Odd Jobs Agency.
"Knock, knock, knock."
"Come in."
A tall, skinny boy walked in, holding a document folder.
"Sorry to bother you. Are you the president of the Odd Jobs Agency?"
"That's me. What can I do for you?"
"Ah, you look like a first-year, so let me introduce myself. I'm Hayato Kojima from Class 2-B. To be precise, I'm not here to commission anything."
At that, Katsuya Shinjo, who'd been full of enthusiasm, immediately lost interest.
With Manabu Horikita's introduction and endorsement, plenty of people had grown curious about the Odd Jobs Agency lately. Some had even stopped by just to take a look around.
Still, Shinjo wasn't about to treat the boy poorly over that. A deal falling through didn't mean they had to fall out.
He got up, poured the boy a glass of water, then invited him to sit in the chair across from his desk.
"In that case, did you come to take a look around our agency, senpai?"
"No. I came to do business with you."
As he spoke, Hayato Kojima placed the folder on the desk.
Shinjo glanced at it openly.
"Oh? I'm just a newbie who's only recently arrived here, senpai. I really don't understand what we could possibly trade."
"Heh. You're making this rather difficult, aren't you, kouhai? You run an agency right here at school. I don't believe you have no idea what I mean."
As he spoke, Hayato Kojima lightly tapped the folder with his index finger.
"But you'll have to at least tell me what this precious thing is, won't you?"
"Uh, of course. Of course. I know you're from Class 1-D. Your class's overall academic ability still has a lot of room for improvement, doesn't it?"
Isn't that obvious?!
When Hayato Kojima saw that Shinjo wasn't going to say anything, he added, "I also know the school's midterm exams are coming up soon. If you fail, you'll face a punishment severe enough to get you expelled."
"So, if you could get your hands on the midterm answers ahead of time... This is a great opportunity, and you can have them for just twenty thousand points~"
Katsuya Shinjo raised an eyebrow. Hayato Kojima wouldn't have come looking to make a deal if he didn't have something to back it up. In other words, there was a good chance these answers were genuine.
"Answers?!"
"Not interested."
[Heh, this is that same old play-hard-to-get trick you merchants always use, isn't it? Damn merchants! But I'm not some wet-behind-the-ears kid, and that raised eyebrow of yours won't fool me!!]
"Don't say that, kouhai. These answers are extremely valuable. They're actually the original exam questions from when we took the test, but I guarantee they'll be a huge help to you."
Despite Hayato Kojima's elaborate sales pitch, Shinjo remained unmoved. Instead, he replied in a lazy tone, "I believe you. But I'm guessing you haven't done much market research, senpai. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here trying to sell me these answers."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Everyone knows I'm a businessman. Why would I take a deal that loses me money? Classes A and B are full of top students, so there's no market there. I'm not on good terms with Class C, and its leader doesn't seem to like me much. As for Class D, surely you don't expect me to charge my own classmates? They'd ostracize me."
"So, even though your stuff is great, to me it's no better than wastepaper. It's not worth a thing."
Hearing Shinjo disparage his answers so thoroughly, Hayato Kojima hurriedly tried to persuade him.
"But even so, you could give them to your classmates and win their goodwill. That'd be worth it! How about this: fifteen thousand points, and I'll sell them to you."
Shinjo scoffed.
"If I'm buying goodwill, even fifteen thousand is still too much for me."
Hayato Kojima's expression changed.
"Seems you're determined not to buy them, kouhai. In that case... forget it."
As he spoke, he picked up the folder and started for the door.
One step, two steps, three steps.
"Wait!"
[Just as I thought! Heh, I knew he couldn't hold out.]
Hayato Kojima answered with feigned displeasure.
"What is it, kouhai? Do you need something?"
"You said you came to do business, but you're awfully impatient. That's not a good way to negotiate, is it? Sit down, sit down. How about I make you an offer and you tell me whether you'll take it?"
"In that case... I'll hear you out."
Hayato Kojima pretended to be reluctant, then returned to his chair.
"Here's the deal: you take one step back, I'll take one step back. Five thousand points. How does that sound?"
Hayato Kojima narrowed his eyes, clearly out of patience.
"Kouhai, are you messing with me?! I've already taken two steps back, and now you want me to take another?!"
"See? Getting worked up again."
"I haven't finished. For five thousand points, you'll earn the friendship of our agency, and from now on, you'll get priority... access to skip the line."
Hayato Kojima, who'd been about to blow up, suddenly calmed down. He didn't know what this priority access to skip the line was, but he could tell that the agency's friendship was an empty promise.
Seeing that the boy was about to lose his temper again, Shinjo calmly lifted his teacup and took a sip.
"Actually, you should think it over. If you sell them to someone else for fifteen thousand points, all you'll get is the money. I don't know what things are like for second-years, but you're from Class B, so I doubt you're that short on cash."
"Look at the bigger picture. Sure, you'll make ten thousand points less, but you'll have gained our friendship. You know who's behind the Odd Jobs Agency, don't you?"
Shinjo shamelessly invoked Manabu Horikita's name to bolster his pitch.
"Well..."
At first, Hayato Kojima found himself thinking that Shinjo's argument did make a little sense.
He wasn't short of ten thousand points, but this so-called priority access to skip the line sounded completely ridiculous.
So he promptly took out his phone and sent someone a message.
Shinjo didn't rush him. He simply closed his eyes and rested.
Three minutes later, Hayato Kojima nodded as he looked at the text message on his screen.
"All right, kouhai. Let's say I'm making a friend of you! You can transfer the money to me now."
"Huh? I think you've got something wrong. When did I ever say I was going to make a deal with you?"
"Ah?... Wait! You were just messing with me?!"
Hayato Kojima slammed his hands on Shinjo's desk and shouted. He looked furious enough to turn into a wild beast and tear Shinjo to pieces at any moment.
Before you continue