The next day, Ayaan and Anshuman decided to visit the academy's electronic store.
Rows of laptops, tablets, headphones, and other devices were displayed throughout the shop.
Before entering, Ayaan checked his balance.
Private Points: 3,050,000
Beside him, Anshuman checked his own.
Private Points: 2,700,000
Anshuman grinned.
"With this many points, we can buy almost anything here."
Ayaan ignored him and walked toward the laptop section.
A store employee approached them.
"Welcome. Are you looking for a laptop?"
"Yes," Ayaan replied.
The employee nodded and pointed toward the display models.
Laptop A
Price: 120,000 Points
Processor: Intel Core i5
RAM: 8 GB
Storage: 512 GB SSD
Display: 15.6-inch Full HD
Battery: 8 Hours
Laptop B
Price: 220,000 Points
Processor: Intel Core i7
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: 1 TB SSD
Display: 15.6-inch Full HD
Battery: 10 Hours
Laptop C
Price: 350,000 Points
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7
RAM: 32 GB
Storage: 2 TB SSD
Display: 16-inch QHD
Battery: 14 Hours
Laptop D (Premium Model)
Price: 600,000 Points
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9
RAM: 64 GB
Storage: 4 TB SSD
Display: 16-inch OLED
Battery: 16 Hours
Anshuman's eyes widened.
"Six hundred thousand points for one laptop?!"
The employee smiled.
"It is one of the best models available in the academy."
Ayaan calmly examined the specifications.
"Reasonable."
"Reasonable?!" Anshuman nearly choked.
The employee then showed another model.
Laptop E (Elite Edition)
Price: 1,000,000 Points
Processor: Latest-generation flagship processor
RAM: 128 GB
Storage: 8 TB SSD
Display: 18-inch 4K OLED
Battery: 18 Hours
Special Feature: Custom academy support software and premium warranty.
Even Anshuman became silent for a moment.
Then he pointed at the price.
"One million points..."
Ayaan looked at the machine thoughtfully.
With more than three million points, he could easily afford it.
The employee waited for his answer.
"What do you think, sir?"
Ayaan continued studying the laptops while Anshuman eagerly waited to see which one he would choose.
Ayaan looked at the display for a few moments before speaking.
"With six hundred thousand points, I could build a very good desktop PC."
The shopkeeper nodded.
"That's true."
"But I need portability, not maximum performance. Give me the Premium Model."
Anshuman stared at him.
"You just spent six hundred thousand points like it was nothing."
Ayaan ignored him.
The shopkeeper entered the purchase into the system.
A few seconds later, the final amount appeared on the screen.
Laptop D (Premium Model): 600,000 Points
GST (10%): 60,000 Points
Total: 660,000 Points
Ayaan looked at the total.
"GST?"
The shopkeeper smiled.
"Yes."
"Why is there GST inside the academy?"
The shopkeeper explained,
"A few years ago, wealthy students began accumulating huge amounts of private points. Once they did, many of them bought the most expensive items without thinking twice."
He pointed toward the premium electronics section.
"The chairman noticed this and introduced a special tax system. Expensive items have additional GST charges."
Anshuman frowned.
"So the richer the student, the more points they spend?"
"Exactly."
The shopkeeper nodded.
"The system is designed to prevent students from endlessly hoarding points while also encouraging them to think carefully before making large purchases."
Ayaan listened quietly.
It was the kind of rule the academy would create.
Every part of the school seemed designed to control student behavior in some way.
The shopkeeper handed over the laptop.
"Congratulations on your purchase."
Ayaan completed the transaction.
Previous Balance: 3,050,000 Points
Laptop Price: 600,000 Points
GST: 60,000 Points
Remaining Balance: 2,390,000 Points
Anshuman looked at the number and laughed.
"You still have over two million points left."
Ayaan picked up the laptop box.
"That's because I didn't waste them."
"You're never letting that go, are you?"
"No."
The two left the electronics store, but as they walked away, Ayaan found himself thinking about the academy's tax system.
Even something as simple as buying a laptop had hidden rules behind it.
And in this academy, hidden rules were usually more important than the obvious ones.
As Ayaan and Anshuman left the electronics store, they spotted Kira walking toward them.
Kira noticed the large box in Ayaan's hands.
"What did you guys buy?"
Before Ayaan could answer, Anshuman proudly said,
"A very expensive laptop."
"Oh."
Kira nodded.
"Okay."
Ayaan glanced at Anshuman.
"You make it sound like you bought it."
Anshuman ignored him.
A moment later, Kira remembered something.
"By the way, let's go buy some clothes."
"For what?" Ayaan asked.
"Tomorrow there's a party."
Ayaan stopped walking.
"What party?"
Kira explained,
"Some students from Class 1-A are organizing it. They're inviting students from the other classes to celebrate the end of the Sports Festival and the start of summer vacation."
Ayaan immediately replied,
"We're not going."
Kira blinked.
"Why?"
Before Ayaan answered, Anshuman spoke.
"Kira, you shouldn't go either."
"Huh?"
Kira looked confused.
"Why not?"
Ayaan calmly replied,
"Students from Class 1-A don't do things without a reason. If they're inviting students from other classes, they probably have some objective."
Kira thought about it for a few seconds.
That actually sounded like something Ayaan would be suspicious of.
Finally, she sighed.
"Fine. If both of you think it's a bad idea, I won't go."
Anshuman smiled.
"Good decision."
"Don't act like you're some wise advisor."
"Haha!"
Despite deciding not to attend the party, Kira pointed toward a nearby clothing store.
"We still need clothes."
"For what?" Ayaan asked.
"Because normal people buy clothes during summer vacation."
Anshuman immediately nodded.
"She's right."
Ayaan stared at both of them.
A few minutes later, all three entered the clothing store.
The shop was filled with summer outfits, jackets, shirts, dresses, and accessories.
Kira's eyes sparkled.
"This place is huge."
Anshuman looked around excitedly.
"I'm buying something cool."
Ayaan glanced at a rack of simple clothes.
"I'll buy whatever is practical."
Kira laughed.
"Of course you will."
The three friends split up and began looking through the store.
None of them noticed that, near the entrance, a student from Class 1-A had just entered the shop and quietly glanced in their direction before walking deeper into the store.
The summer vacation had only just begun, but it seemed that Class 1-A's attention was already focused on the newly promoted Class 1-B.
Ayaan walked through the store with a shopping basket in hand.
Unlike most students, he didn't spend much time deciding.
He simply picked clothes that were comfortable, practical, and looked good without attracting too much attention.
After a few minutes, his selections were complete:
Shirts
Brown shirt
Olive green shirt
Light blue shirt
Pants
White pants
Black pants
Beige pants
Oversized T-Shirts
Several simple oversized T-shirts in neutral colors
Outerwear
One black jacket with a clean, stylish design
Footwear
One pair of boots
One pair of white sneakers
One pair of cream-colored sneakers
After paying for everything, Ayaan sat on a bench near the center of the store and waited.
A few minutes later, Anshuman arrived carrying several bags.
"Haha! Shopping is exhausting."
Ayaan looked at the bags.
"You bought half the store."
"Not true."
"How many shirts?"
"...Seven."
Ayaan didn't reply.
Then Kira arrived.
She was carrying even more bags than Anshuman.
Anshuman pointed at them.
"You bought more than me!"
Kira crossed her arms.
"Unlike you, I actually know how to dress."
The two immediately started arguing.
Ayaan quietly sat there while listening to their pointless debate.
After a while, Kira noticed Ayaan's bags.
"That's all you bought?"
"Yes."
She looked through them.
"Brown, olive green, light blue, black, beige, white..."
Anshuman laughed.
"His wardrobe looks like it was designed by a calculator."
Ayaan looked at him.
"And yet I spent less time shopping than both of you."
Neither of them could argue with that.
As the three friends prepared to leave the store, Ayaan noticed a familiar face near the entrance.
A student from Class 1-A.
The student seemed to glance at them for a moment before leaving.
Ayaan narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Again..."
This wasn't the first time he had noticed students from Class 1-A observing them.
Anshuman noticed his expression.
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
But Ayaan wasn't convinced.
For some reason, Class 1-A seemed unusually interested in the students of the newly promoted Class 1-B.
After returning to the dormitory building, the three friends gathered in Kira's room with all their shopping bags.
Anshuman dropped his bags on the floor and grinned.
"Before anything else, let's try on our new clothes!"
Ayaan looked up from his newly purchased laptop.
"Why?"
"Because that's what people do after shopping."
Kira nodded.
"He's right."
Ayaan sighed.
"Fine."
Anshuman immediately grabbed a shirt and disappeared into the changing area.
A few moments later, he came out wearing a casual outfit.
"Well?"
Kira examined it.
"Not bad."
Ayaan nodded.
"It fits."
Anshuman looked disappointed.
"That's all?"
"What else do you want us to say?" Ayaan asked.
Anshuman changed again.
Then again.
And again.
One by one, he showed every outfit he had bought.
Some were sporty.
Some were casual.
A few were surprisingly flashy.
Kira laughed at one particularly bright outfit.
"You look like you're trying to become a celebrity."
"I call it confidence."
"I call it dangerous."
After Anshuman finished showing all of his clothes, Kira picked up her own bags.
"My turn."
She went into the changing area.
A few minutes later, she returned wearing her first outfit.
Anshuman immediately gave a thumbs-up.
"Looks good."
Kira smiled.
Then she went back and changed again.
And again.
One by one, she showed them every outfit she had purchased.
Some were casual summer clothes.
Others were more stylish and elegant.
Even Ayaan admitted that she had chosen well.
Kira looked pleased.
"See? Shopping is important."
Ayaan didn't respond.
After showing her final outfit, Kira sat down.
"Okay, Ayaan. Your turn."
Ayaan looked at her.
"No."
"What do you mean, no?"
"I already know the clothes fit."
Anshuman laughed.
"That's not the point."
Kira crossed her arms.
"We showed ours. Now show yours."
For several seconds, Ayaan stared at the two of them.
He realized they weren't going to give up.
"...Fine."
Anshuman immediately grinned.
"Victory."
Ayaan stood up and picked up the first shirt while Kira and Anshuman waited eagerly to see if the usually expressionless genius could actually look fashionable in the clothes he had chosen.
Ayaan reluctantly tried on each outfit.
First came the light blue shirt with beige pants.
Then the olive green shirt with black pants.
Then the brown shirt with white pants.
After that, he tried the oversized T-shirts with the black jacket and different sneakers.
Each outfit was simple, but everything matched perfectly.
When he finished, the room became silent.
Anshuman blinked.
"Wait..."
Kira stared at him.
"No way."
Ayaan looked confused.
"What?"
Anshuman pointed at him.
"Your fashion sense is way better than mine."
"Or mine," Kira added.
Ayaan sat back down.
"I just chose clothes that match."
"That's not 'just matching,'" Kira replied.
She shook her head.
"If you dressed like this every day, you'd attract a lot of girls."
Ayaan didn't even react.
"I have no interest in that."
Anshuman laughed.
"See? I told you."
Kira looked between them.
"Why?"
Anshuman answered before Ayaan could.
"Because Ayaan isn't interested in that kind of thing."
Kira raised an eyebrow.
"Not interested at all?"
"Not really," Ayaan said calmly.
"For him, spending time analyzing an exam is probably more interesting."
Anshuman burst out laughing.
"That's actually true."
Kira covered her face.
"That's unbelievable."
Ayaan closed the laptop he had been setting up.
"Whether someone likes my clothes or not doesn't help me achieve anything."
"There it is," Anshuman said.
"The most Ayaan answer possible."
Kira sighed.
"Sometimes I wonder if you're secretly eighty years old."
For the next few minutes, the three friends joked around while putting away their new clothes.
Eventually, the conversation shifted to summer vacation plans.
But in the back of Ayaan's mind, he still remembered the expelled student from Class 1-C and the strange attention Class 1-A seemed to be paying to the newly promoted Class 1-B.
Something told him that summer vacation was not going to be as peaceful as everyone expected.
As they finished putting away their new clothes, Anshuman suddenly flopped onto the bed.
"Shopping is dangerous."
Kira laughed.
"Why?"
Anshuman showed his phone.
"My points."
Kira checked her own balance.
"Oh..."
Ayaan glanced at both of them.
"You spent too much."
Anshuman pointed at him.
"You're the last person who should say that. You bought a premium laptop."
"Even after that, I have more points than both of you."
Neither of them could argue with that.
Kira smiled.
"Fine. Let's compare."
She opened the academy app.
"My balance is about 2,100,000 points now."
Anshuman checked his.
"I have around 2,250,000 points left."
Then both of them looked at Ayaan.
Ayaan sighed and showed his screen.
Balance: 2,390,000 points
Anshuman stared.
"You bought a laptop and all those clothes and still have nearly two and a half million points."
"Because I planned my spending."
Kira looked at the receipt from her shopping bags.
"These clothes were way more expensive than I expected."
Anshuman nodded immediately.
"A single jacket cost more than what I thought I'd spend today."
"The academy inflates prices," Ayaan said.
Kira sat down.
"Still, the clothes were worth it."
Anshuman grinned.
"Especially after seeing Ayaan somehow become the best-dressed person among us."
Kira laughed.
"That's true."
Ayaan ignored them and continued setting up his laptop.
For a while, the three simply relaxed and talked about random things.
They had millions of points, a newly promoted class, and an entire summer vacation ahead of them.
For the moment, life seemed peaceful.
None of them knew that the next major event of the academy would arrive much sooner than expected.
The next day, Ayaan, Anshuman, and Kira went to a large garden near the academy.
After walking around for a while, Ayaan suddenly stopped.
"I have something to do. I'll come back later."
Anshuman shrugged.
"Okay."
Kira nodded.
"Don't disappear for the whole day."
Without another word, Ayaan left.
Meanwhile, Anshuman and Kira sat on a bench and talked about random things.
A few minutes later, a girl suddenly stumbled and fell on the path in front of them.
Instinctively, Anshuman stood up and offered his hand.
"Are you okay?"
The girl looked at him for a second.
Then, unexpectedly, she screamed.
"Don't touch me! This boy is harassing me!"
Kira's eyes widened.
"What are you saying?"
Several nearby students immediately turned to look.
Anshuman blinked.
Then he laughed awkwardly.
"Oh. That's rude."
Instead of calming down, the girl shouted even louder.
"Help me!"
Within moments, several boys rushed over.
"What's going on?"
"She said he harassed her!"
Before Anshuman could explain, the boys grabbed him and took him to the academy coordinator's office.
Kira followed them immediately.
Inside the office, the coordinator looked at Anshuman.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
The coordinator frowned.
The girl began crying.
"He harassed me."
Kira stepped forward.
"Sir, she's lying. Anshuman only tried to help her after she fell."
The coordinator folded his arms.
"And how am I supposed to know who's telling the truth?"
The girl continued crying.
"They're both lying."
The room became silent.
Just then, the office door opened.
Ayaan walked inside.
"Come with me."
The coordinator looked annoyed.
"For what?"
"Evidence."
Ayaan calmly led everyone outside to the corner of a nearby building.
He took out his phone and played a video.
The footage showed the girl speaking with a boy from Class 1-A several minutes before the incident.
The video then showed the girl approaching the area where Anshuman and Kira were sitting.
Moments later, the accusation occurred.
The coordinator watched silently.
After the video ended, he said,
"What does this prove?"
Ayaan replied,
"It proves she was coordinating with someone beforehand."
He continued,
"The footage shows she approached Anshuman herself. He never approached her. She began shouting immediately after getting close to him."
The girl suddenly became nervous.
The coordinator looked between them.
After a few seconds, he sighed.
"This isn't an important enough matter to continue investigating."
He turned to the students.
"You're all free to leave."
The girl quickly left without saying anything.
The coordinator returned to his office.
As the three friends walked away, Kira looked confused.
"That was strange."
Anshuman scratched his head.
"Very strange."
Ayaan remained silent.
After a few moments, Anshuman looked at him.
"You already knew something would happen, didn't you?"
"I noticed a student from Class 1-A following us earlier."
Kira frowned.
"You think this was planned?"
Ayaan looked toward the academy buildings.
"I don't know."
That answer alone was enough to worry both of them.
Because whenever Ayaan said "I don't know," it usually meant he was already thinking several steps ahead.
And if a student from Class 1-A was truly involved, then today's incident might have been only the first move in a much larger game.