"Calm down first." Shimizu Akira found it almost amusing—Kamuro Masumi seemed more worked up about him being in Class D than he was.
Today was May 1st. No doubt her homeroom teacher had emphasized the school's four-class hierarchy.
Especially the part where only Class A could access the vast majority of the school's resources—automatic admission to the University of Tokyo upon graduation was enough to make anyone's eyes turn green with envy.
By comparison, the other three classes might as well have been discarded pawns.
"Effort without reward just isn't worth it." Shimizu voiced his thoughts bluntly. "Dragging along deadweights like those guys in my class to reach Class A? The thought alone makes me sick."
"Idiot! Do you think I don't know that?!" Kamuro rolled her eyes so hard it looked painful. "You're talking about that Yamauchi guy, right? Disgusting! Even we in Class A know his rotten reputation! With trash like that, you think Class D can rise to A? Keep dreaming! We won't give you any openings!"
Shimizu blinked.
Yamauchi's infamy had spread all the way to Class A?
But Kamuro was severely underestimating Class D.
If you ignored the few deadweights, Class D's actual strength was considerable—more than capable of competing with Classes A and B.
"You're really dumb!" Kamuro glared at him disdainfully before suddenly kicking the table between them aside.
The tip of her black-stockinged foot brushed lightly against Shimizu's calf, carrying a faint, teasing warmth. "When I say effort, I mean saving up personal points! Get 20 million… and you can transfer classes! How hard is that to understand?!"
Only then did Shimizu notice—Kamuro had long since kicked off her shoes, her slender legs now casually draped over the edge of his bed.
And that touch just now—
It hadn't hurt, but it left an inexplicable itch in his chest.
After all, he was just a healthy, red-blooded sixteen-year-old boy.
Was she doing this on purpose, or was it unintentional?
He forced himself to look away, dragging his focus back to the topic. "Wait—how do you know about this?"
"Obviously our homeroom teacher told us! It was announced in today's meeting!" Kamuro stared at him like he'd grown a second head. "Don't tell me… your class wasn't informed?!"
"Your homeroom teacher?!" Shimizu stiffened.
Their teacher had told them?
Hold on—why hadn't their Chabashira Sae mentioned anything?!
"Did you ask, or was it—" he pressed.
"Of course she told us voluntarily!" Kamuro cut him off with another disdainful look, this time lightly nudging his thigh with her toes. "We're Class A's elite—the best class. Why would we ask about transfer conditions? Are you stupid?!"
"Kamuro-san, can we talk without you kicking me?" Shimizu finally reached his limit. "I know you don't mean it, but if this keeps up, I won't be able to hold back."
Let's be real—Kamuro Masumi was already gorgeous, but now she was sitting on his bed in sheer black stockings, her toes brushing against him twice. It didn't hurt, but it did make his pulse race.
Anyone would think this was deliberate seduction.
But this was Kamuro Masumi—she probably hadn't even realized what she was doing.
Still, Shimizu was only human—what teenage boy wouldn't be tempted?
"...You—!" Kamuro's expression instantly shifted, her ears turning faintly pink.
She hadn't meant it like that!
She'd just been frustrated and kicked him without thinking.
But between this being his room and her being shoeless… objectively speaking, her actions did look like she was teasing him.
"Shimizu Akira! You're lusting after me!" Kamuro shot to her feet, glaring down at him.
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Shimizu nodded shamelessly. "I'm a normal, healthy high school boy, and you're a beautiful girl. We're alone in a private room, and you've rubbed against me twice—is it wrong for me to have thoughts?"
Why lie about it?
If he felt it, he felt it—he wasn't some "nice guy" protagonist from a rom-com!
Kamuro froze.
Only now did it dawn on her—if a girl went this far and the boy still didn't react, he either had problems or was faking it.
Sure, there might be one-in-a-million saints… but in her sixteen years, she'd never met one.
Yet Shimizu Akira had just admitted it outright?!
Their conversation had been going so well, too.
She'd teased him like usual, enjoying how flustered he got.
It felt like bullying a dumb kid—fun and harmless.
But now… he was looking at her like that?
I treated you as a friend, and you're eyeing me like prey?!
Though in a way, it was a compliment to her charm… it was way too embarrassing!
Kamuro's face remained stoic, but her ears burned scarlet.
After all… she'd been the one to initiate, hadn't she?
"I'm leaving! Can't stand you!" She bolted upright.
With that, she fled the room like a startled rabbit—nearly forgetting her shoes in the process.
"Ah… she's gone? Wait—did she just run away? Wasn't she here to confront me?!" Shimizu stood dumbfounded.
Who knew the usually ice-cold Kamuro Masumi could be this flustered?
Turns out even the most aloof people had their breaking points.
Shimizu took a deep breath, forcing himself to cool down.
That said, Kamuro had brought some major intel—he needed to sort through it.
He wondered if the other classes knew about this.
Pulling out his phone, he texted Ichinose Honami for confirmation.
Her reply came swiftly: Class B had also been notified of the 20-million-point transfer rule.
"Even the unreliable Hoshinomiya-sensei told them…" Shimizu set down his phone, brow furrowed.
This discovery made things… complicated.
(Then why did only Chabashira-sensei choose to hide it?)
Was she trying to prevent Class D students from leaving? But realistically, he was probably the only one in Class D who could save up that much.
Of course, there was another possibility—Chabashira Sae simply didn't care about Class D.
If no one met the requirement and no one asked, why bother announcing it?
That would fit her lazy personality.
His gaze drifted to the pair of flats left behind in the doorway—their toes slightly turned inward, as if silently recounting their owner's frantic escape.
"Now… what should I do with these shoes?"