Chapter 042: Thank You for Letting Me Take the First Step, Hikigaya-kun
After Hikigaya's question, the others had no further doubts.
After a moment of thought, Horikita Manabu decided to give his phone number to everyone.
After all, with 1st-year Class A about to welcome two new secretaries, it was only a matter of time before they obtained his number. Hikigaya from Class B already had his contact information, so this gesture felt more like granting a special privilege to the other Class B student who had come along, Ichinose Honami.
Hikigaya quickly realized the subtle dynamic: of the four people who came, Ichinose was the only one who seemed to be there just to make up the numbers.
It appeared that while Horikita Manabu seemed strict, he was actually a quite inclusive person.
Being able to get the Student Council President's number for quick contact could sometimes yield unexpected results.
Ichinose understood the significance immediately and thanked him profusely. Following this, the group prepared to leave the Student Council room.
However...
"I get the feeling Sakayanagi-san wasn't in a very good mood when she left," Hikigaya said to Ichinose beside him as they walked out, trailing behind the others.
Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi were walking ahead of them, but they didn't look like they were in a hurry to get back to class to raise points to buy the Secretary position Class B was giving up.
Sakayanagi, in particular, had a stony expression.
"Perhaps," Ichinose replied somewhat dismissively, her mind not really on Sakayanagi.
While Sakayanagi-san was a friend, there were tiers even among friends. Her focus remained on Hikigaya-kun.
Therefore.
"Um..." Ichinose suddenly walked three steps forward, then backpedaled two, coming to a halt directly in front of Hikigaya.
Hikigaya: "?!"
Hikigaya was confused by her behavior, but Ichinose quickly provided the answer.
"Hikigaya-kun, starting today, let me tutor you in math!" she declared.
??
Tutoring? Extra lessons?
'Ichinose, don't tell me you're just like the other Class B students...'
"Actually, I think my math grades—" Hikigaya wanted to say that his academic ability wasn't actually low. He had originally been a second-year student at Sobu High, a prestigious school with a high deviation value.
The quality of teaching there wasn't much different from Advanced Nurturing High School.
The only reason he had scored a 9 in math back then was because he had been injured by Yukinoshita's car while saving Yuigahama's puppy during his first year.
After resting at home, he was told there would be a quiz as soon as he returned; feeling lazy, he simply took it without studying.
He wasn't actually bad at academics.
After all, his sister Komachi was quite a good student. As an older brother, he had to be able to solve her difficult problems and help her get into Sobu High, didn't he? It was a matter of brotherly pride, so of course he worked hard. It was just that these things were difficult to say out loud.
After all, Ichinose was likely different from him; she wasn't a "sister-con."
"It doesn't matter if it's difficult to learn, I'll be very patient," Ichinose said, flashing a gentle, almost motherly smile.
"Actually..." Her cheeks flushed slightly. "When we get back, I'm going to apply to switch seats... Um, I want to be Hikigaya-kun's seatmate! That way... that way tutoring will be much more convenient."
Oh.
So that was it.
"..." Hikigaya fell silent.
He had intended to reiterate that he didn't need tutoring, but on second thought, having Ichinose sitting next to him would probably make school life a lot more interesting. He had already learned the entire first-year curriculum; repeating knowledge he already possessed every day was tedious. Why did he have to keep being a student and studying after transmigrating anyway?
He figured this was probably his punishment for having the "wicked" idea of accumulating experience in the Classroom of the Elite world to eventually woo Yukinoshita or find a "sugar mommy" to support him.
Hikigaya's thoughts wandered aimlessly.
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Returning from the Student Council, Hikigaya informed his classmates that the President had granted their class an extra Secretary position, but he had sold it for a high price of 2 million points.
Speak of the devil: as soon as he finished, a boy from Class A ran over and handed him a point card loaded with 2 million private points. This was clearly the payment for the Class B Secretary slot.
"Well then, these 2 million points are the result of everyone's hard work last month." Hikigaya had no intention of pocketing the money.
On one hand, he already had over 2 million points, which was enough for daily expenses; on the other, this reward truly belonged to all of Class B. If he took the money while everyone else continued to offer up their points and live frugally, what would he be? He'd just be like the original Ichinose, leading Class B through a life of hardship.
He didn't want to touch the money, but his classmates had other ideas.
"Our living expenses are quite sufficient right now, but it seems the upperclassmen have a habit of reserving class funds to handle exams.
Since the President mentioned we can buy 1 point on a written exam for 100,000 points, having a reserve would give those who work hard but still fall short a safety net."
In other words, the students didn't want to split the 2 million; they wanted to save it as a class fund for exams?
Even if it meant buying points for the low achievers?
"And Hoshinomiya-sensei said it takes 20 million points to waive an expulsion penalty... I, I feel like we really need to save up this money," a Class B student said timidly.
"I... I really like our current class. I don't want anyone to be expelled."
Hikigaya looked toward the voice. It was a girl with pale green hair who looked like a little fledgling: Shiranami Chihiro.
However, upon seeing Hikigaya look over, she immediately hid behind another student as if trying to vanish, her eyes reflecting an instinctive fear of him.
'Sigh, she makes me look like the bad guy.'
Hikigaya remembered clearly that he hadn't even spoken to Shiranami Chihiro yet.
Was it really because his appearance looked too much like a delinquent?
He personally thought his "dead fish eyes" were actually quite cool.
"Then it's settled." Hikigaya handed the 2 million point card to Ichinose.
"Ichinose will manage the class funds. Any expenses related to the class, classmates, or exams will come out of here."
"Okay!" the students agreed in unison.
Ichinose looked at the 2 million point card in her hand, somewhat dazed. Due to her family circumstances, she had never managed such a huge sum.
Although she had been responsible for collecting the 30% "carry fee" from everyone's living expenses to give to Hikigaya—resulting in a massive 1.06 million point transfer this month—that money was ultimately meant to be handed over; it just passed through her hands. She felt no pressure from that.
But now, she was supposed to keep such a massive amount? She remembered her mistake in middle school when she stole a hair clip from a convenience store and felt she lacked the right.
Because she was a thief, she was guilty; such a person didn't deserve to hold this money.
Just as this thought surfaced, she heard Hikigaya's voice.
"Ichinose, it's okay to leave it to you, right?" He was looking straight at her.
"Ugh..." Ichinose noticed the surrounding classmates looking at her too. Simultaneously, she heard Hikigaya's inner thoughts:
'If you use someone, don't doubt them; if you doubt them, don't use them. In the original story, the Class B students trusted her to manage the class funds,
Now she's afraid to take it. Is she still trapped in the shadows of the past?
Compared to "extraordinary" classmates like Kushida, her little incident is nothing.
The reason she was assigned to Class B was precisely because of that six-month self-imposed suspension after the theft in her middle school record. If one can't be forgiven and start over after all that, I don't know how anyone is supposed to start over.
Ichinose, tell me. Didn't you come to this school exactly to start over? Are you going to shrink back now? Don't you ever want to take that first step?'
'Uwah... fine, fine, I'll manage it.'
Ichinose quickly tucked the point card away, her heart set. She had come to this school to start over, and now was the time to take a new step.
'So, thank you, Hikigaya-kun.'
However, just as she was preparing to organize her math notes for Hikigaya, he stopped her.
"Ichinose, what do you think about this special exam?" Hikigaya suddenly asked.
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