Student dormitories.
Ryouma glanced at Suzune Horikita, who was following closely behind him.
There was barely half a step between them.
However...
Ever since the opening ceremony, neither of them had exchanged a single word.
Ryouma sighed helplessly.
"Suzune, are you seriously planning to follow me all the way back to my room?"
"Ryouma, judging by what you said earlier, our date should be over now, correct? In that case, it's time for you to tell me what information you obtained from Chabashira-sensei."
Horikita stared intently at Ryouma.
Although she'd reluctantly agreed to go on a date with him, she hadn't expected it to be so surprisingly simple.
Ryouma: "???"
'Huh?'
'What the hell?!'
Ryouma's head was practically overflowing with question marks.
'Don't tell me this girl thinks following someone around counts as a date?!'
'Just what kind of misunderstanding does she have about dating?!'
"Suzune, you've never had a boyfriend before, have you?"
Ryouma asked, utterly speechless.
"That has nothing to do with our current discussion."
Horikita showed absolutely no embarrassment as she replied coldly.
"Now, stop changing the subject and tell me what you learned. Or are you planning to break our agreement, Ryouma?"
"Haah..."
Ryouma sighed helplessly.
Suzune Horikita was a girl who had spent her entire life chasing after her older brother's shadow.
Romance was practically an alien concept to her.
Furthermore, her years of avoiding social interactions had left her severely lacking in empathy toward others.
Trying to reason with someone like Horikita would be downright foolish.
Therefore, Ryouma simply took a step forward.
"What are you doing?"
Horikita hurriedly retreated half a step, frowning suspiciously.
"Don't move!" Enjoying the story?
Ryouma assertively leaned toward Horikita's ear and whispered teasingly.
"Actually, Suzune, when I said 'date,' what I really meant was..."
"Stop joking around!"
After hearing Ryouma's explanation, Horikita's face instantly turned bright red.
She hurriedly retreated several steps, stammering in embarrassment.
"A-A date is when a boy and girl go shopping, eat together, or watch a movie! I-I even looked it up online!"
"The fact that we didn't eat together or watch a movie was because you didn't go!"
"At the very least, we already went shopping together! That means the conditions for a date have been fulfilled! Don't even think about tricking me!"
Horikita resembled a frightened little rabbit.
This was the first time in her life she'd ever heard someone say something so outrageously suggestive!
"Oh, really? Well, if you can't do it, then forget it."
Although the sight of an icy beauty blushing in embarrassment was undeniably adorable, Ryouma didn't particularly care.
He shrugged and turned to leave.
'He's... making fun of me!'
Horikita instantly realized what had happened.
She hurried forward and grabbed Ryouma's wrist.
"Just what will it take for you to tell me that information?"
Her voice remained cold, but her expression betrayed her frustration.
"A d-date... Th-That kind of date is absolutely impossible! You should understand that much!"
Toward the end, she started stammering again.
Ryouma ignored her protests and continued walking, eventually leading her to the area beneath the student dormitories.
Several benches had been installed along the roadside for students to rest.
A vending machine stood nearby.
At this hour, most students had either returned to their dormitories or gone shopping at Keyaki Mall.
As a result, the area was unusually peaceful.
Ryouma sat down on one of the benches.
After thinking for a moment, he spoke.
"Suzune, black tea!"
Horikita retrieved two cans of black tea from the vending machine and held them firmly in her hands.
Her expression was completely serious.
'You really know how to get ahead of yourself...'
Ryouma was speechless.
"Suzune, with that attitude, you're never going to make any friends."
"I don't particularly care. I prefer spending time alone rather than making friends."
Horikita replied calmly.
She continued holding both cans of black tea without showing the slightest intention of handing one over.
"Whatever."
Ryouma had no interest in arguing with her.
Instead, a smile appeared on his face.
"If you want the information, that's fine. Fifty thousand private points!"
"Private points?"
Horikita's beautiful eyebrows gradually furrowed.
Chabashira's explanation of the school's rules suddenly resurfaced in her mind.
【Points can buy anything.】
Those words flashed through her thoughts.
Chabashira's statement and Ryouma's demand seemed to reinforce one another.
Apparently, private points weren't merely living expenses provided by the school.
Rather, they should be treated as something possessing the same value as actual money.
At the same time...
This also suggested that Ryouma possessed more than one piece of information.
After all, he'd practically handed her this particular clue for free.
It was something she'd never considered before.
However, she couldn't determine whether Ryouma had deliberately revealed it or accidentally let it slip.
'Points can buy anything...?'
Horikita felt she was beginning to understand this school, where ability reigned supreme.
Nevertheless...
If private points were equivalent to money, then the information had to be worth fifty thousand yen.
"Impossible."