Mission Complete

"Wait!" Yamauchi shouted.

Satsu and Kiyotaka both turned around to look at him.

Ayanokoji spoke up. "Yamauchi, have you made up your mind? Are you going to join us?"

"Since you've both gone to all this trouble to ask me, I'll do you a favor." As he spoke, Yamauchi took out his phone.

Satsu understood what Yamauchi meant. He took the phone and started transferring the points.

He didn't try to hide it from Ayanokoji. Instead, he openly let him see the huge number of points he currently had.

After all, he would have to pay Ichinose back the one million points in a month.

If he managed to pay it back, that meant his plan to make money had worked, and he'd be going to Class A.

If he didn't, he'd be expelled. Either way, he had nothing to lose.

Sure enough, the moment Ayanokoji saw Satsu's phone, he couldn't help but stare.

Over a million points! How did he manage that?

"All right, ten thousand points. Check and make sure you got it."

After completing the transfer, Satsu handed the phone back to Yamauchi.

Paying people off was very efficient. He didn't have to choose his words carefully; he could just name a price.

Besides, there was practically no chance they'd take the money and not show up.

They were all classmates and would be together for a long time. Nobody would be foolish enough to cause trouble for the next three years over ten thousand points.

In the elevator, Ayanokoji spoke up. "Next is Ike. He should be in the dorm right now. I remember he's in..."

"Let's go find Sudo first," Satsu interrupted.

"I don't mind."

As he spoke, Ayanokoji pressed the button for the first floor. "We should be able to find him at the basketball club."

"Aren't you going to ask why I have so many points?"

Satsu finally couldn't help asking.

"I'm curious, but when I think about it, having that many points is a reflection of your ability. The fact that you're still here means you got them legally."

Ayanokoji replied calmly, "If you want to tell me, you'll tell me. Besides, I have enough points for my daily needs. I don't need to earn more for now."

"But money sure is convenient. With your method, getting all three of Yamauchi's group to show up would cost at least twenty thousand points."

"Points aren't being added to the class right now. Other than someone as loaded as you, nobody would spend twenty thousand just to get people to attend a study session."

"Twenty thousand?"

Satsu couldn't help staring at Ayanokoji's conclusion.

Honestly, he hadn't given much thought to how many points it would cost. He'd just planned to spend whatever it took.

After all, the three of them didn't know his situation. How much could they possibly ask for?

But Ayanokoji's estimate didn't match Satsu's first impression of the cost. He'd thought thirty thousand would be about right.

Now that Ayanokoji was saying twenty thousand would do the trick, Satsu was happy to hear him out. Saving ten thousand was still saving ten thousand.

"What's your plan? How can we get it done with just twenty thousand?" Satsu asked with interest.

Ayanokoji glanced at Satsu. "Sudo isn't like Yamauchi. He doesn't have any problems with either you or me. He may not be as short on spending money as Yamauchi, but I doubt he has much."

"If you tell him Yamauchi has already agreed to attend the study session, he'll probably take the ten thousand points too, tempted by the money and influenced by the others."

"As for Ike, he'll be the easiest to deal with."

At that, Ayanokoji's tone grew more relaxed.

"I can tell Ike's a little worried about his studies. I think if we reason with him, appeal to his feelings, and tell him what happened with Sudo and Yamauchi, he'll attend out of a sense of urgency."

"After all, failing the midterm really does get you expelled."

At this point, Satsu couldn't help applauding Ayanokoji. With reasoning skills like that, wouldn't he be invincible if he also had Satsu's mind-reading ability?

Then again, Ayanokoji could already be called invincible here.

What happened afterward went just as Ayanokoji had predicted. Satsu paid Sudo ten thousand points to attend the study session, then persuaded Ike to join.

There were a few bumps along the way, but fortunately, everything worked out.

"Lady Suzune, the mission was a success. Yamauchi and the other two will attend your study session in the library after school tomorrow."

After typing the message on his phone, Satsu was about to send it, but his finger hovered in midair for a long time.

"What's wrong?" Ayanokoji asked, puzzled.

"I'm wondering if there's anything wrong with sending it like this."

"I don't understand."

Ayanokoji said, "No matter what you send, Horikita won't reply."

"Even if you tell her the mission failed."

After thinking it over, Satsu deleted the message he'd typed and entered two new words.

"All done!"

After sending it, Satsu put away his phone and suggested to Ayanokoji, "How about getting something to eat?"

"Sure. I don't have anything else planned."

Ayanokoji replied, "Is the cafeteria okay? I can't afford any fancy meals."

"Of course!"

Satsu agreed without hesitation, and Ayanokoji froze.

"Aw, I thought I might get another fancy meal for free."

"Huh?!"

So Ayanokoji has this side to him, too. Did I give him the impression that I'm generous?

Satsu had been confused at first, but then he thought it over. Ever since the start of the school year, he had certainly attracted attention when it came to money.

And Ayanokoji had just learned that he had a million points, so it was no wonder he'd think that way.

Besides, with that much money, not treating people would make Satsu seem stingy.

"Never mind."

Satsu pretended to think for a moment, then said, "Let's go somewhere nice. It's on me."

"So..."

Satsu smiled at Ayanokoji. The smile made him uncomfortable, and he couldn't help remembering how Satsu had smiled at him on the bus on their way to school.

"No propositions involving me selling my body!" Ayanokoji declared firmly.

"Oh, come on. What are you thinking, Kiyotaka? Do I look like that kind of person?"

"You do!" Ayanokoji replied without hesitation, nodding.

"I meant, you have to keep my points a secret!"

At that, Ayanokoji finally relaxed. "Oh, that's all? You scared me."

"Sure. I'm not one to gossip, either."

"Good. Let's go. Time to eat!"