The next day, after finishing all her classes, Chabashira Sae, Class 1-D's homeroom teacher, finally had the chance to look into a question she'd been keeping to herself. She sat down at an office computer.
"Hmph, Rinya. You'd better hope your way of earning points is legitimate. Otherwise, I'll personally see you expelled."
Ever since their last conversation about selling points, Chabashira had been unable to stop dwelling on it. Not only had the kid embarrassed her to her face, but he'd acted as if she were the only person in the room. Just thinking about it made her furious.
"Ding. Search complete."
As a female voice sounded from the computer, a massive page of point records appeared, and Chabashira was instantly stunned.
"W-what has this kid been doing?!"
She stared at the records of gifts sent to Rinya. There were over sixty of them in just one week.
Most of them were gifts worth 520 or 1,314 points.
The school had originally created the personal gift function to encourage a few outstanding students who made significant contributions. Who would've thought it would turn into this?
Chabashira had already begun to understand what was going on.
But...
"Are they all women?" Chabashira couldn't believe her eyes.
According to the senders' information, they included students from nearly every class in all three year levels.
She didn't even want to count how many there were. Goosebumps prickled over her skin, and she couldn't bear to look any further.
"Slap!"
Chabashira slammed her hand on the desk and sprang to her feet. The deafening bang nearly made Hoshinomiya, who was drinking tea nearby, choke.
"Cough, cough!"
"Sae, are you trying to choke me to death?"
But Chabashira was still fuming, working herself into an even greater rage. "How could he accept points like that? He's made a complete fool of me, too."
After all her years as Class D's homeroom teacher, Chabashira had never been this annoyed.
Of course, no matter how angry she was, points earned through the appeal of his looks couldn't technically be considered a violation.
Still, no wonder he'd said he couldn't explain the details back then. He knew it wasn't something to be proud of. But that didn't stop him from accepting the points, did it? Damn brat.
"Achoo!"
"Why do I feel like someone's cursing me?"
Rinya rubbed his nose and thought no more of it. After all, his plan to kill two birds with one stone was about to get underway.
As night fell, the bustling campus gradually quieted down.
Rinya had been lying in wait near Ayanokoji's room for a long time. He remembered Kushida Kikyo's first iconic scene vividly.
Since the celebration had, just as he'd expected, been held in Ayanokoji's room, then when everyone praised Horikita Suzune in high spirits, Kushida Kikyo—who was there with them—would surely find it unbearable.
"Heh. My two-faced little angel, I've been interested in you ever since my last life. Don't disappoint me this time."
After checking several times to make sure the high-definition camera in his arms was working properly, Rinya gave a cold smile and slipped back into the darkness like a ghost.
Time passed. At last, the final guest of the celebration emerged from Ayanokoji's room: Kushida Kikyo.
"Thanks for having me tonight."
"I'm going back to my room."
The girl bowed politely, then walked away with light steps.
But Ayanokoji, standing behind her, couldn't shake the feeling that something about her had been strange earlier. He stepped outside and curiously glanced after her.
And with that glance, he noticed something suspicious. She'd said she was going back to her room, but she was heading in the wrong direction.
"Where's she going at this hour?"
Just as Ayanokoji began to follow her discreetly, a point of dark-red light flashed silently through the endless darkness behind him.
"Here we go. Heh."
When the two of them reached their destination one after the other, Kushida Kikyo followed the story's course exactly. The cute, well-behaved girl instantly transformed into a vicious, grotesque villain.
As she cursed Horikita Suzune, she also spotted Ayanokoji hiding behind a tree.
And so, the iconic scene unfolded.
In the darkness, Rinya calmly zoomed in with his camera. He watched as the contorted Kushida took a sudden step forward and pressed Ayanokoji's hand firmly against her chest.
Then, wearing a playful expression, she threatened to have him expelled.
Ayanokoji was caught somewhat off guard. He understood what she was trying to do, but hadn't expected her to be so bold.
"Tell me, Kushida. Which one is the real you?" Ayanokoji asked flatly.
"That depends on you. As long as you keep our secret, I'll still be your cute little angel."
"..."
Their conversation ended with Kushida Kikyo's threat successfully delivered.
But who could have guessed that the boy lurking in the darkness had seen everything?
"Heh. Ayanokoji, this is a surprise I'm saving for you in the future. You'd better be ready for it."
"And Kushida Kikyo, are you ready to become a tool?"
"Heh heh heh..."
The boy gave a faint, wicked smile. Disguised by the night, the dark-red glint in his eyes made him look like a ferocious beast that had been lying in wait. The deadly strike he was preparing would be impossible for any prey to resist.
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