Classroom of the Elite: Surviving with the Intel System — Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Kushida Kikyo: You Bastard! You’re Terrible! All You Think About Are Points!

Kushida Kikyo was absolutely determined to secure the class representative position.

She had carefully calculated every variable of this election. The boys’ rowdy teasing and eager participation were entirely within her expectations—in fact, she had carefully orchestrated the entire atmosphere to produce exactly this result. If a boy won, she promised to go on a date with him. If a girl won, she would gift them eighty thousand Private Points as a token of gratitude.

Naturally, these were empty promises.

The very thought of genuinely dating any of those lust-driven boys made her stomach turn. Conversely, eighty thousand points was a massive sum, far too valuable to just hand over to a classmate. This entire competition was nothing more than a grand illusion designed to motivate the class. She had zero intention of giving up anything.

Yet, she could not leave any obvious loopholes. Her classmates were not complete fools.

The solution came to her almost instantly: find a suitable collaborator to rig the outcome. A boy would be ideal. If the other boys saw her interacting intimately with the winner, their jealousy would drive them to work even harder for her next time.

An ideal candidate surfaced in her mind—Shimizu Akira.

Her reasons were more than sufficient. First, he possessed the right aesthetic. His tall stature and handsome features perfectly aligned with her outward standards. Though she treated everyone with equal gentleness, her actual requirements for the opposite sex were incredibly high.

Second, he seemed remarkably easy to get along with. During their last interaction by the pool, his natural compliments had left her feeling unusually pleased. Constantly catering to the whims of others was exhausting; speaking to someone without needing to filter every syllable was a rare luxury.

Third, and most, she assumed he was simple and easy to manipulate. He appeared to be a good-natured person with a pure heart, the perfect pawn for her little scheme., she could use this newfound proximity to extract valuable information about Horikita Suzune from him.

“Um… actually, this is a little selfish of me.” Kushida lowered her head, allowing a perfectly calibrated blush to rise on her cheeks. Her long eyelashes fluttered gently. “I hope Shimizu-kun can keep this a secret for me, okay? Because… truthfully, I’d rather see Shimizu-kun win.”

She lifted her gaze, her large, watery eyes meeting his, and offered a sweet, timid smile.

Perfect.

She mentally applauded her own performance. This was her signature technique: manufacturing intimacy by sharing a fabricated secret, then bridging the distance with a vulnerable confession of favoritism. As the undisputed beauty of Class D, no boy could resist such a confidential whisper delivered with such delicate posture.

The reaction she received, however, shattered her expectations.

Shimizu merely stroked his chin, his expression utterly placid. “…This should mean it’s rigged, right?” he pointed out with surgical precision.

“Cough… It’s, it’s not rigged!” Kushida waved her hands frantically, her voice pitching up a few octaves before she forced it back down into a pitiful, trembling tone. “I just… I’m a little afraid of the intense gazes those boys give me.”

“But on Monday at the swimming pool,” Shimizu interrupted, his voice calm and unyielding, “I didn’t see you show any such concerns.”

The sharp retort severed her momentum. All her carefully rehearsed lines died in her throat.

Her sweet smile froze for a fraction of a second before she scrambled to restore her innocent facade. She tilted her head, injecting a note of deep grievance into her voice. “Shimizu-kun, really… I’m clearly thinking of your benefit. Why do you always assume the worst of me?”

Behind her back, her fingers locked together, her manicured nails digging sharply into the flesh of her palms.

Why had Shimizu Akira suddenly become so difficult to handle? At the pool, he had said all the right things, humoring her and stroking her ego. Why the sudden shift?

I hate this.

“…Kushida-san.” Shimizu spread his hands, his tone shifting into pure business. “Let’s not beat around the bush. You want to rig the results in my favor. Fine. But my price is eighty thousand points, flat rate.”

Kushida bowed her head deeply. Beneath the shadow of her bangs, her facial muscles strained to maintain composure.

‘This bastard! He is actually extorting me for points? Were those sweet words by the pool just a setup for this exact moment?! If I had known, I never would have approached him today!’

The realization poured fuel on the fire burning in her chest.

“Shimizu-kun…” She looked up, flashing a radiant smile that failed to reach her eyes. Her tone carried a subtle, icy sting. “Suddenly demanding points like this… it doesn’t seem to fit your character at all.”

Shimizu shrugged, completely unaffected by her passive aggression. “I have always operated like this. An exchange of equals. A fair trade.” He paused, feigning a look of mild curiosity. “Rather, Kushida-san… what kind of person did you think I was?”

Without waiting for her to formulate a lie, Shimizu turned his back on her. “Anyway, since you require my services, you have to provide compensation. Otherwise, we have nothing to discuss.”

Watching him walk away, Kushida struggled to suppress a violent surge of agitation. It was a toxic cocktail of fury over her ruined plan and a faint, maddening sense of loss.

‘I cannot let him leave like this!’

If the one person who saw through her scheme walked away, he held the power to expose the rigged election. The entire class would look at her with contempt. Her carefully cultivated, flawless image in Class D would shatter into pieces.

She cast a desperate glance at the scattered customers in the cafe, forcing her lips to hold their sweet curve. In such a public venue, she could not throw a tantrum, nor could she resort to her usual dark intimidation tactics.

“…Shimizu-kun.” She hurried her steps, catching up to him just as he reached the door. She kept her voice to a soft, urgent whisper meant only for him. “As long as you promise to keep my secret and act as my assistant…” Her slender eyelashes fluttered one last time in a desperate bid for charm. “Eighty thousand points, or a date with me…”

“Okay, then eighty thousand points it is.”

The instantaneous, zero-hesitation reply made her breath catch in her lungs.

Shimizu did not even bother to turn around. He simply raised his hand and gave his phone a slight shake, the point transfer interface already glowing brightly on the screen.

‘This bastard… all he cares about is money!’Kushida was completely consumed by gloom.’Even if he agreed to this transaction, it is merely a verbal contract. I do not believe he will keep his mouth shut. What if he intentionally or accidentally leaks the truth to the others? In the end… I cannot trust him at all. I do not trust anyone. I only believe in their dark pasts. But I know absolutely nothing about his past. I have no use to control him!’Her nails bit hard enough into her palms to draw a wince of pain. A highly dangerous thought flickered through her mind.’If he does not have a dark past… can I not just manufacture one for him?’She took a slow breath, secretly suppressing the urge.’No, not yet. This is just a trivial election trick. It is not worth crossing that line just yet. It would be my first time going to such extremes.’