"Yuki, if you want to go after certain people in Class D, this is a great opportunity."
"Let's set aside what you did to Class D at the beginning of the Special Exam month."
"Afterward, you gave us Class D's leverage over them. You must have had this in mind, too."
Ryuen Kakeru sneered at Yuki Gyakukai beside him and instinctively reached for a bottle of soda.
But when he saw that all the drinks had already been knocked to the floor,
he hesitated for a moment, then snatched the drink from Yuki's hand and took a swig.
"What the hell are you doing? There are still drinks left. Why'd you take mine?"
"You knocked them onto the floor. I can't be bothered to pick them up."
Ryuen Kakeru casually shook the drink in his hand.
"And that business at the library before—I don't think it was an accident.
You seemed to be playing peacemaker in Class D, but I've always felt that was part of your scheme. You deliberately made the people in Class D embarrass themselves in front of the whole school."
"What makes you say that? I consider myself a fairly normal person. I can't read everyone's mind."
"Hmm. Who knows?"
Yuki Gyakukai turned to look at Ryuen, asking curiously,
"Ultimately, your theory is just that I have a grudge against Class D. What does that have to do with you and this deal?"
"How should I put it?" Ryuen sprawled halfway across the sofa and ran a hand through his slightly long red hair.
"You know Class C is the closest to Class B. I'd love to make things difficult for them, but this exam clearly doesn't give me the chance.
"So I thought I'd find some entertainment in those idiots in Class D who haven't lost any points. I want to see how many of them get expelled next month with you involved."
"That's a pretty good explanation. Now that you mention it, I'm kind of curious how many of those idiots in Class D will get expelled next month."
"Then, we have a deal?" Ryuen Kakeru held out his hand to Yuki Gyakukai.
"Pleasure doing business with you." Yuki Gyakukai wasn't about to spoil the mood, so he reached out and firmly shook Ryuen's hand.
"But with me involved, you'd better be mentally prepared.
"For the next month, as long as I don't do anything to harm Class C, your class will have to follow my lead. Any objections?"
"As long as you don't do anything to harm us? Then go ahead and amaze me over the next month, Yuki Gyakukai."
On the way back,
Yuki Gyakukai and Ryuji Kanzaki strolled slowly toward the dormitory.
Watching Yuki send message after message on his phone, Kanzaki finally couldn't hold back. His expression serious, he asked,
"Yuki, what exactly were you thinking just now? Ultimately, cooperating with Class C doesn't mean much for Class A."
Without looking up, Yuki Gyakukai continued to send his messages as he walked.
"Kanzaki, sometimes you shouldn't look at things so narrowly. What you hear and what you see aren't necessarily the same.
"Sometimes, we do things for reasons other than profit. Short-term gains are just that—short-term. If you want to do business well, you have to think long-term."
Ryuji Kanzaki pondered the meaning behind his words and couldn't help slowing down.
"So cooperating with Class C is necessary for Class A?"
"That's just one factor. But it seems you haven't been paying much attention to Class D lately, Kanzaki."
Not very satisfied with Ryuji Kanzaki's response, Yuki Gyakukai put away his phone and turned to look at the class's strategist.
"As far as I'm concerned, none of the students in Classes A, B, C, or D are lacking. Every class has its share of students with strong academic or athletic abilities, along with students who excel in other areas.
"The huge differences we see now are merely the result of their environments.
"If some future Special Exam puts a certain type of student in their element, then with just one or two opportunities, Class D could become Class A."
Ryuji Kanzaki's pupils contracted as he realized what Yuki meant.
"Remember, this school advocates ability above all else—not just academic achievement or physical strength. Everyone has room to shine."
A bitter smile appeared on his face. He'd thought he had the potential to become a strategist.
He hadn't expected to grow complacent after entering Class A. He'd focused only on Classes B and C, whose point totals weren't far behind theirs, while overlooking Class D, whose abilities were just as strong.
"I wasn't thorough enough. I'll take your advice and keep an eye out for talented students in the other classes. I'll be going now."
In front of the dormitory, Ryuji Kanzaki solemnly reflected on his mistake. Once he realized where he'd fallen short, he hurried off.
Watching Kanzaki leave, Yuki Gyakukai didn't follow him into the elevator. Instead, he went to the mailboxes and took out an envelope that had just been delivered.
He quickly opened it. Inside was a room key card.
Yuki Gyakukai slipped it into his pocket. To be honest, this was the third card he'd received.
Aside from his own and Tomie's, this was the third girl who had trusted him enough to hand over a spare key card to her room.
Thinking about it made Yuki Gyakukai a little sad.
"Some girls send love letters back and forth every day but never give me anything substantial. For someone as outstanding as me, is it really that hard to give me a room key card?"
Still nursing his sadness, he'd already reached the elevator. He didn't press the button for his own floor, but instead chose one higher up—in the girls' dormitory.
Knock, knock, knock~
Haruka Hasebe was resting in her room when she heard someone knock. She immediately jumped off the bed, delighted.
She opened the door quickly, not even bothering to put on her shoes.
"You finally came! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for you."
"Ahaha~ Jiajia, we just finished studying at the library a little while ago. It hasn't been that long."
"Little Airi, honestly! They say that a day apart from your best friend feels like three years. It feels like I've been waiting forever."
Seeing the two of them acting like sisters, Hasebe couldn't help feeling a little sentimental.
At the start of the school year, she hadn't had any friends. But after Yuki Gyakukai's interference, she'd suddenly discovered a hidden gem sitting right beside her—Airi Sakura.
Airi was a little shy, but once Hasebe got to know someone, she was practically their natural enemy.
So the two of them naturally became friends.
After putting on their shoes, the two headed out together toward the shopping district. "Sorry, Jiajia, for taking up your break and making you come with me to get my camera fixed."
Hasebe waved it off.
"What does it matter? There's always time to rest, but time spent with a good friend is precious to me."
Meanwhile,
Yuki Gyakukai stood in front of the room, feeling a little nervous.
To be honest, he'd lost track of how many times he'd entered a strange girl's room.
He couldn't even count how many there'd been, but a stranger was still a stranger, and he was still nervous.
He pulled the key card from his pocket, and with a quick swipe, the door unlocked.
He pushed it open and glanced inside. His pupils shrank, and he hurried into the room, closing the door behind him without even taking off his shoes.
"You little pervert! Why aren't you wearing any clothes in your room?"
Before you continue