Chapter 021 Quite a Few People Like Ichinose, Huh / Sakayanagi Arisu's Card Exchange
After fainting once during the Class Poll exam a few months ago, Sakayanagi Arisu had to visit the school clinic for regular follow-up exams every two weeks. Today, she had been specifically called in by Hoshinomiya Chie.
Propped up by her cane, she pushed open the door to the health office. Hoshinomiya Chie greeted her with her usual infectious enthusiasm: "Sakayanagi-kun is here! Come here, come here. Let's check your heart rate first."
Arisu walked over, somewhat reluctantly.
However, Hoshinomiya dropped her usual flighty persona while examining her, focusing seriously on the instruments. Two or three minutes later, she said in a relaxed tone, "Mhm, looks like there are no problems. Just be careful not to get angry in the future, and you should be fine."
Arisu let out a silent sigh of relief. Regardless of anything else, health was more important than anything.
"Right, right," Hoshinomiya said as she picked up the remote to set the AC to 22°C. Then, as if feeling the heat, she shrugged off half of her white lab coat, revealing the striking curves of her chest. "The reason I called you here is actually on the instructions of Acting Chairman Tsukishiro. He insisted that I check your physical condition."
Arisu couldn't help but cast a glance. Her heart felt inexplicably sour.
'That figure is just too good.'
Come to think of it, she wondered if it was a specific rule in Japan or something, but the female teachers in health offices always seemed to have incredible bodies.
Male students certainly enjoyed visiting, but had the school considered the feelings of female students like her who weren't as well-endowed?
She forced herself to look away and asked, "Oh? Acting Chairman Tsukishiro is actually so concerned about a common student like me?"
"Well, it's simple, really." Hoshinomiya picked up a small fan to cool herself. "It's already the end of June. The Deserted Island Special Exam starts in about ten days. The Acting Chairman wanted me to evaluate whether you're capable of participating. Personally, I think it should be fine."
"I can actually participate in the Deserted Island Special Exam?" Arisu was completely stunned.
"Yes. However, your rules will be quite special," Hoshinomiya explained. "Simply put, you won't be able to move freely around the island, but you can stay at the starting point and fight within the rules like everyone else. The rules allow you to consult with your teammates at any
time. However, if you become the last person left in the group, the group will be immediately disqualified."
During last year's island exam, Arisu couldn't participate due to her health. She had assumed this time would be the same. She hadn't expected Tsukishiro to come up with such a workaround.
'Since when did that man become so kind?'
Regardless, it was good news. Arisu lowered her head and gave a polite thanks: "Thank you, Hoshinomiya-sensei."
"No need to thank me," Hoshinomiya said with a beaming smile. "However, it seems my dear Ichinose was bullied by you once. If possible, it would be wonderful if you could give her a sincere apology and maybe offer some compensation."
"Compensation and an apology?" Arisu recalled that Shimizu Akira had indeed mentioned this to her. Her face immediately donned a standard, polite smile. "No. Everything I did was for Ichinose-kun's own good. I think she should be thanking me instead."
"Mhm... I see." Hoshinomiya's expression turned troubled. "Then in a few days, let me check your heart again. I feel like I didn't examine it thoroughly enough."
Arisu's brow furrowed. "Hoshinomiya-sensei, are you threatening me? If I don't apologize to Ichinose, are you going to revoke my eligibility for the island exam?"
"Eh? I never said that." Hoshinomiya looked innocent. "Sakayanagi-kun, because your brain is too sharp, you tend to overthink. I'm just fulfilling my duty as a school nurse. Isn't it only natural to check a heart multiple times?"
Arisu stared at Hoshinomiya's smiling face for three full seconds.
The teacher still looked harmless, and under the half-shed lab coat, that "useless mass of flesh" on her chest seemed even more prominent. But in Arisu's eyes right now, this woman was even more detestable than Tsukishiro.
"I understand," she finally chose to retreat. "I will consider it."
"Consider what?" Hoshinomiya tilted her head.
"The apology," Arisu said, emphasizing every word. "The apology to Ichinose Honami."
"My, Sakayanagi-kun is so understanding!" Hoshinomiya laughed happily, put down her fan, and patted Arisu's shoulder warmly. "No rush, you can go whenever you're ready. After all, an apology only works if it's sincere!"
She added: "Of course, it would be best if it happened before the island exam. The pressure is high during exams, and if your heart starts acting up... tsk tsk."
Arisu took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her smile.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei is truly a doctor who cares for her students."
"Of course, I am a health office teacher, after all," Hoshinomiya said righteously. "The physical and mental health of the students is my responsibility."
She turned over a page in a small notebook she took from a drawer. "There's a regular check-up next week. Remember to be on time, Sakayanagi-kun. We can talk about the progress of your apology then... ah, no, I mean your physical condition."
Arisu: "......"
"I'm going to apologize to Ichinose Honami right now. Is that satisfactory?" She stood up, leaning on her cane to leave.
"That's wonderful! Take care, Sakayanagi-kun~" Hoshinomiya waved enthusiastically. "Remember, don't get angry. Anger is bad for the heart!"
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Arisu clutched her chest and left the clinic quickly. In the hallway, she took out her phone and sent a message to Shimizu Akira:
Sakayanagi Arisu: Ichinose really has quite a few people who like her. Besides you, there are others standing up for her.
She expected a wait, but the phone vibrated almost instantly.
Shimizu Akira: ? Are you talking about Hoshinomiya-sensei?
Sakayanagi Arisu: Yes.
Shimizu Akira: Well, obviously. Ichinose is Hoshinomiya-sensei's pride and joy. She's been looking for a chance to stand up for Honami. You just happened to walk into her crosshairs.
Arisu stared at the screen, feeling a strange pang of jealousy. Her own homeroom teacher had never been this attentive toward her.
Sakayanagi Arisu: I promised her I'd apologize. So, where is Ichinose right now?
Shimizu Akira: I don't know. Ask her yourself. Wouldn't it be more sincere to find out on your own?
Arisu felt a faint ache in her heart. Fine. Since she could participate in the exam now, she had intended to visit Ichinose anyway; she might as well handle it all at once.
She persuaded herself, opened her GPS locator, and checked Ichinose Honami's position.
'Hm? She's in the dormitory?'
She walked toward the dorm building. On the way, she decided to make a call first.
"Ichinose-kun, is it convenient for us to meet?"
"Eh? Sure! You can come straight to my room. The room number is XXX."
Exactly as Arisu wanted.
Arisu took the elevator up and knocked lightly on Honami's door. It was opened quickly. Honami leaned halfway out, and seeing Arisu standing there, she clearly hesitated. Even though they had just agreed over the phone, seeing Arisu at her doorstep was still a surprise.
"Sakayanagi-kun... please, come in."
She stepped aside, and Arisu entered. The room was exactly as Arisu imagined: tidy and warm. There were professional books on wilderness survival on the desk—clearly preparation for the island exam—a few small green plants on the windowsill, and a stuffed toy on the bed.
"Have a seat." Honami closed the door, looking inexplicably restless. "Would you like something to drink? Water? Juice? I recently asked Hiyori and learned a new way to brew tea."
"Don't go to the trouble." Arisu sat in the chair by the desk, leaning her cane to the side. "I'll only be a moment."
Honami nodded and sat on the edge of her bed, hands resting neatly on her knees. Arisu felt a sudden urge to laugh.
'Who was the one who did something wrong here?'
However, Arisu decided to be direct: "I've come to apologize for spreading those rumors about you."
Honami blinked but said nothing.
"My actions at the time caused you distress. Although my intention wasn't a personal attack, it resulted in your humiliation. I'm sorry." After saying this, Arisu lowered her head slightly. It wasn't a deep bow, but for her, it was a rare gesture of humility.
Honami stared at her for several seconds and then suddenly laughed.
"Sakayanagi-kun, do you know? This is the first time I've heard you apologize."
Arisu looked up. "Are you mocking me?"
"No, no!" Honami waved her hands hurriedly. "I mean... well, it's quite a surprise. I thought someone like you would never admit they were wrong."
"I never give an insincere apology," Arisu said. "Of course, if you don't accept it, I understand. I'm just here to do what I must."
She reached for her cane, pretending to leave.
"Wait."
As expected, Honami called her back. Arisu stopped.
Honami stood up, walked to her desk, took out a small box from a drawer, and held it out to her. "Here, for you."
"...What is this?"
"I made some cookies a few days ago." Honami smiled. "These are left over from when I was making treats with Shiranami. If you don't mind, please take them."
Arisu looked at the exquisitely packaged box but didn't take it immediately. "I sabotaged you, yet you're giving me a gift?"
Honami pressed the box into her hands. "Although you did make me very sad before, I know Sakayanagi-kun has her own reasons for doing things. And while that incident was indeed a dark period for me, looking at the result, it made me face myself more honestly and brought me closer to Shimizu-kun. So, I'm not really angry now."
Arisu finally smiled. "As expected, you're just like I thought. You're still the same 'goody-two-shoes'."
"Hehe, and Sakayanagi-kun is still the same—always so confident," Honami said with a smile. "However, I don't think you'd suddenly come to apologize on your own. Did someone tell you to? Was it Akira-kun?"
'A goody-two-shoes, but with sharp intuition.'
Arisu decided to tell the truth. "Shimizu-kun did mention that I should apologize. But the main reason I came today is Hoshinomiya-sensei. During the Class Poll exam, she was the one who rushed me to the clinic. I owe her a favor. She wanted me to apologize, so here I am."
"Eh? It really was Akira-kun!" Honami's eyes lit up. "I knew he liked being good to me behind my back. But you're right, Hoshinomiya-sensei did take you to the clinic then."
"Mhm." Arisu then said seriously, "So, what kind of compensation does Ichinose-kun want?"
Honami was stunned, then waved it off. "No need for compensation! I'm already very happy that you came to apologize."
"That won't do." Arisu's tone allowed no room for refusal. "Sakayanagi Arisu never owes favors. Since I caused you trouble, compensation is only right."
Honami fell into deep thought, unable to think of what to ask for. Seeing her dilemma, Arisu took the opportunity to make an offer.
"How about this: I will give your Class D five of our Class A's 'Half-Off' cards."
"Eh?!" Honami blinked in surprise. "That's too valuable! I can't take them."
"It's fine." Arisu waved it off indifferently. "The Half-Off cards only take effect if you rank in the bottom five. With twelve classes across three years participating, I don't believe our class will fall into the bottom five."
Then, she looked at Honami with a half-smile. "Don't you always want to protect your classmates? If you miss this chance, there won't be a second one."
Honami hesitated for a few seconds before slowly nodding. "Then... thank you, Sakayanagi-kun. However, receiving five Half-Off cards for free makes me feel uneasy. How about this: I'll exchange one million from our class funds for them?"
Arisu couldn't help but laugh. "Ichinose-kun, you are still so naive. The function of a Half-Off card is only to turn the one million private points needed to prevent expulsion into 500,000, and it only works for the bottom five. Your price is too high."
Her tone shifted: "However, rather than one million points, I want your class's 'More Members' card."
The More Members card takes effect once the exam begins. It allows an initial three-person group to expand into a four-person group, bypassing the restrictions on gender pairing and the six-person large group limit. To Arisu, this was the most valuable of the eight card types.
"The More Members card?" Honami realized. "You mean the card that lets a group add one person?"
"Exactly." Arisu nodded. "You have that card, don't you? I recall the OAA showing that Asakura Mako of Class D held it, but since you are the Class D representative, you should be able to coordinate it."
Honami thought for a moment and didn't deny it. "Yes, Asakura-kun did draw that card. But why does Sakayanagi-kun want it? With Class A's strength, three people should be enough, right?"
"Three are certainly enough," Arisu smiled. "But four are more flexible. And you know my physical condition. Although I can participate, my movement is restricted. Having an extra member to share the tasks is a huge safeguard for me."
She spoke candidly: "To put it bluntly, I need the More Members card to compensate for my own shortcomings. Five Half-Off cards for one More Members card isn't a bad deal for you. Your class gets five extra insurance policies, and I get the flexibility I need. A win-win."
Honami lowered her head in contemplation.
Arisu was right. Class D's overall strength was weak, and the possibility of them falling into the bottom five was much higher than Class A's. Five Half-Off cards meant five classmates could be saved from the risk of expulsion. For Ichinose, who always wanted to protect everyone, the temptation was too great.
But the More Members card was also precious.
"I understand your hesitation," Arisu continued, seeing Honami's delay. "Tell you what, I'll add one more condition—Yamamoto Koharu of our Class A has a 'Nullify' card, which can completely avoid a penalty. If you give me the More Members card, that becomes your class's property as well."
Honami looked up, surprised. "Six cards for one?"
"As I said before," Arisu laughed, "our class won't be at the bottom, so these cards are useless to us."
Honami stared at her for several seconds. "Sakayanagi-kun, are you betting everything on this Deserted Island exam?"
"Hehe, don't worry about me." Arisu didn't bat an eye. "What, still not agreeing? How about this! I remember your class has always wanted Katsuragi Kouhei, right? Your class should have over 20 million private points. I'll act as the intermediary—you can just buy him outright. How about that?"
Honami was stunned. "This..."
"What? Worried he won't come to Class D?" Arisu interrupted her hesitation. "Don't forget, your class has Totsuka Yahiko now. You can spend 5 million to buy him, and Katsuragi would have no reason to refuse."
She paused, then continued, "Plus the five Half-Off cards and the Nullify card I'm giving you, your class already had eight Half-Off cards to begin with. With so many safety nets in hand, even if you temporarily lose your class funds, you won't have to worry about expulsion. No matter how you look at it, it's not a loss, right?"
Honami rubbed her temples. "Sakayanagi-kun is truly amazing. Your apology was just a front; you actually came here to negotiate, didn't you? Tossing out these three conditions one by one... you really have me cornered."
Arisu finally showed a satisfied smile. "So, do you agree?"
"Fine, I agree," Honami nodded slowly. "However, the More Members card isn't in my hands. I have to discuss it with Asakura-kun first. But she's very kind and shouldn't refuse, since the six cards we receive in return are to protect our classmates."
"Then I'll leave it to you." Arisu nodded.
Honami stood up and went to her desk to grab her phone. "I'll message her now to ask."
Arisu sat to the side, watching her quietly. This trade looked like a massive loss on paper. But given her physical condition, if she couldn't get into a four-person group, her movements during the exam would be restricted at every turn. For this More Members card, any price was worth paying.
"Ah, Asakura-kun replied!" Honami held up her phone. "She says no problem! She's happy to help everyone!"
Arisu smiled. "Good. In a few days, I'll have a classmate bring the cards to you. Remember to give me a list before then. Cards can only be transferred once, and each person can only use one card of the same type. You'd better plan your candidates in advance. As for your More Members card, just transfer it directly to Hashimoto Masayoshi."
Honami followed her logic. "Transfer it to Hashimoto? I recall that the top-ranked members of Class A's OAA are Sakayanagi-kun, Hayato Kito, and Kamuro Masumi. So, your plan is to form a three-person team with Kamuro and Kito (two girls, one boy), and then have Hashimoto join with the More Members card, making a perfect four-person group of two boys and two girls?"
"Correct. That is exactly my plan," Arisu nodded.
Honami wasn't actually stupid; she was just prone to trusting others. In reasoning involving logic and interpersonal relationships, her reactions were quite sharp.
"Alright, that's about everything. I'll take my leave now."
Before leaving, Arisu hesitated briefly, then reached out and took the box of handmade cookies Ichinose had made.
The door closed, leaving Honami alone in her dorm. She sat back on her bed, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Hashimoto-kun is holding the More Members card..."
If she remembered correctly, Kanzaki Ryuji had mentioned something to her once. Hashimoto had privately approached him and Ryuen Kakeru, saying that if the reward was high enough, he wouldn't mind betraying his class.
Arisu had just given her class two people and staked so much on this exam. If Hashimoto betrayed her at the critical moment...
Wouldn't Arisu lose everything?
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