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Nagumo sheepishly withdrew his gaze, feeling that his luck had been terribly bad lately.
Just now, he was seething after being rebuffed by Horikita in the Student Council, and because she was the Student Council President's sister, he could only endure it.
But who was this silver-haired girl in front of him? How dare she ignore him like that?
'Just someone leaning on a cane, looking frail. I wouldn't touch a woman like that.'
It was true that Nagumo preferred beautiful girls, but he also had his bottom line. At least for women who appeared to be in poor health, he'd never make a move.
Mainly, he was afraid of getting into trouble. If the school caught him and he received a punishment, it wouldn't be worth it.
He was, after all, the Vice Student Council President. Once Horikita Manabu graduated, the position of President would eventually be his. It wasn't worth getting a blemish on his record for a girl with a cane.
His phone vibrated incessantly in his pocket, making his already irritable mood even worse.
Nagumo impatiently pulled out his phone, and the screen prominently displayed a message from the Class 2-C class representative:
Class 2-C Representative: {Vice President, how are you doing with the test papers?}
Class 2-C Representative: {Um, I'm not rushing you, it's just safer to get them early.}
Not just Class C, but other classes, including Class A, had also sent messages in a roundabout way, all urging him to quickly buy the test papers.
Nagumo's anger flared up instantly.
Nagumo: {What's the rush? Can test papers grow legs and run away?}
Nagumo: {Do you people still want to get into Class A in the future?}
Nagumo was already in a bad mood, and coupled with the embarrassment of his failed attempt to flirt, he had nowhere to vent his accumulated anger, so he unleashed it all on these people.
Sure enough, the people who sent the messages immediately fell silent.
After all, Nagumo had long promised these classes that as long as they obediently listened, they'd all have a chance to enter Class A. Even if they hadn't accumulated enough points to buy a "ticket," there was a very low probability of moving up through a "lottery."
As for how high that lottery probability actually was, and what the criteria were? Was it truly random, or was he manipulating it behind the scenes?
The answer would only be revealed when all second-year students entered their third year.
But for Nagumo, it was enough as long as he could make these people obedient.
At least this way, during these few months of his second year, he'd have a continuous stream of "tributes" to collect. That was the most crucial part.
His real purpose for coming to the coffee shop was to casually find a third-year student and buy test papers from them.
However, it was one thing for him to plan to do so, but it was another matter entirely for others to urge him to do it.
'These people are really impatient. I should buy the test papers as soon as possible and give them to them.'
Thinking this, Nagumo glanced at his phone. 7:00 PM sharp.
He casually scanned the other seats in the coffee shop, his gaze suddenly fixing on one spot. An upperclassman wearing a third-year school uniform sat alone, her figure looking somewhat lonely.
'Hmm? She's quite good-looking.'
'Perfect, I'll buy the test papers from her. And ask for her contact information. Maybe I'll have a chance to ask her out later.'
Nagumo adjusted his school uniform collar, a habitual frivolous smile appearing on his face, and walked toward the third-year upperclassman's seat. He deliberately lightened his footsteps, paused briefly by her table, and then spoke. "Are you alone, senpai? Do you mind if I sit here? My name is Nagumo Miyabi, and I'm the Vice Student Council President."
The upperclassman looked up, revealing a face that wasn't stunning but very delicate, with a hint of wariness in her eyes. "Is there something you need?"
"Nothing major," Nagumo pulled out a chair and sat down, tapping his fingers lightly on the table. "Do you have the second-year midterm test papers, senpai? I'll offer 20,000 points for them, how about it?"
20,000 points was the standard price for test papers, and he thought that for a seemingly inconspicuous upperclassman like her, monetary temptation would be most effective.
"I'm sorry, Vice President," the upperclassman's tone was calm and unwavering. "I can't sell you the test papers."
"What do you mean? Is it because my price is too low?" Nagumo was startled and retorted.
"It's not about the price," the upperclassman looked up at him, her voice completely devoid of emotion. "I'm from Class 3-A."
"So that's how it is." Nagumo pondered for a moment, and the confusion on his face immediately dissipated.
She was from Class A, so naturally, she wasn't short on points.
He figured it was the arrogance of an honor student, disdaining to engage in such private transactions.
It seemed he still had to target those who were short on points.
He changed the subject, putting on another slight smile. "Senpai, would you like to exchange contact information? If you're free on a holiday, maybe we could go out and have some fun together?"
"Will you pay with points?" the upperclassman suddenly asked, her tone unreadable.
"Of course!" Nagumo immediately replied, secretly pleased. Points really did work, after all.
"Points, huh..." The upperclassman slowly drew out her words, then shook her head. "Actually, I'm not really short on them. I'm sorry."
"By the way, could you leave this table?" the upperclassman suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a hint of unrefusable distance. "I'm meeting a male classmate."
Before Nagumo could react, a figure had already walked up to him.
The other person, like him, had striking blonde hair, but his lazy yet noble demeanor was completely different from Nagumo's.
"Koenji-kun, you're finally here." The upperclassman, who'd just been so indifferent, instantly brightened with a radiant smile upon seeing the newcomer, and actively stood up to greet him.
"I ran into some friendly upperclassmen on the way and was asked for several contact details! Being popular is truly bothersome!" Koenji's voice was much clearer than Nagumo had expected.
"So, who are you? Why are you sitting in my spot? You don't look like you've simply made a mistake." Koenji's gaze fell on the blonde man, a playful curve on his lips. "Interesting. So, are you trying to flirt with my date?"
"Don't mind him," the upperclassman reached out and pressed Koenji's arm, quickly changing the subject in a light tone. "He's just the school's Vice Student Council President. What's the use of having more points or greater power? Speaking of which, after I graduate from university, can I join your family's company?"
"Senpai, you're adorably straightforward!" Koenji laughed heartily. "But have you forgotten? This school, it seems, has no way to contact the outside world."
"When I leave school, just bring your autograph! Your family will definitely arrange a job for me, please! I'll do anything." The upperclassman looked up at him, her tone deliberately fawning.
Nagumo silently stood up, his face somewhat embarrassed as he left the seat.
So he was a rich young master? No wonder the third-year upperclassman was so enthusiastic about him.
His own points and status were indeed useless to third-year upperclassmen who were about to graduate.
'What's wrong with these people? Why do they all seem not to be afraid of me?'
Nagumo later approached several third-year upperclassmen but was repeatedly rejected, the reasons identical to the previous upperclassman's. They also weren't short on points, and no matter how much he raised the price, they all said they weren't lacking.
Even Nagumo himself vaguely sensed that something was off.
Just then, he received a long-awaited phone call.
It was the President who'd called him directly.
He answered the phone without hesitation.
But the content on the other end of the line completely stunned him.
"Nagumo, I've informed all third-year students to stop selling you test papers," Horikita Manabu's voice sounded more like an ordinary notification. "If you want the midterm exam papers, come and buy them from me for ten million points."