"Today is the day." I said to myself in the mirror. I sighed at my pathetic look.
I needed to work on myself. For the past few days I had worked out however I was nowhere close to his strength. I knew he was hiding something. If he was hiding his strength then there must be other things he is hiding.
Although I am in no place to speak badly about someone for hiding secrets as I am not a saint myself.
I just had a feeling that Tsukamoto Tadashi was no ordinary high schooler. I spoke to him on the first day of school because I had a feeling that he wasn't normal. Eyes like those can only be described as 'Soldier's Eyes'. They seemed as if they have seen many things which a normal person couldn't fathom.
The only person I felt I had to fear.
* * * * * *
I woke up from my bed to the morning sun blinding me with its light. I didn't close the blinds so now I had to face those consequences.
I got out of my bed, remembering the date today. The day of Akito's court was today, luckily I had avoided needing to be there however I did need to do something because I had caused it in the first place.
I brushed my teeth while looking at myself in the mirror. I was aware of my expressionless face which was always a challenge for others to read. I also never felt most emotions. Happiness, sadness, excitement, anger—I have never felt a single ounce of any of them, until recently.
I got out of the bathroom after contemplating the concept of 'emotions' and went downstairs to the kitchen to prepare myself breakfast. After breakfast, I was planning to go for an early morning walk as it was only a few minutes past eight.
I had a gene, which will later be known as ADRB1, which allows my body to function without any problems with less than six hours of sleep. I would be able to sleep at 3 a.m. and wake up four hours later without any problems.
While eating breakfast I watched a documentary on black holes. Things like these made me curious although I had already worked out everything about them before I was one.
I sipped my tea while enjoying the last minutes of a crime documentary on the 'World's Best Detectives'. It was satisfactory to find that I knew the top five best detectives. As the documentary ended I put the plates and mug into the dishwasher and turned it on. I then grabbed my phone and a jacket and put my shoes on.
Oh well, it's time.
I opened the door. In front of me was a girl. The girl wore a white sweater, a dark-coloured skirt, and black leggings with black boots. I recognised her from her emerald eyes and pale red-violet hair.
"Tsukamoto-san?" The girl muttered.
Tsukamoto-san? Why are you saying it like you're confused? I live on this floor but you don't.
"Sorry but who are you?" I asked.
"You don't remember me?" The girl said, woefully.
"No."
There was no way I could not remember her as she was one of the girls surrounding me in the physical strength exam.
"I'm Yoshizawa Rina, I hope you'll remember me this time!" The girl said as she smiled at me. "Were you going out?"
Why do so many girls smile at me now?
"I was just going…" I tried to think of something however she could reply with "Mind if I tag along?" which is something I didn't want. "…I was just going to the library."
"Mind if I tag along?"
The five words I tried to avoid were being spoken.
"Sure."
* * * * * *
Walking down the streets with a girl did nothing but attract attention and the fact that I was popular at the academy didn't make it any better.
Eyes were staring at us with multiple students muttering to each other—probably new rumours were going to bloom.
"Are you alright, Tsukamoto-kun?" Yoshizawa asked as she looked at my face to see my expression.
"Doesn't it affect you?" She looked at me as if she didn't understand my question. "People might think we're a couple."
"Ohhh! Nope! Doesn't affect me!!" She replied, smiling radiantly as usual.
My analysis was completed—I now have an idea of her personality, background, and childhood as well as her status in the school. I hadn't taken the time to observe her as I did with anyone who was remotely close to the people who hung out with me however she will be someone of significance now.
"Hey, Tsukamoto-kun, you're pretty strong aren't you?" The question I expected Yoshizawa to ask was asked. "Do you work out or something?"
"I used to work out in middle school." I replied. I have also created a conversation by opening other questions for her, such as asking me which middle school I went to.
"Oh, middle school? Which one did you go to?"
"It was overseas." I replied.
I didn't go to any education institutes such as an elementary school or middle school however I did have the chance.
This school gave out only ten scholarships a year and I was lucky enough to receive one. This year the school only gave out five scholarships, excluding me, there are four and I only know two of them personally.
"Overseas? Is your family rich?" Yoshizawa asked.
Yoshizawa came from a wealthy family of nobles which meant that she would know all the nobles and elite class people.
"It was a scholarship." I replied. I might have gone via a scholarship as I came here with a scholarship and this school hand-picks students worthy of a scholarship.
"Ehh! You're really smart then!"
"Only in academics; Anything else I'm average."
"Oh!" Yoshizawa exclaimed. She then waved at a window of a cafe and there were people inside who waved back. "Wanna go meet my friends?"
She didn't even listen to my answer and dragged me inside the cafe.
"Rina-chan!!" A girl squealed as the girl ran towards us. "Tsukamoto-san!"
"You know me?"
"Of course I do. Everyone does!"
I recognised the girl. It was the girl from Class 1-C, who told me that a famous idol was going to join the school, Sumiwara Ryoko.
"Sumiwara-san?"
"You remembered me!!!" I smiled as Sumiwara's eyes glimmered with joy while Yoshizawa glared at us with rage.
"How did you remember hers but not mine?!" She pouted.
When the hell did I get so sociable?
Another student came from behind Sumiwara. The student was male around six feet and probably a few inches more. He had a muscular build under his dark brown trench coat and beige sweater: His pants were dark brown and his shoes were black—there was no doubt that he was an older student.
"Morning Rina-san." He then turned his head to me. He did look at me however it seemed more like a glare that was judging. His expression then changed to a slightly more serious and angry face. "Who are you?"
I sense malice.
"He's Tsukamoto from our year." Rina introduced me before I could. The man looked at me with bloodlust. I could tell from a single glance that he didn't like me.
No.
At this point, he wanted to kill me however he couldn't. Perhaps it was because he was in a public area however he didn't seem to be the type who would care or it was because Yoshizawa and Sumiwara were here, however, an even more interesting reason would be that he knew he couldn't.
He looked like a typical delinquent or a leader of a gang, nevertheless, he wasn't someone I could charm with just my looks. He was someone with combat experience which did mean he could be some fun however he didn't seem to have the same potential as Akito or Harumi which didn't make him less boring.
I did expect the roles to be reversed with Yoshizawa with the older student instead of Sumiwara or perhaps I had judged their relationship too quickly without any thinking.
The man then laughed.
"Hahaha!! You seem like a fun guy!" He said that after a full minute of analysing me, still a minute of analysing and saying I'm a fun guy probably meant that I was strong and he could see it. "Let's spar sometime!"
"Don't say that to people you just met, Tatsuya-kun!" Sumiwara said as she playfully punched his arm a couple of times.
Ah. Ishigami Tatsuya, Class 3-B. He scored an overall of 50 in the entrance exams. He is also an experienced fighter who has won many tournaments in Muay Thai and Karate. His net worth is around 20 billion yen and owns a company, HSK, which has many branches around the world. It is a clothing brand that is also considered an elite brand. A brand that sells normal clothes but because of its brand it is worth much more. A simple t-shirt is worth over a thousand yen.
[Note: ¥1 (In this world)=$5 (IRL)]
His current clothes should be over ¥5,000.
"Hey, Tsukamoto-san, how about we go eat? I'll pay." Ishigami asked. I accepted as I was interested in him and what he will do when we are alone.
We then walked to an expensive restaurant.
"Order anything you want, it's on me." Ishigami said as we sat down at our table.
"Ishigami Tatsuya? Isn't that the CEO of HSK?" Ishigami wasn't surprised as his name was well known. What surprised me was what he said.
"Tsukamoto Tadashi? Aren't you also a CEO?" Ishigami said. I looked up from the menu I held in my hands to see the man in front of me look back at me, wearing a devious smile on his face. "You own 35% of the stock market and your net worth is in the quadrillions, am I right?"
"You aren't as stupid as the others. You worked it out in mere seconds while the rest are struggling with my name." I said. "What other information do you have of me?"
"Do I need to say anything more? I already know your name and you know how much power I have." Ishigami had a large smirk on his face. He stared at me as if he had won.
The games have started.
"Ishigami Tatsuya, is that the only thing you know about me?" I said. His face changed from his smirk to a face of disbelief. "If that is the case then I have the advantage here; I know your whole backstory. I know how many siblings you have and their whole life and professions. I know your whole family tree to around eight generations. Your great-great-grandfather wasn't a good man and I'm sure your whole company will fail if something was exposed and I'm not only talking about your great-great-grandfather, you're not a good person as well."
"How—"
"How do I know? With all your power, wealth, and knowledge you will never find that out unless I want you to."
His expression was satisfactory. From the prideful and devious man to a man of disbelief, and anger who feels threatened by a mere 16-year-old.
"Tell Saori that I'm proud of her." I said before I left the cafe.
I walked back to Yoshizawa to tell her that I had to go after I did I went back to my dormitory to rest however my time to rest had yet to come.
"TSUKAMOTO!"
Why can't I rest for once?