"It's over. We're seriously going to starve now. I don't want to eat that free mountain vegetable set meal."
In the hallway, old man Yamauchi stared fixedly at his terminal, his tone heavy.
The points balance displayed on it was only 42, not even enough to buy the cheapest bread at the school store. Who knew how this guy had managed to blow through a hundred thousand points in a month.
Yamauchi's legs felt a little weak. He leaned back against the wall and slid down it to sit on the floor.
Just yesterday, he had bragged to Sudo that once this month's hundred thousand points came in, he would buy the latest handheld game cartridge.
Now, never mind a cartridge-even getting a meal was a problem.
Not far away, Kanji Ike walked over dejectedly, an empty mineral water bottle clutched in his hand.
"Yamauchi, how many points do you have left?"
"42."
"I'm a little better off. I've got 150." Kanji Ike sighed and plopped down beside Yamauchi.
"Chabashira-sensei was so firm about it. Looks like the school really plans to leave us to fend for ourselves.
"I had the good fortune to try that free mountain vegetable set meal once. Not a speck of meat in it. It was bland as hell. Just thinking about the taste makes me want to puke now."
The two exchanged a look, their eyes filled with despair.
Suddenly, old man Yamauchi seemed to think of something. He slapped his thigh, his eyes instantly lighting up.
"Right! Wasn't the forum flooded with ads for some secondhand trading platform called 'Campus Life' last weekend? I think there was a 'Micro Bank,' too!"
As though he had found a lifeline, Yamauchi's eyes grew brighter the more he spoke.
"I've still got a PSVITA in my cabinet. I bought it for twenty-five thousand points last month, and it's almost like new. If I sell it now, I should get at least ten thousand and change!"
Kanji Ike perked up at that, his voice excited.
"Yeah! I've still got a few pairs of limited-edition sneakers. I've only worn them once since buying them. Come on, let's go check it out."
There were plenty of conversations like this around the school, mostly among first-years, along with students from the second-year Classes C and D.
Half an hour later, on the third floor of Keyaki Mall, at the Campus Life physical store.
Yamauchi and Kanji Ike had only just reached the entrance when the scene before them gave them a fright.
A long line had already formed outside the otherwise spacious store.
The line consisted almost entirely of first-year students, all looking anxious and holding an assortment of items.
There were game consoles, high-end headphones, designer bags, and even unopened cosmetics.
"Th-this many people?" Yamauchi swallowed.
"Looks like everyone's been driven into a corner." Kanji Ike hunched his shoulders and hurriedly pulled Yamauchi to the back of the line. "Enough talking. Get in line. If we're too late, they might stop buying."
The line moved along fairly quickly. The store had hired seven or eight students who looked like upperclassmen, and they were skillfully appraising and registering the items.
After waiting roughly forty minutes, it was finally the pair's turn. The person serving Yamauchi was a girl with shoulder-length hair and a gentle smile.
"Hello. What service can I help you with?" the girl asked in a sweet voice, pointing to the scanner on the counter. "Please present your Student Terminal first. We need to register your real name."
Yamauchi quickly held his terminal up to it with a beep, then carefully took the almost-new PSVITA Game Console out of his backpack and placed it on the counter.
"I'd like to sell this. I just bought it last month for twenty-five thousand points. I've still got the box, and there isn't even a scratch on it. You can check." Yamauchi rubbed his hands together, his face full of anticipation. "So, how much can you give me for it?"
The girl deftly picked up the console, checked its serial number, then tapped a few times on the tablet in front of her.
"An almost-new PSVITA, with no faults. Based on the platform's trade-in price guidelines for today, we can offer you... eight thousand five hundred points."
"How much?!" Yamauchi raised his voice, his eyes nearly popping out of his head. "Eight thousand five hundred? Are you kidding me? I paid twenty-five thousand for this! I've only used it for a month, and it's already lost that much value?"
The smile on the girl's face did not waver, as though she had long since grown used to scenes like this.
"This is the standard pricing for secondhand goods. Supply currently exceeds demand, and many first-year students are selling off large quantities of electronics. We've already bought quite a few like yours. We also have to bear the inventory risk when we buy them."
The girl explained gently, without hurrying.
"If you find the price unsuitable, you can look elsewhere."
Elsewhere? This lousy school operated as a closed campus. Apart from this store, who had spare money to buy this stuff?
Those upperclassmen were shrewd as anything, and they drove prices down even harder in private deals.
Yamauchi gritted his teeth and tried appealing to her sympathy.
"Please, could you make an exception? All of Class D's points were deducted this month. We can't even afford to eat. Just do us a kindness and add a little more. Nine thousand. Could you do nine thousand?"
The girl shook her head slightly.
"I'm sorry. The price is locked by the system, and I don't have permission to change it. Have you made your decision? There are still plenty of students waiting behind you."
Yamauchi glanced back. Several boys behind him were already looking impatient, and some had even begun urging him to hurry.
"Fine... eight thousand five hundred it is!" Yamauchi agreed through gritted teeth, his heart bleeding.
"All right. Please take this receipt to the exchange window on the left to complete the transfer and handover."
The girl quickly printed out a receipt and handed it to Yamauchi.
Holding the receipt felt like holding a hot potato. Somewhere inside, he felt empty.
He walked to the exchange window and handed over the console and receipt.
With a beep, his terminal vibrated.
Your account ending in ... has received 8,500 points. Current account balance: 8,542 points.
Yamauchi stared at the screen, then glanced back at the console on the counter that had kept him company for nearly three weeks, his eyes reddening.
"Stop looking. Let's go." Kanji Ike patted his shoulder, holding his own terminal after completing the transfer.
The sneakers he had bought for twenty thousand points had sold for less than five thousand.
"These points won't last long, even if we're careful." Yamauchi wiped the tears off his face and made up his mind about something. "Let's go to the Micro Bank and take out a loan!"
The Micro Bank branch was right next to Campus Life. Its decor was as thoroughly professional as an ordinary bank's, and compared with the bustle of the secondhand store, it seemed much quieter.
The two took a number and sat down, and the receptionist handed them a lengthy electronic contract.
"For your first loan, the credit limit is ten thousand points. Interest is calculated monthly, at a monthly rate of ten percent.
"If repayment is overdue, the interest will double, and the creditor will have the right to assume decision-making authority over the debtor's campus activities. Please read the terms carefully and sign after confirming everything is correct."
"I'll borrow ten thousand!" Yamauchi's head was full of how to get through this month. How could he spare any attention for those densely packed terms?
A monthly interest rate of ten percent did not sound like much. Once next month's points came in, he could easily pay it back.
Yamauchi had apparently forgotten why he had come in the first place. Wasn't it because he probably wouldn't receive any points next month either?
Without hesitation, he signed his name on the electronic screen and pressed his fingerprint against it. Kanji Ike signed right after him.
As the ten thousand points arrived in their accounts, their taut nerves finally relaxed, and they even developed the illusion that they "had money again."
"Come on, let's treat ourselves to a good meal!" With a broad wave of his hand, Yamauchi pulled Kanji Ike toward the restaurant.