Chapter 006: Shiraishi Asuka!
Ryuen put down his spinning pen, leaned his body forward slightly, and turned his gaze toward Sakagami Kazuma standing by the podium.
"Sakagami," Ryuen spoke, "Can this ten-point bonus for the written exam be transferred to someone else?"
The classroom fell silent for a moment. Everyone's eyes were fixed on Sakagami Kazuma.
Sakagami pushed up his glasses and looked at Ryuen. His expression didn't change much, but a glint flickered slightly in his eyes. He naturally understood what Ryuen was plotting—having students with high physical ability rush for the individual top ten scores to get the ten-point written exam bonus, then transferring it to students who might fail the written exam. This way, they could preserve both the scores and the people.
However, Sakagami remained silent for two seconds before slowly speaking, "The rules do not state that they can be gifted."
Ryuen's brow furrowed.
"But—" Sakagami's tone shifted, the corners of his mouth curving slightly, "the rules also don't state that it is absolutely forbidden."
Ryuen stared at him, waiting for him to continue.
Sakagami pulled another sheet of paper from his folder, glanced down, and then looked up. "The school has a separate process for the transfer of such rewards. Simply put, if you want to transfer the ten-point bonus to another person, you need to apply to the school for transfer permissions. And this permission—" He paused. "Requires points to purchase."
Ryuen's frown deepened. "How much?"
Sakagami pushed up his glasses. "Five hundred thousand."
The classroom fell silent again. Five hundred thousand points was a massive sum for Class C, who just last semester were worrying about living expenses. But now—
"Five hundred thousand..." someone whispered the number, their tone carrying an indescribable complexity.
"Doesn't our class have three million in class funds right now?" another voice added. "If it's five hundred thousand, we should be able to afford it, right?"
"It's not a question of whether we can afford it; it's a question of whether it's worth it."
"How is it not worth it? Ten points for all subjects! If someone is a few points short of passing the written exam, these ten points are a lifesaver."
The murmuring rose again, but this time it wasn't panic; it was a more serious, calculating discussion.
As a class filled with academic underachievers—or being underachievers themselves—everyone was doing the math in their heads. Is it worth buying one transfer permission for 500,000? If one person in the class gets the ten-point reward and transfers it to the person most at risk for the written exam, that person passes safely. If two people get it, they transfer to two people. If three...
Ryuen leaned back in his chair, running the numbers through his head. If you bought points directly, one point cost 100,000. If someone failed the written exam, it cost 20 million to prevent expulsion. Either way, 500,000 for one transfer permission was a much better deal.
He turned his head, his gaze falling on Hiyori Shiina.
Hiyori sat by the window, her long silver hair glowing softly in the sunlight. She was sitting there quietly; the materials in front of her were open to the first page, but she wasn't reading. Her gaze was fixed on the playground outside, seemingly lost in thought.
Ryuen knew that Hiyori's written exam scores were the best in Class C. The ten-point bonus across all subjects was optional for her. However, her physical ability wasn't great, falling into the middle tier among the girls. Therefore, it was almost impossible for her to break into the individual top ten.
"Shiina," Ryuen said.
Hiyori snapped back to reality and turned to look at him.
"For this exam, don't worry about scoring points," Ryuen said directly. "Your task is to organize the participation table. You decide who enters which events and how to arrange them."
Hiyori paused for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."
She didn't ask questions, nor did she decline. Ryuen entrusting such an important matter to her meant he trusted her judgment. She also lacked confidence in her own physical abilities; rather than forcing herself to chase points, it was better to focus her energy where it was more valuable.
Ryuen withdrew his gaze and scanned the classroom again. His eyes stopped briefly on Ibuki Mio.
Ryuen knew Ibuki's written scores weren't good. But her physical ability—he remembered during the deserted island exam when Ibuki followed Hikigaya Hachiman along mountain paths all afternoon and barely breathed hard upon returning. Adding in her childhood martial arts background, it wasn't impossible for her to aim for the top five in the girls' division.
"Ibuki," Ryuen spoke again.
Ibuki looked up at him.
"Did you exercise over the break?" Ryuen asked.
Ibuki's expression stiffened slightly. She opened her mouth to say something but ultimately just nodded. "I ran. I did strength training too."
Ryuen didn't say anything more, merely grunting an "un" before leaning back in his chair.
Meanwhile, his mind was already calculating another matter—paying 500,000 for transfer permissions was worth it. But if after buying them, not a single person in the class broke into the top ten, then that 500,000 would be wasted. So, he needed to ensure that at least one, preferably two, could break through.
Albert was one. Ibuki—possibly. As for himself, he probably couldn't; Class A and Class B both had "monsters," and the idiot Sudo Ken from Class D had physical abilities that could completely crush him.
Ryuen withdrew his gaze and put down his pen.
And so.
Ryuen said, "Alright. You've seen all the rules. Those who need to train, train. Those who need to arrange events, arrange them. In two weeks, if anyone slacks off—"
He didn't finish the sentence, but everyone knew what was in that ellipsis. No one dared to slack off, and no one dared to relax at this time. Class C had started from zero points in the first month and climbed to their current position; every step had been taken on the edge of a blade. This Sports Festival was their best chance to surge upward.
Especially since, in the Red vs. White confrontation, they were teamed up with Class A—the class where Hikigaya Hachiman was. Hachiman certainly wouldn't let the Red Team lose.
So, this could be considered a chance to pick up 200 class evaluation points for free.
"Such good luck," someone thought.
"..."
What Hiyori was thinking about, however, was this exam itself; because the score gaps were so large, it would likely turn into a very troublesome chaotic battle.
Also, Hachiman-kun's "inner voice" probably couldn't be used again.
A wise person wouldn't fall into the same pit twice.
She thought to herself.
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Lunchtime arrived.
Sunlight flooded through the windows, cutting bright diagonal lines across the hallway floor. In the Class A classroom, students stood up in twos and threes. Some headed for the door, some pulled bento boxes from their desks, and others huddled together to decide which floor of the cafeteria to visit.
Ichinose Honami took a light pink bento box out of her bag. It was wrapped in cloth with neat corners, looking like it had been freshly made that morning. She placed the box on the desk, untied the cloth, and opened the lid. Over the rice were layers of tamagoyaki, cherry tomatoes, a few pieces of fried chicken, and a small bunch of broccoli—the colors were perfectly balanced.
"Ichinose-san, you brought a bento today too?" Mako Amikura, sitting in the front row, turned around with sparkling eyes looking at the box. "It looks so delicious!"
"Thank you." Ichinose smiled and picked up her chopsticks. "I made it when I woke up this morning; it took a little time."
"You made it yourself?" Amikura's eyes sparkled even more. "So impressive! I only know how to buy rice balls from the convenience store."
Several girls nearby also crowded around, chirping praises about the bento's appearance. Ichinose was surrounded, a gentle smile constantly on her lips. She responded occasionally, but mostly she just listened quietly.
"Ichinose-san, want to go to the cafeteria together? We're planning to go to the second floor," a girl with a ponytail asked, her tone full of expectation.
"Yeah, yeah, let's eat together," another girl chimed in.
Ichinose's fingers gripped her chopsticks slightly. She glanced toward the window—Hachiman's seat was already empty, and his backpack was gone. He had probably gone to the cafeteria. She withdrew her gaze and smiled at the girls.
"Sure. Let me finish this bit, and then I'll find you."
The girls nodded with smiles and walked out first. The classroom gradually quieted down, leaving only a few scattered people. Ichinose looked down, picked up a piece of tamagoyaki, and put it in her mouth, chewing slowly. The taste was actually good, but she couldn't really savor it.
Although she wouldn't be having lunch with Hachiman-kun, she remembered him leaving in a hurry just now.
And according to her understanding, it was very likely he was having lunch with another girl.
It probably wasn't Karuizawa-san, though.
Since those two might eat together in the evening, they likely wouldn't do so during lunch when there were so many eyes around.
So, who exactly was the person who asked Hachiman-kun out this noon...
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On the other side.
Hachiman was leaning against the window in the hallway outside the third-floor cafeteria, holding his phone. On the screen was the message Sakayanagi had sent him during the morning homeroom.
[Do you know Shiraishi Asuka?]
When he saw that message, his fingers had paused. Shiraishi Asuka—formerly Class A, now Class B. Long blonde hair with a beauty mark under her eye, a girl with quite high visual appeal in Class B.
But this name was also very special in the original story.
Her information was also quite peculiar: excellent academic ability but weak athletic ability, a quiet and low-profile personality full of mystery. Because of rumors of an extensive romantic history (such as the "Hundred-Man Slayer"), boys didn't dare approach her easily. Meanwhile, she was very interested in voices; in the original story, she could get excited just by hearing Ayanokouji's voice.
Clearly, this was not a normal state of being.
But then again, she wasn't a normal person either; she was an "Observer" sent by the White Room, seemingly to observe Ayanokouji.
However, that was only the public data.
And now, Sakayanagi was asking him.
Hachiman had hesitated at the time and didn't reply immediately. He put his phone in his pocket, went through one class, then another, until the lunch break bell rang. Only then did he take out his phone again and type a line.
[Let's eat lunch together. Meet at the third-floor cafeteria.]
After sending it, he put his phone away and turned toward the third-floor cafeteria.
The lighting in the third-floor cafeteria was softer than downstairs, with warm-colored light strips embedded in the ceiling, making the whole space feel lukewarm and quiet. Hachiman pushed open the door of the private room he had long since reserved; it was empty. He sat down by the window and checked his phone—no new messages.
In other words, Sakayanagi hadn't arrived yet.
Hachiman thought for a bit. Although he had invited Sakayanagi, her "puppy" Kamuro would likely come along as well. However, he couldn't bring himself to make Kamuro wait in line for food every single time. So, he stood up, left the room, and walked toward the meal pick-up area.
The dishes in the third-floor cafeteria were much more refined than downstairs. Each portion was individually plated on small dishes, looking like something from a high-end restaurant. Hachiman carried a tray, circled the pick-up area, and selected meals for three—grilled fish, stewed meat, vegetable salad, and miso soup, taking three of each.
The tray was somewhat heavy, but he carried it steadily.
He brought the food back to the private room and arranged it on the table. The three main dishes were placed side-by-side in the center, with side dishes and soup on the flanks, and chopsticks aligned on the same side, perfectly neat. He took a look, felt it was sufficient, and sat down by the window to take out his phone and wait.
After about five minutes, the light sound of a cane tapping the floor came from the door.
Hachiman looked up. Sakayanagi Arisu pushed the door open. She wasn't wearing her beret today; her straight silver hair fell naturally, and her face wore a gentle and polite smile.
Even though they hadn't met much over the break, Hachiman had to admit that Sakayanagi Arisu was indeed cute.
However, he wasn't a lolicon, so he wasn't swayed.
Masumi Kamuro followed behind her, her purple hair draped over her shoulders, with three different colored clips pinning her bangs. Her expression was the same as usual—cold, with a hint of disdain, as if she were dissatisfied with everything.
However, the colors of the clips had changed; it seemed the holiday had brought her a bit of change as well.
However, Sakayanagi and Kamuro's gazes simultaneously fell upon the three neatly arranged meals on the table.
Kamuro's eyes widened slightly. She opened her mouth as if to say something but didn't. She had assumed she would have to wait in line for food again today—just like last time: running errands, carrying dishes, and finally paying out of her own pocket to treat them. And the result? The food was already picked up, set on the table, and even the chopsticks were laid out.
This gave her a feeling of being overwhelmed by unexpected favor.
"Sit." Hachiman pointed to the seats opposite him. "Eat first. We'll talk after we eat."
Sakayanagi glanced at him, the corners of her mouth curving slightly. She sat down opposite Hachiman, leaning her cane against the table. Kamuro hesitated for a moment before sitting
next to Sakayanagi, her movements much more natural than last time, the chair making almost no sound.
Sakayanagi picked up her chopsticks and looked down at the tray in front of her. The grilled fish was cooked just right, the skin slightly charred and glistening with oil. The stewed meat sauce was thick, and the dressing for the vegetable salad was placed separately in a small dish.
"Hikigaya-kun," Sakayanagi spoke, her voice still in that sweet tone, "You really do have the air of someone who could become a house husband."
Hachiman was picking up some grilled fish; hearing this, the chopsticks in his hand paused. He looked up at Sakayanagi with a very serious expression.
"I do indeed hope to develop in that direction."
Oh.
However, Sakayanagi didn't say anything more. She simply lowered her head, picked up a piece of fish, and put it in her mouth. Her chewing was very slow, as if she were savoring something.
Kamuro sat beside her and picked up her chopsticks but didn't speak. Her gaze swept back and forth between Hachiman and Sakayanagi before she lowered her head to eat quietly.
But her mind was already turning over other things.
Hikigaya Hachiman—capable, smart, able to earn nearly a hundred million points in one exam, leading Class B up to Class A, and securing the position of Student Council Vice President. Such a person would be the elite of elites anywhere. But his ideal was to be a house husband. Doesn't want to go to office, doesn't want to work, just wants to be supported by an excellent wife.
Kamuro picked up a piece of stewed meat, chewed twice, and swallowed. She glanced at Sakayanagi.
Sakayanagi Arisu—the only daughter of the Sakayanagi family, the Chairman's daughter, raised since childhood as a successor. Although her health was poor, that pride and composure were bred into her bones. Precisely because her body was weak, her future partner would likely have to marry into the Sakayanagi family, work for the family, and shoulder the family's burdens.
Kamuro compared the two in her mind.
One doesn't want to work, one needs a partner who works.
Kamuro knew that Sakayanagi had feelings for Hikigaya, but wasn't their compatibility... completely mismatched?
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