In fact, after the information is refreshed, they always want to attack me!

"By the way, what clubs did Horikita-kun join?"

"Not interested."

"Didn't you sign up for the student council either?"

"..." This time she did not answer.

"..." Shimizu Akira did not choose to ask any further questions.

Akira Shimizu finished the last bite of curry rice with his head down, then picked up the miso soup and drank it all in one gulp.

Looking up, I saw that Horikita Suzune had already finished the shriveled sandwich and was calmly crumpling the wrapper into a ball and holding it in her palm—a habit quite different from that of the elegant genius young lady in Class A.

His gaze swept over the untouched bowl of miso soup.

"Finish your soup," he said, tapping the rim of the bowl lightly with his spoon, making a crisp sound, "so we can continue discussing the deal."

As he spoke, his eyes glanced meaningfully at the warning sign on the wall that read "Waste is shameful".

After a moment's hesitation, Horikita Suzune finally reached out and picked up the soup bowl, taking small sips.

As she put down the bowl, a drop of light brown soup still clung to Horikita Suzune's lips. She subconsciously pursed her lips, her gaze subtly sweeping across the table, searching for a napkin.

A hand with distinct knuckles suddenly came into view—Shimizu Akira had somehow pulled out a tissue and was casually handing it to her.

"Wipe your mouth." His fingertips hovered steadily in mid-air, waiting for her to take it.

Horikita Suzune's words of refusal had already slipped to her lips—"I don't want to depend on anyone," her usual line.

(But about the deal...)

(I already owe them a favor...)

After a half-second hesitation, she finally raised her hand and took the tissue with an indifferent air.

"Don't feel indebted to me or guilty. Tonight's dinner has settled everything. For me, this is also a great opportunity to earn points; it's purely a fair trade." Shimizu Akira saw through the other party's concerns at a glance and said casually, "Tell me. What information do you intend to buy from me? Is it just to know the truth about the class assignments?"

"..." Horikita Suzune's eyes suddenly sharpened. "Shimizu-kun, from what you're saying, it seems you have other information?"

"Yes, you could say that." Shimizu Akira's lips curled up slightly.

After a brief silence, Horikita Suzune raised her chin. "...Tell me the truth about the class assignments first."

"It's actually quite simple." Akira Shimizu leaned back in his chair. "The school divides students into classes based on their academic performance. During the entrance exam, each interviewer scores us based on our performance. These evaluations, along with certain special criteria, ultimately place everyone into four classes: A, B, C, and D. Class A is the best class, and Class D is the worst."

He looked directly at Horikita, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable certainty: "In other words—the elite go to classes A and B, while the mediocre are relegated to classes C and D."

"...This can't be! Are you sure this is real?"

"I tested Mr. Chabashira on the first day of school. And this information was personally confirmed by a second-year student."

"but..."

"Still having doubts?" Shimizu Akira gently interrupted, "Then may I ask, Horikita-kun, which class does your outstanding older brother—the student council president—be in?"

"Third grade...Class A."

These words struck like a heavy hammer.

Horikita Suzune's body swayed violently. "I was assigned to Class D... so, according to the school's evaluation... I can't even pass?"

Chapter 26: 026 Protect me first, then date me.

Horikita Suzune's life was always shrouded in a shadow.

That was her brother's back view.

Some people have jokingly called her a "brother complex" person, but she knows very well that it is not a twisted attachment, but a pure longing.

And now, fate has played the cruelest joke on her.

When she finally stepped into the school where her brother was in charge of the student council, she was greeted with the label of Class D.

Between him and his older brother, who was ranked in Class A, lay a gap of three letters.

The fingernails dug deeply into the palm.

She recalled her perfect attendance record during her three years of junior high school, her consistently top-ranking grades, and those days and nights of rigorous self-discipline.

All this evidence, which should have been sufficient to prove their excellence, was now utterly crushed by the label of Class D.

"The class assignment system is very unreasonable!..."

Horikita Suzune's voice seeped out from between her clenched teeth.

Anger boiled in his chest—not from self-doubt, but from the most intense rejection of this system of judgment.

"Shimizu-kun! Let's exchange contact information!" Horikita Suzune suddenly stood up.

"Oh? Why are you suddenly being so proactive?" Shimizu Akira raised an eyebrow. The two had just finished exchanging information and hadn't had a chance to say anything more when his phone received a transfer notification.

"Here are your 80,000 points. We're even now." Her actions were astonishingly fast. The moment she put away her phone, her delicate face returned to its usual coldness, as if silently declaring, "Dare to speak and I'll kill you."

Watching the girl's retreating figure, Shimizu Akira shook his head with a wry smile: "Could she be going to confront Chabashira-sensei...?"

His gaze followed that stubborn figure until the other person disappeared at the cafeteria entrance.

Horikita Suzune possesses an almost arrogant self-confidence.

When reality deviates from expectations, she never wastes time on self-doubt—this almost obsessive certainty saves her from unnecessary mental exhaustion.

However, this confidence will soon collide with the cold reality.

Koenji Rokusuke is the best example.

Shimizu Akira's report that the interviewer deliberately lowered his score ultimately failed to change the class assignment.

(He just spent 80,000 points... Horikita is surprisingly generous.)

Akira Shimizu gently stroked his phone screen, the light from the transfer notification reflecting on his thoughtful face.

He originally only intended to charge a symbolic amount, after all, it was just a piece of information provided casually.

(Could it be that the student council president secretly transferred her some of his own money?)

He dismissed the thought as soon as it crossed his mind—given his brother's personality, he probably wouldn't indulge his sister like that.

(Wait... what if this is most of her savings...)

(Does that mean she'll be eating dirt next month...?)

However, Akira Shimizu's thoughts were quickly drawn to the account balance—the number had already surpassed the 300,000 mark.

Adding the 80,000 students who transferred from Horikita, this number might seem quite considerable to the average student.

But he was just unconsciously calculating: according to the school's exchange rate, it was equivalent to a month's salary for an average wage earner.

30 yen, in Tokyo, probably wouldn't even be enough to rent a decent apartment.

(That's still far from enough... we need to break the million mark at least.)

......

Akira Shimizu locked his phone and put it in his pocket, but his fingertips touched the folded piece of paper inside.

He slowly unfolded it, and unfamiliar handwriting came into view:

Come find me in room 1203 after dinner tonight.

The handwriting is quite delicate; it must be a girl's handwriting.

If I remember correctly, the upper floors should be exclusively for girls.

(An invitation from the girls' dormitory...?)

If it were Haruki Yamauchi or Kanji Ike, they would probably be jumping for joy right now.

After leaving the cafeteria, Shimizu Akira went to the front desk in the dormitory lobby and began asking who lived in room 1203.

"Student guest information is confidential." The receptionist, wearing round-framed glasses, gave a mischievous smile behind her lenses. "It's best if you don't ask too many questions, but please be careful."

She lightly touched her lips with her fingertip, revealing an ambiguous expression.

This reaction undoubtedly confirmed the most basic guess: it was indeed a girls' dormitory.

Akira Shimizu took the elevator, paused for a moment in front of room 1203, and gently knocked on the door.

"Coming!" A clear and pleasant voice answered from inside the house.

The door was quickly opened, and Shimizu Akira recognized the other person immediately.

Karuizawa Kei was wearing a loose short-sleeved T-shirt and casual shorts, her long legs appearing exceptionally fair under the corridor lights.

She leaned casually against the door frame, her hair still damp, as if she had just taken a bath.

"Shimizu-kun is here." She tilted her head and asked, a faint smile on her lips.

Akira Shimizu glanced at it a couple more times without realizing it, then quickly looked away.

"Come in quickly!" Karuizawa Kei suddenly stood on tiptoe and affectionately wrapped her arms around Shimizu Akira's.

The girl's soft touch could be clearly felt through the fabric of her uniform, carrying a faint scent of shower gel.

She dragged Shimizu Akira into the room, half-pushing and half-pulling him, as if he were a giant doll.

However, rather than her forcefully dragging him, it would be more accurate to say that Shimizu Akira was half-heartedly cooperating with her actions—as long as he resisted even slightly, this somewhat ambiguous "kidnapping" would immediately fail.

He could clearly feel the soft pressure coming from his arm.

Instinctively, he had to admit that the touch was indeed arousing—but reason told him that this sudden intimacy was too deliberate.

Because the two of them were just classmates.

Karuizawa Megumi tilted her flushed face up, her voice tinged with shyness yet firmness: "Shimizu-kun...actually, I noticed you the moment you made a move on Yamauchi-kun on the day of the entrance ceremony." She paused, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, "Of course...partly because of your looks..."

She took a deep breath, and as if using all her strength, squeezed out the next sentence: "Um, please date me on the premise that... you'll protect me."

Akira Shimizu was completely stunned when he heard this.

What kind of declaration of a relationship is this? At least other people would say "with marriage as the goal".

This student, on the other hand, went straight for "protection as a prerequisite"—it's practically like discussing a bodyguard contract.

Chapter 27: 027 A Fair Trade

Karuizawa Kei unconsciously held her breath.

This was the first time in her life that she had confessed her feelings to a man.

The moment those shameful lines left her mouth, the tips of her ears were already burning red.

Although she flaunts her hot girl appearance in public,

But in fact, she had never even held hands with a boy.

This clumsy confession was the first time she had ever done it, risking all her courage.

Of course, this is not out of any romantic affection.

She knew better than anyone that she was simply seeking a powerful refuge.

As long as I can get protection from Shimizu Akira,

Those bullying and those injuries will never come back.

She has to survive in this high school.

(Will he agree?)

Karuizawa Megumi nervously bit her lower lip.

She knew she wasn't bad-looking, but...

Although her chest is not thin.

But compared to the girls in the class who were overdeveloped—

Whether it's Haruka Hasebe's stunning curves.

Airi Sakura has a voluptuous figure.

She couldn't even compare to the aloof Horikita Suzune.

This feeling of inferiority is now like tiny thorns pricking my heart.

"To be honest, regardless of your original intentions, being confessed to by you like this does make me a little happy," Shimizu Akira said frankly after a slight pause.

As a healthy male, it would be a lie to say I wasn't happy to be confessed to by a beautiful girl like Karuizawa Kei, who is outstanding in every way.