Hirata Steps Up and Nigerundayo

At this moment, Yosuke Hirata stood in the center of the podium, raised his hands, and clapped them together loudly and clearly.

"Clap! Clap! Clap!"

The applause seemed somewhat abrupt in the noisy classroom, yet it successfully drew the attention of most of the students.

Yosuke Hirata scanned the room, took a deep breath, and began to speak in his gentle voice, attempting to soothe the restlessness and anxiety currently gripping Class D:

"Everyone, please quiet down and listen to me for a moment!"

As he spoke, the clamor of the students in the classroom gradually began to subside.

Yosuke Hirata's gaze swept over faces filled with either panic or confusion, and he continued in a low voice, his tone carrying more gravity than usual:

"I know everyone is shocked and worried right now. But what has happened has happened; complaining or panicking blindly won't solve any problems.

We must calm down and think carefully about what we should do next."

He paused to ensure everyone was listening before continuing to analyze the current situation, his tone laced with an urgency born of concern for the entire class:

"Based on the information we have now, the only way to earn back class points and change our current situation is to completely abandon our past state of slackness!

We must face our upcoming studies with the attitude of true, diligent students!

Especially with the midterm exams approaching, we must give it our all to achieve high scores; that is the only way we have a chance to secure those precious 100 class points!

This is the only clear opportunity we have to obtain class points right now!"

His gaze slowly swept over everyone in the room, attempting to convey a sense of urgency and determination through his eyes:

"If we continue to receive zero points, what will our future school life become?

Are we really going to rely on zero points and the school's free supplies to scrape by until graduation?

Is that kind of life really what we want?"

These words hit the pain points of most students in Class D with precision.

Those who had already squandered their 100,000 personal points in April, or even overspent, saw their expressions turn even uglier. They began to clamor all at once, their voices filled with anxiety and lingering fear:

"Of course not! If I don't have points, I won't even be able to afford a drink!"

"The free set meals in the cafeteria can only fill our stomachs; they taste terrible! How are we supposed to live without points to spend at the snack street?"

"Are we really going to keep wearing the free underwear provided by the school and using the cheapest toiletries? The quality of life is just too low!"

"I even bought a game console on an installment plan... If I don't have points to pay the installments next month, will I get a disciplinary record?"

Yosuke Hirata listened patiently to the students' complaints without interrupting, merely nodding slightly to show he understood.

He maintained a listening posture throughout, and only when the collective emotions had vented and the noise began to fade did he speak again.

This time, his tone was firmer, carrying an encouraging power that sought to bind the scattered grains of sand into a solid whole:

"So! Everyone!" He raised his voice slightly, "For the next month, we must give it our all!

This isn't for any one individual; this is a matter that concerns everyone in Class D!

Only if we all take action, help one another, and work together is it possible to change the status quo, earn points, and escape the predicament of having zero points! We are a collective!"

Most of the students nodded in immediate agreement, their faces showing signs of recognition and resolve.

With their own most immediate interests, future quality of life, and the ability to remain in school at stake, Class D was currently displaying a kind of unprecedented "unity."

Under these circumstances, several girls who were usually quite diligent had already begun to whisper about forming study groups.

Even boys who usually slacked off, like Kanji Ike and Haruki Yamauchi, wore grimaces that suggested, "It looks like we have no choice but to study this time."

However, just as this atmosphere of shared purpose began to coalesce—

"Tch!"

An undisguised, disdainful snort rang out.

Ken Sudo stood up abruptly from his seat in the back row. He was tall, his face was dark, and his expression was written with impatience.

He cast a flat glance at Yosuke Hirata on the podium and the students who had "suddenly become serious," and sneered:

"Do whatever study sessions or grand plans you want, just don't drag me into it! I have no interest in this kind of thing!"

After saying this, he shoved his desk hard, creating a harsh, grating sound, and then slammed the door as he stormed out!

(Ken Sudo's seat was right by the back door, allowing him to leave the moment he stood up.)

"Bang!"

The massive sound of the door closing echoed through the classroom, causing many to tremble.

The classroom instantly fell into a different kind of silence.

Many students wore expressions of indignation, whispering rebukes toward the direction where Ken Sudo had left:

"That guy... he's too selfish!"

"This concerns the whole class, how could he be like this!"

"What a rotten apple!"

However, some people also wore expressions of worry and helplessness, yet in the end, no one dared to stand up to chase after him, nor did anyone speak up to stop him.

Everyone knew that Ken Sudo had a volatile and impulsive personality; he might resort to violence at the slightest disagreement, and no one wanted to provoke him at a time like this and invite unnecessary trouble.

Yosuke Hirata looked at the door that was still vibrating slightly, a trace of deep helplessness and powerlessness flashing in the depths of his eyes.

He was not the type of person to be easily defeated by setbacks, but the current situation—where someone openly undermined the "team building" right from the start, and no one dared to intervene—still made him feel a wave of exhaustion.

Trying to unite a class that was like a pile of loose sand, containing obvious "thorns" and "hidden dangers" within, was far more difficult than he had imagined.

Lin Mu took all of this in.

He leaned back in his chair, a new cola-flavored lollipop in his mouth, the sweet and sour, fizzy sensation dancing on the tip of his tongue.

He saw the helplessness in Yosuke Hirata's eyes, the frustration of the other students who were angry but dared not speak, and even more so, the massive cracks beneath the surface of this class's "unity."

(An order maintained solely for the sake of self-interest.)

However, none of this had anything to do with him.

Since Yosuke Hirata, this natural-born "good guy" leader, had already taken the initiative to step up and try to solve the problems.

Then there was no need for him, a pure "bystander," to remain in the classroom watching their "passionate struggle mobilization meeting."

The show was over, and it was time to leave.

Thus, just as Yosuke Hirata was preparing to speak again, attempting to salvage the atmosphere or lay out a specific study plan, Lin Mu stood up slowly.

(Nigerundayo, time to run, bros...)

His movements appeared particularly conspicuous in the currently silent classroom.

He waved his hand casually toward the podium, his tone indifferent:

"You guys continue, I'm heading out first. Don't worry, Yosuke, I'll fully cooperate with your decisions."