"A fabricated smile... can still be acceptable?"
"Regardless of whether she's acting, at least when she's being praised by everyone, she's genuinely working for the class. If she can keep up this 'act' for three years, then she's the most suitable person to be class president."
"...I see. So that's your reasoning."
Horikita Suzune's eyes flickered faintly, as if she had finally grasped something.
Though every exchange with Shimizu Akira ended with her at a loss for words, each time, she managed to glean new insights from his words.
"Only by placing Kushida Kikyou in a high position can her value be maximized?"
"In comparison, Hirata's personality is too mild—he's better suited to a supporting role."
"So... that's why you secretly pushed for Kushida to become class president?"
A sudden thought struck Horikita: If Hirata Yōsuke had been elected class president instead, would Kushida Kikyou still be dedicating herself so wholeheartedly to the class?
The moment this idea surfaced, her heart sank—Had she been completely wrong?
Had she made a mistake by voting for Hirata Yōsuke?
It seemed she had only considered her own feelings, never objectively analyzing the class. Her thinking had been too naive.
Shimizu was right. Given her current abilities, she truly wasn't qualified to be class president.
"I hadn't considered these points, but you're right—for Class D, making Kushida Kikyou class president is the optimal solution." Shimizu nodded, acknowledging her words without hesitation.
This time, Horikita's judgment was correct.
Kushida Kikyou as class president was the best outcome.
If she had been relegated to a secondary position, she likely wouldn't have thrown herself into the role with such dedication.
Conversely, Hirata Yōsuke didn't particularly care about status—he would fulfill his duties regardless of his position.
Though this conclusion might seem unfair to Hirata, the reality was this: the kind-hearted boy was better suited as a supporter.
He had leadership qualities, but lacked the necessary sharpness.
"This deal is a total win!"
"Class points are way more valuable than private points! Besides, once the cameras are installed... heh, skipping class will be even easier!"
"...I don't want to live under surveillance all day!"
Though their reasons varied, most classmates ultimately approved the proposal.
However, a more pressing issue soon emerged.
"That's 75,000 points per person!"
"There's no way we can afford that! We already spent a million points last time!"
"Seriously..."
Three million points—for the current Class D, this was an astronomical sum.
"Did they agree to let us defer payment until next month?"
"If that's the case... it might be manageable."
Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji finally realized the class couldn't possibly scrape together three million points.
If they were to pay, it would have to be deferred.
As the most frequent violators of class rules, the two had recently been on the receiving end of their classmates' cold stares.
For them, leasing the surveillance cameras was actually a blessing.
Spending 75,000 points each to secure 400–500 class points? The deal was too good to pass up.
Even these two, who weren't usually the sharpest tools in the shed, understood the math:
It was like spending 75,000 yen upfront to boost monthly income by 40,000 yen.
Just two months, and they'd break even—why wouldn't they take it?
*"Unfortunately... the deadline is 7 p.m. tonight, and every hour past that incurs an additional 100,000-point penalty."* Hirata Yōsuke's tone was grave as he explained the situation.
"Mhm! So I'll keep negotiating. Worst case, maybe the student council offers loans? Once we get past this hurdle, things will get easier!" Kushida Kikyou tried to lighten the mood with her usual cheerful tone.
"—Wait."
Horikita Suzune suddenly stood up.
This was the first time she had voluntarily addressed the entire class. Nearly all eyes turned toward her.
Even Shimizu Akira glanced at her in mild surprise—Had his explanation been insufficient? Or was she about to oppose the camera lease?
Kushida maintained her signature sweet smile. "Horikita-san, you're not... against leasing the cameras, are you?"
In her view, objecting when the majority had already voiced support was unwise.
"I support leasing the surveillance system." To everyone's shock, Horikita gave her approval. "But I'd like to add one condition—after leasing the cameras, we shouldn't delete the footage. Instead, we should review it carefully to identify the students whose frequent violations caused our class point deductions."
"It's because of these individuals' misconduct that, without the cameras, our class points could be completely wiped out by month's end. The entire class shouldn't have to pay for a few people's mistakes!"
"They must reflect deeply on their actions!"
As she spoke, her gaze unflinchingly locked onto Yamauchi Haruki and Ike Kanji.
Frankly, these two were likely the worst offenders in the class.
Why should they get to hide in the shadows?
This time, the cameras had saved them—but to prevent a repeat, they had to be punished severely.
This was fairness. This was justice.
Shimizu paused, suddenly realizing why he had once seen potential in Horikita Suzune.
Like the student council president, she embodied impartiality—uncompromising, unable to tolerate injustice. This was what set her apart from other leaders.
Again, whether it was Hirata or Kushida, both were too soft.
Sometimes, making an example of someone was necessary.
If they kept playing house, the class's troublemakers would only grow bolder.
Some things demanded punishment.
"Hah! Not bad! Thought you were just an annoying jerk, but you're absolutely right this time!" Shibata Sae snapped her fingers in agreement. "We can lease the cameras! We can clean up after a few people for the class's sake! But we won't take this lying down! We have to identify the culprits! At the very least, they owe the whole class an apology—and they'd better behave for a while after! That's the bare minimum!"
"I'll admit, Horikita surprised me this time."
"I thought she was just sharp-tongued, but she's spot-on here!"