After parting ways with Ichinose, Kitahara and the others made their way to the classroom.
But when Kitahara saw how expectant they looked, he realized they still didn't know that their points hadn't been issued yet.
After Kitahara returned to his seat, Kushida started talking with the people around her, clearly trying to confirm the news.
As more and more students picked up their phones and discovered that the points really hadn't been issued, they began discussing it with those nearby. Then Chabashira-sensei arrived.
Kushida asked her, "Sensei, why haven't our points been issued yet? We should have Class Points."
"There's a glitch in the school's system. First-year students' points will be issued later," Chabashira replied calmly.
After hearing Chabashira-sensei's answer, the idiot trio started complaining again.
"You've got to be kidding..."
"The school's equipment is faulty. Shouldn't we get some compensation?"
Listening to their complaints, Chabashira continued:
"There's nothing I can do about it. As soon as the problem is fixed, the points will be deposited."
"Of course, that's assuming you still have points left..." Chabashira had noticeably paused before saying the last part. She couldn't have made the hint any more obvious.
Kushida had already said that we should still have Class Points, but Chabashira had repeated, "assuming you still have points left..." Anyone who thought about it for even a moment could tell that something must have happened to our points...
Kitahara ignored most of the students in Class D, who weren't the least bit concerned, and turned to look at Ayanokoji beside him.
He noticed that Ayanokoji had fallen into brief thought.
"Sure enough, he's figured it out too?" Kitahara murmured.
"But do I need to get involved in this? After all, Sudo, the guy who's provoked me several times, isn't the only one at the center of this."
"There's also Sakura Airi."
"Ah, even though I really can't stand that guy Sudo, I said three strikes and you're out. So I shouldn't go after him."
"After all, I'm an honest person. That's a robber's guiding principle in life."
"But I think I can do something about her situation. I'm on the Public Morals Committee, after all. Nobody said committee members could only deal with students."
"Besides, if I help Chairman Yanagihara clean the school of its parasites, he'll surely thank me."
"Heh, maybe he'll even reward me with points..."
"It's impossible that he won't give me any..."
(As expected, the last thought was what Kitahara really meant. Everything before that was just an excuse.)
Meanwhile, Chairman Yanagihara, who was buried in paperwork in the Chairman's Office, suddenly sneezed.
Noticing her father's condition, Sakayanagi Arisu, who was seated beside him, said:
"Father, you should take better care of yourself."
"Mm... Arisu, you've grown up. You even know to care about your father now," Chairman Yanagihara said, looking at her fondly.
Listening to her father, Yanagihara could only reply helplessly, "All right, Father. Now that the checkup is over, I'll get going."
After saying this, Yanagihara quickly left the office. The chairman could only smile helplessly from his seat and say:
"You've really grown up..."
"Hm? Why is Ichinose messaging me?" Kitahara was about to turn on his computer when the vibration of his phone caught his attention.
"Never mind. It's probably something important."
After gathering his things, Kitahara headed to the place he'd arranged to meet Ichinose.
When Kitahara arrived, he noticed that Ichinose no longer wore her angelic smile. In its place was a faint look of sadness.
Noticing that Kitahara had arrived, Ichinose turned around and apologized:
"Sorry, Kitahara. I called you out so suddenly."
"Mm... It's no big deal. Besides, I'm not usually busy," Kitahara replied casually.
"By the way, did you need something from me?" Kitahara asked, puzzled.
"Well..."
"...Someone might confess to me here today," Ichinose finally said after hesitating and working up the courage.
Ichinose's words lingered quietly in Kitahara's ears.
"Uh... about that..." Kitahara was momentarily caught off guard.
Once he'd calmed down, Kitahara realized that this part of the story had arrived.
But Ichinose had come to me instead of Ayanokoji. I guess I really am the better choice.
(Ahem, just kidding. Hadn't Hoshinomiya already warned Ichinose about this from the start?)
(What Kitahara didn't know was that Hoshinomiya had also told Ichinose to keep an eye on Ayanokoji from Class D. But Kitahara had helped Ichinose several times from the beginning, and Ichinose felt a strange affection for him. That was what had brought about this outcome.)
"If someone's going to confess to you, shouldn't I stay out of it?" Although he already knew who was going to confess, Kitahara pretended not to.
"But I don't know much about romance."
"Yesterday, I found this in my locker." Ichinose took out a letter decorated with a pink heart.
[Yeah, this is definitely a love letter... Wait, that's not right. I don't know anything about romance either. In my previous life, I'd maintained my record of being single for eighteen years.]
Kitahara felt a faint twitch in his heart, then immediately grew rather proud of himself.
"I don't want to start anything with that person... And I don't know how to turn him down without hurting him," Ichinose continued.
She looked at Kitahara, her cheeks slightly flushed, and said:
"So I'd like you to pretend to be my boyfriend, and then..."
"And then you can use that to turn him down?" Kitahara finished for her before she could.
"Mm... Please," Ichinose said softly.
"But, Ichinose, have you thought this through? If he eventually finds out our relationship is fake, it might affect him even worse than if you rejected him yourself now."
"So I think it'd be better to talk to him one-on-one and make everything clear."
"But..." Ichinose stopped mid-sentence when she saw the person who had appeared behind Kitahara.
Noticing the change in Ichinose's expression, Kitahara followed her gaze and looked behind him.
(As expected, she's here. And she really knows how to time it.)