"Ichinosе, the food you make... It's really good..." Kitahara said, stuffing another big mouthful into his mouth. His cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's.
"Yeah. I used to do all the cooking at home. Back then, my mother..." Ichinose recalled the days when she had cooked for her younger sister at home.
"I didn't expect the hearing to end without a decision today." Ichinose sighed, thinking back to her conversation with Kitahara.
"But this might all be over tomorrow," Kitahara said with a smile.
"Really? But, Kitahara, what do you think about..."
"What is it?" Kitahara asked, looking at Ichinose as she hesitated.
"Nothing."
After seeing Ichinose off, Kitahara lay on his bed, thinking back to what she had left unsaid.
He murmured, "Looks like Ichinose is close to realizing it too. But she still needs the right opportunity to change."
"..."
The next afternoon, under the blazing sun, Ayanokoji loosened his tie in the special teaching building and said, "It's so hot."
"With the weather this hot, it's impossible to think or judge calmly," Horikita said from across from him.
"This is the perfect place to frame Sudo. Have you thought of a good way to do it?"
"I'm thinking. Sakura came forward as a witness, which extended the hearing, so all we need is one decisive piece of evidence."
"Come to think of it, there aren't any security cameras here," Ayanokoji remarked casually.
"Right. If there were cameras, we'd have conclusive evidence."
"Exactly."
"If there had been something like that from the start, things wouldn't have turned out like this."
Horikita seemed to think of something. She looked at Ayanokoji and said, "I want to try something."
"..."
"I was right, wasn't I? Those people from Class C withdrew their complaint," Kitahara said, turning to the student council president beside him.
"Is that so? Did you do anything during this exam?" Horikita asked, meeting Kitahara's eyes.
"Haha, President, it was your sister who came up with that idea. I didn't do much."
"..."
"The school has also decided what to do about that clerk. He's been fired and handed over to the police. He's looking at a few years in prison."
"Really? The school acted that quickly? What about the hush money?" Kitahara asked bluntly.
"It's already been transferred to your accounts. Fifty million points each, except for Sakura, who received a hundred million."
"That's how the school has decided to handle this."
"I see. The school really does care more about its reputation."
"...All right, it's settled. You can leave now," Horikita said.
"Fine. See you."
Kitahara stared at the impressive page on his phone and couldn't help laughing.
[Name: Kitahara Seiichi
Student ID: S01T004723
Class: Class 1-D
Points: 16,781,563]
He was only 3,220,000 points short. He'd reach twenty million soon.
"Wait, I think the system only said I had to obtain twenty million points. It didn't restrict how."
"In that case, I just need to borrow some points from Ichinose, then transfer the twenty million points to Class B."
With that thought, Kitahara quickly messaged Kanzaki: "Be sure to attend the club activity this afternoon, and bring Ichinose along."
After all, the two of them practically represented all of Class B.
Oh, and he had to bring her too. It'd been so long—he wondered how Yanagihara had been training Kamuro.
Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the special teaching building, Horikita Suzune looked at Chabashira Sae, who was puffing away, and asked, "Why did you call me here?"
"I'll get straight to the point. What method did you use?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb. Why would Ishizaki and the others withdraw their complaint for no reason?"
"You can imagine whatever you like."
"Then let me ask something else. Who came up with the plan to defeat Class C?"
"Why do you care?"
"If you still want to make it to Class A, here's my advice: learn as much as you can about Ayanokoji while you still have the chance. Otherwise, it'll be too late."
"Really? But based on what I've seen so far, Kitahara is clearly more capable than Ayanokoji. Why not go to him instead?"
"Kitahara might soon no longer be..." Chabashira stopped herself. She had a deal with Kitahara, and his role in the matter was part of that deal.
"I see. Then what would you say if Kitahara himself admitted that Ayanokoji was more capable than him?"
"Well..." Horikita didn't know how to respond. Kitahara's abilities were plain for all to see.
He was currently the most likely person to obtain twenty million points, and he was also someone her older brother acknowledged.
Seeing Horikita fall silent, Chabashira continued, "Why do you think Ayanokoji helps you?"
"He's clearly so capable, so why does he hide his abilities?"
"Well..."
"To explain it in the school's own terms, Class D is where students with flaws are gathered."
The following is my own opinion.
"Even though I haven't figured Kitahara out yet, Ayanokoji is currently the most seriously flawed student in Class D."
"..."
"That's all I have to say. What you do is up to you."
Seeing Horikita's expression, Chabashira smiled and walked away.
"..."
As Ayanokoji walked down the street, he saw Sudo running toward him and asked, "What was the hearing's result?"
"I don't know what happened, but those people from Class C suddenly withdrew their complaint," Sudo replied happily.
"I see. That's great."
"Horikita must have come up with something, right?"
"Maybe."
"Horikita really is amazing. I'm heading to my club activity now," Sudo said, looking impressed.
As Ayanokoji watched Sudo leave, he had no idea that a woman was already looking for him.
In a third-floor classroom, Kitahara looked at the three people in front of him and said with a smile, "I hereby declare the first meeting of this club officially underway."
Kitahara looked so excited that the three of them—even Ichinose, who wasn't part of the club—clapped politely, though they were a little confused.