Upon entering my room, I quickly placed a call to Hirata Yosuke, my suffering companion.
As I dialed his number, I noticed that he picked up almost immediately.
"Kurushima-kun, do you need something?" Hirata asked as we spoke on the phone.
"Yes, I have a matter of importance that I would like to discuss with you. Would it be possible for you to come to room 402?"
"Of course, Kurushima-kun. I'll be there shortly. Just give me a few minutes," he replied.
"Alright, I'll hang up now."
"Sounds good. I'll see you soon," Hirata said before hanging up.
I hung up the phone and waited. After six minutes, I heard a knock on my door.
"Hello Hirata, please come in," I said as I opened the door to let him in.
"Thank you," he said, removing his shoes before entering my room.
"Please, take a seat wherever you'd like. Can I get you anything? A drink, tea, or coffee perhaps?"
"Black tea would be great, if possible," Hirata responded.
I returned a few minutes later with a cup of black tea for him.
"Here is your tea," I said, placing it on the table in front of him.
"Thank you," he said before continuing. "So Kurushima-kun, what is this important matter you wanted to discuss?"
"It's about the S-System," I explained. "Do you remember the questions I asked Chabashira-sensei on the first day?"
"Ah, let me think…Yes, I remember now. You asked about whether the school offered a memorandum and whether our points would be allotted for the next month," Hirata said, recalling the conversation.
"Is there a reason you asked those questions?"
"Yes, I had my reasons. But now I have a question for you, Hirata. Do you think we'll receive 100,000 points each month?" I asked.
"Is that a trick question?" Hirata asked, confused.
"No, it's a serious meant question, Hirata," I said as I leaned back in my chair. Hirata looked at me with a slightly confused expression. "I have a few reasons for thinking that the school may not be allotting the full 100,000 points per month."
"I don't think the school would lie to us, about that aspect." He replied earnestly.
"But I do," I exclaimed, whereupon Hirata looked at me with a mixture of shock and confusion. "You do? You mean you think the school won't give us 100,000 points for the next month?" Hirata exclaimed, his facial expression being browed in surprise.
"Yeah, I have a few reasons for that, which I would like to explain to you more thoroughly," I said, leaning forward in my chair.
I began by explaining my suspicions about the way the school judges students based on merit, and how the cameras in the classroom and the lack of proper explanations about the S-System seemed suspicious to me.
I also mentioned my concerns about the fact that the school allots 576 million points per year, which converts to 576 million yen, and the free items and part-time job offers that seem too good to be true. I even talked about the classification of private points and how seniors and sophomores were giving imprecise answers about the S-System.
"These are about the aspects I found out. There could be many other clues." I expressed.
"I understand your reasoning, Kurushima-kun. What do you recommend?" he asked me.
"I would normally recommend to tell each of our classmates our suspicions, and to behave from now on properly."
"Normally? Is there something that's troubling you?" Hirata asked me in a worried tone.
"I'm contemplating, whether it might happen that someone from the class tells this theory further."
"Kurushima-kun, that's impossible." Hirata exclaimed in an uproar. "No one from the class would do such thing." Hirata said angrily, as he was trying to tell I should have faith in the class.
"Yes, I don't believe that's most likely to happen. But just in case, let's try to explain the individuals who didn't understand that more thoroughly. If that spreads out to the other classes, it would cause us quite the disadvantage." I answered upon Hirata's response.
"Yeah, okay, that sounds better." Hirata replied, while a smile formed his face.
"Hopefully, Ike and Yamauchi aren't that idiotic to tell this information further." I muttered in a quiet depressed voice.
However, Hirata could hear me and simply grinned painfully. "Ahahaha, Kurushima-kun they wouldn't…." Hirata wanted to reassure me, however he stopped talking suddenly.
"Kurushima-kun, I think I should go now," Hirata expressed, still in a quiet and thoughtful state.
"Alright," I answered and waved Hirata from the door off.
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「9th April 」
Upon entering the classroom, Hirata looked at me and I simply nodded. We had discussed yesterday that we would share the findings about the S-System with our classmates.
Hirata walked to the front of the class and began to speak. "Dear classmates, Kurushima-kun and I have something very important to share with you all today regarding the S-System."
"I want to clarify that this theory is not mine, but Kurushima-kun's. He has done the necessary analysis and research on the S-System and uncovered some crucial information that is suspicious and indicative of the school's true nature."
Hirata stepped aside and gestured for me to take the lead. "What Hirata has said is true. I have been suspicious about the S-System since day one, and now I have some evidence that suggests that the school isn't entirely truthful with us about how the system works. They are keeping information from us that could be crucial to our understanding of the system and how it affects us."
"One of the most suspicious things we found is that in our phones, the currency is listed as Private Points instead of simply Points," I continued. "This suggests there may be another classification of points that the school has not yet revealed to us. If Private Points are for individual use, I believe there should also be a classification for collective use, such as Class Points that are being collected by all of us. However, I can't say what their use might be."
"Now let's come to another aspect that I want to explain. The allocation of Points. Is it true that the school would allow us, mere students, mere students 100.000 Yen per month? If you think further about it doesn't it seem strange that the school is doing nothing against our improper behavior and is still willing to spend 100.000 Yen on us?"
"Considering, that in one month the school would spend already 48 Million Yen for students aside from the facilities and the buildings that also need to be financed properly. In one year the school would already spent 576 Million Yen for us students. The costs of energy and other school-related expenses are not included within. If it were the cost would be in-between a billion Yen and further for only one year."
"This seems way too excessive for mere students. Additionally, if the government is already spending this much money on us why would they offer additional opportunities to earn more money through part-time jobs or club activities? It's too detrimental for them to do that. In the long term, the school would already be dissolved if it would take that much money per year to finance it."
"This would also explain Sensei's response when I asked her whether we get 100.000 Points a month. I reiterate, 'The Points will be allocated' is what Sensei said. However, she didn't elaborate on it further. She never properly specified that we would get 100.000 Points. That's just what the school wants us to think."
I suddenly saw a being raised by Horikita. "And what should be the use of that?"
"Could you please reminisce yourself what makes this school so unique from every other high school in Japan?"
"The unique system the unique rules and the…independency of the students." Horikita expressed in a realizing tone.
"Yes, you're right, Horikita-san. This school's motto is to have the students develop their independence. Isn't it also in the right direction to say that the school isn't tasked to reprimand us on what behavior is wrong and not? As we already had compulsory education and were taught adequate manners and how to behave within the lessons."
"However, here most of us don't seem to mannerism their behavior at all. It's quite suspicious, that the teachers also don't 't mind our behavior. Almost, if it is intentional. It's not just us though. It's from classes 1-A to D.
"Adding to that, wouldn't that explain the cameras in each corner of the classroom?" I exclaimed as I wanted them to take a look at the cameras.
"Wow, here is a camera," Ike shouted in disbelief.
"Yeah, here too," someone else from the class responded.
"And here as well," Mei-Yu-Wang exclaimed.
"Ayanokoji-kun?" I simply asked, demanding confirmation of a camera on his side.
Ayanokoji-kun hesitated for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, here too."
"It's strange, I know," I said. "What I'm about to say might sound hard to believe, but please, hear me out. I believe, our behavior is most likely going to determine our hierarchical order within the grade afterward."
"What?" My classmates exclaimed in shock, their voices rising in disbelief.
However, suddenly Yukimura-kun raised his hand.
"Yes, Yukimura-kun?" I exclaimed.
"Hierarchical order? Kurushima-kun, if that's true, what's the point?" Yukimura-kun asked, his voice filled with confusion. "We're all still going to graduate with 100% college entry and employment rate, right?"
"Do you believe that, Yukimura-kun? If you were in the school's position, would you give yourself also the chance of 100% college entry and employment rate?" I asked him.
"If I were in the school's position," Yukimura contemplated. "I would only let…one class graduate with these advantages," Yukimura-kun expressed, in a shocked tone, realizing what I tried to say.
"Do you mean —"
"Yes, Yukimura-kun, I mean that. The school is only going to give one class these advantages," I exclaimed.
"Which class?" Yukimura-kun asked in an adamant tone, trying to find out more.
"Yukimura-kun, how are classes A-D normally sorted?" I asked him a basic question.
"Obviously that A-Class is the…best…and D Class the…worst," he answered, quickly catching up.
"Then how? The school already told us that each one of us would graduate with these advantages," Yukimura-kun expressed, with many agreeing with him.
"Yukimura-kun, did Chabashira-sensei ever specifically say that all of us would graduate with 100% college entry and employment rate?" I pressed.
"Because I don't remember her saying that. And it doesn't say anywhere in writing that we will have those advantages. You know as well as I do that unless it's in writing, it's not valid. Relying on a verbal statement is just too naive." I emphasized my point, challenging his assumptions.
Suddenly, Horikita interfered. "Do you have any evidence for what you are saying is true?" she asked.
"Horikita-san, everything that I am saying right now doesn't have any evidence. It remains as a theory, as long It's not confirmed," I exclaimed.
"Hmm, that's true," she said. "My bad," she muttered the last part quietly.
"Although I don't have any evidence, I do have examples where we were treated differently from upperclassmen upon being revealed as Class D students," I exclaimed.
"Sūdo-kun is an example," I said. "I heard from Ayanokoji-kun that he was badmouthed by upperclassmen because he is in Class D. Sudo-kun, could you please reiterate what they said to you?"
"Fine, whatever," Sūdo grumbled, his voice filled with resentment. "They said Class D is for the defectives and nobody cares about us. That we're the trash of the school and a dead giveaway to society."
"What? Did they say that to you, Sūdo-kun?" Kushida asked for confirmation.
"Yeah, Ayanokoji also heard that I think," Sūdo replied.
"Ayanokoji-kun, did they say that?" Kushida asked again.
"Uh… yeah, they did say that," Ayanokoji confirmed.
"What? Then does that mean Kurushima-kun's theory might be true?" someone from the class exclaimed.
"Ahem." Horikita interjected from the back of the classroom. "I suggest we hear Kurushima-kun's explanation first before we decide whether his theory is true or not.".
"Yeah, let's hear Kurushima-kun out, everyone," Kushida chimed in, her tone forced and insincere.
"As I was saying," I continued, "our behavior may very well determine our place in the hierarchy of the grade afterwards. This could also explain the upperclassmen's treatment of Sudo-kun, why they viewed him with less respect and as a liability, simply because he was part of Class D."
"Personally, when I introduced myself as a Class D student in the student council, I faced similar discrimination. I was repeatedly asked if I was joking about being in Class D and was told that it would be impossible for someone from Class D or C to be in the student council," I explained.
"Kurushima-kun, did they say that?" Kushida asked, in a forced tone once again.
"Sadly, yes, Kushida-san," I confirmed.
"I would also like to reiterate another sentence Chabashira-sensei said. 'The students are judged by their merits,' however, I don't remember that we've proven our merit to the school aside from the entrance exams. And from what I remember, only a few people here had written good entrance exams," I added.
"That's also one aspect where the school is imprecise. How is the merit of the students being judged?" I asked.
"That would be all from my side," I exclaimed, finishing my explanation. However, I knew that someone would ask questions, due to my sudden left off end.
"Thank you for sharing your theory, Kurushima-kun," Hirata exclaimed while clapping.
"Kurushima-kun, how are we supposed to ever reach Class A?" Yukimura-kun asked in a frustrated tone.
"No, forget that, you're incapable of knowing that," Yukimura-kun said as one of his deepest hopes was extinguished.
"Yes, that's true. However, that doesn't mean I don't have any suspicions about how it could work," I exclaimed as I saw Yukimura-kuns eyes looking at me hopefully.
"Yukimura-kun, do you remember that I said there is another classification of Points?" I asked, whereupon he nodded.
"Then how do you think this is relevant in all this?"
"Relevant in all this?" Yukimura-kun muttered my sentence over and over again until he realized something.
"Are you saying that those supposedly Class Points judge our hierarchical ranking from Class A to D?" Yukimura-kun said as he catches up with me.
"It's exactly as you said, Yukimura-kun. I do believe that these Class Points are judging the hierarchical ranking of the classes."
"How? How do they measure us? Academics?"
"Yukimura-kun, I also don't know that. We could be judged based on academic or physical abilities, or something entirely else. That's something where we can speculate, but also never find the answer."
"I see, that's true," Yukimura-kun exclaimed. "Thank you, Kurushima-kun," he expressed his gratitude.
"No worries, Yukimura-kun," I responded.
"Wait, does that mean Kurushima-kun's theory could be right?" One of my classmates exclaimed, their voice filled with surprise.
"I understand nothing. Nothing at all," another one of my classmates exclaimed, whereupon Yukimura-kun explained it to them in an even simpler way.
Meanwhile, I heard those two idiots also talking.
"Woaahh, Haruki, I didn't expect that," Ike expressed in an unbelievable tone.
"Kanji, Kanji, Kanji, I fully anticipated this," Yamauchi replied with a smirk.
"Woaahh?" Ike asked for confirmation.
"I can't believe you question me." Yamauchi expressed. "I said Kurushima to announce the theory. I'm kind, aren't I?" he said, "After all, I need to be there for my subordinates."
"Woaahh," Ike said in an astonishing tone. "Just who are you?" Ike replied believing everything that Yamauchi said.
"Remember Kanji, I'm Yamauchi Haruki, Genius, Billionaire, Playboy, Philanthropist," Yamauchi replied with a self-satisfied grin and walked away.
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A/N: Honestly, this was so painful to write. I can´t express my frustration with this Chapter. I really wanted to say ´I began to explain them evérything about my theory´ and that´s it. But it isn´t really after my style of writing, which is why I didn´t do it.
Ahem, ignore that I did this with the conversation with Hirata. I didn´t want to be repetitive, which is why I did this there. After all, reading practically the same explanation twice would be too boring.
Also, I will upload another Chapter in ten or twenty minutes after I have published this one. I am still in the process of revising that Chapter.
And last but not least how did you find this Chapter? It´s a bit boring and all...
Yeah, I tried to make the conversation as realistic as possible. Which is why, both Yukimura and Horikita participated the most in the conversation, since they would care the most in comparison to any other person in Class D.
Well, that´s all. I gotta revise the other Chapter after some leftover mistakes.