A smile curled Kitagawa Kai's lips. "Ichinose, are you wondering when we should sell it to Class C and Class D too?"
"Ah, yes, exactly! That's just what I was thinking~"
"Mm! Since this information is valuable to Class A, shouldn't the same go for Class C and Class D?"
"They don't know this rule, so they might lose a lot of class points. If we tell them, we can earn some more points too."
Ichinose Honami's thinking remained the same, grounded in her characteristic kindness and her hope that "everyone could do well."
Kitagawa Kai shook his head.
"Class C and Class D are different."
"We can't sell it to Class C right now. With Ryuen Kakeru keeping them under strict control, once they learn the rules, they might barely lose any points and become dangerous opponents instead."
"As for Class D, they're a disorganized mess with no cohesion. Probably not many students would be willing to pay points, and we wouldn't get a good price."
For this kind of information, there had only ever been one buyer: Class A.
After all, even without knowing the rules, Class A wouldn't lose many points.
Class C was an extra.
As for Class D, they had probably spent almost all their points by now.
Kitagawa Kai summed it up. "So now isn't a good time to sell information to Class C. We need to wait a while, at least."
"Huh... is that so?" Ichinose Honami's expression grew serious at his words.
Kanzaki Ryūji had also finished studying the mural by then and caught up with them again, calmly adding:
"You mean that if Class C learns the rules too early, they'll become a threat to us instead, Kitagawa-kun?"
"And because Class D can't get organized, they might not be able to afford it."
Ichinose Honami quickly understood her two companions' reasoning, but a trace of reluctance and hesitation lingered on her face.
"Exactly." Kitagawa Kai smiled. "The first step went well. Let's head back. Everyone in class is probably waiting for our news."
When the three returned to the classroom, Class B immediately burst into chatter.
"Kitagawa, Ichinose, and Kanzaki are back!"
"How did it go? How did it go?" Shiranami Chihiro was the first to rush over, unable to hold back, while the others also cast eager looks their way.
Ichinose Honami walked over near the lectern and faced the class, a joyful smile blossoming on her face.
"Everyone!" Her voice was clear and bright. "The deal went through! Class A paid one million personal points for the information about the hidden rules!"
"Whoooo!!"
"We really got it?"
"That's great! We can do so much with that!"
"Kitagawa really is amazing! Ichinose too!"
The school building's rooftop.
The afternoon sunlight was a little dazzling, and the breeze brought a hint of coolness.
"You came."
The voice came from beside the rooftop entrance.
Kitagawa Kai turned and saw Hoshinomiya Chie standing with her back against the concrete railing.
She wasn't wearing a suit today, just a simple white shirt.
"I came."
Kitagawa Kai walked to the middle of the rooftop and stopped.
"You shouldn't have come."
Hoshinomiya Chie turned around, putting on a cold manner.
"Weren't you the one who asked me to come, Hoshinomiya-sensei?"
Kitagawa Kai took his phone from his pocket, lit up the screen, and held the message up toward her.
"..."
"Haha~"
Hoshinomiya Chie took two steps forward and planted her hands on her hips, a pose that made her look more like an older girl from next door.
"Is that so, Little Kitagawa? Don't be so serious."
"Call me Chie~"
Her hair swayed gently in the wind, and a faint fragrance drifted over-not perfume, but the lingering gardenia scent of shampoo.
"Sensei..."
"It's Chie."
Before she had finished speaking, she suddenly stepped forward.
The distance between them vanished in an instant.
Kitagawa Kai could even make out the tiny shadows her eyelashes cast in the sunlight and count the fine lines in the cotton fabric at her collar.
Then she reached out and gently took his wrist.
Her fingertips were slightly cool, but her palm was warm.
She guided his hand, slowly lifting it before placing it against the left side of her chest.
Kitagawa Kai moved his fingers with all his strength, trying to pull away, to no avail.
His physical fitness of 7 was as flimsy as paper.
"Won't you?"
Even though he knew the teacher before him wasn't exactly proper in her private life.
The teacher before him really did look fantastic.
Xiao Chunan really was finding this a little hard to handle.
Go back and keep Yiguan company.
"All right, Chie."
"What did you call me here for?"
"I wanted to ask you for a favor, Little Kitagawa!"
She remained far too close, drawing out her words in a soft voice.
"Is it about Chabashira Sae-sensei?"
At the sound of that name.
Even the wind seemed to stop, and the midday rooftop fell terrifyingly silent.
Hoshinomiya Chie's expression suddenly turned cold, and she stared fixedly at Kitagawa.
"How did you know?"
"Secrets make a man more charming~" Kitagawa deliberately mimicked her earlier, slightly breathy tone.
"You're so bad, Little Kitagawa~"
The coldness on Hoshinomiya Chie's face lasted only an instant before melting away like snow in the spring sunshine.
"But if you could help me lower Class D's class points just a little..."
"I can give you what you want." Her voice dropped even lower, like a feather brushing against the most sensitive part of his eardrum. "Anything at all~"
Not a chance right now.
"How many points can you pay?"
Business is business.
Although he knew Class D's class points would drop to zero in the first month.
He didn't need to do anything at all.
But who said he couldn't collect a paycheck without doing any work?
"What a boring man," she said with a soft laugh, finally stepping half a pace away.
"I can pay you 500,000 private points up front as a deposit."
"Once it's done, as long as Class D's points meet my expectations, I'll pay you another 500,000."
They really couldn't meet them any better.
"That amount makes things difficult for me."
"I want one million up front. I'll absolutely give you a satisfactory result."
Who knew whether Hoshinomiya would pay the balance after learning the truth?
"Oh?"
"I need points to buy off people in Class D. How am I supposed to get anything done without points?"
"Sensei, surely you don't think a few empty promises, or..."
Kitagawa Kai paused, his gaze sweeping meaningfully over her carefully made-up face. "A little personal charm would make Class D's students willingly cooperate?"
Hoshinomiya Chie fell silent.
She thought for a long time.
Finally, she uttered a single word: "Fine."
"A pleasure doing business with you, Chie."
"Then I'll be waiting for your good news, Little Kitagawa." Hoshinomiya Chie gave him one last look, her gaze complicated.
With that, she turned decisively and headed straight for the rooftop exit.
[Beep beep!] [Campus personal points account credit notification] [Sender: Anonymous] [Amount: 1,000,000] [Current balance: 1,420,000]
It truly sounded like music to his ears.
Kitagawa Kai slipped one hand into his trouser pocket and lightly pressed his thumb into a recess on the side.
"Click."
There was an extremely faint sound of a mechanism returning to its original position.
Recording, ended.
Before entering the rooftop, Kitagawa Kai had secretly switched on the recording function.