Under Iose's lead, the group of seven marched into the family restaurant.

  As soon as they arrived, the girl who had arrahe reservation, Andō, went straight to the froo firm their booking.

  A young waiter wearing a headband g the students, ted their numbers, and smiled.

  "Right this way," the waiter said, leading them inside. "A total of seven, correct?"

  Iose nodded. "Yes, thank you for your help."

  Their group sisted of:

  Iose Honami

  Three other female cssmates

  Hashima Hikaru

  Shibata Sō

  Kanzaki Ryūji

  A perfect seven-person gathering.

  ---

  As they reached a long, spacious table, everyoated oo sit.

  That was when Iose's natural leadership kicked in.

  "Okay, girls on the inside," she instructed, pointing at the inner side of the booth.

  "Hikaru, you sit o me. Kanzaki and Shibata, you guys take the opposite side. How's that?"

  Shibata, ever the easygoing athlete, immediately pushed Kanzaki toward the outer seat.

  Meanwhile, the girls followed Iose's lead and sat along the inner row.

  Hikaru hesitated for a moment, but when his eyes met Iose's expet gaze, he sighed and took his designated seat.

  "Hehehe, I have a ton of questions for you, Hikaru!"

  Iose inched closer, her light floral st subtly filling the space between them.

  Hikaru felt slightly tense.

  After all—he had spent the first fifteen years of his life focused entirely on studies, rarely iing with girls up close.

  To divert his attention, he spoke casually:

  "You ask whatever you want. We're seatmates, aren't we?"

  Hikaru turoward Iose, keeping his tone rexed.

  "I promise I won't hide anything. Besides, I actually have something I want to share with everyoonight."

  "Really?"

  Across the table, Shibata immediately perked up.

  "Is it another pn? I join in?"

  "It's just an idea," Hikaru sighed.

  He had already exhausted himself strategizing in the m.

  Tonight, he wao take it easy.

  "Even so, if you're the one saying it, we'll definitely be ied!"

  This time, the speaker was Andō, the girl who had booked the restaurant.

  She was a cute, well-groomed girl, clearly the type who enjoyed socializing.

  "Yeah, after our meeting ehe whole css was talking about you, Hikaru!"

  Another female cssmate chimed in.

  "Everyone's so gd to have someone like you in Css 1-B."

  "And not to mention, you're also really handsome!"

  She grinned pyfully.

  "I feel so lucky to be in 1-B!"

  As the three girls chatted excitedly, Iose watched with amusement, clearly enjoying the situation.

  Meanwhile, Hikaru rubbed his temples.

  This was exactly why he disliked socializing.

  It always led to pointless distras.

  "Even the guys have been talking about you, you know," Kanzaki added with a teasing smirk.

  "It's impressive how much attention you've gained in just one m."

  "If you all focused on Iose instead, I'd be much happier," Hikaru tered smoothly.

  "She's our real leader."

  "No, no," Iose interjected pyfully.

  "Even though I'm the official representative, I trust you just as much, Hikaru."

  "Alright, alright," Hikaru ged the subject, gng at the waiter still standing beside them.

  "Let's order first, shall we?"

  He picked up the menu.

  "Girls first."

  "Okay! Does anyone have dietary restris?"

  Iose took the menu, guiding the group through their seles.

  Hikaru sighed in relief as the topially shifted away from him.

  Ohe orders were pced, the table naturally fell into versation.

  As teenagers, their discussions covered a variety of topics—from social media trends to celebrity sdals.

  It was an easy and enjoyable atmosphere, making it effortless for everyoo bond.

  When the food arrived, they dug in immediately.

  The restaurant's chefs were well-regarded, and true to its reputation—

  Everything was delicious.

  ---

  After about twenty minutes, once most of the food was cleared, Iose wiped her lips with a napkin and turo Hikaru.

  "Alright, Hikaru," she said with a serious expression.

  "Now that we've eaten—what's your idea?"

  "Yeah, we're all waiting to hear it," Andō added, sipping on her e juice while eyeing Hikaru curiously.

  Hikaru sighed.

  He had been pnning to drop a bombshell tonight—

  And boost Iose's stock price massively in the process.

  Taking a deep breath, he raised two fingers and said in a low voice:

  "I want to obtain 20 million Private Points."

  "WHAT?!?!"

  The eable went silent.

  Their faces froze in shock.

  They had expected some kind of strategy—

  But this?!

  The school's private point system had been expined earlier by Hoshinomiya-sensei, but no oook it seriously.

  Even though 20 million points could be used to ge csses or avoid expulsion—

  The number was absurdly high.

  Most students didn't even think it ossible to amass that much.

  "e on, Hikaru, that's impossible," Shibata muttered.

  Hikaru simply smiled.

  "Don't be so shocked. Remember what I said this m?"

  "The css petition began the momeered this school."

  The others stared at him, still struggling to process the sheer scale of what he was suggesting.

  "But why?" Andō finally asked.

  "If you're not pnning to switch to Css 1-A, what's the point?"

  Hikaru turo Iose, his tone genuine.

  "I have no iion of leaving Css 1-B. I like our css."

  "However—"

  He paused, his eyes sing the table.

  "I believe that, iure, our css petition will reach a point where…"

  "Someone will be forced to drop out."

  The atmosphere shifted instantly.

  Iose's expression darkened.

  Her usual warm aura faded into something serious and grim.

  Her soft blue eyes hardened.

  The other cssmates also noticed her sudden ge in demeanor, and the table fell dead silent.

  "Why?"

  Iose's voice was cold.

  Her fingers gripped the napkin tightly.

  "Where did you get that idea?"

  Hikaru remained calm.

  "This," he said, pulling out his phone and showihe s.

  "This is a forum post made by a sed-year css."

  "Look at the attendance list and tell me if you notiything… strange."

  Iose blinked in fusion.

  She took the phone and studied the s carefully.

  Then—

  Her eyes widened in shock.

  "Wait… Sed-Year Css B only has 36 students?!"

  "WHAT?!"

  Everyone immediately huddled around the phone.

  The invitation post was for a Css 2-B gathering—

  But the reservation was for only 36 people.

  Hikaru leaned back, his voice calm but heavy.

  "That's right."

  "By the end of Year 1, four students from Css 2-B… were gone."

  "And tell me—"

  "Why do you think they left?"