In fact, when she had learned that next month's personal points would be calculated by multiplying the class points by 100, Kei Karuizawa was probably the most panicked person in the class.
(What! So it's not a fixed 100,000 points every month!)
Just last Friday, she had made that secret protection agreement with Kiyomizu: a monthly payment of 80,000 points in exchange for his protection within the class. It should have been a perfect deal, but who would have thought that just a few days later, she would feel like she could no longer afford to hire him.
(It's all because of that new limited-edition makeup set! And that fancy dinner over the weekend...)
She secretly glanced at her phone's balance. The glaring "2,500" made her stomach churn. Right now, she couldn't even scrape together 3,000 points, let alone 25,000.
"Kei, what's wrong? You look a little pale," Chiaki Matsushita asked with concern.
"N-nothing~" she forced her signature sweet smile, but her fingertips were squeezing her phone case so hard it creaked. This was the price of being a top-tier gyaru—maintaining a glamorous image without showing weakness, and putting on a brave face even when in financial straits.
However, it wasn't just her wallet that was making her panic right now.
(Without Kiyomizu's protection, I...)
Kei Karuizawa was completely different from the loner Suzune Horikita. She knew better than anyone that she was like a vine clinging to a host—a parasite. Without the protection of others, she couldn't even sleep peacefully at this school.
(Eighty thousand points... I need at least eighty thousand...)
Her fingertips unconsciously traced the ugly scar on her abdomen as she mentally calculated over and over. Although the class had started with 100,000 points each, she had used her phone in class dozens of times in the past two weeks. Not to mention those two idiots, Yamauchi and Ike, whose truancy records alone had probably deducted a huge number of class points.
(I'll be thankful if we can keep 600 points... ugh, let's be more conservative, half of that will do! I'm not greedy at all!)
Five hundred points meant at most 50,000 personal points at the end of the month, a full 30,000 short of the agreed 80,000. The number made her stomach cramp, and even her old scar ached faintly.
"You look really pale..."
"It's nothing~ I probably just stayed up too late watching dramas last night," she forced a smile for Matsushita. When her peripheral vision caught Kiyomizu's probing gaze, she reflexively grabbed her phone. It was only after sending the message that she realized how obvious her panic was.
(I'm done for... he definitely saw through me...)
(Without points, is he going to abandon me next month?)
Cold sweat trickled down her spine. The agony of walking on thin ice made her temples throb, and even her breathing became difficult.
...
(She's probably broke but still trying to put on a brave face.)
(She doesn't want me to know her points have bottomed out...)
Kiyomizu discreetly glanced at her before looking away. She had transferred 80,000 of the initial 100,000 points to him on the first day. Add to that her extravagant spending these past few days... her balance was probably low.
However, Kiyomizu had no intention of interfering. His relationship with the girl was nowhere near the point where he needed to meddle. After all, they weren't deskmates like he was with Horikita.
Speaking of which, although Horikita's personality was certainly difficult, she was surprisingly trustworthy when it came to business. Every point he had given her, she had returned in kind as promised. The 80,000 points from their last transaction was one example, and the 16,000 points for Japanese tutoring this time was another.
"...Library, Friday at 5:30 PM. For your Japanese tutoring."
Speak of the devil. Suzune Horikita suddenly turned her head, her voice slightly hoarse. Kiyomizu couldn't help but take a closer look at her. The girl had dark circles under her eyes; she clearly hadn't slept well last night. Even so, she hadn't forgotten to fulfill her promise.
"Let's put the tutoring aside for a moment..." Kiyomizu paused, then asked a familiar but direct question. "What are your thoughts now on being assigned to Class D?"
Horikita's gaze sharpened. After a long silence, she said slowly, "...Although I'm not happy about it, it seems the school's class assignment system is indeed fair and reasonable."
The image of her tossing and turning last night flashed through her mind. Kiyomizu's words, "your brother isn't alone either," had pierced through her long-held stubbornness like a sharp sword. She had even, for the first time, sent a message to Manabu to confirm. Her brother's short reply was still glowing on her phone screen: [Akane Tachibana is indeed an indispensable aide to me in the student council.]
She knew that neither her brother nor the boy in front of her ever lied. After a sleepless night of struggle, Horikita had finally figured out three things:
First, she had to admit that her placement in Class D was justified. Her teamwork skills were practically zero, and her social skills were abysmal. Just like that eccentric Koenji, although talented, he was deliberately alienated by most of the class. She had heard the rumors about the two of them. Suzune Horikita was not a fool. She could feel the rejection and disgust in the gazes directed at her more keenly than anyone.
(If this continues...) Not only would she be completely rejected by her brother, but probably even Kiyomizu would— The thought made her unconsciously bite her lower lip. But this was a thought she would rather take to her grave than ever reveal to Kiyomizu. It was her own stubborn secret.
Second, she would use Class D as a starting point and personally push this class to the heights of Class A. Since fate had placed her in the lowest-ranked class, her only option was to lead this motley crew to accumulate class points and climb to Class A step by step. This was both a promise to her brother and a matter of her own pride. She would not allow herself to be trash at the bottom. Besides, Class A meant more personal points. If she stayed in Class D, even a normal life would be difficult. No matter what, getting promoted to Class A had become her most important goal for now.
Third, she needed to find a trustworthy helper. Even her brother knew how to use the strength of others. There was no need for her to persist in doing everything alone. Whatever her brother did, she would do too! The childish thought of "never relying on anyone" was completely thrown out the window. When the sun rose, she would forget about yesterday. Suzune Horikita had welcomed the first day of her change.
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