[For 3rd place, Gintsune of Class 1-A! Come out here to claim your prize!]
"What the… it's her again? What does she even do?"
[Wow, wow, wow. Consecutive nominee for the Mega Student, why don't we give Gintsune a round of applause!?]
Gintsune was about to stand up from her seat, but as soon as everyone started clapping their hands and looking at her; her movements could not help but slightly stutter. Letting out a small 'eh?' before fixing her silver fox mask and bowing to the people.
Her ninja-kimono outfit, loosely fluttering in the air as she finally managed to step down towards the stage. And as soon as she was there, she once again bowed towards the students as they were still clapping.
"Ack, so cute, Gintsune-chwan!"
"Remove your mask! Face reveal!"
"…Is this really why she's getting a lot of votes? They want her to reveal her face?" Gary then furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at Gintsune on the giant screen, "What's her ability anyway, does anyone know?"
"She is quite strong, Gary," Tomoe was the one to answer his question.
"…What's her power?"
"I… am not entirely sure," Tomoe hummed before she once again grabbed the notebook hidden in her kimono; which she used earlier to list the things they need for Hannah's birthday. She then flipped the page several times, before finally settling and squinting her eyes,
"She can create some kind of portal."
"Portal?" Hannah joined in, trying to take a peek at Tomoe's notebook, "So she could teleport?"
"She hasn't shown yet if she could," Tomoe shook her head, "But she could place objects inside some kind of pocket dimension. During the Combat Tournament, her portal absorbed the trees, before raining them down on her opponent. Range is also unknown."
"…Like a system?" Gary's eyes soon turned wide as he once again focused on Gintsune.
"…System?"
"Shit… Maybe she alone levels up!?"
"What?"
"Why are all the Asians getting all the cool powers!?" Gary then stood up from his seat, "I think Tempo is rumored to be Japanese as well. Even our own Japanese have a literal cool power!"
"…I'm more interested in Tomoe's notebook," Hannah said as she squinted her eyes, "Why do you–"
[Brew you, brew me~]
And before they could continue to discuss, the new OST of Starbeans Coffee rang in the air; drowning even the slightest whisper the students could muster.
[Coffee even your babies would want~]
"…"
"…"
The song continued for almost a full minute. They weren't going to lie, though. Even if the lyrics were a bit messed up, they had a very catchy tune. But finally, after a few more seconds, the music stopped.
[Do you have something to say to us, Ginstune?] The host then gave Ginstune a microphone.
"T… thank you, hamburger country."
[…]
"…"
"…"
[And for the 2nd place, oh oh oh. Who else could it be!?] The emcee completely ignored Gintsune's words as he dramatically pointed towards the giant screen behind him.
A few explosions then erupted as some confetti were triggered before a familiar face was featured on the screen.
[Aha! And the 2nd place is our previous Mega Student, Riley Ross of Class 1-V!]
"Damn…" Gary immediately snapped his fingers, "Now we can't buy anything we want to."
As for Riley, he could only let out a sigh as he once again floated towards the stage. However, unlike with Ginstune, the theme song of Starbeans Coffee did not play. Suffice to say, they probably did not appreciate what he said the last time he was here.
"We meet again, Riley-san."
"It would seem so, Miss Ginstune."
And as soon as he landed on the stage, Ginstune bowed towards him and greeted him with a bow, in which Riley did the same.
"I… I hafu improve my engrish," Gintsune then whispered, her words slightly stuttering as she once again fixed her mask.
"No, it's horrible, miss Gintsune."
"…"
"…"
[Alright, Riley Ross, please receive your prize…]
[And now, the Mega Student for January…
…Silvie Savelievna!]
"Yes!"
Gary instantly let out a deafening roar that shook the entire auditorium as soon as Silvie's name was called.
"It's you again!" Gary then said as he pointed at Aerith, "Well, not you you, but you!"
Gary could never ask Silvie to buy anything… but if it's Aerith who was currently disguised as Silvie, then he could most probably ask her to buy anything. Yes, everything was coming along nicely.
"W… w… what do I do!?" Aerith could not help but take in a small gulp; her eye, looking back and forth between the members of the Baby Crew.
"Relax," Hannah then quickly patted her leg, "Just go out there and say something… arrogant."
"A… Arrogant?" Aerith quickly blinked, "Silvie… doesn't seem like that?"
"Oh, believe me, she is," Hannah chuckled, "She might look timid, but she doesn't shy away from an audience."
"Is… that so," Aerith squinted her eye.
The other members of the Baby Crew were quite curious about what Hannah just said, but then they remembered the first time she was made the Mega Student– she basically challenged everyone.
"Here, say this," Gary then gestured for Aerith to lean forward, before whispering something into her ear, in which Aerith nodded several times before finally moving from her seat.
[Alright, alright, alright!] The host then clapped as soon as Aerith started to move. The confetti and lights, all triggering even before she could step on the stage. The new OST of Starbeans Coffee once again played in the background, continuing even as she got on the stage.
[It would seem our Mega Student had a rough month!] The host then said as soon as he saw Aerith; whose body was almost wrapped entirely with bandages.
Aerith, however, could only respond with an awkward chuckle.
[Do you have anything to say now that you've reclaimed your throne, Miss Silvie?] The emcee then handed Silvie a microphone.
"…"
[…]
"I…" Aerith could not help but take in a small but deep breath as her eye strayed towards Riley, and then towards the Baby Crew who was cheering for her.
"I…" And then, she looked at the crowd of students,
"This is just how it's supposed to be," Aerith then said as she smiled, "I am always meant to be on the top… while the rest of you squatters just squander and pick up the trail of crumbs I leave behind…
…That's just the difference between us."
"…"
"…"
"Pft," Gary was trying his best not to let out the violent burst of laughter that was trying to escape his mouth.
"You do know Silvie is going to kill you, right?" Hannah smiled.
"She's not here anyway."
"What are you talking about?" Hannah's smile then turned into a chuckle, "We got a break, the Baby Crew should be there for my birthday tomorrow."
"W… what are you saying?" Gary gulped.
"We're going out tomorrow."
***
"Do we have everything!?"
Riley and Hannah were currently on the Academy's designated parking lot… with Gary already tied up inside the jet-truck. He was betting on the Academy not allowing them to go out since there was a limit to the number of students that could do so per day. But alas, with the Mega Student in their group, they had the privilege to choose any schedule they wanted.
He will not be able to escape Silvie's wrath.
"The girls are still buying some stuff from the grocery," Gary then said as his head leaned out of the window; already accepting his fate. And almost as if in cue with his words, a large black van pulled in front of them.
"You guys wait long?" Bella then quickly stepped out of the driver's seat.
"What took you guys so long?"
"Girl," Bella's eyes then rolled as she went straight to the back of the van; opening it and revealing a rain of plastic bags filled with food and ingredients. Tomoe and Aerith also stepped out of the van, their eyes looking to the side and completely tired.
"Guys… it's my birthday, not a freaking festival," Hannah's eyes were as wide as they could, as some of the plastic bags even started to fall from the van.
"W… why did you guys buy so many!?" Gary's almost crying words seeped out from the truck, "Silvie's going to flip at me!"
"You ain't have nothing to worry about," Bella chuckled, "We got all of these for free."
"…What? How?"
Bella, Tomoe, and Aerith could only look towards Riley; their expressions, completely exhausted but still somewhat excited.
"…Riley?" Hannah muttered.
"I bought their entire stock before they revoked my privileges yesterday, sister," Riley answered without any hesitation, "Today is your birthday, you deserve everything you want to eat."
"Pft, is that so?" Hannah quickly pinched Riley's nose as she giggled, "Maybe you should have bought the entire grocery instead."
"…" Riley blinked.
"…"
"Wait, don't tell me–"
"I tried to, initially. But they told me the grocery was not for sale."
"I… I see," Hannah chuckled, "Anyway, let's go. We still have a long way to go. Just put the entire van in the trailer so we don't have to unload the stuff."
"On it," the veins on Bella's arms quickly etched out of her skin as the van started to float, gently moving straight inside the back of the trailer."
"Alright, let's go!"
Hannah then clapped her hands as everyone started entering the jet-truck. Hannah, however, could not get in. Because as soon as she turned around, someone was suddenly blocking her path… holding a bouquet of flowers.
"Happy birthday, my dear Hannah."
"….Julius?"
