After homeroom ended, Sae Chabashira gathered her lesson plans, turned, and left the classroom.
Seeing this, Yosuke Hirata immediately stepped up to the teacher's desk and clapped his hands, drawing the attention of the entire class.
"Everyone, please quiet down and hear me out." Hirata wore a gentle smile, his tone earnest.
"As Chabashira-sensei just said, this midterm exam will affect the increase in our Class Points, and there's also the harsh penalty of expulsion for anyone who fails.
"To keep anyone from falling behind, and to help Class D earn more points, I've decided to hold a two-hour study group in the classroom every afternoon at five, starting today. I hope everyone will take part."
Hirata had considerable influence in the class. The moment he finished speaking, some of the students who had been hovering around the passing mark immediately responded.
"Count me in, Hirata!"
"I'll join too. I don't want to get expelled."
Not everyone, however, was willing to go along with him.
Ken Sudō, who had never gotten along particularly well with Hirata, scoffed, grabbed his bag, and stood straight up.
"How boring. I've got Basketball Club practice. I don't have time to mess around with you."
Kanji Ike and Haruki Yamauchi exchanged a glance and chimed in.
"Exactly. There's still plenty of time anyway. We can just cram at the last minute. We've got games to play back at the dorm."
Watching the three leave the classroom without hesitation, Hirata sighed helplessly, but he still pulled himself together and began organizing a review session for the students who remained.
Standing around the corner in the hallway outside the classroom, Sae Chabashira had witnessed everything. Her lovely, slender brows drew together slightly, and she sighed inwardly.
As their homeroom teacher, she was bound by the school's rules and could not interfere too much with the students.
If those three troublemakers, Sudo, Ike, and Yamauchi, were left to their own devices, they would definitely face the threat of expulsion in the midterms. When that happened, their hard-won chance to increase their Class Points would go up in smoke too.
"Looks like I can only count on him to do something..." Ken Kaneki's infuriatingly calm face surfaced in Sae Chabashira's mind.
Since he had promised to lead Class D up to Class A, he probably wouldn't stand by and do nothing about this situation. Besides, she still had that appointment with him tonight...
At that thought, Sae Chabashira's heart began beating a little faster. She hurried back to her dorm room and began preparing for their meeting that evening.
At five thirty that evening, at the Star Hotel attached to Keyaki Mall.
Sae Chabashira took a deep breath and walked into the magnificent lobby with slightly stiff steps.
She took the elevator straight to the top floor. Looking at the door marked 1801, she felt her palms grow slightly damp.
The torment of wavering between hope and fear over the past few days turned, at that moment, into indescribable nervousness and anticipation.
She raised her hand and gently rang the doorbell. The door soon opened, revealing Ken Kaneki standing behind it with a smile, dressed in a well-tailored casual suit.
"Chabashira-sensei, you're right on time."
Sae Chabashira walked inside. When she took off her beige trench coat, a flash of admiration crossed Ken Kaneki's eyes.
Sae Chabashira had clearly dressed with care that night. She had shed her stiff work outfit from the daytime and changed into a long black silk slip dress with a plunging V-neck.
The slit in the skirt revealed just enough of her long, fair legs, while the close-fitting fabric fully displayed her voluptuous, mature curves.
Her long hair, usually pinned up, now fell over her shoulders, giving off a faint rose fragrance. Her carefully applied makeup made her look a little less cool and aloof than usual, adding a touch of mature allure.
Unlike Hiyori's quiet, girlish air, she had the bearing of a sophisticated older woman.
"You look beautiful today." Ken Kaneki was generous with his praise.
"Enough with the smooth talk." Sae Chabashira turned her face away somewhat awkwardly, her cheeks faintly flushed.
Only as Ken Kaneki led her farther inside did Sae Chabashira notice the room's arrangement.
The lighting in the suite's spacious, luxurious living room had been dimmed to a soft glow.
A pristine white cloth covered the dining table before the floor-to-ceiling windows. Romantic candlelight flickered in silver candleholders, with vivid red roses arranged beside them, while the scent of expensive fragrance oils filled the air.
"Have a seat, Chabashira-sensei." Ken Kaneki pulled out a chair and courteously invited her to sit.
Sae Chabashira did not refuse and obediently sat down. In the flickering candlelight, the two began enjoying the carefully prepared dinner.
"You saw what happened in class today." Halfway through the meal, Sae Chabashira could not help steering the conversation toward business. "Sudo and the others won't have anything to do with Hirata's study group. If they fail, Class D is finished. Since you promised me..."
"Shh-"
Ken Kaneki extended a finger and gently pressed it against Sae Chabashira's lips, cutting her off.
"It's a lovely evening. Let's not talk about anything that would spoil it. Naturally, I have a way to deal with Sudo and the others. All you need to do is relax and enjoy tonight."
As he spoke, Ken Kaneki picked up the expensive red wine that had been left to breathe and poured the deep red liquid into two crystal-clear stemmed glasses.
He picked up both glasses, walked over to Sae Chabashira, and handed her one.
"Sensei, let's drink with our arms linked. Consider it a celebration of our wager officially being honored."
Sae Chabashira accepted the glass, her hand trembling slightly around it. She tilted her head up to look into Ken Kaneki's deep eyes and ultimately did not refuse.
She stood and gently entwined her arm with Ken Kaneki's. They leaned close, their breaths mingling, and drained their glasses amid the intimate atmosphere.
The richness of the red wine and the bite of the alcohol spread through her throat, adding an intoxicating rosiness to Sae Chabashira's already nervous flush.
After a few glasses, a tipsy haze began spreading through Sae Chabashira's mind.
She had never been much of a drinker. Even a little low-alcohol cocktail would normally get her drunk, let alone a red wine this strong.
Sae Chabashira's eyes grew hazy, and her body relaxed completely. Their conversation and laughter grew softer as well.
Just then, Ken Kaneki set down his glass and quietly moved behind Sae Chabashira.
He reached out with both arms and tightly embraced her slender waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Sensei, do you know how cute you've looked these past few days, waiting to hear from me?"
Ken Kaneki murmured softly beside her ear, his warm breath brushing her neck and sending a tingling sensation through her.
Sae Chabashira stiffened slightly, then melted into Ken Kaneki's arms.
She bit her lower lip and did not resist, merely closing her eyes and feeling the warmth of this boy's body.
"Since you lost, you have to honor the bet."
Ken Kaneki's palm slowly roamed along her slender waist, and his voice grew husky.
Under the influence of the alcohol, Sae Chabashira let herself go completely. She turned around, wrapped both arms around Ken Kaneki's neck, and took the initiative to meet his lips.
In the romantic candlelight, their clothes gradually fell away. Entangled, they made their way from the dining table to the large, soft bed. In that secluded, luxurious suite, they cast aside the constraints of their identities completely and naturally took the final step.
The night deepened, and the intimate sights and murmurs within the room wove together into an exquisitely beautiful, sensual melody.
Before you continue