Late April.
For Kitagawa Kai, the things he looked forward to most each day were teasing Kamuro, reading with Hiyori, and accepting Honami's treats.
Almost every morning, the girl whose smile shone brighter than the sun would appear before him with something in hand.
She always managed to find a reason he couldn't refuse.
She never made Kitagawa feel the slightest burden.
"The cafeteria's serving something really delicious today, Kitagawa-kun. You have to try it!"
"It's a new product we're testing. Can you help me rate it?"
"You look a little low on energy. Have some sugar!"
Her kindness was direct, with no beating around the bush.
Taking it, thanking her, then eating or drinking it all under her expectant gaze had become part of his morning routine.
Was this really how someone with an Affection Level of 55 acted?
If 55 points was already like this...
An even more outrageous thought slipped into his mind uncontrollably.
What would she be like if her Affection Level reached 80 or 90...?
It should... be fine, right?
Kitagawa Kai casually accepted the cookie Ichinose held out to him and imagined it.
"Thanks, Ichinose."
He could now call her by her surname quite naturally, without the honorific "classmate." It sounded close, but not overly intimate.
"How is it?" Ichinose Honami rested her chin on one hand and tilted her head toward him.
"Great!"
Kitagawa Kai chewed slowly, raised a thumb at the girl with one hand, and spoke with a sincerity enhanced by the food in his mouth.
The pink-haired girl's smile grew even more energetic. "Kitagawa-kun, I heard you joined the Student Council and became its secretary."
News really did travel fast.
Kitagawa Kai nodded and swallowed the last of the cookie. "Yeah, it was only confirmed recently."
"That's amazing!" Ichinose lightly clapped her hands, her voice clear. "But doesn't the Student Council usually hold a general recruitment drive in mid-May? How did you join early, Kitagawa-kun?"
"I beat up that guy Horikita Manabu, and he gave me the secretary position."
Ichinose let out a giggle, her eyes curving into crescents. "Kitagawa-kun, you're always like this. Whenever you get asked a difficult question, you start making things up."
In a society like this island nation, where rank and seniority were valued, younger students generally had to remain humble before their seniors, especially the third-year Student Council president.
"But," Ichinose Honami looked over at him with clear eyes, her voice carrying unreserved admiration, "to become secretary at this point in time, Kitagawa-kun really is amazing. I look forward to working with you on the Student Council."
"Yeah," Kitagawa Kai replied. After a pause, he added, "Once you join the Student Council, I'll look after you."
Ichinose clearly hadn't expected him to say that and was slightly taken aback.
"You sound so sure, Kitagawa-kun... as if I'm guaranteed to get in."
"Of course. You're more than capable."
Ichinose's lashes fluttered, and her smile deepened.
Kitagawa Kai changed the subject at just the right moment. "Are you free this afternoon? Like we discussed before, we should go negotiate the rules with Classes C and D."
"Yeah, I'm free." She nodded, answering brightly, then looked up at him as if confirming something. "Will it just be the two of us?"
"Uh, Kanzaki and Shibata will come too. Ryuen from Class C can be a little hot-tempered."
Ichinose nodded, a look of understanding settling over her. Ryuen Kakeru from Class C was someone who revered violence, so having more people along would indeed be safer.
"Let's arrange two separate meetings with Classes C and D, then. We can settle everything this afternoon."
"I don't know anyone I'm close to in either class. Could you handle getting in touch with them, Ichinose?"
"I'll do my best,"
Ichinose replied, with a gentle determination.
Afternoon.
Palette.
In the end, they had decided to meet here. It seemed more impressive, and they did have the points for it.
Kitagawa Kai and the others-himself, Kanzaki, Shibata, and Ichinose-walked into the café, chatting and laughing, and chose a private booth toward the back.
Kitagawa Kai took the seat farther inside first. Ichinose naturally sat beside him, while Kanzaki and Shibata sat across from them.
"Let's order something to drink first." Kitagawa Kai pushed the menu toward the others and leaned back into the sofa. "I'll have a latte."
Ichinose leaned forward slightly to look at the menu. "I'll have the same."
Kanzaki narrowed his eyes, while Shibata grinned. Each ordered a drink.
The drinks had only just arrived when the light at the entrance to the booth dimmed.
The door to the booth swung open.
The first to step inside was Ryuen Kakeru from Class C.
He had long red hair and a sturdy build. His uniform jacket hung open carelessly, and his face wore a defiant expression. His gaze first landed on Ichinose Honami, then swept equally over everyone else.
Behind him came Ishizaki Daichi and Yamada Albert.
Kitagawa Kai set down his cup, gestured toward the seats, and smiled as he spoke. "I'm Kitagawa Kai from Class B. Have a seat."
Ryuen Kakeru didn't move.
His crimson eyes fixed on Kitagawa Kai, and the corner of his mouth curled into an almost sinister grin. His voice carried undisguised mockery and impatience:
"What's this about? Ichinose invited us over-" He deliberately drew out the words, his gaze scraping over Ichinose's face before pinning Kitagawa Kai again. "Why are you doing the talking?"
The air in the booth suddenly grew heavy.
Ichinose Honami lifted her head. The gentle smile remained on her face, and her lips moved as if she were about to speak.
But Kitagawa Kai spoke first.
"I asked her to invite you. Naturally, I'm the one who'll do the talking."
"Our class has discovered some special information about the school. We invited Ryuen and Hirata over today because we'd like to discuss the possibility of working together."
"Hmph." Ryuen scoffed through his nose, slumped heavily back against the sofa, and looked openly suspicious.
"Special information? That sounds nice. Since when were people from Class B so kind? Though I suppose Ichinose might be."
The barbed words lowered the temperature in the booth by several degrees.
Kitagawa Kai's expression remained unchanged, as if he hadn't heard Ryuen's mockery. He calmly took out the Contract he had prepared beforehand and gently slid it in front of Ryuen.
"Whether we're being kind, and whether it's worth hearing us out..." He raised his eyes and calmly met Ryuen's provocative gaze. "Why don't you take a look at this first, Ryuen, and then decide?"
Ryuen scoffed and casually picked up the few sheets of paper. When he saw a certain figure, he slapped the Contract back onto the table.
"Are you kidding me?! What kind of special information costs 500,000 Personal Points? Kitagawa, do you think Class C is full of suckers?"
If Class A heard you say that, wouldn't they die laughing?
"Ryuen, you're not an idiot. You've probably figured out by now that we aren't getting 100,000 points a month."
Kitagawa Kai said no more, leaving the pressure of the choice on Ryuen once again.
The rhythm of Ryuen Kakeru's fingers tapping on his knee grew slower and slower, then stopped. He stared at Kitagawa Kai and glanced at the Contract on the table, his mind racing.
At last, he gave a grunt through his nose, breaking the silence. His tone remained stiff.
"The information you provide had better actually be useful."
Ryuen Kakeru walked out of the café with a dark expression.
The evening breeze blew coolly against him, but it couldn't dispel the murderous anger knotted between his brows.
Ishizaki Daichi and Yamada Albert followed half a step behind in silence, clearly feeling the astonishingly oppressive atmosphere ahead of them.
May was almost here.
He had paid a full 500,000 Personal Points for special information that would be worth something for barely more than a week.
Once May arrived, the information's value would plummet. It might even become common knowledge.
He'd been played.
It seemed he could only go back and make life difficult for his classmates.