Horikita Suzune watched Hoshinomiya with frost-laced eyes.
Every word from this Class B homeroom teacher felt like a precisely measured toxin, eroding her patience.
Beneath the playful teasing lay a clear agenda—provoke her, then… deduct "points"?
So what exactly were these "points" she mentioned?
The school handbook had no such rule—another hidden system?
Her mind raced through possibilities.
Did the school operate on some point-based discipline? Violations = deductions?
Thanks to buying intel from Shimizu, her personal points had plummeted to under 10,000. If more got deducted, she'd be stuck with free cafeteria gruel.
Social maneuvering wasn't her forte—especially against a teacher-socialite hybrid.
In pure intellect, she'd never lose.
But Hoshinomiya—a master manipulator with authority—left her outmaneuvered.
Yet Hoshinomiya had already lost interest.
Class D's points were already docked; this ice queen no longer mattered.
(Hehe… Imagining Sae-chan's rage is delicious.)
Her focus shifted to Shimizu Akira.
"Shimizu-kun~" She twirled her hair, eyes glinting dangerously. "I heard you took my Ichinose to meet seniors. What did you ask?"
Shimizu retreated until his back nearly touched the wall.
Why was this teacher so fixated on him?
Did she not know Class D was already at zero points? Nothing left to deduct!
Unless… she'd figured out he knew the S-system secrets?
To protect Class B's lead, she'd crush potential threats?
But that was absurd.
Class D was bottom-tier; Class B's real rival was Class A. And—
(She claims to be Chabashira's best friend?)
This was friendship? Scheming against her friend's students?
Were all teachers like this?
Hoshinomiya'steacherly aura pressed on him like knives at his throat.
One misstep = "disrespecting staff" = punishment.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei! What are you doing?"
A bright voice cut through the tension.
At the hallway's end stood Ichinose Honami, sighing.
She strode over, planting herself beside Hoshinomiya. "Please stop harassing other classes. Can't you see they're uncomfortable?"
"Ara~ My beloved class rep intervenes~"Hoshinomiyapouted, finally backing off.
"Hoshinomiya! Hands off my students!"
Chabashira Sae appeared, breathing hard, her glare sharp enough to pierce steel.
Without hesitation, she chopped Hoshinomiya's head.
"Who said you could target Shimizu?" Her voice was unusually heated.
"Mou~"Hoshinomiya rubbed her head. "He came looking for you. I was just helping~"
Chabashira scoffed. "You could've ignored them."
She turned to Shimizu and Horikita, tone softening. "Sorry for the wait. Let's talk in the counseling room."
"Let me come! Just to listen~"Hoshinomiyaclung like a cat, eyes shining with gossip lust.
"No!"Ichinosegrabbed her wrist. "We have class matters to discuss!"
Chabashira played her trump card: "Follow us, and you'll spend next weekend in bed."
Deadpan: "Save me the trouble of babysitting you."
"Uwaah~ So mean!"Hoshinomiyaslumped like a wet puppy. "My bestie and my star student… ganging up on me~"
As Shimizu's group vanished, Hoshinomiya's smile faded like a receding tide.
"Sae-chan…" She murmured. "You'd dare defy orders? I won't allow it."
"Hoshinomiya-sensei?"Ichinose tilted her head. "What was that?"
"Ah~ Just trash-talking Sae-chan~"
"But you're best friends?"
"That's why it'll be ugly when we fight."
"Sensei's being cryptic again…"
"Hehe~ Too advanced for you! Now, how's our class doing?"
Ichinose's face darkened. "Not great… Some lower-ranked students noticed lax discipline and started skipping or using phones in class…"
She twisted her fingers. "As class rep, I can't be too harsh… so I've… let it slide."
Hoshinomiya sighed. "Ichinose… You spent four lunch periods with those seniors. Really noticed nothing?"
"I was just making friends…?"
Hoshinomiya nearly facepalmed.
(Even Ichinose—A-rank intelligence—missed it… So how did that Class D boy…?)
Suddenly, her eyes widened.
(Wait… That girl easily snapped at "points"… but looked confused when I mentioned them…)
(Either he never got intel from seniors… or he's hiding it from classmates.)
"Ichinose!" She whirled, gripping her shoulders. "Which senior did Shimizu-kun have you contact? Why are you here now?"
"It was Yamamura-senpai… Shimizu-kun asked me to come help."
Hoshinomiya's eyes narrowed.
(He planned this… used my Ichinose against me.)
(Guess I'll have to visit this Yamamura myself…)
(A shark has slipped into Class D's shallow waters…)
(I hope my instincts are wrong this time…)