Lunch, Jealousy, and Hand-Holding

Eight hundred thousand plus 500,000 points. If he could earn that much within the month, it would show that he was just as capable of following through. Arisu probably wouldn't be bored at school, then.

"Okay. Where should I transfer the points?"

"...Huh?"

At Chairman Sakayanagi's stunned expression, Hoshino En repeated himself.

"Where should I transfer the points?"

"You already have 1.3 million?"

Hoshino En simply nodded in response to Sakayanagi Narimori.

Sakayanagi Narimori: "..."

"Just transfer them to me. I can take care of your permission right away."

He took out his phone.

Beep—

When he saw that 1.3 million points really had been transferred to his phone, Sakayanagi Narimori still found it hard to believe.

To have 1.3 million points on the second day of school... He'd probably already figured out the truth the school was hiding. Why had such a promising student been assigned to Class D?

Or was his flaw truly so serious that it outweighed all his abilities?

"All right, I've transferred the points. You should have received them, right?"

Hoshino En showed Chairman Sakayanagi his transaction history. It showed that 1.3 million points had just been deducted, leaving him with over 7.56 million.

Sakayanagi Narimori: "..."

Over seven million. Had this kid robbed someone yesterday?

Including the 1.3 million he'd just transferred, that meant he had over eight million—more than half of all the first-years combined.

The school had deliberately kept the truth from the new students. They couldn't possibly have been that united, so he must have earned the points from upperclassmen.

Had it been some private bet between clubs?

But... why would a simple bet have earned him so much? What was going on with the second- and third-years?

In just a few seconds, Chairman Sakayanagi had thought through a great many possibilities.

Watching Chairman Sakayanagi sink into thought, Hoshino En's lips curled slightly upward.

Just as he'd expected, deliberately showing off his Private Points had made the other man notice that something was amiss and speculate about the possible reason.

He'd earned so much yesterday mostly because he and Sakayanagi had provoked the upperclassmen into losing their tempers. But the chairman didn't know that. He would blame the second- and third-years' incompetence, and in turn begin to question their progress.

The idea that the second-years had been brought under someone's control was only an exaggerated guess. Whether or not it was true, the chairman would increase his scrutiny of the second-years. For now, they wouldn't have the spare energy to meddle with the first-years.

As for the third-year upperclassmen, though he felt bad, he'd have to ask them to become collateral damage in the second-years' troubles.

All he had to do now was quietly put away his phone and leave. Then his work for the morning would be done.

But just as Hoshino En was about to put his phone away, Chairman Sakayanagi suddenly reached out and pressed down on the hand holding it.

Hoshino En: "..."

"Chairman, um... is something wrong?"

"You and Arisu are close?"

For some reason, light reflected off his glasses, and Hoshino En couldn't make out his eyes.

"Uh... I happened to meet her yesterday. She wasn't very mobile, so I gave her a hand. Then I got caught and turned into some kind of professional helping-hand laborer."

He was her father, so he must have known what Sakayanagi Arisu was like. There was no point in pretending and saying nice things. He'd only be judged more harshly for lying. Better to give him a half-true "fact" that fit Sakayanagi Arisu's personality.

"Why bring her up all of a sudden?"

The chairman said nothing. He simply released Hoshino En's hand.

Hoshino En put away his phone and glanced at the screen as it flipped over. Sakayanagi Arisu's name was clearly displayed on the incoming call.

Hoshino En: "..."

He looked at the phone, then up at Chairman Sakayanagi. The other man was staring at him sternly, all trace of his earlier warmth gone.

Was that a sign he wanted him to answer?

Beep—

He picked up and turned on speakerphone, then gingerly set the phone on the desk.

"Xingye-kun, why did it take you so long to answer? Have you already gotten tired of Arisu after just one day?"

Hoshino En: ...!!!

He watched the chairman's face darken three shades as he heard that.

"I'm in class right now. Why are you calling me out of the blue?"

"Come on, Hoshino-kun, you're lying. You're clearly in the Special Building! How could you be in class...?"

"I meant you. Don't you have class?"

"So you really do care about me?!"

Hoshino En could feel the murderous intent coming from across the desk.

"Ahem. Let's get to the point. Why did you call?"

"Oh, it's nothing much. I just wanted to have lunch together."

"Lunch? Wouldn't it make more sense to ask Kamuro? She..."

"She's too stupid. Having lunch with her is no fun at all. I like you better."

Like me? You just like messing with me, don't you?!

Even through the phone, he could imagine the mischievous look on Sakayanagi Arisu's face as she said that.

And Chairman Sakayanagi was giving off an even more terrifying aura. Would Hoshino En make it out of this office in one piece today?

"You were the one who said yesterday that you'd help me enjoy this hard-won school life. You'd better take responsibility!"

"I'll come pick you up from your class at lunchtime. Don't wander off during the break. That's all."

Without giving Hoshino En a chance to argue, she hung up as soon as she'd finished speaking.

Hoshino En: "..."

He glanced at the chairman, who had completely lost his gentlemanly composure, and offered a cautious explanation.

"Chairman, my relationship with your daughter is completely innocent. We're just classmates. She meant that she likes messing with me. There's nothing improper going on!"

Sakayanagi Narimori: "..."

Though he couldn't see the chairman's eyes behind the glare on his glasses, he seemed to relax a little after hearing Hoshino En's explanation.

"Arisu never went to school before. She's attending this time because I'm here."

"But there's only so much I can keep an eye on. I hope you'll look after her when you can."

He offered the request, then added, almost as if tempting him, "Of course, if you can defeat her, that's fine too. In fact, that would be even better. It might do her good to experience what it's like to lose."

"Also, that girl loves teasing people. If she was unreasonable yesterday, or if she acts that way in the future, please be patient with her."

Hoshino En: "..."

What good would being patient do? Wasn't he basically asking him to serve some young lady? Did he look that cheap?!

"As compensation, I'll return the 1.3 million points you just transferred. You'll still get the permission, of course, so don't worry."

Hoshino En: "..."

Since you put it that way, I suppose I can humor her a little.

First Semester of First Year

Chapter 17: Lunch, Jealousy, and Hand-Holding

After leaving the Chairman's Office, Hoshino En returned to class.

The class, which had been noisy earlier, was now unusually peaceful. It seemed Kushida and Hirata had worked together, calming the boys and girls separately until everyone had reached an agreement.

The morning passed without incident. Aside from a few students who were already well-behaved, everyone else in class had forced themselves not to do anything that went against student conduct. But they didn't seem to have absorbed any of the lessons, either. One after another, they'd drifted off into their own thoughts.

And because Kushida had made things sound so serious earlier, hardly anyone dared to speak loudly, even during break. Everyone quietly went about their own business or chatted on their phones.

Only when the lunch bell rang did they all breathe a sigh of relief.

Then, except for a few loners, everyone filed out, apparently hoping to enjoy lunch together in the cafeteria.

But Hoshino En had a feeling they'd just been holding it in all morning and were looking for somewhere to let loose.

Did they think the Behavioral Norms Exam would only take place during class?

Still, it was good that everyone had left. At least he wouldn't stand out as much.

Tap—tap—tap—

Accompanied by the sound of a cane striking the floor, the girl walked in through the back door of the classroom.

"Well, well~ You waited for me like a good boy?"

She wore a white beret and a neat, well-fitted Kodo Ikusei uniform. White stockings covered her slender legs, reaching above her knees. Between the top of the stockings and the hem of her skirt lay an alluring forbidden zone that made people want to discover what secrets it concealed.

This was Sakayanagi Arisu. Behind her followed Kamuro Masumi, whose bangs were held in place by two hair clips and whose entire being radiated defiance.

"Even if I complained, you wouldn't listen. You'd just find some other way to make my life difficult. So I figured I might as well get it over with."

Hoshino En stood up from his seat and turned to look at Sakayanagi Arisu as he grumbled.

Besides, this would help with his Desensitization Training. He had no reason to refuse.

"By the way, do you need me to help you walk again today?"

Hoshino En asked, but Sakayanagi Arisu didn't answer right away.

She stared blankly past him, lost in thought.

Given the direction she was looking and the few people Hoshino En had noticed still in the room, she was probably looking at Lu.

"Do you know Kiyotaka?"

He suddenly leaned close to her ear and asked softly. His warm breath brushed against her ear, immediately bringing a blush to her cheeks.

"You... Yes. Why? Are you jealous?"

Sakayanagi Arisu quickly snapped out of her daze, pulled her gaze away, and looked at Hoshino En, striking back in turn.

"Jealous? I suppose I am a little. You were the one who asked me to come, and now you're still looking at someone else."

But his blunt reply left Sakayanagi Arisu at a loss for words.

Wasn't he basically admitting defeat? Then why did his tone sound like he was investigating some fascinating new subject?

"Tell me, are you trying to 'deduce' me as if I were some kind of research specimen?"

Hoshino En: ...!!!!

Wait, could she really tell? Had he let something slip just now?

His mind was in turmoil, but outwardly Hoshino En kept up his usual demeanor.

"How could I? I really am jealous!"

"People who are jealous don't try to talk someone around in that tone. They should be ruder and more unreasonable."

Oh? Is that how it works?! And how do you know that so well, Miss Sakayanagi?

"But that's how people act when they're closer—like lovers, right? We're not dating, and I'm not so full of myself that I'd get jealous over that. I just felt a little disrespected when you asked me to lunch and then stared at someone else."

"And the more I thought about it, the more I realized this isn't the first time you've been disrespectful. Take Kamuro, for example. She's been waiting impatiently over there, but still has to stand by without saying a word. This time, I'm simply in her place, so I didn't take it too seriously."

"Since you know that, hurry up. And... don't say it out loud!"

Kamuro, who'd been called out, spoke impatiently.

Just then, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka came over after another failed attempt to befriend Horikita Suzune.