The moment Horikita Suzune uttered the words "way out," the noisy Class C classroom fell silent. Everyone turned to stare, wondering what the usually aloof girl would propose.
"Horikita-san, do you have a way to stop Sudou from being expelled?" Hirata Yousuke, visibly agitated, rushed over. His handsome face was etched with worry—he couldn't bear to see a classmate forced out.
Assessing the situation, Kushida Kikyō also approached Horikita's desk. Whether genuine or not, she had to play the role of the concerned classmate.
"If you have an idea, Horikita-san, please share it. None of us want Sudou to leave." Batting her large, pretty eyes, Kushida gazed earnestly at the black-haired girl.
"It's simple."
Horikita paused, then looked directly at Chabashira. "As I recall, Chabashira-sensei, the S-system in this school has extensive authority, correct?"
"Correct. So what's your plan?"
"Then what if..." Horikita's eyes shifted to the rankings on the blackboard. "...I were to buy the point Sudou is missing from you, Chabashira-sensei?"
The room exploded into chatter.
"Huh?!"
"Buying points from a teacher? Is that even allowed?"
"If we can just buy points, do we even need to take exams?"
Though Class C had purchased the school's hidden rules, most students had focused on class rankings and graduation prospects—not the uses of private points.
Hikaru had emphasized two key points:
1. With 2 million points, you could freely transfer classes.
2. You could avoid expulsion once.
But this rule hadn't stuck in Class C's minds—after all, who could actually save up that much?
"Oh?"
Chabashira raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I believe it's a reasonable request, don't you, Chabashira-sensei?"
Horikita studied the teacher's expression and knew the idea was viable.
She'd learned this from Hikaru. Ever since discovering he'd bought the hidden rules from a teacher, she'd kept it in mind.
"True, this request does comply with school regulations."
Chabashira glanced at Horikita, then at the rest of the class. "But can you afford the cost?"
"Chabashira-sensei, just tell us—how much for that one point?" Hirata, hopeful, pressed further. "We can pool our points together."
"Is that so?"
The young teacher didn't mince words.
"Fine. I'll sell you the point. But..."
"To prevent Sudou's expulsion, the price is 100,000 private points. Can you gather that much?"
The class was stunned. No one had expected a single point to be so expensive.
"What?!"
"That's way too much!"
"Hey, teach, you're messing with us, right? It's the end of the month—how are we supposed to have that much?!"
Haruki Yamauchi, perpetually broke, didn't want Sudou expelled either—they were friends. But 100,000? He'd already blown through his points and was borrowing just to get by.
"Yeah, sensei, can't you lower it a bit?"
Hirata paled at the price. Last month, Class C's evaluation points were 390, so each student had only received 3,900 points on the 1st.
And in April, after buying the hidden rules, most students were already strapped for cash.
Hirata himself had barely a few thousand left—he was counting on the June deposit.
"Please, sensei. If you lower the price, we might be able to borrow from other classes and scrape it together." Though inwardly sneering, Kushida played the role of the desperate mediator, begging Chabashira for mercy.
Horikita, meanwhile, tensed at the figure.
Though frugal, she'd spent a significant amount last month on the hidden rules. Even with the new deposit, she only had about 10,000–20,000 left.
"Chabashira-sensei, isn't this price excessively harsh?" Horikita met the teacher's gaze. "How much time do we have to gather the points?"
"Heh. Sharp as ever, Horikita."
Chabashira's expression didn't waver. "The price is set by the school. I'm just the messenger. Whether you buy it or not is up to you."
"You have until 3:30 PM today. If you can't gather 100,000 points by then, I'll process Sudou's withdrawal after school."
"Rules are rules. The school won't make exceptions for anyone. If you can't pay, use the remaining time to say your goodbyes."
The icy words plunged the room into silence.
Exchanging glances with Kushida, Hirata saw the same helplessness in her eyes. 100,000 points was an impossible sum.
"Does anyone know students from other classes? Maybe we can borrow some during lunch." Hirata took a deep breath, rallying the class.
"We can't let Sudou-kun get expelled!" Kushida's eyes shimmered with worry as she addressed familiar faces. "I still have some left. If we all chip in, maybe we can make it?"
"But..."
"It's the end of the month, Kushida-chan. Other classes are probably broke too." Yamauchi glanced at Sudou, who was gripping his desk, face dark.
As a newly minted regular in the basketball club, expulsion was the last thing Sudou wanted.
"But we won't know unless we try, right?"
Kushida pressed urgently. "Let's all check our points and see how much we can pool together."
"Uh..."
"I only have 3,000 left. If I give it up, I'll be stuck eating野菜套餐 (veggie meals) for days." Some were reluctant—Sudou wasn't exactly popular.
"Same here, Kushida-chan. I still owe points to someone from another class. I'm broke."
As the class floundered, Kushida inwardly scoffed. This is their true nature when push comes to shove.
But when she turned, she noticed the black-haired girl typing on her phone—texting someone.
She has someone to text?!
Kushida's smile faltered.
Indeed, Horikita was messaging someone—none other than Hikaru Hashima.
During their last meal together, she'd glimpsed his phone screen when he paid. He'd had around 200,000 points left—surely he still had some now.
Horikita's reason for saving Sudou was purely pragmatic: she refused to let class evaluation points drop.
So, for the first time, she initiated contact.
---
Meanwhile, in his seat, Hikaru was reading when his phone buzzed.
Huh? She's texting me? That was a first.
Horikita Suzune: Hashima-kun, I need your help with something.
Hikaru Hashima: What is it?
Horikita Suzune: Can you lend me some private points? I'll pay you back later.
"?"
This was odd. From their previous interactions, Horikita struck him as frugal—unlikely to be short on points.
Hikaru Hashima: Mind sharing why?
Horikita quickly typed out a lengthy explanation. Time was of the essence—Chabashira was still waiting.
After reading it, Hikaru stroked his chin. They bought the exam papers, yet someone still failed to meet the benchmark?
Class C—formerly Class D—never fails to impress.
Then his eyes lit up. This was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.
Hikaru Hashima: Is Kushida-san helping pool points too?
Horikita Suzune: …She is. What does that have to do with lending me points?
Hikaru Hashima: Just curious. Of course I'll lend you the points. Try pooling what you can with your class first, then tell them I'll cover the rest. That way, Sudou won't be expelled.
Horikita Suzune: Understood.
Setting her phone down, Horikita addressed Chabashira.
"Chabashira-sensei, I can borrow the points. Can you give me a moment?"
"Horikita-san can get the points?!" Hirata's eyes widened, and the class turned to her in hope.
"Yes, I can."
"From who?"
"Hikaru Hashima from Class A."
"Really?!"
"Sudou's saved! If it's an A-class student, they must have points to spare!"
As the class celebrated the turnaround, one person stood frozen.
Kushida Kikyō.
The moment she heard that name from Horikita's lips, her expression twisted.