Transaction, Transaction, Transaction Again

The night grew deep, leaving only sporadic footsteps echoing in the dormitory hallway.

Uesugi Hara leaned against the window, checking his terminal. He had originally planned to wait until it was later to stake out the location of tonight's plot—perhaps he could seize the opportunity to fish for some unexpected benefits.

Before he could calculate his departure time, footsteps approached from outside the door, deliberately muffled yet unable to hide a sense of fury.

The door was pushed open gently. Kushida Kikyo stood in the doorway, her signature sweet smile long gone, a fire burning in the depths of her eyes.

Uesugi Hara raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, his tone laced with mockery: "Isn't this classmate Kushida? Did that scene this afternoon break your composure again?"

"That damn woman, Horikita!" Kushida Kikyo gritted her teeth, her voice suppressed to a whisper but filled with malice. "To think she dared to undermine me in front of so many people, making me lose face!"

"Heh." Uesugi Hara chuckled softly, tapping his fingertips against the window frame. "You wanted to see Horikita make a fool of herself, but ended up putting yourself on the grill instead—this reversal is certainly quite interesting."

Kushida Kikyo's face turned pale then green under his words, but unlike during the day, she didn't immediately put on a wronged expression. She only gripped her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Stop with the sarcastic remarks. Uesugi-kun, you promised to help me deal with Horikita Suzune."

"Alright, I get it." Uesugi Hara waved a hand, his lack of interest undisguised. "Go back for now. I'll call you when I need you—I have things to attend to right now."

The fire that had just been ignited in Kushida Kikyo surged to her head. Her fingers, clutching her hem, tightened violently, and she nearly blurted out a demand. But as the words reached her lips, she suddenly remembered that her own dark secrets were still in Uesugi Hara's hands. That rage leaked out like a punctured balloon with a hiss.

She bit her lower lip, forcing the words back down her throat, and squeezed out a somewhat peaceful expression. "Then... I will wait for Uesugi-kun's news in the dorm." With that, she turned and left, her footsteps still carrying a lingering sense of stifled grievance.

Uesugi Hara watched her back disappear around the corner of the hallway and closed the door. Compared to dealing with Kushida's petty resentment, staking out the plot was clearly more interesting.

Not long after, Uesugi Hara saw the figure of Horikita Suzune heading downstairs from his window.

It was starting.

Just as Uesugi Hara reached the ground floor of the dormitory, he caught sight of a figure—Horikita Manabu was walking toward a nearby corner, his pace steady and carrying his usual oppressive presence.

He paused, then moved unobtrusively into the shadows on the other side. Using the wall and shrubbery as cover, he crouched in a spot that provided a perfect view of the corner without being easily detected.

He felt around in his pocket, first pulling out his terminal to activate the recording mode, shielding the screen's faint glow with his palm. Then, he took a pinhole camera from his other pocket, adjusting the angle toward the corner—where Horikita Suzune's figure had already appeared, standing before Horikita Manabu.

Once this was done, he suppressed his presence, waiting like a shadow merged with the darkness. The screen clearly reflected the figures of the two siblings.

Before long, the figure of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka appeared in the frame. He stood against the corner, half-turned, revealing only a silhouette, clearly eavesdropping.

Uesugi Hara stared at the screen, watching Horikita Manabu lecture his sister with his usual stern tone, every word dripping with impatience for her "incompetence." He watched as Ayanokoji stepped out from the shadows at the right moment, interrupting the conversation with a calm voice—his seemingly indifferent demeanor hiding a presence not to be underestimated. Immediately after, the two engaged, their movements crisp and clean, devoid of any unnecessary flair; every block and strike was filled with power.

It wasn't until the fight ended and Ayanokoji and Horikita Suzune had left one after the other that Uesugi Hara turned off the terminal screen and tucked the pinhole camera back into his pocket.

He didn't leave immediately. Instead, he waited a few seconds, confirmed no one was watching, and quietly followed behind the departing Horikita Manabu. His footsteps were light, like a shadow gliding across the ground.

"President Horikita, could I borrow a few minutes of your time for a chat?" Uesugi Hara's voice came from behind, his casual tone revealing little of his intentions.

Horikita Manabu's pace faltered, and he turned around slowly.

He reached up to adjust his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses sharp as a blade. After lingering on Uesugi Hara for a moment, he spoke: "Uesugi Hara, a first-year student in Class A. You won over two million points in a high-year gambling match at the start of the term; this capability is indeed worth noting." He paused, his tone flat yet scrutinizing. "However, I recall we have no connection."

The implication was clear—he didn't come to the temple without a reason; state your purpose directly.

"Regarding what just happened, for instance." Uesugi Hara tapped his terminal screen and held it up for him to see. The screen was playing the scene from moments ago; the sound of Horikita Manabu lecturing his sister was crystal clear, even the cold reflection of light off his glasses when he frowned was captured perfectly.

He held the terminal nonchalantly, his thumb hovering near the pause button. "The way the President lectures his sister is actually more 'vivid' than when you're in the Student Council."

Horikita Manabu's gaze fell on the screen, his fingers gripping his glasses tightening slightly. The look behind his lenses turned cold, but his tone remained steady. "What do you intend to do with this? Threaten me?"

"Threaten the President? I don't have that kind of nerve." Uesugi Hara retracted the terminal, rubbing his fingertips along the edge of the screen. "I just find it interesting—after all, it's a rare opportunity to see the 'not-so-calm' side of the Student Council President." He looked up at Horikita Manabu, his tone probing. "Come to think of it, aren't your requirements for Horikita-san a bit too strict?"

Horikita Manabu stared at him for two seconds, as if judging his true motive. "My requirements for Suzune are based on her potential. As for you—" He paused, a hint of warning in his tone. "You had best delete this video. Entangling yourself in irrelevant matters is not a wise choice for a first-year student."

"I can delete it, sure." Uesugi Hara smiled. "However, I'd rather make a deal with the President."

"Delete the video for five million points, how about that?" Uesugi Hara's tone was light, as if he were discussing the weather.

Horikita Manabu's brow furrowed imperceptibly, his gaze behind his glasses darkening. "Two million at most."

"Deal." Uesugi Hara didn't hesitate, his response so crisp the air seemed to still for half a second.

Hearing the word "deal," Horikita Manabu was momentarily stunned. He had prepared follow-up bargaining tactics and was even ready for the other party to be difficult, but he hadn't expected such a swift agreement. A flash of regret crossed his mind—clearly, his offer had been too high.

But the words were out, and given his status, he couldn't retract them. He suppressed his subtle discomfort and said coldly, "I can transfer the points now. I hope you keep your word."

"Rest assured, I have no interest in useless videos." Uesugi Hara shook the terminal in his hand, a corner of his mouth curling up as he turned away—two million points; this came much faster than the "benefits" he had anticipated.

"President Horikita, would you like to make another deal?" Uesugi Hara suddenly turned back, his tone carrying a casual suggestion. "Give me five million points, and I'll help you get your sister expelled. How about that?"

Horikita Manabu's eyes turned cold instantly, his tone hard and unquestionable. "Suzune has her own path to walk. If the day truly comes when she cannot persist, she will choose to drop out herself—she does not need outsiders to interfere."

"Oh?" Uesugi Hara raised an eyebrow. "But I always felt that Horikita-san isn't the type to admit defeat easily. Come to think of it, the President doesn't seem to know his own sister that well?" He shifted his tone, throwing out a new condition. "How about this: one million points, and I guarantee I won't deliberately target her in the future."

Horikita Manabu was silent for a moment, his fingers curling slightly at his sides. He understood the modus operandi of people like Uesugi Hara—not actively provoking someone didn't mean they wouldn't become an obstacle at a critical moment. Rather than leaving a hidden danger, it was better to make a clean break. Finally, he uttered a single word: "Fine."

Uesugi Hara curled his lips, a smile spreading in his eyes.

He then spoke again, his tone carrying a casual, probing quality: "I hear that the Vice President, Nagumo Miyabi, doesn't get along with the President. Does the President need any help?"

Horikita Manabu's footsteps stopped. He turned to look at him, his gaze sharp as a hawk. "You want to join the Student Council?"

"No, no, absolutely not." Uesugi Hara waved his hand, spinning the terminal in his pocket. "I'm just proposing a simple cooperation." He shifted his tone, adding a subtle implication. "I've heard that Nagumo-senpai pays special attention to pretty girls. Horikita-san is quite outstanding herself, and she is the President's sister—whether Vice President Nagumo might 'look at her differently' because of that, well, that's hard to say. What do you think, President Horikita?"

The words were like a thin needle, precisely piercing Horikita Manabu, who cared for his sister and remained wary of Nagumo Miyabi. Uesugi Hara saw clearly that the fingers the man used to adjust his glasses tightened imperceptibly.

"What do you want?" Horikita Manabu's voice was very low, his gaze behind his lenses like a layer of thin ice, yet he did not refuse outright.

Uesugi Hara had been waiting for this, so he spread his hands. "Two million points, not a cent less. After all, given Nagumo-senpai's style, if he knew he could use this to his advantage, he'd likely be willing to pay a higher price."

His words were half-truth, half-lie—both elevating Nagumo's "threat level" and rationalizing his own asking price.

Horikita Manabu was silent for two seconds, his fingers curling at his sides, and finally, he uttered two words: "Accepted."

There was no further haggling, nor did he ask what exactly he was "helping" with. Clearly, compared to the trouble Nagumo might cause, two million points and Uesugi Hara as an uncertain "asset" had become the safer choice for the moment.

The smile in Uesugi Hara's eyes deepened—this trip today was truly worth it; not only did he secure cash, but he also laid the groundwork for a long-term partnership.