"W-What?"
Seeing Karuizawa stutter I shook my head and began cooking. A simple toast and eggs should do the trick for breakfast. I haven't stocked up on some ingredients I could've used to make better food.
"Karuizawa, this school gives us points based on our merits. Do you think we in Class D with our behaviour get 100,000 yen for no reason every month? Why do you think the school has made free sections in the cafeteria and the grocery stores?"
She must've felt shocked, I couldn't see her expression but that was fine. I didn't need to.
Not only had she gotten her virginity taken forcibly to protect her status, but the month full of spending she had enjoyed... even that privilege was going to be taken away.
How cruel.
"Why has nobody in class noticed!?" Karuizawa seemed like she didn't want to believe it, "And Chabashira-sensei said we'd get 100,000 points every month! She can't just lie to us can she!?"
"What she used is wordplay, Karuizawa," I hummed a song from my past life, "Her words were, You've been given 100,000 private points and you'll receive your points every month. Nowhere does she imply that we'll be getting 100,000 points every month."
"B-But..."
She fell silent and I didn't continue the conversation either.
About five minutes later I walked in with two plates of breakfast. I set it on the table and sat down.
"Let's eat, I've put the clothes to wash last night, they must've dried by now." Karuizawa didn't argue this time and that made me pause.
I was expecting a cliche moment where her stomach would growl or maybe she'd act stubborn and I'd have to force her to eat but unfortunately neither happened.
She simply sat down cross-legged and ate her food expressionlessly. I didn't try to hide my surprise from Karuizawa.
"What did you mean when you said 'further'?"
The sudden question caused me to look up from my food.
Oh? Has she gathered herself already?
I didn't expect this. It even feels a bit odd and out of character. Normal high school girls can't handle so much stress and act normally afterwards. The first girl I bullied in high school in my past life had committed suicide after just four months of mental torture. I hadn't even touched her.
In comparison, Karuizawa had gotten it worse.
But I suppose it's not all gone for her yet. If I isolate Karuizawa from the class and orchestrate a few events of bullying I can have her kill herself by the end of the next month depending on the intensi—
All of a sudden I froze.
I closed my eyes and calmed myself down.
No one needs to die yet.
"If the school can reduce our points it'll most certainly allow us to increase it. The first step for that is to improve our grades."
I smiled at her mysteriously and Karuizawa recoiled in fear.
It was time to move things forward, the month was about to end.
...
After handing Karuizawa her clothes I let her leave. I left a little later after styling my hair and as soon as I stepped outside and joined the crowd I noticed an immediate difference.
The glances towards me had increased considerably, some girls were even pointing at me blatantly. Of course, I liked the attention.
I should get into the top three for the boys' rankings now, right? I swear if my position doesn't increase I'll murder whoever is behind the list without a single care for reason.
As I entered the school building I noticed a lonely classmate.
It was Hasabe Haruka.
She was an interesting woman. I didn't remember much about her before but after the physique upgrade a few details came to mind.
It'll be useful later.
For now, I didn't try to make premature contact with her.
Everything has a right time.
I entered the class, my vanity being satisfied by the murmurs directed my way. Was I going to join the rank of the popular guys in class now?
Hahaha finally!
Anyways.
Today was the day of our mock test.
The study sessions with Horikita proved to be useful. If I gave it my all I could probably score around 75-80 in each subject which was a pretty decent score.
However, I made sure to not score more than 65 in any of the subjects. Well, at least I tried to. I wasn't sure how the grading would be done but my score shouldn't be too far off.
The entire day went off giving mock exams.
"Have you used makeup?" A disdainful voice sounded from behind me.
Of course, it was Horikita.
I turned around in my seat and rolled my eyes at her.
"Hey, do you think I've used any kind of make-up?" I turned to ask Ayanokoji who seemed to be minding his own business.
"Oh, I don't think so?" He seemed confused but then again his face never changed. I couldn't tell.
"Suzune! We've been to the gym together so many times by now, you should know my work ethic, and if you still don't believe it you can try touching my face," I provocatively drew closer to her and Ayanokoji looked at us with interest.
"Not interested," Horikita replied blandly and I sighed in mock regret earning a glare from her.
He had probably sensed the closeness of our relationship by now. Even Horikita's snide remarks held none of their previous venom, only playful banter.
And to be honest I might've neglected him a bit. I don't know how well he's fitting into Ike and Yamauchi's group. I should catch up with him later.
Oh, that reminds me of someone else I've neglected.
I turned my head towards the angel of the class.
She was smiling sweetly, chatting with her neighbours Shinohara and one other girl I didn't know the name of. Was it Maezono? I'll have to check later.
It would be great if Nagumo's OAA app was launched before the second year.
Could I achieve photographic memory if the upgrades are enough? That'd certainly be a perk worth having.
...
"Why have you dragged me here?"
"Why can't I drag you here?"
"Maybe because I haven't given consent to this."
"C'mon, consider it a treat of mine for your lovely tutoring~. Besides Suzune, consent is an illusio— ah fuck!" She elbowed me just at the right of my stomach and it hurt like a bitch. She really put her all in that attack.
"Nobody likes excessively aggressive and unreasonable girls."
"I don't need them to like me, and certainly not you."
This girl...
"I think you need to reevaluate yourself." I pulled my phone out of my pocket as we sat in a somewhat luxurious restaurant, "Look at this clearly."
Horikita's face turned into a deadpan.
"... The most handsome boys... Ranking list...?"
Horikita looked at me with pity but I ignored it.
"Look here, I'm clearly in 4th place with 69 likes." I should've been the first place technically but many of the girls hadn't seen me in person yet and thought there was a foul play going on, "That means I'm the fourth hottest guy in our year okay? You should be honoured sitting here with me because someone like you..." I showed her another ranking and this time Horikita's gaze turned frosty.
It was a ranking for the girls.
"Who had the audacity to make something like this?"
"How hypocritical, you didn't criticise the boys' rankings but get mad at the girls'?"
"It's different."
Of course, I won't take that for an answer.
"Is it because you're ranked 8th? Served you right hahahaha~"
"Only a vain person would care about such superficial things," Horikita looked at the menu calmly, "You shouldn't be obsessed with such things, Yamam—"
She paused just as she was about to say my name.
"Yeah sure, whatever you say 8th-kita." I didn't press her, it'll come naturally.
"How childish,"
Again, she mocked me for my actions but did she really think I couldn't notice her irritation? Why would I act like a fool if it didn't work on her?
She's so easy to rage-bait.
It was smart to make a girls' list and intentionally give Horikita a lower ranking. Her reputation made it sure the boys wouldn't bother arguing for her. After all, it was much more pleasant to fight either Ichinose or Kushida's case.
I placed Ichinose first and Kushida second. This made the forum erupt in war hahaha.
Nonetheless, our bickering stopped as we ordered some food. I noticed Horikita made sure to keep her order under 1000 points, and only because that was the cheapest available option.
What a considerate girl, or maybe prideful?
I had a few thousand points left so this was technically my last luxurious meal of the week.
I gave Karuizawa 15,000 points in the morning to spend. A form of compensation for her time, maybe?
Well, I know that most of the class has already spent all their money. If Karuizawa can still have some fun showing off then so be it. It's better than her acting weirdly and accidentally exposing us.
But I wasn't worried. Even if the truth is revealed Karuizawa herself would never admit that it was anything besides consensual sex.
Yet, I still wanted to avoid that. Things would become so much more complicated and troublesome if our affair became public.
I hope those 15,000 points can make her happy and temporarily forget what happened yesterday. I've maintained my distance from her today entirely for this reason.
Once she's more stable I'll have fun with her again.
"What are you spacing out for? Did the mock test cost too much brainpower?" Horikita's lips curled up, probably thinking of how clever her joke was.
This is what happens when you have no proper human contact for ten years.
I disdained to respond to such provocation.
Just as we began eating a weird tak tak sound echoed in my ears, like something metal colliding with the ground again and again. I shifted my gaze and saw two girls walking inside the restaurant and interestingly enough, one had a cane in hand.
He instantly recognised the pair.
At the same time.
[Randomly Selecting Blackmail Targets...]
[Targets Selected— Please Choose One:
1. Sakayanagi Arisu
2. Horikita Suzune
3. Hiyori Shiina ]
______________
A/N- Read ahead at Patreon, just dropped a three chapter heavy lemon haha.
Patreon.com/AlmightySkyDxddy