"So there were such twists and turns? That's quite something..."

  In Sakura's dorm room, Hikaru sat across from the red-haired girl, absentmindedly trag the rim of his drink cup as he spoke with mild surprise.

  "Yes, I still find it hard to believe. If Horikita-san hadn't presehat st piece of evidence, Sudo-kun would definitely have been expelled."

  While reting the events of the hearing, Sakura's voice still carried traces of tension. The roller-coaster nature of the proceedings had kept her on edge the eime, fearing it might all fall apart at the st moment.

  "Well, what matters is that the verdict was in your favor. It erfect terattack. You did great, Sakura-san."

  Hikaru's voice was gentle as he smiled and asked, "It must've been tough being in the spotlight like that, huh?"

  "Mm... I just tried my best. Most of the credit really belongs to Horikita-san." Sakura's cheeks flushed slightly.

  After the hearing cluded, Css C had naturally been overjoyed. Kushida had even approached Sakura directly to invite her to a celebratathering, suggesting she join as the team's "key witness."

  But Sakura turned down the offer without hesitation. While she'd taken a step forward by speaking in public, socializing with cssmates still felt overwhelming.

  It's fine. As long as I have Hikaru-kun, that's enough.

  She'd used that ratioo reassure herself. So when she received his message suggesting they meet, she'd returo her dorm and waited with growing anticipation.

  Hikaru, for his part, leased with how things had gone. Raising Sakura's stock price to 100 was just the first step. Maintaining that upward trajectory required sistent e, especially since she showed no i in the broader css petition. That made spending time with her a perfect "cooldown" from his other activities.

  Plus, this defeat would keep Ryuen in check for a while. His scheme had not only failed spectacurly but also resulted in the suspension of two of his cssmates, costing Css D precious Css Points.

  With Ryuen momentarily out of the picture, I focus elsewhere.

  And the major challenge was already on the horizon.

  The midterm exams.

  Hikaru had already discovered the hidden rule when he purchased the secret information during the first week. If a student failed to achieve the minimum passing score—half the css average in any subject—they would be expelled immediately.

  At first ghe rule hadn't caused much in Css A. After all, the required score would be modest, perhaps around 35 points if the css average hovered near 70. And given Css A's solid academic abilities, failing seemed unlikely.

  Hikaru and Iose had even discussed the possibility of maniputing individual scores to artificially lower the average baselihereby giving weaker cssmates an easier target.

  But other csses, especially the newly promoted Css C, wouldn't find things so simple.

  After all, they had initially started as Css D, the bottom tier of the school.

  Sipping his drink, Hikaru shifted his gaze toward the girl across from him. "Sakura-san, how are yrades?"

  "Eh?" Sakura blinked, caught off guard. Her face turned redder as she answered hesitantly, "Um... not that great."

  "But the midterms are ing up soht? Don't fet the hidden rule. It's important."

  "If it's just passing the baseline, I should be fine... probably," Sakura murmured. Yet her voice cked fidence.

  Hikaru tapped his . If the midterms followed the standard schedule, they would take pce at the end of May, with final exams scheduled for te July before the summer break.

  While no Special Exams had occurred yet, the midterms likely carried hidden significe. The school's design favored academic performance as a metric for css standings.

  Currently, only 30 Css Points separated Css A and Css B. Since Css B's top-tier academics posed a serious threat, his css couldn't afford to get pt.

  "Are you worried about something, Hikaru-kun?" Sakura asked softly, sensing his distra.

  "A little," Hikaru admitted with a shrug. "Midterms be tricky. I'd hate to see anyone fail."

  As he spoke, his mind wao Sakura's character information.

  [Stock Pricrease Suggestions: Bee her fidant. Solve her problems. Take photos with her.]

  Would helping with her studies t as solving a problem?

  Given her aversion to social iion, she was uo join the css's group study sessions. If she struggled alone and failed, Hikaru would lose a lucrative 5,000-share stovestment.

  That'd be such a waste.

  Besides, Sakura leasant pany. No css politio mind games—just genuine versation.

  Deade, Hikaru's smile brightened as he asked, "Hey, I've got an idea. Would you be ied?"

  "What idea?" Sakura's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

  "Since we're friends, how about we start a study group? Just the two of us," he proposed. "We help each other prep for the exams."

  "!"

  Sakura's eyes widened. For a sed, she stared bnkly, as though unsure she'd heard correctly.

  In truth, she'd been sidering the same thing moments earlier but had been too shy t it up. The thought of studying together felt like the perfect excuse to spend more time with him.

  Maybe they'd study at his dorm.

  Or hers.

  Wait, what am I thinking?!

  As heat rushed to her face, she struggled to tain her excitement.

  "Yes!" she blurted out, clutg her hands into fists. "I'd love to! I'll do my best not t you down, Hikaru-kun!"

  Hikaru grinned. "Perfect. Let's set up a schedule over text ter. We alterween my room and yours, depending on our schedules."

  "Mm!" Sakura nodded eagerly.

  Hikaru, meanwhile, was already mentally juggling his itments: exercise routines, study sessions with Iose, strategic meetings with Suzune, occasional manipution of Kushida's stock price...

  And now, tut Sakura.

  Time ma would be crucial.

  [Your study group proposal made Sakura Airi extremely happy. She believes it erfect ce. Sakura Airi's stock price has increased by 10 points. Current stock price: 110.]

  Perfect ce?

  Hikaru g the notification with a puzzled frown.

  Then he looked at Sakura's glowing expression and shrugged it off.

  More stock points, more success.

  Time to hit the books—hard.

  ~~~

  Read 30 Chapters Ahead!

  > patreon./HudaLin