he would likely only think that this woman's ability to over-analyze was quite something.

He chose budget goods purely out of personal habit and pragmatism, believing these items were good enough and that there was no need to waste points.

As for a warning? He didn't have the spare energy for that.

However, he wouldn't care how Horikita Suzune interpreted his actions, as long as the final result met his expectations.

Before long, Horikita Suzune's attention was drawn to an inconspicuous area in the corner of the supermarket.

There, some of the most basic soap, the cheapest toothpaste, and rough toilet paper were displayed, with a sign standing next to them: Basic Living Essentials.

Free to collect, student ID registration required.

Found it!

Horikita Suzune's heart sank, yet she felt a sense of relief that her suspicions were confirmed.

From the free window in the cafeteria to the free daily necessities in the supermarket, everything pointed to the same cruel truth.

Personal Points were by no means distributed at a fixed rate!

And they were highly likely linked to class evaluations!

Failing the competition meant losing the guarantee of a comfortable life, leaving one to survive only on these most basic necessities.

I... I didn't even realize this before...

A wave of intense self-reflection surged within her. Compared to Akiyama Shin's near-terrifying insight, her previous confidence seemed laughable.

She completely set aside her last shred of contempt, positioning Akiyama Shin as a teammate whose strength far exceeded her expectations—someone worth monitoring closely and cooperating with cautiously.

During the observation and shopping process, Horikita Suzune also keenly noticed that not only the school building but even the interior of this mall was equipped with a large number of surveillance cameras, covering almost every shelf and aisle. She kept this in mind but did not dwell on the management logic behind it.

After the shopping was finished, the two checked out and walked out of the supermarket.

Horikita Suzune was deliberating on how to bring it up, wanting to have an in-depth discussion with Akiyama Shin about her discovery, when she saw Akiyama Shin suddenly stop, his gaze sharply locked onto a girl not far away.

She was a tall girl with flowing, waist-length purple hair; her face was exquisite but carried a sense of detachment and an imperceptible rebellious streak.

Akiyama Shin did not hesitate and immediately began walking toward the girl. Horikita Suzune didn't understand why, but she followed him immediately.

"Wait a moment."

Akiyama Shin spoke from behind the girl, his voice calm but carrying an unquestionable sense of penetration.

The girl, Kamuro Masumi, turned around at the sound. When she first saw Akiyama Shin, a flash of surprise at his appearance did cross her purple eyes, but it was quickly replaced by annoyance and confusion at being disturbed.

"Something you need?"

Her voice was somewhat cold.

Akiyama Shin didn't beat around the bush; he looked her straight in the eyes and got straight to the point.

"You stole something, didn't you?"

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Horikita Suzune looked at Akiyama Shin in astonishment, then at the purple-haired girl, trying to find any clues on their faces. She hadn't noticed the girl doing anything unusual at all.

The expression on Kamuro Masumi's face stiffened instantly, her pupils contracting, but she quickly returned to her previous nonchalant demeanor, even adding a hint of mockery.

"Huh? What kind of nonsense are you spouting? I don't even know you."

Akiyama Shin was not surprised by her denial and analyzed the situation in a flat tone.

"If it were an upperclassman who understood the rules, even if they were short on points, they wouldn't easily choose to steal—a high-risk and unnecessary act. After all, there are Basic Living Essentials."

"The fact that you would do this suggests that you are highly likely a freshman, holding 100,000 points."

He paused, his gaze seemingly able to see through the human heart.

"To have 100,000 points and still choose to steal, it is more likely due to your personality. You think this kind of behavior is exciting, don't you?"

Kamuro Masumi's complexion changed slightly, but she remained stubborn.

"Ridiculous! Even if you guessed right, where is the evidence? Slandering me out of thin air?"

"Evidence?"

A faint, almost cold curve appeared at the corner of Akiyama Shin's mouth.

"I don't need to provide it. The ubiquitous surveillance in this school is the best evidence. There are almost no blind spots in the supermarket. You still acted, which means you hold one of two mindsets: either you enjoy the thrill of committing a crime under surveillance, or you are gambling on the odds, thinking no one would notice the loss of a mere small item, let alone be bored enough to check the footage."

His tone turned cold abruptly.

"But if I report you now and demand that the school check the footage to verify it, what do you think the consequences will be? At best, a large deduction of Personal Points; at worst, expulsion. Although I don't know if you care about such things."

Kamuro Masumi's breathing became noticeably faster. A flash of panic crossed her eyes, but it was mostly replaced by the anger and stubbornness of someone who had been exposed.

She pressed her lips together tightly, not immediately refuting him.

Just then, Akiyama Shin made a move and a proposal that left Horikita Suzune, standing beside him, dumbfounded.

He leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between himself and Kamuro Masumi, his dark red pupils locked onto her as he spoke in a clear voice that carried a strange, seductive power.

"So, be my woman."

!!!

Kamuro Masumi was completely stunned, her face filled with the absurdity of wondering if this person was crazy.

Horikita Suzune was even more shocked, unable to speak, completely unable to understand Akiyama Shin's leap in logic.

He was just accusing her of stealing...

And the next second... a confession?!

Akiyama Shin naturally knew his words would cause some ambiguity, but that was exactly the effect he wanted.

He wanted the other party to clearly realize that he was a person who did not play by the rules and was highly goal-oriented.

Watching their shocked expressions, he added without changing his expression.

"Of course, you can interpret this as me inviting you to become a spy I've planted in another class, providing me with any intelligence you deem valuable in the future."

Kamuro Masumi finally recovered from her shock, and a sneer of disdain appeared on her face, with the air of someone who had nothing left to lose.

"Heh! So what if I did steal? I don't care about being expelled at all! Why should I be a spy for you?"

"Go ahead and report me if you want!"

"You don't care about being expelled?"

Akiyama Shin repeated, instead revealing a smile.

"Then what about the thrill? I don't think you want to spend your whole life living so mundanely, do you...?"

"If you stay by my side, you can experience things far more exciting... and challenging than the low-level hobby of stealing... How about it? This deal is much more interesting than being expelled, isn't it?"

Kamuro Masumi's movement to turn and leave stopped.

More... exciting things?

This sentence hit the deepest desire in her heart. She was tired of mediocrity and longed to break the rules and pursue the feeling of a racing heart.

Stealing was merely a low-level way for her to vent that desire, and this powerful, strangely acting boy before her seemed capable of leading her into a much broader field of play.

She struggled intensely within, her gaze lingering on Akiyama Shin's calm yet confident face.

After a long time, she took a deep breath. Her tone still carried a hint of provocation, but her attitude had softened.

"Sounds interesting. However, I won't agree easily. I need to observe you. If what you do doesn't make me feel it's worth it, I will quit at any time."

This was equivalent to a tacit agreement to cooperate for the time being.

"Fine."

Akiyama Shin nodded readily.

"I look forward to your performance."

Horikita Suzune, standing to the side, watched this underground deal reached in a flash, her entire being in a state of information-overload stupor.

Akiyama Shin's series of operations—from accurately identifying the theft to applying verbal pressure, and then throwing out an unbelievable invitation—had actually convinced this girl who looked so difficult to deal with. It made her refresh her understanding of Akiyama Shin's abilities and methods once again. This person... was simply... too dangerous!

But also... too incredible!