COTE: Starting With Love Stock Market System

Inside Room 303 of the student dormitory, Kushida sat in quiet contemplation after hearing Hikaru's proposal. Her delicate features were touched with a hint of deep thought.

"So? Seems like a pretty fair trade, doesn't it?" Hikaru smiled casually, pushing the previously rejected drink toward her once more. "Take your time thinking it over, but everything I've said is the truth."

"Hmph."

Kushida picked up the drink, taking a small sip. The cool sensation washed over her, momentarily easing the tension in her mind. A fleeting sense of comfort surfaced on her face, only to quickly fade away.

After a minute or two, she traced the rim of the glass with her fingers before lifting her gaze to meet his.

Though her tone remained indifferent, there was an obvious shift in her stance.

"You're certain that's all you want me to do?"

"Of course. Since it's a trade, both sides have to put something of equal value on the table. I'll gather intel on Horikita, and in return, you provide me with information about your class. That shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

"...What exactly is your goal?" Kushida narrowed her eyes. She didn't particularly care about Class C's well-being, but she wanted to understand what Hikaru was aiming for.

"Hmm, explaining it would take too long, so I'll just give you a small piece of the puzzle."

Naturally, Hikaru had no intention of revealing his true objectives. But throwing out a bit of misdirection? That was perfectly fine.

"Everything I do is for Class A's success. If I can establish another reliable source of intel, it'll help us maintain our advantage."

"For example," Hikaru continued, "that plan you told me about—the one involving buying last year's exam papers. Who came up with that? Can you tell me?"

Kushida scoffed. "You haven't done anything for me yet, and you're already asking for information? Don't you think that's a bit much?"

She studied Hikaru's calm and composed expression. His words didn't seem deceitful—he genuinely appeared to be gathering intelligence to benefit his class. That realization made her instinctively want to seize control of the conversation.

"Don't get me wrong," Hikaru responded smoothly. "I'm not demanding an answer right now. I'm just giving you an idea of what kind of intel I'll be asking for."

"After all, a partnership needs to be mutually beneficial, don't you agree?"

Kushida remained silent for a few seconds before finally asking,

"Are you serious about this?"

She knew this deal was beneficial for her. Suzune had already started keeping her at a distance, avoiding one-on-one interactions whenever possible. If things continued like this, there would be no opportunities left to get close.

But Hikaru was different. The fact that Suzune had borrowed private points from him was proof that she at least had some degree of trust in him. That meant he had a way in—a potential opening that Kushida could use.

"Of course I'm serious," Hikaru assured her. "Given how popular you are in Class C, gathering information shouldn't be too difficult, right?"

He could tell that Kushida didn't care about her class's overall success. What mattered to her was what she could personally gain from this deal.

"Alright."

After a brief moment of deliberation, Kushida gave a slow nod.

"But if you want information, you'll have to offer something of equal value."

She took another sip of her drink, a faint trace of bitterness in her voice.

"You need to find out if Horikita is secretly meeting with anyone. Make sure she doesn't leak my secret."

Hikaru nodded and outlined his approach.

"Actually, I have a more comprehensive strategy—one that we'll both need to contribute to."

"What kind of strategy?"

"Since our goal is to reduce the chances of Horikita exposing your secret, we should approach this from two angles." Hikaru raised two fingers as he explained.

"You'll keep an eye on her inside the classroom—watch who she talks to and stay alert for anyone suspicious."

"And I'll arrange to meet her outside of class, probing her to see if she's been in contact with anyone. That way, we can prevent any unexpected developments. How does that sound?"

"…That works."

Kushida agreed with the plan after careful consideration.

After all, she could only observe Suzune inside the classroom. Sticking too close to her would be too obvious and might even backfire. Outside the classroom, she'd have to rely on Hikaru to track her movements and ensure there were no unforeseen risks.

"I accept the deal."

A glint of determination flashed in her eyes.

Even though what she was doing technically amounted to betraying her class, she carried herself as if she were fulfilling some noble mission.

"Then we have an agreement, Kushida-san." Hikaru smiled.

For him, this deal had multiple layers of benefits.

On the surface, it allowed him to gather intelligence on Class C. But more importantly, it gave him a reason to stay close to Kushida, allowing him to manipulate her stock value for future profit.

Ever since his first interactions with Class C, he had been carefully observing them.

His three encounters had given him several key insights:

1. Class C was full of problematic students—uncooperative, selfish, quick to shift blame.

2. However, there were a few exceptions—individuals with potential.

Among them:

Kushida Kikyo, a girl with two-faced charisma and a high level of social manipulation.

Horikita Suzune, a girl with strong academics, athleticism, and unyielding determination—though her abrasive personality often worked against her.

Hirata Yosuke, the class representative, who possessed decent intelligence and strong interpersonal skills, earning trust from both boys and girls alike.

These three individuals proved something crucial—Class C wasn't entirely incompetent.

Despite their low ranking, they had untapped potential.

Which led Hikaru to another realization:

They weren't placed in Class C simply because they were weak—there had to be another reason behind their placement.

And if that were true, then Class C might not be as helpless in Special Exams as others assumed.

The idea of buying last year's exam papers, for example—whoever came up with that wasn't stupid.

Hikaru was curious.

"Who came up with that plan?" he asked again.

"Who knows? Maybe you'll find out soon," Kushida smirked, standing up.

"Well then, since we have a deal, I expect you to keep your end of the bargain."

"Of course."

With that, Kushida dusted off her skirt, preparing to leave.

But just as she reached the door, she suddenly turned back—stepping in close to Hikaru, lowering her voice to a warning whisper.

"Since we're partners now, there's one thing I need to make absolutely clear." Her eyes glowed with a dangerous light.

"I'll get you the intel you want. But you better not betray me. Got it?"

Hikaru chuckled.

"I've always understood that. I won't go poking around for your secret."

"I'm only after class-related intel—not anything personal."

"If I already know that something is off-limits, why would I purposely step on a landmine?"

"...And how do I know you won't use that secret to blackmail me in the future?" Kushida's voice was sharp.

"Heh." Hikaru smirked.

"If I did that, wouldn't that just make you hate me more?"

"I want a long-term partnership, not a bitter rivalry."

"This school lasts three whole years—why go out of my way to make an enemy?"

He tilted his head slightly, his voice turning playful.

"Or… would you rather I blackmail you right now to ease your paranoia?"

"..."

Kushida fell silent.

Finally, after a long pause, she turned toward the door.

"Good. Keep it that way."

And with that, she left—her final words echoing behind her:

"The one who came up with the exam paper plan was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Do your job and contact me once you have results."

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[System Update: Kushida Kikyo is highly satisfied with the deal. Your reassurance has eased her paranoia. Kushida Kikyo's stock value has increased by 10 points. Current value: 20.]

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"Ayanokoji Kiyotaka... Ayanokoji Kiyotaka..."

Hikaru repeated the name under his breath.

"Who was that again?"

~~~

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