The morning bell for the first day of school in May rang. Soon after, Chiyabashira-sensei entered, holding a poster rolled into a tube. Her face was always grim and serious. Are you in menopause? If I make that joke, I think iron bats will keep spinning on my face.
"Sensei~, are you in menopause?"
Ike actually asked in a loud voice. However, I was surprised that we were thinking the same thing.
"Alright, morning class is about to start. Are there any questions before we start? If there's anything on your mind, don't hesitate to speak up."
Chiyabashira-sensei completely ignored Ike and continued talking. She spoke as if she was absolutely sure that the students had something to ask. Soon, several people raised their hands.
"Um, I checked my balance this morning, and no points were filled in. Aren't they supposed to be awarded on the first day of the month, every month? I'm impatient that I can't buy the juice I want. "
"Hondou, I explained it before, didn't I? The points are linked to the student's account on the first day of every month, every month they are charged without any problems, this month too."
"Uh, but... I didn't get any points."
Hondou and Yamauchi exchanged glances. Ike was too surprised at their appearance. Of course, I also checked my points this morning, but mine were even, unchanged from yesterday.
So I thought they would be deposited later.
"...are you guys really that stupid?"
Was she angry? Excited? Chiyabashira-sensei had an unpleasant feeling about her.
"Stupid? What?"
Chiyabashira-sensei had a sharp glint in her eyes as Hondou repeated her words like an idiot.
"Sit down, Hondou, I'll explain again."
"S-sae-chan sensei?"
Surprised by her stern tone, Hondou slumped into his chair.
"Points are deposited Without failure, the possibility of this class falling behind is very far, do you understand?"
"No, even if I say that I understand, we haven't received our points yet..."
Hondou had a dissatisfied look on his face.
However, if we say that Chiyabashira-sensei is telling the truth...
Isn't there some sort of contradiction? Does that mean zero points have been transferred?
I had a faint doubt, yet my suspicion increased.
"Hahaha, I see, so that's it, teacher. I've understood this puzzle now."
Koenji said in a loud voice while laughing. Putting his feet on the table, he pointed at Hondou casually.
"We didn't receive any points because we're in D class."
"Huh? What does that mean? They said we would get 100,000 points every month..."
"I don't remember hearing that, do you?"
Grinning, Koenji then turned around and pointed his finger at Chiyabashira-sensei.
"Your attitude has some problems, but what Koenji said is on the right track. Not many people seem to pay attention to my instructions, how sad."
The classroom erupted in uproar and confusion.
"...Sensei, can I ask you a question?" I still didn't understand.
Hirata raised her hand. Instead of worrying about her own point, it seemed like she was asking the worried students in the room for help. As expected of a class leader. She took the initiative again.
"Please tell me why we didn't get any points. If that's not possible, we'll never understand. After all, we were never given a reason why we weren't given points."
"98 total absences and tardiness. 391 instances of talking or using cell phones in class. I counted every offense In this school, your class performance is reflected in the number of points received. As a result of your behavior, the 100,000 points you earned have been reduced to nothing. That's all that happened."
"I explained all these things on the day of the entrance ceremony. That this school measures the ability of its students. This time, you are worth 0. Nothing more than that. "
Chiyabashira-sensei spoke mechanically, without any expression. My initial hesitation after coming to the school was finally answered. The worst way possible, but answered nonetheless.
In other words, although we had an advantage of 100,000 points from the start, our class lost all of that in one month.
I heard the sound of pencil on paper. Horikita was calmly trying to grasp the situation as he recorded the number of absences, tardies, and speaking offenses in class.
"Chiyabashira-sensei, I don't remember hearing that explanation before..."
"What? Are you people incapable of understanding without an explanation?"
"Of course there was no mention of the number of points that were passed down to us at the beginning of each month, if it had been explained beforehand, I'm sure we would have made an effort not to be late and not to talk in class. "
"Interesting argument, Hirata, I don't remember explaining the rules about the points received at the beginning of each month either. However, didn't you guys learn not to talk in class and go to class on time since elementary school?"
"That..."
"I'm sure you've learned. In 9 years of compulsory education, they always tell you that such things are frowned upon. Talking in class and being late to class is bad. Also, are you saying that you couldn't understand because I didn't explain it? Excuses like that don't fly. If you behave as a student should, your points will not drop to 0. This is your own responsibility. "
With no room for rebuttal, his argument was completely sound. Everyone knew what good and bad behavior was.
"After being a first-year schoolboy, did you really think that you would get 100,000 points every month without any restrictions? In this school created by the Japanese government to train great people? That's impossible, just use your common sense Why are you leaving doubts? "
Although Hirata looked frustrated with her sound argument, she recovered and looked directly into his eyes.
"In that case, can you tell us the details of how the points increased or decreased? We'll always try our best from now on."
"That's not possible. We're not allowed to divulge the details of how we grade students' merits, just like the real world. When you all enter society, and find jobs in some kind of business, they may not tell you how you were graded - that's up to the company... However... I'm not trying to be cold, nor do I hate you, it's such a sad sight that I'll tell everyone here one thing. "
For the first time today, I saw a faint smile on Chiyabashira-sensei's face.
"For the sake of argument, if we say that everyone stops being late and stops talking in class... your deduction will be zero, but that doesn't mean you'll get more points."
In other words, next month's allowance is also 0 points.
"Not being late or not talking to the class will not help you rise from the bottom. Remember that carefully. It will help you. "
"Tsu..."
Hirata's face darkened even more. A portion of the class still failed to understand; his explanation had the opposite effect. The students who wanted to change their bad behavior made the mood of those who became damp. That is Chiyabashira-sensei; No, the purpose of the school.
The bell rang, signaling the end of class.
"It seems like we've been chatting too much, I hope you understand, let's just deal with the main issue at hand."
She unfurled a white poster rolled into a tube. Taking a magnet, she inserted it into the blackboard. The students looked at the paper, still confused.
"Is this... the results of each class?"
Horikita tried to explain the paper although he was only half convinced. Maybe it was true.
Classes A through D were listed on the paper, with numbers right next to them.
Our class D with 0. Class C with 490. Class B with 650. And class A has the highest number with 940. I guess 1000 points means 100,000 yen? All classes lost points in some way.
"Hey, do you think this is weird?"
"Yeah... the numbers are too clean."
Horikita and I noticed something strange with the points.
"For the first month, you've all been doing what you want. Now, the school didn't say that this is forbidden. Your actions, such as talking in class and being late to class, only affect the number of points you get. This is the same with how you use the points. You have the freedom to use the points as you see fit. We do not restrict how you use the points. "
"It's not fair, we can't live a normal school life like that!"
Ike, who had remained silent until now, cried out.
Yamauchi was also crying out in pain. That guy had already spent all his points...
"Look carefully, you stupid kids. Every other class except class D got a few points, the amount of points that people should have long enough to last for a month."
"B-how do the other classes have any points left? That's strange..."
"I'd tell you, but it's not like it's some kind of cheating. For the past month, all classes were tried by the same rules. However, they simply did not lose as many points as you guys did. This is a fact."
"How... how is there so much difference in points between classes?"
Hirata also saw something strange about the numbers. The point difference was too clean.
"Do you guys finally understand? Why you were placed in class D."
"The reason we were placed in class D? Isn't it because we deserve this school?"
"Uh, that's how regular classes work, you know?"
Everyone looked at each other.
"In this school, all students are divided into classes with the best achievements. The best students are put into class A. The worst ones in class D. Well, this is a system found in big schools. In other words, class D is the Collection of leftovers. It also means that you are the worst student, the defective product of this school. This is really a worthy outcome for a handicapped student. "
Horikita's face tightened. It seemed like the reason behind the class division really surprised him.
Sure, it was better to put smart people with other smart people, and incapable people with other incapable people. If you put rotten oranges with good oranges, the good oranges would rot faster. It was undeniable that the superior Horikita was very surprised by this kind of division.
Namun, mungkin bagus kalau aku dimasukkan ke sini. Hanya ada satu cara untuk pergi dan itu terserah.
"Namun, kelas D ini adalah yang pertama kehilangan semua poin mereka di bulan pertama. Sebaliknya, aku memujimu karena hidup sangat boros sampai sekarang. Hal yang sangat patut dipuji."
Tepuk tangan Chiyabashira-sensei yang tidak alami bergema di kelas.
"Setelah mencapai titik nol, apakah itu berarti kita akan selalu berada di titik nol selamanya?"
"Ya, poinmu akan tetap di 0 sampai kelulusan, biar bagaimanapun, karena kalian masih bisa menggunakan asramamu, dan ada makanan gratis di kafetaria. Kau tidak akan mati."
Meskipun kehidupan siswa dengan hanya seminimal mungkin, banyak siswa mungkin tidak akan menyukainya. Bagaimanapun, para siswa menjalani kehidupan mereka bulan ini sambil menikmati setiap kemewahan yang mungkin terjadi. Tiba-tiba, harus menjalani kehidupan kontrol diri terlihat sangat sulit bagi banyak siswa.
"... Apa kita akan diolok-olok oleh kelas lainnya sekarang?"
Sudou menendang mejanya dengan keras. Setelah mengetahui bahwa kelas dibagi berdasarkan prestasi, setiap orang mungkin akan mengolok kelas D sebagai kelompok orang idiot. Bukan tidak beralasan untuk berputus asa.
"Apa, kau masih berpegang pada harga dirimu, Sudou? Kemudian lakukan yang terbaik dan cobalah membuat kelas terburuk menjadi kelas terbaik."
"Hah?"
"Poin kelas ini tidak hanya terkait dengan jumlah uang yang kalian dapatkan setiap bulannya, tapi juga menunjukkan peringkat kelasnya."
Jadi, dengan kata lain ... misalnya, kelas D telah meraih 500 poin, mereka akan dipromosikan menjadi kelas C. Ini sangat mirip dengan penilaian perusahaan.
"Baiklah, aku punya satu lagi berita buruk yang harus kuberitahu kalian."
Dia menaruh satu selembar kertas lagi ke papan tulis. Nama semua teman sekelas dicantumkan. Di samping nama semua orang ada sebuah nomor.
"Dari melihat angka-angka ini, aku mengerti bahwa ada banyak idiot di kelas ini."
Dia melirik murid-muridnya saat tumitnya berkelok-kelok di lantai
"These are the scores from the exam a few days ago. Sensei became relieved after seeing your excellent performance, Seriously, what did you guys study in middle school?"
Except for the upperclassmen in the class, almost everyone got below the 60 mark. Ignoring the good score, Sudou with 14 points, the next lowest was Ike's score of 24. The average score was around 65.
"If this test was really recorded, seven of you would've had to drop out. Fortunately not, right?"
"D-drop out? What do you mean?"
"Why, didn't I explain it? If you get a failing grade in either the midterm or final exam in any case, you have to drop out of school. On this test, everyone who is below 32. You guys are really idiots and stupid. "
"A-what!?"
The seven people who failed, or in other words, Ike and his group, let out shocked sounds.
On the paper, there was a red line separating the rest of the class and the highest of the seven was Kikuchi with a score of 31 points. In other words, everyone after Kikuchi failed.
"Don't joke with me Sae-chan-sensei! Don't joke with getting out of school!"
"I'm also at a loss for words, it's school rules, so prepare for the worst."
"As the teacher said, there seems to be a lot of stupid people here."
While polishing her nails with her feet on the table, Koenji had a satisfied smile on her face.
"What is it, Koenji!? Your sign is also in the red!"
"Fu, where are your eyes looking, kid? Look more carefully."
"H-huh? Hey, the name Koenji... huh?"
Looking from below, his eyes gradually reached the top. And then he finally saw the name Koenji Rokusuke.
Unexpectedly, Koenji had achieved the highest score in the class. 90 points That meant he could solve one of his super hard problems.
"I never thought that Sudou would be a stupid character like me...!"
Ike said aloud with sarcasm in his tone of voice.
"Oh, and one more thing, this school which is under state control, has a high percentage of alumni for higher education and a high employment rate. That is a well-known fact. Most likely, many people in this Class will either go to college or find a job in the company. "
That was obvious. As he said, this school has the highest job acceptance and employment rate. There are rumors that if you successfully graduate from this school, colleges or companies that are usually difficult will be very easy to join there. Another rumor said that graduating from this school was like getting a recommendation for admission to the University of Tokyo.
"But... things aren't that easy in the world. People like you, whose level is so low, will probably have a hard time getting into college or getting a job."
Chiyabashira-sensei's words echoed in the classroom.
"In other words, in order to make our dreams of getting a job or going to college come true, perhaps the minimum must exceed C grade."
"That's also a bit wrong, Hirata There's no way to achieve your dream except to surpass class A. The school doesn't guarantee anything for all the other students."
"I-that... that's something I've never heard of! It doesn't make sense!"
Yukimura, who was wearing glasses, stood up. He was the one who attributed Koenji's grades.
"How embarrassing, there's nothing as annoying as a boy who makes a fuss and panics."
As if he sensed something from Yukimura's words, Koenji sighed.
"...Koenji, don't you feel resentment for being in Class D?"
"Resentment? Why would I feel hatred? I don't understand."
"Because we've been told that our class is a collection of leftovers, and that our chances of getting into higher education or getting a job are slim!"
"Fu, that's nonsense, I can't even respond to that sheer stupidity."
Koenji did not stop polishing his nails. He didn't even face Yukimura as he spoke.
"This school just hasn't seen my full potential, I value, respect, understand myself more than anyone else. Even if the school puts me in class D, it doesn't mean anything to me. If I were to drop out, that would be great. After all, this is a school that will come crawling back to me. "
It sounded like Koenji wanted to say something. Is that manliness? Or is that arrogance? Of course, if you don't care about class rank in school, it doesn't matter at all. Given his high intelligence and physical ability, it was hard to think that A class students were better than Koenji. Or maybe she was placed in D class because of her personality.
"However, I didn't want to go to college or find a job somewhere after I graduated, it was decided that I would lead the Koenji conglomerate in the future. It doesn't matter whether I'm in A class or D class. "
For someone whose future was already secured, there was definitely no need to worry about class.
Without words to reply, Yukimura sat back down.
"It seems like your happy mood has shrunk, if only you guys understood that this is a harsh environment from the start, we wouldn't need such long class hours. Midterm is still three weeks away, so please don't get kicked out of school. I'm sure everyone here can survive without getting a red mark. If possible, please be understanding about your situation with appropriate behavior for good people. "
Closing the door for emphasis, Chiyabashira-sensei exited the classroom.
The students with red marks were disappointed. Even the usually proud Sudou looked down in embarrassment.
"What am I going to do without points?"
"I spent the rest of my points yesterday..."
After Chiyabashira-sensei left the room, the entire class was in an uproar.
"Rather than points, it's a class issue... Why did I get put into Class D!?"
Yukimura was overcome with frustration. There were beads of sweat on his forehead.
"Wait, does that mean we won't be able to go to the colleges we want to go to? Then why did I come to this school in the first place? I wonder if Sae-chan-sensei hates me..."
None of the students could hide their confusion.
"I understand that everyone is panicking right now, but calm down."
Hirata took charge of the class, trying to calm the feelings of impending crisis.
"How can we be calm in this situation? Aren't you frustrated that we're the leftovers class!?"
"Even if I say so, isn't it better to work together to get out of this situation?"
"Get out of this situation? First off, I don't even agree with this class ranking!"
"I completely understand your feelings. But, there's no point in sitting here and complaining."
"What!?"
Yukimura walked up to Hirata and grabbed his collar.
"Calm down, you two, Ok? Surely, Sensei must have explained it to us firmly in order to comfort us, right?"
Kushida spoke up. She separated the two and gently clenched Yukimura's fist in her hand. Yukimura, as expected, tried not to hurt Kushida and accidentally took a step back.
"Also, it's only been one month since school started, like Hirata-kun said, I think it's better that we all persevere through this situation. Do you think I was wrong?"
"N-no, that's... Of course, I don't think what Kushida said was wrong, but..."
Yukimura's anger had subsided. Kushida sincerely looked at everyone in Class D, expecting everyone's cooperation.
"I-that's right We're just impatient, Yukimura and Hirata don't need to fight."
"...I'm sorry, I lost a little composure."
"It's okay, I should have also chosen my words more carefully."
With the help of Kushida Kikyou, the fight was resolved in an orderly manner.
I took out my phone and took a picture of the class point. Seeing my action, Horikita looked at me with a curious expression.
"What are you doing?"
"I haven't been able to figure out the specifics behind the points. Didn't you also take note of it?"
If I could find out the exact number of points deducted from being late and talking in class, perhaps we could come up with some countermeasures.
"Isn't it hard to calculate the amount with this little information? Also, even if you manage to think of something, I don't think it will help solve this problem. Simply speaking, everyone is always late and talks too much in class. "
As Horikita said, it was difficult to come up with a conclusion with the amount of information at hand. It seemed like he was impatient; his usual calm demeanor seemed to be gone.
"Did you also go to this school to get into college?"
"...why are you asking that?"
"It's just that when he talked about the difference between class A and class D, you looked really surprised."
"That's more or less the reaction of everyone in the class, isn't it? Even though we were given an explanation about this the first day of school, I couldn't understand this new development
Well, that makes sense. People in classes B and C are probably grumbling with dissatisfaction just like us. Every class other than class A is treated as leftovers by the school. Trying the hardest thing to improve our class rank seems to be the best course of action here.
"I think before thinking about class A or class D, perhaps we need to guarantee some points."
"Points are just a byproduct of our efforts in class, no points will not hinder our school life. After all, this school provides everything for free with a certain capacity."
Even if you think so, this is a relief for those who lost all their points.
"It won't hinder our school life, huh..."
It's not a problem to live minimally. However, there are many things that only points can get. For example, recreation and entertainment. Having no means of entertainment might only hurt us in the future...
"Last month, how many points did you spend Ayanokouji-kun?"
"Hmm? Oh, how many points did I use? I used about 20,000 points."
The students who used up all their points were in trouble. Like Yamauchi who had been panicking for some time now.
Ike also spent all his points.
"Although I think it's a pity, they are paying for their own mistakes."
Certainly, using up all 100,000 points in one month is a small matter.
"We were baited by the lure of points in the first month..."
100,000 points per month. Although we thought it was too good to be true, everyone celebrated.
"Everyone, once class starts, I ask that everyone pay close attention. Especially you, Sudou-kun."
Hirata attracted the attention of the noisy class by standing at the podium.
"Tch, what's wrong?"
"This month, we didn't get any points, this is a matter that greatly affects the lives of our future students. We can't go on like this and graduate with 0 points, can we?"
"Of course not!"
A girl shouted at Hirata's words. Hirata nodded gently.
"Of course not, so we have no choice but to try and get some points next month. That's why everyone in the class must work together to fix our problems. We must refrain from being late and talking in class. Of course, using cell phones in class is also prohibited. "
"Ha? Why do we have to listen to what you say? If the points remain constant, there's no reason to stop."
"However, if we keep being late and talking in class, our points won't increase. Even if we can't go further than 0 points, it's still considered negative."
"I don't understand, even if we work hard in class, it's not like our points will go up."
Feeling dissatisfied, Sudou snorted and crossed his arms. Seeing Sudou's feelings, Kushida spoke up.
"Doesn't the school say that not being late and not talking in class should be a clear mentality?"
"Un, I also think the same as Kushida-san. It's the natural thing to do."
"That's just an explanation for your own convenience. If you understand that our points won't increase, it's pointless. Talk after you find out how to increase our points."
"I don't think there's anything wrong with what Sudou-kun said. Sorry for making you feel uncomfortable."
Hirata looked down at Sudou who was dissatisfied.
"But Sudou-kun, it's a fact that if we don't work together, our points will never increase."
"...It doesn't matter what you guys do. Don't involve me. Do you understand?"
As if feeling uncomfortable staying in the classroom, Sudou left the room.
Would he leave only until class started, or would he never return?
"Sudou-kun really can't read the atmosphere, he's the one who's late the most. Even without Sudou-kun, can we still get some points?"
"Yeah... he's the worst. Why is he in the same class as us..."
Well, everyone had had the time of their lives until this morning. No one complained about Sudou back then.
While getting off the podium, Hirata walked to the front of the room.
"Horikita-san and Ayanokouji-kun, do you have time later? After school, I want to talk about how we can increase our points, I want you guys to participate, can you?"
"Why us?"
"I want to hear everyone's thoughts. However, even if I ask everyone to speak, I think more than half won't listen seriously."
So, that's why she asked the two of us specifically. I don't think we can come up with any useful ideas, but I guess it's okay to participate. Although I think that-
"I'm sorry, but can you ask someone else? I'm not good at talking about things like this."
"You don't need to force yourself to say anything in particular. It's good enough to stay there."
"I'm sorry, but I don't intend to meet for nothing."
"I think this is our first meeting as a class. So-"
"I've already refused, I'm not participating."
A calm yet strong word. Although remembering Hirata's point of view, Horikita refused again.
"B-so. Sorry... If you change your mind, please participate."
Horikita had already stopped paying attention to Hirata who had given up.
"What about you, Ayanokouji-kun?"
Honestly, I think it would be good to participate. After all, most of the class would probably participate.
However, if Horikita was the only one who didn't participate, he would probably get the same treatment as Sudou.
"Ah... I pass, sorry.
"...No, I'm the one who should be sorry, If you ever change your mind, you're free to join."
Hirata probably understood what I was thinking. I didn't reject her like Horikita.
After the discussion was over, Horikita started preparing for the next class.
"Wow, Hirata is so amazing, she can get everyone into action. It's unusual to feel pressured by this situation."
"That's one way to look at it. If you are good at solving problems with discussion, there will be no difficulty. However, if a student who is not smart tries to hold a discussion, it might get into chaos. Also, I can't make myself accept the current situation. "
"Make yourself accept this situation? What do you mean by that?"
Horikita, without answering my question, said nothing more.
After school. Hirata was at the podium, using the blackboard to prepare for the discussion.
Due to Hirata's charisma, it seemed like everyone showed up except Horikita and Sudou. Both of them had already left the room. Before the discussion started, I had to leave the room as well.
"Ayanokouji~"
From under the table, Yamauchi stuck out his face, still looking dead.
"Oh my... what's wrong?"
"Buy this for 20,000 points~ I can't buy anything because I have no points~"
Yamauchi put down the game console he was playing the other day. Don't push your problems on me...
"If you sell that stuff to me, who will I play with?"
"How should I know, it's not a problem, right? It's a good deal."
"I'll buy it if you lower the price to 1000 points."
"Ayanoukouji~ I don't have anyone else I can rely on~"
"Why just me...? I can't give you what I don't have."
Yamauchi looked at me with watery eyes, but I averted my eyes because I felt bad.
He realized that asking me for points wouldn't work, so he moved on to another target.
"Hasebe, I have a request, my best friend! Buy this game console for 22,000 points!"
It seemed like he was trying to get Hasebe to buy it now. Next, he shamelessly raised the price.
"It must be hard for everyone who utilizes their points..."
Kushida said while looking at the exchange between Yamauchi and Hasebe.
"Kushida, are your points okay?"
most girls have a lot of needs.
"Hmm, well, for now, I've spent about half my points, I used up too many points this first month, so it'll be hard to control myself. Ayanokouji-kun, how about you?"
"It must be hard for someone so popular to live a school life without spending money....I've barely used any points, nor do I have anything I really need."
"Is that because you don't have any friends?"
"Hey..."
"Ahaha, sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to make a mistake."
Kushida apologized to me while giggling. She's so cute when she laughs like that.
"Um, Kushida-san?"
"Karuizawa-san, what's wrong?"
"To be honest, I spent all my points, I've gotten help from other girls in the class, but I also thought of asking, Kushida-san We're friends, right? I only need about 2000 points. . "
Karuizawa asked for points from Kushida with a fake laugh. This should be rejected immediately.
"Un.., alright."
I shouted "alright!?" In my mind, but I guess it depends on each person, like how they decide on their friends.
Without any hesitation at all, Kushida decided to help Karuizawa.
"Thank you~ Friends are really very useful. Here's my number. so, see you~ Ah, Inogashira-san, to be honest, I spent all my points~"
While moving on to the next target, Karuizawa walked away from us.
"Is that okay? Your points probably won't come back."
"I can't abandon a friend when they ask for help. Karuizawa-san also has many friends, so it might be difficult for her without many points."
"But, I think spending 100,000 points should be your own problem."
"Ah, but how can I transfer my points?"
"You received a piece of paper from Karuizawa with a number, right? You can transfer the points using your cell phone."
"Wow, the school really thought of everything for the students. They even created a system like this to help people like Karuizawa-san."
Of course, this was a favor to Karuizawa. However, was it really necessary to send the money? It seemed like it would be a lot of trouble.
"Ayanokouji-kun of class D. Chiyabashira-sensei is calling you. Please come to the staff room."
After the bell, a voice came over the loudspeaker.
"Looks like you were called by the teacher."
"Yes... Sorry, Kushida I'll be going."
Since the first day of school, I don't remember doing anything that could get me called out. Feeling the sharp eyes of the other students, I walked out of the room.
I reached the staff room and timidly opened the door. Looking around the room, I didn't see Chiyabashira-sensei anywhere. I called out to the teacher who was checking her own face in the mirror.
"Um, is Chiyabashira-sensei here?"
"What? Sae-chan? She was here until a moment ago..."
The teacher who looked back had long wavy hair and shoulders that gave the impression of an adult. She said Chiyabashira-sensei's name as if they were close. They also seemed to be the same age.
"It looks like there's something to do, do you want to wait indoors?"
"No, I'll wait in the hallway."
I didn't feel comfortable in an area like the staff room. Since I didn't want to attract attention, I decided to wait in the hallway anyway. As soon as I thought, the teacher walked into the hallway.
"I am Hoshinomiya Chie who is in charge of class B. I've been best friends with Sae since high school. We're close enough to call each other Sae-chan and Chie-chan~."
I've never heard it before, but it seems like useless information.
"Ne, why did Sae-chan call you here? Ne ne, why?"
"Who knows, I don't know the reason either..."
"I don't understand, you were called without being given a reason? Fuun? What's your name?
A barrage of questions. She examined me from top to bottom.
"My name is Ayanokouji."
"Ayanokouji-kun, isn't that cool? You're popular, right?"
What's with this overly casual teacher? She's closer to a student than she is to a teacher like Chiyabashira-sensei. If this school was all male, maybe she would capture every student's heart.
"Ne ne, do you have a boyfriend?"
"No... um, I'm not very popular."
I tried to make myself look offended and hurt, but Hoshinomiya-sensei still firmly approached me. With a smooth motion, he grabbed my shoulder with his slender, beautiful hands.
"Fuun? How strange, I would've gone with you if we were in the same class~ Is it because you're too innocent or are you a tsuntsun?"
She poked my cheek with her finger. I wasn't sure what to say. If I suddenly licked his finger, maybe he would stop, but if this was in a staff meeting, maybe I would be expelled immediately.
"What are you doing, Hoshinomiya?"
Suddenly, Chiyabashira-sensei hit Hoshinomiya-sensei on the head with a clipboard. Hoshinomiya-sensei crouched down, holding his head in pain.
"Oww, what are you doing with that!"
"It's because you do weird things with students here."
"I was just talking to her while she was waiting for you to come back!"
"Just leave that alone. Sorry to keep you waiting, Ayanokouji, then, let's move to the guidance room."
"No, I didn't wait long, also the guidance room... did I do something? I thought I was living an inconspicuous school life."
"Good response, come with me."
I followed Chiyabashira-sensei while thinking "What's wrong with this..."
Suddenly, Hoshinomiya-sensei walked beside me with a smile. When he saw, Chiyabashira-sensei turned around and looked at him with a demonic gaze.
"Not you, you go back."
"Don't say that coldly~ It's not a big deal if I come too, right? After all, Sae-chan isn't the type to give one-on-one lessons, right? Also, to bring Ayanokouji-kun to her guidance room all of a sudden... do you have some kind of purpose? "
Replying to Chiyabashira-sensei's question with a grin, she turned her back to me and placed her hands on my shoulders.
I couldn't see Hoshinomiya-sensei's face, but I understood there was electricity in the air.
"Anyway, Sae-chan, are you aiming for a younger man?"
A younger man? What do you mean by that?
"Don't say stupid things, it's impossible."
"Fufu, of course, no way Sae-chan~"
Hoshinomiya-sensei kept following us.
"How long are you going to follow us? This is a matter regarding class D."
"Uh, can't I go with you? Is that bad? Look, I can also give advice~"
As Hoshinomiya-sensei followed us against our will, a student suddenly walked in front of us and blocked our way.
It was a beautiful girl with light pink hair that I had never seen before.
"Hoshinomiya-sensei, do you have time now? The student council has a lot to discuss."
She looked at us for a moment, but turned back to face Hoshinomiya-sensei.
"Listen, she's looking for you. Hurry up and go."
Chiyabashira-sensei smacked Hoshinomiya-sensei's butt with his clipboard.
"Mou~ I think she'll get angry if I'm here any longer, so bye, Ayanokouji-kun. Alright, let's go to the staff room, Ichinose-san."
With that, she turned around and returned to the staff room with Ichinose.
After seeing Hoshinomiya-sensei, Chiyabashira-sensei lightly scratched his head and continued walking towards the guidance room. Soon after, we arrived at the guidance room, right next to the staff room.
"Then... what was the reason you called me?"
"Umu, about that... before I talk about it, come here."
While glancing at the wall clock, she opened the door that was inside the room. She put the kettle on the stove in the office kitchen.
"I'm going to make some green tea. Are you okay with roasted green tea?"
I picked up the container with the roasted green tea powder.
"Don't do anything, come in quietly, until I say it's okay to come out, stand here quietly, otherwise you'll be kicked out."
"Ha? What do you mean-"
Without giving an explanation, she closed the door to the office kitchen. What was she trying to do? I remained silent as she told me, and shortly after, I heard the sound of the room door opening.
"Come in. What did you want to tell me, then? Horikita."
It seemed to be Horikita who was called into the guidance room.
"I'm going to ask frankly why I was put into Class D?"
"Are you really asking frankly?"
"Today, sensei said that classes are divided by excellence. And that D class is the lowest collection of remnants."
"I did say that, it seems like you think of yourself as a 'superior' person."
I wondered how Horikita would reply. I bet that he would confidently object to her words.
"I believe that I solved almost all the questions on the entrance exam, and didn't have any major mistakes during the interview. At the very least, I don't think I should be in D class."
Look, I'm already dead. Horikita type thinks of himself as the best. He is also not self-aware and actually thinks that he is superior to others. The results of the test, Horikita also intertwined the first time.
"Solve almost all the problems on the entrance exam, that's it. Normally, we can't show the results of the entrance exam, but I'll give you a special exception, I have your answers here by chance."
"You're really prepared, I see... It seems like you also knew I would come here to protest my placement."
"I am a teacher, at least I understand students with a degree. Horikita Suzune. As you may think, in the entrance exam, you came in third place among the incoming first years. Your grades were behind the first and second by only a few lines, you did very well, there were no particular problems we observed during the interview. On the contrary, you were rated highly. "
"Thank you very much, so what?"
"Before that, why weren't you satisfied with the D grade?"
"No one will be happy when they are not evaluated properly, the difference between classes also greatly affects future prospects. It's unnatural for me to be unhappy."
"Properly evaluated? Hey hey, your assessment of yourself is too high."
Chiyabashira-sensei sneered, or rather, laughed out loud, at Horikita.
"I realize that your academic ability is high, you must be smart, but who decided that smart people are the ones who enter superior classes? We never said that."
"That-that's just logic"
"Logic? Isn't that 'logic' creating the broken Japan we live in now? Indeed, we used to separate the inferior from the superior by using test scores. As a result, incompetent people tried to make up the difference in a desperate attempt to beat the truly superior people. In the end, this led to a hereditary system. "
The hereditary system means that social status, honor, and occupation are all passed on and inherited.
Hearing those words, I inadvertently let out a low groan. My chest hurt.
"Of course, I have the ability to learn, I won't deny it, but the purpose of this school is to produce excellent people. It's a big mistake to think that you can be placed into a higher class by just studying. The first thing we explained, at the entrance ceremony, other than that, think calmly. Do you think someone like Sudou will succeed if we decide admission by intelligence alone?"
"Tsu..."
Although this was one of the best schools in Japan, they accepted students who were interested in fields other than studying.
"Also, it's rash to say that no one will be happy when they are evaluated incorrectly. Class A, for example, receives a lot of pressure from the school and a lot of envy from the lower classes Competing under heavy pressure is harder than you think. There are students who are good with being evaluated lower than they actually are. "
"That's a joke, right? I can't understand people like that."
"Really, I guess there are some in class D. Strange students who would stay in a low-level class happily."
It seemed like she was talking to me through the wall.
"You still haven't explained clearly, is my placement in class D correct, and are there no mistakes in my evaluation? Please double check."
"It's very bad, but your placement in class D was not a mistake. You're already in class D. You're a student only at that level.
"...Is that so? I'll hear it from the school next time."
It seemed like she decided that her homeroom teacher wasn't the right person to ask, and didn't give up.
"You'll get the same results if you try talking to anyone in a higher position. There's no need to be disappointed, as I said this morning, classes can catch up and surpass each other. Remember that it's possible to rise up to A class before graduating. "
"It doesn't seem like it will go easily. How can an immature class like D get more points than an A class? No matter how I look at it, it's impossible."
That was Horikita's honest opinion. There was a lot of time difference at the moment.
"I don't know, your own choice, did you have to go down that reckless path? Maybe you had a special reason why you had to be in Class A?"
"That's... I'm leaving for today, but remember I still don't understand."
"Alright, I'll remember that."
I heard the sound of a chair being pulled out. It seemed like the discussion was over.
"Oh, right, I called another person to the guidance room, it's a person who is also concerned with you."
"Concerned with me...? No way... Niisa-"
"Come out, Ayanokouji."
Don't call me at a bad time. Fine, I won't come out.
"If you don't come out, you'll be expelled."
K-cruel. You shouldn't use such an unfair thing as using expulsion as a weapon.
"How much longer are you going to make me wait?"
Sighing, I walked out of the office kitchen and into the guidance room. Naturally, Horikita was shocked.
"Are you... listening to us?"
"Listening? I know you guys are talking about something, but I can't hear anything, the walls are pretty thick."
"That's not true, you can hear everything clearly from that kitchen."
For some reason, it seemed like Chiyabashira-sensei wanted to drag me into the room.
"...Sensei, why did you do that?"
Horikita immediately realized that this was a trap. His anger was evident on his face.
"Since I decided it was necessary, then Ayanokouji, I'll tell you why I called you."
Chiyabashira-sensei shot down Horikita's question and turned her attention to me.
"Excuse me then..."
"Wait Horikita, you better listen to the end, this will be a clue as to how you got to class A."
Horikita stopped in his seat and sat back in his chair.
"Please be brief."
While staring at her clipboard, Chiyabashira-sensei laughed.
"You are an interesting student, Ayanokouji."
"I'm not interesting at all, not as interesting as someone like Chiyabashira who has a strange surname."
"Do you want to kowtow in front of all the Chiyabashira-san in the country? Hmm?"
No, even if you look at all the countries for other Chiyabashira tribes, there probably won't be anyone other than you...
"After your entrance exam results, I was thinking of potential individualized teaching methods, but after seeing your test results, my interest was piqued. I was surprised at first."
A familiar answer sheet from the entrance exam was on the clipboard.
"50 points in Japanese, 50 points in math, 50 points in English, 50 points in history, 50 points in science... and the latest test result is also 50 points. Do you know what that means?"
To my surprise, Horikita looked at my entire test form then turned his gaze to me.
"What a terrifying coincidence."
"Hou? You're going to claim that my results are a coincidence until the end? This is clearly intentional."
"It's a coincidence, you have no proof, anyway what benefit can I get from manipulating my own results? If I had a brain that could get high grades, I would aim for perfect grades for all subjects."
Seeing me feign innocence, she sighed with a look of amazement.
"Honestly, you're a really weird student, are you sure? Math problem #5 was only solved by 3% of all students this year. Moreover, you included a complicated formula and used it perfectly. On the other hand, the correct answer rating of #10 is 76%. Did you make a mistake? Or is that 'normal'? "
"I don't know what's normal in this world. It's a coincidence, a coincidence."
"Good grief, I admire your attitude, but it will cause trouble for you in the future."
"I'll think about it when I have to."
Chiyabashira-sensei sent Horikita a look that said, "How is that?"
"Why are you... pretending not to understand?"
"No, like I said, it's a coincidence. It's not like I'm hiding that I'm a genius or anything.
"What do you think? She's probably smarter than you, Horikita."
Horikita seemed to flinch. Sensei, please don't say anything unnecessary.
"I don't like studying, nor do I want to try my best, that's why I get grades like that."
"It's not about the students who chose this school, like you and Koenji, there are others who are fine with A grade or D grade."
Not only this school, but even the teachers were not normal. During their conversation earlier, Chiyabashira-sensei was able to irritate Horikita with her words. It was as if they held the "secrets" of all the students.
"What's the reason? What other reasons?"
"Do you want to hear it in detail?"
I noticed that Chiyabashira-sensei had a sharp glint in her eyes. Somehow, it seemed like she was trying to provoke him.
"No, I'll stop here, if I keep listening, I think I'll go crazy and destroy all the furniture here."
"If you do that, Ayanokouji will be demoted to class E."
"There is such a class?"
"Of course, Class E means expulsion. In other words, dropping out of school... Well, the conversation ends here. Enjoy your student life from now on."
What a sarcastic remark.
"I'm leaving too, it's time for the staff meeting to start, I'm going to close this room, so let's leave the room."
She pushed the two of us out of the room. Why did Chiyabashira-sensei make the two of us meet? She didn't look like the type to perform meaningless actions.
"Anyway... should we go back?"
I started walking away without waiting for her to confirm. Maybe it's better that we walk back separately.
"Wait."
Horikita called for me to stop, but I kept walking. If I stay away from her until we reach the dormitory, my goal will be a success.
"Is your score... really a coincidence?"
"I already said that, or do you have proof that I did it on purpose?"
"I have no proof, but... Ayanokouji-kun, I don't understand, you avoid troublesome things, and you're not interested in class A."
"You also have some unusual thoughts about class A."
"...Why not? I'm trying to make my future prospects more favorable."
"No, that's perfectly natural."
"That's been my goal since I entered this school, it's actually a little different, I haven't even reached the starting line yet."
I noticed that Horikita quickened his pace and walked beside me.
"Then, what do you want in Class A?"
"First, I want to find out the true intentions of the school, why I was put into class D. Chiyabashira-sensei said that I was only judged as a person suitable for class D, so... When I find out, I will aim for Class A. No, I always aim for Class A."
"That will be very difficult, you have to fix those kids' problems, Sudou's constant tardiness, chatting in class, and his test scores. Even if you achieve that, it's still ±0."
"...I already know that, I still hope my placement is wrong by the school."
Horikita's previously overflowing confidence had turned into anxiety. Did you really "already know"?
The only conclusion I got from today's information was the word "desperation". If you follow the basic rules of school life, minuses can be avoided to a certain extent. However, the important thing is that we don't know how to turn minuses into pluses. The most excellent class, class A, still has a slight point detraction.
Even if we find a way to increase our points efficiently, other classes will also find a way to do the same.
Also, once there is a big difference, it is very difficult to stay competitive among classes in a limited time.
"I can understand your thinking to some extent, but I don't think that the school will continue to pay close attention to the students, then there would be no meaning to compete."
"I see, you can also think of it that way."
I read that the school didn't allow the A class to escape in the first month of entry. In other words, Horikita believed that this was our chance to make a big increase in points.
"Are you thinking of taking matters into your own hands?"
"Yes."
"Quick answer."
A hand pierced my side. Horikita ignored me as I made a painful expression.
"Ouch... I understand your feelings, but this isn't a problem you can handle on your own, I'm talking about Sudou. Even if you improve yourself, there's nothing you can do if the rest of the class lacks."
"No, it's a little different. Sure, one can't accomplish anything on their own, but if everyone doesn't make an effort on their own, it will be a very difficult problem. Unless everyone does it, we can't even do it. Start competing against the other classes. "
"So what are you going to do? All you do is admit that this is a big problem."
"There are 3 important points that we need to fix in order to improve. Being late and talking in class, then making sure everyone passes the midterm."
"The first two will probably be done to some extent. However, the midterm is..."
The small test from a few days ago did have some problems, but overall it was easy. There were many students who still failed at that level, so the midterm looked bleak, to be honest.
"Also, I'd like to ask for Ayanokouji-kun's cooperation."
"Cooperation?"
Horikita looked at me with a very unpleasant expression.
"You rejected Hirata this morning, so I can reject for the same reason, right?"
"Do you want to refuse?"
"If I say 'it would be my pleasure to help'?"
"I never thought you would say that you would be happy to help, but I don't think you would refuse either. If you really don't want to help, then... I won't ask further, It won't help if you refuse the same way I did. In that case, can I expect your help or not?"
If possible, I would like to remember the words she used to reject Hirata before... However, I don't want to bluntly reject someone who asks. No, no, stay calm. If I say that I'll help, I'll probably work myself to death until I graduate. I need to have a heart like a demon here.
"I refuse."
"I believed that Ayanokouji-kun would agree to cooperate from the beginning, I gave my gratitude."
"I didn't say that, I really refused!"
"No, I heard that voice in your mind, you said that you would help."
Scary, she read my mind.
"I guess there's nothing I can help you with."
Horikita must be a smart guy. I don't think there's any need for my skills.
"There's nothing to worry about, I don't need your brain power, leave my plan, and you can be the muscle."
"Ha? Why do I have to be the muscle?"
"Aren't you worried about our class points? If you follow my instructions, I promise to make our points positive, I can guarantee it."
"I'm sure you have a plan, but you can rely on someone other than me. If you make friends, you can ask them for help."
"It's too bad, but no one else in Class D besides you is remotely competent."
"No, not many people, for example Hirata, a classmate like him has a lot of influence in the class and is smart. She's perfect, not to mention she's worried that you don't have any friends."
If you contact her, maybe you'll become good friends soon.
"She's no good, even if she has talent and ability, I can't accept her. If I'm making a comparison, I need a chess piece. What I want now is not gold or silver, but a pawn."
"Did you call me a pawn just now? Is that how you called me?
"Pawns can also be used to make money."
"Interesting answer, but you're a person who won't put in much effort. Haven't you thought, 'I'm fine with being a pawn, but I don't want to admit it'?"
She shot back the tsukkomi on the spot. If I were a normal person, my feelings would be hurt.
"I'm sorry, but I can't help you, I'm not cut out for this."
"Alright, you can contact me once you gather your thoughts, I'll look forward to it then."
My words did not reach Horikita.