Shimizu Akira rubbed his rounded stomach—he'd definitely overeaten this time.
Horikita Suzune's grilling skills were undeniably masterful.
The meat retained just the right amount of elasticity without being tough to chew.
Only now did he realize that aside from the first chaotic batch he'd grilled, all the remaining meat had been handled by Horikita.
His gaze unconsciously drifted to nearby tables.
At every other table, boys were diligently serving their female companions. A pairing where the girl handled all the grilling was undeniably rare.
What struck him more was how Horikita seemed so focused on cooking that she'd barely eaten herself.
"Switch places. You should eat too." Shimizu reached out naturally.
Horikita's movements faltered noticeably, her fingers tightening then loosening around the tongs before handing them over. "...Fine."
Shimizu keenly caught the fleeting reluctance in her eyes.
The discovery surprised him—So the aloof Horikita Suzune could feel wistful over something this trivial?
(Just as I thought...)
He chuckled inwardly.
His initial assessment had been correct: beneath her icy exterior, Horikita was unexpectedly considerate toward those she acknowledged.
This was the charm of反差萌 (gap moe).
"By the way..." Shimizu flipped a meat slice casually. "Can I just call you 'Horikita' from now on?"
He'd been using honorifics all this time, but now, the distance between them felt considerably shorter.
Horikita, who'd been nibbling on grilled meat, lifted her eyes.
She paused deliberately, as if pondering. "...Permission granted."
The meal ultimately cost Shimizu nearly *8,000* private points.
At checkout, Horikita shot him a probing look—clearly startled by his lavish spending.
But Shimizu paid without batting an eye, indifferent to her silent questioning.
Because throughout dinner, his phone had lit up repeatedly with crucial notifications.
Student Council President Horikita Manabu had confirmed: Classes A, B, and C had formally signed surveillance system lease agreements.
Attached transaction records showed that after deducting a 5% fee, the deal had netted him 8.55 million points—including his initial *1.2 million-point* investment.
Added to his existing 160,000 points, his balance now stood at 8.71 million.
He was hardly hurting for points anymore.
But this seemingly effortless windfall hinged entirely on his clever exploitation of the school's surveillance system.
He knew better than anyone that such opportunities were rare—had it not been the critical first month where class points meant everything, the deal would've never gone so smoothly.
His phone buzzed again, three consecutive messages from different class leaders:
Ryūen Kakeru:Why is the first week's footage completely blank?
Ichinose Honami:Access confirmed.
Sakayanagi Arisu:The first week's data was wiped too thoroughly. What did you do?
Shimizu's finger hovered briefly before he exited the throwaway account without replying.
Let them wonder.
The deal was done.
He wasn't some Taobao customer service rep—nowhere had he promised after-sales support.
Shimizu reread another message from Horikita Manabu:
Horikita Manabu: *Class 1-D's Kushida Kikyou applied for a school loan to cover the 3M-point payment. Your thoughts?*
Shimizu's brow furrowed slightly as he typed:
Shimizu Akira:President, could you clarify the loan terms?
The reply came swiftly:
Horikita Manabu:The council evaluates loans based on historical class performance. Repayments are auto-deducted from next month's private points. Originally designed for promoting electronics like phones/cameras, the school later formalized it as an educational social practice.
Shimizu pondered before asking:
Shimizu Akira:Does Class D even qualify?
Horikita Manabu's response was thorough:
Horikita Manabu: *All classes meet baseline criteria. Historically, Class D averages *350* class points first month, permitting 1.4M in loans (35k/student). Given the surveillance lease's特殊性 (special circumstances), we've adjusted their benchmark to *500* points, allowing 2M (50k/student next month).*
Shimizu zeroed in on the crux:
Shimizu Akira:But I need 3M.
Horikita Manabu:Repayments extend to subsequent months. Interest accrues at 5% monthly.
Shimizu pressed further: "What if their class points hit zero?"
The reply carried weight: "Don't worry. No class in this school's history has held zero points for three straight years."
Shimizu immediately understood—the school had safety nets. They wouldn't actually let a class crash and burn.
After all, this institution aimed to groom elite social talent, not force students into three years of poverty.
Horikita Manabu added another option: "You could reject the loan and sell the cameras back to the school for 400k each."
"I'll take the loan." Shimizu decided almost instantly.
His mental calculations were clear: Class D wouldn't plummet to zero.
Though their first-week losses were irreversible, with surveillance in place and rules now understood, they'd conservatively secure *400+* class points this month.
If they couldn't even manage that, then certain Class D members were beyond saving.
He scrutinized the installment plan Horikita Manabu sent:
Horikita Manabu:Repayment schedule:
*Month 2: 1.8M (45k/student)*
*Month 3: 1.2M + 60k (5% interest) (31.5k/student)*
"So the whole class owes me points now? Interesting. I've become a creditor to *39* people."
But reviewing the plan, Shimizu realized an issue—as a "regular" Class D student, he'd also have to contribute 75k points toward repayment.
Though to someone sitting on 8.71 million, 75k was a drop in the ocean.