It Was You All Along

Horikita Suzune was speechless in the face of Sudo's accusations, but anyone with a bit of common sense would know that she wasn't to blame for this.

Ultimately, Sudo and the others failing was a result of their own lack of effort.

Hirata stepped in to ease the tension. "Sudo, I know you're upset about failing, but it's not entirely Horikita Suzune's fault. She was trying to help you; no one could have predicted the test questions would be reformed this year."

Hirata truly knew how to play both sides, unwilling to offend anyone. But at that moment, Sudo was beyond rational conversation.

"You're not the one getting expelled! What are you saying, playing the good guy!" Sudo kicked Horikita Suzune's desk, scattering books across the floor.

A pen rolled to Kushida Kikyo's feet, and Kikyo subtly kicked it further away. Though she was secretly delighted, Kikyo maintained a sorrowful expression. At this point, Kikyo should have stepped forward to comfort Sudo, but she didn't.

Someone about to be expelled held no value for her to appease. Kushida Kikyo had always disliked Sudo's small group; they constantly made vulgar comments about the girls in their class and privately spread countless dirty rumors about her. At this moment, Kikyo had no intention of comforting them.

Facing Sudo's accusations, Horikita Suzune tidied her desk, only to realize a pen was missing. "If you had put in a bit of effort, you wouldn't have failed. This year's test was clearly easier than previous years. If you still failed, you should go to the hospital and get your brain checked. When I gave you the practice tests before, I emphasized that they were just for reference and that you still needed to study diligently. Did you study diligently, Sudo?"

Sudo said nothing, simply slammed Horikita Suzune's desk again, grabbed his basketball, and walked out of the classroom, destination unknown.

The other two students who had failed were also in a state of panic.

"Chabashira-sensei, let's talk privately." Ignoring the stares of their classmates, Horikita Suzune and Ayanokoji followed Chabashira out of the classroom, leaving a chattering group behind.

The three arrived at the rooftop where Ryuuen had fought; it was one of the few places in the school without cameras, a grey area tacitly allowed by the school.

"Chabashira-sensei, on the first day of school, you said Points could buy anything in the school. Does that include grades?"

Though she used a declarative sentence, Horikita Suzune wasn't sure if it was truly possible. She used it only to express her hope.

Chabashira nodded, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter from her pocket.

Secondhand smoke was unpleasant.

A plume of white smoke slowly drifted from Chabashira's red lips.

"One point is 100,000."

Chabashira tapped the cigarette, and grey ash floated to the ground.

"That's too expensive, Chabashira-sensei."

"Horikita Suzune, it's a school rule. There's no room for negotiation."

"Can we pay in installments?"

"No."

The cigarette was quickly finished. Ayanokoji endured the smoke, listening to their conversation. "Sometimes, giving up is also an option. We don't have enough Points to save Sudo and the others."

"It's already confirmed that someone getting expelled from the class will significantly impact our class evaluation. As long as there's a glimmer of hope, I won't give up."

Horikita Suzune was still Horikita Suzune; her stubbornness hadn't changed in the slightest.

"Have you considered that perhaps the class would be better off without these underachievers?"

Perceiving human weakness, Ayanokoji's words were like a devil's whisper. In fact, many students in the class thought the same. This was why only Hirata stepped up to mediate the conflict that had just occurred in the classroom.

"Isn't Sudo your good friend? How can you think that?"

"Not that good, we just talk a bit more."

Horikita Suzune couldn't discern Ayanokoji's emotional fluctuations. She continued, "If the class loses members, we might be at a disadvantage in future exams. Although Sudo's grades are terrible, his athletic ability is outstanding. I think it's necessary to keep them."

"Them? Do you think Ike and Kuraii also have value in staying?"

Ayanokoji was trying to guide Horikita Suzune to give up on using Points to help the three failing students, but the stubborn Horikita Suzune wouldn't listen.

Faced with Ayanokoji's question, Horikita Suzune couldn't find any merits in Ike and Kuraii. However, she felt that someone being expelled from the class at this moment would have a serious impact later on. This was Horikita Suzune's judgment, and also a girl's intuition.

"We don't have that many Points. Even if we combine everyone's Points in the class, it won't be enough," Ayanokoji reminded Horikita Suzune.

According to Ayanokoji's observation, each student in the class could at most contribute one or two tens of thousands of Points, totaling around 800,000 at most. However, the shortfall was 1.4 million. They had squandered their Points at the beginning of the school year, and now they didn't have enough.

"First, we'll crowdfund within the class. I'll figure out a way for the remaining Points." Horikita Suzune already had an idea.

"Your time is very limited. If the Points aren't enough by tomorrow morning, Sudo and the others will have no choice but to be expelled." Chabashira reached for a second cigarette, but Horikita Suzune stopped her hand.

"Then let's split up. Ayanokoji, you're responsible for crowdfunding in the class." Horikita Suzune directly gave Ayanokoji the order, regardless of whether he accepted it.

Ayanokoji didn't care what Horikita Suzune chose, but he also wanted to see how she would struggle.

Points could either be earned or borrowed. Clearly, borrowing was the only option for Horikita Suzune.

In fact, for Horikita Suzune, the best person to borrow from was Horikita Manabu, but he was also the person Horikita Suzune least wanted to face. So, her first thought was to exclude Horikita Manabu. Suzune also didn't know anyone else in the upper grades, except for the senior who sold her the practice tests, who she barely knew.

Class A wouldn't care about Class D's fate. Ryuuen from Class C looked like bad news. Only in Class B did Horikita Suzune have some hope of borrowing Points, given that the overly kind Ichinose Honami had a good reputation at school.

Unfortunately, Ryuuen had also foreseen this. He had already made a deal with Ichinose Honami, requiring her to refuse any form of assistance to Class D. More accurately, it was a threat, as Ryuuen knew Ichinose Honami's past, the stain on her life.

Horikita Suzune couldn't even meet Ichinose Honami. When she was at her wit's end, the senior sent Horikita Suzune a message: "I'm at the cafe in the shopping center. Perhaps I can help you."

It reeked of a trap.

How would the senior know Horikita Suzune was in trouble, and why would she want to help her? Although she knew there was a risk, Horikita Suzune still went.

When she arrived at the cafe, Horikita Suzune didn't see the senior, but Ryuuen, sitting there casually, smiling and sipping coffee.

The moment she saw Ryuuen, Horikita Suzune understood: everything was Ryuuen's trap for her!

Reality had drained her wallet with the Sudo Incident, then he arranged for the senior to sell the practice tests. It was likely that the school's test reforms were also related to Ryuuen, and the contract she signed was probably in Ryuuen's hands. No wonder Horikita Suzune had felt something was off about that contract earlier.

"What exactly do you want me to do by going to all this trouble?"

Having figured things out, Horikita Suzune calmed down. It was easy to realize that Ryuuen's target was her, not Class D.

"I want you to have a cup of coffee with me. Waiter, a cappuccino for this lady, with milk, no sugar."