A Deal with Sakayanagi

Ryuen Kakeru's gaze followed Hoshida No and his group as they disappeared around the corner of the school building, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the edge of his phone.

He did not act immediately, merely tilting his head to toss an unquestionable command to Ishizaki Daichi, who stood beside him: "Go look around and see if there are any other rats hiding."

Ishizaki left at the sound of the order.

Ryuen Kakeru leaned his back against the cold wall and unlocked his phone screen. An intelligence text message sent by Hoshida No popped up.

He curled the corner of his mouth in dismissal.

That 1.2 million points was, at the end of the day, primarily hush money; as for this intelligence, it was likely just an excuse the other party had found on the fly.

At first, his gaze swept over it with a degree of casualness, yet as he read further, his eyebrows gradually lifted, and a faint tremor flickered in the depths of his eyes.

The information concerned the changes to personal points for the coming month, hitting exactly the missing piece in his current plan.

That brief moment of surprise was quickly replaced by a playful smirk.

Ryuen Kakeru let out a low chuckle, tapped his knuckles firmly against the screen, and spoke with the smugness of someone in control: "Hmph, this guy Hoshida No isn't entirely useless after all."

He raised his eyes, glancing at the boy still huddled in the corner, a trace of impatience flashing in his gaze. "Looks like I'll have to be a little nicer to them lately."

Hoshida No and his companion returned to the classroom just as the bell for class rang.

They happened to see Kushida Kikyo standing in the back row, whispering something to that cold-mannered girl, followed by a clear, "I refuse."

Kushida Kikyo wore a look of grievance as she turned and returned to her own seat.

Hoshida No didn't say anything, walking straight toward his own desk.

As he sat down, his gaze swept over Horikita Suzune, who was flipping through her textbook with an expressionless face, as if the commotion around her had nothing to do with her.

Since yesterday, Kushida Kikyo had been appearing here frequently, asking Horikita Suzune for her contact information and attempting to become friends with her.

Hoshida No didn't quite understand this obsession; one was determined to be friends with the entire class, perhaps even the entire school.

The other was stubbornly refusing any interaction, radiating an aura that warned others to keep their distance.

When the bell rang for the end of class, Hoshida No left the classroom and arrived outside the door of Class A.

He didn't go in, merely holding his phone and observing the situation inside through the corridor glass, as if he were barely paying attention.

There was no rowdiness like in Class D; no one was talking or laughing loudly, nor were there any figures wandering about aimlessly.

For two consecutive breaks, the atmosphere of the class he witnessed had been exactly like this.

Among the crowd, a bald boy named Ge Ping caught his attention.

He was always surrounded by a few people; it didn't look like they were simply asking for advice, but rather as if they were conveying some sort of consensus.

During club activity time, the corridor was enveloped by the sunset, turning into a pale golden passageway.

Hoshida No leaned against the wall, waiting at the corner.

Sakayanagi Arisu walked over at a leisurely pace, the hem of her uniform skirt swaying slightly with each step.

She wore that elegant smile on her face, as if she had anticipated this meeting all along.

"I've been waiting for you," Hoshida No said, getting straight to the point, his voice clear in the quiet corridor. "Classmate Sakayanagi."

Sakayanagi Arisu stopped two steps away, a playful glint rising in her purple eyes.

She raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her fingertips delicate. "Oh? Classmate Hoshida is looking for me? Don't tell me you've changed your mind and want to become my lackey?"

Her tone was light, yet carried a hint of probing. "If you agree now, the 500,000 points offer is still valid."

Hoshida No shook his head gently. "I have no such intention."

He paused for a moment. "I have information regarding the point deductions at this school. Would you like to buy it?"

The smile on Sakayanagi Arisu's face faded slightly, the playfulness in her eyes replaced by surprise, which then settled into a deeper scrutiny.

She didn't answer immediately, instead walking slowly to a corridor pillar, her fingertips lightly brushing against the wall that had been gilded with the warmth of the sunset.

"Intelligence?" She turned around, her gaze landing on Hoshida No's face. "That is an unexpected proposal. In this school, information is indeed valuable, but only if it is worth it."

Her tone carried a tangible sense of pressure. "What do you think your information can bring me?"

Hoshida No remained leaning against the wall, his posture unchanged, his expression calm. "You have a student named Ge Ping in your class, don't you?"

Upon hearing this name, the finger Sakayanagi Arisu had been trailing along the wall stopped abruptly. The playfulness in her eyes vanished entirely, and her gaze became sharp.

She turned to face him directly, the lightness in her tone completely gone. "You certainly observe the people of Class A quite closely."

"I just noticed a few details," Hoshida No said, his tone remaining flat. "For two consecutive breaks, he has been surrounded by people. It doesn't look like they're asking questions; it looks more like they're unifying some sort of opinion. Could it be that he is the center of the class?"

Sakayanagi Arisu was silent for a moment, then slowly walked up to Hoshida No. The distance between them was very close; she could smell the clean scent of soap on him, and he could see the subtle ripples in her eyes.

"And so?" she asked softly.

Hoshida No met her gaze without flinching. "Based on my judgment of you, you aren't the type to bow to others. This information is enough to allow you to secure your position in Class A within the very first month."

Sakayanagi Arisu's lips curled upward, revealing a faint smile. "Indeed, like you, I never do things for others. But what makes you think I need your information?"

This was her characteristic confidence.

Hoshida No straightened his body, his gaze sweeping the surroundings to confirm no one was there before he spoke. "I recall the Chairman's surname is Sakayanagi. You also share the surname Sakayanagi, and since the start of school, you seem exceptionally knowledgeable about this institution. Could it be..."

"That is enough," Sakayanagi Arisu interrupted him, her voice very soft, yet carrying a clear boundary. "He is my father. But he does not interfere with school affairs; even I cannot obtain any special privileges from him."

She gazed at Hoshida No, emotions swirling within her violet eyes. "I agree to the deal. How much do you want?"

Hoshida No had expected to haggle, never anticipating such a swift agreement.

"1.2 million private points, with a piece of intel on another class thrown in."

"One million." Sakayanagi Arisu countered immediately, her gaze firm. "I have no interest in intel on other classes. That can only count as a bonus."

"Deal." Hoshida No nodded. "Once the points are transferred, I will send over the point deduction rules, along with the bonus."

As she left, Sakayanagi Arisu gave him one deep look and added, "If you changed your expression for every transaction, I would be very happy to trade with you." She then turned and walked toward the stairs.

Hoshida No leaned back against the wall, watching her silhouette vanish around the corner before slowly pulling out his phone.

The screen's glow reflected in his lowered eyes, his gaze calm and ripple-free.

He knew clearly that the key to this deal succeeding was never the intel itself, but rather Sakayanagi Arisu's father, the Chairman.

"You want me to change my expression? I don't know how to show one."

Besides, whatever it is you are trying to prove to others, Sakayanagi, what does it have to do with me?