Chabashira-sensei's words echoed through the classroom, instantly thickening the tension. "No points for this month." Faces fell, mouths opened in shock.
"No points?!"
"What does that even mean?!"
Panic spread, students murmured and crowded around her desk.
"This has to be a mistake!"
"How can we live without points?!"
Chabashira-sensei's cold gaze didn't waver as she watched Class 1-D fall into chaos, her lips holding a faint a smile that wasn't really a smile. It wasn't meant to soothe it mocked.
"This can't be right!"
"Are you serious? We can't survive like this!"
"How do you expect us to eat?"
With a calm, almost bored tone, Chabashira-sensei explained, "Your monthly allowance is directly tied to your merit and performance. Since most of you chose to ignore your studies and slack off, you receive no points for the month. Actions have consequences, and this is the result of yours."
I leaned back in my chair, eyes half-open, watching the chaos unfold. The room was a mess of desperate voices, everyone grasping for an explanation. Pathetic. Did they really think a school like this would be that easy?
Their naivety was almost laughable Instead of wasting my time, my eyes searched around the classroom, looking for the interesting people.
Ayanokouji sat behind me, expression blank. When the announcement dropped, he didn't even flinch. As expected of the White Room prodigy
Horikita was frowning as she scribbled in her notebook, unbothered by the panic.
Kushida, in front of Horikita, kept up her angelic act, calming other students despite the tension. Beneath that sugary smile, I could see her calculating, eyes scanning for weakness. She acted sweet, but after this month, I was more sure she'd cut anyone down if it suited her.
Karuizawa was trying to act tough, but her tension was clear. Her hands trembled under the desk, her eyes darting nervously. Her smile was forced, her shoulders stiff. She kept smoothing her skirt, trying to hide it. Fragile.
Watching her struggle, I realized this was something I could use. People like Karuizawa, like other fragile people, are the easiest to sway when they're vulnerable. If I played my cards right, I could make her lean on me and use her insecurities to pull her into my circle.
Hirata was trying to calm the class, easing fears with his usual composed smile. He played the perfect classmate, holding things together. It wasn't purely selflessness sasuga Aniki.
The three idiots Yamauchi, Ike, and Sudou were visibly angry. Yamauchi had a weird expression as if he had just eaten something bitter while Sudou just fumed. Their simplicity was almost refreshing. Made me wonder how these guys were even sentient, but in a weird way, I liked them.
I weighed my options, considering how best to use the situation to my advantage. If I just stayed quiet, the attention would eventually turn towards those who weren't panicking people like me. That wouldn't do. I needed to make a move, to blend in, to make sure I was seen as just another student feeling the pressure.
Time to act. My demeanor softened as I switched to the persona everyone knew the easygoing, clueless classmate. I leaned forward, fists clenched on the table, my voice breaking just enough to sound desperate but not over the top.
"How are we supposed to survive without points?!" I called out, just loud enough to catch attention, letting my voice waver.
"What can I do now? I used up a lot of my points already... I barely have enough for a few more days."
"What can I do now? What are we supposed to do?!"
"I don't have enough to last. Why didn't you tell us sooner, Sensei?!"
"How can we even get by without points?"
"Hikigaya-kun..." Hirata's voice broke through, sounding almost sad. I looked up at him, his eyes meeting mine, filled with worry.
"Aniki... what am I supposed to do?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly, the mask of desperation still in place. "I don't know if I can get through this. I used almost everything... What am I going to do now?"
Hirata's expression softened, a look of genuine sympathy crossing his face.
The room paused, a few glances turning my way. Good. I just needed to look like I was in the same sinking boat, another confused face in the crowd.
"Damn it, Hikigaya's right! How are we supposed to survive without points?!" Sudo shouted, slamming his hand on the desk, his face flushed with frustration. "Damn it, how could they do this to us?!"
"Yeah, I barely have any left either! This is ridiculous." Ike added, his voice almost cracking as he stood up, eyes wide with disbelief. "How are we even going to make it through the week?!"
"This is impossible! What are we supposed to do?!" Yamauchi chimed in, looking genuinely distressed.
Their anger spread through the classroom for once, the three idiots were on my side, echoing my desperation. It wasn't hard to make them believe I was just as lost. Their emotions drove the chaos, and I went along with it, keeping my expression desperate.
Chabashira-sensei scanned the room one final time as the bell rang. Without a word, she turned and left, her calm demeanor unaffected by the chaos she had sparked. In her absence, the classroom remained heavy with tension. As things slowly settled down.
After that, multiple teachers came in after each period, but no one in the class was really focused. The events from earlier still hung over everyone's heads.
When break finally came, I grabbed a quick bite, finishing my meal as fast as I could. I needed a change of scenery, something to clear my head after all that chaos. So, I headed to the library for some quiet.
Once there, I moved through the aisles, scanning the spines of the books until I found what I was looking for. With a nod, I pulled it from the shelf and looked for a place to sit.
As I moved toward my usual corner, I noticed Karuizawa Kei sitting nearby. She wasn't reading anything, just staring at her smartphone, her expression vacant as she scrolled aimlessly.
I smirked slightly, a flash of something mischievous crossing my face. "This is exactly who I wanted to see," I thought to himself. An opportunity was presenting itself, and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.
I adjusted my grip on the book, letting the corners of my mouth relax into a neutral expression. I approached Kei and cleared my throat. "Is this seat free?" I asked casually, nodding towards the chair across from her.
Kei looked up, her eyes narrowing for a second, clearly guarded. Hachiman could see her considering whether to brush him off, but eventually, she gave a small shrug. "Sure, whatever," she said, her attention drifting back to her phone.
I sat down, initiating an analysis.
ANALYSIS OF TARGET: KARUIZAWA KEI...
SUBJECT IS ATTEMPTING TO MASK TRUE STATE. SIGNS OF TENSION INCLUDE TIGHT GRIP ON PHONE, STIFF POSTURE, MICRO-EXPRESSIONS INDICATING ANXIETY. LIKELY VULNERABILITY DETECTED. INDICATIONS OF UNDERLYING FEAR OR DISTRESS.
It was clear there was something deeper beneath her tough exterior, something she was desperately trying to hide.
I leaned back with a sigh, carefully crafting the expression of a frustrated but harmless classmate. "Crazy day, huh? No points, no warnings... Like we're all just supposed to figure it out on our own. Honestly, I don't even know if I'll last the week."
I watched her for a moment, then continued "You know, this whole point system is just a mess, isn't it? No one really tells us anything, but we're all expected to just figure it out."
Kei glanced at him briefly, "Yeah, well, complaining doesn't change anything," she muttered. then returned her attention to her phone, her expression neutral.
I nodded as if agreeing, then added, "I mean, you looked pretty confident earlier, but... it's a little scary, right? Not knowing what's next?"
She hesitated, her fingers stopping on her phone screen. "Everyone's scared, but it's not like complaining will fix anything," she muttered.
I lowered my voice, leaning in just a bit. "You're good at putting on a front, you know that? Back there acting like it's no big deal... Honestly, it's kind of impressive."
I waited, and Kei frowned, doubt flickering across her face. I went on, "But you know, sometimes I noticed your hands were shaking a bit. I guess we're all just better at faking it than we think, huh?"
Kei's eyes widened, and for a second, her mask cracked. She quickly looked away, her expression defensive. "You don't know what you're talking about. I'm fine, Hikigaya"
I shrugged, smiling faintly. "Sure, I get it. You act like everything's fine, always brushing things off. Must be nice pretending like it doesn't get to you."
I paused, letting the words sink in before adding quietly, "When you do that, it's pretty tough for people to get where you're coming from, you know?"
I watched her reaction carefully. Kei's frown deepened, but she didn't respond immediately. I knew I was getting through slowly, but surely.
She looked at me, her voice softer now, almost hesitant. "Why do you even care, Hikigaya? It's not like we're friends or anything."
I softened my tone, offering a hint of vulnerability. "You know, I'm not exactly the toughest guy either. Back there, when I said I didn't have enough points to survive? That wasn't just for show. I'm seriously stuck. No idea how I'm gonna make it through the month."
I glanced away briefly, voice quieter. "But it's not like I'm the only one, right? I mean... we all have to keep it together somehow. Pretend like it's fine, even when it's not."
I leaned back, letting out a quiet sigh. "You know, sometimes keeping up that act is just exhausting, right? Like you're trying so hard to hide the cracks, even when you're barely holding on."
After a moment of silence, I stood up, stretching slightly. "Anyway, don't worry too much. People like us... we always find a way to get by. Even if we have to fake it sometimes."
I smirked faintly. "But if it ever gets too much, you can... you know, talk. Just saying."
Kei watched him as he walked away, something unreadable in her eyes. I knew I had planted a seed enough to keep her intrigued, enough to make her start to see me differently.