After watching Sakayanagi and Kamuro disappear from his sight, Hikaru silently glanced at the system notification that had just popped up. Without lingering, he stepped out of the café and returned to his dorm.
After taking a shower, he sat down at his desk and began reviewing the day's events. This was a habit of his—revisiting everything from start to finish allowed him to uncover new angles for analysis.
First, there was his encounter with Nagumo in the Student Council room. Nagumo had extended an invitation to him for the second time, but Hikaru remained unwavering. He had already portrayed Nagumo as a villain to his classmates—joining him was out of the question.
If he truly wanted to gain influence in the Student Council, he was better off exploiting Manabu instead.
Though the current Student Council President was cold and distant, Hikaru believed their unique connection—due to Horikita Suzune—allowed him to get closer to Manabu. While he had no immediate plans to become a Student Council officer, the future was unpredictable. His stance might change over time.
Then, there was the revelation that Sakayanagi had joined the Student Council. Given that she was already vying for control over Class 1-B against Katsuragi, this move signaled that she had secured a significant advantage. It would undoubtedly place even more pressure on the Katsuragi faction.
But what intrigued Hikaru most was the conversation he had with Sakayanagi today.
Throughout their seemingly casual chat, her attitude had been… odd.
A-Class and her B-Class were natural enemies. Given their close competition, maintaining distance would have been the logical approach.
And yet, from beginning to end, Sakayanagi had displayed no hostility whatsoever.
During her confrontation with Katsuragi on the first day of school, she had been completely different—sharp, aggressive, and unwavering.
I should be her enemy, yet she was oddly proactive in engaging with me.
There had to be a deeper reason behind this.
And how did she even know that he had taken his classmates to the Student Council today? He had deliberately chosen a route that avoided passing by Class 1-B's classroom.
"Hm… In any case, Sakayanagi-san is quite the enigma. I'll have to stay on guard when dealing with her." Hikaru lightly tapped his finger against the desk, his eyes filled with thought.
He glanced at the Stock Market Interface in the system. Sakayanagi's stock had just gone live, and though her initial stock price was low, the total number of shares issued was only 2,000. This meant the overall potential profit wouldn't be that high.
At present, Hikaru held a substantial number of stocks, most of which were high-quality investments unrelated to class competition—the kind that suited him best.
As for Sakayanagi, until he used the Stock Analyzer, he couldn't determine what exactly influenced her stock price.
"I'll observe during our next meeting. If it's tied to class competition, I'll set it aside for now."
Ever since he began managing his time efficiently, Hikaru had grown accustomed to wearing a mask when dealing with the girls around him.
On one hand, it was to raise stock prices and generate system funds.
On the other, it was to conceal his true emotions from them.
Kushida had almost seen through this once, but in the end, she had merely bluffed and failed to probe further. Hikaru had successfully led her to the final deal, maintaining full control of the situation.
Letting out a faint sigh, Hikaru couldn't help but recall Ichinose's passionate confession.
He felt like his mindset had shifted slightly after that event.
These weren't game characters that unlocked beautiful CG scenes upon completion of a romance route.
They were real, living people.
And when navigating multiple relationships at once, there was always the risk that their feelings might change unpredictably.
He wasn't a mind reader—everything relied on careful guidance and communication to maintain balance.
"…Well, no use worrying about it now. I'll take it one step at a time." Hikaru stroked his chin and muttered, "As long as there's no fundamental shift in relationships, I still hold the upper hand."
With that, he suppressed his distractions, concluding his review of the day's events.
Thanks to his arrangements, two of his classmates had entered the Student Council.
It wasn't an exclusive advantage, but it did give him a numerical edge.
Whether this move would prove to be a game-changer in future class strategies depended on how he played it.
Just then, his phone vibrated.
A message notification had arrived.
Kushida Kikyo: Hikaru-kun, are you free right now?
Upon seeing the sender's name, Hikaru smirked and quickly typed a reply.
Hashima Hikaru: I'm free. Is there something you need, Kushida-san?
At that moment, a short-haired girl sitting on her bed narrowed her eyes coldly upon receiving his response.
She had witnessed Suzune, who was usually cold and indifferent, unexpectedly agree to participate in a study group organized by some girls in their class.
This deviation from expectations had unsettled Kushida.
And so, she had immediately thought of her business partner—Hikaru.
Kushida Kikyo: What else? Have you forgotten the terms of our deal?
Hashima Hikaru: Of course not. I've just been busy recently and haven't had a good opportunity to approach Horikita-san. Have you noticed her talking to anyone in class?
Kushida Kikyo: Obviously. Otherwise, I wouldn't be contacting you.
Kushida quickly typed out a long message, detailing her observations from today.
Kushida Kikyo: So, tell me, Hikaru-kun, when will you finally make time to investigate her for me?
Hashima Hikaru: You don't need to worry, Kushida-san. I'll be free tomorrow.
Kushida Kikyo: Then get moving. I need to know what Horikita talked about with those girls. You can gather that information for me, right?
Hashima Hikaru: I'll do my best. I'll contact you as soon as I have something.
Kushida Kikyo: Good. I'll be waiting.
After sending her final message, the short-haired girl stared at her phone screen in silence.
Despite being the social butterfly of Class 1-D, Kushida actually preferred solitude when she was alone.
During her deal with Hikaru, she had been led along the entire time.
She knew this.
But rather than confronting it, she had gone along with it, actively playing into Hikaru's hands to finalize their deal.
Hikaru's competence and his ability to earn Suzune's trust made him a perfect candidate for the job.
Kushida had long discarded the illusion that he liked her—she was far too perceptive for that.
But one thing was clear—Hikaru wanted something from her.
From the handprint incident to their negotiations and eventual deal, she had laid herself bare before him.
Yet Hikaru had remained unfazed, responding only with practical solutions—most of which were deceptions, but none carried a trace of disgust or impatience.
This realization lingered in Kushida's mind.
Though he had never stated his true intentions, she refused to believe he was simply helping her out of goodwill.
He wanted something in return.
And strangely enough, during their interactions, Kushida found herself not repulsed by him.
In fact, a thought surfaced in her mind—perhaps continuing this connection wouldn't be so bad.
That was why she had voluntarily given him information that day, even though he hadn't done anything in return yet.
"Why is that? I..."
Lying on her soft bed, Kushida's gaze grew hazy.
She couldn't quite understand this unusual feeling bubbling inside her.
But regardless, their deal was sealed—binding them together, at least for now.
"He won't get rid of me so easily!"
---
Meanwhile, after finishing his conversation with Kushida, Hikaru quickly picked up his phone and contacted Suzune.
Their relationship had gained another layer—not only was he her brother's assistant, but he was also her creditor.
Suzune still owed him 75,000 Private Points.
Given that Class 1-D's class points for June were 362, their monthly Private Point earnings were only around 30,000.
It would take time for her to repay her debt.
Hashima Hikaru: Good evening, Horikita-san. Do you have some time right now?
Suzune, freshly showered and sitting at her desk with a book, massaged her temples upon seeing the message.
If Hikaru is messaging me, it can't be anything good.
Horikita Suzune had already grown accustomed to situations like this.
Horikita Suzune: What do you need, Hikaru-kun?
Hashima Hikaru: It's nothing serious. Are you free after school tomorrow?
Horikita Suzune: I am. What do you have planned?
Hashima Hikaru: Oh, I'd like to treat you to a meal.
Upon seeing this message, Suzune was about to refuse, but before she could even send her reply, another message from Hikaru arrived.
Hashima Hikaru: I'm sure you wouldn't turn me down, right? After all, I just helped you out not long ago. As Horikita-senpai's little sister, you wouldn't want him to find out that you treat those who assist you so poorly, would you? That wouldn't be a very good look, now would it?
"..."
There it was again—using her brother as bait to force her into meeting him.
Hikaru had pulled this trick multiple times before, yet Suzune still had no effective way to counter it.
Horikita Suzune: What time?
Hashima Hikaru: Tomorrow at 4 PM, at the family restaurant in Keyaki Mall. I'll reserve a table and wait for you there.
Horikita Suzune: Got it.
~~~
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