Recaps

An Xiao began his first day at Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School, still doubting his parents’ decision to send him there. After meeting several Class B classmates, he settled into his classroom, where he met Honami Ichinose.

• An Xiao’s mother dismissed his concerns about the school, ended their call, and left him to begin high school in Japan.
• An Xiao met Kikyo Kushida at the entrance, learned she was in Class D, and decided to stop worrying about the school.
• An Xiao joined the boys’ line at the opening ceremony and introduced himself to Soh Shibata as a student from China.
• An Xiao listened to the administrators’ speeches, then followed Class B to its classroom and found his seat by the window.
• Honami Ichinose turned around from the desk in front of An Xiao, introduced herself, and heard him introduce himself again.

An Xiao’s class met its homeroom teacher, Chie Hoshinomiya, who introduced the school’s S System and explained that students received monthly living allowances as points. The class reacted with excitement to its initial balance of 100,000 points, while An Xiao grew suspicious of the school and kept his questions to himself.

• Chie Hoshinomiya introduced herself as Class B’s teacher, and An Xiao felt uneasy about her interest in him.
• Chie Hoshinomiya explained that the school used the S System and gave each student a phone that served as a student ID and payment device.
• Chie Hoshinomiya told the class that one point equaled one yen and that each student had received 100,000 points for the month.
• The students erupted in excitement over their allowance, while An Xiao wondered why the school was giving them so much money.
• Chie Hoshinomiya invited questions, but An Xiao held back because he sensed that engaging with her would bring trouble.

An Xiao asked Chie Hoshinomiya about Class Points, but she gave only a cryptic answer about the school. After class, Honami Ichinose and Soh Shibata questioned him about the exchange, and An Xiao asked whether they also felt something strange about the school.

• An Xiao asked Chie Hoshinomiya what Class Points were for and whether they determined the classes’ rankings.
• Chie Hoshinomiya avoided explaining the rules and told An Xiao that the school was one where ability reigned supreme.
• Chie Hoshinomiya had the students introduce themselves and explained the dormitory and next-day arrangements before leaving.
• Soh Shibata and Honami Ichinose asked An Xiao what he had realized from his conversation with Chie Hoshinomiya.
• An Xiao asked Honami Ichinose and Soh Shibata whether the school had seemed strange to them.

An Xiao reasoned with Honami Ichinose, Soh Shibata, and Ryuji Kanzaki that the school’s Class Points and rankings might determine which class received its advertised benefits. After they exchanged Line IDs, An Xiao went to his dorm room and reflected on the hassle ahead.

• An Xiao explained that Hoshinomiya-sensei’s vague response suggested she knew important school rules she could not reveal, especially about class rankings.
• An Xiao argued that the school’s advertised university admission and employment rates were likely reserved for the top class, and Ryuji Kanzaki agreed with his reasoning.
• Honami Ichinose encouraged the group to keep investigating and suggested they exchange Line IDs, which everyone did.
• An Xiao collected his room card, settled into room 317, and lay on his bed, feeling that school was already a hassle.

An Xiao visited the cafeteria, where he met a Class D senior and learned about the school’s points, class rankings, and expulsion rules. He recorded the conversation and sent it to Honami Ichinose, then wondered whether he could get through school without trouble.

• An Xiao left his room to explore the cafeteria and found a free Mountain Vegetable Set Meal.
• A Class D senior tried to take An Xiao’s meal, but An Xiao handed it over and asked to sit with him.
• An Xiao drew information from the senior about monthly assessments, class privileges, points, and the threat of expulsion.
• The senior explained that Class D had lost hundreds of Class Points and now had only a little over two hundred.
• An Xiao recorded the conversation and sent the audio to Honami Ichinose.

Chairman Sakayanagi watched An Xiao trick a third-year student into revealing the school's rules and wondered how he would change the school. The next morning, An Xiao accidentally offered Honami Ichinose soy milk mouth-to-mouth, then heard her resolve to help Class B survive and reach Class A.

• Chairman Sakayanagi watched footage of An Xiao drawing the rules from a third-year student and decided to let Arisu discover him on her own.
• An Xiao arrived in class half-asleep and accidentally pressed a bottle of soy milk to Honami Ichinose's lips before offering it to her properly.
• Honami Ichinose asked An Xiao about the audio clip of the upperclassman explaining the school's rules, and An Xiao said he believed the student had been truthful.
• Honami Ichinose said she wanted Class B to make it through the three years without anyone missing and hoped they could rise to Class A.
• An Xiao, struck by Honami Ichinose's earnestness, asked if she was an angel.

An Xiao and Honami Ichinose discussed organizing their class to address the threat of forced expulsion, but Chie Hoshinomiya interrupted and asked An Xiao to visit her office after class. An Xiao reluctantly went to the teachers’ office, leaving what Hoshinomiya wanted to discuss unresolved.

• An Xiao awkwardly changed the subject after his comment about Ichinose being an angel seemed to upset her.
• An Xiao told Ichinose he had no solution and suggested creating a class group chat to discuss the problem and remind anyone who backed out about forced expulsion.
• Chie Hoshinomiya overheard An Xiao and Ichinose, teased them about sharing soy milk, and told An Xiao to visit her office after class.
• After class, An Xiao hesitated outside the teachers’ office, then knocked and entered when Hoshinomiya invited him in.

An Xiao met with Chie Hoshinomiya in the teachers' office, where her unprofessional teasing left him embarrassed and irritated. After taking his phone, Hoshinomiya asked whether he wanted to learn more about the school's rules.

• An Xiao arrived at the teachers' office and found Chie Hoshinomiya snacking and watching a variety show at her desk.
• Chabashira Sae criticized Hoshinomiya's conduct, but Hoshinomiya pulled An Xiao into an embrace and pinched his cheek.
• Chabashira Sae left after objecting to Hoshinomiya's lack of boundaries with a student.
• Hoshinomiya teased An Xiao, then asked for his phone so he could not record their conversation.
• Hoshinomiya asked An Xiao whether he wanted to learn more about the school's rules.

Chie Hoshinomiya persuaded An Xiao to make sure Class D could not reach Class A, offering him monthly points in return. After accepting the deal, An Xiao was asked how much he knew about the school rules so she could fill in some gaps.

• An Xiao refused Chie Hoshinomiya's offer to explain what she knew about the school, wary of getting drawn into trouble.
• Chie Hoshinomiya told An Xiao to hinder Class D over the next three years and help his own class reach Class A if possible.
• An Xiao agreed to focus on Class D during exams and activities after learning Chabashira Sae was its homeroom teacher.
• Chie Hoshinomiya added An Xiao on Line and promised him 20,000 points each month, plus extra points for major blows against Class D.
• Chie Hoshinomiya asked An Xiao what he knew about the school rules so she could clarify what he had missed.

An Xiao played a recording for Chie Hoshinomiya, who confirmed the information he had gathered and explained how points and class standings worked at the school. Afterward, Honami Ichinose invited him to a class gathering so she could unite everyone around their shared goal.

• An Xiao played his recording for Chie Hoshinomiya, and she confirmed that the student’s explanation of the school rules was mostly correct.
• Chie Hoshinomiya told An Xiao to consider how the school viewed each class and explained that points could be used for many things, though they could not officially let him skip class.
• An Xiao gave Chie Hoshinomiya a homemade candy, and she grimaced after tasting the concentrated lemon flavor.
• An Xiao received a transfer notification for twenty thousand points and a message from Honami Ichinose proposing a class get-together.
• An Xiao agreed to Honami Ichinose’s plan, and she quickly sent him the address and five o’clock meeting time at Birch Shopping Center’s KTV.

An Xiao and Honami Ichinose gathered Class B to explain the school’s rules and prepare them for conflicts with other classes. Ichinose proposed pooling points as class insurance, and the classmates celebrated Year One, Class B’s formation.

• An Xiao played a recording explaining the school’s rules, then warned his classmates about schemes between classes and advised them to carry voice recorders.
• Honami Ichinose proposed that the class pool points to protect students from expulsion or transfer classes, and Ryuji Kanzaki endorsed the plan.
• The classmates each transferred fifty thousand points to Ichinose, including An Xiao.
• Ichinose chilled a drink against An Xiao’s cheek, and the class toasted together as Year One, Class B officially formed.

An Xiao stumbled upon Horikita Manabu confronting Horikita Suzune and secretly photographed them. Manabu paid An Xiao 500,000 points to delete the pictures, but stopped him from leaving afterward.

• An Xiao overheard Horikita Manabu telling Horikita Suzune that she should drop out and give up trying to catch up to him.
• An Xiao took a photo of the siblings, interrupting Manabu as he raised his hand toward Suzune.
• Manabu recognized An Xiao and asked what he planned to do with the photo.
• An Xiao demanded 500,000 points to delete the pictures, and Manabu transferred the money without negotiating.
• An Xiao deleted the photos in front of Manabu and tried to leave, but Manabu grabbed his shoulder and held him in place.

After Horikita Manabu caught An Xiao, he hired him to guide Horikita Suzune through school life and keep an eye on her. An Xiao accepted on the condition that his help would not conflict with Class B’s interests, and Manabu also assigned him a Student Council clerical position.

• Horikita Manabu praised An Xiao’s awareness of the school’s hidden rules and asked him to stay and talk.
• Horikita Manabu offered An Xiao 100,000 points a month to teach Horikita Suzune how to survive at school, and Suzune protested that she could manage on her own.
• After learning Suzune was in Class D, An Xiao agreed to guide her personally as long as it did not harm Class B’s interests.
• Horikita Manabu told An Xiao to visit the Student Council the next day to sign an agreement and said he would assign him a clerical position.
• An Xiao turned to the stunned Horikita Suzune and told her he looked forward to working with her, then joked that her brother had sold her to him.

An Xiao explained to Horikita Suzune that her brother cared about her, and she agreed to work with him as her tutor. The next day, after seeing how chaotic Class D was, An Xiao spotted Sakayanagi Arisu’s high-stakes chess challenge on the Student Forum and headed to the Chess Club.

• An Xiao told Horikita Suzune that her brother’s advice showed he cared about her, and she agreed to work with An Xiao as her tutor.
• The following afternoon, An Xiao complained to Ichinose Honami about the unruly students he had seen in Class D.
• Soh Shibata showed An Xiao a Student Forum post offering a 500,000-point prize for a chess challenge against Sakayanagi Arisu.
• An Xiao thanked Shibata, gathered his things, and left for the Chess Club.

An Xiao challenged Sakayanagi Arisu to chess in the Chess Club and lost before improving enough to defeat her. He collected his bet, left homemade candy for the frail Sakayanagi, and departed while she found him interesting.

• An Xiao entered the Chess Club, where a departing student warned him that other challengers had quickly lost to Sakayanagi Arisu.
• Sakayanagi recognized An Xiao from Class B and said she was interested in him because he had discovered the school's hidden rules on the first day.
• Sakayanagi defeated An Xiao in their first chess match, but he asked to keep playing because he was close to winning.
• After nearly an hour of rematches, An Xiao checkmated Sakayanagi and received the points they had wagered.
• An Xiao left homemade candy for Sakayanagi and advised her to drink less coffee before leaving the clubroom.
• Sakayanagi laughed and told Kamuro that An Xiao was interesting.

An Xiao joined the Student Council after signing a contract and met its president, Horikita Manabu, vice president Miyabi Nagumo, and secretary Akane Tachibana. He left uneasy about Nagumo and wandered toward a brightly lit building, wondering what it was.

• Sakayanagi Arisu wondered aloud about taking An Xiao in as another pet and said she looked forward to meeting him again.
• An Xiao arrived at the Student Council office, where Horikita Manabu gave him a prepared contract to sign.
• An Xiao signed the contract and introduced himself to Akane Tachibana and Miyabi Nagumo, who asked how he had caught Horikita Manabu's attention.
• Akane Tachibana intervened when Nagumo questioned An Xiao, then Horikita Manabu told An Xiao to leave and return for training the following week.
• Nagumo said he would keep an eye on An Xiao, who left the office feeling uneasy about him and noticed a brightly lit building on campus.

An Xiao met Shiina Hiyori, a quiet Class 1-C student who shared his interest in reading, while visiting the school library. After spending hours reading beside her, he learned she hoped they would meet and read together again.

• An Xiao explored the library and found Shiina Hiyori reading detective novels on the floor beside stacks of books.
• An Xiao introduced himself as a student from Class 1-B, and Shiina said she was from Class 1-C, surprising him because she seemed unlike her rowdy classmates.
• Shiina invited An Xiao to sit beside her, and they read quietly together for about three hours.
• An Xiao said he would likely return to the library often, and Shiina brightened because he was the first person at school she had met who shared her interests.
• Shiina held out her phone and asked An Xiao to read with her again next time.

After finishing his Student Council work, An Xiao returned to his room and found Horikita Suzune waiting for him with sweets and a request. She asked how she could earn a large number of points quickly because she wanted to change classes.

• An Xiao completed his Student Council paperwork, and Horikita Manabu praised his work before telling him to report if anyone came looking for him.
• An Xiao left the Student Council and returned to his dorm, where Horikita Suzune was waiting in his room.
• Horikita Suzune offered An Xiao daifuku, and he accepted it despite suspecting she had a troublesome favor to ask.
• Horikita Suzune asked An Xiao how she could quickly earn a large number of points.
• Horikita Suzune told An Xiao she wanted to change classes.

Horikita Suzune asked An Xiao how she could earn points and change classes, explaining that she wanted to reach Class A and escape Class D. An Xiao offered several ways to earn points and, after learning she had spent most of her money on the school rules, invited her to dinner for the rest of the month.

• Horikita Suzune told An Xiao she had bought the school rules and wanted to leave Class D, but her classmates had mostly refused to believe her warnings about losing points.
• An Xiao suggested that Horikita earn points through a match, a school-mall job, or selling the rules to Class C, though he warned that Class C's leader might take the information instead of paying.
• An Xiao urged Horikita to work with sensible classmates and keep an eye on Class D's points because group exams could reduce them further.
• Horikita told An Xiao she had paid eighty thousand points for the rules and had been eating the free Mountain Vegetable Set Meal.
• An Xiao invited Horikita to eat dinner at his place for the rest of the month, and she accepted.

An Xiao attended an early swimming lesson with students from Classes B and D, chatting with Honami Ichinose, Horikita Suzune, and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji. The PE teacher decided An Xiao needed practice and threw him into the pool.

• An Xiao sat beside the pool with Honami Ichinose, who teased him by poking his soft arm before her classmates pulled her away.
• Horikita Suzune arrived with Kiyotaka Ayanokoji and rebuffed An Xiao's questions about why she had come over.
• An Xiao offered Horikita his sun-protective jacket after hearing Class D boys make lewd comments, then introduced himself to Ayanokoji and poked his muscles.
• The PE teacher approached the three students and judged that An Xiao needed the most swimming practice.
• The PE teacher grabbed An Xiao, ignored his protest that he could swim, and tossed him into the pool.

An Xiao and Class B learned that they had fallen just short of moving up, while Class D received the lowest score and erupted into arguments over its losses. The chapter ended with Horikita Suzune watching her classmates blame one another as Chabashira Sae looked on furiously.

• An Xiao told Honami Ichinose that Class B would probably struggle to move up, then complimented her and embarrassed her.
• Chie Hoshinomiya announced the class scores: Class A had 960 points, Class B had 920, Class C had 490, and Class D had 120.
• Class B students regretted missing the chance to move up, and An Xiao encouraged Ichinose to keep working hard.
• Chabashira Sae berated Class D for finishing last despite having learned the rules in advance.
• Class D students blamed Horikita Suzune and each other for their low score, while Hirata and Kushida failed to calm them.
• Horikita Suzune watched her classmates argue and judged them as hopeless.

Chabashira Sae warned D Class that their rule-breaking nearly cost them all their Class Points, while Chie Hoshinomiya encouraged her class to prepare for midterms. An Xiao agreed to help with a study session, and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji asked Horikita Suzune about her connection to him.

• Chabashira Sae told D Class that its students had accumulated many absences and rule violations, and that Horikita Suzune's warning and their later restraint had saved them from losing all their Class Points.
• Chie Hoshinomiya reminded her class that failing a midterm subject meant expulsion and urged them to study hard for up to 100 Class Points.
• Soh Shibata panicked about his math grades and begged An Xiao for help, and Honami Ichinose proposed organizing a study session.
• An Xiao agreed to join the study session, and Ichinose said she would ask students to participate and divide them into small groups.
• Kiyotaka Ayanokoji asked Horikita Suzune whether she was close to An Xiao, and she told him to ask An Xiao himself.

An Xiao joined Honami Ichinose’s study session and went to intervene when Sudo grabbed Horikita Suzune during an argument. An Xiao defended the value of education with examples of successful basketball players, and Sudo reluctantly began studying.

• Honami Ichinose divided the students who needed help into study groups, placing An Xiao, Ryuji Kanzaki, Yuki Himeno, and Soh Shibata together.
• An Xiao and his group began reviewing, but an argument at a nearby table interrupted their session.
• Honami Ichinose recognized Horikita Suzune at the other table, and An Xiao went over with her to check on the situation.
• Sudo grabbed Horikita’s hand, so An Xiao knocked his hand away and identified himself as her friend.
• An Xiao cited Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal as educated professional basketball players, and Sudo dropped his bag and began reading.

An Xiao and Honami Ichinose thanked Kikyo Kushida for keeping Sudo at the Class D study session, then went to search for old exam papers. Ichinose brushed An Xiao’s hair back, recognized how handsome he was, and offered him a hair tie.

• Sudo threatened Ike and Yamauchi when they complained about having to keep studying.
• Kushida led An Xiao and Honami Ichinose aside and thanked them for helping Sudo stay.
• Kushida exchanged contact information with An Xiao and returned to the Class D study session.
• An Xiao searched the library machine for past exam papers but found no results.
• Ichinose brushed An Xiao’s hair back, stared at his face in surprise, and offered to help him tie his hair.

An Xiao and Ichinose dealt with the strain of Class D’s noisy study group while Kikyo Kushida bore the burden after Horikita withdrew. Later, An Xiao and Shiina Hiyori heard a commotion on their way back and found Kushida cursing and kicking a railing, whereupon she confronted An Xiao about what he had seen.

• Ichinose asked An Xiao why he kept his hair over his eyes, and he joked that it helped him sleep in class.
• Class D disrupted the library again, and An Xiao and Ichinose watched Kushida apologize to the librarian while Yamauchi grinned behind her.
• Ichinose complained to An Xiao about Yamauchi and Ike’s behavior toward her and Kushida, then left the library.
• Shiina Hiyori met An Xiao, and they walked toward their dorms together after packing up.
• An Xiao and Shiina followed strange noises and found Kushida cursing Horikita, Yamauchi, and Ike while kicking a railing.
• Kushida noticed An Xiao and asked whether he had seen everything.