"You all must be wondering… why did they leave this school?"
As Hikaru's words settled over the group, a heavy silence took hold.
The Class 1-B students exchanged uneasy glances.
None of them had expected that, in just a single year, four students from Class 2-B had vanished.
That alone was enough to reveal just how brutal this school truly was.
A sudden change in atmosphere surfaced.
"H-How could this happen…? Why?"
Ichinose was the most visibly shaken.
Her usually warm, gentle blue eyes trembled with unease, emotions of fear, resistance, and disbelief intertwining.
The revelation had clearly struck a deep chord within her.
Sensing her distress, Hikaru placed a firm yet gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Don't panic, Ichinose," he said in a calm, reassuring tone.
"It's only the first day of school. We still have plenty of time to prepare."
"Oh… that's right… it's only the first day…"
Ichinose slowly lifted her head, her gaze meeting Hikaru's up close.
His hand was warm, steadying her in a moment of vulnerability.
She hesitated for a second before asking softly,
"Hikaru… do you already have a plan?"
"Of course not. What do you think I am, some kind of god?"
Hikaru smirked and lightly tapped her forehead, breaking the tension.
Once Ichinose regained her composure, he turned toward the others.
"This is why I suggested we accumulate 20 million Private Points."
"If we ever face a situation where someone in our class is at risk of expulsion—"
"This will be our trump card to save them."
The room fell silent once more.
This time, however, the atmosphere had shifted.
No longer just shocked—now, the group was growing determined.
"We were placed together in Class 1-B. I want all of us to graduate together. No one gets left behind!"
"So, I hope you'll listen to my plan—the real reason I came here tonight."
"Just tell us, Hikaru. We'll support you however we can!"
Shibata spoke with genuine conviction.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Alright, let's start with what we know," Hikaru began.
"According to Hoshinomiya-sensei, the school hosts various types of Special Exams."
"These exams are the most intense forms of competition between classes."
"Winning increases Class Points."
"Losing results in Class Points being deducted."
"If we rely solely on the monthly Private Points distribution—"
"It won't be nearly enough."
"However, given how Special Exams use Class Points as rewards, there's a high chance Private Points will be used as rewards as well."
"So you're saying… we can earn Private Points through Special Exams?"
Shibata furrowed his brow.
"But we don't even know the rules yet. How can we prepare in advance?"
"We may not know the exact format, but we can make an educated guess."
Hikaru tapped the table lightly.
"Remember—this is still a school."
"And no matter how extreme its rules may be, there are two types of exams that schools will always have."
"Academic tests and physical competitions."
"If it's a written exam, then we already have an advantage."
"And that's because Ichinose ranked first in the entrance exam."
"Wait… what?"
Ichinose was caught off guard as the focus suddenly shifted to her.
She had been listening intently to Hikaru's strategy—so much so that when her name was mentioned, it took her by surprise.
As Hikaru turned to her, she suddenly recalled the moment he had tapped her forehead.
Her face immediately flushed, and her heartbeat quickened.
Everyone's eyes were on her now.
Seeing no way out, she nodded shyly.
"Y-Yes… that's what the interview panel told me."
"I was the highest-scoring student in the written entrance exam."
"That's great! If we ever hold a study group, Ichinose can help tutor us!"
Andō clapped her hands together excitedly.
Meanwhile, Hikaru's gaze shifted to Shibata.
"If we're talking physical competitions…"
"Shibata, I imagine you'd have a lot to contribute?"
Shibata grinned confidently.
"I was part of the track and field team in middle school."
"If it's a race, I won't lose to anyone."
"My physical abilities are pretty decent too."
Kanzaki added, adjusting his glasses.
"At the very least, I won't drag the class down."
"What about the girls?"
Kanzaki looked to the female students.
"I'm alright—I won't fail at least."
"I'm confident in volleyball, but nothing else."
"I… struggle with sports… In middle school, I mostly just handed out water during our sports festivals."
The last one to speak was Shiranami, a petite girl with light brown short hair.
A small flower-shaped hairpin decorated her bangs, giving her a delicate and cute appearance.
"That's okay, Shiranami!"
Ichinose quickly comforted her, lightly patting her hand.
"If it comes to that, we'll help you train!"
"Thank you, Ichinose-san… I'll do my best!"
Shiranami's eyes shone with admiration as she looked at Ichinose
Forming the Strategy Group
"Alright, so we have two key areas to prepare for: Academics and Athletics."
"Regardless of the Special Exam format, we should be able to leverage these strengths."
"As for the 20-million point plan—"
Hikaru paused, scanning the group.
"This is just an idea. I can't guarantee success."
"So I won't force anyone to participate."
He pulled out his phone, revealing a new group chat.
"I created a private group chat."
"This is only for those who want to be involved in this plan."
"Our goal is simple—to protect any classmates at risk of expulsion."
"If you're willing to join, I'll send you an invite."
"I'll join!"
Ichinose spoke without hesitation.
Her gaze was firm as she stared at Hikaru.
She hadn't expected him to be so thorough, considering everything so carefully.
At that moment—
A powerful emotion welled up in her chest.
"I want to join this plan, Hikaru."
"Because this is what I've wanted to do all along."
Without warning, Ichinose pressed herself against Hikaru's shoulder.
Her vivid blue eyes locked onto his, filled with deep sincerity.
"Alright. Welcome to the plan, Ichinose."
Just then, Hikaru's system interface flashed.
[Ichinose Honami acknowledges your warning about the expulsion crisis.]
Her trust in you has increased.
Ichinose Honami's stock value: +10 (Current: 80)
[Ichinose Honami is deeply moved by your 20-million point plan.]
She has developed an entirely new level of emotion towards you.
Ichinose Honami's stock value: +30 (Current: 110)
"…?"
"Did I just hit my goal already?"
"That was… fast."