The bell eventually rang. It was always a pleasure hearing the sounds to start and end the day. I immediately saw some people rising up from their seats and exiting the room. Others formed into groups and stayed behind, planning how to spend their first day here.
"Let's get out of here!" Saki cried enthusiastically.
"You're being loud again."
"I can't help it, you know." Well, this was her habit, so I could understand. When a habit is formed, it is difficult not to do it impulsively. It is also hard to remove it without some determination. Well, in the first place, people hardly could ever realize their own bad habits, let alone fix them. I didn't know what some of my habits were until Saki informed me about them.
"Anyway, don't you think that sensei looks just like you? She is literally the female version of you!"
"The only similarities you saw were the hair and eye shape, weren't they?"
"That's enough to be considered as doppelgangers! Her demeanor bears the same intensity as yours as well."
"Describe my aura. I'm interested."
Saki then pushed her table and chair closer to my location. The friction between them and the floor made a rather unsettling sound, but she didn't care.
"Hmm, she speaks formally like you, seems serious and cold, and her glare is seriously so intense that it could kill someone, just like you. Honestly, it frightened me a bit."
"Too far, Saki. You need some serious rest."
"I promise I'm fine! What I said is true though, according to my observation," she looked at me with determined eyes.
"Whatever it is, I'm not a psychopath. I don't assassinate people…unless it's necessary."
"But certainly you're battle-hungry, which is one step closer to becoming a psychopathic swordsman." Saki extended her arm in my direction, holding a lone index finger vertically to represent number one.
I pushed her arm back slowly, "Alright, we are being off-topic. Let's go to the dorm."
"Wouldn't it be better to wait? I bet the bus stop is overcrowded with students right now."
"Right, school ended minutes ago."
"For now, why don't we look at the leaderboard? I'm really curious to know what your score looks like."
"Don't weep about it though."
Saki widened her sparkling eyes and relocated her seat right next to me. Then out of nowhere, she punched me in the arm and smiled broadly after that. If anything, she was a psychopath, not me.
Her enthusiasm and change of emotions exceeded what was considered normal, which could make many feel uncomfortable. But I had created some resistance to it from countless interactions with her.
A moment later, I saw two shadows elegantly walking toward us. I slightly knew who their identities were.
"May we join in your discussion?" a voice so articulate and calm directed at us. It was none other than the class president Ichinose Yui.
"Oh! It's Ichinose and, um, her friend!" Saki hastily greeted them.
"Oh, right. Let me introduce her. This is my friend Azuma Hiyori, our vice president."
"W-wow. What an incredibly powerful duo! I'd never imagined you guys to be friends beforehand."
A powerful duo, indeed. Azuma was the girl I saw accompanying Ichinose on the bus, so they must have been friends since forever. Two talented people nominated to be representatives, and I assumed they had amazing chemistry. Our class was in good hands.
"Actually, we only met a few weeks before at the post office, but we have been good friends since." Oh, my guess was incorrect then. Still, they looked as if they had been friends for eternity.
"You guys have weapons to send too?" Saki asked.
"We didn't send any. I only came there for personal business and met Hiyori. We talked and realized that we would attend the same school. Come to think of it, I've never asked why Hiyori went to the post office. Did you all possess weapons to send?"
"Yeah! It was our first time visiting the post office. We sent the packages last day of the deadline."
"I see. I assume that you're experienced in combat considering you have to get a license to possess weapons."
License? What? I had no knowledge of this whatsoever. I had always carried my katana around the neighborhood, swinging and slashing around. Even all of my neighbors knew that I possessed katanas. Wouldn't that make me a criminal hiding in plain sight?
"Well, weapon licensing has been loosened up. Not every individual needs a license, you see. If a member of your family is granted one, most likely you would be able to use weapons too!"
That was a relief. I didn't want to be arrested for illicit weapon possession. I could trust Saki on this matter since her dad was vastly knowledgeable about it, after all.
"But I'm not good in combat at all. I consider myself average, nowhere near good," Saki flustered, trying to deny Ichinose's comment.
"Hirawa-san, I believe you are a promising talent. I don't think it is worth disbelieving yourself when you could excel in what you are capable of. Please be confident in yourself," Ichinose delivered an emotional speech concisely and with passion. This was what being a leader looked like, huh?
"Thank you, Ichinose-san!" I could sense Saki's bright and cheerful aura again. An effective motivational speech could rally people in seconds. What an incredible power. Ichinose smiled brightly with her eyes shut, while Saki tried to gather her composure after such kind words.
I didn't want to ruin the moment but dragging it out would turn the situation into an awkward interaction. I chimed in in the most nonchalant manner possible, "So, Ichinose, what do you and Azuma want to discuss?"
Ichinose redirected her gaze at me, "I accidentally overheard your conversation about Pseudo-Grade, and I was interested to join. Besides, since we are the class cabinet, we should start observing each individual and our class as a whole. I thought this was a perfect chance for us to start working."
"I see. Taking advantage of the free time we have, right? Where do you want to start?"
"Why don't we start with individual scores? I only skimmed through the leaderboard and knew your rating, Hiyori-san's, and Hirawa-san's."
"Sure. I am curious to know as well."
"Ichinose-san, Azuma-san, bring your seats over here," Saki said.
Ichinose and Azuma nodded, brought their chairs to our table, and sat down at the opposite side. Surrounded by girls, I found it hard to maintain my composure. But I had to go through one of the first challenges, or else I would fail when harder obstacles arrived.