Class B, Everyone (Part 2)

"Sorry to interrupt everyone's free time—can I have a moment?"

After the crisp bell signaling the end of class rang, Ichinose voluntarily stepped up to the podium.

The students, who had been preparing to leave in twos and threes, couldn't help but stop in their tracks.

"It's about Personal Points. There's something I'd like to share with everyone."

One hand resting on her chest, she gazed sincerely at her classmates.

"Maybe everyone's focus is on Class Points right now, but I believe Personal Points also play a role we can't ignore."

"It's not just for daily spending, but..."

She talked about the discussion at noon and the school rule she'd uncovered about transferring classes with Personal Points.

Ichinose was trying her best to convey to everyone the fact that Personal Points were also very important.

"Even if it's true that two million Personal Points can get you into Class A, I don't think anyone has ever pulled off that feat."

"I understand that Personal Points might have some importance, but I don't see what we can do with the small amount we've saved up so far."

A boy leaning against the back door, his rather loud voice carrying across the entire classroom.

He crossed his arms and stared straight at Ichinose.

"Maybe one person's strength is limited, but we're a group of forty people!"

Based on his remark, Ichinose responded.

"You mean, Ichinose, that everyone chips in some Personal Points as insurance for future unknown events?"

"Right. I think Personal Points will definitely come in handy in unexpected ways later, so I want to build them up as a class resource."

"No matter what difficulties we face, at least we won't be caught completely unprepared."

Ichinose gave the boy who'd spoken up a slight smile.

"Honestly, Hōbo-chan's idea makes a lot of sense! Even now, with about sixty thousand Personal Points coming in each month, after some daily expenses, there's still plenty left over."

Amakura raised her hand like she was answering in class and chimed in.

I watched silently, waiting in quiet stillness.

Gradually, voices of agreement started to fill the classroom.

I waited, waited for a certain moment.

Glancing subtly at the few people who seemed to want to speak but held back.

Even though they clearly didn't want to hand over part of their Personal Points, why didn't they have the courage to stand up and object?

The two girls who'd complained about the decrease in Personal Points that morning had their hands tightly clenched.

They exchanged glances, but neither was willing to speak first.

It wasn't just because the proposer was Ichinose, but also because they had no reasonable grounds to argue.

If they rashly spoke up, there probably wouldn't be any room to turn back.

The situation seemed to be falling under Ichinose's control...

"I have a question."

Seeming not to have expected me to speak, Ichinose showed a hint of confusion.

"If everyone hands over a certain amount of Personal Points, whose account will they be stored in?"

"There's no extra account set up yet to handle the class's Personal Point storage, is there?"

"Well... I'll ask Teacher Hoshinomiya about that."

"And if the answer is no, then who gets custody of this large sum of Personal Points?"

"Well..."

"Answer me, Ichinose."

Seeming not to have anticipated me pressing so hard, Ichinose showed a flustered expression for the first time.

Sou Shibata quietly moved to my side and gave me a subtle kick.

Ignoring his hint, I stared straight at the tense Ichinose.

"With such a huge amount of Personal Points, no one would feel at ease handing it over to just anyone."

"If it's Hōbo-chan, I have no problem with it!"

Chihiro Shiramami stood up on her own.

Bombarded by everyone's stares, she sat back down, face red.

I didn't keep my eyes on Ichinose; instead, I shifted my gaze subtly to those two girls.

"Why is the money being handed over to Ichinose for safekeeping?"

"I get that everyone trusts Ichinose, but that's not a reason for me to follow that trust."

"Sure, what she says makes sense, but isn't it also a good option for everyone to keep enough Personal Points themselves and only pull them out when the class needs them?"

Sou Shibata furrowed his brow, as if he didn't quite understand my actions.

I had been present at noon too, essentially tacitly approving of this operation.

No, I could even be called one of the members driving this action forward.

So why was I contradicting myself now?

"Hajima-kun."

Ryota, who usually called me by my first name, spoke somewhat stiffly.

"Can you guarantee that when the class needs it, you'll contribute the portion of Personal Points you're supposed to?"

"Well... that's hard to say."

Seeing Ryota Beppu stand up to confront me, I looked a bit flustered, answering hesitantly.

"Would you mind disclosing how many Personal Points you currently have in your account?"

"Why are you suddenly asking that? Does it have anything to do with the issue I brought up!?"

My reply came out low, with a barely suppressed crack in my voice.

Ryota adjusted his glasses, and his originally expressionless face suddenly revealed a hint of mockery.

"Your Personal Points are down to just over sixty thousand—the amount deposited this morning—and nothing more."

"You don't even have the ability to properly manage your own points, yet you delude yourself into using a false premise to tear down what's right."

Sarcasm, ridicule, coldness, and concern all converged around me.

I looked, as if pleading, toward those who hadn't initially agreed with Ichinose's idea.

They either averted their eyes or ignored me.

Marking me as the opposition.

I sat back down, somewhat dejectedly.

My whole demeanor seemed deflated, and I stopped paying attention to anything that followed.

Honestly, I had underestimated Ichinose's influence.

There wasn't even a single person who stood up to oppose her.

Originally, I had planned to play the role Ryota had just performed.

But without anyone to play off of, my original role lost its purpose.

Fortunately, Ryota was sharp enough to step in and take over the part I was supposed to play.

After all, Making someone purely and deeply understand an event is quite difficult.

Even if this proposal passed, not everyone would be fully convinced.

Only by creating an opposing side would most people stand more firmly with you.

Once the line was drawn in the sand.

Enemies were enemies, allies were allies.

As for me trying to win over the waverers, they decisively abandoned me, who was clearly at a disadvantage.

In other words, even if reluctantly, once they boarded Ichinose's ship, there was no turning back.

What's more, Ichinose truly meant well for them and took responsibility for the class.

But pure goodwill alone doesn't make people empathize.

There has to be contrast.

Only then does the preciousness of what Ichinose does become more apparent.

There's a saying that left a deep impression on me.

Always being good to others is the same as never being good to them.

Because those who receive it rarely stop to think.