Wu Qiao strolled around campus at night with his bag in hand, alongside Karuizawa Kei. The campus had shed the heat of the day, and the streetlights stretched their shadows, making them seem to grow longer and shorter with every step. He casually bought two bottles of water from a vending machine and tossed one to the girl beside him.
Karuizawa Kei caught the bottle of water one-handed and unscrewed the cap for a sip. Before long, they naturally found themselves talking about Ayanokoji Kiyoha, who had been inseparable from them lately.
Karuizawa Kei had mixed feelings about that sheltered young lady who seemed so unfamiliar with the ways of the world. She sighed and grumbled, "Kiyoha's pretty capable at certain things. She's a monster at math, for instance. But she really lacks common sense, doesn't she? Last time, she didn't even know how to buy tickets at the movie theater. She just stood there looking completely lost, and I had no idea what to say."
Listening to her complain, Wu Qiao couldn't help smiling. After all, Ayanokoji Kiyoha had come from such an isolated environment. It was only natural that she lacked everyday common sense.
They chatted for a while longer, then gazed down the dim, tree-lined path ahead. Suddenly, Wu Qiao's playful expression faded, and he offered a warning. "By the way, Kei, Kiyoha can really fight. She's got some serious skills. If you're worried about running into trouble or a conflict later on, you can bring her with you. You'll be much safer with her around."
Karuizawa Kei froze, then looked at Wu Qiao in disbelief. "Huh? Kiyoha? That girl who doesn't even know how to buy a ticket without someone teaching her? She can really fight?"
In her mind, Ayanokoji Kiyoha's usual calm, almost fragile demeanor came to mind. It was hard to connect her with the words "can really fight."
Wu Qiao shrugged, sounding certain. "Believe it or not, you'll find out when the time comes. Just don't be fooled by her appearance. When it matters, she's very dependable."
Karuizawa Kei pursed her lips. She was still only half convinced, but since Wu Qiao—the "walking encyclopedia"—had gone out of his way to warn her, she decided to keep it in mind. After all, having an extra card up your sleeve was never a bad thing.
They were still some distance from the dormitory when the surroundings grew quiet enough for them to hear nothing but their footsteps. Clutching her bottle of water, Karuizawa Kei carefully broke the silence. "By the way, Wu-kun, what do you really think about our class? About Class Points, especially..."
Wu Qiao stopped and glanced at the troubled-looking gyaru beside him. With a snort, he asked, "What do you think it takes to live well at this school?"
"Points!" Karuizawa Kei blurted out without hesitation, then frowned. "That's why I'm confused. How can you just watch our Class Points drop to zero? You're not worried at all."
Wu Qiao shook his head, his tone turning more serious. "Kei, you need to understand: Class Points determine your graduation, while Personal Points determine your life right now. At a school where the strong prey on the weak, having low Class Points is the only way to stay off the other classes' radar. No one wants to waste effort on a weak opponent."
Karuizawa Kei stood there, stunned, her mind struggling to keep up with Wu Qiao's train of thought. She still didn't fully understand the rules of the Special Exams, but she grasped the core of his argument: he intended to keep Class D in a deliberately "weak" position, lowering its profile and securing a safe space for them.
So, at a school where strength was everything, you could actually turn the tables like this? Watching Wu Qiao's confident expression, Karuizawa Kei felt her unease mysteriously fade, replaced by a complicated sense of anticipation.
Maybe, with this unfathomable boy leading the way, Class D really could survive this cruel game to the end.
Karuizawa Kei looked at Wu Qiao with mixed feelings. She bit her lip, then finally asked what had been on her mind. "So... what do you really think about Class D? You always seem so lazy, but you don't seem like the sort of person who'd just watch everyone suffer without caring."
Wu Qiao stopped, put his hands in his pockets, and gazed at the lights in the distant dormitory. He nodded, then shook his head. "Class D is a bunch of people with all kinds of quirks who can't come together at all. Sudo's impulsive, Ike and Yamauchi are shortsighted, and the girls all do their own thing. Unless they're given a hard enough lesson to make it hurt, they'll never learn."
He turned and looked at Karuizawa Kei calmly. "Instead of exhausting myself trying to turn things around from the start and protecting them like they're precious, why not let them learn their lesson first and face the cruel reality of this school? Once they've felt the pain, gotten scared, and learned to pull together, I can step in and make things stable. Wouldn't that be more effective?"
Karuizawa Kei gazed blankly at the boy before her. In the night breeze, Wu Qiao looked remarkably clearheaded and rational. She suddenly realized that he seemed to see more than she did—and understand things more deeply.
She had received that inexplicable "Daily Intelligence System" and gained the ability to see things in advance, but she usually stopped at simply "knowing." She never thought through the logic behind things or planned for the long term the way Wu Qiao did.
She could only fret over Ryuen going to fight, while Wu Qiao was already thinking about how to reshape the rules of survival at the entire school.
This crushing difference in perspective left Karuizawa Kei feeling strangely powerless, but at the same time, it put her more at ease.
Maybe she didn't need to think so much. Perhaps all she had to do was stick close to this boy, who seemed carefree but was actually planning several moves ahead.
Looking at the boy before her, Karuizawa Kei felt a sudden, inexplicable urge. Maybe this person, who understood the school's rules and was willing to give her a hand, could become the true "shelter" she had been searching for. She took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and spoke up. "I can give you some information from now on, but..."
Wu Qiao glanced down at the hand she had unconsciously placed protectively over her abdomen, then sighed helplessly and gently tapped her shoulder. "All right, I know what you're afraid of. I just don't get it—if you know you're scared, why not train and get stronger? Build up your body, and let's see who dares to mess with you."
Karuizawa Kei gave a bitter smile, her eyes dimming. "I've always been bad at sports, and besides... what if they use photos or something..."
Before she could finish, Wu Qiao quickly reached out and covered her mouth. He realized he'd been speaking from a position of privilege. After all, some psychological scars couldn't be erased by building muscle. His tone softened with a helpless sigh. "All right, I understand. But I might not be the kind of hero you're imagining, so don't expect too much from me. I'll do what I can."
Wu Qiao's honesty—making no grand promises or empty assurances—gave Karuizawa Kei a sense of security she had never felt before. She nodded firmly, and only then did Wu Qiao let go.
They continued toward the dormitory, and Wu Qiao asked casually, "Got any information from your side lately? Some things may seem useless only because of how you're looking at them. Try another angle, and they might turn out to be a royal flush."
Karuizawa Kei tilted her head and thought for a moment. The strange bit of information her system had refreshed that morning came to mind, and she shook her head. "Nothing particularly interesting, I think... Oh, right. It looks like Kikyo might be going out tonight."
At that, Wu Qiao abruptly stopped walking. He stared at Karuizawa Kei in surprise, a spark in his eyes, then the corners of his mouth curled into a playful smile. "Kushida Kikyo's going out tonight? Now that's interesting. Let's not head back to the dorm yet. Come on, let's stake out Kushida. Something interesting might happen tonight."