COTE: Starting With Love Stock Market System

Hearing Suzune say she could borrow the remaining private points, Chabashira merely nodded slightly before speaking.

"Then I'll wait a little longer. You can start gathering the points now."

Upon hearing this, Hirata immediately stepped up, fulfilling his role as a class leader, coordinating with classmates to see if they could scrape together enough points.

Though he faced many refusals, a handful of students were still willing to contribute.

Meanwhile, Kushida, despite the jolt of anger that had surged through her upon hearing Suzune's announcement, forced herself to suppress it.

She couldn't afford to let her resentment show.

Instead, she approached Hirata and offered some of her own points, keeping up the kind and caring persona she had painstakingly cultivated.

She couldn't afford any slip-ups.

---

About ten minutes later, Hirata returned to Suzune's side, with Kushida following close behind.

"Horikita-san, we managed to gather a little over 25,000 points," Hirata said, his expression somewhat awkward.

This was practically all they could scrape together, including contributions from both him and Kushida.

"Got it," Suzune nodded.

She glanced at her phone and calmly typed out a message.

Horikita Suzune: Hikaru-kun, we only managed to collect 25,000 points. Can you lend me 75,000?

---

In Class 1-A, Hikaru received the message and instantly became excited.

He had been waiting for this exact moment.

Once this transaction went through, he could finally achieve the goal he had been aiming for all along—resetting Kushida's stock price to its original value.

Hashima Hikaru: Of course. I'll transfer it over right now.

With over 160,000 private points still in his account, and a minimum of 50,000 more coming in on June 1st, he had more than enough to spare.

---

[Ding. You have received a private points transfer.]

Seeing the notification pop up, Suzune lifted her head and calmly addressed the class.

"We have the full 100,000 points."

A collective sigh of relief swept through Class 1-C.

"That's awesome, Sudō! You don't have to get expelled!" Yamauchi and Ike cheered—even though neither of them contributed a single point.

"Hah… yeah, this is… pretty damn great," Sudō muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

He had been on edge the entire time, fearing that this might have been the end of his time at this school.

Had he been expelled, his dream of becoming a professional athlete might have vanished forever.

---

"Chabashira-sensei, we've gathered the full amount. Can you now officially revoke Sudō's expulsion?"

Suzune directed her gaze toward their homeroom teacher.

"Of course," Chabashira replied indifferently.

"Rules are rules. I'm not the type to go back on my word."

She stepped forward, accepted the transferred points, glanced at her phone screen to verify the amount, and then turned toward Sudō.

"Congratulations, Sudō. You're no longer facing expulsion."

And with that, she left the classroom.

---

The moment she was gone, the classroom erupted into chatter.

Many students were still in awe of how Suzune had managed to turn the situation around.

Her reputation in Class 1-C had significantly improved.

Even Hirata, standing nearby, looked genuinely happy—successfully preventing a classmate's expulsion gave him a deep sense of satisfaction.

---

As the buzzing discussions continued, Kushida, still wearing her signature bright smile, walked over to Suzune's desk.

Stopping in front of the black-haired girl, she spoke softly.

"Horikita-san, did you ask Hikaru-kun for the points yourself?"

Despite the gentleness in her voice, there was an undercurrent of something… sharp.

A faint trace of hostility flickered across her delicate features—a sign of barely restrained frustration.

"Yes," Suzune replied, unfazed.

"Why? Do you have a problem with that, Kushida-san?"

"Oh, not at all," Kushida replied with a graceful smile.

"I just found it… surprising. Hikaru-kun was willing to lend you that much without hesitation? He's quite generous, isn't he?"

"Perhaps," Suzune answered, her tone flat and uninterested.

"Anything else?"

Her indifference was evident.

She had zero desire to entertain any more conversation with Kushida.

"...No, that's all."

Kushida nodded slightly before turning around and walking away.

But in that brief instant—

Suzune couldn't see it.

Yet if she had—

She would have noticed the murderous glint in Kushida's eyes.

---

Her fingernails dug into her skirt, clutching the fabric so tightly it nearly wrinkled.

She was seething.

Not just because Suzune had saved Sudō.

Not just because she had made a brilliant move.

But because—

She had used Hashima Hikaru to do it.

That guy…

Why?

Why is he always getting in my way?

---

Just then, in Class 1-A, Hikaru leaned back in his chair, staring at the system notification that had just popped up.

[Your decision to lend Horikita Suzune private points has once again triggered Kushida Kikyo's fury. She has reached her absolute limit of tolerance toward you. Kushida Kikyo's stock price has dropped by 30 points. Current stock price: 10.]

"Nice."

A smile of pure satisfaction spread across his face.

Finally.

He had successfully reduced Kushida's stock price back to its starting value.

It wasn't easy, but he had done it.

Now, he could invest in her stock again.

Ever since cashing out 500,000 points from her before, he had been missing this kind of lucrative play.

Unlike Ichinose, who was his classmate, Kushida was an external asset—meaning, he had no moral qualms about lowering her value.

Meanwhile, Sakura's stock had been steadily rising, making her another solid investment option.

With 5000 shares in each, his strategy was simple:

Ichinose's stock would be held long-term.

Sakura's stock would be gradually cashed out.

Kushida's stock… would be used for aggressive trading.

"Still… Kushida must be furious right now."

Hikaru chuckled to himself.

"And to be clear, I never even reached out to Horikita first."

"She was the one who came to me for the points."

He tapped his chin, considering his next move.

Since he still wanted to milk Kushida for more profits, he had been deliberately avoiding an outright confrontation with her.

Instead, he had been leading her along—playing into her illusions.

Now that things had escalated to the next stage, it was time to adjust his strategy.

He wouldn't lose control of this negotiation.

If anything, he was about to tighten his grip.

Just as he was pondering his next move—

His phone vibrated.

Opening the screen, he immediately grinned.

Kushida Kikyo: Wait for me in your dorm after school. I need to talk to you.

A few seconds later, another message arrived.

Kushida Kikyo: Don't even think about ditching me. Got it?

"...Oh?"

She's that pissed, huh?

He chuckled and typed out a reply.

Hashima Hikaru: Of course, Kushida-san. I'll be waiting.

Lowering his phone, he couldn't help but smile.

"Let's see how this plays out, Kushida-san."

~~~

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