Amid the uproar, Yosuke Hirata stood up.
He braced both hands on his desk, his brows tightly knitted, and took on the bearing of the class's mainstay.
"Chabashira-sensei, please explain. Even if we broke the rules, there's no way we should have no points left. What exactly are the school's standards for deducting points?"
Hirata's voice rose above the surrounding clamor, calming some of the students. They looked expectantly at Sae Chabashira, hoping she would give them an explanation.
Standing at the podium, Sae Chabashira did not answer Hirata. Instead, she pointed at the white poster on the blackboard, signaling for them to look for themselves.
In an instant, the entire class focused on the poster, which clearly listed the points for all four classes:
Class A: 940 points.
Class B: 650 points.
Class C: 490 points.
Class D: 0 points.
The final line, Class D's points, landed like a vicious slap across the faces of those students who had spent the month doing nothing but indulging themselves.
"Over the course of one month, there were a total of 108 instances of tardiness and absence, 417 instances of chatting, sleeping, and unauthorized phone use during class, talking back to teachers, disrupting lessons..."
Sae Chabashira read out the figures on her terminal one by one in an even tone. Every figure was precise.
"Advanced Nurturing High School is a school that evaluates students entirely on ability.
"Every action you take is directly tied to your Class Points. In just one month, you managed to squander every last one of your hundred thousand points."
The classroom fell deathly silent. Even the students who were usually the most boisterous now resembled geese being throttled, their mouths open without a single word coming out.
In a corner of the back row, Horikita Suzune sat meticulously recording the figures on the blackboard.
Her expression was grim, and her eyes betrayed her resentment toward the bunch of idiots in Class D.
Why did she have to share the consequences of the stupid things these people had done?
This really proved that old saying: one generation cuts down the trees, and the next bakes in the sun!
"That's unfair!" Yosuke Hirata spoke up again, his tone even carrying a hint of wanting to protest to the school.
"The school never explained these rules beforehand. If everyone had known that talking in class would cost us points, they absolutely wouldn't have done it.
"Punishing us without telling us the rules first isn't reasonable at all!"
"Yeah, Hirata's right!"
"It's the school's fault! Give us back our points!"
As though they had found a lifeline, the students began chiming in.
"Unfair, is it? Once you enter the workforce, will your boss stuff every unwritten rule into your heads in advance?
"Follow the rules, pay attention in class, don't arrive late or leave early. That's common sense even elementary school children understand, all right?
"You can't even manage basic common sense, yet you have the nerve to question the school's rules?"
Chabashira-sensei was so exasperated by them that she actually laughed. She had never expected them to be this stupid.
Yosuke Hirata was left speechless by her retort. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he could only sink dejectedly into his seat, the light gone from his eyes.
"Also, don't expect me to disclose the detailed assessment criteria for gaining and losing points. The school's rules are absolute."
Sae Chabashira twisted the knife further, completely snuffing out their hopes.
"While I'm at it, let me tell you an even crueler fact. Even if you turn over a new leaf today and commit zero violations next month, your Class Points will not increase."
"What does that mean?" one student asked blankly.
"Exactly what it sounds like. Points that have been deducted will not be restored. Barring anything unexpected, the points issued to you on the first of next month will still be zero."
Sae Chabashira looked at the despairing faces before her, her tone utterly unruffled.
"Conversely, even if you keep breaking the rules, no more points will be deducted. After all, you have nothing left to deduct."
At those words, the classroom fell utterly silent. Several students who had been planning to buckle down instantly deflated like punctured balls and slumped in their chairs.
"It's over... It's all over." Haruki Yamauchi lay across his desk, clutching his head and sobbing. "I haven't even bought a new game cartridge for my PSVITA Game Console yet..."
The bell rang just then, and Sae Chabashira picked up her lesson plan, bringing the idle talk to an end.
"All right, that's enough nonsense. The student handbook clearly states that the school provides basic food and accommodation free of charge.
"The cafeteria has a free mountain vegetable set meal, and the vending machines have free mineral water. As long as you aren't picky, you won't starve."
"However, there's one thing you had better understand. This school assigns classes according to how outstanding students are. Class A brings together the very best students, while Class D brings together nothing but defective products the school has deemed worthless."
Sae Chabashira pressed her lips together and added another remark. These things had to be said; it would give them more hope of advancing to a higher class later.
This was something Horikita Suzune could not accept. After all, she considered herself something of a genius, no worse than any other student. How had she ended up assigned to Class D?
Horikita felt deeply humiliated and could not accept being called a defective product.
"Of course, the school hasn't left you completely without opportunities." Sae Chabashira changed tack. "Class Points directly determine class rankings. As long as your points exceed Class C's, you can push them down and take their place as Class C."
At that, Sae Chabashira's gaze passed over the crowd and went straight to the back row.
Her gaze came to rest on Ken Kaneki.
Their eyes met. Sae Chabashira's gaze held three parts conflicted feelings, three parts provocation, and four parts hope.
She had lost the bet, utterly and completely. Now, she belonged to this boy.
But by the same token, as long as this boy kept his promise and led Class D up to Class A, her long-cherished wish would come true.
Ken Kaneki said nothing, merely responding with a simple gesture.
But the gesture was rather embarrassing, bringing Chabashira-sensei's earlier memories flooding back.
Her breath caught. She quickly looked away, concealing the panic in her eyes, and turned back to the class.
"The benefits promised in the school brochure-a one hundred percent employment rate and eligibility for recommendation-based admission to graduate school-have one prerequisite: only students who graduate from Class A can enjoy those privileges.
"As for Classes B, C, and D, you're on your own after graduation. The school takes no responsibility."
"Finally." Sae Chabashira picked up the remaining materials and turned toward the classroom door. "The midterm exams are three weeks away. Here's a friendly reminder: find a way to avoid failing. If anyone scores below the passing mark on the midterms..."
She stopped and glanced back at Sudo, Kanji Ike, and the others.
"The consequences would be unthinkable. I'll wish you good luck in advance."
The sound of her high heels gradually faded into the distance, leaving behind a roomful of silent students. For a long time, no one spoke.
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