Chapter 97 Exploitative Arcade - Part 3

"That girl's been there for a while," said Kinoshita.

"She must be addicted to the game," commented Fujiharu.

Just watching her, I could tell that she wasn't just addicted to the game. For someone to have such a large number of points to spend, it was clear that they wouldn't be irresponsible with their balance. I had heard the details of the first-years' special exam from Fujiharu. It wasn't too difficult to figure out what the reason was.

There was a clause in the special exam that the least popular student in each class would be expelled—well, at least that was the gist of it. As such, the only way for it to be prevented if you couldn't stop having the least popularity was to escape it with an Immunity. That was why she was here, wasting all of her hard-earned points.

Fujiharu made her way over to one of the other machines.

"I'm going to try this."

It was basically a game of Crossy Road where the further you got, the more points you would earn. The entry fee was 100 points, and you got one point for every tile you moved. Theoretically, you could earn an infinite number of points, but just based on some of the random elements in the game, it would be difficult to earn a profit every time.

A little while later, Fujiharu found her character crushed by a truck.

"Damn, I was pretty close to the high score."

Two hundred thirty-one points were added to her card.

Most of the games in this general area didn't have very high point costs. Most games would only ever involve earnings of 100 points or less, meaning they were more for entertainment than a serious source of income. The only one that involved more was the spinning wheel machine that the first-year girl was playing with.

Kimura had a turn on the Crossy Road machine.

He managed to get a score of 198.

"Not so good at everything, eh?"

We decided to leave the Point Games since they were generally not very interesting. Instead, we made our way around, playing various party games and racing games. We all sat down in a row of seats with steering wheels, imitating a car.

"Everyone ready?" asked Kimura.

We were all ready. The machines synced up with each other, and we were all placed in the same race. Before long, it began, pitting us against each other.

Machine One (Kimura) - #1

Machine Two (Fujiharu) - #2

Machine Three (Me) - #4

Machine Four (Kinoshita) - #10

Well, it was somewhat fun.

We made our way around, trying out some other games.

***

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[Akihiko Harumi POV]

No... no... no... this can't be...

I had so many points... it has only been a few hours. There's no way I've used them up already, right? Staring hopelessly into my phone, I could only see the tiny number that remained of my bank balance. I tried to keep my hand steady, trying my best not to show the despair that I was feeling to everyone who was gathered around.

Wait... does this mean I'm going to be expelled?

Surely, there's another way. Come one... I'm one of the smartest in the entire school. You can't just expel me because of some popularity contest, right? This school is a meritocracy... right? I'm supposed to be at the top...

You can't do this to me! You can't send me back to where I was! You don't understand the abuse, the horror, the pain I suffered all through my life. This school was my only hope, my only escape from the harsh reality of my situation. I have the skills. I'll prove them to you... you can't expel me...

"Um, are you finished? I've been wanting to use that machine for a while."

"O-oh... um, y-yeah... I'm... done."

Staring down at the ground, I tried to get out of there as quietly as I could. This was humiliating... me... I can't...

As I walked around the melancholic path, I couldn't help but glance around anxiously. Surely, there was a way out of this. I'm smart. I'm smart. Surely I can think of something. Maybe the teacher will lower the cost of an Immunity if I beg her.

***

"No, the price is set. Don't expect to get anything for 300 points."

Oh right... I wasted all of my points on that machine.

Now I was completely out of options.

"Please... can you make an exception? I'll... pay you back in the next few months."

"I'm afraid the school doesn't work like that."

Eventually, the teacher simply walked away from me.

Ah... was this where it all ends?

Someone... save me... where's my knight in shining armour?

Fairy tales don't exist in reality, I know that.

***

The deadline was approaching. In a few hours, the results of the Popularity Special Exam will be posted. I had only a few hours left to make a difference. Maybe... if I begged some of my classmates, I might not get voted out...

That'll work, right???

That'll work, right???

I could no longer stop the pain in my chest.

If there was anyone who could understand my own hopelessness, it was me.

My lack of empathy, my lack of kindness—turns out that would be the end of me. I... I thought I'd at least be expelled from being defeated at my own game... I thought, at the very least... someone stronger than me would defeat me... then I'd at least be satisfied.

This was the most painful way to end.

Leaning up against the building, I sat, all alone, on the wet, cold grass. Tucking my head into my legs, I stared into the darkness, hoping that it would eventually all go away. Ah, how long has it been since I've cried like this.

The tears just wouldn't stop.

No matter how much I tried... I couldn't stop my tears.

I guess that comes to show how much I cared for this place.

It's embarrassing, isn't it?