All You Can Do Is Lash Out?

Karuizawa Kei already knew the whole story, but seeing the shock on Kushida Kikyou's face gave her a faint sense of superiority at being privy to such a crucial secret.

Kushida Kikyou took a deep breath and forced down her agitation. She raised her wide, innocent eyes and blinked in confusion.

"Shiba, you're amazing. I can't believe you got hold of something like this."

"But did you show it to me because you want me to share it with everyone in class so they can study?"

Tatsuya Sakuya answered on two fronts.

"First, I plan to use this as leverage in the class representative election. I'll help everyone and ask them to vote for me while I'm at it."

"Second, I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal?"

Kushida Kikyou tilted her head curiously.

"I want you to take these actual exam questions and approach Ichinose Honami on behalf of Class 1-D."

Tatsuya Sakuya spoke clearly and firmly.

"Tell her Class 1-A already has the actual exam questions. With your social skills and your good relationship with Ichinose, selling the paper to Class 1-B for thirty thousand Private Points should be easy."

Kushida Kikyou's mind raced.

Thirty thousand points.

Now that their points had been wiped out, that was enough to transform someone's daily life.

"And... what happens to the points from selling the paper?"

Kushida Kikyou asked quietly, testing the waters.

Tatsuya Sakuya met her gaze, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

"The thirty thousand points from the deal will all be yours."

Boom.

The words struck Kushida Kikyou like a thunderclap.

All mine?

In May, when everyone's worrying about living expenses, he's just giving me thirty thousand Private Points?

There was no such thing as a free lunch.

Kushida Kikyou's voice grew lower and more serious.

"Shiba... You're doing me a huge favor. What's the price? What do you want me to do for you?"

"It's simple."

Tatsuya Sakuya looked away, his expression composed.

"I want you to drum up votes for me in the class representative election."

"Thirty thousand points for your influence and your vote."

"Kushida, is that offer sincere enough for you?"

A brief silence fell over the room.

Karuizawa Kei listened from the side, her heart pounding.

She had never imagined that Tatsuya Sakuya's plan had been about more than earning points from the start. He had already set his sights on the class representative election.

On the sofa, Kushida Kikyou lowered her head in thought.

She could get thirty thousand points with ease and strengthen her friendship with Ichinose at the same time.

All she had to do was give his campaign a push. However she looked at it, she came out ahead.

For her, those points were practically a gift.

More importantly, something about the boy before her made her feel completely at ease.

With someone like him, going along with his plans was the only choice.

A few seconds later, Kushida Kikyou looked up again.

A bright, angelically innocent smile blossomed across her sweet face.

"Oh, Shiba, you really didn't have to go this far. Even without the points, I'd absolutely support someone as capable and dependable as you leading the class~"

"Leave Class 1-B to me. I'll have it settled today. As for the class representative election... I'm sure everyone will make the right choice~"

At seven that evening, the First Student Cafeteria was quiet.

Compared to the lunchtime rush, it seemed almost deserted.

Tatsuya Sakuya ordered a bowl of Shin Ramyun and headed for the dining area by the windows.

Horikita Suzune sat alone at a table near a pillar.

In front of her were a serving of plain boiled greens and a bowl of white rice.

She sat straight-backed, chewing quietly without making a sound.

Tatsuya Sakuya walked over, pulled out the chair opposite her, and sat down.

"Horikita, a bowl of boiled greens is all you're having for dinner?"

"Isn't that how everyone in Class 1-D is getting by now?"

Horikita Suzune swallowed her food, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and looked up at Tatsuya Sakuya.

Her gaze lingered on his Shin Ramyun for half a second before she said disdainfully,

"You'd be better off eating less unhealthy junk food like that."

Horikita Suzune valued balanced nutrition and stuck to proper meals. She despised junk food and instant food.

Horikita Suzune seemed to make up her mind and moved to leave.

"Wait. Talking to you really is exhausting, but if you want to rise to Class 1-A, sit down."

Tatsuya Sakuya knew exactly what would get Horikita Suzune's attention.

"With a personality like yours, you're never going to have friends, Horikita."

"I don't need friends. I've always fought alone."

"Class 1-D has zero Class Points right now, while Class 1-A has nine hundred and ninety. What do you think about a gap of nearly a thousand points?"

At the number, Horikita Suzune's hand trembled despite already knowing it. She still couldn't accept it.

She couldn't believe the gap between Class 1-A and Class 1-D was so large.

She dreaded what her brother in Class 3-A would think when he found out.

She couldn't bear to think any further. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet somehow it felt as though she'd done everything wrong.

She picked up her water and took a sip before speaking.

"The gap is obvious. But the school has class competition and exams, which means the points can change. If we earn good evaluations in future exams, closing the gap isn't impossible."

"You're overconfident. If it were as simple as you say, why is the gap so large now?"

"And the mock exam a few days ago went nowhere near as well as you seem to think. If things continue like this, Class 1-D will always be Class 1-D. Some students might even end up in Class 1-E—expelled."

Tatsuya Sakuya did not follow Horikita Suzune's line of reasoning.

"They brought it on themselves. If they get expelled, they'll have no one to blame but themselves."

Horikita Suzune's tone was harsh. She placed all the blame on their lack of effort.

"Class 1-D has already lost hope after its points dropped to zero. If students are expelled right after the midterms, climbing to Class 1-A afterward will become infinitely harder."

"What makes you think you can reach Class 1-A as you are? By running your mouth?"

Horikita Suzune would not let anyone stand in the way of her ascent to Class 1-A. She believed it was the only way to earn her brother's approval.

But she could no longer stand listening to him and swung her hand to cut off his grating words.

Her hand sliced through the air, but when it came within inches of the back of Tatsuya Sakuya's neck, he caught her slender wrist, stopping her cold.

This time, Tatsuya Sakuya did not indulge her. He held her knife-hand strike firmly in place.

"Is lashing out all you can do?"