The moment the student council president turned and walked away, his secretary followed him in a flurry of steps. But before fully disappearing around the corner, she glanced back.
Her eyes lingered for a moment—on Hachiman and Kushida.
Why?
Because this year's Class 1-A students were already making waves across the school.
But what really surprised her was Class 1-D.
Since when were D-class students this competent?
To identify and pursue class evaluation data, something critical to the school's inner workings, within their first day—now that was unprecedented.
Meanwhile, Hachiman's investigation came to an abrupt halt after that run-in with the student council. Still, he'd gathered some valuable insights.
That was enough for now.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
"Ding ding."
An email.
Unknown number. Anonymous contact.
The content was short. Precise.
[Congratulations, Hikigaya Hachiman. Your application to exchange private points for cash has been approved. The Board of Directors has unanimously granted your request.
You may visit the President's Office during office hours to begin the exchange process.
Conversion Rate: 1,000 points = 800 yen. Funds may be deposited into a chosen account or sent to an authorized address.
Please note the minimum withdrawal is 1,000,000 points. Accumulation must be personal. Fundraising, third-party cash-outs, and broker-style transactions are strictly forbidden.
We look forward to observing your continued development.
—Advanced Nurturing High School Administration.]
Hachiman read it twice.
Then, immediately afterward, his phone vibrated again.
Caller ID: Chabashira Sae.
He didn't answer right away.
Kushida was still by his side. Instead, he dismissed the call and quickly messaged her: I'll call you back later.
When he looked up, Kushida was watching him, eyes curious but not pressing.
She had subtly stepped away when he became engrossed in his phone, respecting space in a way that showed she understood social nuance very well.
She knew how to read the air.
"Where do you want to go next?" he asked, slipping his phone back into his pocket.
"Huh? You're done already?" she asked, tilting her head.
"I plan to head to the shopping district. It's about time for lunch anyway."
It was nearly 12:30. His stomach was already making its opinions known.
"Oh, right," he added. "There's a school-exclusive app on our phones. The forum. You can log in using your student ID number for real-name verification."
He paused, watching her face. "Seems like students, faculty, and even shop clerks can post there."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Really?"
She took out her phone on the spot, flipping through apps.
Clearly, she hadn't had time to explore everything yet.
Hachiman kept his expression neutral.
In truth, his sweep of the bulletin boards earlier had already yielded far more critical information than the forum. But the forum was a safe, non-threatening conversation piece. A gift to ease any awkwardness. A small favor in exchange for her time.
A trade.
Kushida was intelligent. She'd figure it out eventually. But for now, this would keep things smooth.
"So, Hikigaya-san," she said as she tapped on her screen, "are we eating first?"
He glanced at his GPS. "Cafeteria's a five-minute walk. Shopping street's ten."
"Ah, so you go with what's closer."
"I go with what makes more sense."
"Then—want to have lunch together?"
Hachiman blinked.
Lunch. With Kushida Kikyo.
He stiffened internally.
Throughout their walk, he'd been chanting a silent mantra: Don't get swept away. Stay sharp.
Kushida's friendliness wasn't special. She wanted to be friends with everyone. He was just another classmate to check off her list.
But still.
Now she was inviting him to lunch.
Was she pushing this hard just to add him to her circle?
…
The school cafeteria was enormous, with multiple serving counters and a variety of dishes to choose from.
"Hikigaya-san," Kushida whispered, "I noticed some counters don't require points. Looks like you can just line up and get a meal without swiping your student ID."
He followed her gaze. She was right.
The fifth counter had a sign posted: "Sold Out."
That was the wild vegetable meal set mentioned in the forum—the one free, palatable option among the relief meals.
And now it was gone.
Which meant plenty of students, possibly seniors, were depending on that free meal.
The fact that it sold out before lunch hour ended said everything.
This school's generous treatment wasn't infinite. Class D students, in particular, were likely struggling. Their monthly point distribution had to be limited. Probably performance-based.
The food tasted fine. Not exceptional, but decent.
Hachiman couldn't enjoy it.
Maybe it was because he wasn't used to eating with cute girls.
Afterward, they exited together, parting ways at the fountain plaza just outside the shopping street.
A classmate had invited Kushida to go shopping, so she excused herself.
But curiously, she waited for him to enter first.
She didn't want to be seen walking in with him.
It made sense. She had an image to maintain.
He didn't hold it against her.
He followed the GPS and stepped into the Keyaki Mall.
As Chabashira had explained, the school went all-out to make this a livable three-year experience. From bookstores to restaurants, from fast food to high-end cuisine, the shopping street was loaded with everything a student might need.
He didn't buy anything.
Instead, he sat on a soft bench in the center atrium and watched.
Students passed in waves.
Some wore uniforms, but many—likely upperclassmen—wore private clothes.
He saw one group buying gold jewelry. Necklaces. Bracelets.
So some seniors were clearly loaded.
Meanwhile, others were lining up for free meals.
A bizarre contrast.
It was clear now: being placed in Class D meant you were positioned at the very bottom of the hierarchy.
As he thought about it, movement at the far end caught his eye.
An elevator door slid open.
A group of students stepped off.
Sixteen in total, all in uniform.
At the front of the group stood a girl with silver hair and porcelain skin.
She leaned on a black cane, her left hand resting gently on the handle.
Despite the cane, her posture was proud. Her eyes were sharp. Her presence dominated the space around her.
Elegant. Small. But commanding.
Sakayanagi Arisu.
He recognized her instantly from the forum post about the chess challenge.
She wasn't just playing games.
She was already reshaping the playing field.
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