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ArabicClassroom of the Elite: Standing Firm in Class A — Chapter 45
Chapter 45: The Lucky Draw
“It is very simple. We just use a little bit of… our most precious resource in this school.”
His lips silently formed two words.
“Private Points.”
The phrase exploded in Sakayanagi Arisu’s mind like a sudden clap of thunder. In an instant, all her confusion, all her blind spots, and all her lingering doubts perfectly connected.
That scoring rule, which Mashima Tomoya had rigidly declared to be absolutely fair, with no possibility of error. That was the most fundamental, underlying contingency hidden beneath all the academy’s regulations, and she had completely overlooked it.
In this school, points could buy absolutely anything.
So that was it. She had always defined this midterm showdown as a pure intellectual competition. A pristine game of chess between two brilliant minds. He, from the very beginning, had defined it as a no-holds-barred war of attrition, where all available resources could and would be weaponized. He had ruthlessly exploited her pride and her obsession with intellectual duels to launch a complete, crushing strike from a higher dimension.
“Very brilliant, isn’t it?” Kaedehara Tetsu looked at the enlightened expression dawning on her delicate face.
Sakayanagi Arisu did not speak. She simply closed her eyes and took a slow, measured breath. When she opened her eyes again, all emotional fluctuations in her striking purple eyes had vanished, replaced by her usual calm void.
“I understand.” She straightened her posture. Her cane tapped lightly against the floorboards, emitting a crisp, rhythmic sound. “Then, as agreed. I lost.”
She calmly admitted her defeat. Her unique pride prevented her from making any ugly denials or searching for excuses.
“From today on, I, Sakayanagi Arisu, am your girlfriend.”
[Task: Defeat Sakayanagi Arisu in the Midterm Exam]
[Status: Completed]
[Reward: 300 Points]
[Total Points: 573]
The system’s cold notification chime echoed in his mind, but Tetsu’s attention remained completely focused on the silver-haired girl who had just surrendered herself to him.
“To celebrate the establishment of our new relationship, let’s go have a meal, my girlfriend.” His voice carried a hint of a dark smile, deliberately emphasizing that final title to test her reaction.
Arisu’s eyelids lifted slightly, her purple eyes meeting his dark gaze. “Is this your first request to me as the victor?”
“This isn’t a request. This is a perfectly normal date invitation from a boyfriend to his girlfriend.”
Her lips parted slightly, but she ultimately said nothing in rebuttal. She simply gave a small, graceful nod, indicating her agreement. “Then, please lead the way.”
…
Keyaki Mall was still bustling with the usual evening noise of students winding down after classes. However, Tetsu did not lead her toward the café district or any of the high-end restaurants. He handled through the dense crowd, eventually bringing her to the entrance of a large grocery supermarket.
Bright fluorescent lights illuminated aisles filled with dazzling rows of everyday goods. Arisu stopped near the sliding doors.
“Why are we here if we are going to eat?” This was clearly not a suitable venue for a celebratory date.
“Going to a restaurant means buying the fruits of a chef’s labor with points. But today, I intend to show you something a little more special.” Tetsu pulled a plastic shopping basket from the stack near the entrance. He turned his head, looking at her slightly questioning expression, and smiled. “I am going to let you taste my cooking.”
He paused, letting the words sink in. “You are the first person in this school to receive this treatment.”
The information contained in that sentence caused a subtle, almost invisible ripple in Arisu’s eyes. This man could cook? He certainly did not look the part of a domestic caretaker.
“I will make something Chinese. You probably haven’t had much authentic cuisine of that style.” He seemed to be talking to himself as much as he was explaining his plan to her.
And so, Tetsu began his shopping trip. Throughout the entire process, Arisu simply followed quietly behind him, her cane tapping softly against the linoleum tiles. She did not utter a single word of complaint.
She realized that her understanding of this man still hovered on an extremely superficial level. Watching him skillfully select fresh vegetables, inspect cuts of meat, and plan a dinner menu revealed a grounded, practical side of him that existed completely beyond her expectations.
The shopping basket was soon half full of produce and spices.
“Alright, that is about enough.” Tetsu stopped, glanced at the spoils in his basket, and nodded with satisfaction.
After securing the necessary ingredients, the two made their way to the checkout counter. There were not many students in line at this hour, and it was soon their turn.
A young female cashier wore a bright, professional smile, her hands skillfully scanning the barcodes. Tetsu took out his student ID terminal, ready to transfer the Private Points for the payment.
The cashier’s gaze swept back and forth between Tetsu and Arisu. Seeing the tall, composed boy and the delicate, beautiful girl standing together, and noting the raw ingredients clearly meant for a home-cooked meal, her customer-service smile melted into something much more genuine.
“Are you two a couple? You look so well-matched together!” She spoke with a hint of genuine envy. “Our supermarket is currently holding a customer appreciation event.”
Upon hearing the cashier’s assumption, Arisu’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Did they really look that much like an established couple to an outsider?
“Every customer who spends points in our store today gets one chance to draw a prize.” The cashier pointed to a beautifully decorated black lottery box resting at the end of the counter. “Most of them are small household items, but if you are lucky, you might even win the grand prize!”
She handed over a glossy promotional flyer. Tetsu took it, his dark eyes sweeping over the printed text.
Consolation Prize: Brand Name Soy Sauce or Cooking Oil.
Third Prize: Supermarket 1000-Point Voucher.
Second Prize: A Premium Set of Basic Kitchen Utensils.
First Prize: A One-Day Invitation Ticket for a Couples’ Hot Spring Resort.
Tetsu’s gaze lingered heavily on the words ‘First Prize’ for two full seconds. A hot spring trip with Sakayanagi Arisu. That was not a bad prospect at all.
“Sounds interesting. Let’s give it a try.” He handed the flyer back to the cashier, then turned his attention to the silver-haired girl beside him. “You first?”
Arisu’s face remained entirely devoid of expression. She was a creature of pure logic and calculation; she had always been thoroughly uninterested in games governed by random chance.
But she did not refuse him. She simply extended her slender, pale hand and reached into the circular opening of the black prize box. She casually stirred the contents around for a brief moment, her fingers brushing against several spheres, before she pinched a smooth small ball and pulled it out into the light.
“It is a blue ball! Congratulations, you have won a consolation prize!”
The cashier ducked down and produced a small, beautifully packaged bottle of cooking oil from a shelf under the counter. “Please take it.”
Arisu did not even spare a second glance at the bottle of oil, simply placing it casually on the bagging counter. To her, the inherent value of this item was no different from the cardboard prize box itself. Utterly worthless.
“Alright, it is your turn, handsome.” The cashier dropped the drawn blue ball back into the box through a top slot, then smiled brightly at Tetsu.
Tetsu, however, did not immediately reach out. He glanced at the opaque black box, then back at the tempting first prize listed on the flyer, a deeply calculating and slightly doubtful expression settling over his features.