At the same time, on Friday—the day before the voting exam.
Even though the homeroom session had ended, the students of Class A remained in the classroom, with no intention of leaving.
"Well, that's it for today's lessons. Don't forget that we have the exam tomorrow—make sure you don't oversleep."
Hoshinomiya-sensei spoke in her usual cheerful tone, but the atmosphere in the classroom remained heavy.
The reason was obvious.
As a teacher and their homeroom instructor, she felt deeply sorry that Class A had been unfairly forced into this special exam.
This class had grown strong and united precisely because they had not suffered any dropouts.
After working hard for nearly a year, losing a student at such a crucial moment, right before the end of the academic year, would cast a dark shadow over everything they had built.
Unfortunately, there was nothing she could do. She could only stand by and watch.
After stepping down from the podium, Hoshinomiya-sensei didn't immediately leave. Instead, she stood to the side as if she wanted to keep watch over something.
At the same time, Ichinose stood up from her seat and walked to the podium.
"Everyone, thank you for listening to my selfish request. I truly appreciate it."
After the announcement of the additional exam, Ichinose had only asked one thing of her classmates—
She hoped that, until the day before the exam, everyone could live their school life as usual.
That was it. That was her only request.
Even though the students of Class A felt uneasy about it, they had still chosen to follow her wishes without complaint.
Ordinarily, this would have been an impossible task.
After all, this exam required one person to be expelled.
No one wanted to be that person—especially when their class was leading by such a wide margin.
Yet, the trust Ichinose had built within the class over the past year was so deep and unwavering that Class A presented a completely different picture from the other three classes.
And because of that, Ichinose wanted to return the trust her classmates had placed in her.
"I know everyone is worried, but please don't be. I won't let anyone from our class be expelled."
"Ichinose, are you sure it's okay to say something like that so definitively?"
Kanzaki voiced the difficult question on behalf of the class.
Although Ichinose's words were reassuring, if she was only saying them to put everyone at ease and had no real plan, it would be best not to make such statements.
If she wasn't careful, it could backfire.
This was Kanzaki's way of looking out for her.
The others picked up on the implication as well, but instead of getting upset, they tried to reassure Ichinose.
"It's okay, Ichinose. We've already prepared ourselves."
Perhaps this was the kind of outcome Hirata had always hoped for—
A class where no one schemed against each other or plotted betrayals. A class where, without any discussion, someone would ultimately accept their fate simply out of necessity.
This was likely something only Class A could achieve.
Ichinose felt incredibly proud of that, which only strengthened her resolve to protect her classmates.
"There's no problem, Kanzaki-kun. You once told me, 'A person with ability who refuses to use it is a fool,' right? That's why I've thought this through to the best of my ability."
"…Then let's hear your strategy. What exactly do you plan to do?"
For some reason, Kanzaki had a bad feeling about this.
Hoshinomiya-sensei, too, glanced at Ichinose with unease.
Without a doubt, this exam had placed the greatest burden on her.
Even if she didn't have to worry about being expelled herself, the crushing sense of responsibility might break her.
"I really appreciate everyone helping to pool our points over the past few days." Ichinose spoke sincerely. "Now, I have one last request—please transfer any remaining personal points to the class's public account. It'll be tough until next month, but this way, we can save everyone."
"But… we still don't have enough for twenty million points, right?"
Shibata glanced around, as if seeking confirmation.
Class A had already calculated their total personal points. They were still short by over two million—a gap that wouldn't be easy to bridge.
Individually, it wasn't a huge amount per person.
But given that they were already drained, even coming up with a little more was an immense challenge.
"What does it matter? If Honami-chan says so, then let's do it."
The girls didn't hesitate; they immediately began transferring their remaining points.
Their trust in Ichinose was absolute.
"Yeah, you're right."
Shibata had only asked out of curiosity. He quickly followed suit, and one by one, the others did as well.
Soon, Ichinose had collected the last bit of personal points from her deeply trusting classmates.
The class's public account now showed over eighteen million points.
"Hmm, just as expected—we're still two million short."
"How do you plan to make up the difference? I don't think anyone from other classes or years would lend us that much."
Kanzaki, always calm and composed, continued transferring his points as he pressed Ichinose for an answer.
In reality, there was someone who could help.
But neither Kanzaki nor Ichinose mentioned that name.
Not because they had a bad relationship with Hikigaya—on the contrary.
It was precisely because he had helped them so many times already that they couldn't keep relying on him.
Even a child would understand that.
Besides, this exam was different.
If people found out that Hikigaya had loaned them money and that was the reason they avoided an expulsion, it would undoubtedly make his classmates resent him.
Even from that perspective, they couldn't burden him any further.
Beyond that, Kanzaki also believed that constantly depending on Hikigaya would hinder their class's growth.
They were still in the lead for now, but if they wanted to maintain that position until graduation, the class still had many weaknesses to overcome.
So… even if it meant losing someone, Kanzaki felt they needed to face this challenge on their own.
"…Actually, Student Council President Nagumo agreed to help."
The name Ichinose spoke was completely unexpected.
"I talked to him about it, and he agreed to lend us two million points."
"The Student Council President? But does he even have that much?"
Kanzaki was surprised. He knew about what Nagumo had done during the forest training camp.
That incident had cost him nearly forty million.
"Yeah… it seems like it's a bit of a stretch for him, but he showed me his account. He does have two million."
Originally, when Ichinose borrowed points from Nagumo, they had agreed not to tell anyone.
But at this point, there was no hiding it from her classmates.
Especially since Nagumo had added new conditions—he had given her permission to talk about anything other than their "relationship."
"Of course, we'll have to pay him back."
"What's the repayment plan? And what interest rate is he charging?"
Unlike the others, who were relieved to hear they had a lender, Kanzaki remained sharp and levelheaded.
That was what made him such a reliable teammate.
"The deadline is one month. No interest. I know it'll be inconvenient for everyone."
"No, I actually think it's fine."
The others immediately echoed Kanzaki's sentiment, nodding in agreement.
Class A now receives over four million points per month, meaning that if each student contributed just half of their earnings, they could repay the debt.
None of the classmates showed any dissatisfaction.
Moreover, the student council president was willing to lend them the money without interest—there was nothing more reassuring than that.
"It's just that... President Nagumo has one condition for our class," Ichinose hesitated before continuing. "On the day of the exam, when we cast our praise vote for another class, we must vote for the person he designates."
"A designated person? Who is it?"
Kamizaki immediately sensed something unusual.
But Ichinose shook her head. "President Nagumo hasn't said yet. He told me he'll inform me right before the exam."
"I see... well, there's nothing we can do about that."
After a moment of thought, Kamizaki quickly dismissed his concerns.
Either way, securing the loan was a good thing, and accepting this condition wasn't unreasonable.
After all, Nagumo was merely specifying how they should cast one praise vote for another class—it wouldn't affect Class A significantly.
Previously, many students in the class had intended to give their vote to Hikigaya, but to prevent anyone from being expelled, they had no choice but to comply.
And so, Class A's crisis was finally resolved.
As they breathed a sigh of relief, smiles returned to their faces, and they dispersed in small groups.
Ichinose, however, declined her friends' invitations and instead picked up her bag, heading toward the third-year classrooms.
A few days ago, she had made arrangements with some upperclassmen to sell second-hand items—things she didn't necessarily need—at a low price to raise funds.
Mainly small electrical appliances like hairdryers.
Although the 20-million-point debt was no longer a concern, since she had already promised, she didn't want to back out.
Besides, there was still more than half of the month left. Saving up a bit of money for daily expenses might come in handy.
After completing the transaction, Ichinose bid farewell to the upperclassmen and was about to head back when a sudden, piercing creaking sound reached her ears from ahead.
It sounded like the thud of a stick hitting the floor.
Feeling curious, Ichinose looked around and soon spotted a familiar figure.
"Huh? Isn't that Sakayanagi? You haven't gone back yet?"
"…What a coincidence, Ichinose-san."
Standing before her was none other than Sakayanagi Arisu from Class B.
Ichinose had heard some rumors about her recently, but she didn't have the energy to concern herself with others' affairs, so she didn't know much about the situation.
Still, judging by Sakayanagi's appearance, she didn't seem to be in any serious trouble.
With that thought, Ichinose smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I just had something to discuss with a senior. Are you here for the same reason, Sakayanagi-san?"
"Something like that… But more importantly, why did you suddenly decide to talk to me?"
"Why? Because we ran into each other in the hallway."
Ichinose tilted her head, looking as if she genuinely didn't understand the question.
"That's not what I meant." Sakayanagi let out a slight sigh. "I did some rather terrible things to you before. It wouldn't be strange if you hated me. I actually thought you'd just ignore me."
Logically, she wasn't wrong. Most people despise those who have hurt them.
Even if they don't outright hate them, they would at least feel wary and keep their distance.
Yet, Ichinose had greeted Sakayanagi so naturally, without even a trace of resentment.
"Hmm, well, I don't think you did anything particularly terrible, Sakayanagi-san."
Ichinose scratched the back of her head, laughing a little awkwardly.
"If anything, thanks to you, I was forced to reflect on myself. As the leader of my class, I shouldn't have kept such shameful things a secret from everyone. Besides, I never asked anyone to keep it hidden for me, so I don't think you should bear any responsibility."
Simply put, she was saying that it was entirely her own fault—there was no one else to blame.
"…You really are a genuine saint, Ichinose-san."
"Ahaha, is that so? I'm not too sure about that."
Under Sakayanagi's gentle gaze, Ichinose felt a little embarrassed, lightly scratching her cheek and averting her eyes.
And then—
She witnessed something completely unexpected.
Sakayanagi suddenly removed her hat and lowered her head slightly.
"I'm sorry, Ichinose-san. There were some things I did wrong regarding that incident."
"W-Wait! There's no need for that!"
Ichinose was startled, waving her hands frantically. "That wasn't your fault, Sakayanagi-san. I really did steal something. It's only natural that people would criticize me, so please, lift your head."
"…But aside from that, I also spread rumors about you doing drugs and getting into fights."
"Ahaha, yeah, that part was a bit much. But it's all in the past now, so it's fine!"
Ichinose had never imagined that one day, Sakayanagi would voluntarily apologize to her.
Rather than feeling resentment, she was simply happy that Sakayanagi recognized her wrongdoing.
Unfortunately, she celebrated a little too soon.
A prey letting its guard down is often when the predator strikes.
The next moment, Sakayanagi bared her fangs.
"However… regarding the compensated dating rumor, I don't think I was wrong about that, Ichinose-san."
"…Eh?"
Ichinose froze for a moment before hurriedly trying to explain. "No, no, Sakayanagi-san, you've got it all wrong. I've never done anything like that."
She still thought Sakayanagi had merely heard some baseless gossip and wanted to clear up the misunderstanding.
"Maybe you haven't in the past." Sakayanagi spoke in a calm, indifferent tone. "But what about in the future? Or to be more precise… what about tomorrow? Or even tonight?"
"…Eh?"
"Heh, I wasn't wrong, was I?"
Under Ichinose's stunned gaze, Sakayanagi slowly enunciated her next words.
"This special exam… President Nagumo offered you two million private points in exchange for dating him. And you're planning to accept, aren't you?"
"Ah… How do you—"
"How do I know?"
Sakayanagi smiled, her expression brimming with amusement, as if she had just found a new toy.
"Haven't you ever heard the saying, 'There's no wall that doesn't let wind through'? Did you really think you could keep this a secret forever?"
"No, I just—"
"No matter what your reasons are, from a common-sense perspective, this kind of behavior is what people call compensated dating."
"Ah…"
It was like a conversation between an adult and a child.
But despite appearances, Ichinose was the child in this situation.
No matter what she said, Sakayanagi would counter with flawless logic, leaving her no room to resist.
After finally steadying herself, Ichinose forced a wry smile. "Yeah… I can't argue with that. I know I'm being foolish, and it's only natural that you'd look down on me."
"No, I don't mean to look down on you."
"…You don't?"
"Of course not. This is something only Ichinose-san can do. As a girl, sometimes it's best to make good use of your… assets."
"Ahaha… I don't feel particularly happy hearing that."
Unfortunately, this was merely an appetizer.
Sakayanagi's malice far exceeded Ichinose's expectations.
"But in the end, I'm just an outsider. Who you choose to engage in compensated dating with has nothing to do with me… I'm simply looking forward to it."
"…Looking forward to it?"
"Yes. I'm eager to see a certain someone's reaction when they find out."
Then, Sakayanagi uttered the name that Ichinose least wanted to hear.
"I wonder how Hikigaya-kun will react to this? Just thinking about it makes me want to ask for his thoughts right away."
"…Yeah. Hikigaya-kun will definitely look down on me, won't he?"
Ichinose lowered her head in despair.
Sakayanagi showed not a shred of sympathy. She continued smiling.
"What's wrong? Judging by your expression, have you been avoiding thinking about this all along?"
It was as if she had seen straight through Ichinose's mind, increasing the intensity of her mockery.
"…You're not actually hoping to keep this a secret from Hikigaya-kun, are you? With his keen intuition, he'd figure it out immediately. And even if he doesn't… I'll be sure to tell him."
"…You'd spread it?"
Even in this situation, Ichinose picked up on that strange wording.
"Heh, actually, I'll be using the same old method." Sakayanagi beamed. "You just said it yourself, didn't you? You don't resent me for exposing your past. So this time, I'll spread the rumor about you and President Nagumo. He's already notorious for messing around with girls, and everyone in the upper grades knows what kind of person he is. I doubt anyone would question the validity of this rumor."
"W-Wait…"
"And how will your Class A peers react? Their leader not only has a history of stealing but is now engaging in compensated dating with the student council president. For a class centered around you, Ichinose-san, nothing would be more humiliating."
Unlike last time, where it was a mistake from middle school, this was happening right now. The weight of the situation was completely different.
Sakayanagi narrowed her eyes, as if envisioning the upcoming spectacle.
"What will you do then, Ichinose-san? Will you shut yourself away again? If so, your class falling apart is only a matter of time."
"P-Please… Don't do this…"
Already guilt-ridden, Ichinose had no way to fight back and could only beg in a whisper.
But this only fueled Sakayanagi's sadistic pleasure.
"Why shouldn't I?" She laughed. "We're enemies, aren't we? It would be a waste to pass up such a golden opportunity."
And then—
Sakayanagi stepped forward, her sharp gaze piercing Ichinose.
"Even if Hikigaya-kun liked you before, he definitely won't after this. Or… are you planning to shamelessly beg for his help again?"
"Ah… N-No, that's not…"
"If you do, you'll truly be beyond redemption."
Even though the other person was nearly a head shorter than her, Ichinose was so terrified in front of Sakayanagi that she could barely stand.
Every word was a direct stab to the heart, cutting deep into her emotions.
But the worst part was that Sakayanagi had dug out the very thing Ichinose feared facing the most.
"Hehe, I might have said a bit too much."
Looking at Ichinose's face, now filled with despair, Sakayanagi felt immensely satisfied, and the frustration in her heart eased considerably.
Bullying Ichinose really was a great stress reliever—it felt beneficial for both the mind and body.
"Well then, I shall take my leave."
With that, Sakayanagi gave a slight bow and even offered a sincere blessing in an earnest tone.
"Lastly, congratulations on dating President Nagumo. You must be happy together."