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★★★
After leaving the cafeteria, Hachiman found Horikita.
Horikita was in the classroom.
It was already the fifth day of school, and the students were no longer pretending.
They chose the lifestyle that felt most comfortable.
So, during lunch breaks or in the evenings and mornings, they would go to the cafeteria or the Shopping Street for a big meal.
There were very few people in the Class who could cook, and even fewer who brought their own bento boxes.
But here in Class D of Grade 1, there was still such a future homemaker.
That was Horikita Suzune.
Hachiman, as a boy aspiring to be a house husband, of course knew how to cook.
However, if it was to make a bento for his sister Komachi, he could get up early.
But for himself, bread was enough.
When Hachiman arrived in the classroom, he found Horikita sitting at her desk, her books moved and put away.
But a pink bento box was laid out.
There was also a small table napkin and tea.
The bento box was open, containing rice, tempura, croquettes, cauliflower and carrots, and steamed egg.
Both the appearance and the aroma were quite good.
Although he slightly wanted to eat, Hachiman was not a thick-skinned person.
So he just sat down in his seat and took out a textbook to read.
About ten minutes later, Horikita finished her meal and had already washed the bento box before he sent her a message.
Then the two went to the staircase where they had been with Kushida before.
"I just thought of a plan in the cafeteria," Hachiman began proactively.
"I said that our Class is very weak, so if too many points are deducted from the basic score at the beginning, we will fall behind by the end of the first month."
"It will be difficult to close the gap with the Classes ahead," Hachiman said.
"So we need to seize the opportunity to gain some points this month."
And Horikita Suzune nodded.
He spoke, and she listened.
Anyway, her brother considered her useless.
Although Hikigaya encouraged her to show herself, in their analysis last night, she found that Class D was even worse than expected.
It was likely that in a few more days, the 1000 Class evaluation points initially given by the school would be completely deducted.
Therefore, she even had a nightmare last night.
This was quite despairing.
So, could Hikigaya now propose any suggestions that could turn the situation around?
Of course, he could.
Because this was a solution he had freely obtained from Sakayanagi.
"The students of Class A of Grade 1 are performing excellently. Each of them contributed points to buy information, so they are treating this exam very cautiously."
"They hardly need any restrictions. They will set an example themselves," Hachiman said.
"So I want to emulate that in our Class."
"If everyone needs to participate. Or rather, has to participate, and then protect the points."
Hachiman briefly outlined his plan.
However, Horikita did not immediately make a decision.
Because Hachiman's plan... was truly... somewhat astonishing.
"And in order for my plan to be implemented, I considered this point," Hachiman added.
"I chose a reliable person."
"And this person, Horikita, you will need to control," Hachiman said.
"Me?" Horikita Suzune frowned slightly.
But she nodded.
"I will be useful," she said.
...
Then time moved to the afternoon.
After school in the afternoon, most of the students had left the classroom, but Horikita Suzune did not.
Rather, she was currently being pestered by someone.
"Horikita, I didn't expect you to contact me voluntarily."
This was the cute and... enthusiastic Kushida with her golden choppy hair.
She was as enthusiastic as fire.
And Horikita was as cold as ice.
"You don't need to be so enthusiastic," Horikita Suzune said.
"I don't like it."
Very good.
Today's Horikita Suzune still had no friends.
...
Kushida received a note from Horikita Suzune placed in her drawer.
The other party asked her to stay after school.
What kind of old-fashioned method was this to ask someone to stay?
It was especially old-fashioned.
But this was also why Horikita didn't have her contact information.
And Kushida's choice was also direct.
She had clearly agreed to go with Karuizawa and the others to Keyaki Mall on Shopping Area in the morning to look at perfumes.
But Kushida chose to stay and wait for Horikita.
Just then.
"Cough, cough, cough."
Hikigaya pretended to cough twice.
Because Horikita, you're about to lose a friend like this.
Is this what you meant by entrusting it to you and you being useful?
"What's wrong, Hikigaya?"
Kushida seemed to have just noticed he was still in the classroom, "Are you not feeling well?"
Actually, no, because the person who really wanted to ask Kushida to stay was not Horikita Suzune, but him.
So he looked in Horikita Suzune's direction.
"..." Horikita Suzune.
Horikita Suzune seemed to be trying hard, then she touched her dark straight hair on her left side with her left hand, and looked at Kushida Kikyo.
"Kushida, can I join that Class group you mentioned?"
"..." Kushida.
Kushida seemed to be momentarily stunned.
But she immediately showed a relieved smile, "Of course you can. Rather, I've always been worried that Horikita would feel lonely if she didn't join."
Kushida, like an angel.
However.
"It seems you are quite persistent about me," Horikita Suzune said calmly.
"Oh, come on, I just want to be friends with Horikita."
"Then becoming friends with you is fine," Horikita Suzune said.
"Can you help me with something?"
"Hmm?"
Kushida Kikyo's long eyelashes blinked gently.
"Has Horikita encountered some trouble?" Kushida seemed to become cuter.
She chose to pester Horikita Suzune not because she was a sycophant, but because she knew Horikita Suzune was from the same junior high school as her.
So she was worried that the other party knew her dark past.
That was something that couldn't be exposed.
She considered this school a new beginning and didn't want it to end like this.
Therefore, Horikita Suzune must be dealt with.
And her clinging to and befriending the other party was for this very reason.
If their relationship was good, then the other party wouldn't speak ill of her, right?
At least, it could be achieved on the surface first.
But Horikita Suzune was impervious to reason, which Kushida found difficult to deal with.
As a result, has the other party now voluntarily lowered her psychological guard?
Kushida maintained her cuteness.
Then she heard the other party's voice.
"Mm." Horikita nodded. Then she said, "I hope you can spread a rumor in Class."
"A rumor about the true nature of this School."
...
1. This is a School funded by the government, from financial allocations, so it will ensure that money is spent effectively.
2. I learned from a Third Year senior in the club that this School has many exams, and the content of the exams varies, and the penalties for failing are severe. These include, but are not limited to, expulsion.
3. Many Third Year were expelled. It seems that Class D of Grade 2 and Third Year, a total of 8 Class, but each Class cannot even gather 40 students.
...
The above are the favors Horikita hoped Kushida could help with.
She wanted her to spread rumors.
And these 3 points are the content of the rumor.
But.
"…" Kushida.
Kushida carefully observed the content of these 3 rumors.
Then she quickly looked in one direction.
Sitting there was the dead-eyed boy who hadn't left yet because he was slow at organizing his School bag.
That was Hikigaya Hachiman.
Now there were only the three of them in the classroom.
Kushida initially felt that Horikita had finally opened her heart, allowing her to approach, and she should seize the opportunity to completely cut off any chance of the other party mentioning her dark past.
In that case, Hikigaya being there seemed very much in the way.
But now, she suddenly looked towards Hachiman.
Because.
Horikita wanted her to spread rumors, which was a rather troublesome action.
However, the content of the rumors was not excessive.
But she felt that this content seemed familiar.
Because on the day of enrollment, she met Hikigaya Hachiman at the dormitory, and then he said similar things to her, and then the two of them went together to investigate other Grade.
They visited the Floor of the teaching buildings of the three Grade separately.
And she still remembered meeting Student Council President Horikita Manabu and Secretary Akane Tachibana at that time.
Just.
It was just that Hikigaya hadn't said anything else related to this School at that time, but these three pieces of information gave her the impression that they were indeed information investigated by Hikigaya Hachiman.
Just.
Hikigaya, the information you know, why do you want it to be conveyed through Horikita Suzune's mouth?
Aren't you and Horikita Suzune on bad terms?
When did you two become such close acquaintances behind her back?
And did Horikita Suzune say anything bad about her, Kushida Kikyo, to you?
"Um…" Kushida seemed to have gathered her emotions for a moment, and her already pleasant voice seemed to become even more melodious, "Hikigaya~"
"…" Hachiman.
Kushida was an old acquaintance to Hachiman, and he immediately understood her feigned softness.
Kushida was now feeling doubtful about his presence.
"Horikita seems to have discovered some other news," Hachiman said.
"I was caught by her. Then I could only help."
Oh.
So that's how it is.
Hikigaya was coerced by Horikita.
This answer was barely acceptable.
After all, Horikita Suzune was the kind of person who was impervious to reason, completely unaware of how to interact with people normally.
For example, she waited outside the other party's room in the morning, wanting to go to School with her, but the other party completely ignored her.
And it had already happened for the third time.
As for Hikigaya, although he was also difficult, he was someone who couldn't resist others.
So, it was understandable for the current situation to arise.
Kushida maintained her smile.
After all, what was important now was to gain Horikita's favor and become her friend first.
Although the operation of having her spread rumors drew some criticism.
However, there was no major problem with the content of the rumors prepared by Horikita.
If she were asked to speak ill of someone, she would still consider whether it was worth it, as it would damage her image.
However, if it was just this content, it was still acceptable.
Moreover, she also realized that the essence of this rumor was good.
It probably hoped that the students would treat this School more cautiously.
As someone who went to investigate the School with Hachiman on the first day, she also felt that the School was very strange, why did they give them such good treatment.
And did they really… deserve it?
After all.
Although she thought her previous junior high Classmates were already outrageous, the students in this Class were even more terrifying.
Some people made her not even want to include them in the category of [friends].
So, it was very strange for the School to give everyone such uniform treatment.
…
It's just that Kushida probably really wanted to gain Horikita's favor, so she started operating directly in front of the
two of them.
Her operation was very showy.
First, she called a girl and talked about how she was approached by a Third Year, who told her it was best to be serious at School. But when she asked again, the Third Year was unwilling to say more.
This made her feel strange, were the Third Year hiding something?
Then she sent a message to another Classmate.
She set the pace.
And soon after.
Changes appeared in the Class D group chat, and students were already discussing such matters.
Such as how 8 Class of Third Year couldn't even gather 40 people.
The School's finances were in trouble, and they were frantically expelling students to cut expenses.
Hmm.
Once this rumor spread, it became somewhat terrifyingly distorted.
But the effect was quite good.
The more outrageous it was, the more attention it could attract.
So, is there a way to verify it?
There is.
Like Sudo Ken, who was late this morning.
He joined the Basketball club and became a regular player, and he was late this morning because he was excited from practice.
He was just someone who could also get in touch with students from other classes and Third Year students.
"Huh? You want me to ask a Third Year?"
"They're all staring at me, jealous that I might become a regular."
Sudo replied like that.
Alright.
This person is hopeless.
However.
"Third Year students, huh."
"Yesterday, I passed by the soccer club and considered joining. I was in the soccer club in middle school."
"I'll go ask."
And this was the gentle Hirata.
Soon after.
The reliable Hirata brought back information.
Among the Grade 2 and Third Year students, there were also 160 people at enrollment, but now, Grade 2 only has 112 people left, and Third Year students, 133 people.
However, he also paid a price: the soccer club's vice-captain asked him to join the soccer club.
Hikigaya had already discovered on the school forum that Third Year students were sending club application requests to First Year students.
Excellent performance could also earn point rewards.
Apparently, the school probably provides funding to clubs, and then the clubs also have to meet some requirements.
So, it requires people to join the club and perform well.
And Hirata, who was a core member of the soccer club in the past, was pulled in.
In other words, the clubs might be a place where points can be obtained.
However, the Third Year clubs had been exploited due to Sakayanagi's actions, and if they were to be exploited again, the Third Year students might become wary.
Then it wouldn't be so easy to deceive them.
Moreover.
First, let's complete the task received from Chabashira Sensei.
After all, it's ten million, isn't it?
Although he's still just a student, he's already working on a big project.
Hikigaya was full of vigor.