Chapter 016 Nanase Tsubasa is an Honest and Obedient Child / The June Special Exam
In mid-May, Shimizu Akira noticed something: the students' OAA (Over-All Ability) had been updated. For the second-year students, the data now reflected their second-year performance rather than the integrated data from their first year.
Shimizu Akira's Second-Year Grades
Academic Ability | A (93) |
Physical Ability | A+ (100) |
Adaptability | A+ (97) |
Social Contribution | B (78) |
Overall Ability | A+ (92) |
Compared to last year, most categories hadn't changed much, but his Social Contribution had dropped significantly. This metric includes classroom attitude, attendance, adherence to rules, and contribution to class or school activities.
Reflecting on it, from an outsider's perspective, Akira was the one who orchestrated the cooperation with First-Year Class D during the last special exam. However, the result was that the cross-grade pair exam left Second-Year Class B in dead last. It wasn't surprising he received a 78.
"I took a quick look," Suzune Horikita said, putting down her phone next to him. "Based on the data, Second-Year Class D is the class with the least progress, while our class has improved the most."
Akira was stunned for a moment before realizing that Suzune was drawing conclusions by comparing the total scores of the first and second academic years. Consequently, Ichinose Honami's class had dropped from Class B to Class D, while their own class had risen from Class D to Class B.
Akira couldn't help but glance at the seat in front of him. Kanzaki Ryuji was right there.
Surprisingly, though Kanzaki frowned, he walked over voluntarily.
"Shimizu, don't worry about my feelings. I was in Class D before, after all, and I've felt this shift personally. I just didn't expect the OAA data to be so blatant."
"Data doesn't lie," Suzune Horikita glanced at him. "Your class's Adaptability has dropped by about 10 points overall."
Kanzaki's expression stiffened.
"Adaptability... if I recall, that's the index related to evaluating interpersonal networks, communication skills, and performance in special exams."
The most recent crushing defeat for Second-Year Class D was the Event Selection Exam, where they lost to Class C with a score of 2 to 5. Thinking back, the responsibility for that lay with him and Himeno Yuki.
If they hadn't contacted Manabe Shiho without permission, the class wouldn't have lost so miserably.
Interpersonal skills are a major indicator of Adaptability. Because Ichinose Honami was in their class, many students in Class D habitually handed over any social difficulties to her. Over time, the interpersonal abilities of a portion of the class naturally declined.
Kanzaki was silent for a while, then sighed softly.
"You're right. Data doesn't lie." He looked at Horikita and asked, "In your view, what is Class D's biggest problem right now?"
Horikita flipped through her phone to scan the data again.
"Academic ability is generally above average, and there are no major weaknesses in physical ability. But in Adaptability, everyone except you and Ichinose is generally low. Furthermore, the score distribution in your class is very uneven. High scores are concentrated in a few individuals, while the middle and lower tiers make up too large a percentage."
Kanzaki frowned.
"You mean my class relies too much on its core members?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Horikita countered calmly. "During special exams, most decisions are made by you and Ichinose; others are just executors. Over time, their ability to think independently has naturally withered."
Kanzaki didn't argue. That had always been Class D's operating model: Ichinose handled overall planning and external contact, while he handled internal coordination and execution. The students only needed to follow orders.
This was efficient when things were smooth, but once they hit a snag or the core personnel were targeted—like in the last exam—it fell apart.
He had wanted to make a change for a long time. But as it turned out, what he and Himeno did last time was worse than doing nothing.
"Shimizu, how do you think we should change?" Kanzaki asked.
Akira thought for a moment.
"I'm just talking, so just listen. Next time, talk to Honami and try delegating some minor decision-making power to others. Even if they do a poor job, it's better than never doing it at all."
Kanzaki was silent for a few seconds, then nodded. "I understand."
He said nothing more and returned to his seat.
Akira turned to Horikita. "I didn't expect you to give Kanzaki advice."
"Hmph," Horikita snorted softly. "Second-Year Class D has cooperated with us a few times; a few words of advice are fine. Besides, even if I didn't say anything, you'd probably tell Ichinose secretly anyway."
"Haha. No rush, it's not too late to wait ten days. Honami's mood has only just started to recover."
"You're quite good at taking care of her. So, are the two of you still going to a love hotel?"
Akira's mouth twitched. "Who said we were going? More importantly, how do you know about that?"
"Honami mentioned it in the group chat."
'Seriously...'
He really wanted to ask when he could join that harem group chat that seemed to share a bit too much information.
.
.
.
During the lunch break, Akira received a call from Nanase Tsubasa.
"Senpai? Could I trouble you to come to that cafe we visited before? I'd like to discuss the follow-up arrangements for the 5 million private points from our last cooperation."
Akira figured he had nothing to do during lunch anyway, so he agreed. "Sure, I'll be there in a bit."
He left the classroom and walked to the cafe, which was only a few minutes from the school. Pushing the door open, he immediately spotted Nanase sitting in a corner. She was still wearing her first-year uniform, a half-finished drink in front of her, absentmindedly twirling a strand of hair.
Seeing Akira enter, she immediately stood up and bowed slightly. "Senpai! Thank you for coming."
Akira sat across from her and ordered a coffee.
"Senpai, I'll get straight to the point," Nanase said, lowering her head. "I hope to borrow 1 million private points from you."
"Huh?" Akira was surprised. "Are you sure you didn't misspeak? Shouldn't it be your class giving my class a million?"
According to the contract from the last special exam, First-Year Class D still owed Second-Year Class B 5 million points. In mid-April, they had given Class B 1 million. In May, the accounts were automatically debited, and Class B received another 3 million. This meant First-Year Class D still owed 1 million. Those 4 million points were currently held by Suzune Horikita as class funds. Everyone trusted her character, so no one complained.
And yet, Nanase was asking to borrow money?
"Senpai, to be honest," Nanase looked up with a serious expression, "Because of the automatic debit in May, our class has almost no points left. Most students are living on wild vegetable sets in the cafeteria or getting free ingredients from the supermarket. Entertainment is out of the question."
She looked at him solemnly. "Furthermore, our class has just started the second special exam, and everyone is under a lot of pressure. So, I want to borrow 1 million points from you temporarily. I will return it in full in June, along with an extra 100,000 in interest. Would that be... alright?"
'I see, she wants to improve the class's meals?'
Wait, the first-years have already started their second special exam? The offer was to borrow 1 million and pay back 1.1 million. Akira pondered.
"I can lend you money. But I can only lend you 200,000."
Nanase blinked. "Eh? Does Senpai mean you don't have that many points? In that case, I won't—"
Akira waved her off. "It's not that I don't have the points; I can come up with a million. I just simply don't want to lend to Class D. I don't have a good impression of Housen. However, lending 200,000 to you personally is fine. I have a good impression of you. Don't worry about the interest; just pay me back when it's convenient."
To put it bluntly, lending money depends on whether he likes the person.
What kind of guy was Housen Kazuomi? He didn't know him well. Besides, aside from Nanase, he barely knew anyone in First-Year Class D. Why should he lend to them?
"Thank you for your kindness, Senpai," Nanase thanked him first, then asked tentatively, "Then... since Senpai has the money, can I borrow another 800,000?"
Akira's mouth twitched.
Did she take him for a sucker?
"No," he refused flatly. "You just want to take a million from me and secretly distribute it to your classmates, don't you? The points I give you are for your use only."
Nanase sighed helplessly. "So Senpai only allows me to use them."
Akira nodded. "Yes! That's the gist of it."
Nanase hesitated for a few seconds. "Is there no way? What if I have Housen come and apologize to you? Or... I'll give you 200,000 in interest afterward?"
Akira shook his head. "There are some things that an apology doesn't fix. And just because someone offers money doesn't mean I have to agree. Honestly, I'm not short on points right now, so your offer isn't very tempting."
He picked up his phone and tapped a few times. "Alright, I've transferred 200,000 to you. If it's not enough, you can ask again, but the condition remains: it's for you alone. If I see you spending it on others, there won't be a next time. Understand?"
With that, he stood up.
"Th-thank you, Senpai."
Akira looked back as he left; Nanase was still sitting there, looking conflicted. Truthfully, she was very good to her classmates. But that wasn't a reason he had to give money.
He could only say sorry.
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Time flew by, and soon it was June. The weather had turned hot, with temperatures hovering between 20°C and 30°C—a true heatwave. Air conditioning was now a necessity in the dorms. Akira had to eat six popsicles a day just to survive.
Speaking of which, over the past few days, he had intentionally or unintentionally gathered the transfer list for the four classes from Kikyo:
Second-Year Class A: Manabe Shiho Second-Year Class B: Kanzaki Ryuji Second-Year Class C: Koenji Rokusuke Second-Year Class D: Totsuka Yahiko
So Manabe went to Class A. If Akira remembered correctly, hadn't Manabe offended Sakayanagi Arisu before? It was easy to imagine that her life in Class A would be miserable.
Kanzaki in Class B wasn't surprising. He was steady and helpful, and he had already integrated with most of the class.
As for Class C... the specific situation wasn't clear, but since it was Koenji, one could guess with their toes that he'd be causing plenty of chaos. As for Class D, with Ichinose there, they were likely the least of anyone's worries.
Today at 8:00 AM, before class officially started, Kushida Kikyo walked up to Akira and whispered, "That guy successfully joined the Student Council."
Akira paused for a moment, immediately realizing who his girlfriend was referring to. "You mean... Yagami Takuya?"
"Yes," Kikyo nodded. "Right around the beginning of May, just after the special exam ended, he volunteered to join. Nagumo didn't even really test him; he just passed the interview and became a provisional member. Now that it's June, he's a formal member, just like me."
Akira frowned upon hearing this. "Nagumo let him in that easily?"
"Mhm," Kikyo nodded. "And you know what? He's been incredibly active since joining, grabbing every chore he can and being extremely respectful to the upperclassmen. Nagumo has a great impression of him and is reportedly considering letting him handle next year's recruitment."
Yagami Takuya, the assassin from the White Room whose goal was to expel him and Ayanokouji. Now, this man had not only successfully infiltrated the Student Council but was thriving.
"What do you think he's after?" he asked Kikyo.
Kikyo tilted her head. "Hard to say. But he's been getting close to Nagumo and proactively building relationships with others in the council. I heard he even invited Kiriyama-senpai from the second year to dinner alone last week."
"Kiriyama?"
"Yeah. The one who always wanted to be Student Council President but was suppressed by Nagumo," Kikyo explained. "Do you think he's trying to form a faction?"
Akira didn't answer immediately. Faction building? Perhaps more. People from the White Room had a purpose for every move.
"How is he treating you?" Akira looked at Kikyo. "Has he threatened you with your past?"
"Um..." At the mention of this, Kikyo frowned slightly. "He hasn't said anything yet. But I have a feeling he definitely knows."
If he wasn't saying anything now, he was likely planning something big. The fact that he was doing nothing made Kikyo uneasy. Based on that alone, Akira felt it was time to meet this Takuya Yagami face-to-face.
After Kikyo returned to her seat, Akira checked his phone. He found a mountain of messages from Nanase Tsubasa.
Nanase Tsubasa: Senpai, here is the breakdown of the ingredients I bought! I definitely didn't spend it on anyone else!
Nanase Tsubasa: Here are photos of me cooking, with a full video as proof!
Nanase Tsubasa: Here is a video of me eating...
Akira scanned through them. They were filled with shopping details, transfer records, and even clear screenshots of her phone.
'Seriously?'
He was a bit speechless. He had said she couldn't spend it on others, but he didn't expect such a detailed report. Scrolling further down, yesterday's records even included a shopping list for bathroom supplies.
'You don't need to send that kind of stuff, right?'
Was this kouhai treating this as a daily homework assignment?
As he was thinking, his phone vibrated again.
Nanase Tsubasa: Senpai, I've finished making tonight's dinner too! Here's a photo! (Attached was a decent-looking photo of curry rice.)
Nanase Tsubasa: I used ingredients bought with the points you lent me. I absolutely didn't spend them on anyone else.
Shimizu Akira: You don't have to send these every day. I believe you.
The reply was almost instantaneous.
Nanase Tsubasa: But Senpai said if you found out I spent it on someone else, you wouldn't lend to me again. I was afraid you'd misunderstand...
Shimizu Akira: I said "if I find out," not "report to me every day." You've got the premise wrong.
Nanase Tsubasa: Then how should I let Senpai know I'm not wasting them?
Shimizu Akira: I trust you. Or just send a random weekly summary if you must. Better yet, just pay me back as soon as possible.
Nanase Tsubasa: Okay! I understand! Thank you, Senpai!
Akira put down his phone. It was already June, and the 1 million points from First-Year Class D had already been paid in full to Horikita's account. As for the 200,000 Nanase borrowed, she explained that their class performed poorly in the second special exam—coming in second to last—and lost a lot of points, so she couldn't pay it back yet.
Just then, a new message arrived. He thought it was Nanase again, but it was from Ichinose Honami.
Ichinose Honami: Good morning, Akira-kun.
Shimizu Akira: Good morning, Honami.
Ichinose Honami: By the way, I chatted with Hiyori for a while last night. I feel like she really has a great impression of you!
Shimizu Akira: What did you talk about?
Ichinose Honami: Just that thing from last time. I wanted to test her attitude and see if she'd be more proactive. Don't worry, I didn't say it directly, I just dropped some hints.
Ichinose Honami: She said planting trees with you was very fun, and she didn't expect you to have so much patience to accompany her in the riddle activity.
Ichinose Honami: Oh, and she specifically asked me how many girlfriends you have now. I said seven. Guess what? Her expression was clearly a bit jealous.
Ichinose Honami: I think I might have misunderstood Hiyori Shiina before. She doesn't seem as indifferent to feelings as she appears on the surface.
Ichinose Honami: Anyway, there's hope!
The image of the quiet Hiyori Shiina floated into Akira's mind.
'There's hope?'
That was good news.
However, before he could savor the thought, it passed 8:20 AM. Chabashira-sensei walked in with a tablet.
"It seems everyone is here." She scanned the room. "Without further ado, I will now announce the arrangements for this semester's Special Exam—the Uninhabited Island Survival Exam."
'As expected, the uninhabited island.'
As soon as he heard this, Akira sent a message to the staff members he worked with last year. He quickly received a reply: this year, they would once again be cooperating with the school.
'Hmm? Doesn't that make things much more convenient in every way?'
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