On Monday afternoon, after the Student Council's regular meeting ended, Sawahara asked Ichinose to stay behind.
"Are you still troubled by what happened before?" Sawahara looked at Ichinose. She hadn't seemed quite herself during the meeting.
"Ahaha." Ichinose gave an awkward laugh. "I'm a little worried."
"Didn't we already agree? Even as friends, we should each do our best for our own classes during the Special Exam." Sawahara smiled reassuringly. "We may not have been able to work together, but we're still friends, Ichinose."
"Mm." Looking at Sawahara's familiar smile, Ichinose felt relieved. It seemed like nothing had changed...
Wednesday, November 1, according to the calendar, was the day points were distributed each month.
Sawahara looked at the number on his phone.
This was the amount of Private Points he had accumulated after nearly half a year of effort. It might have seemed astronomical to other students, but it was still nowhere near enough for the eight-hundred-million-point plan he had set for himself.
"Hey, are you looking for someone?" A rather dowdy-looking girl stood by the classroom door of Class B. She seemed to want to say something, but had yet to make a move.
Manabe, seated near the door, was getting impatient, so she asked.
Startled when someone suddenly spoke to her, Sakura flinched. But remembering why she had come, she gathered her courage and said what she wanted to say.
"E-excuse me, is Sawahara here?"
Hearing that Sakura had come to see Sawahara, the impatient look on Manabe's face froze.
"H-he is. Sorry, was I speaking too loudly just now? I didn't scare you, did I?" Manabe forced a stiff, 'friendly' smile.
If you're here to see that important person, you should've said so from the start. I won't get in trouble for this, will I? Honestly, does