Giving Benefits, Shouldn't Be Considered Scheming, Right?

"Gyakukai, if you're looking to make a move on certain people in Class D, this is a good opportunity."

"Not to mention what you did to Class D at the beginning of the special exam month last time, but handing over their weaknesses to our Class C afterward—you probably had that intention all along, didn't you?"

Sho Ryuuen grinned as he looked at Yuki Gyakukai beside him, instinctively reaching for a drink. But seeing all the beverages already scattered on the floor, he hesitated for a moment before snatching the drink from Gyakukai's hand and taking a swig.

"What the hell are you doing? There's still drinks left—why take mine?"

"You knocked them all to the floor. I can't be bothered to pick one up."

Ryuuen shrugged nonchalantly, shaking the drink in his hand: "Besides, that thing at the library before—I don't think it was an accident. It looked like you were playing mediator in Class D, but I always felt it was part of your scheme. You deliberately made Class D look bad in front of the whole school."

"What makes you say that? I'm still a normal person, more or less. I'm not capable of reading everyone's mind."

"Hmm~ Who knows?"

Yuki Gyakukai turned his head to look at Ryuuen, asking with some curiosity: "At the end of the day, your guess is just about my grudge with Class D. But what does that have to do with this deal, and what does it have to do with you?"

"How should I put it?" Ryuuen half-lay on the sofa, running a hand through his somewhat long red hair: "You know Class C is the closest to Class B. I'd love to cause them some trouble, but this exam clearly doesn't allow it. So, I figured I'd have some fun with those idiots in Class D who have no points left to lose. I want to see how many of them get expelled next month with you getting involved."

"That's a decent explanation. Hearing you say that, I'm a bit curious too—how many of those fools in Class D will be expelled next month."

"So, deal's on?" Sho Ryuuen extended his hand toward Yuki Gyakukai.

"Pleasure working together." Gyakukai wasn't about to kill the mood either, reaching out and grasping it firmly.

"But with me involved, you'd better be prepared. For the next month, as long as I don't do anything harmful to Class C, your class will follow my orders. No problem?"

"Nothing harmful, huh? Then let me see something impressive in the coming days, Yuki Gyakukai."

On the way back, Yuki Gyakukai and Ryuji Kanzaki strolled leisurely toward the dormitory building.

Watching Gyakukai constantly sending messages on his phone, Ryuji finally couldn't hold back. His expression serious, he began to ask: "Gyakukai, what were you really thinking back there? At the end of the day, cooperating with Class C doesn't mean much for Class A."

Without looking up, Gyakukai continued sending messages at a leisurely pace as he walked: "Ryuji, sometimes you think too narrowly. What you hear and what you see are ultimately different. Sometimes the things you do aren't necessarily for profit. Short-term gains are just short-term gains. If you want to do business well, you have to take the long view."

Ryuji Kanzaki pondered the meaning behind the words, unconsciously slowing his pace: "So this cooperation with Class C is necessary for Class A?"

"That's just one factor. But it seems, Ryuji, you haven't been observing Class D closely lately."

Dissatisfied with Ryuji's response, Gyakukai put his phone away and turned to look at the class's strategist.

"To me, none of the four classes—A, B, C, D—are lacking. Each class has an even distribution of students with high academic ability, strong athletic ability, or other outstanding talents. The reason we see such a huge gap now is just the influence of the environment. When some special exam in the future becomes a comfort zone for certain people, maybe just one or two opportunities, and Class D could become Class A."

Realizing this, Ryuji Kanzaki's pupils sharply contracted.

"You have to remember, this school preaches meritocracy—not just academic or physical superiority. Everyone has room to shine."

A bitter smile crept onto Ryuji's lips. He had thought he had the potential to be a strategist, but after becoming Class A, he'd grown complacent, only focusing on Class B and Class C, whose scores were close, while overlooking Class D, whose strength was comparable.

"That was shortsighted of me. Following your reasoning, I'll pay attention to students with special talents in other classes with the others. I'll be going now."

In front of the dormitory building, Ryuji Kanzaki reflected with a serious expression. Acknowledging his shortcomings, he hurried off.

Watching Ryuji leave, Yuki Gyakukai didn't take the elevator upstairs. Instead, he walked to the mailbox and retrieved an envelope that had just been placed inside. Tearing it open, he found a room key card.

Gyakukai slipped the card into his pocket. To be honest, this was the third one he'd received. Aside from his own and Tomie's, this was the third girl who trusted him enough to hand over the spare key to her room.

Thinking about that, Yuki Gyakukai felt a little hurt.

"Some girls are always sending love letters day in and day out, but they don't know how to send something substantial. For someone as outstanding as me, is it really that hard to send a room key?"

Lost in his own melancholy, he had already stepped into the elevator. Instead of pressing his own floor, he pressed a higher one—the female dormitory area.

Knock knock knock~

Haruka Hasebe, who had been resting in her room, heard the knock at the door and immediately bounced up from her bed in delight.

Without even putting on shoes, she hurried over with a joyful expression and quickly opened the door.

"You're finally here! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you."

"Ahaha~ Gaga, we just finished studying in the library not that long ago. It hasn't been as long as you say."

"Little Airi, honestly, as the saying goes, 'a day apart from a good friend feels like three autumns.' I feel like I've been waiting for you forever."

Watching the two of them act like close sisters, Hasebe couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

At the start of the semester, she hadn't had any friends. But after Yuki Gyakukai stirred things up, she suddenly discovered the treasure sitting right beside her—Airi Sakura.

Although Airi's personality was a bit shy, Hasebe was practically a natural counter to shy people once she got familiar with them.

So the two naturally ended up hanging out together.

After putting on her shoes, the two left together and headed toward the shopping district: "Sorry, Gaga, for wasting your break time to come with me to get my camera fixed."

Hasebe waved her hand dismissively:

"What does it matter? Break time comes around all the time, but time spent with a good friend—that's precious to me."

Meanwhile, Standing in front of a door, Yuki Gyakukai felt a little nervous.

To be honest, he had lost count of how many times he had entered a strange girl's room before.

Though the number was too many to remember, strange was still strange, and nervous was still nervous.

He pulled a room key from his pocket, and with a swish, the door swung open.

Pushing the door open and taking in the scene inside, his pupils instinctively contracted. He quickly stepped inside, not even bothering to take off his shoes, and slammed the door shut.

"You little pervert, why aren't you wearing any clothes in your room!"