No More Pretending, I'm Laying My Cards on the Table, I'm a Millionaire

"That concludes the homeroom session."

Chabashira-sensei finished her sentence and hurried out of the classroom.

The students of Class D watched her leave, the atmosphere heavy with a lingering gloom as they began preparing for the first period.

Although May had only just begun a few days ago, many students had yet to recover from the reality revealed on May 1st.

Some were depressed after being labeled as "defective," others were forced to live in poverty due to a lack of points, and some were facing the threat of expulsion due to failing grades.

While there was still time before the midterm exams, for some, it already felt like sitting on pins and needles.

However, none of this had anything to do with me; as long as I listened carefully in class, I could easily avoid the failing line.

Anyway, since it wasn't time to study for exams yet, I might as well head to the Chess Club after school.

I need to find a way to make up for the 500,000 points I spent today.

(With a little over 300,000 remaining, I'll keep 100,000 as capital and use 200,000 to gamble.)

The goal is to break through at least 1,000,000.

Last month, I managed to turn 50,000 into 860,000; this time, I'll aim to surpass 1,500,000.

Just as I was calculating while tidying up my textbooks and preparing to get up to go to the restroom, suddenly—

"Crash!"

The classroom door was shoved open violently. Shiina rushed into the Class D classroom, and the moment she saw me, she sprinted over—

"Hikigaya-kun...!"

Before she could finish her sentence, she threw her arms around me. "Hahhhh?!"

This sudden action left me frozen in place, and all the students stared at us in stunned silence.

While cold sweat streamed down my face, Shiina, who was still hugging me, spoke up:

"First, I must apologize. To think you spent 500,000 private points for someone like me..."

As she spoke, she tightened her embrace, and through my shirt, I could feel the small yet tangible softness of Shiina's touch.

At the same time, the classroom erupted into chaos.

"Hey! Did you hear that?! She just said 500,000 private points!"

"Yeah, she definitely did."

"That guy not only has a way with women, but he's also hoarding points!"

"Normies go die!"

"But where did 500,000 even come from?"

"Who knows? The point is what he bought with 500,000..."

Listening to these discussions, I realized things were taking a turn for the worse.

To those who had never earned any points, I was practically a gold mine.

Now that I still had points left, there would definitely be people coming to extort me.

But right now, Shiina was the priority.

Shiina looked up at me with tears in the corners of her eyes. I managed to move my right arm to pull a handkerchief from my pocket and wipe them away for her.

"Don't worry about it. I did it of my own volition; there's no need for you to apologize."

In reality, I didn't feel it was a waste, even if I had given those 500,000 points to Ryuen.

After all, it was money I had earned through the unscrupulous method of gambling at chess anyway.

Compared to that, being able to keep Shiina from wearing a sad expression was worth it.

Of course, I would never say such embarrassing lines even if it killed me.

"Even so... it's my fault for causing trouble for Hikigaya-kun..."

"I don't consider it trouble, so stop apologizing."

"...Okay."

I really didn't want to see her blaming herself, so my tone became stern without me realizing it.

Shiina seemed to sense the anger in my words and nodded obediently.

"Then I'll thank you instead... thank you for paying those points for me."

Shiina looked up at me with a rare, bright smile.

This charm, which exceeded my imagination, made my heart skip a beat, and her offensive continued.

"After we parted yesterday, I was so sad. I didn't want to leave, I wanted to keep talking... I couldn't stop my tears."

I could tell from her red, swollen eyes that she had indeed been crying quite hard.

"But thanks to Hikigaya-kun, I can continue to be with you and Sakanayanagi-san from now on, so..."

Shiina paused, then suddenly blossomed into a brilliant smile:

"Hikigaya-kun, thank you so much. Please, stay by my side forever."

She buried her face in my chest as she said this.

"Uh... how am I supposed to handle this?"

I looked around, but all I saw were eyes full of onlookers; there was no help to be found there.

I could force her away, but if I ended up hurting her or making her sad, I would feel terrible myself.

In the end, I could only let Shiina hold me, gently patting her back to soothe her.

Between my classmates finding out I had 500,000 points and Shiina hugging me in public, my peaceful school life was officially over.

However, I didn't intend to blame Shiina for it.

Although it was indeed because of her that my secret was exposed, I was surprisingly not annoyed.

Shiina kept holding onto me until the teacher came to remind us before the first period.

After that, when some classmates swarmed over like hyenas, I could only sigh helplessly.

"Hey, Hikigaya! What's this about 500,000 points?! Did you really save that much?!"

As soon as the first period ended, a dozen classmates led by Ike swarmed over.

Although I had expected this, it was still such a hassle.

"...So? Let me make this clear first: I didn't get this through fraud."

"Then tell us how you earned it!"

As soon as Ike spoke up, the other students joining in the commotion started egging me on.

It seemed I wouldn't be able to get away without explaining it clearly.

"Betting matches. As long as you wager your own points to challenge the clubs, you can compete against them."

I said this while taking out my book to read, and just then, Yamauchi squeezed his way over.

"Which clubs are there?!"

"I earned mine at the Chess Club. I heard the Shogi Club, the Game Club, and sports clubs also accept challenges."

However, the sports clubs depend on the current club president.

It is said that some presidents are very opposed to gambling.

"I'll state this in advance: participate at your own risk. I was scammed out of 200,000 points by a standard trap myself."

Betting is your own business, but don't come complaining to me if you lose.

"For real... but you should still have plenty of points left, right?!"

"You guys just want to say 'since you have extra money, lend me some,' right? Forget it. Who told you to overspend your points?"

"I'm begging you! I can't stand the wild vegetable set meal anymore! I promise I'll pay you back!"

"No way. Besides, Yamauchi, you're likely to be expelled, right? If you get expelled, I won't be able to get back the points I lent out. I don't do losing business like that."

Ike and Yamauchi are very likely to be expelled after these midterms.

If they get expelled, the points lent to them would be as good as thrown away.

"I won't get expelled!"

"Can I really trust the words of a guy who spent all of April goofing off?"

Besides, for idiots who failed even their junior high review quizzes, expecting them not to fail the midterms is a pipe dream.

Just then, Ike suddenly grabbed his school bag and leaned in, pulling out a game console.

"Then, Hikigaya! Buy my game console! The console comes with the game card, memory card, and charger for 25,000 points!"

I checked the market price; this set of Ike's would cost a little over 30,000 brand new.

In other words, this was a second-hand item about 6,000 points cheaper than a new one.

Anyway, I had planned to buy a game console once I saved enough points, so I might as well take the bargain.

Besides, compared to Yamauchi, Ike's attitude was at least pleading.

"...Fine. Give me your account."

"Really?! Thanks!"

Ike happily piled the equipment onto my desk, and I operated my terminal to transfer the points to his account.

"Transferred. Check it yourself."

"Alright... Awesome! I don't have to eat the wild vegetable set meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner anymore!"

Ike struck a victory pose in excitement.

It seems he was almost penniless before I transferred the points.

Spending 100,000 points in a month is just too stupid.

"Please, Hikigaya! I saw you still have three hundred thousand in your account, just lend me some~"

As soon as Yamauchi opened his mouth, other classmates—even those I had never spoken to—crowded around.

I really wanted to punch every single one of these bastards.

Just as I was getting annoyed, the bell for class saved me.

They should disperse now, right? After all, not returning to their seats would affect the class points... ah, wait, our class points have already hit rock bottom.

Looking at the dismal class points, the crowd around my desk finally dispersed as expected, but judging by their attitude, they would definitely come back during the next break...

Three hours later...

Ding-dong-ding-dong.

The moment the lunch break bell rang, I stood up, ready to make a run for it.

Sure enough, classmates had come to beg for points every single break; if I got cornered during lunch too, I'd really be done for.

Just as I was about to bolt out of the classroom, the door suddenly opened, and Shiina walked in.

"Hm? Is something the matter, Shiina?"

If there was anyone in Class D who could make Shiina come over specifically, it was probably only me.

"Yes. I wanted to invite Hachiman to the cafeteria."

"...Huh?"

This unexpected statement left me frozen in place.

It wasn't because I was being invited to eat, but because she had actually used my first name.

"Wait, did you just call me by my first name?"

"Yes. Because I wanted to call you Hachiman directly."

As she said that, she suddenly took my hand.

This super-development left the classmates who had intended to crowd around me stunned as well.

Under the bewildered gazes of the crowd, Shiina pulled my hand and started walking out...

"Then let's be off, Hachiman. Oh, and please call me 'Hiyori' from now on."

The young girl said this with a brilliant smile.