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

What bothered her even more was why this guy mistook her for an apology?

"...What can I do to help you?" Shimizu Akira slowly withdrew his hand.

He vaguely sensed trouble brewing and hoped his premonition was wrong.

"Come with me." Horikita Suzune looked directly into his eyes and said, enunciating each word clearly, "Lead Class D to Class A's position."

Now that her brother has Akane by his side, she has no reason to continue fighting alone.

Looking around the classroom, the only person who met her standards in terms of both ability and character was Akira Shimizu.

Moreover, her brother had personally told her to learn how to conduct herself from this person.

Therefore, this invitation couldn't be more appropriate.

"I refuse."

Akira Shimizu interrupted her decisively, before Horikita Suzune could even finish speaking.

Seeing her face darken instantly, he sighed and explained:

"I've said it countless times, I have no interest in doing something so thankless. Class A holds absolutely no appeal for me."

His goal couldn't be clearer—he just wanted to graduate from this school.

It doesn't matter which class you graduate from.

(As long as you have enough points...)

All he wanted to do during his three years of campus life was to enjoy it peacefully.

Why make trouble for the sake of something as unattainable as class honor?

"...That's a really realistic way of thinking," Horikita Suzune said involuntarily.

Akira Shimizu gave her a meaningful look: "You're not much different from me, are you? Don't tell me you genuinely want to improve the class's chances by moving up to Class A, and not just to prove something to your brother?"

Horikita Suzune was speechless again.

She was always proud of her sharp tongue, but in front of this person, she was like a new recruit on the battlefield, incredibly naive.

Every word he uttered was like a precise scalpel, hitting the nail on the head.

"However—" Shimizu Akira suddenly changed the subject, a smile playing on his lips, "I'll say it again, from now on, for any transaction involving Horikita-kun... I can make an exception and give you a 20% discount."

He truly admired Horikita Suzune—both for her stubborn personality and her delicate features.

But appreciating it is one thing...

Business is business.

Not a single point should be less than what is due; at most, a discount might be given out of consideration for our friendship.

This is Shimizu Akira's consistent way of dealing with the world.

"...You really only think about deals!" Horikita Suzune's fingertips trembled with anger, and she instinctively clenched her fists.

She held his hand, but he refused so decisively.

But when she caught a glimpse of Akira Shimizu's strong arm muscles out of the corner of her eye, she forcefully suppressed the urge to attack.

(I can't beat him, and taking action will only make me suffer...)

In the end, he could only turn his head away with a cold face and squeeze out a cold snort through his teeth.

They couldn't win by reasoning, and they had no chance of winning by resorting to violence.

Faced with this Shimizu Akira, she once again experienced the frustration of being helpless.

(A trade? What can I offer him in a trade?)

Horikita Suzune gritted her teeth inwardly.

With less than 3 points left in the account, they will soon be handed over as class funds—and will all end up in Akira Shimizu's pocket!

Although she never intended to evade paying the fees.

After all, with 25,000 points per person, purchasing such important information is indeed a very good deal.

"...Friday at 5:30," she emphasized coldly, "if you dare to be late, the tutoring is off!"

"Understood, I will be there on time." Shimizu Akira nodded in agreement.

He was worried about his Mandarin score, and since someone offered to help, he naturally had no reason to refuse.

...

"well..."

Just then, a barely audible sigh came from the side.

Akira Shimizu glanced to the side and saw Airi Sakura holding a notebook, her eyes darting towards him before she quickly looked down.

"What's wrong, Sakura-kun?" he asked casually.

"N-nothing!" Sakura Airi hurriedly shook her head, her chin almost touching her chest, and her ears turned red at a visible speed.

(She's peeking at me again...)

Akira Shimizu subtly shifted his gaze.

He wasn't one to be delusional, but his classmate's recent frequent glances were far too obvious.

—That cautious gaze, like that of a frightened little animal, both wanting to get close and ready to run away at any moment.

Especially when the other person sneaks a peek at you once or twice in almost every class, it's hard not to notice.

Akira Shimizu's gaze fell on the notebook that Airi Sakura was clutching tightly. With his keen perception, he naturally guessed what was going on.

"Could it be... that you're planning to let me see the notebook on your chest?" he asked tentatively.

"Mmm, mmm!" Sakura Airi trembled as if her thoughts had been exposed, then nodded vigorously and handed over the notebook.

Upon opening the title page, Akira Shimizu couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

From the very first lesson of the school year, all the key points of Mandarin Chinese were neatly listed.

The notes were indeed detailed, but I always felt that the other person had simply copied the knowledge off the blackboard.

(Is the other person not good at studying? This content isn't really suitable for me either.)

He needed more targeted tutoring from Horikita Suzune than such notes.

However, he wasn't so oblivious as to point out her feelings to her face.

"Thank you so much, I'll take it all in." He closed his notebook and nodded politely.

He accepted the gesture, and the favor he had done for her in the last time was considered settled.

Sure enough, the other person's expression relaxed considerably after seeing Shimizu Akira accept the notebook.

Chapter 55: 055 I feel like these three people in Class D are no less capable than me.

Akira Shimizu then placed the notebook on the table, stood up, and prepared to go to the restroom.

But as he stood up, his gaze inadvertently fell on the other person's glasses.

(Hmm? The image isn't distorted?)

(Could these be decorative glasses...?)

The difference between decorative glasses and regular glasses is quite obvious.

If a person with normal vision wears nearsighted glasses, the lenses will blur their vision, making it impossible to see the image behind the frames.

But his vision was completely unobstructed—these glasses were probably just for decoration.

(Could it be... glasses that seal away one's good looks?!)

Countless works he had read in his previous life flashed through Shimizu Akira's mind in an instant.

There are so many examples that I'm too lazy to list them all.

In school-themed dramas, girls who wear simple decorative glasses are almost always using them to hide their true appearance or special identity – a standard trope.

(For example, she might turn into a beautiful girl when she takes off her glasses, but she actually has a dual personality, or she might be the daughter of a wealthy tycoon or something like that...)

(Class D is truly full of hidden talents... There are too many people who pretend to be weak while actually being strong.)

He couldn't help but make a list in his mind:

—As for Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, his ability to play dumb is simply top-notch; sometimes he acts like a complete idiot.

— Sakura Airi wears decorative glasses, hiding a big shot.

Even Chiaki Matsushita from Karuizawa Megumi's girl group is suspicious. On the surface, she's just a follower who goes with the flow, but her diligence in taking notes in class is in no way inferior to that of a top student.

Even more strangely, lately I've been catching her secretly observing me and Ayanokouji standing nearby...

I have no idea what the other person is thinking.

(Especially this Matsushita Chiaki... I wonder if he's holding back his true abilities.)

Akira Shimizu touched his chin and fell into deep thought.

That elusive way of observing, and the occasional sharp glint in his eyes, suggests that his strength might not be inferior to Ayanokoji's or Koenji's.

(As expected, Class D is still a very complicated place...)

.....

When Akira Shimizu returned from the restroom, his phone suddenly vibrated.

He swiped the screen and found that his homeroom teacher, Chabashira Sae, had transferred 25,000 personal points to him.

The transfer remarks contained only a few words: "Class Fees".

(They're really fast...)

With a light tap of his finger on the screen, he accepted the transfer without hesitation.

After all, these were agreed-upon terms—the other party should bear the cost of this class fee.

(Looks like the vote-soliciting phase is over...)

After returning to his seat, Akira Shimizu noticed that most of the crowd that had surrounded Yosuke Hirata and Kikyo Kushida had dispersed.

He glanced around discreetly—the two small groups that had just gathered a dozen or so people were now reduced to a few scattered die-hard fans still engaged in enthusiastic conversation.

Hirata's group was mostly girls, with several blushing as they asked him questions; while Kushida's group was mostly boys, some of whom were even eagerly helping her carry her notebook.

The two were evenly matched in popularity, which perfectly matched his memory.

Just then, Kikyo Kushida walked over with her signature sweet smile on her face. "~Excuse me for a moment?"

She blinked her big, watery eyes and pleaded, "Shimizu-san, Horikita-san, please! Could you transfer the class funds to me? Your two votes are very important support to me."

"No problem." Shimizu Akira nodded readily, then changed the subject, "However, I suddenly thought of a question, and I wonder if Kushida-kun could answer it?"

"Yes! Of course!" Kikyo Kushida clasped her hands in front of her, tilting her head slightly with an expectant expression. "What do you want to ask?"

"What specific rights does the vice class monitor have in the class? Or rather... after you two were elected class officers, did Teacher Chazhu promise you any special treatment?"

This question had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

Why were these two people so eager to raise class funds? Even though they wouldn't get a single point in the end.

Kikyo Kushida's smile seemed to freeze for a moment, but it quickly returned to normal.

"Well..." She tapped her chin with her index finger, as if thinking, "Actually, the teacher didn't give me any special benefits. I just felt that since the teacher chose me as the vice class monitor, I should serve everyone well~"

Akira Shimizu squinted involuntarily.

(Fine! I shouldn't have asked her!)

(But judging from the other person's tone, it didn't seem like they were lying.)

(They gave you the position of vice class monitor, and you're willing to work so hard—you're truly a model student!)

He then transferred all 25,000 points.

For him, it didn't matter who he transferred the points to, nor did it matter who the class monitor was.

It's just the points that Chashu Sae gave him earlier.

After all, the truly important one million points were already firmly in their grasp.

"Thank you so much, Shimizu-kun! I will definitely live up to your expectations and lead Class D well!" Kikyo Kushida took out her phone and looked at the transfer sent by Akira Shimizu, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.