The first classroom we visited had a slightly different atmosphere. Although it looked fundamentally the same as ours, it felt as though we had come to an alien place. It was a bit like soccer; clearly the difference between a home and an away game in soccer was no trivial thing. We also didn't know if the students around us were friend or foe. Even Ike and Yamauchi appeared to be shaking in their boots. They simply stood frozen in the classroom doorway, unable to move.
Kushida was the only one who remained unfazed. In fact, she found her Class B friends and, with a smile on her face, waved to them and headed over. What an incredible attitude. I wanted to learn how to be like that. She chatted with people regardless of gender, exactly how she acted in Class D.
No one was more jealous of this than Ike and Yamauchi. Kushida was happily chatting with people who were clearly more attractive than they.
"D-damn it! There are way too many guys after my Kushida-chan. This sucks!"
What was he talking about? His Kushida?
"Don't panic, Ike. It's okay. We're in Kushida-chan's class, so we're one step ahead of them!"
The pair, comrades in vexation, grasped each other's arms.
Although there were only about 10 people left in the classroom, Kushida began explaining Sudou's case. All things considered, the atmosphere in Class B wasn't that different from Class D.
Certainly not what I'd expect from a class full of honor students. They didn't seem especially formal. In fact, many of the students seemed to do as they pleased. Although they were free to act however they wanted within school regulations, I'd expected their hair and clothing to be a bit more reserved. Instead, however, some students had dyed hair, and…well…certain girls wore rather short skirts.
As the saying goes, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Or perhaps they were superior to Class D in more than simple academics.
This school was far too mysterious. Thinking about these things was a pain in the butt. Anyway, I had only come here to accompany Kushida today, so I thought it best to leave things to her. I moved further away from the doorway to evade Ike and Yamauchi's notice.
"I wanna go home."
I didn't want them to hear me grumbling to myself. From outside the window, I could see the Track and Field Club running and working up a sweat. The air conditioning inside school was especially effective, so I didn't really feel like going out.
"Wow, those guys in the sports club really work hard, huh?"
Ike, having scouted around Class B, joined me in looking out the window. He was an especially capricious person, so waiting probably bored him.
"I think people who participate in clubs are stupid," he said.
"Why would you say that? You know such a statement will alienate about half of the students here, right?" I didn't know the precise numbers, but I estimated at least 60 to 70 percent of the students in this school participated in clubs.
"If you like exercising, then what's wrong with just doing it as a hobby? What benefit is there to undergoing such a harsh regimen?"
I thought it odd to view club activities solely in terms of benefits or drawbacks. Besides, there were many benefits to participating in a club. You gained the skills necessary to build relationships with other people, and you also got to experience victory and defeat. These were things you couldn't learn just by studying alone. Besides, someone who never participated in clubs and only went straight home after class could probably stand to learn that lesson.
"You're probably right," I said.
I waited for a few minutes until I received Kushida's report. I certainly didn't expect what she told me.