Chabashira turned around and sized up the student who had followed her out.
A boy—with delicate features, but those lifeless, dead-fish eyes ruined his whole look.
Still, from Chabashira's aesthetic judgment, she figured if he wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses, his charm might just level up. UP UP, as they say.
"So? What exactly is it you want to ask?" Chabashira spoke calmly. "There are some things I'm not at liberty to reveal."
"I figured as much. You've been given a gag order by the school, haven't you?" the student said. "But just now, in class, you mentioned it yourself: 'With points, you can buy anything.'"
"So then—can I use the points on my student card to buy the answers I'm looking for?"
Oh?
Now that got Chabashira's attention. She decided it might be worth hearing him out.
Indeed.
She had said it herself in front of the class—points could buy anything.
So even knowledge about the school's inner workings could, technically, be purchased.
And yet...
This kid's already figured out how to game the system?
"I did say that. And yes, technically, you could make that kind of transaction," Chabashira nodded. "But I'm afraid the 100,000 points in your account aren't nearly enough."
"So in other words," the student replied, looking slightly deflated, "a hundred thousand yen's worth of points doesn't get me very far, huh?"
"No need to look so down. You asked three questions just now—I'll make an exception and answer one of them for free."
Chabashira's demeanor shifted. A flicker of seriousness replaced her earlier indifference.
As homeroom teacher, she had reviewed the profiles of every student in Class D prior to their arrival. Originally, there had been one more student, but due to a sudden job relocation of their parents, they'd gone overseas. Although the school promotes itself as open to all students nationwide, with public admissions each year, it's a sham—the real selection is conducted months in advance, based on middle school principal recommendations.
In short, the final roster had been locked in six months ago.
So when they lost a student last-minute, it put the administration in a tight spot.
That's when her old friend, Shizuka Hiratsuka, came forward with a recommendation.
The boy now standing before her—Hikigaya Hachiman—was that student.
Chabashira herself had once been a student at this school. Hiratsuka had been her classmate.
They had drifted apart after graduation, each going their own way.
Chabashira eventually returned here.
Hiratsuka, meanwhile, chose to teach elsewhere—outwardly gruff, almost like a middle-aged man in demeanor, but a deeply kind-hearted person at her core.
Thanks to Hiratsuka's referral, the school pulled up Hachiman's file—his upbringing, his personality, his interpersonal tendencies. After reviewing everything, they agreed: this boy would make for an interesting test case.
And so, Hachiman was placed into Class D.
Which is why Chabashira had earlier implied he didn't really belong in D Class.
But now... she wasn't so sure.
Hachiman was Hiratsuka's recommendation, and knowing Hiratsuka as well as she did, Chabashira suspected there was a deeper purpose behind it.
Maybe this boy's admission wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Was Hiratsuka... still worried about her, even now?
That thought made Chabashira study the boy again.
He had asked three questions:
Will students receive another 100,000 points in their private accounts next month?
Where did the massive number of points in her account come from?
Can points be converted directly into cash?
If she answered either the first or second question, it would reveal too much about the school's true structure.
But as she'd said, while she was under a gag order as homeroom teacher, a high enough payment in points could override it.
Usually, that cost was around 1 to 2 million points.
She'd decided to cover the shortfall herself.
A personal gamble, perhaps... a final act of defiance toward her own regrets.
She wanted to see what this boy—Hiratsuka's recommendation—might be capable of.
"I see..." the student said, suddenly looking a little shy. "Chabashira-sensei, you said I don't have enough points... so are you paying the cost yourself?"
Oh?
Chabashira glanced sideways at him.
This kid actually understood social subtleties?
"Yes, I'm footing the bill. But it's not that big a deal—I've got 6 million points, remember?"
She realized something in that moment—she had merely held up her phone for an example during class, but Hachiman had noticed her balance: six million.
So...
This kid's pretty sharp, isn't he?
"Alright then, I'll ask," Hachiman said.
Hmm. Ask away.
If he chose question 1 or 2, it would dig into the school's true structure. She was prepared to answer and absorb the cost.
Even 2 million points would sting... but she had a glimmer of anticipation now.
After all, the student was the one initiating the question—it wasn't technically a violation.
And what would happen if a first-year D-class student uncovered the school's true nature... less than an hour after arriving?
She wanted to see the chaos unfold.
That thought... got her blood pumping.
Chabashira focused intently on the boy.
She watched him speak, saw the way his lips moved.
She hadn't really paid attention to his face before. But now, with her heart strangely pounding in her chest, she found herself listening keenly.
Then he spoke.
"I want to know: can we convert points into actual cash?" Hachiman asked. "I want to cash them out—and send the money home."
"..."
…Wait. Huh?
Chabashira was stunned.
Because—
He had picked question 3. A relatively low-level secret. Something seniors are told before they graduate. Not classified at all.
A student could get an answer from a teacher for something like that with just 100,000 points.
She had prepared to spend 2 million.
And now? She only needed to spend 100,000.
A bargain, sure.
But—
Is this kid really just thinking about money?
He'd heard that 100,000 points equals 100,000 yen, and now he wanted to cash it out... and send it home?
What kind of good little family boy is this!?
"I'm just a regular Japanese high schooler," Hachiman said. "Normally, I only get about 2,000 yen in allowance... per month. Suddenly getting this much—I want to bring it home."
He seemed a bit sheepish as he said it.
"But I also have a little sister. She always says her allowance isn't enough."
Your sister says she's short on cash, and your first instinct—when you come into money—is to send it to her?
Hmm.
So, you're one of those guys. From that trend in recent anime. What's the line... "Little sisters are the cutest"? Yeah. You're one of those. A siscon.
Then she remembered his self-introduction from earlier in class.
He'd mentioned he was from Chiba.
Suddenly, a TV commercial flashed in her mind.
Chiba specialties: peanuts, sake... and overly doting older siblings!
Must be something in the water—kids from there really spoil their little sisters.
"I can answer that for you," Chabashira said. "When you graduate, the school will exchange your points for cash."
"But it's not a 1:1 conversion—it's more like 0.7 to 0.8 yen per point."
"If you want to minimize losses, you could try buying sealed electronics at the shopping street and sell them later—you might get 90% back that way."
She explained it all in detail.
Hachiman listened carefully.
"So, the school only converts points when we graduate?" he asked.
"Correct," Chabashira nodded.
"But what if I want to buy the right to convert points earlier?"
Oh?
Buying the right to an early cash-out? No one had tried that before.
He was already applying the concept flexibly.
But Chabashira, still a bit let down from his earlier question, didn't dwell on it.
She simply replied, "Your current point balance isn't enough for that."
"Then, Chabashira-sensei... what does the school really want from us?" Hachiman asked. "To give us all these luxuries—there has to be something they want in return."
"Free things are always the most expensive."
"I suspect we won't be getting this many points next month. But if they're going to exchange our points for cash when we graduate..."
"That means there must be ways to earn more points." He paused. "I want to know how we can earn a large amount of points."
Oh?
Now he had her full attention again.
Because—
Maybe she hadn't misjudged after all.
Maybe this kid wasn't just potential.
Maybe he really was... in the wrong class.