Chabashira had chosen to continue her education, attending the same university as Shizuka Hiratsuka.
After graduation, Shizuka Hiratsuka had chosen to return to her hometown of Chiba, while Chabashira had chosen to return to Advanced Nurturing High School.
She had accepted Chairman Sakayanagi's employment offer and become the homeroom teacher of the First-year Class D everyone now knew.
However, after returning here, she had recalled everything from the past—the choice that had been enough to change the entire class's fate.
It had also become her knot.
That was why she now only wanted to know whether the students of Class D could truly challenge Class A.
If the students of Class D could truly challenge Class A, then it would prove that they had the ability to climb upward.
And that she had indeed been wrong.
All of that was Sae Chabashira's psychological trauma, and now she herself had uncovered her past.
It was just that—
The person who had made her uncover her scar was herself.
Hachiman had not forced her; she had chosen to do this herself.
Of course, she knew about her own obsession.
As for psychological counseling, she had never applied for it, nor did she believe it would be effective.
Perhaps one would only turn back after truly hitting a wall.
After that.
Having explained the past, Chabashira fell silent and watched the boy sitting on a nearby bench, deep in thought.
Did You Know What You Just Said Sounded Like a Proposal?
Hachiman Hikigaya.
Chabashira watched this seemingly withdrawn boy.
She had indeed underestimated him.
This was the second Class D she had taught as a homeroom teacher.
Yet the abilities of this class's students differed from those in the past. They were even more outstanding than the students from her own year.
She had discovered many students who had been thrown into Class D due to one flaw or another, despite possessing the baseline abilities of Class A or Class B students.
As though they were flawed products left behind after screening.
The same had happened in her own year.
There had always been people who appeared outstanding but had been judged inadequate by the school, and so were placed in Class D.
But—
When she saw Hachiman Hikigaya, she felt there was hope.
He was exceptionally intelligent. Though he came from Class D, he had performed remarkably well, and his outstanding powers of observation surpassed even those of the upper classes from her year.
Now that everything had been laid bare.
What would he choose?
"Chabashira-sensei, Class D being promoted to Class A is impossible," Hachiman said. "I don't think you should hold onto that hope, especially with our year."
Was that so?
As expected, he had chosen to refuse.
This child was very mature. He probably found her troublesome as well.
That was right.
He merely wanted to make some money, be supported by a rich woman, or become rich himself.
How could he possibly choose to lead a class?
What he valued was points.
And he was also a good child. He had probably guessed that she had been scrimping and saving, yet still intended to return the point cards she had already given him.
That made Chabashira feel somewhat ashamed.
After all, she had used him.
Previously, she had merely hoped to use points to make him connect everyone, resolve the problem children's issues, and guide them all in challenging Class A.
But now, that deal had ended.
Wait.
Chabashira suddenly caught something.
"Hachiman Hikigaya, you like money, right?" Chabashira said.
"What do you mean?" Hachiman asked, confused.
"I mean, if I pay you more, then I can motivate you, right?" Chabashira said.
"?" Hachiman looked at her.
"If I pay you more, you'll help me, right?" Chabashira said.
"..." Hachiman.
"No, Chabashira-sensei," Hachiman refused. "If you're still talking about those points, I won't take them."
"I never said I didn't have money," Chabashira said. "I did save up my salary from working at the school. My mindset had collapsed, and there wasn't anything I wanted to spend money on. But Hiratsuka and I started a business together in college. The two of us both earned enough that we never had to work for the rest of our lives."
"And haven't you noticed? Although she was your teacher, she drove an Aston Martin to work."
"And she has two properties over in Chiba."
"So," Sae Chabashira added, "if you help me, I can directly give you ten million... Well, since this is Advanced Nurturing High School, I can probably offer you thirty million yen in cash."
"..." Hachiman.
???
What kind of earth-shattering news was this?
A rich woman had been right beside him, and he had never known?
Hachiman had encountered three wealthy people at this school.
One was Sakayanagi Arisu.
She was a young lady from a wealthy family and lacked no money.
As for Chabashira-sensei, he had thought she was stingy and had saved up an enormous number of points. It turned out she had already amassed enough to live without working for the rest of her life.
And even Shizuka Hiratsuka from Soubu High School was actually a dark horse?
She was a wealthy older woman?
Back when he had been in class, he had heard some students say that they had seen Hiratsuka-sensei driving a beautiful red sports car over the weekend, only to be stopped and scolded by the traffic police.
Apparently, she had been showing off near the bridge and gotten caught.
But no one had taken it seriously then.
Hachiman included.
He had merely treated it as a rumor that might or might not have been true.
And yet, Hiratsuka-sensei, you were actually a wealthy older woman?
She drove a luxury car and owned more than one property.
It was as if Hachiman had entered a whole new world.
He suddenly felt a little regretful. Perhaps if he had stayed at Soubu High School, he might have met a wealthy woman willing to support him.
Though that would have been difficult too. Hiratsuka-sensei could not possibly choose a pretty boy like him.
She was so driven. She probably liked reliable people.
Still, that did not mean he had no chance at all.
Similar personalities and interests could bring people closer together, but married couples did not have to be alike. What they needed was complementarity and mutual support.
So wasn't a househusband like him actually a better match for Hiratsuka-sensei?
Yeah.
Hachiman shook off the strange thought, because this was a first for him too.
A wealthy woman tossing out ten million, twenty million, or even thirty million yen. He had never experienced anything like that.
His father was considered middle management at a company.
And his family's total annual income was around five million yen.
That sounded pretty decent.
But—
Thirty million.
"..." Hachiman.
Granted.
After coming to this school, he had immediately received Private Points worth one hundred thousand yen on his phone.
And he could spend them directly, while the school thoughtfully redeemed them upon graduation.
So it was reasonable to understand points as money.
He had also personally received two point cards from Chabashira-sensei, worth four hundred thousand yen in total.
Even the Student Council President, Manabu Horikita, had personally transferred money to him.
For an ordinary boy who had only received two thousand yen in monthly allowance at home, these past few days had caused a startling shift in his sense of money's value.
And now.
Thirty million.
Hey, hey, hey, this wasn't one hundred thousand or one million—it was thirty million!
His family's detached house was only worth twelve million.
So even if he was eventually kicked out because he did not want to work, he could buy a house and live with his sister, while still having eighteen million yen in savings.
If he saved a little and spent 1.8 million yen per year, he could lie around at home for ten years without working.
That was truly reassuring.
"Chabashira-sensei." Suppressing his feelings, Hachiman said, "Don't joke around. Thirty million is an enormous sum no matter how you look at it. Though it may be inappropriate coming from me, please take money seriously and establish a normal sense of values."
In other words, he hoped she would not spend money recklessly.
"..." Chabashira.
"Say, haven't you been tempted, brat?" Chabashira said. "If I give you thirty million, you'll come with me?"
"..." Hachiman.
Your wording was far too suggestive.
It sounded like a proposal line from a television drama.
Though in those cases, it was usually the man marrying into the woman's family.
Still, there was one thing Hachiman needed to confirm.
"Is the offer you mentioned guaranteed?" he asked.
Before you continue