Suzune Is Working Hard to Earn Money (Bonus Chapter 2/5) / The Star's Fury Crisis

Although he felt a little reluctant, once his wish had been fulfilled, Suzuki Toru didn't hesitate for a moment. He got up at once.

"..."

For some reason, though, Kamuro Masumi was looking at him strangely.

Suzuki Toru glanced at Shiina Hiyori beside him. She ducked her little head.

Strange. After watching so much, had she still not learned anything new?

But when he thought about it, that made sense.

Lap pillows were common; they weren't anything special. If he wanted to fulfill Shiina Hiyori's wish, this kind of harmless little prank definitely wouldn't cut it.

Did he need to shake this literary girl to her core?

As Suzuki Toru pondered, Horikita Suzune was thinking over a problem of her own.

Instead of outright dismissing the few idiots as she had before, she had begun considering what they were really worth.

That was because Horikita Suzune had heard that students who performed well in their clubs received a corresponding reward in Private Points.

Suzune Is Working Hard to Earn Money (Extra 2/5)

Although Chabashira Sae was Class D's homeroom teacher, she also taught history.

As usual, when the young teacher heard the bell ring, she promptly dismissed the class and prepared to leave on time.

However, Horikita Suzune suddenly called out to her.

"Chabashira-sensei, I'd like to know what consequences the midterm exams have besides expelling students who fail."

Chabashira Sae stopped. She wore an office-lady outfit that accentuated her mature figure: a white shirt beneath a black blazer, her full bust pressing the fabric outward and rising and falling with each breath. A narrow skirt hugged her slim waist, while the enticing curve of her rounded hips was something a young girl could never hope to match. Black stockings, a little on the sheer side, wrapped her long legs, faintly revealing the color of her skin.

She turned toward Horikita Suzune. The usually aloof girl, who rarely said a word, was gazing at her with bright, intent eyes, as if something had ignited her fighting spirit.

The students in Class D could only look on in bafflement.

They were curious about Horikita Suzune's question too, but given her usual manner, was she going to start criticizing them again?

"Taking exams is part of your duty as students. When people get thirsty, they drink water. Once you've studied to a certain point, the school naturally gives you an assessment to show what you can do."

As she spoke, Chabashira Sae suddenly smiled.

"You've been studying for so long; it's only right that you show the results. That's all an exam is. What other consequences do you think there could be, Horikita?"

Horikita Suzune replied coolly, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't evade the question, Sensei. If an exam is simply an assessment, then surely there should be a reward for the top performers, in addition to a punishment for those at the bottom?"

At other schools, an exam might truly be nothing more than an exam.

But at this unusual school, it could have another purpose—much like performance reviews at a company, where those at the bottom were eliminated and those at the top received bonuses.

Chabashira Sae regarded Horikita Suzune with interest. To be honest, she had had her eye on her for a long time. On paper, Horikita was unquestionably one of the best students in the class.

"Are you suggesting that exams can increase Class Points?"

When Chabashira Sae asked that, the entire class fell silent, then slowly began to stir.

If that were true, wouldn't it mean they still had a chance to turn things around?

Horikita Suzune remained calm and answered evenly, "If they can, that would be even better. But that's not what I wanted to ask."

Now Chabashira Sae was genuinely intrigued.

"What did you want to ask me?"

"Not long ago, during swimming class, the PE teacher awarded us Private Points. First place received five thousand." Horikita Suzune looked at her. "I'd like to know whether you, as our homeroom teacher, have any special rewards for us."

Horikita Suzune remembered that incident clearly.

Only half the students in Class D had taken part in swimming class. Most had made excuses to sit on the sidelines and watch.

To encourage Class D to participate, the PE teacher had offered Private Points as prizes.

Well, Horikita Suzune had tried hard, but she'd only placed second. First place had gone to a girl named Onodera Kayano.

Chabashira Sae fell completely silent.

What was this? So she just wanted her Private Points?

Still, with no Class Points to earn, trying to find a way to get Private Points deserved praise.

"As for Private Points, that's fine. Let me think..." Chabashira Sae smiled sweetly. "How about ten thousand Private Points for first place, five thousand for second, two thousand for third, and one thousand each for fourth through tenth? Would that satisfy you?"

"Really?!" The first to react was Yukimura Teruhiko. He had decent grades, but was still struggling with his tight budget.

All the students who were confident in their studies looked delighted. Even if they couldn't take first place, a thousand Private Points was still a thousand Private Points!

"Of course it's true, Yukimura." Chabashira Sae added pointedly, "Think of these Private Points as a reward for your hard work. Give it everything you've got."

She was paying for them herself!

She could have raised the rewards further, but Chabashira Sae had sensed that something was off about Horikita Suzune. She couldn't let Horikita focus solely on earning Private Points.

Yukimura Teruhiko couldn't hide his delight. He was confident he could make the top three.

However, some of the class were unhappy.

"Hey, hey, what about us? Damn it!" Kanji Ike grabbed his hair.

Students like them, who were poor performers, not only had to worry about being expelled but also had no chance of placing high enough to win a reward. They could only watch enviously from the sidelines.

In fact, things could get even worse.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka looked at Horikita Suzune. She should have understood the consequences of this.

"Chabashira-sensei, could you tell us whether the midterm exams really won't increase our Class Points?" Hirata Yosuke was still concerned about that.

"What the school chooses to do is up to the school. Even I don't know," Chabashira Sae replied ambiguously.

Hirata Yosuke frowned at that answer, but in the end, he could only give up asking.

"Horikita, do you have any other questions?" Chabashira Sae asked.

Horikita Suzune answered calmly, "Not at the moment."

Chabashira Sae glanced at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, considering what to do next, but said aloud, "In that case, do your best."

Then the teacher walked out of the classroom in her high heels without looking back.

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka thought that was the end of it, but Horikita Suzune suddenly called out to him.

"Ayanokoji, I'd like you to help me organize another study session."

"Didn't you say you were giving up on them?"

"Even trash has some value left to squeeze out before it's thrown away. I need you all, Ayanokoji."

"Hey, what's with that way of putting it?!"

Horikita Suzune ignored his complaint and immediately got up to walk over to Kushida Kikyo's seat.

"Kushida, I'd like to talk to you. Could we have lunch together today?"

Kushida Kikyo looked surprised by Horikita Suzune's sudden invitation. Then she recovered, her face lighting up with a smile.

"It's so unusual to get an invitation from you, Horikita. But sure!"

Before long, the two of them headed to a café together.

Horikita Suzune didn't hesitate. As soon as she sat down, she asked Kushida Kikyo to help gather Ken Sudō and the others.

"Why do you still want to help them, Horikita?" Kushida Kikyo asked in surprise.

"For my own sake, and for theirs too," Horikita Suzune replied coolly. "If the good students in our class compete for Private Points, the cutoff score will probably be higher than it was on the last test. They don't want to be expelled, so they'll have to attend the study sessions."

She thought these idiots were too lazy and needed a strong dose of medicine. Only if they got serious would they feel the pressure.

Kushida Kikyo froze. Wait, it had only been a day. How had Horikita Suzune become like a completely different person?

"I'm confident I can help them get passing grades, or even better results. The condition is that they pay the appropriate tutoring fee."

All right, from that line, it was clear Horikita Suzune still didn't care what other people thought.

Star Rage Crisis

There were far too few Private Points!

No matter how hard Horikita Suzune racked her brains, she couldn't think of a way to earn more Private Points.

But she couldn't give up. Otherwise, she'd have to let Suzuki Toru look between her legs every day.

What a joke. Wouldn't that make her a prostitute?

And even if Horikita Suzune were going to sell herself, she couldn't be worth a mere four thousand Private Points!

Suzuki Toru was clearly taking things too far!

So she came up with a few little plans. Chabashira Sae's rewards were a little lower than she'd expected, but a reward was still a reward.

"Wait, you're charging them a tutoring fee?" Kushida Kikyo blinked. "But Hirata's study sessions are completely free for everyone. What if no one signs up?"

Horikita Suzune answered without hesitation, "Too many people are signing up for his study sessions, so some of them may be overlooked. I can tutor them one-on-one. They can come to me not only for the midterm exams, but for their regular studies as well."

Kushida Kikyo asked tentatively, "How much is the tutoring fee?"

Horikita Suzune hesitated. She'd never done anything like tutoring before, so she didn't know the going rate.

"Twenty thousand Private Points per person." Then she added, "They don't have to pay now. They can give it to me before next semester."

At that price, she'd be starving if she charged the same in the outside world. But given the current situation in Class D, twenty thousand Private Points seemed steep.

Even spread out over several months, it would still come to roughly four or five thousand Private Points a month.

For Class D, which had no hope of seeing any Private Points come in for the time being, it was probably an astronomical sum.

"Have you been needing Private Points lately, Horikita?" Kushida Kikyo asked, her face showing concern. In truth, she knew exactly what was going on with her and even felt like laughing.