At midnight, Hikaru gazed silently at the photo in his hands.
He had eagerly exchanged for this new system item, expecting a fascinating insight into his future.
Yet now, looking at the image before him, his emotions were far more complex than anticipated.
Logically speaking, Hikaru's views on romance had always been simple.
Whether in his past life or this one, he had always believed that if he found someone he could truly connect with, spending a lifetime together would be enough.
But ever since this system appeared, everything had changed.
His active involvement with multiple girls made his future relationships completely unpredictable.
And now, this photo…
"So… I end up marrying Ichinose?"
Lying on his soft bed, Hikaru thought things over.
If he had to name someone with whom he was closest, it was undoubtedly Ichinose Honami.
They frequently interacted, had a natural rapport, and even had physical intimacy at times.
But did this really mean she was his destined partner?
And if so…
Why was there still another woman—a 'chestnut-haired beauty'?
Why did his future self leave behind his wife and daughter to meet with her?
Was he… cheating?
Hikaru rubbed his temples, momentarily at a loss for words.
After about ten minutes, he sat up again.
From the girl's appearance, she seemed to be about five or six years old, meaning this was still far off.
For now, there was no need to dwell on it.
"I'll just go with the flow… As long as I stay true to myself."
Placing the photo back into the Life Album, Hikaru turned his attention back to the Trading Shop—specifically, the newly refreshed Physical Ability attribute.
Intelligence: 7
Charm: 8
Physical Ability: 5 (his weakest stat)
---
The second semester would likely feature a Sports Festival, where physical ability would be a decisive factor.
Since system items refreshed randomly, he had no guarantee Physical Ability would appear again.
Better to purchase it now while he had the chance.
After analyzing his current investments, Hikaru determined that Sakura Airi stock was the best to sell.
- Ichinose Honami stock was also valuable, but as a classmate, their frequent interactions would allow for continued growth.
- Shiina Hiyori and Kushida Kikyo stocks hadn't broken past 100 points yet, so selling them now would be a waste of potential profit.
Thus, Hikaru made his decision.
[Sell Sakura Airi's Stock?]
[Current Price: 160]
[Sale Confirmed – Funds Received]
[Use 30% Discount Coupon?]
[Discount Applied – Physical Ability Price Reduced]
[Purchase Successful – Stamina: 5 → 6]
---
After successfully upgrading his Physical Ability, Hikaru performed some light exercises.
From tomorrow onward, he planned to resume his morning runs.
Even without [Athletic Booster], his newly improved endurance would be valuable in the long run.
---
July 1st – A New Month Begins
At dawn, Hikaru woke up early.
Today was July 1st, meaning the monthly Class Points update would be announced.
After completing his usual morning run, he immediately noticed the difference brought by his improved physical ability.
-Smoother breathing
-More efficient movement
-Increased endurance
These changes made his training much more effective.
After showering, Hikaru entered Class 1-A's classroom, feeling refreshed.
Since today was the start of a new month, most students had arrived early—eager to see how their class ranking had changed.
As Hikaru walked to his seat, a cheerful voice greeted him.
"Good morning, Hikaru-kun~"
It was Ichinose Honami.
The pink-haired girl had already arrived, her gentle smile as radiant as ever.
"Morning, Ichinose-san."
Placing down his bag, Hikaru casually remarked:
"Another month has passed already. Time flies, doesn't it?"
"Yeah! It feels like we just finished midterms, and now we're already preparing for finals."
Ichinose sighed, resting her chin on her palm.
"But after this month… we'll finally be on summer break! I'm so excited."
Hikaru nodded, his eyes flickering with thoughtfulness.
He had been so focused on stock trading that he had almost forgotten about summer vacation.
Since Advanced Nurturing High School was a fully isolated boarding school, students wouldn't be allowed to leave the island.
However, what concerned him more was…
"The school mentioned a Special Exam at the start of the year… yet we haven't had a single one."
Would they really postpone it until next semester?
If so, wouldn't that greatly reduce the chances for lower-ranked classes to make a comeback?
Just as Hikaru was pondering the situation, Ichinose suddenly giggled.
"By the way, Hikaru-kun… I heard the school's gymnasium will be open during summer break~"
"Oh?"
Ichinose leaned in playfully, her eyes sparkling.
"Wanna go swimsuit shopping with me?"
"Uh…"
Seeing the expectant look in her amber eyes, Hikaru chuckled.
"Sure, why not?"
Just then, Hoshinomiya entered the classroom.
"Alright, class! Time for the monthly Class Point rankings~"
The young teacher smiled brightly, writing the updated rankings on the board.
Class Point Rankings (July 1st)
Class A – ???
Class B – ???
Class C – 345 Points
Class D – 267 Points
The A-Class students collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
Although B-Class was still close behind, they had maintained their first-place position.
As the classroom buzzed with discussion, Ichinose leaned toward Hikaru.
"A luxury cruise for summer vacation, huh?"
She smiled meaningfully.
"Guess I should start shopping for swimsuits early~"
Hikaru returned her smile.
But deep down, a strange thought surfaced.
"This cruise is school-organized… Could it really be just a vacation?"
Something felt off.
~~~
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